Application of Narrative theory to our childrens film.

Apply all three narrative theories to your work/how does your film conform or not conform to the theory.


Theory one: Vladimir Propp.
He said that all character roles were based on chose from traditional myths or fairytales. He said each narrative had 8 characters. Narrative are usually driven by males.



The story line from our childrens film is about a boy who's dog is taken away by aliens, they rest if the film would consist of the boy searching for his dog. The use of aliens links to Propp's idea of using myths, where as the idea of the main character going on a quest to save his dog is similar to the story line of a fairytale. Instead if a prince looking for his princess its a boy looking for his dog who is his best friend, this puts a modern twist to the idea of a fairytale.


Theory two: Levi Strauss.
 He said that viewers like to see characters that provide contrast and rival with each other, for example hero/villain, moral/unmoral.


The only contrast provided within the storyline of the childrens film is the aliens/humans which could link to the idea of hero/villain, the boy being the hero to save his dog and the aliens being the villains who took the dog in the first place. The use of aliens also creates the idea of natural vs supernatural.

Theory three: Tzvetan Todorov
He said that we always want to see the under dog succeed, and that the audience demand beginning, middle and end. Also we want a happy ending with all questions answered.

In our childrens film the under dog would be the young boy. We see him get bullied by other kids, suggesting hes a bit of a loner and an outcast. Although there is no middle or ending, the genre and childish theme of the film implies that the boy will succeed in finding his dog and that all questions raised by the dream like beginning will be answered.


1. Does my text have a clear story?
The childrens film does not have a clear storyline at the beginning. It opens with the young boy dreaming of the day his dog got taken away and then goes into live action when he wakes up, this may not be understood by all viewers. However at the end of the opening the viewer could understand that the boys dog has been taken by aliens and that the rest of the film will be his journey to get him back, like most childrens films.


2. Is the structure linear/nonlinear/montage?
It's a non linear structure because it begins with a dream and then goes from animation to live action to show the character is waking from the dream and is now in reality.

3. Are there key roles within the narrative? (propp/strauss)
The main character, who is young boy,  and the dog are key roles through out the plot. The aliens also play a key role within the plot as they act as the antoganist.

4. Is my text structured by cause and effect? 
 In our childrens film the events are structured my cause and effect, the dog gets kidnapped by aliens which causes the young boy to go looking for his "best friend".


5. what are the audiences expectations of narrative in this genre?
Happy ending / happy ever after
Fairytale
A morale
a problem and resolution

6.what is the function of narrative for audiences and institutions? 
This type of video would be expected to end happily, even though the hero may be but through trouble and harm in the way to over coming the bad guy.