NARRATIVE THEORY

In this post, I will be breaking down the representation theories I have studied and how I intent to apply them to my products. 

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE (TODOROV)

Tzvetan Todorov analysed properties of hundreds of different narratives, and found a general theory that fits them all. 

The 5 part structure consists of: 

Equilibrium- the stable situation or routine and opening of the narrative

Disruption- disturbance caused breaking the routine

Recognition- realisation of caused disturbance within the narrative

Attempt to resolve- fixing the disturbance in order to regain balance

New equilibrium- new balance and stability created after the occurrence of the disruptor

This structure is illustrated in the diagram below. 

Example:

This theory can be seen in the film Shrek (2001). The film opens showing Shrek's life living alone in his swamp, the equilibrium stage. The fairytale characters that are banished by Lord Farquaad then create disruption as they invade his swamp. After Shrek recognises this, he sets off to find Lord Farquaad and makes a deal with him, he will find Princess Fiona in exchange for him taking back all the fairytale characters. This is the attempt to repair the damage. However, Princess Fiona is an ogre and she ends up marrying Shrek and moving into his swamp, which is the new equilibrium. 

Possible Influences:

If I include narrative elements in my video I would attempt to follow Todorov's structure but I would blur the equilibrium and new equilibrium so that the video can be rewatched. 

CHARACTER ARCHETYPES (PROPP)

Vladimir Propp studied 100s of folk tales and identifies seven archetypes, defined through their "spheres of action" or role they play in the progression of a narrative. The seven archetypes are: the hero, the villain, the donor, the helper, the princess, the dispatcher, and the false hero. 

In this post I will break down and explain the different archetypes using the contemporary comparisons of Shrek (2001) and Shrek 2 (2004). 

The Hero: According to Propp, there are two types of heroes: the seeker, and the victim. The seeker "agrees to liquidate the misfortune" and aids a suffering character on his quest to defeat the evil. The other type is the victim, who "directly suffers from the action of the Villain", and then has to solve their own misfortune. In Shrek, Shrek is a seeker and victim, who agrees (seeker) to complete the villain's quest in order to have the fairytale characters return back home and leave his swamp (victim). The narrative then follows him as he progresses on his hero's journey (Campbell), helped by the other characters, and marries the princess. 

The Villain: To develop the narrative, the Villain initially causes a "form of misfortune, damage, or harm", and leads to a struggle with the Hero. In Shrek, this would be Lord Farquaard, who kicks the fairytale creatures out of his kingdom, and forces Shrek to risk his life and rescue Princess Fiona so that he can marry her. 

The Donor/Provider: In order to defeat the Villain, the Hero needs a Donor to complete his quest. Often, the Hero must make a sacrifice and meet the Donors request, in order to be assisted by them. In Shrek 2, this is seen when the Muffin Man makes a giant gingerbread man in order to help Shrek defeat the Fairy Godmother, and Prince Charming. 

The Helper: The Helper aids the Hero in their journey, often providing company, or using their powers to aid the Hero. At the end, their journey with the Hero, the Helper represents the hero's journey (Campbell) and progression within the narrative. In Shrek, although he is met by protest from the Hero, Donkey joins him on his quest, and in return, Shrek receives his company. At the end of the film, Donkeys relationship with Shrek shows his evolution in the story.

The Princess/Prize: Often, the Hero sets off on his journey in order to rescue a Princess. She often aids the Hero in providing an object for defeating the Villain, and the narrative ends when she is married by the Hero. The Princess is also seen as a sought after character, such as a missing person, or simply someone of the title. In Shrek, the Princess is Fiona, who he seeks out to rescue, aids him in defeating the Villain, and ends up marrying. 

The Dispatcher: Once the Villain commits his crime, the Dispatcher calls for help, and often promises the Hero a reward. In some cases, the Dispatcher offers the Hero a release, in order to complete the quest. In Shrek, the Dispatcher is played by Donkey and Lord Faarquad. Donkey initially calls Shrek for help, and Lord Faarquad then sends Shrek on his quest. 

The False Hero: The False Hero takes credit for the Hero's victory, once the quest is completed. In Shrek 2, Prince Charming is the False Hero, as he pretends to be a human Shrek, in order to marry Princess Fiona. 

Possible influences: 
If I include a narrative I intend to use some of the Character Archetypes, I will definitely use the hero as that is typically the main star (Dyer).

NARRATIVE CATEGORIES (DOMAILLE)

Theorist Kate Domaille states that all conventional narratives can be divided into eight different structures exploring a different theme or issue, represented by a popular story. 

The 8 narrative categories are:

1. ACHILLES (The Fatal Flaw) - The protagonist has a fatal flaw that leads to the destruction of the previously flawless person. E.g. "Superman", "Fatal Attraction"
2. CANDIDE (The Indomitable Hero) - The protagonist is invincible. E.g. "James Bond", "Indiana Jones" 

3. CINDERELLA (The Dream Come True) - The protagonist is in a unprivileged position and their life turns around for the better. E.g. "Pretty Woman"

4. CIRCE (The Chase) - The chase between good and evil. E.g. "The Terminator" 

5. FAUST (Selling Your Soul) - The protagonist exchanges their soul for riches, but the devil takes over. E.g. "Scarface", "The Wolf of Wall Street" 

6. ORPHEUS (The Loss) - The protagonist loses something personal, and the narrative follows the journey of revenge. E.g. "The Sixth Sense", "Taken"

7. ROMEO + JULIET (The Love Story) - The protagonist falls in love. E.g. "Titanic" 

8. TRISTAN + ISEULT (The Love Triangle) - The protagonist falls in love but there is a third or more party involved. E.g. "Casablanca" 

Possible Influences: When creating a narrative for my music video, I want to take inspiration from one of these recognisable stories to easily build a narrative, but to warp it in a way that encourages rewatching. 

ACTION + ENIGMA CODES (BARTHES)

The French philosopher Roland Barthes defined a set of narrative codes, including narrative enigma, and action codes. 

Narrative enigma is defined as the intentional withholding of exposition in order to create mystery and suspense. 

The action codes were conceptualised by Roland Barthes, where he argued that to denote action there is a set of recognisable codes including:

        - short takes 

        - fast paced editing

        - whip-pans

        - shaky/handheld cinematography

        - loud/aggressive non/diegetic sound/track