Narrative Structure (Discussion)
From Screenpedia
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
- Climax
- Resolution
Group examples
- G1: The Hangover
- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b9/Hangoverposter09.jpg/200px-Hangoverposter09.jpg
- G2: Legally Blonde
- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ac/Legally_blonde.jpg/200px-Legally_blonde.jpg
- G3: Dark Knight
- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/Dark_Knight.jpg/200px-Dark_Knight.jpg
- G4: The Lion King
- http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c4/Teaser1.jpg/200px-Teaser1.jpg
The television series
Break down the "Rudy's Sick" episode from the Cosby Show (13 December 1984) -- view all shots.
How many scenes does it have?
Explain how it does or does not exemplify conventional television-series narrative structure:
- Multiple protagonists
- Exposition
- Motivation
- Narrative problematic
- Cause-effect chain
- Climax
- Resolution
The television serial
How does the serial differ from the series in terms of narrative components?
Bibliography
- Butler, Jeremy G. Television: Critical Methods and Applications. Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2007.