Narrative Structure + Todorov Theory + Strauss Theory

Narrative Structure (Use the word 'Narrative' instead of story)

• Narrative is the story/plot of a film/ tv show/ radio show
• Does it have conventions?
• Beginning, middle and end
• Characters- some good or some bad

Types of TV Drama's

• Here is a list of different types of narrative structure within TV Drama with examples:
• Single Drama/Film: Eric and Earnie
• Soap (continuing drama): Coronation street
• Serial: Bleak house
• Anthology series (self contained episodes, each based on different characters): heroes 
• Long-form series drama (more that one series): Lost
• Long-form series drama with some narrative experimentation: 24

• Continuity editing: an editing style that aims to present the text in a chronological manner to emphasise the real-time movement of the narrative and to create a sense of realism for the viewer by giving the impression of continuous filming. Continuity editing creates a narrative that suggests a real experience of moving through time, even though screen time usually covers a much longer period. Audiences feel comfortable with a linear progression that reflects their every day experience.
• Linear Narrative: a sequential narrative with a beginning, a middle and an end-in that order. Linear narratives provide a straight forward, sequential representation of events leading to a single resolution. As such, easily accessible to audiences and are the dominant form in mainstream media representations. 

Todorov Theory

Todorov theory applied to Cinderella:
1. Cinderella is living with her dad
2. Dad dies. Step mum and ugly step sisters move in. They are horrible to cinderella.
3. She is treated like a slave, recognises her life is now awful.
4. Fairy god mother tries to help her. She meets prince charming, who falls in love with her, she looses her glass slipper.
5. She falls in love, she leaves those who left her captive, and lives happily ever after.


Todorov Theory applied to 'Cuffs'
Jake:

1. Jake gets a new job as a police officer.
2. He goes on his first job 
3. Ryan expresses that he isn't very good.
4. Jake saves Ryans life.
5. They accept him into the team.

Nathan:

1. Nathan living by himself
2. Overdoses 
3. Police find him
4. Goes to hospital
5. Hangs himself 

Todorov Theory applied to 'The Avengers'Fencing
people missing
russian spies
try and take out spies
kill everyone and drive away 

Strauss Theory

• Binary oppositions - conflict between two opposites
• Good VS Evil
• Rich VS Poor

Create Simple Narrative with Todorov's Theory

1. A couple wake up and go downstairs to breakfast. They do not realise that they are being watched by terrorists
2. One stops, grabs the others hand and silently stands still.
3. There was a loud bang and in a split second he was down.
4. The other grabbed the vase behind her, flinged it towards the terrorists and knocked them dead.
5. She ran as fast as ever towards the police station and passed out onto a soft chair knowing that it was all over.

Peer assessed by Ben C:
WWW: Used the Todorov theory
EBI: Use more media terminology 

• Ryan's story
• Nathan's story
• We follow Jake's life
• Multiple crimes in one go therefore it switches between different police officers and different characters fighting different crimes.
• Different crimes in different episodes
• This reflects real police officers hard work and the fact that they always have lots of work and lots of crimes to fight in one go.
• Cuffs shows the different area's and professions part of the same team that all work together to resolve a problem