Narrative

Firstly, what is a narrative?

Well a narrative is often used to explain the story. The producer encodes the story so we understand it in the right way also it guides us to the way we are meant to feel and react to the story. It may not be obvious but there is a difference between a story and a narrative there is a distinct difference as the story is simply telling us what happened within but as I said earlier a narrative is explaining the story.  The narrative helps the audience to understand the story in detail also helps in creating a sense of empathy in order to engage them within the media text whether it being a book or a film (any form of media text).

There is a range of 9 narrative types available ,

1.       Linear Narratives

2.       Non Linear Narratives (AKA Fractured Narratives)

3.       Tvetzan Todorov: Equilibrium

4.       Classical Hollywood Cinema

5.       The Oedipal Trajectory

6.       Counter Hollywood Cinema

7.       Roland Barthes: Semiotic Codes

8.       Claude Levi Strauss: Binary Opposition

9.       Vladimir Propp

Each of these narratives gives a film or a media text a specific identity that makes it different from others giving it originality to an extent. However many films suggest similar aspects which leads them to fit into specific genres and categories with in the genre. Narrative is very significant in telling the story with added detail to guide the audience in the right direction of understanding and reactions.

For the genre I have chosen (horror) I believe that non-linear narrative would work the best as it would have more of an effect on the audience. In some horror films it shows flash back of their child hoods however in my opening scene I am planning to use flash backs and flash-forwards in an attempt to intrigue the audience to why these things will happen