critical theory
the basics:
Narrative
Narrative is defined as “a chain of events
in a cause-effect relationship occurring in
time” (Bordwell & Thompson, Film Art,
1980).
Diegesis
The internal world created by the story that
the characters themselves experience
and encounter.
Story and plot
Story –
all events referenced both explicitly in a narrative and inferred (including
backstory as well as those projected beyond
the action)
Plot –
the events directly incorporated into the action of the text and the order in
which they are presented
Narrative Range
Unrestricted narration –
A narrative which has no limits to the information that is
presented i.e. a news bulletin.
Restricted narration –
only offers minimal information regarding the narrative i.e.
Thrillers
Narrative Depth
Subjective character identification –
the viewer is given unique access to what a range of characters see and do
Objective character identification –
the viewer is given unique access to a
character’s point of view such as seeing
things from the character’s mind, dreams,
fantasies or memories
then it can be more complex:
Modular Narratives “articulate a sense of
time as divisible and subject to manipulation”.
Cameron has identified four different types
of modular narrative:
• Anachronic
• Forking Paths
• Episodic
• Split Screens
Anachronic modular
narratives involve the use of flashbacks and/or flashforwards, with no clear
dominance between any of the narrative threads. These narratives also often
repeat scenes directly or via a different perspective. Examples include: Pulp
Fiction and Memento.
Forking-path narratives
juxtapose alternative versions of a story, showing the possible outcomes that
might result from small changes in a single event or group of events. The
forking-path narrative introduces a number of plotlines that usually contradict
one another. Examples include Groundhog Day and Run Lola Run.
Episodic narratives
are organised as an abstract series or narrative anthology. Abstract series type
of modular narrative is characterized by the operation of a nonnarrative formal
system which appears to dictate (or at least overlay) the organization of
narrative elements such as a sequence of numbers or the alphabet. Anthology consists
of a series of shorter tales which are apparently disconnected but share a
random similarity, such as all ‘episodes’ being survivors of a shipwreck.
Split screen narratives
are different from the other types of modular narrative discussed here, because
their modularity is articulated along spatial rather than temporal lines. These
films divide the screen into two or more frames, juxtaposing events within the
same visual field, in a sustained fashion. Examples include Timecode.
todays tasks
FIRST - discussion in pairs - for tasks 1-2
- discussion and identification of the term NARRATIVE - what do we understand it to mean?
- story versus plot versus PLOT - what is the difference
upload evidence of understanding of both to BLOG
THEN
create my original narrative structure and pattern:
Q which narrative conventions will i use / break - video discussions?
