Narrative Essay


Narrative is defined as "a chain of events in a cause effect relationship occurring in time. I cheated a summer trailer and within it, there are some aspects of narrative of which I will explain in this essay.

Levi Strauss claims that all stories operate on clear binary opposites which is concerned with the idea that there is either good or bad in a horror film with no in between. My horror trailer does this to an extent as there is a clear evil character, shown with the antagonist who is chasing the teenagers, however, in one of the title cards, I mention how the characters made a regrettable choice which has led to the events of the horror trailer. This implies that they are being chased for a reason and whether that reason is valid or not is left shrouded in mystery, which blurs the line between good and bad.

Kate Domaille says that every story can be fitted into eight different narrative theories. One of these theories is called "Circe" which means the chase whereby the antagonist is in pursuit of the innocent protagonist. This is present in my trailer as the whole story is that they are being chased by this dangerous figure with the innocent being the final girl character wearing the white. This idea of the chase represents this idea of the bad sides of people overcoming the pure sides of us as well as

Roland Barthes identifies five narrative codes which readers use to decode text. These narrative codes are action, enigma, semic, symbolic and cultural. My summer trailer follows most of these codes, especially the enigma code. I do not explain anything in the trailer outright and most things are implied, especially the identity of the antagonist. I do not show his/her face nor give any identification to their character besides the fact that they are in hot pursuit of the main cast. This creates a sense of mystery and will make the audience more interested to go and see the movie, wanting to find out the motives for the antagonist as well as what the main cast did.

Propp believes that all characters an be resolved into seven character types. These are the villain, the donor, the magical helper, the princess and her father, the dispatcher, the hero and the flase her. This theory was not present in my trailers these character types are only typically seen in fantasy stories and would not work in the context of a horror film. There may be a few aspects I can follow such as the hero and the villain which is present in most stories of all genres

Todorov believes there are three stages of narrative in film. These are the equilibrium, disruption and the resolution. My trailer hints at an equilibrium but isn't shown, and mainly focuses on the disruption which is the antagonist tracking down the main cast. I did not include a resolution as it would not make sense to out the ending of my film in a trailer, however I have noticed that in most horror trailers of recent time, there has been a trend of trailers including the films final act in the movie as a way of exciting audiences and getting them to watch, despite spoiling the film. This is an aspect I may want to include in my next trailer as that is the main goal for me to accomplish which is scare and interest the audience.

Comments

  1. ctkmedia9 October 2017 at 02:17

    "y horror trailer does this to an extent as there is a clear evil character, shown with the antagonist who is chasing the teenagers, however, in one of the title cards, I mention how the characters made a regrettable choice which has led to the events of the horror trailer. " (E) HOW have you made this apparent on screen - MES, CAM etc - if they are opposites then the way you shoot them ought to be opposite ie high angle/low angle, and MES

    "This theory was not present in my trailers these character types are only typically seen in fantasy stories and would not work in the context of a horror film. There may be a few aspects I can follow such as the hero and the villain which is present in most stories of all genres" (E) How were these ARCHETYPES clearly evident in your trailer on screen? (A) WHY are these not appropriate for a Horror - is it something to do with REALISM, WHAT MORALITY story are they telling as a consequence

    "however I have noticed that in most horror trailers of recent time, there has been a trend of trailers including the films final act in the movie as a way of exciting audiences and getting them to watch, despite spoiling the film. This is an aspect I may want to include in my next trailer as that is the main goal for me to accomplish which is scare and interest the audience." (E) HOW is it apparent which section is which based on wWHAT has appeared on screen - WHERE did you place these sections, did you show a full Equilibrium and HOW - WHAT is on screen MES etc. HOW did you edit this together to make the sections apparent?

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