What is Racism?

prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalised

How did black lives matter and the 2020 riots and protests begin?

On may 25th 2020 a black man (George Floyd 46) was murdered by Minneapolis police. The police officer (Derek Chauvin) knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes with the last 3 minutes Floyd showed no movement or pulse. Floyd was arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill and was later pinned to the ground face down, handcuffed and with Chauvin’s knee on his neck cutting off his airway. Floyd screamed multiple times “I can’t breathe” which became a strong quote for the black lives matter movement. This event killed Floyd and started riots and peaceful protests across the world. The black lives matter movement became the largest civil rights movement ever.

Iconic image of peaceful Protests. These show people of all race, ethnicity and religion coming together to end racism.

Iconic image of police brutality. These images show excessive force used by police for those protesting for equality and the end of police brutality and racial profiling.

Riots- Some protestors have taken these protests so far that it had led to destruction of buildings, homes and business’ as well as destruction of war monuments and statues of racists.

Narrative is linear, chronological and sequential about an organisation of space with an underlying theme. (isolation) (Moves through the set in order)

Narrative rules:

Todorov (tripartite narrative structure) Begin middle end (equilibrium disruption new equilibrium)

Frytags pyramid incident climax resolution (need climax) (long entrance sequence through tunnel)

Vladimir Propp stock characters perform stock actions

Claude Levi Strauss Binary oppositions

Seymour Chatman Satellites (main parts of the story that are essential) and kernels (always around the kernel and are helpful to the story but are not essential)

Definitions

Narrative: overall structure

Story: the actions and things in the meida

Plot: the order and how the story is formatted and told

My narrative is overcoming isolation

narratives are organised around a particular theme and space and are based in an idea of time.

-Many narratives linear and sequential in that they start at 0 and run for a set length

“a whole is what has a beginning middle and end” – Aristotle poetics

-Its ok to alter, subvert the rules of narrative with a good reason.

Tztevan Todorov came up with (tripartite narrative structure)

• equilibrium
• disruption
• new equilibrium

(in other words beginning, middle, end)

Freytag – freyetags pyramid is important for narrative and is another way of showing narrative structure

by observing these theories I would say my disruption or change that I would like to put in the bridge of the song showing coronas affects.

vladimir prropp- (character types and functions)

characters functions privide narrative structure

• eg hero
• helper
• villain
• false hero
• victim
• father
• etc

Claude Levi-strauss (binary oppositions)

you can understand narrative structure if you understand binary oppositions

“we never know what we are but only what we are not”

concept or opposite concept

• eg good vs bad
• female vs male
• gay vs straight
• poor vs rich

Seymour chatman ( satellites & kernels )

Kernels : key moments in the plot /narrative structure

Satellites : embellishments developments aesthetics

break down a narrative into. 2 distinct elements those elements which are absolutely essential to the story/plot/narrative development, which are known as KERNELS and those moments that could be removed and the SATELLITES

SEYMOUR CHATMAN rephrased and elaborated on ROLAND BARTHES narratives theory and made it more simple and put it in English sing barthes notes were in french

what is narrative structure? = narrative is the overall structure. Story, the things, the themes. The plot is how you organise all of that.

My Own Narrative –

Themes = Old VS New // Insane VS Sane // Love VS Hate // Loneliness

Places = Woods// desolate area // Old buildings // bedroom

People = My video will be promoting a solo male artist

For the video I am going to use some techniques used in my style models – such as ‘Summertime Sadness’ – by using an old vintage/ grain effect throughout and flashbacks to certain memories which will be in colour. The parts of the video that are ‘present’ will be in black and white of negative exposure, like the Coldplay video. As ell as this, in order for the music to match the video I am going to edit/ change scenes on certain beats of the song (shown in Cavetowns ‘pigeon’ music video).

Lesson –

Generally, in moving image products time is linear (Chronological)

Sequential = Linking each part together or each transition together

Space – About different spaces being liked together.

Narrative also generally has a primary and/ or secondary theme.

In regards to my narrative – Theme would be Love VS Hate, in a non-chronological order (Random), using flashbacks to refer back to memories at different intervals throughout the song.

Codes & Conventions – Different variables or ideas used throughout the narrative – or something that is recognizable throughout the music video industry.

Key People/ Ideas –

Todorov – Narrative structure = Equilibrium, Disruption, Resolution or Begging, middle and end.

Levi-Strauss – Binary Opposition, also examined myths and legends in ancient and primitive cultures.

Propp – 8 Stock character types, who preform stock functions

Regards to my music video – communicate that first equilibrium through contextual details such as the setting e.g. a house.

Freytag – Dramatic Arc – Freytags pyramid.  The action of the drama and the grouping of characters is therefore in two parts: the hero’s own deeds and those of his antagonist.

Dramatic Moment in My video – Flashbacks(?) Enticing incident that led to this high point of drama = the theme of Love VS hate and how they can be mistaken (?)

What is the theme and how does influence how the music video plays out? – Themes can be played out through opposition e.g. my theme Love VS hate or Happiness VS Anger.

Seymour Chatman – Satellites and Kernals –

Kernels – The main idea/ theme/ setting/ character of a story, without the Kernel the narrative wouldn’t make sense – ESSENTIAL

Satellites – Aren’t essential but help develop the story, plot or characters and help to give the audience more knowledge.

