Narrative

Narrative

Tim O' Sullivan

This theorists believes that all media text tell some kind of story. Usually all the media text tell a story but not usually about our personal lives but just a general reality story. Its more about culture or a set of cultures. Culture is based on what the media presents to us as an audience, such as, television. The narrative theory is all about, how a set of constructions are put together to create a music video through conventions.

3 important words………

Narrative- how the story is structured in the product.

Diegesis – where the story takes place (location) and the timing of the story and how it progresses.

Verisimilitude – this is based upon, if the narrative comes across to the audience as real or true, therefore, allowing us to believe what is happening to keep the audience engaged and having some kind of reference to reality. So ensuring it has the diegetic effect and follows the rules of verisimilitude;

• Continuity
• Temporal
• Special coherence

Bordwell and Thompson.

They talk about story, but never really come up with an indefinite narrative theory. However did believe that narrative structures is based on two distinctions between story and plot which the audience can see happen within the product. This theory is based on the Russian film theory.

Story (Fabula) - the events that occur to make the narrative and how we interpret it. Fabula is a series of events that are represented or implied.

Plot (Syuzhet) – literally everything that is presented to the audience, therefore, visible and audible. Syuzhet is basically the way they order and present the product/ narrative(beginning, middle and end).

Pam cook

This theorist is about the cause and effect of the narrative leading to the end of an enigma resolution which is the original Hollywood style of narrative structure. At the end of the product it should have a high degree of closure, for the purpose of the audience to want more from this style of narrative again; in future reference.

Todorov

1. The narrative starts with an equilibrium where everything is calm and normal.
2. Then progressives with a disruption to the story which creates a disequilibrium.
3. Disruption has taken place.
4. Re-create equilibrium.
5. Restore of a new state of equilibrium however the original narrative and characters change to the final state of equilibrium from initial state.

Sven Carlson – 3 areas of narrative structure

Carlson argues that music videos fall under 3 areas, performance, narrative and conceptual.

1. Performance – a music video that includes an artist signing and dancing, this is defined as a performance clip. It is a performance if it includes majority of vocals and different location settings. Commonly is recorded in studio room or rehearsal rooms but the performance can take place anyway from the streets to performing mid air. If we were to stereotypes different music videos then rapping would be on the streets, which is cliche and commonly used in music videos. The performance can be divided into three different areas; song performance and instrumental performance, however these can be both used in a music video.
2. Narrative-A narrative clip contains a visual story that is easy to follow. A pure narrative clip contains no lip-synchronized singing.
3. art- if the music video contains no narrative visual structure or no lip syncing then the music video is pure art. The main difference between a music video art clip and a contemporary artistic video is the music. While the music video uses popular music the artistic video uses more modern, experimental music, such as electro-acoustic music.

Carlson developed a mythical method of analysis of music video - centered on a "modern mythic embodiment". Viewed from this perspective the music video artist is seen as embodying one, or a combination of "modern mythic characters or forces" of which there are three general. The music video artist is representing different aspects of the free floating disparate universe of music video.


Overall example;
Tim; O Sullivan theory applied to rihanna 'rude boy', simply because all the typical codes and conventions of this music video is to create a characteristic profile for her fan based audience. The producer does this to make cultural references to society and to create a narrative/ message behind it. Such as rihanna allowing her body to be on display but showing her power over the boys.