Practical Elements of producing a media product include:
Actors
Set
Props
Technicians
Post Production Teams
Equipment
Scriptwriters
Producers
Musicians
Conceptual Elements of producing a media product include:
Storyline
Performance
Emotions
Events
Characters
Themes
Protagonists/Antagonists
Linear/Cyclical Structure
Key Terminology
Linear – A straightforward structure with a very smooth progression and a definitive beginning/middle/end.
Chronological – An order where events pass in an order of time.
Sequential – When a media product is following a logical order or sequence.
Circular structure
Time based
Narrative arc
Freytag’s Pyramid
exposition,
inciting incident,
rising action,
climax,
falling action,
resolution,
denouement
Beginning / middle / end
Equilibrium
Disruption
New Equilibrium
Peripeteia – A drastic and sudden change in fortune.
Anagnoresis – A sudden dramatic revelation, usually occurs within the protagonist.
Catharsis – The idea that we as humans can feel and absorb emotions from consuming a piece of media.
The 3 Unities: Action, Time, Place
flashback / flash forward
Foreshadowing
Ellipsis
Pathos
Empathy
diegetic / non-diegetic
slow motion
Peripeteia in Blinded by the Light – When the tickets are ripped up.
Anagnoresis in Blinded by the Light – When his father is badly hurt.
Catharsis in Blinded by the Light – At the end when Springsteen’s music is played by his father in the car.
My Film Synopsis:
A kid who lives an average life keeps waking up in a slightly altered reality, when things take a turn for the worst he becomes obsessed trying to find a way back to his reality but then in the midst of this madness, he realises his new life may not be as bad as he initially thought.
Statement of Intent:
I intent to produce a Mystery/Thriller film where a 16 year old’s average life is disrupted by an uncanny occurrence where his reality is slightly changing around him, one day at a time. Suddenly, when things take a turn for the worst he becomes certain of what has been happening to him even after the people around him deny anything that he’s saying so he decides to find a solution alone.
A man moves to New York from Louisiana for his new job, and finds it isnt what he hoped it would be. In search of new meaning in his life, he finds happiness with what would become his family. Years later the man is diagnosed with an unseen illness and has to go around the world to find the cure for it, he has only 1 week before its all over.
I want to create drama/action film about a man travelling the world to find a cure for his unknown illness, Whilst I want there to be suspense and drama to have some heavy hitting scenes, I also want there to be action throughout to take some pressure off of the audience. I want my film to be targeted towards people aged 16+ to allow for the drama to be effective. For my posters for the film, I want one poster to show the dramatic side of the film, with the main character on his own enveloped in darkness with just a glimmer of light to represent his hope. For the other poster, I want to show the action side of the film – to do this I want to include the main character as a silhouette carrying a gun.
A guy who has a curse casted on him where every time he meets a person with a very common name he gets a letter added to the hangman (sticky note), he gets confused every time he goes back to the hangman with a letter being added with every person he meets who has a common name, its meant to spell out death (Dan, Ethan, Adam, Tim, Harvey), he tries to completes it thinking it means something else, until he realise its all a dream and wakes up to a serial killer at the end of his bed.
Statement of Intent: I am going to make a horror / drama film where a guy called Kaiden (The name Kaiden is primarily a male name of American origin that means Fighter.) has a curse casted on him whereby he touched a piece of cheese to get it and then he gets serve insomnia for hating people who have common names due to his childhood bullies (Dan, Ethan, Adam, Tim and Harvey). He meets each person as time goes on and instead of resolving his issues he makes things worse with each person. Every time he goes back to his house a sticky note pops up with a letter added to it. He is confused and tries to make it spell something else each time, until he is on his last letter where he eventually realises what it spells and is terrified (the last person keeps appearing out of nowhere haunting him) and he tries to make things right by going to his bully and tries to make things better. The curse is broken and he eventually falls asleep.
For the first poster I want someone to be looking away from the camera holding up a sticky note with dashes on it (underscores) with the film name being cheese touch, going for a dark metal theme with metallic text. For the other poster I am going to do it similar to this:
Jake, Honor and daisy are all having a sleepover at Daisy’s house watching movies and eating then they all fall asleep. Honor wakes up to a loud scream and quickly wakes up daisy and then Jake is gone. Honor and Daisy then go around her house and back garden searching and then lying there is Jakes phone.
In the media group, me, izzy, honor, and daisy; honor one day looks into a computer that was making an odd sound, however the person on the screen was herself- then she turns evil as she is now in the tv and the tv girl is now her, one by one honor hunts down the media group. Who will survive? Escape honor’s replicate tp avoid being stuck in the tv.
todorov.- Equilibrium, the conflict that disrupts equilibrium.
STATEMENT OF INTENT:
I want to create a horror/sci-fi/comedy film to both scare and make the viewer laugh, i want to include aspects of technology turning against honor to create fear in the audience.
genre: horror, comedy
I chose these genres as they have multiple predictable cliché’s however it is very easy to make some unique jokes as well to fit the theme of genre being predictable yet different.
