What is Narrative in the media?

The Basics

Simply put, narrative is the way in which a 'story' or series of events is told to the viewer or listener. A key concept of narrative is that it is reliant on its type, the same story can be told over and over again but its presentation in the News would be entirely different to its presentation in a Soap Opera due to the codes and conventions of that particular type.

Other than the News and Soap Operas, other types of narratives include fairy tales, jokes, comics, dreams, thrillers and ghost stories. These different narratives all present versions of the world, each in different 'packaging'. Such 'packaging' has similar common elements but will have different characteristics. For example, the same story could be told in different orders or from  different points of view depending on the conventions of the type of narrative.

It is through narrative that the similarity between fiction and fact is realised. Whilst one is created and the other real, both are 'narrated'. This means they are told by the selection, order and shape for a particular audience.

Furthermore, there are different narratives used in different media platforms. In films or documentaries, the narrative is often developed or extended to tell a whole story whereas mini-narratives are seen most often in adverts and magazines. This technique tells a small section of a narrative, leaving the viewer to complete it. This is particularly effective in advertising as it forces more thought on the product being advertised. In contrast television shows such as Soap Operas or News broadcasts apply Continuous or Serial Narratives which tell the story in 'episodes' over a longer (continuous) amount of time.

Key Elements

The following features are common to all narratives. The ability to identify the appearance of these traits within any media text allows us to analyse their effects and also allow the audience to see how reality has been constructed.

Narrative Structure is the basic plot. It relies upon an initial state of order being disrupted and ending with the resolution of the aforementioned problem which leads to the restoration of order. The problem that causes the disruption and its method of resolution rely on the genre e.g. the punishment of the criminal in a crime drama. This basic structure can be seen in all medal platforms, even advertising where the product being marketed acts as the resolution to disruption.

Character is essential to narrative as both the function and producers of the plot. The exact role of each individual character within the narrative relies on their basic character type whether this is a hero or a donor.

A Narrator is essential for any narrative. The narrator is the 'story teller' but they may also act as evaluators of the presented material, such as the commentators of sporting events. A main part of narration is recognising the point of view the narration is coming from. In film and television there often isn't a literal narrator, instead the camera itself is the narrator as it controls the events and order of images the audience see and therefore 'read'. As a result, narration is often implicit as it relies on the audience to decide that whilst certain images denote one thing, is can and will connote much more. Therefore, a lot of narration relies n the audience decoding the narrative.

The Narratee has an uncertain position within the narrative. It is their job to understand the narrative by decoding the actions of the narrator. However, it is difficult to say whether they must just reconstruct the meaning of what is before them or to add their own subjective opinion based on thoughts, feelings and values. The opinions built by narratees have helped to define, analyse and describe the denotations and connotations of essential elements of highly visual media formats such as film, television and advertising. Every narrative and media text construct constructs its own 'implied audience' who were familiar with the codes and conventions of the narrative  and were responsive to the functions of that type of media. As a result, the 'implied audience' is unique to the genre and narrative as certain characteristics just aren't appealing to some groups, however these two traits are essential for any narratee.

Narrative Codes are used by the narrator to create certain effects, such as controlling the suspense of a scene, obtaining audience attention, building setting or revealing character. It is argued that everything within a narrative serves a purpose; this is the effect of narrative code. Analysis of any media platform will reveal the distinct codes used and for what function they are employed.

Genre refers to the type of narrative presented in the media form. It controls setting, character, narrative definition and the effect on the audience. A particular media platform, often film, may stick to one genre but employ the codes and conventions of many genres.

Narrative form is the way a narrative is physically constructed through time, spacing and order rather than the underlying structure.

Task Three: Why am I taking Media Studies?

 I have decided to take media studies because I am fascinated by the impact the media has.

Whether a source of entertainment, news or social connection, the media always causes a dispute of opinion. Furthermore, it is often the source of social change. I want to investigate why such a fundamental part of society holds so much power.

Moreover, I want to learn how all elements of the media obtain such a power through their construct and evolution over time.

