Narrative

 1) Give an example from film or television that uses Todorov's narrative structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium. 

The Fugitive:

Equilibrium - Starts off with the protagonist, who is a Doctor. He is at a medical gathering with his wife. When they are on their way home, he gets a phone call to tell him if he can come to the hospital to operate an emergency operation. He goes whilst his wife waits at home. When he comes back home, he hears noise.

Disequilibrium - He finds his wife dead on the floor, and then a man in his house who he then has a fight with. The man manages to escape. The police are called. They suspect that he killed his own wife and gets sentenced to death row.  When on his way, the prisoner on the bus have a fight with the guards, which results in a collision. Some prisoners, including him escape. The police/U. S. Marshall's are trying to hunt him down whilst he is on the run, but he is also trying to find his wives killer. 

New equilibrium - He finds the killer, the U.S. Marshall's believe him. His charges gets cleared.

2) Complete the activity on page 1 of the Factsheet: find a clip on YouTube of the opening of a new TV drama series (season 1, episode 1). Embed the clip in your blog and write an analysis of the narrative markers that help establish setting, character and plot.

The first episode of neighbours ever [Part 1] - YouTube

Exposition - Starts of in a dark neighborhood, with  streetlights pointing at a young man (focal point.)This continues to carry on, until he starts screaming and wakes up, we find out that it's a  nightmare. They have an Australian accents which sets the scene that it is set in Australia.

Problem - The protagonist, Danny, is having nightmares for unknown reasons ( damsel in distress). Due to this, he has an appointment with a doctor (hero) , but he cannot find the issue out. Later it is revealed that he is in doctors as his parents are worried for him. In the next scene, to women, Julia and Lorraine, who are having a conversation about Des , Lorraine's fiancé, who she is getting married to the next morning, but she seems in doubt. 

Complications - He is upset as he didn't know his father told the doctor he is having nightmares.

Climax - The  opening ends of with Lorraine's (damsel in distress) face who looks in doubt if she wants to get married to Des. The audience are left in enigma (Barthes).

Resolution - There is no resolution in the clip. The storyline will carry on as it is a soap opera.

3) Provide three different examples from film or television of characters that fit Propp's hero character role.

Star Wars - Luke Skywalker

Hot Fuzz - Nicholas Angel

Fugitive - Richard Kimble

4) Give an example of a binary opposition.

The Good vs The Bad

In Star Wars we have the two main sides. The Jedi which are the light side (good) and the Sith which are the dark side (bad). They have conflict with each other as they are from opposite sides with different views etc.

5) What example is provided in the Factsheet for the way narratives can emphasise dominant ideologies and values?

That when a police officer catches a criminal, and send them to jail, the ideologies of law and order is reinforced.

6) Why do enigma and action codes (Barthes) offer gratifications for audiences?

Problems create enigma (Barthes) for the audience which they want to be resolved. They are hooked onto the storyline and want the puzzle to be solved.

When something is about to happen, the actions provide suspense and tension to the audience.


7) Write a one-sentence summary of the four different types of TV narrative:

• Episodic narrative (the series) - When the problem occurs in an episode of a show, and resolved by the end of same episode.
• Overarching narrative (the serial) - The narrative spans over multiple episodes and is resolved after a many episodes, with the ending finishing on a cliffhanger and the next episode starting with a summary of what happened in the last episode.
• Mixed narrative - Each episode has a different narrative so a viewer can watch any episode if they have never seen that show before, but some narratives may span over a few episodes and might be mentioned in some of the episodes.
• Multi-strand overlapping narrative (soap narrative) - A constant narrative which has multiple storylines occurring at the same time, involving different characters. 

8) How does the Factsheet suggest adverts use narrative?  

Adverts use a narrative by showing a problem and a way it can be resolved, e.g. the advert may be about someone having a headache. They will show a way to resolve this by saying to buy a painkiller they company is advertising.

Genre

 Task 1: Genre factsheets

1) What example is provided of why visual iconographies are so important?

The mise-en-scene of a space is usually associated with a sci-fi movie.

2) What examples are provided of the importance of narrative in identifying genre?

The type of media language used to describe the movie/show. 

3) What is the difference between character representation in action movies and disaster movies?

In action movie, the protagonist is made to look like a "lone wolf", to show how they are alone fighting against the world, with little aid. In a disaster movie, the protagonist is made to look like a hero/heroine, but also has a supporting cast who don't know each other but are fighting against the same thing.

4) What are the different ways films can be categorised according to Bordwell?

 

How genre is used by an audience and how genres are used by media producers. 

5) List three ways genre is used by audiences.

They use their previous knowledge to decide if they will like the specific movie/show they are looking to watch.

They compare the texts to other texts.

They use their knowledge to reject a text. 

6) List three ways genre is used by institutions or producers.

Used as templates to follow to construct a text.

Using it to attract an audience.

Using it as a marketing text e.g. film trailers.

7) What film genre is used as an example of how genres evolve? What films and conventions are mentioned?

Gangster movies. The usual conventions used are, that there a gang of criminals whose lives are glamorised  due to the money and reputation they have and the conflict that they have with the police.

1) List five films the factsheet discusses with regards to the Superhero genre.

-The X men franchise

-Superman

-V for Vandetta 

-300

-Scott Pilgrim vs the World

2) What examples are provided of how the Superhero genre has reflected the changing values, ideologies and world events of the last 70 years?