– Actors – Supporting – Cameras – Green screen – Cast – lighting – Makeup – Sound men – Director screen – Script – Props – Costumes -Antagonist
Conceptual – Story / Script – Short summary of your story – Emotional attachment to the characters – Empathy – Linear – Chronological – Flashback
Gustav Freytag
Peripeteia – change in fortune Anagnorisis – A moment of revelation
A really good way to think about NARRATIVE STRUCTURE is to recognise that most stories can be easily broken down into a BEGINNING / MIDDLE / END. The Bulgarian structuralist theorist
Tztevan Todorov presents this idea as: – Equilibrium: the story constructs a stable world at the outset of the narrative. Key characters are presented as part of that stability. – Disruption – New equilibrium
2. Vladimir Propp: His work suggests that stories use stock characters to structure stories.
Hero – Propp identifies two types of hero, the seeker-hero( who relies heavily on the donor to perform the quest) and the victim hero (who needs to overcome weakness to complete their quest)
The villain: fights or pursues the hero and must be defeated it the hero is to accomplish their quest. The princess and the princess’s father: the princess usually represents the reward of the hero’s quest, while the princess’s lather often sets the hero difficult tasks to prevent them from mar. rying the princess. The donor: provides the hero with a magical agent that allows the hero to defeat the villain. The helper: usually accompanies the hero on their quest, saving them from the struggles encountered on their journey, helping struggles them to overcome the difficult tasks encountered on their quest. The dispatcher: sends the hero on his or her quest, usually at the start of the story. The false hero: performs a largely villainous role, usurping the true hero’s position in the course of the story. The false hero is usually unmasked in the last act of a narrative.
Often there is a villain who has done something to the victim. this means we need a hero, who is often accompanied by a helper is sent out to fight the villain.
Anachronic devices – (flash forward/flashback): subvert traditional linear storytelling techniques through time blending.
Tangible elements of producing media : – Actors – Extras – Filming equipment – Stylists – Accommodation – Director – Prop Team – Stunt Team – Editing
Conceptual elements of producing media : – Storyline – Performance – Emotions – Events – Characters – Themes – Protagonists/Antagonists – Linear/Cyclical Structure
Key Terms
Peripeteia – a change in fortune Anagnorisis – a moment of dramatic revelation within the protagonist Chronological – an order where events pass in an order of time. Sequential – when a media product is following a logical order or sequence. Catharsis – realising yours’ and societies’ virtues
Proppian character stereotypes are used In their purest forms these stereotypes normally revolve around heroes, princesses, and villains. Flexi – Narratives Long format television products deploy multiple three act structures in a similar pattern to the master plot. Condensed equilibriums Smaller audiences tend to have a smaller range of concentration so producers tend to move the plot forward faster to keep the audience engaged.
Catharsis = Idea that we are freed by consuming something.
Peripeteia = A change in fortune
Anagnorisis = A moment of dramatic revelation
Narrative structures and internal elements :
Chronological – Generally, films are structured in a straight line, linear narrative in which the events are sequenced in order of time.
Flashbacks/ Foreshadowing
Ellipsis
Parallel Narrative
EXPOSITION —> CLIMAX —> DENOUEMENT
Protagonist and Antagonist
Todorov
the stage of equilibrium
the conflict that disrupts this initial equilibrium
the way / ways in which the disruption looks to find new equilibrium
the denouement and/or resolution that brings about a new equilibrium
condensed equilibrium has a much lower boredom threshold so action is expected to be delivered quickly
anachronic devices areflashes forwards or backwards in time tohelp develop the story
multiperspective narratives show numerous character’s viewpoints during a time of disequilibrium
unreliable narration where the audience is deceived deliberately
Some Definitions:
Construction of reality: The way we present ourselves to other people is shaped partly by our interactions with others, as well as by our life experiences.
Repertoire of elements: When an audience consume a media text defined by a generic label they have certain expectations of the text.
Reinforced: Strengthened (existing feeling, idea or habit)
Historically specific: Historical people, situations, or things existed in the past and are considered to be a part of history.
Verisimilitude: The appearance of being true or real.
Realism: The quality or fact of representing a person or thing in a way that is accurate and true to life.
Peripeteia– a sudden reversal of fortune or change in circumstances, especially in reference to fictional narrative.
Anagnoresis– the point in a play, novel, etc., in which a principal character recognizes or discovers another character’s true identity or the true nature of their own circumstances.
Catharsis– the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.
practical and theory sides of moving film production
practical/tools
theory/concept
cameras
performance
actors
general
sets
events
caterers
theme
microphones
antagonist/protagonist
director
sequential
screen play team
peripeteia
props
anagnoresis
writers
cathasis
lights
linear
special effects
time based
some key parts of moving film-
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)
Freytags pyramid –
What is Freytag’s Pyramid? – Devised by 19th century German playwright Gustav Freytag, Freytag’s Pyramid is a paradigm of dramatic structure outlining the seven key steps in successful storytelling: exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denouement.
