Applying Narrative TheoriesThere are 3 main narrative theorists that

made statements towards the development of film and the ways in which audiences

analyse media language in order to receive different ideologies. Levi Strauss, Tzvetan Todorov and Vladimir Propp all created

theories that give any media product a basis in terms of narrative to follow.

Levi Strauss – Binary OppositionLevi Strauss finalised his theory of binary opposition in 1958. His theory explores the idea that an audience will only understand a theme if the opposite of this theme is also adopted within the narrative. For example his theory would suggest that an audience would only understand the will and meaning of an evil force within the narrative if a good force was also explored. Strauss’ theory therefore would suggest that not having these opposites would affect the audiences experience and reading of a media product as the audience would not fully understand the main themes or ideologies. Within my narrative I am hoping to create opposition between two main themes; the Collective vs. the Individual. This opposition will be represented in the form of the large corporate company Nutella and the main character as our individual. This opposition will be set up using mis en scene throughout the narrative using aspects like costume, make up, camera language and lighting in order to make it clear to my targeted audience how my character is being represented and how the company is also. The realisation of the opposition however should not be perceived or understood until the end of my narrative after my main character has been mocked and laughed at by my audience. This is simply because the new equilibrium of my narrative will come with the moral of the story that will make this opposition clear and therefore make my audience consider how the issue affects their lives.

Tzvetan Todorov – Narrative ArcTzvetan Todorov completed his theoretical study on the narrative arc in 1968. Todorov’s theory suggests that every narrative is based around the same 5 key aspects that make it interesting. The five stages begin with the ‘Equilibrium’, the stage where life feels normal in the narrative and the characters are living their relatively unchanging lives. Next however comes the ‘Disruption’ the stage where a problem is usurped and the lives of the characters within the narrative are disrupted. After the ‘Disruption’ comes the ‘Realisation’ where the main character or characters recognise and accept the problem in order to think of a way to resolve it. The fourth stage is the ‘Resolution’ of the narrative where the problem is finally overcome by the characters and they all finally reach the ‘New Equilibrium’ where peace is again found after the problem is solved, however things will never return completely back to how they were for the characters. Within my narrative I have created an extended version of Todorov’s Arc with a second disruption that leads straight into the new equilibrium as my characters issue cannot be solved. My narrative falls into Todorov’s theory as follows…

Equilibrium – My main character is happy with life, the audience can see through the use of mis en scene that he has a love for Nutella as his room is filled with product posters.

Disruption – After turning on the news my character listens to an emergency report and discovers that Nutella is will soon cease production of their spread due to a global hazelnut shortage.

Realisation – My main character realises he must go and stock up! Resolution – The character rushes to the shops to buy as much Nutella spread as he can carry in

order to store it back home. Disruption – Upon arriving home and turning back on the news my character discovers that the

breaking news report was simply a marketing hoax in order to increase Nutella’s sales. Realisation – My character recognises his mistake in being so gullible but knows now there is

nothing he can do. New Equilibrium – My main character has spent all his money and is now worse off for living in the

shadow of a corporate company and their product.

Tzvetan Todorov – Narrative Arc

Vladimir Propp – Character TheoryThe last of the three theorists was Vladimir Propp, his study was completed in 1920, and his theory concerned the role of characters within a narrative. It suggests that most narratives tend to have some, if not all of the suggested characters and that any other characters created conform to these stereotypes. His character theory creates a base line for a consistent narrative that an audience can follow. Propp suggested that the narratives characters must conform to these roles in order for an audience to understand a narratives ideologies. Within my narrative I have conformed the few characters I am representing around Propp’s studies…

Vladimir Propp – Character Theory The Hero – Fights a quest for the prize/princess in order to restore peace (My main character could be seen

essentially as the narratives hero, in the characters own perspective he is fighting his quest for the last pots of Nutella. In the eyes of the audience however he is being mocked.)

The Villain – Fights against the Hero in an attempt to stop the restoration (I have a Villain in my narrative however they are not represented as a direct individual. My villain will pose as the corporate company encouraging my main character to spend their money. Although in some senses my main character could also be seen as his own villain as he allows himself to be so gullible and live under such a power.)

The Helper – Helps the Hero in their fight The Prize/Princess – What the Hero will gain from the quest The False Hero – Perceived as a good character and possibly even attempts to be the Hero until revealed as evil The Dispatcher – The character who sends the Hero off on his quest (Within my narrative the news reporters

will pose as the donors who manipulate the Hero into believing the hoax. Although to some extent they cannot be blamed and recover their sense of respect with the audience after the Urgent News warning is uncovered as a hoax.)

The Donor – Gives the Hero an object or prepares the Hero for the fight.

Semiotic Analysis

Those are the three main narrative theorists that have made statements creating a basis for an effective narrative. There is however a third theory, used less widely in education; the theory of Semiotic Analysis explores the idea of symbolism and how it can change across cultures. When creating symbols within a narrative I must consider how my target audience will read them and what ideologies they will perceive from these symbols. For example if I were to use the colour red extensively in one of my scenes in order to connote passion and love I need to consider what my targeted audience will take from the use of colour combined with camera language. What they perceive and how they perceive it will be tainted by their cultural and social background, in the UK my audience should get the preferred reading of the representation. In China however red represents luck and good will furthermore, in India the colour red is used to represent marriage therefore the colour would create conflicting ideologies within the scene.

Semiotic Analysis

Within my narrative I am planning to use symbols that help my audience understand the themes I am trying to represent within my chosen genre. For example I am planning to use a news report to broadcast the hoax and shock my character, the news represents current affairs and a trust worthy source for many in the UK. This representation has been built upon the lack of censorship the government supposedly has over television channels like ITV in the UK. This suggested lack of censorship has created a bond of trust between news channels across the UK and their audiences. My target audience therefore who will be living in and around the London area will understand that I have used a breaking news report to broadcast the hoax in order to mock my characters naivety as he has no doubt that the report is true and even acts upon the news in spending a fortune on Nutella.

Semiotic Analysis

Another symbol I am planning to use is a credit card. As my character is at the till the audience will see him pull out his credit card in order to pay. The current economic climate in the UK has influenced me to make this decision as I feel society has now a changed view on the difference between a credit and a debit card. Within the UK, where my targeted audience will be located, the following quote I have taken from an article detailing the perspectives people have on spending money with credit cards versus hard cash. ‘When it comes to credit cards, it's well established in the field of behavioural economics that people who use plastic are unconsciously willing to spend more than those who pay with cash, a phenomenon known as the "credit card premium.”’ (Sourced from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-12-15/news/sc-cons-1215-karpspend-20111210_1_credit-cards-card-balances-debit-cards) This quote explains how many people categorise this difference, it suggests that those who choose to pay with a card are more careless with their money and are less prepared to consider whether what they are buying is actually needed. Credit cards are also strongly associated with the act of borrowing money and spending on an overdraft. This association has been built over the recent years of recession in the UK, at a time where people have been made more aware of the risks of spending on credit. I have therefore made the decision to have my character use a credit card as it will represent how naïve and gullible my character is being in making this transaction