Superman - During the course of its time, Superman faces different villains and obstacles. He faces different types of relationships with different types of women.

3) How can Schatz's theory of genre cycles be applied to the Superhero genre?

Innovation - Superheroes were established through children's comic books.

Classical - In the 1950's the genre was going through the stage of repetition where there were key conventions through each superhero genre film produced.

Parody - Batman (1960) was comedic, so the audience couldn't take him seriously.

Deconstruction - In 1997 the Batman and Robin film didn't receive a positive feedback. This lead to the deconstruction of the genre leading to the rise of new type of superhero film such as The X Men (2000).

Task 2: Genre analysis case study

General:

1) Why did you choose the text you are analysing?

I chose to analyse 'Back To The Future' franchise as it is great blockbuster, which is well known.

2) In what context did you encounter it?

My parents introduced me to the movie.

3) What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?

I thought if my parents had seen the movie, than it must be good and it must be suitable for me to see.

4) To what genre did you initially assign the text?

Sci-Fi

5) What is your experience of this genre?

I love this genre, as the science interests me and all the graphics.

6) What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?

Scientific technology/equipment and unrealistic objects that don't exist.

7) How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?

It has the time-travel and teleportation elements.

8) What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?

It will have some sort of alien or extraterrestrial life forms. 

9) Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?

Time-travelling - it has a time machine ( the DeLorean)

10) What generic labels have others given the same text?

A fantasy movie.

11) Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?

Time-travelling

Teleportation

Futuristic machinery 

12) To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

In Back To The Future Part III - The main theme becomes more of  a western movie.

13) Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

It becomes of a western movie, maybe because they went through the phase of deconstruction so decided to add another genre.

14) Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?

The setting and the whole narrative in Part III, e.g. the western showdown scene. 

15) What familiar motifs or images are used?

The DeLeroen, which is the time machine.

Mode of address:

1) What sort of audience did you feel that the text was aimed at (and how typical was this of the genre)?

Mainly aimed and young adults (15 - 40, but is suitable for all ages), this is due to have the protagonist, Marty, who is a school student and all the older characters such as the Doc. Due to this it has genre of coming of age. 

2) How does the text address you?

The life of the school students is relatable to me as I am still studying.

3) What sort of person does it assume you are?

A young adult.

4) What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

A middle class, young male adult, from a white background.

5) What interests does it assume you have?

An interest in science and technology.

Relationship to other texts:

1) What intertextual references are there in the text you are analysing (and to what other texts)? 

The music used - 2 songs from Huey Lewis and the News, "Back in Time" and "Power of Love" and "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, "Earth Angel" by  Marvin Berry.

2) In terms of genre, which other texts does the text you are analysing resemble most closely?

In terms of genre, I think Star Wars.

 

3) What key features are shared by these texts?

 As both of them have futuristic machinery, the mode of transportation e.g. the Delorean as a time machine and the Millennium Falcon which is a spaceship.

4) What major differences do you notice between them?

One is set on Earth, but in the past and the other is set in another made up galaxy and planets.

Reception Theory

 

1) What are the preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings for the RBK 50 Cent advert?

Preferred:

The preferred reading would be that RBK support and promote change/identity and black culture/heritage. They also may be raising awareness on social injustice. This is due to having a black celebrity and having the influential quotes from himself.

Negotiated:

The negotiated reading would be that we can understand their point or what they might be promoting. However we can't understand what they are gaining and what they are trying to advertise. It isn't fully clear as to which RBK product they are promoting.

Oppositional:

The oppositional reading would be that, Reebok are exploiting black people for their own monetary gain and that they are using him to gain attention from others so that they get the publicity. Reebok are reinforcing stereotypes that black people are associated with crime, due to having a black actor with images of fingerprints ( which look like they are from a criminal record). 

2) What are the preferred, negotiated and oppositional readings for the advert of your own choice that you analysed for last week's work?

spice.jpg (267×401) (weebly.com)

Preferred:

The preferred reading would be that you should get the aftershave he has in his so you can be like him and be a "SPICEBOMB", therefore buy the fragrance and be irresistible to all women.

Negotiated:

The negotiated reading would be that why have they only used one person in the ad, usually in fragrance ads they will have a male and many females or a female and many males to promote it. So this ad may be reinforcing that gender nowadays isn't 2 sides but many more.

Oppositional:

The oppositional reading would be that you are only allowed to buy the product if you have his body structure (muscular body), and that its only exclusive to white people due to having a white actor as the model. 

3) How useful is Reception theory when analysing media products? 

In my opinion, reception theory is really useful when analysing media products as it covers all the areas when someone thinks about something. This is due to having multiple meanings which start to question an audience.

Preferred - they agree with subject. The producers will structure their product in a specific way using signs and signifiers. For example using a powerful centralised image to connote a specific meaning, for example  the "SPICEBOMB"  advert may suggest how the fragrance gives you power. A target audience will understand the message straight away.  Negotiated  - they have a neutral feeling towards the subject (midway). The structure and the main topic may be understood but the audience won't understand what some images/texts are trying to represent. For example, the fingerprints on the Reebok 50 cent advert. Oppositional - they disagree with the subject. It shows how we as an audience are entitled and freely think about the media products in our own perspective. 

Overall, media texts are polysemic and ultimately it is up to us, the audience, to interpret it in any way,  (de Saussure)