Practical Elements of producing a media product include:
Actors
Set
Props
Technicians
Post Production Teams
Equipment
Scriptwriters
Producers
Musicians
Conceptual Elements of producing a media product include:
Storyline
Performance
Emotions
Events
Characters
Themes
Protagonists/Antagonists
Linear/Cyclical Structure
Key Terminology
Linear – A straightforward structure with a very smooth progression and a definitive beginning/middle/end.
Chronological – An order where events pass in an order of time.
Sequential – When a media product is following a logical order or sequence.
Circular structure
Time based
Narrative arc
Freytag’s Pyramid
exposition,
inciting incident,
rising action,
climax,
falling action,
resolution,
denouement
Beginning / middle / end
Equilibrium
Disruption
New Equilibrium
Peripeteia – A drastic and sudden change in fortune.
Anagnoresis – A sudden dramatic revelation, usually occurs within the protagonist.
Catharsis – The idea that we as humans can feel and absorb emotions from consuming a piece of media.
The 3 Unities: Action, Time, Place
flashback / flash forward
Foreshadowing
Ellipsis
Pathos
Empathy
diegetic / non-diegetic
slow motion
Peripeteia in Blinded by the Light – When the tickets are ripped up.
Anagnoresis in Blinded by the Light – When his father is badly hurt.
Catharsis in Blinded by the Light – At the end when Springsteen’s music is played by his father in the car.
My Film Synopsis
My film will be about a guy who plays a load of football, then gets an offer from a big professional club and goes on a wild adventure through the professional footballing world coming from humble beginnings.
Statement of Intent
My film will start out with a the boy playing football in a field(?) and then being approached by a scout who offers him a big opportunity after watching him play – staying outside after the session. My two film posters would feature the protagonist before the big disruption in the story, being excited about the offer he’s just received, and then the climax, with the protagonist crying in an office(?) about how his career is declining with someone else trying to comfort him. The pathos should be significant here, with a lot of sympathy for the protagonist coming into effect. The type of audience which would consume this product is one of young people, typically males, who resonate with football and often dream about growing up to be a footballer themselves. The type of institution who would release this kind of film would probably be a mainstream one, with perhaps ties to sports clothing/ a sports brand or even with relations to football games.
Todorov
Tztevan Todorov proposed the idea of a Tripartite narrative structure, which breaks down narrative structures into having a beginning, middle and end. He describes these as Equilibrium, Disruption and New Equilibrium.
Equilibrium – State of calmness, things are okay.
Disruption – When something drastic occurs and the protagonist has to reroute his actions in order to solve it.
New Equilibrium – The new state after the disruption has been solved.
Unreliable Narration – Deliberately deceiving audiences and providing plots that reveal unexpected moments.
Frame Stories – Stories told inside of other stories, testing the narrative structure by presenting nested moments of equilibrium and new equilibrium.
Multiperspective narratives – Using viewpoints of different characters and perspectives in a story, and so presenting equilibrium as disruption in another person’s eyes.
Vladimir Propp
Propp’s work suggests that stories use STOCK CHARACTERS to structure stories. This doesn’t mean that the characters are the sae every time, but all stories draw on familiar characters performing similar functions to provide familiar narrative structures. This is important because it means that the products created become reactionary, and sales are more guaranteed in a “risky business” such as the media and creative industry. Examples of stock characters are:
Hero
Helper
Princess
Villain
Victim
Dispatcher
Father
False Hero
Often there is a villain who has done something to a victim. This means that we need a hero, who (often) accompanied by a helper is sent out (by a dispatcher) to fight the villain. The dispatcher or similar donor (such as a father figure) prepares the hero in his ‘quest‘ and gives the hero some magical object. The hero generally meets the princess as part of his quest / journey which usually provides a happy ending. During the narrative we (and the princess) may be presented by a false hero.
Paul Gilroy – Cultural colonialism
After the world wars, the widespread British Empire was not sustainable anymore and so many people all over the world were taken back to Britain. This led to racial tension as many people of different skin colours, races and origins were gathered all in one place. Paul Gilroy talks about this and he argues that the British are undergoing a crisis of national identity. This was to do with the loss of the empire, and so the “British” culture shifted to a point where no-one knew what the true, legitimate ideas to believe were. There was increased tension because of the fact that the British people were bitter and angry after the loss of their empire and dominant position in the world, and so violence an conflict in these times was inevitable. Gilroy says that the people in Britain who came from different areas all over the world are living, physical reminders of the great power Britain once had. This is referred to as postcolonial melancholia.
Claude Levi-Strauss
Levi-Strauss was one of the first to bring forward and discuss the theory of Binary opposition. Binary means 2 different, opposing and contrasting things that can be used for comparison. This theory suggests that narratives (=myths) are structured around binary options.
