Narrative.

We needed to research more into narrative because it is very important considering a film.

Narrative is the organisation given to a series of facts which are linked, a story is a way its substance however a narrative is how it's shown.

There are two types of Narrative - Open & Closed.

An open Narrative never has an ending and is ongoing, this applies to mostly TV Soaps and Dramas, with a open Narrative you can change the situation, add in new characters (example East enders).

A closed Narrative applies to mostly all films; it has a clear beginning, middle and end.

"Narrative keeps the action going" - Vladimir Propp.

Narrative Theories

Vladimir Propp. He has come up with 8 characters that can be applied to a film.

1. The hero
2. The villain
3. The dispatcher
4. The helper
5. The princess
6. The father
7. The donor
8. The false hero

This can be applied to the film "Shrek", the hero is Shrek, the villain is Lord Farquaad, The dispatcher is also Lord Farquaad, The helper is Donkey, The Princess is Fiona, Her father is the king, the donor is Puss in Boots and the false hero is again Lord Farquaad.

Todorov

Todorov came up with the 5 stages.

1.  A state of equilibrium at the outset
2. A disruption of the equilibrium
3. A recgonisation that there has been a disruption
4. An attempt to repair the disruption
5. A reinstatement of equilibrium

An example of this could be spy kids, you first see them as a happy family (Stage one), then a problem occurs that the Mum and Dad have to solve (Stage 2), The kids then find out what’s going on and that there Mum and Dad are spies (Stage 3), They all work together to defeat the disruption (Stage 4), Everything then goes back to normal and a happy ending (Stage 5).

Linear Narrative

A-B (Film doesn't stop still problem is solved.

Fractured Narrative

When the story jumps back and forth and the viewer has to put the pieces together to figure out what’s going on.