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Narrative Structure

Todorov's narrative theory proposes 5 stages in successful films: Equilibrium, Disruption, Recognition, Attempt to Repair, and New Equilibrium. The film starts neutrally, then an event causes disruption, characters recognize the problem and try to fix it, and ultimately restore the original equilibrium. Barthes identified 5 codes that evaluate narrative dimensions: Hermeneutic code leaves things unexplained, Proairetic code creates tension, Semantic and Symbolic codes study connotations, and Cultural code examines audience knowledge. The student production starts in Disruption with the protagonist waking injured in the woods, creating tension as per the codes, rather than the usual Equilibrium opening.

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106 views4 pages

Narrative Structure

Todorov's narrative theory proposes 5 stages in successful films: Equilibrium, Disruption, Recognition, Attempt to Repair, and New Equilibrium. The film starts neutrally, then an event causes disruption, characters recognize the problem and try to fix it, and ultimately restore the original equilibrium. Barthes identified 5 codes that evaluate narrative dimensions: Hermeneutic code leaves things unexplained, Proairetic code creates tension, Semantic and Symbolic codes study connotations, and Cultural code examines audience knowledge. The student production starts in Disruption with the protagonist waking injured in the woods, creating tension as per the codes, rather than the usual Equilibrium opening.

Uploaded by

Anonymous Q7cdSr38Cw
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Zahra Inayat

Narrativetheory/structure

TodorovTheory:
Todorovinventedthenarrativetheory/structure.Hebelieves
thatforafilmtobesuccessfulorwellputtogetherithas
toinclude5stages.Theseinclude:Equilibrium,Disruption,
Recognition,AttempttoRepairandNewEquilibrium.

1.TheEquilibrium
Thisisthepartofthefilmwhereeverythingisneutral.
Everythingisbalancedandthereisnoproblemsthatthe
audiencecanvisuallyseeorareawareof.Generallythemoods
atthissettimearehappy,peacefulandenjoyable.Oftenfilm
includehappyorexcitingmusicwhichbringsupthemoodas
wellascreatesasenseofnormality.

2.TheDisruption
Thelevelofhappinessstartstochange.Theaudience,atthis
point,starttoseethechange.Aneventhappenswhichcauses
thischangetohappenanditseemstotheaudiencethatthe
remainingofthefilmwillbefocusedontryingtosolvethis
problem.Thisusuallytakesupthebulkofthemovie.

3.TheRecognition
Thisisthepointofthefilmwherethecharactersofthefilm
begintonoticethechangeandacharacter(usuallythe
protagonist)willattempttofixtheproblemafterseveral
attempts.Thisisagoalwhichisnormallyweavedthroughthe
filmandiseventuallyreachedtowardstheendofthefilm.

4.AttempttoRepair
Attempttorepairincludesthecharacterscomingtogetherto
resolvethesituationandtrytoachievetheequilibriumstage
again.Theyworkasateam/grouptoresolvetheproblemas
theyallwantthebestforthefuture.Thisisgenerallythe
partwherebytheaudienceseeagoodvsevilscene
happening.
Zahra Inayat

5.NewEquilibrium
Theproblemhasfinallybeenfixed.Thehappyandpeaceful
moodwhichwaspresentatthestartofthefilm(Equilibrium)
hasreturned.Thisisthepartofthefilmwhenallthegood
peopleachievetheirgoalandthebadpeople/personisleft
tosufferandfacetheconsequences.

HowdoesTodorovstheoryfitinourproduction?
OurproductiondoesnotstartwithEquilibrium,thisisdueto
thefactthatitstartswithHannahwakingupintheforest.
Thisisnotahappyorenjoyscenetobeginwith.Wehave
chosentostartourproductioninthiswaybecauseitcreates
tensionaswellasshowstheaudiencethatourproductionin
uniqueinthefactthatitstartsinadifferentwaytomost
productions.ThisallowstheaudiencetoseeHannahandthe
statethatsheisinsotheaudience,later,areableto
connecttothecharacter(Hannah)whensheendsupintrouble.
Disruption:
AsHannahgetsupfromthegroundandtriestofindherway
aroundortofindherwayout,theaudienceknowsomethingbad
isgoingtohappen.Thecamerashotsoftheprotagonistgive
theaudienceaclearindicationastothefactthatsomething
badisgoingtohappen.Thesenseoftensioniscreatedby
facialexpressions,thecostumesaswellasthedifferent
cameraanglesandshotswhichareusedthroughoutthe
remainingofoursequence.Theaudiencearemostlikelytonow
beawarethattheremainingoftheopeningsequencewillfocus
ontheeventthatiscurrentlybeingshown(Hannahrunning
throughtheforest).

RolandBarthes
RolandBartheswasaFrenchliteraryphilosopher.Hebelieved
asimilarideatoTodorov,whichincludedthefactthata
narrativehadtobesplitinto5differentcodes.Thesewere
usedtoevaluatethedifferentdimensionsofrealism.
1. TheHermeneuticcode(HER):
Zahra Inayat

Thisisastory,whichhasnoexplanation,leavingthe
audiencecluelessaswellasguessingastowhatisgoingto
happenthroughoutthefilm.Thisisdonebynotrevealingany
factsorinformation.Thiscodeisfrequentlybeingusedasit
makestheaudienceseagertoknowwhatisgoingtohappen,as
theyarelikelytofindoutwhathappenstowardstheend,when
thehiddenfeatureormemoryisrevealed.
2. TheProaireticcode(ACT):
Usedtocreatetensionandgivesanimpressiontotheaudience
thatsomethingbadisgoingtohappen.Atthispoint,the
audiencearestillunawareofwhatisgoingtohappen.
3. TheSemanticcode(SEM):
Thiscodeshowsanelementinthesequencethatsuggestsa
particularandoftenadditionalconnotation.
4. TheSymboliccode(SYM):
ThisissimilartotheSemanticcodeinthefactthatthey
bothfocusonstudyingconnotations.Symboliccodeallowsthe
directortodevelopmoreidease.g.conflictandopposition.
5. TheCulturalcode:
Thiscodelooksattheaudiencesculturalknowledge,morality
andideology.

HowdoesRolandBarthestheoryfitinourproduction?
BoththeHermeneuticcode(HER)andtheProaireticcode(ACT)
relatetoouropeningsequence.
Hermeneuticcode:
OuropeningsequencebeginswiththeHermeneuticcode(HER).
Thisisshownattheverystartofoursequenceasthe
audienceseeHannahinahorriblestateandareconfusedasto
whysheisinthisstate.Assheisgettingupbecausesheis
unawareofwhatishappening,theaudiencegetmoreofanidea
thatsheisinahugeamountoftrouble.Ourgrouphasmade
surethatwedonotgiveawareanyfactsorinformationto
informtheaudienceofwhatishappening;wepurelyleaveit
tothemtoguess.
Proaireticcode:
Zahra Inayat

TheopeningsequencealsoincludestheProaireticcode(ACT).
ThisisusedwhenHannahrealisesthatsheisnottheonlyone
intheforestandthatsheisabouttogetchasedbyan
unusualcreature.Thisshowstheaudiencethatsheisnotsafe
intheforestandsheisnotasawareassheshouldbeasto
whatisgoingtohappenifshedoesnotfindawayoutofthe
forest.

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