According to theorist Tilley “narrative is a complex process with important implications” and this is highly applicable when concerning my coursework portfolio, a social realism short film, “I am Phoenix”. I will examine and apply in this essay a number of theories in order to deepen my analysis.
The concept of binary oppositions, developed by Levi-Strauss is relevant amongst most social realism films, as this idea explains how opposites are created within a story to help propel the narrative. In my short film, the protagonist, Phoenix is portrayed as the ‘archetypal chav’, to which has a negative connotation due to the stereotype of people needing welfare being referred to as scum. However as seen in the opening sequence of non-linear flashbacks and long held wide shots, it’s apparent her mother is abusing her shown in their contrasting body language, but that also she is suffering as a result. Therefore introducing my protagonist as the “good” character and her mother, the antagonist, as the “bad” character. This is exemplified when a later scene of her mother and father fighting results in her father hitting her, its more obvious that the protagonist’s parents are in fact the antagonists of this film, whilst she in confirmed as the binary opposition protagonist, as she is portrayed as lonely and weak.
Furthermore, Bulgarian theorist Vladimir Propp, who studied fairytales, developed the ‘theory of character function’. This is whereby certain characters help to propel the narrative due to given functions matching his theory. In my coursework, the protagonist, Phoenix, is presented as the “hero” when she plucks up enough courage to make something of herself, despite her rough family life with the antagonist and go to a dance audition. The idea the protagonist is the hero, is because in her dance, the flashbacks of the antagonist abuse and the camera low angle shot suggests she’s becoming superior, succumbing to the socio-economic circumstance she’s been presented with. The short camera time the antagonists are seen for implies their villainous characterizations.
My coursework doesn’t however entirely follow the theory presented by Todorov, as my film doesn’t start in a state of equilibrium assumed from the shots of her parents but does has a state of disequilibrium. This is the chaos of her flashbacks and life falling apart around her, presented through the non-linear structure of the shots and confusing narrative. However although it doesn’t agree with step one off Todorov’s theory is does agree with their final premise where the story resolves to a new equilibrium. So assumed from the clap at the very end, following her dance suggest she will move onto new things in her life. Driving the narrative of the film towards a happy ending.To conclude, Tilley’s theory that ‘narrative is a complex process with important implications’ is greatly applicable to my movie, supported by Levi-Strauss, Vladimir and Todorov’s theories, suggesting how elements of my movie push the narrative along.
The concept of binary oppositions, developed by Levi-Strauss is relevant amongst most social realism films, as this idea explains how opposites are created within a story to help propel the narrative. In my short film, the protagonist, Phoenix is portrayed as the ‘archetypal chav’, to which has a negative connotation due to the stereotype of people needing welfare being referred to as scum. However as seen in the opening sequence of non-linear flashbacks and long held wide shots, it’s apparent her mother is abusing her shown in their contrasting body language, but that also she is suffering as a result. Therefore introducing my protagonist as the “good” character and her mother, the antagonist, as the “bad” character. This is exemplified when a later scene of her mother and father fighting results in her father hitting her, its more obvious that the protagonist’s parents are in fact the antagonists of this film, whilst she in confirmed as the binary opposition protagonist, as she is portrayed as lonely and weak.
Furthermore, Bulgarian theorist Vladimir Propp, who studied fairytales, developed the ‘theory of character function’. This is whereby certain characters help to propel the narrative due to given functions matching his theory. In my coursework, the protagonist, Phoenix, is presented as the “hero” when she plucks up enough courage to make something of herself, despite her rough family life with the antagonist and go to a dance audition. The idea the protagonist is the hero, is because in her dance, the flashbacks of the antagonist abuse and the camera low angle shot suggests she’s becoming superior, succumbing to the socio-economic circumstance she’s been presented with. The short camera time the antagonists are seen for implies their villainous characterizations.
My coursework doesn’t however entirely follow the theory presented by Todorov, as my film doesn’t start in a state of equilibrium assumed from the shots of her parents but does has a state of disequilibrium. This is the chaos of her flashbacks and life falling apart around her, presented through the non-linear structure of the shots and confusing narrative. However although it doesn’t agree with step one off Todorov’s theory is does agree with their final premise where the story resolves to a new equilibrium. So assumed from the clap at the very end, following her dance suggest she will move onto new things in her life. Driving the narrative of the film towards a happy ending.To conclude, Tilley’s theory that ‘narrative is a complex process with important implications’ is greatly applicable to my movie, supported by Levi-Strauss, Vladimir and Todorov’s theories, suggesting how elements of my movie push the narrative along.
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