Narrative Structure (Discussion)
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Revision as of 14:05, 25 August 2016 by Jeremy Butler (talk | contribs) (→External links: added scene breakdown)
Classical Hollywood cinema
Choose a classical film that everyone in your group has seen. Explain how it fits the classical implementation of:
- Single protagonist
- Exposition
- Motivation
- Narrative enigma
- Cause-effect chain
- Story time versus screen time--in terms of duration and order
- Climax
- Resolution
Group examples
- G1: Star Wars: New Hope
- G2: Lion King
- G3: Aladdin
- G4: The Wizard of Oz
- G5: Mean Girls
- G6: Harry Potter ep 1
- G7: Forrest Gump
- G8: Dark Knight
The television series
Break down the "The Vartabedian Conundrum" episode from The Big Bang Theory (December 8, 2008).
How many scenes does it have?
Explain how it does or does not exemplify conventional television-series narrative structure:
- G2 and G5: Multiple protagonists
- G2 and G5: Exposition
- G3 and G6: Motivation
- G3 and G6: Narrative problematic
- G4 and G7: Cause-effect chain
- G1 and G8: Climax
- G1 and G8: Resolution
The television serial
- Contrast the serial with the series. Aside from the obvious lack of resolution in the serial, name (and be prepared to explain) three differences between the two in terms of narrative elements.
- Provide examples from TV serials with which you're familiar.
Bibliography
- Jeremy G. Butler, Television: Critical Methods and Applications (New York: Routledge, 2012).
- TV Tropes: listing of numerous narrative conventions.
External links
- The Big Bang Theory, "The Vartabedian Conundrum" shot lists
- The Big Bang Theory, "The Vartabedian Conundrum" screenplay (password protected)