Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Todorov Theory of Equilibrium
Tvzetan Todorov - suggested that narrative follows the following pattern: equilibrium, disequilibrium, new equilibrium.
In simple terms this means that any narrative simply starts in balance: So all things are in order, something comes along and disrupts this, finally at the end of the story things are restored into balance and things are in someways better than before.
A example of this will be, A cop is happy at home with his son(equilibrium), the son is kidnapped, the cop must go on a mission to save him(disequilbrium) ,helped by thegirl he loves who helps him, once he has rescued his son and the bad guys are behind bars, the character lives happily ever after with this new love.(new equilibrium)
In simple terms this means that any narrative simply starts in balance: So all things are in order, something comes along and disrupts this, finally at the end of the story things are restored into balance and things are in someways better than before.
A example of this will be, A cop is happy at home with his son(equilibrium), the son is kidnapped, the cop must go on a mission to save him(disequilbrium) ,helped by thegirl he loves who helps him, once he has rescued his son and the bad guys are behind bars, the character lives happily ever after with this new love.(new equilibrium)
Levi-Strauss Binary Oppositions
Claude Levi-Strauss
Levi-Strauss reflected that the constant creation of conflict/opposition propels and enriches narrative.
Opposition can be visual (light/darkness, movement/stillness) or conceptual (love/hate, control/panic) this is known as Binary Oppositions.
Examples of this in The Bill are Adults vs Kids, Police vs Criminals, Law vs Rebelion,
Mother vs Police
Here is the first part of the last episode of The Bill that I we studied in class. Look at it and consider how it uses the conventions of the genre, representation and supports binary oppositions.
The Bill is also an example of a family TV Crime Drama so consider the way it targets its audience.
Here is a bit of information on The Bill
It is a police procedural drama. It looks at the work of a fictious police force. It shares some elements of a soap structure.
It is one of the longest running TV Crime Dramas
It ran from 1984 - 2010
Each episode focuses in on one shift of police officers.
The title refers to the "Old Bill"
It is realistic in its style. It was often criticised for its violence potentially because of its realism.
Key Terms
To get your Media Language marks you will need to use key terms. Try using some of these...
Mise-en-scene: Everything in the shot (has meaning). Lighting, Props, Colours, Characters
Iconography: The physical props that represent the genre ie Police Car, Handcuffs
Signifier: The physical item that represents something ie Traffic Lights
Signified: The associated meaning ie Red = Stop
Intertextuality: One media text making reference to another.
Postmodern: A complex text. It is a mixture of genres etc
Parody: A text that sends up a media text ie Scary Movie
Pastiche: A text that sends up a media text whilst keeping the original conventions of its genre.
Conventions: The elements that make up a genre.
Mise-en-scene: Everything in the shot (has meaning). Lighting, Props, Colours, Characters
Iconography: The physical props that represent the genre ie Police Car, Handcuffs
Signifier: The physical item that represents something ie Traffic Lights
Signified: The associated meaning ie Red = Stop
Intertextuality: One media text making reference to another.
Postmodern: A complex text. It is a mixture of genres etc
Parody: A text that sends up a media text ie Scary Movie
Pastiche: A text that sends up a media text whilst keeping the original conventions of its genre.
Conventions: The elements that make up a genre.
Enigma Codes
Enigma codes are a set of questions that are raised at the start of a film/Tv show to capture an audience. The answers to these questions will be featured throughout the narrative. That way the audience needs to keep watching to fufil their curiosity.
For example
eg. a body is discovered at the beginning of a tv detective drama. The killer's identity is an enigma. We watch to find out who the killer is.
For example
eg. a body is discovered at the beginning of a tv detective drama. The killer's identity is an enigma. We watch to find out who the killer is.
Media Theory
The next few posts will look at various media theory. You should revise these as you may be able to use these within your exam response.
Valdimir Propp
He outlined that all the characters within most narratives could be resolved into 8 broad character types
The villain — struggles against the hero.
The dispatcher —character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
The (magical) helper — helps the hero in the quest.
The princess or prize — the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. the hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain.
Her father — gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father can not be clearly distinguished.
The donor —prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
The hero or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
False hero — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess
It would help you to consider how these charcters fit into the various TV Crime Dramas that we have looked at, It may also help you when you are designing your own TV Crime Drama. Which ones have you used?
Valdimir Propp
He outlined that all the characters within most narratives could be resolved into 8 broad character types
The villain — struggles against the hero.
The dispatcher —character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off.
The (magical) helper — helps the hero in the quest.
The princess or prize — the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. the hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain.
Her father — gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and the father can not be clearly distinguished.
The donor —prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
The hero or victim/seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess.
False hero — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess
It would help you to consider how these charcters fit into the various TV Crime Dramas that we have looked at, It may also help you when you are designing your own TV Crime Drama. Which ones have you used?
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