narrative devices

narration – the subjective telling of the story from a specific point of view e.g. trainspotting mark renton

unreliable narrator – a character who tells us a story without credibility

backstory – a story that tells what led up to the main story/plot e.g this is england shaun’s backstory

flashback – interrupting the chronological sequence of events to interject events of earlier occurrence

flashforward – a transition in a film or scene in the future

linear – the events of the story unfolding in the order in which they occurred

non-linear narrative – a storytelling technique in which a narrative is told out of chronological order

ellipsis – the shortening of plot duration achieved by omitting some story duration

framing device – a story that is different from the main story, comes at the beginning and end of it, and adds to it in some way

cliff-hanger – a plot that leaves the audience in suspense at the end of a scene or episode

closed endings – the character finishes their overall aim of the plot/makes it to the end of their journey

macguffin – a device in a film which serves merely as a trigger for plot

foreshadowing – be a warning or indication of a future event

alignment – the process by which spectators are are placed in relation to characters in terms of access to their actions and to what they know and feel e.g trainspotting mark renton – we are on his side

POV – a sequence that is shot as if the viewer were looking through the eyes of a specific character e.g this is england shaun – we follow his story throughout

causality – an influence by a cause contributes to an effect where the cause is partly responsible for the effect, and the effect is partly dependent on the cause

in medias res – technical term for the epic convention of beginning ‘in the middle of things’ rather than at the very start of the story

subplot – secondary plot used in film and television that receives less screen time and emphasis than the main plot e.g. trainspotting Lol and Woody relationship

masterplot – the main plot, ‘skeletal’ stroies that recur again and again

narrative hook – technique in the opening of a film that hooks the viewers attention e.g. trainspotting beginning scene

plot twist – an unsuspected occurrence or turn of events in the story that completely changens the direction or the outcome of the plot from the direction it was likely to go