I am particularly interested in film and written forms of media such as daily newspapers as these are the platforms I absorb in my everyday life. I would like to find out what makes these areas so influential, whether it is down to the use of language and character, or simply the use of certain camera angels and layouts.

I hope media studies will enable me to understand the process and importance of the media and this is what I aim to explore in this blog.

Task Seven: Young People and UK-Based Drama

 

How are young people represented in Broadchurch?

 

Storyline and Character actions (Contains information regarding the outcome of the series)

 There are very few young people seen in this crime thriller. With the body of a young boy being found dead on the beach in the town of Broadchurch, the drama of the series is seen through the investigation of detectives David Tenant and Olivia Colman.

There are two main young characters, the sister and best friend of the deceased boy, Danny.

 His sister, Chloe suffers mainly in silence for the most part of the first series giving suspicion to a possible case of depression in the aftermath of her brother’s death. Furthermore, Chloe rebels from her parents, often sneaking out of the house to see her boyfriend and failing to go to school.

 Danny's best friend, Tom, is the son of female lead and detective Ellie Miller, portrayed by Olivia Colman. Urging the first series, Tom hides crucial evidence from his mother in order to protect his deceased friend. When his father is arrested for the murder later in the series, he refuses to accept his father’s guilt. This leads to his estrangement from his mother in the second series as she believes her husband to be guilty. Tom is one of the few characters to stand by his father in the second series, acting as support for his father in court until his beliefs are changed towards the nd of the series.

Another important character to remember is Danny himself who is accidentally killed by his chosen father figure when his own father fails to meet his needs.

When just looking at the storylines of each of these characters, they appear to be loyal, loving and emotionally intelligent, despite the occasional lapse in judgement as is expected of everyone from time to time. n extension, the young people of Broadchurch are reasonably minor characters, as young people often are in such strenuous circumstances are. This is best seen through Danny himself as although he is the victim of a tragic crime, his family take centre stage and are named victims instead. Even the legal events of the second series focus on the dynamics and conflicts of the people surrounding Danny, not the fact that a boy was killed in his search for emotional support. This emphasises the societal reality whereby young people are often treated as lesser citizens than their adult counterparts as when they die they are ‘someone’s child’ and not a person.

 

Use of actor

The younger members of the cast were very much unknown at the beginning of the series, often only having one or two previous acting credits. This was probably done for the sake of the plot as the characters loss of anonymity within the world is lost after a series of extreme events is reflected in the sudden fem of the actors that play them. Furthermore, the way this works makes the audience feel as if they are getting to know these children as the general public would if the circumstances of the series were a reality. This process uses the young characters as symbols for society as too often are innocent people sucked into a situation that taints as well as hurts them; a child being the ultimate vehicle of innocence.

 

Use of costume

Mostly the characters appear in age appropriate clothes or school uniform. Danny and Tom are always seen in jeans and t-shirts or their school wear, as any child of their age would naturally be seen in. Chloe is slightly different, although appearing in clothes naturally worn by women in their mid to late teens, her skirts are often very short and the rest of her clothes normally tight and sometimes low cut. In addition, her makeup is often extreme and dark. Despite the fact that this type of wear is considered ‘normal’, Chloe is one of the very few members of the cast who appears sexualised. As the only young woman seen (alive) in both series, this stereotype doesn’t seem out of place and therefore exaggerates its normality in real society, when it actually is a largely rare occurrence. Overall, the costume represents young men as playful and proper, whereas young women are mildly sexualised, a representation that is emphasised by Chloe’s promiscuous attitude and behaviour in the first series of Broadchurch.

 

Task Six: Director Analysis - Tim Burton

Director of 31 films or various genres, forms and styles, Tim Burton's work is easily recognised and always original. I watched 9 of his most famous films and looked into several more to see why Burton's work is so distinctive.

 

Genre

Although many of the films I watched appear to be of similar genres, the reality is that Tim Burton has created something in pretty much every genre. Over the years Burton has covered fantasy (The Corpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland), comedy (Dark Shadows, Beetlejuice), horror (Sleepy Hollow, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) and drama (Edward Scissorhands). Furthermore, most of Burton's films would be difficult to confine to any one genre with most having elements of comedy and mild horror (even in the children's films). The signature of a Tim Burton film is usually found in the use of colour and editing (see below) or the underlying darkness to every film which makes musicals, drama, comedy and horror all appear slightly similar.
Outside of the films I watched, Burton's less easily recognisable pieces demonstrate further genre dexterity with the biography 'Big Eyes', Sci-Fy 'Planet of the Apes' and two Batman films, as well as short films and television movies.

Themes

As genres change, so do themes. Whilst there are many unique themes within Burton's catalogue ideas such as loss of innocence, fear, guilt and isolation are repeatedly investigated. However, within the genres you do find similarities. For example, in the horrors 'Sleepy Hollow' and 'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' depression, revenge and love are essential to the plot. Meanwhile in the fantasy's 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'Alice in Wonderland' there is a strong influence of feminism, self-empowerment and the grief for a lost father figure. However, what is noticeable with Burton's films is the subtlety of such themes, so much so they often only become apparent at the end or through narration. The main focus of a Tim Burton film are the characters and it is them you remember when looking back on any of the films.

Lighting

As can be expected of any film with one eye looking towards the macabre, the lighting in Tim Burton films tends to the darker side. Backlighting is common in order to create the shadows and silhouettes necessary for any eerie environment. Furthermore the lighting is most often kept natural as possible as the setting within a Tim Burton film often creates enough mystery itself. Articles such as 'Alice in Wonderland', 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'Dark Shadows' are exceptions to this rule. They all have their moments of darkness but they are often kept lighter in order to meet the criteria for a family film. A common thread within these films is a darkening around the edges of a shot. Whilst the foreground is colourful and bright with quirky shapes and movement, the distant setting is darker or creates the impression of darkness. This effect can be seen in the posters for the aforementioned films in this post.

Colour

Apart from the black-and-white styling of 'Frankenweenie'  and the subdued 'The Corpse Bride', Tim Burton films are infamous for their use of colour. As seen in the 'Dark Shadows' poster, costumes, makeup, hair styles and foreground settings are bright and bold. They use ostentatious patterns and clashing colours which contrast dramatically with the blue, purple and black hues in the backgounds and larger settings. Furthermore, characters are often made to have very pale skin with disturbingly dark eyes which builds an almost alien, deathly appearance, making the worlds of Burton films seem far further from reality than they actually are. The best uses of this form of colouring are seen in 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Editing

As with any film, the editing in Tim Burton's films is unique to each one. However, there are several elements that remain in all or most of the pictures. A common example is an extended close up, often from a high angle, of one of the main characters heads. This form of shot can be seen in 'Sweeney Todd', 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'Sleepy Hollow' to name a few. In these cases the shot is used to emphasise the fragility and temperamental nature of the character, often a male lead played by Johnny Depp such as Ichabod Crane in 'Sleepy Hollow'.
In a more general sense, Tim Burton films tend to be edited to highlight stillness or sudden movements through a combination of short and very long shots that always keep the focus of any scene moving.
Furthermore, it can be said that many colours, shapes and images within Burton films to make them appear larger then life and as far from reality as possible, but this is only in certain films.

 Casting

Tim Burton is probably most famous for his near constant casting of close friend Johnny Depp and ex-long term partner Helena Bonham-Carter. However, this works to the advantage of Burton as these two famous figures have increased his fame and fanbase as well as adding a certain amount of consistency to his films, even though these two incredible actors are virtually unrecognisable from film to film.

Distribution

Out of the nine films I studied for this post, five were distributed by Warner Bros and two by Walt Disney Pictures. These films are some of Burton's bigger budget pictures and were therefore distributed by large  production companies. This means the other film distributed by them  are often very popular and well known. The link between Burton's films and the hundreds of other films distributed by these companies is their entertainment value. They are aimed at a wide bounty of audiences and are of multiple different genres. Whilst Burton's films do possess their signature dark side, this doesn't subtract from the fact that they are high quality and always entertaining.

Task Five: Magazine Advertisement

Single page poster for Guillermo Del Toro's 'Crimson Peak'.
Appeared in Issue 316 of Empire Magazine.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In order to analyse how product and audience are depicted and targeted in the world of media, I chose an advert from a magazine and investigated the connotations surrounding it. When looking at this film poster for upcoming gothic horror film 'Crimson Peak', I found that...

Colour

As is typical of gothic horror, colour forms a large part of the overall feel of the genre. This makes it highly prone to identifying key elements of character and plot. The primary colours in this poster are black, white and red, as is mainly seen in the colouring of the pictured characters costume. Mia Wasikowska (right) is clothed in a white nightdress, a paradoxical choice of colour as white can connote virginity, innocence and youth as well as a ghostly, decayed presence. This contradiction announces Wasikowska’s character as the virginal maiden of the film; a staple of the genre, but also that she is in danger as is suggested by the surrounding darkness. Jessica Chastain (left) is seen in red, a colour of love, anger and clearly blood as the colour’s seepage into Wasikowska’s dress implies. The colour is also seen in her lipstick and implies the character to either be murderous and deeply angry or just desperate to stand out and be noticed amongst her monochrome counterparts. Finally, Tom Hiddelston’s central yet subdued figured is clothed in black. This, along with the gold lettering, could represent the obvious wealth of the characters. However, it is more likely a representation of his mysterious nature as the character blends into the background which suggests him to be a darker presence in the film compared to the female characters. Resultantly, colour is an introduction of the audience to the characters (and character types) in an extremely obvious fashion. Howbeit, true gothic horror is a genre trying to make a comeback after a long hiatus. Therefore it can be interpreted that this completely typical use of colour is applied to inform a possibly ignorant audience and therefore attract anyone who can see the mystery in the characters- and genre- through it.

 

 

Image

 

The poster’s imaged is in the style of a nineteenth family portrait. This demonstrates both wealth and the time period of the film for the audience, but also advertises the film as having a strong family aspect, though this appears to be imperfect due to the positioning and appearance of the three central characters. The pointed framing of the image as well as the gloomy backdrop imply a ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ meets ‘The Woman in Black’ type scenario and setting whereas the positioning of the characters in the foreground with the light falling behind them suggests them to be the main focus of the film, as is common with gothic horror. Whilst setting is highly important in any horror film, the fact that you can see very little of the background further demonstrates the films focus on the human condition rather than the structure around them. Furthermore, the spiked nature of the frame around the heads of the characters suggests them to be the target of forces outside of themselves. As aforementioned, colour and costume is used the reflect the nature of the characters; another notable effect is that of the lighting. It appears the light source is on the right edge of the image, implying the characters to not be people of popular study. Meanwhile Wasikowska’s character is holding a candelabra, which implies a need to know more or investigative side to her which is mirrored in her only partially shadowed face. In comparison, Chastain’s illuminated face tells the audience that she is fully aware of her surroundings and the mystery that fuels the film. On the other hand, Tom Hiddleston is mostly in shadow which connotes his possible ignorance to the world around him. Meanwhile, the controlled position of his hand indicates his belief that he still has power and has yet to know the whole reality he is placed within. In continuation, the placement of moths and butterflies around the frame of the poster symbolise transition and beauty as well as the moth’s trait to find the light in the darkness. Overall the image seeks to inform the audience that the film is almost a journey of discovery for the characters which will excite the audience to the plot itself.

 

Font and Language

 

As is normal for film posters, there is very little writing. The stretched gold text at the bottom of the advert serves to provide the useful and needed information regarding the film whilst aiming to blend into the background. This is largely uneventful, with the exception being the final notice reading ‘Coming Soon’. Not telling the audience an exact date will force them to look further into the film and look out for any more promotional material to learn more. This increases both interest and excitement for the opening of the film in cinemas, subconsciously making the audience look forward to seeing it.

However, when looking at this poster for the first time you will see the image, followed by the title and tagline. Although Chastain’s dress does form a red, peak-like silhouette behind the title, it does little to explain the title. It could be the name of the setting in a ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ style or it could be a subtle description of the plot itself, possibly an indication of the journey or struggle of the characters in what is certain to be a bloody fashion. The mystery around the title along with the horror indicating tagline of ‘Beware’ will induce mild audience interest but its main aim is to be remembered. The rendered gold font is old fashioned and pointed, subtly suggesting the danger within the world of the film as well as its placement in history and the wealth of the characters. Nevertheless it is the large size of this text which makes it memorable and something the average passer-by would stop to at least glance over.

The rest of the text aims to interest specific groups of people. The first piece of language other than the title you see is that acclaiming the director, Guillermo Del Toro. Its placement and use of the word ‘acclaimed’ demonstrates that people who love the director or acclaim worthy films should be the primary audience, therefore it can be said the film isn’t built to be a blockbuster hit but rather a commendation worthy piece of art. The next text you would naturally read after this is the actors names. These, combined with the striking, portrait-esque image, target those actors particular fans, implying that the film is focused on them through image will further influence fan interest.



Task Four: My Media Diet

Over  a week I recorded my intake of several media platforms. The aim was to see how 'rounded' my diet of media is and, furthermore, if I could improve it. Here is what I found:

Week One

	TV	Film	Magazine	Newspaper	Social Media	Radio	General Online*
Monday	1h15m	0h0m	0h0m	0h50m	0h15m	0h40m	0h35m
Tuesday	0h50m	0h0m	0h0m	2h35m	0h5m	0h40m	0h40m
Wednesday	2h0m	0h35m	0h0m	0h20m	0h0m	0h40m	0h15m
Thursday	1h30m	0h0m	1h20m	0h50m	0h10m	0h40m	1h20m
Friday	0h30m	4h0m	0h10m	0h45m	1h10m	0h40m	0h30m
Saturday	2h10m	1h30m	0h35m	0h5m	0h25m	0h15m	2h45m
Sunday	3h30m	2h50m	0h15m	0h0m	0h5m	0h0m	0h50m

*Including YouTube

On average, the media platform I consume the  most is Television. This is most likely because watch several programmes together. This familial element makes television an activity we all enjoy, talk about and look forward to.

On average, the media platform I consume the least is magazines. I have a subscription to Empire which I will read in the month following its release. The fact I read it over a longer period of time,  do not take in any other magazines and it being towards the end of the month (therefore there wasn’t much left of it to read) means my average consumption is very low and irregular on weekly basis. To widen the spread of media I intake I will start reading another magazine, possibly a local one, over the coming weeks.

On another note, the week over which I recorded my ‘media diet’ also happened to coincide with the week I spent working in a press office where reading both tabloid and broadsheet newspapers as well as monitoring social media platforms was a large part of my job role. Resultantly, the record I make over my next week’s consumption would see a considerable drop in the amount of newspapers and social media I consume. However, to combat this I will spend more time on social media websites, such as Twitter and Tumblr, which I usually don’t look at. In addition I will read at least one article from The Daily Mail and The Guardian every day to ensure I take in a rounded diet of media.

Week Two

	TV	Film	Magazine	Newspaper	Social Media	Radio	General Online*
Monday	1h30m	0h0m	0h20m	0h10m	0h20m	0h20m	1h0m
Tuesday	4h50m	0h0m	0h10m	0h30m	0h15m	0h10m	0h45m
Wednesday	0h30m	4h40m	0h15m	0h5m	0h30m	0h15m	1h25m
Thursday	1h30m	0h0m	0h20m	0h10m	0h10m	2h30m	0h50m
Friday	1h45m	2h0m	2h0m	0h15m	0h50m	1h10m	2h35m
Saturday	3h0m	0h0m	0h0m	0h20m	0h20m	0h30m	1h25m
Sunday	3h30m	1h50m	1h0m	1h0m	0h15m	0h0m	3h20m

After recording my media consumption over a second week I believe I have taken in both  wider and more balanced spread of different media platforms. Although I have decreased my consumption of certain types of media over this particular week, and increased in others I believe this can’ t really be helped and is a fault of everyday life. For example, on this particular Thursday I spent a lot of time in  a car driving around which resulted in a general decrease in media consumption, but an increase in Radio intake a this is what was applicable within that environment.

I believe that as long as I make a regular point in investing in all different types of media, my consumption of all different areas will balance out in accordance with environments I find myself in.