Narrative theory

In 1980 David Morley undertook a nationwide study observing how different groups read the same media texts. He discovered 3 main types of readings;

1. Dominant (hegemonic) reading: the reader shares the programes code and accepts the prefered reading.
2. Negotiated reading
3. Oppositonal reading

Narrative theory examines the way storytelling frames the content and meaning of media messages. Storytelling is at the heart of all human interaction. We use stories to explain events to an audience and even our internal thoughts use stories to impose some sort of order on the things we see and hear. Narrative theory holds that the storytelling process is used in factual as well as fictional media. Narrative explores the features that govern the stories produced by the media.
Barthes proposed that the meaning of texts are produced through 5 codes of inteligibility;

1. The hermeneitic code- the thing that creates intrest in the audience.
2. The proairetic code- the code of action. (chaces, discovery, escapes.. etc.)
3. The cultural code- the referential code common sense, provides the narrative with plausibility.
4. The semic code- organises the cues that narrative (language, lighting, camera..)
5. The symbolic code- organises the binary oppositions that are important in any particular culture.

Narrative theory is based in structuralism which assumes there are key structures which under pin all social phenomena and social activites. E.g. family structure, school life. The output of the media is organised in particular patterns that influence the opinon of the audience.Barthes argues that texts only become meaningful through the act of consumption as the meaning lies with what the viewers, readers or listeners bring to the text. Texts are polysemic with a range of possible meanings and interpretations (or readings).

Narrative theory refers to the structure of a film/video and how it affects our perception of it. As a group, we hope to achieve an extremely clear narrative. Throughout our planning we have discussed how we can make the theme of the narrative being lost, depressed and alienated by the world this is shown by her being lost in busy London and having drinking problems. We wanted to raise a poignant issue that is going on at the moment with teenagers who think it is 'cool' but showing them the negatives for if, drinking is taken to far and becomes a habit. The conclusion to which we came to decide that that was going to be our narrative was due to the fact that in the lyrics emphasis of the words 'Emergency' began to make us realize that the girl is in some kind of state of disparity and needs some guidance and the song is helping her to understand that she is not the only one out there and that she doesn't want to be in an emergency situation with alcohol.

Through costume and make-up it will be evident, between who the band our and the girl in the narrative as we will distinguish the characters using the Prop and Todorov principles about character types and narrative stages. These principles have helped through planning this portfolio because I've had to focus on how I really want my narrative character to be portrayed as the hero but in a way that is more like an anti-hero because the fact that she is on a quest to find herself. However, her behaviour is not the stereotypical manner that you would expect from a hero e.g. the drinking.