Applying Narrative Theory: Two

Here is a trailer of a romantic movie called Listen To Your Heart. Linking to Christopher Volger's narrative theory, the Helper actually has alot of screen time in the trailer and plays an important part in the movie.



Defining Narrative

The events that occur during my trailer are grouped into 'cause and effect' rather than 'action and event'. This is purely due to the genre of my trailer. The cause of an event in my trailer is that Scarlett will be moving far away to go to University. The events that will take place because of this will be arguments, break ups, get back togethers etc. Connotations signified will be love, hurt, distress, hope and lust - all connotations that the audience will relate to and want to watch. I know they will want to watch this due to my market research.

NARRATIVE STORY:
The story is basically a boy and a girl who go to the same college. They often notice each other but have never spoken. Until one day, Scarlett drops her folder and Braden picks it up for her - a typical cliche moment. In the trailer, I will be showing shots of them being close but never speaking and then the folder scene. From then on it will be about their relationship and how they grow to love each other. Eventually, I will show Scarlett revealing the University dilemma to Braden and from then on it will be shots of them arguing, crying, hugging etc. to show the audience that not only will there be a perfect love story in the movie, but a realistic storyline to it aswell that alot of people in real life go through. The report of the event will be shown through captions on the screen and dialogue of the characters.

NARRATIVE PLOT:
There will be no author or narrator in my trailer - it will be only background music with captions on the screen and dialogue from the characters. This is how the story will be presented throughout the trailer. I will be revealing clips from every scene showing the development in their relationship from beginning to end but I won't be showing any clips or hints to the outcome of the story as this is what I want the audience to wonder about. The events will be put together in different ways. When Scarlett is revealing the news to Braden, there will be sad music and slow shots and movements. But when they start arguining and things start going wrong, it will be presented with fast cuts and a louder music range.

Tzvetan Todorov's theory is that stories begin with an equilibrium or status quo and potentially opposing forces are in balance. This is disrupted by some event, setting in chain a series of events. Problems are solved so that order can be restored to the world of the fiction. For example, "Katie and the Biscuit". Todorov argued that the basis of conventional narrative structure consists of an initial situation, a problem which disrupts this situation and a resolution of the problem which allowd the reinstatement of the initial situation. Basically...

Sitation 1 > Problem > Resolution

In my trailer, it will be:

Fall in love > Scarlett needs to go to University > ?

I have written a question mark on the resolution because I won't be showing this in my trailer as it will give the whole story away and no one will bother watching the movie.

Todorov also suggested a slightly more complicated description of narrative structure than the simple situation/problem/resolution structure. Here are the five stages he posited and how it relates to my trailer:

1. A state of equilibrium at the outset - The couple are in love: happiness, laughs etc.
2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action - Scarlett tells Braden that she will be going to University soon.
3. A recognition that there has been a disruption - The couple wonder if a long distance relationship is going to work and they start to argue alot.
4. An attempt to repair the disruption - Braden tries to persuade Scarlett that they can make it work. Here there will be lots of tears etc.
5. A reinstatement of the equilibrium - Won't be revealed as I am only producing a trailer.

Christopher Volger believes there are twelve steps of the hero's journey which became very influential in Hollywood movies. However, this doesn't relate to my work because I don't have a hero in my story.

Vladimir Propp contend that there are seven 'spheres of action' - a villian, donor, helper, princess, dispatcher, hero and false hero. However, this doesn't really relate to my work either because I only have two characters and neither fit in with these criterias.