Applying Narrative to our Final Idea

 Applying Narrative to our Final Idea

Beginning with narrative structure, the final idea for our short film follows a linear structure with both restricted and unrestricted narration being used throughout. Every event within the short film happens in chronological order so as to not confuse the spectator massively. We would rather the focus were on the relationship between Ethan and Faith than the chronology of the plot. The restricted narration we will use will be at the start of the short film, through finding out who Faith is and her disability, to the bullying that takes place. To create the effect of restricted narration we will use extreme close ups, big close ups and close up shots.

Bordwell and Thompson's Story and Plot

Story - The story behind our final idea is that Faith is a girl with the disability of being blind which developed when she was only three years old. She attends college but is majorly bullied and is therefore very introverted. One day she arrives at college where she is bullied at her worst yet. Unexpectedly, a boy named Ethan of whom she'd never met came and attempted to help her. The two introduce themselves and become very close friends. The friendship builds to a climax after more and more meetings and the spectator wants a relationship to evolve. Unfortunately, Ethan is now getting bullied by his old friends for hanging around with Faith, but takes her side. The couple get closer and Ethan wins Faith a bear on a stall at the Pier - assumed by spectator to be start of relationship. As the return to cross the road to the train station Ethan gets hit by a bus. Faith is left mentally damaged and forgets completely about her disability; all she cares of now is the times she spent with Ethan.

 

Plot - Faith is shown to be a blind girl who attends college but gets bullied. A boy named Ethan rescues her and they immediately become friends. Their friendship develops majorly overtime and Ethan's old friends aren't happy about. They soon begin to bully Ethan but he ignores it all for the love of Faith. The couple's friendship reaches it's climax after meeting many, many times and Ethan winning Faith a teddy bear on the Pier. As they return home after what may be the evolution of their relationship Ethan is hit by a bus.












Todorov's 5 Stage Theory

There are two applications of Todorov's theory in our final idea:

• Equilibrium - Faith walking to college
• Disruption - Bullying her as she arrives at college
• Recognition - Ethan watching her get bullied
• An attempt to repair the damage -  Ethan helping her collect her things and becoming friends with her
• New Equilibrium - Ethan and Faith becoming friends and moving on

OR

• Equilibrium - Faith and Ethan become friends and spend a lot of time together
• Disruption - Ethan gets hit by a bus
• Recognition - Faith screaming his name
• An attempt to repair the damage - Police and ambulance arriving at the scene
• New Equilibrium - Ethan dead and Faith left emotionally scarred

Key - Highlighted = In the story rather than the plot

Barthes Enigma and Action Codes

Enigma Codes:  

• Singing diegetic on screen sound - Who is singing?
• Shoes as part of the costume - Why are they odd?
• Stick prop begins to emerge - Why has she got a stick? Is she blind?
• Titling - Why is it called that?
• Walking down the hallway setting at ELS mid angle - Who is she? Where is she?
•  Low key lighting - Why is the lighting all of a sudden darker?
•  De-saturated colour - Why is the colour desaturated? Is something bad going to happen?
• Ethan winning Faith a teddy bear prop - Are they going to get into a relationship?
• Traffic light prop - Why is the traffic light becoming so prominent? What will happen in relation to the traffic light?

Action Codes:

• Stick prop shown in shot with female protagonist - She is blind.
• ECU and CU shots at low angle - She is being bullied.
• Spending so much time together in different settings - A relationship is forming.
• Ethan recieves texts from friends - Clear they have begun to bully him.
• Facial expression and body language of Ethan and Faith - Suggests they don't care about what anyone else thinks, they are both so euphoric together as a unit.
• Ethan wins Faith a teddy bear prop on the Pier - They are developing feelings for one another.
• Masses of checks (facial expression and body language) along with close up shots - There is going to be an accident in some way.

Levi Strauss' Binary Opposition Theory

Happy	Miserable
Dark	Bright
Love	Hate
Black	Colours
Boy	Girl
Rich	Poor
Extrovert	Introvert
Ability	Disability

These are the basis of the binary oppositions created within our final idea. More may come about throughout our production and post production routines.

Propp's Character Types Theory

The Hero - Throughout the short film Ethan will be viewed as the hero of the plot. He is Faith's rescuer when she is being bullied and for that reason is viewed as a hero.

The Villain - The villain within our final idea consists of more than one. Of all the people that bully Faith, they are all villains in the spectators eyes.

The Princess - It could be definitely be interpreted that Faith is the 'Princess'. As she is the object/reward for the Hero's actions - which is saving her.

The other character types of Propp's theory cannot be applied to our final idea as there are too little characters.

Vogler's 'The Hero's Journey' Theory

Vogler's theory could be very difficult to apply to our final idea as the genre is not adventure - which is suggested through the 'call to adventure'. Though, after looking at Propp's theory we know that Ethan is the Hero of our short film.

• Ordinary World - The Hero's (Ethan's) ordinary world is hanging around with his fake friends of whom he wishes to leave behind. 
• Call to Adventure - Watching his friends bully Faith.
• Refusal to the call -  Not going and assisting his friends in bullying Faith.
• Meeting the Mentor - It can be assumed that Faith is Ethan's mentor throughout, so the meeting is him helping her with her book props. 
• Crossing the threshold - Becoming friends with Faith and hanging around together a lot more.
• Tests, allies, enemies - This is where Ethan ignores his friends who are now bullying him for hanging around with Faith.
• Approach - This could be seen as how Ethan approaches Faith and their relationship starts to go somewhere.
• Ordeal - This is the re-birth of their relationship, perhaps being that they are now something more than friends.
• Reward - The reward for Ethan is Faith for helping her and being her friend.
• The road back - This could be interpreted as the road back home from the beach and pier - perhaps returning back to reality.

The Resurrection and Return with Elixir cannot be applied to our final idea as our short film does not have a 'happy ending'.

Key - Highlighted = In the story rather than the plot