Tzvetan Todorov’s Narrative Theory

Ways in which my media product USED forms and conventions of real media

products.

Stages

Todorov suggested that most films follow a structure in which the events take place, which makes the film interesting and engaging to watch.

These are broken down into 5 stages:› 1) A state of equilibrium at the outset› 2) A disruption of the equilibrium caused by some action› 3) Recognition that there has been a disruption› 4) An attempt to solve disruption› 5) Equilibrium is restored

By setting a media product in this way, it gives a clear storyline and engages the audience as they follow the rollercoaster of emotions and events.

Graph of Todorov’s Theory

Todorov's Theory

Todorov's Theory

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2

3

4

Last Breath

Todorov's Theory

Todorov's Theory

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3

4

5

1. You see the photos of Gemma before she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

2. You hear the narration explaining she has cancer.

My film opening however doesn’t reach stages 3, 4 and 5 as it is only the opening and the rest of the film would then portray the other stages by showing the family at the clinic discussing how long she has left, which is stage 3, then her family and friends arranging for her to go on holiday as a way to help disruption, stage 4, however she dies and they move on, which is when stage 5 is reached and they can look back at happy memories, with no disruption anymore.

Effective?

I have seen this happen in many films that I have studied of the genre Drama, including My Sister’s Keeper, where the opening of the film only reaches Stage 2, because otherwise for this genre of film, you would give too much of the plot away if you reached further stages.

By only reaching Stage 2, the opening is able to give the viewer a sense of what is going on and what the protagonist is going through, which is then to be the main focus of the film, but it does not ruin the rest of the film for them with revealing how the family are going to cope and the fate if the protagonist.

Therefore by only reaching Stage 2 of Todorov’s Theory and only revealing a disruption to the equilibrium, it is an effective way to structure and drama tragedy film opening.