Media Theories: NARRATIVE

A series of different facts and how they are put together describes narrative.

Story is the substance of a text, whereas narrative is the way the story is related to the audience.

• Open narratives are continuous and run like soap operas (where the story never comes to an end).  They have to accomodate new and existing audiences and characters.

• Closed narratives have a defined beginning, middle and end. 

Todorov's Theory of Narrative:

• equilibrium - everything is normal in the lives of the characters
• disruption of the equilibrium
• recognition of the disruption
• attempt to repair disruption
• equilibrium once more

Todorov's Theory of Narrative runs as a linear/conventional closed narrative; where the film won't end until the problem is resolved.

• Fractured narratives are when the jumps back and forth in time vis flashbacks or flashforwards.  The viewer has to piece the plot together.

• Forking paths are juxtapose alternate versions of a story, showing the possible outcomes that might result from small changes.

• Episodic narratives are a number of different episodes that are joined together.

• Split screen narratives show different character's perspectives/plot points.

Media Theories: AUDIENCE

Key words:

• Location - the domestic (home) consumption of media output raises questions about regulation and control
• Consumption - audiences are defined by what they consume, e.g an audience of a particular genre
• Size - there is a need to distinguish between mass audiences and niche audiences
• Subjectivity - the impact nthat membership of pre-existing groups will have on audience members, e.g gender, nationality, race, religion

The Passive Audience - Hypodermic Needle Theory;
When the media inject values, ideas and objectives into the audience.

The Active Audience - Reception Theories - Uses and Gratifications;
The audience seeks something from the film and are not passive.  A person may seek:

• entertainment as a form of escape from the pressures of everyday life.  A form of diversion, relaxation and enjoyment
• social interaction/personal relationships
• personal identity
• information and advice

Audience Positioning
Hall's 3 main perspectives:

• Preferred or dominant readings - where the audience interprets the text as the producer intended.  There is little need for the audience to challenge the text.
• Negotiated readings - the audience understands the text but doesn't always agree with every aspect of it.  The audience negotiates with themselves.
• Oppositional or resistant readings - the audience finds themselves in conflict with the text due to their beliefs or experiences.  They do not agree with the text.

Media Theories: GENRE

Genre :

• is a process of classification
• relies on repetition and difference
• is categorised into 'major', 'subgenre' and 'hybrid'.

A media text is classified in a genre through the identification of key elements.  These elements can be referred to as paradigms (meaning pattern) and range from costume to music to plot points etc. that the audience can recognise.

Genre paradigms can be grouped into 3 categories:

• Iconography - the signs and symbols you see and hear
• Structure - the way the media text is put together
• Theme - the issues and ideas it deals with

"Genre is a set of expectations" - Neale (1980:51)