NARRATIVE (the plot)  People are always building narratives  Narratives have always existed  Narratives come in three major forms:  A) written  B) verbal  C) visual

Narrative – more than a story Narrative is more than just a story. As novelist E.M. Forster said once “The king died and then the queen died is a story. The king died, and then the queen died of grief is a plot.”

Narrative Structure Every narrative uses some sort of structure. Even films like Memento and Pulp Fiction use narrative structure, though the viewer has to work hard to figure out the real sequence of events.

Classic Hollywood Structure 1. Equilibrium is established 2. Equilibrium is disrupted 3. Equilibrium is restored

Story/Narration/Text Story = Content: the events, the characters, the settings Text = Presentation: HOW is the story told? How does it deal with time? How are the characters created? Who sees, perceives, judges the events? Narration = Telling: HOW the story is told and by whom Is there a narrator? Is the story limited to one person’s perspective? Is the narrator’s POV reliable?

MUSIC AND NARRATIVE  SETS THE TONE AND ESTABLISHES AN ATMOSPHERE  CAN IMPACT EMOTION  CAN LIMIT EMOTION  CAN FORESHADOW TYPES OF EVENTS

YOUR TURN…  Think about a favourite film and break it down into 6-9 KEY scenes.  Focus on the characters and what they want.  Now, come up with an idea for a structure based on one of the following: Days of the week Days of the week Common experience Common experience The year The year The seasons The seasons Nature – such tree branches, layers of rock, the growth cycle, metamorphosis, etc. Nature – such tree branches, layers of rock, the growth cycle, metamorphosis, etc.

Archetype and Primary Plots  Plots often follow primary story patterns called ARCHETYPES.  Archetypes reflect BASIC HUMAN EXPERIENCES such as growing up, facing challenge, love, loss, etc.  By tapping into this COMMON CORE OF EXPERIENCE, the filmmaker engages the audience in a powerful way

Seven Primary Plots  1. ACHILLES: overcoming obstacle, hero has weak spot  2. CINDERELLA: transformation, character rises up despite odds

Seven Primary Plots cont’d  3. JASON: quest, hero must seek and find, against the odds (archetypal hero journey) hero must seek and find, against the odds (archetypal hero journey)  4. FAUST: temptation character risks all, putting self into another’s hands character risks all, putting self into another’s hands

Seven Primary Plots cont’d  5. ORPHEUS: great loss great loss journey to reclaim what is lost journey to reclaim what is lost 6. ROMEO AND JULIET: love triumphs lovers come together despite odds

Seven Primary Plots cont’d  TRISTAN AND ISOLDE: love defeated love defeated lovers meet, but one is already taken lovers meet, but one is already taken

Archetypal Hero Quest a. Mysterious Birth b. Call to adventure c. Refusal of calld. Encounter with mentor e. Cross threshold / Leave known world f. Meet helpersg. Decent into darkness h. Road of trialsi. Supreme test j. Wisdom/ Goal attainedk. Journey home l. The Return: Knowledge shared / Order restored

YOUR TURN…  Apply the Archetypal Hero Journey plot pattern to a movie you know. For each element of the hero’s journey, identify moments from the movie. How many movies can you list that follow this plot pattern?  For TWO of the other Seven Primary Plots, list at least two movies you’ve seen.