The document summarizes several theories about story structure:
- Todorov's theory suggests all stories have a beginning, middle, and end with equilibriums and disequilibriums.
- Propp's theory argues stories have 7 main character roles like villain, donor, helper, etc. Examples include Disney films.
- Levi-Strauss analyzed binary opposites in stories like good vs evil, young vs old, and hero vs villain.
- Barthes identified 5 codes that provide meaning, like action codes that imply future action and enigma codes that raise questions.
2. Tzvetan Todorov
• Todorov’s theory suggests that all stories convey a beginning, middle and end.
Equilibrium Beginning Everything is fairly
okay
Disequilibrium Middle Acknowledgement
of disruption
Equilibrium End Attempt to repair
disruption
E.g. Lock, stock and two smoking barrels follows
this theory because it has a traditional beginning,
middle and end, this also applies to the whole
gangster genre.
3. Vladimir Propp
• This theory suggests that all storylines has about 7 or so main characters to follow
the structure of the movie and genre.
• This can be suggested with all Disney movies and Lock,stock & two smoking
barrels.
Character Role Example
The Villain Struggles against hero Cinderella’s step-mum
The Donor Prepares the hero with
object of special power or
knowledge
King’s foot soldier
The Helper Side kick to Doner Fairy godmother’s side
kicks
The False Hero Perceived as a good
character in beginning but
emerges evil
The Cat
The Dispatcher The character gives the
lack of knowledge and
sends hero off
Fairy godmother to the
prince
The Hero Reacts to the donor The prince or even
Cinderella herself
This can also
been seen in the
Gangster squad
movie which is
part of the
gangster genre,
the amount of
characters may
vary but it has
always have the
same structure of
character roles.
4. Claude Levi-Strauss
• Strauss was a researcher in media theory’s to reveal underlying themes and symbolic
opposites in media text.
• One of the theory’s was Binary Opposites, they were characters that acted as symbols for the
audience to understand, a simply example can be a classic good vs evil or bravery vs
cowardice. So polar opposites occur when two or more completely different characters meet
and have a difficult with each other.
• E.g. Lock, stock and two smoking barrels
Binary Opposites Example
Man vsWoman /n/ or the lack of a
women role
Good vs Evil Protagonists against
the other gangster’s
Young vs Old The gambler vs Harry
Hatchet
Hero vs Villain Big Chris vs The dog
Nice vs Evil The drug dealers vs the
producers
5. Roland Barthes
• Barthes theory says "that there are 5 codes within a story, from these 5 codes you can
discover 5 ways to make meaning from the narrative"
• Action Code : Applies to any action that will be a suggestion of further action in the story of
action, the action code also implies to the audience that a sequence of action will begin soon.
• Enigma Code: Any element in the story, concerning characters or objects, that is not
explained and this curiosity raises questions from the audience that need to be answered.
The answers may later be shown in a other scene or final scene.
• Examples
Enigma Code
In Pulp Fiction opening scene we were
introduce to two characters that are
about to rob a cafe, the film then directly
cuts to a introduction of the movie and
we the audience are left with questions,
the movie doesn't return to this scene in
till the end of the movie.
In the movie "Get Carter a famous
scene shows a shot gun with a close-up
and then slowly pans out to show
the character played by Michael
Crane. While holding the weapon he
then starts to walk towards the
camera.
6. How will I consider this with my
production
• For my own production I will consider taking theory’s from Todorov’s, Propp’s, Levi-Strauss
and Barthes.
• Todorov’s theory because it is the most easiest, most basic way to show my storyline and
setting, because my production is only 2 minutes long I can’t make a very complex
introduction because this will leave the audience in a state of confusion.
• Propp’s & Levi- Strauss theories could also be a consideration because the character type
makes it easier for the audience to relate to the audience because they will know which
characters they should cheer for and the one’s they should boo for. This give a greater
experience to the audience because they can now relate to the roles. I could however use a
plot twist later in the movie but because I only can produce a introduction this will be near to
impossible to create. Also because it is a introduction I can show and perhaps narrate some
or all 7 or so characters in the introduction.
• Barthes theory is interesting in actually movies but I can't show enimga code in a opening
scene, I can however use the Action code to show that there will be a action sequence later
in the movie, the shot type and sequence looks very cool aswell.
