narrative (Internal structural analysis)

Ok in this section of the course, we will look at the way in which media productions are structured internally, for example, looking at narrative structures, themes, characters, motivations, genre etc. We will try to centre our conceptual approach towards moving image products (film, TV, music video, adverts, radio etc)

To get going . . . WHAT ARE THE KEY ELEMENTS THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A MOVING IMAGE PRODUCT (FILM, TV DRAMA, MUSIC VIDEO etc).

Task 1

CREATE A NEW POST CALLED ‘MOVING IMAGE NEA’ categories NEA, PRODUCTION, THEORY

As a starting point for theory, let’s have a look at the Ancients with a brief look at Aristotle’s Poetics (see from 3:20 – 4:51)

Think about:

  1. What is the point of art / aesthetics?
  2. What are the key elements?

Define these words and apply to Blinded by the Light, your Xmas Film, your own film idea.

Peripeteia

Anagnoresis

Catharsis

Make notes on ‘The 3 Unities’

Action

Place

Time

Use the video above from about 9:46 and use the following bullet points to help you.

  • plot vs character
  • arrangement of incidences (how do you arrange events in a story?)
  • Aiming towards a goal
  • complication and unravelling (peripeteia)
  • Recognition (anagnoresis)
  • Pathos (agony of recognition)
  • Catharsis (knowledge through purge)

Key Terminology (ie Kahoot test!)

  1. Linear
  2. Chronological
  3. Sequential
  4. Circular structure
  5. Time based
  6. Narrative arc
  7. Freytag’s Pyramid
  8. exposition,
  9. inciting incident,
  10. rising action,
  11. climax,
  12. falling action,
  13. resolution,
  14. denouement 
  15. Beginning / middle / end
  16. Equilibrium
  17. Disruption
  18. Transgression – often disequilibrium is caused by societal / moral / ethical transgression (ie challenging Aristotelian virtues)
  19. New equilibrium
  20. Peripeteia
  21. Anagnoresis
  22. Catharsis
  23. The 3 Unities: Action, Time, Place
  24. flashback / flash forward
  25. Foreshadowing
  26. Ellipsis
  27. Pathos
  28. Empathy
  29. diegetic / non-diegetic
  30. slow motion
  31. In Media Res – starting in mid-action
  32. Metanarratives – drawing attention to the process of storytelling
  33. Quest narratives

Task 2: statement of intent (400 words)

Write up a synopsis (50-150 words?) of a new film that you think you could make (2 x posters, a couple of sequences or even a trailer and a few web pages).

The synopsis should aim to communicate the ideas as well as the techniques that you are aiming to use in your production (ie the ideas and key words that we identified yesterday in class discussion).

To help you why not build your story / character around either Blinded by the Light and/or the Xmas film that you saw.

USE AS MUCH KEY LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE YOUR STATEMENT OF INTENT IS 400 WORDS AND TALKS ABOUT

  1. MEDIA LANGUAGE
  2. REPRESENTATION
  3. AUDIENCE
  4. INSTITUTION

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