Differences –

Narrative = Overall structure

Story = The things/ themes in it

Plot = How this is all organised.

In relation to music video = About self discovery/ love/ identity. Narrative = Using flashbacks.

narrative is based around time –

its gernally chronological –

its sequential – (having a the video clips link up/ or ramdomized, going back in time)

its linear –

narrative of space and being connected (

narratives have a under lined theme – (music video – theme of isolation, lonliness, sadness – oppisite: happiness, joy, cheerful)

todorov – theroy of tripartite narrative structure (three prt narrative sturcutre: beggining, middle, end: equilibrium, disruption, new equilibruim ( make sure you reppresnt that begginning)

in my music video: whats the equilibruim? whats the disruption? friend dies. whats the new equilibruim? friend becomes lonely, lost, depressed

vladirmir propp – stock characters ( hero, helper, princess, villian, victim, dispatcher, father, false hero)

claude levi strauss – (binary oppostions) – stories are important as they provide messages and idenitfications, (better understanding)

symour chatman: satelites and kernels

narrative if the over all structure – can be broken down into a story and plot. ( music video is about the struggle of accepting the past, and feeling lonely)

structuralism: most interested in those things that narrative have in common.

Time: is generally linear.

Chronology: it is sequential.(video mostly random)

Space: different spaces being connected.

Narratives have an underlying or an underpinning theme. ( isolation by the beach)

Rules to narrative:

Tzetvan Todorov: Equilibrium, disruption, new equilibrium, (Tripartite narrative structure):e.g. beginning middle and end.

Freytag’s pyramid: visual illustration of your drama. Exposition, climax!, denouement.

Vladimir Propp: (stock characters who perform stock functions) For example, if you have a villain you probably have a victim.

Claude Levi-Strauss: Binary oppositions: This is where you understand narrative structure e.g. good vs bad.

Seymour Chatman: satellites and kernels: kernels are the main things in the story. Satellites orbit round they are not essential but they are helpful.

Narrative: is the overall structure

Story: is the things and themes

Plot: how things are arranged

Structuralism:

• Chronological and Liner, sequential  LINEAR and SEQUENTIAL, (My video will follow this conventions and be in order from start to end).
• About an organisation of space and connection
• Have a theme (Isolation, joy in music – opposite – crowds and misery)
• Need to explain why – subvert

Theorists:

• Todrov – theory tripartite narrative structure (beginning – equilibrium, middle – disruption/conflict , end – new equilibrium). (High point of drama – group coming together/think about, incising incident?)
• Setting before action – communicate equilibrium
• Fretag – dramatic art, Fritages Pyramid – visual diagram of your drama
• Propp – Character types and functions – stock characters preform stock roles that can be divided up – villain/victim
• Turner – developed for Trodov
• Levi-Strauss – binary opposites. People have role and do certain things (stock characters) similarities/all the same. Stories provide, messages/communications. – Only know it is not – ‘Theory of the other’.
• Seymour Capman – satellites and kernels. Stories broken into 2 parts – C’s main things (characters etc) Satellites orbit around, not essential but helpful. – Essential and disposable.
• Need multiple people+settings (3:3)

• Narrative is the overall structure (Isolation, music brings happiness etc)
• Story things in it/themes (isolation)
• Plot – how you are organising it
• Proairetic code: action, movement, causation
• Hermenuetic code: reflection, dialogue, character or thematic development
• Enigma Code (RB) = if somethings enigmatic it is confusing, strange, intriguing . Ask questions, creates puzzles. – Engage a audience to fill in the gaps – creates an active audience – Lenny talks about an enigma code – pleasure of a book – not knowing what will happen.
• Elision and Ellipses – to cut things out – shorter time
• Flashback and Flash forwards – most films time and sequences
• Foreshadow
• Dramatic Irony
• Jokes and Comedy
• Light and Shade
• Non Sequitars – lose endings, ceased plots

MEMENTO – parallels between structure and memory

• flash forward – backwards slow motion -photo developing-shooting
• meeting man – entering building -shooting man
• back and forth – from hotel room to shooting- more detail every time
• Memory issues – short term memory
• Timeline distorted like memory – backwards
• Trying to remember – order of film – filling in blanks
• Relies on photos and notes to remember
• Writing all over body
• Seeking revenge
• All actions meaningful despite not remembered/in the right order.
• This is not in liner order as it is depicted in the same way his memory is distorted such as repetition and added information.
• Memory unreliable – notes and facts
• Susceptible to mistakes and confusion – memory is subjective/unreliable

Based on Structuralism – narratives have things in common and have structure.

Narratives are about time and space – usually linear and sequential. Structured around a theme.

Aristotle said that ‘a whole must have a beginning, a middle and a end’

Story – associated with themes and meaning – mise-en-scene etc.

Plot – how the things are arranged – the order

Theorists:

Todorov – Tripartite structure – Equilibrium leads to Disruption then a new Equilibrium – somebody is murdered and then I am on my own – blood on me at start and end.

Levi-Strauss – Binary Oppositions – Good vs Bad etc. – Loneliness vs Friendship

Propp – Character Types – Stock characters such as the hero who saves the day.

Chatman – Satellites and Kernel – Satellites are developments (non-essentials) and Kernels (essential elements such as characters)