Narrative is the way that the story/plot is told. For example, is the narrative told in first person or are we shown it through a character's flashbacks?
Here are three narrative theories that form the base of a film; how it develops, how it looks/sounds and what the purpose of the characters are.
The three narrative theories:
Todorov:
Todorov produced a theory that could be applied to all films and describing how they work and their basic narrative. His theory suggests that all films start with an equilibrium, where everything is normal and good, and then there is a disequilibrium where something bad happens. After this is resolved there is then a new equilibrium and everything is back to normal again.
Barthes:
Barthes designed the three codes on which films are based. These three codes cover all aspects of a film; they are:
- technical - the camera angles, length of shot, sound and editing
- verbal - the dialogue and what people say
- symbolic - this is the denotations and connotations of the mise-en-scene (the things in the scene). For example, red roses signify romance
Propp:
Propp created the theory that certain types of character have a specific influence on the narrative
Levi-Strauss:
This narrative theory states that we see world, people and places by forming binary oppositions, meaning that all narrative are based around the idea of conflict between two opposites.
- good vs bad
- men vs women
- light vs dark
- technology vs nature
- democracy vs dictatorship
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