Narrative StructuresToby Collis

TODOROV’S EQUILIBRIUMHe says in any film the narrative starts on an equilibrium, a constant state where everything is normal, followed by something causing a disequilibrium that the characters have to resolve. The disequilibrium is followed by acknowledgement and resolution of the disequilibrium and leaves the film back in a state of equilibrium where the characters may not be in the same situation as they started in but in a new constant life. My chosen genre is British Gangster and this theory is evident in a lot of them. Snatch is an example from the main character’s perspective, as

a boxing promoter. It all goes wrong when their boxer disobeys orders and wins a boxing match but it is solved and they end up with a very expensive diamond at the end of the film.

VLADIMIR PROPPHe says there are certain roles within any story including a protagonist who goes on the quest, an antagonist to get in their way, heroine, father figure, helper/sidekick, donor who gives the hero something and a mentor. Snatch, again is an example,

including a father figure, protagonist, antagonist and

sidekick.

ROLAND BARTHES

Came up with codes of understanding narrative for example an action code is maybe a shot of a gun or weapon that tells you there is about to be an action scene. An enigma code is when the audience has more questions about what is going on than answers.

Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels uses action codes including shots of weapons, close ups of objects of significance and close ups of fists to tell the audience the action is about to start.

CLAUD LEVI-STRAUSSHis theory is that in every film you can tell a lot about

something by it’s opposition. Every film is driven by a series of conflict and opposition. For example light and dark or good and evil. You can tell who is the good character by their opposition to the evil character.

This is harder to distinguish between in British Gangster films as even the protagonists are not good people nor are they light. However there are themes including age and youth that come into British Gangster films.