THEORIES

LEVI STRAUSS – B INARY OPPOSITES

This theory is about protagonists and antagonists in a story. It is who is seen as the ‘bad guy’ and who is the ‘good guy’. Binary opposites are usually used to create an equilibrium with in a story. An example of this would be ‘Harry Potter and Voldermort’. The Binary opposites are usually the central part of the narrative; what the story is based around.

TODOROV – NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

Todorov in 1969 produced a theory which he believed to be able to be applied to any film. He believed that all films followed the same narrative pattern. They all went through stages called the equilibrium, disequilibrium, acknowledgement, solving and again equilibrium.

There are said to be five stages of every film and these five stages are; 1. A state of equilibrium (All is as it should be.)

A disruption of that order by an event.

A recognition that the disorder has occurred.

An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.

A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium

Not all films fit this pattern, however the majority of films do, especially the ‘block busters’ do. This is because it is what people like to see, the like to see a ‘happily ever after’ as it give a ‘feel good’ feeling.

PROPP – CHARACTER FUNCTIONS

Valdimer Propp came up with a theory that every actor in a fillm/play plays one of seven defining characters. The seven charaters are;

The villain (struggles against the hero)

The donor (prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object)

The (magical) helper (helps the hero in the quest)

The princess (person the hero marries, often sought for during the narrative)

The false hero (perceived as good character in beginning but emerges as evil)

The dispatcher (character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off)

The hero [AKA victim/seeker/paladin/winner, reacts to the donor, weds the princess

However not every character will stick to these character types, and they may change character ever so slightly during the film/play, but will always be more of one character than any of the others. In the more conventional films, these characters are easily seen and figured out. It is the more unconventional films that the character may play more than one of these seven characters.

AU DIEN CE – PRIMARY AN D SECO N DARY

Primary and secondary audiences are who the film producer wants to aim their film at.

The primary audience would be who their original target audience is. Who they are actually aiming the film at. So for example a children's film such as ‘finding nemo’ would be aimed at children.

The secondary audience is would is going to see the film, and here about it, but it may not be aimed at them. For example, parents and adults would take their children to see finding nemo, but may not be interested in it themselves.

BARTHES – 5 CODESBarthes thought up a theory that applies to the majority of films or texts. The 5 codes are;1. Proairetic code – this code is used to add action to the text, proairetic elements also add suspense to the text. 2. Hermeneutic/ Enigma code – this code usually refers to a mystery within a text. It drops clues but doesn’t reveal the answer. They are usually used to frustrate the audience and to keep them guessing.3. Connotative [or Semic] code – This code referes to parts in the text that suggest or refere that there is going to be a different meaning. Elements of the sematic code are referred to as ‘seme’. By adding different meanings to the text, it is like adding extra layers to the text. 4. Cultural or referential code – This code refers to anything in the text that could need an external knowledge, such as scientific, historical or cultural knowledge5. Symbolic code - This code refers to symbolism within texts. Certain objects, sounds colours etc; will help add drama and suspension to a text. It will also help the consumer to understand the character further.