Narrative Theories

Narrative Theory

Todorov's Narrative Theory:
 Todorov states that most story/plot lines all follow the same path with these 5 steps;

1.Equilibirum
2.A Disruption Of This Equilibrium
3.Recognition Of This Disruption
4.Attempt To Repair The Equilibrium
5. Equilibrium Restored Or New Equilibrium Established

I will give an example of a music video following these 5 steps. 

The song is called "who do you love" by YG ft Drake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN4upVaDFFs

1.The beginning of the story line, all the characters will be content and happy how things are. YG and his friends are playing video games and are happy with their situation. 

2.Next, a disruption will happen which will interrupt the happiness. A suspicious call has appeared on Ag's girlfriends phone.

3.Then, everyone will take notice of the disruption and its chaos. YG recognises the disruption of the suspicious unknown caller.

4.Now, An attempt is made in order to repair the equilibrium. YG confronts the unknown caller and confront his girlfriend who is the owner of the phone. 

5.Finally, The problem is resolved and normality can resume. In this case, YG has created a new equilibrium by leaving and partying with his friends. 

Propp's Narrative Theory:

 Vladimir Propp developed a character theory for studying media texts and productions, which indicates that there were 7 broad character types;

Hero: Individual(s) who's quest is to restore the equilibrium.

Villain: Individual(s) who's task is to disrupt the equilibrium.

Donor: Individual(s) who gives the hero(s) something, advice, information or an object.

Helper: Individual(s) who aids the hero(s) with their set task.

Princess (Prince): Individual(s) which need help, protecting and saving.

The King: Who rewards the hero.

Dispatcher: Individual(s) who send the hero(s) on their quest.

False Hero: Individual(s) who set out to undermine the hero's quest by pretending to aid them. Often unmasked at the end of the film. 

I will give an example of some of these characters (5) in a music video
The song is called "hold on, we're going home" by Drake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxgqpCdOKak

Hero. In this case, Drake who is the hero who tries to save his girlfriend who was kidnapped.

Villain. Here we have the villain who disrupts the hero's equilibrium by kidnapping his girlfriend.

Helper. Drake has 4 helpers alongside him to help him on his task to rescue his girlfriend. 

Princess. Drakes girlfriend has been kidnapped and is being used to lure Drake into a trap.

False Hero. One of Drakes "helpers" is actually helping the villain as we see he is caught on the

phone to him. 

Levi-Strauss: Binary Oppositions:

 Levi Strauss states that the meaning in narrative is based upon binary oppositions. He noticed that all narratives are organised around conflict between binary opposites such as:

Good            vs  Evil

Human         vs  Nature 

Black            vs  White

Protagonist  vs  Antagonist 

Humanity     vs  Technology

Man             vs  Woman

Human         vs  Alien

Here is an example of Man vs Woman in a music video

The song is called "run the world" by Beyonce.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBmMU_iwe6U

This video demonstrates woman vs men as throughout the music video, we can see the whole that there is a division, woman on one side and men on the other. They are also standing in a military stance front of a bunch of riot police. Military and criminals are normally associated with men as men are the ones committing crimes and in the military.

Roland Barthes: Enigma Code:
 Roland Barthes refers to the tension build up any story/plot line where the reader/listener/viewer
doesnt have full information on something which keeps them guessing and pulls them into the story more. Up until the final scenes where all is revealed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfihYWRWRTQ 

Representations

Different Group Representations in Music Videos

The First Video I am looking at is a song called "Often" by The Weeknd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPIhUaONiLU

Age:
 Here we see The Weeknd wearing a jacket that has "XO" on the back. This doesn't stand for what you and I think. It stands for ecstasy and oxycodone. This conforms the theory of Dick Hebdige who explored the polarised media representations of teens as fun or trouble. In this case trouble. Of course The Weeknd is not a teen but he is still a young adult who is in the party stage of his life. This use of promoting and using drugs is considered as wreckless and irresponsible and would be associated with young people.
 We could also apply Daren Garrett's theory of media representations of young people being trouble, invites young people to be trouble therefore the weeknd is embracing his representations as he looks careless when exhaling the smoke and also inviting others to do so.
 Another thing we see is the two young woman being sexual with eachother in an environment which looks like a party. This tells us that young people don't have self-respect as they are exposing themselves and doing private things in the company of others. 

Gender:

 On the video we can see two promiscuous woman on the bed wearing near to nothing. This gives woman the representation of being sexualised and that they are solely there for objectification of men. It conforms  theories such as male gaze (Laura Mulvey) and men look woman appear (John Berger). Laura Mulvey's theory is applied firmly here as we are seeing the two woman through a male gaze as men often like to see two woman acting sexually with eachother and the woman are doing as the men please.

Race:

 Again in the same picture we see the same two woman. However it goes against the theory of the colour codes (bell hooks). This is due to it normally being black woman that are sexualised whereas the music video sexualises two white/asian woman. But the picture on the right is a black woman which conforms the theory of Bell Hooks.

The second video I am looking at is called "Only Right" by Ty Dolla $ign ft YG, Teecee 4800, Joe Moses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdToHMjSsl8

Age:
 This picture from the music video has a representation about age. This is Teecee 4800 and he s part of the school yard crip gang. When you in a gang it is very difficult to leave. You can leave by being in witness protection program or you can take you chances by leaving yourself, both are very dangerous. Teecee isn't necessarily old but he isn't in the young category. Therefore the presentation shown about age is that young people make bad wreckless decisions (like Teecee did) which could effect them for the rest of their lives.


Gender: In the next picture we have Joe Moses. He is putting on his glasses with an aggressive expression on his face. He also has a bloodies cloth wrapped around his right hand which looks as though he has been punching somebody. Also another aggressive gesture is being shown in the picture on the right where a male is showing his middle finger. These give off a feeling on violence and aggression towards who/where he is looking. Those characteristics (violence, aggression) are mainly associated with males.

Race: Here we have four black males. Black men's style of clothing aren't usually represented as wearing smart clothing such as suits and ties. They are normally presented to wear baggy clothing, hoodies etc.
 Also Black males are stereotypically associated with illegal activity which is represented here.

So overall both videos conform and go against certain stereotypes in terms of age, gender and race. 

Introduction

                               Introduction

Hi, I'm Bradley Newman and from here on out I am going to be blogging about my own media product (music video) and its uses such as develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products, its effectiveness, what I have learnt from it and how I used media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages.

I will be working with Jerard Ocitti (1447), Jody Cox-Smith (1317) Kyle Cattell (1089) and of course myself (1445)