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Looking into popular theories in media has helped me to understand the common themes and structures of storylines and the reason they are used. Applying this knowledge to my film projects will prepare me for screenwriting so I can successfully create a storyline that is interesting and easy to grasp for the audience.
Binary opposite theory
Binary opposite theory
Levi Strauss theorises binary opposites are always present in media. Usually, it is the main characters who are polar opposites. For example, Batman and the Joker, which is good vs evil and determines right from wrong. Batman cannot be viewed as the superhero without the Joker. Batman needs to have a purpose to suggest he is a good character, that purpose being to fight crime, which shows Batman is against evil and the audience are able to identify that he is the hero. Binary opposites help to thicken the plot and further the narrative, providing an equilibrium.
Narrative theory
Narrative theory
Vladimir Propp came to his findings based on folk tales. He suggested there were only eight basic character types. Propp came to his findings based on folk tales. He suggested there were only eight basic character types; the villain, the helper, the princess, the father, the donor, the hero, the false hero and the dispatcher. The villain struggles to stop the hero on their quest - Smaug the Dragon, from The Hobbit, fails to stop the Dwarves taking back their city, Erebor. The helper acts as a sidekick to the hero - Batman and Robin. The princess marries the hero - Shrek marries Fiona after he rescues her from her tower. The donor prepares the hero for their quest - In the Harry Potter series, Hagrid helps to prepare Harry for the challenges he has to face ahead. The hero is usually on a quest for something - In the first Maze Runner, Thomas and his friends try to escape the maze and defeat WICKED. And the hero must gain the princess's father’s trust - Peter Parker, Spiderman, tries to impress Gwen Stacy’s father, George Stacy. The false hero appears good but turns out evil - The Narrator in Fight Club turns out to be Tyler Durden, it was his evil alter ego all along. The dispatcher sends the hero on the mission - In the Army of the Dead, Bly Tanaka sends Scott Ward to carry out a heist on his casino in the zombie infested Las Vegas strip.
Linear narrative theory
Linear narrative theory
Tzvetan Todorov suggested that the narrative starts with an equilibrium, an action or character disrupts this equilibrium and a quest starts to restore the equilibrium. The narrative continues to a climax when the character confronts the problem. Resolution occurs when disruption is resolved and the equilibrium is restored.
A non-linear storyline moves back and forwards in time, consisting of flashbacks and flashforwards. Circular narratives may begin at the end of the story and work its way back to the origins of the narrative, they are only clearly understood by the audience at the end of the film. Quentin Tarantino uses non-linear narratives to create complexity and to allow character building. Tarantino uses non-linear storytelling in Pulp Fiction to introduce characters multiple times, through different character perspectives. Using this structure forces the audience to pay attention to the film to complete the puzzle before it is revealed to them.
Barthes’ Five Codes
Barthes’ Five Codes
Enigma – Refers to an element of the story that is not fully explained and becomes a mystery to the viewer.
Proairetic – Refers to an action or event that indicates something is going to happen, the viewer tries to guess what will happen next.
Semantic – Refers to connotation within a story that gives additional meaning to a text.
Symbolic – It is the deeper meaning of a text. Typically done in the use of antithesis, where new meaning arises out of opposing and conflict ideas.
Referential – Text that refers to something outside of the text, assuming the audience understand what is being referred to, for example a quote from an iconic movie.
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