Narrative structure

What is a Narrative?

Narrative is the way the different

elements in a story are organised to

make a meaningful story

The way the meanings are constructed

so the audience understands

There is a beginning, middle and end

Open Narratives

The documentary ends with unanswered questions leaving the audience to answer

There’s no sense of ending

This type of narrative will leave answer that need to be complete which therefore leaves the documentary on a cliff hanger and leaves the audience wondering.

More than one story happening at a time

e/g coronation street

Closed Narratives

There are no loose ends

The documentary has a clear conclusion and has

answered all questions

The audience is aware that they are watching a

complete story, so watching with the likely ending

in mind

Small number of central characters

Characters are arranged in a hierarchy of importance

The audience is invited to make verdicts on the

characters

Times and events are usually special to this particular

story and not liked to the outside world

e/g Most Evil

Linear Narrative

This type of documentary follows a timeline of events and the different pieces of the documentary are shown chronologically

Most simple and commonly used narrative structure, it refers to a story that is told in the order in which the events happen

These are sometimes referred as ‘cause and effect’ narratives as the consequences of one event having an effect on something else and things moving along in this linear

e/g The Most Hated Family In America

Non – Linear Narrative

There is no order to what is shown in

the documentary.

It will often jump from scene to scene

leaving you on a cliff hanger from the

scene you have viewed

e/g Out My Window

Single Strand

It’s focused on just one character

Therefore, the protagonist/ antagonist is

clear in the documentary as it is that

person that the main attention is on

Multi Strand

When there is more than one narrative

strand being told in the documentary

and they can sometimes overlap

A soap can use multi strand because it

can end one story and begin another

without confusing the audience

e/g Holby City, The Bill

Circular Narrative

This is where the documentary starts

and joins on the same point

The audience are taking on a journey,

arriving back where they started.

Unrestricted Narrative

What the audience are assumed to

know

e/g a thriller, there will be a crime so

they will expect it

Restricted Narrative

The information is withheld

from the audience