Narrative

What is Narrative?

• Linking device for people, places and things

• A beginning, a middle and an end

• A series of events (cause and effect)

• A way of presenting ideas in an easy &

understandable way.

• A way of mediating, structuring and shaping fiction & reality.

Why is narrative important?

• Explains the world

• Social cohesion (shared experiences)• Sense of self (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEle_DLDg9Y)

• Gives existence meaning

• Entertaining (uses & gratifications)

• Teaches morality & reinforces values

• Social order/tool of oppression – dominant

ideology?

Telling Stories Shaping Values?

Genre

What is genre?

•Genre is a way of classifying and categorising types of artistic form.

•The concept of genre highlights the common & recurrent features of a form.

•The media industries reflect the role of genre through the use of codes & conventions.

Why is genre important?

•Genre is important to the media industries (film, TV & print) because they can use recognisable codes and conventions to address their audiences.

•Genre is important to audiences because they can share and understand the codes and conventions.

•Genre creates expectation and foreknowledge for audiences: pleasures are expected (uses & grats).

•Genre is not fixed – variation and novelty is part of the pleasure for audiences and media producers

Some media examples

•Print: Newspapers (nationals, dailies, regional and local). Magazines. What else?

•Film: Mainstream, art house, independent. Sci-fi, action, horror, romantic comedy, etc. What else?

•Television: PSB, commercial terrestrial, commercial pay to view. News & current affairs, soap opera, drama series (costume, crime, etc), sit-com.

•Internet: News, social networking, retail, data search. What else?

Codes and Conventions of Magazines

•How can we identify the generic conventions of magazines?•How can these helps us identify sub-genres?

Consider: Format, Frequency, Audience, ContentA4/compactWeekly/fortnightly/monthly/quarterlyGlossy/budgetMale/female/gay/old/young/ethnicityGossip/Lifestyle/Specialist or interest-based niche magazinesFront cover/contents/features/interviews/product reviews/letters

Codes & Conventions:Sit-Com

Setting/Location:

Stock Characters/Stereotypes:

Technical Codes:

Comedy Styles:

Consider the typical examples: