Narrative Structure

Tzvetan Todorov’s theory of narrative

• Todorov proposed the theory that conventional narratives are structured in five stages:• First stage:

A state of equilibrium at the outset- meaning everything is regular and calm.• Second stage:

A disruption of the equilibrium by some action- something changes, ruins the calmness and begins to formulate the oncoming drama

• Third stage:

Disequilibrium- A recognition that there has been a disruption- It is established that something is very wrong and that it needs to be corrected before the equilibrium can be reinstated or reinvented

• Fourth stage:

An attempt to repair the disruption- The characters try to fix the problem in order to regain the calm equilibrium or in order to produce a new equilibrium

• Fifth stage:

A reinstatement of the equilibrium or the creating of a new one- The equilibrium is regained or a fresh equilibrium forms.

Ideas

• Characters: • -Rosie Black (Main character) -A shy, slightly

awkward , unsociable 16 year old girl, who soon realises she has a serious problem

• -Mum- Caring, kind, concerned for her daughter but unable to communicate with her

• -Dad- Careless, doesn’t realise Rosie’s problems and her being ‘different’ doesn’t strike him at all

• -Bully- Stereotypical girl bully- Bitchy, rude, stupid, popular for all the wrong reasons

Film name ideas

• Film name: • -Intruder• -Unsounded• -Alter• -Perplex• -Assent• -Misidentify• - Rosie Black• -Cutting silence

General ideas for narrative:

• -Lonely• -Murder• -Domestic violence• -Severe trauma• -Flashbacks• -Split-personality• -User-generated• -Psychological• -Appearance of psychologist• -Blood everywhere• -Dramatic twist• -Cut-up pictures• -Bullying• -Sleep-walking

Target audience and genre

• -Our target audience are males and females aged from 15-19 as they would be most likely to understand the main character mindset. If this movie was being released it would be certified 15.

• -After much discussion, the genre we are focusing on is psychological thriller. We concluded that it may be challenging to create an effective psychological thriller but we also know that if done correctly- it’ll be good.

Our equilibrium (Stage One):

• Rosie is going home from school, she’s a pretty 16 year old. She’s alone, people are rushing all around her but she holds on to her books and looks down, people are laughing and having a good time and the sun is shining but Rosie doesn’t fit in the picture. Then out of nowhere a girl (who looks Rosie’s age) trips her up. She falls but doesn’t say anything. The new girl makes some nasty comments, spills her drink on Rosie, laughs with her friends and walks off. Rosie is still for a while just thinking, but then she gets up silently and carries on going home as if nothing has happened. When getting home, Rosie’s mum tries to hug her and asks why there is drink spilt on her clothes but she acts as if she’s really tired…just then Dad walks in and silence falls. After some minor conversation Mum and Dad start arguing (signs of on-coming domestic violence) Rosie rushes upstairs, not knowing what to do.

Our disruption (Stage Two):

• Once in her room, Rosie falls to the floor and has a breakdown, there is a flashback of her being bullied and she closes her eyes tight. The she gets up and rips down her wallpaper to reveal things she has been drawing and writing on her wall (the audience begin to see something not right) she scribbles new diagrams all over her wall and then eventually the screen fades and she’s asleep. When she wakes up there’s hair all over the side of her bed and she has scissors in her hand and when she looks in the mirror her hair is harshly, roughly cut up.

Our recognition (Stage Three):

• Things carry on becoming stranger. Another scene shows the bully and Rosie being by there selves and when the bully attempts to attack her, Rosie kills her. Whilst killing the bully, Rosie is chanting a rhyme that the bullies used to taunt her with. As she is sitting with the dead body, she ‘wakes up’ and realises what she has done.

Our correction (Stage Four):

• Being very ashamed, confused and distraught about what she has done ‘good Rosie’ decides to buy the body away and try and forget the death. It is getting colder and Rosie keeps getting paranoid over every little sound, sight, smell (foreshadowing the ‘bad Rosie’s’ return).

Our new equilibrium (Stage Five):

• Rosie runs home it is late night and Mum is worried, when Rosie gets home she wants to tell Mum everything and she is about to when Dad appears again and hits Mum. They calm down, have some discussion but then the violence resumes. Rosie is getting increasingly paranoid (hinting ‘bad’ Rosie's return soon). Rosie leaves and goes to her room- the weirdness continues and we are displayed what its like in Rosie’s mind (from her POV). After a few hours, Rosie’s sneaks out of her room, into the corridor (Mum and Dad are sleeping in different places) - Rosie goes to Dad’s room (‘bad’ Rosie has returned) and kills him. Hearing the noises of struggling, Mums rushes in to the room. This is followed by screaming, crying, shouting, shock but Rosie is smiling. During her insane fury, Mum reveals that Rosie is adopted. This results in Rosie snapping and in her rage she kills Mum.

• Mum is 99% dead and the audience can hear her whimpering and Rosie has put her & Dad’s bodies on either side, and is sitting in the middle. Rosie rocks backwards and forwards whilst stroking Mums hair, saying ‘shh…’ and chanting the same taunting rhyme as before. Outside the day has began and is bright like the start of the narrative.

Trailer:

• Ideas for intertitles:• ‘Trapped within herself’• ‘Splitting soon’ instead of ‘Coming soon’• ‘She never fit in’ • ‘VOXO films tell you a story…’• ‘Are you ready to meet her?’ • Movies name• Release date

Music:

• -Happy music represents the equilibrium• -A nursery rhyme-like chant that the bullies

use to taunt Rosie with and she later uses herself

Ending

The ending of the trailer will consist of a shot taken over Rosie's left shoulder of her looking in the mirror (she looks normal, expressionless, calm) and then the camera will pan around her and when it emerges over her right shoulder Rosie is smiling in an evil way. Here the screen fades and audiences think the trailer is finished as the movies name appears but then we the audience see cut-up photos of Rosie all over the ground and hear heavy breathing and screaming then the inter-title ‘Coming Soon’ appears.