Narrative Theory

Applying various narrative theories to my AS Production For my AS Media production, I made the opening of a horror film called ‘Play’. My production follows some patterns seen in Todorov’s stage narrative theory, Roland Barthes’ 5 Narrative code, Claude Levi Strauss’ binary opposition and Vladimir Propp’s character theory. Two sisters venture through to woods when one goes missing. Can Molly conquer her biggest fear to save her sister, or will sibling rivalry get the best of her? Todorov: The first stage in Todorov’s theory is a state of equilibrium, where everything is normal for the characters. In my production, the opening scene is a form of normality for my characters, they are simply walking through the woods whilst having a conversation, until they begin to feel uneasy and Emily goes missing, which is the second stage of Todorov’s theory. Rubi and Lily disrupt the equilibrium, leaving Molly to fend for herself. Due to the production being the opening, it leaves the next 3 stages unknown to the audience. The next stages entail the equilibrium being restored or renewed, which would happen towards the end of the film. My production follows a linear timeline, everything happens in order of the events occurring. Roland Barthes: Roland Barthes came up with codes that occur during films, my AS production follows some of these codes, but not all. Action code is essential for all films because without suspension, there is no way of interesting the audience. The suspense in my opening is Emily going missing because the action doesn’t tend to happen until midway through a film, it leaves the audience wondering what the main action of the film is going to be due to a main event happening early on. It is debateable that my film includes Barthes’ Referential code because it depends on whether the individual in the audience believes in ghosts or not, if they do then it requires their external knowledge about ghosts and what powers they have. My film also follows the Enigma code, it is made apparent during the opening that the woods are haunted, however it is unclear who it is haunted by. The ghosts that haunt the woods are an entire mystery in themselves; how did they die? When did they die? Who killed them? Why do they haunt the woods? Are they looking for someone? Claude Levi Strauss: Strauss’ theory is about binary oppositions. Binary opposition is a pair of related terms that are opposite in meaning and set off against one another. The binary opposites in my production are:  Alive vs Dead: Molly & Emily vs Rubi & Lilly  Old(er) vs Young: There is enough of an age gap to define old vs young, however Emily and Molly are not what people would class as ‘old’, they are just older than Rubi and Lilly.  Believer vs Non Believer: Molly believes in ghosts whereas Emily does not, this pins the sisters against each other slightly as they have contrasting views. Vladimir Propp: Vladimir Propp’s theory is to do with the types of characters in film. In the opening, there are a few clear matches to Propp’s theory. Molly is the Hero, she has to try and save Emily after she is taken. The Villain is Rubi and Lilly, although they are two characters, they come as a pair to pose as one villain. The Princess is Emily, she will be the reward for Molly because she is the main object of Rubi and Lilly’s plot.