Narrative

This relates to the analysis section of the music video coursework blog. It is also relevant to Question 1(a) of the G325 critical perceptions in media examination.

What is Narrative?

• Story
• Plot
• Narrative is the way the story is organised.

Elements of Narrative?

• Time
• Closure - Wrapping up loose ends
• Enigma - Ends with a mystery and theres a problem.

Classical Hollywood Narratives:

• Linear
• Few, if any, sub-plots

Theories of Narrative

1. Tzvetan Todorov

• Equilibrium
• Disruption
• Resolution
• New Equilibrium

The Gaze

'The Gaze' of the camera is the male 'gaze', the male gaze is active whilst the female is passive. Within the narrative male characters direct their gaze towards femlae characters. The spectator is made to identify with the male gaze becaause the camera films from the optical, as well as libidinal point of view of the male character. Thus three levels of the cinematic gaze-camera, character and spectator that objectify the female character this is known as the triple gaze.

One example of this can be seen in James Bond: Dr No



In this clip, the woman is viewed by the male, the camera and then the audience but as an object of erotic desire. This occurs through the process of suture. 

Agency

• In the Classical Hollywood cinema the male protagonist has agency - he is active and powerful.
• He is the agent around whom the dramatic action unfolds.
• The female character is passive and powerless - she is the object of desire for protagonist and audience.

Erotic Desire

Laura Mulvey argues that women have two roles in a film:-

1. As an object of erotic desire for the characters.
2. As an object of erotic desire for the audience.

Feminist Film Theory and Audiences

Laura Mulvey is a British film theory feminist, she wrote an essay in 1975 called "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema". Her theory was that cinema reflects our society and thereofore cinema reflects a patriachal society. Her question was How does a patriachal society manifest itself in cinema. Her work considered three methods of interpretation:

• The Gaze
• Agency
• Erotic Desire

 

Audiences and Audience Theory

1. Suture
2. Feminist film theory and audiences

Suture

• Classical Hollywood narrative, editing, sound and Mise -En-Scene 'sutures' or positions the audience in certain ways making only one preferred reading possible, however unconscious the audience is of that position.

Editing

Today we found out that we had to do more editing to our video to make it slighly better. We had to change some clips around so that they match with the beat of the song.