Vladamir Propp was a Soviet scholar who analysed the basic plot components of Russian folk tales to that all the characters could often be categorised into simple roles.

1. The villain (antagonist) - an evil character that creates struggles for the hero.

2. The dispatcher - any character who illustrates the need for the hero's quest and sends the hero off. This often overlaps with the princess's father.

3. The helper - a typically magical entity that comes to help the hero in their quest.

4. The princess - the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her as a consequence of some evil or injustice, perhaps the work of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, which constitutes the villain's defeat.

5. The donor - a character that prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object, sometimes after testing them.

6. The hero (protagonist) - the character who reacts to the dispatcher and donor characters, thwarts the villain, resolves any conflict and "wins" the princess.

7. The false hero - a figure who takes credit for the hero's actions or tries to marry the princess.

Femme Fatale

Femme Fatale characters are not one of Propp’s character archetypes, but are very common ‘evil’ female characters, especially in James Bond etc. They tend to be dark and seductive, using their sexual power to distract the hero, seduce him and often try to kill him!

Anti Hero

Anti Hero characters are not one of Propp’s character archetypes either, but are popular inversions or hybrids of the traditional hero and villain archetypes.

Levi Strauss, a French theorist, proposed a theory of 'binary opposites' which suggests that the majority of narratives contain opposing main themes or values. These binary opposites provide contrast. Examples include good vs. evil, human vs. supernatural for example.

A RISK with this theory is that it often leads to negative stereotypes. For example, the binary opposite "man vs. woman" has historically led to narratives that portray men to be 'strong' and the woman as the 'damsel in distress'.

Anti Hero

Anti Hero characters are relevant to the binary opposites theory, as they are neither black nor white, good, nor evil. This is why they are referred to as "grey" instead.

The Enigma Code is simply a theory that suggests a text (whether that can be television, film or a poster) portrays a mystery to draw an audience in. This allows the audience to pose questions and as such become intrigues in the piece

JJ Abram's calls this a mystery box.

Anything and everything that poses a question that may/ may not be answered later on in the story.

• A Prop (e.g. Exalibur - can someone and who can draw the sword from the stone?)

• Setting (e.g. In 'Knives Out' a character posesses something used in a crime)

• Dialogue (e.g. 'Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi. You are my only hope.' Who is this princess? Who is Obi Wan Kenobi? Why does this princess need his help?)

• So on...

There are critisms of Abram's 'Mystery Box'. There are risks.

What happens if the questions are left unanswered?

Can you think of an example of this?

Flashbacks / Flashforwards

Will inject some sort of timejump, either into the future or back into the past.

This could be in the form of a memory, or premonition.

Ensures that the narrative is non-linear, as in not chronological.

Sometimes the use of a flashback or a fragmented memory, is also an enigma code itself.

A narrative device that teases the audience by presenting a question or mystery to be solved.

This is usually in the form of a prop or character that doesn't make sence yet.

ABC1 audiences can appreciate enigma codes, as we assume they have an education.

Often uses 'Easter eggs' to provide ABC1 audiences with rewards.