Our media production can be analysed in relation to a number of well known media theorists. Four theorists in particular; Tzvetan Todorov, Vladimir Propp, Levi Stauss and Roland Barthes have well known narrative theories regarding the content and structure of media productions, all of which can be applied to our own production...
Tzetan Todorov
Famous theorist Tzetan Todorov thought that story had a consistent structure holding three different parts of a story. He suggested that each story features..
Famous theorist Tzetan Todorov thought that story had a consistent structure holding three different parts of a story. He suggested that each story features..
Equilibrium - Disequilibrium - Resolution
He believed that every story began with what he called the 'equilibrium' and what was considered to be 'normal' for all of the characters whilst everything was at peace, closely followed by what he called the 'disequilibrium' which he summed up as an event that occurs that disturbs the normality of the characters.
The last part of the story features the 'resolution', where the characters have resolved the problem and have returned to normal, however they will not be the same again.
Tzetan Todorov's theory can be applied to our own media product but in a slightly unconventional way. Our video does feature the three different stages equilibrium, disequilibrium and a resolution but in a slightly different order. At the very beginning of the video the disequilibrium is presented as the character is presented as dark, sinister and depressed. As the character is presented in this way it is expected that the audience presume this is not 'normal' and that the character has been through some trauma or something that would make her like this. The resolution is then presented as the model is able to break away from the dark and sinister frame of mind and then becomes happy and care free as though she is a free spirit. Its then that we presume she has returned to her former state before the trauma which is the equivalent to the equilibrium.
Vladimir Propp
Media theorist Vladimir Propp was also famous for his theories regarding the narrative of different media products. However Propp's theories didn't relate to the structure of the story but rather the content of the story as his theory related to the way in which each character would be classified into one of eight different character types. When an audience reads a media text it deploys its knowledge of these character types in order to decode the meaning of the text.
Again, this particular theory can be related to our music video but again, in a slightly unconventional way. This is because although our video only features one model she takes on a number of different character roles throughout. For example she begins as the villain because she allowed herself to get in that position and to feel that bad. Later on she realises she's stuck in that position and all that negativity so therefore becomes the prize/princess/damsel in distress because she needs rescued but due to the fact shes got herself in that position, she is potentially the only one who can save herself from getting worse. She then therefore becomes the hero for realising she can save herself and allow her to become the happy, care-free, free spirit that she was before. Although there is only one character featured there is actually many different characters in the production. The girl allows herself to become the villain of herself but later allows herself to become her own hero.
Levi Strauss
Media theorist Vladimir Propp was also famous for his theories regarding the narrative of different media products. However Propp's theories didn't relate to the structure of the story but rather the content of the story as his theory related to the way in which each character would be classified into one of eight different character types. When an audience reads a media text it deploys its knowledge of these character types in order to decode the meaning of the text.
Again, this particular theory can be related to our music video but again, in a slightly unconventional way. This is because although our video only features one model she takes on a number of different character roles throughout. For example she begins as the villain because she allowed herself to get in that position and to feel that bad. Later on she realises she's stuck in that position and all that negativity so therefore becomes the prize/princess/damsel in distress because she needs rescued but due to the fact shes got herself in that position, she is potentially the only one who can save herself from getting worse. She then therefore becomes the hero for realising she can save herself and allow her to become the happy, care-free, free spirit that she was before. Although there is only one character featured there is actually many different characters in the production. The girl allows herself to become the villain of herself but later allows herself to become her own hero.
Levi Strauss
Levi Strauss' theory also relates to the use of characters in different media productions and had a well known theory about the binary oppositions featured in story lines. The theory relates to the well known 'good vs evil' storyline.
In our music video, there is an obvious binary opposition but instead of the opposition being between two different characters, it lies only in the one female character featured in the music video. From the beginning of the video, the character is seen very dark and sinister and is automatically presumed to be evil and sly. She continues to act like this throughout the first half of the video but soon becomes very different after coming out of the negative frame of mind that she was previously in she then becomes the opposite of what she was and is now in a more positive and happy frame of mind. Typically, the binary oppositions in characters would be between two different people and they would be against each other throughout the storyline however, in this case the oppositions are only in one person but the two different personalities and characteristics of oppositions are still clearly refined.
Roland Barthes
Like Tzetan Todorov, Roland Barthes theory relates to the way in which a story is told through the way it is structured. The way he described the structure of any story was through the use of narrative codes. The five different narrative codes were titled; action, enigma, semic, symbolic and cultural. Within each of the narrative codes, there are a number of expectations and questions formed by the audience which links various aspects of the story together and keep the story flowing. Our own music video structure can be determined using the five different narrative codes.
Action: Viewers are expected to make connections between the dark atmosphere, sinister themes, the negative behaviour of the actress and the slow/sad start to the song and to understand that its not normal and that someone has put her in that position.
Enigma: Will she find her way out of the depression and negative state? Contains quite a lot of mystery and is generally poly semic. The mystery is apparent throughout the video but it allows the audience to fill in the gaps themselves and apply their own memories and life experiences to video to make it mean whatever they want it to.
Semic: Dark dress, and pale skin, messed up hair as apposed to the floaty white dress, natural make-up and neat hair. Allows the audience to easily see the difference is not just physical but also represents an emotional change with the model.
Symbolic: Angelic personality reflected with the white, angel like, floaty dress and natural makeup whereas the evil personality is reflected in the dark clothes and pale skin. Typically, the use of light colours generally symbolises good where as black usually symbolises bad or evil.
Cultural: Video is slightly unconventional in its use of structure and character type however it does draw on stereotypes/cliches of other films with the different characters. For example, typically the connotations that go with a full white dress is usually purity, innocence and possibly vulnerability. Typically, white is a symbol of 'good' and innocence a stereotype which is used in many films. The cultural connotations taken from semiotics in our video therefore allows the audience to see the characteristics of the model that we wanted to portray.
In our music video, there is an obvious binary opposition but instead of the opposition being between two different characters, it lies only in the one female character featured in the music video. From the beginning of the video, the character is seen very dark and sinister and is automatically presumed to be evil and sly. She continues to act like this throughout the first half of the video but soon becomes very different after coming out of the negative frame of mind that she was previously in she then becomes the opposite of what she was and is now in a more positive and happy frame of mind. Typically, the binary oppositions in characters would be between two different people and they would be against each other throughout the storyline however, in this case the oppositions are only in one person but the two different personalities and characteristics of oppositions are still clearly refined.
Roland Barthes
Like Tzetan Todorov, Roland Barthes theory relates to the way in which a story is told through the way it is structured. The way he described the structure of any story was through the use of narrative codes. The five different narrative codes were titled; action, enigma, semic, symbolic and cultural. Within each of the narrative codes, there are a number of expectations and questions formed by the audience which links various aspects of the story together and keep the story flowing. Our own music video structure can be determined using the five different narrative codes.
Action: Viewers are expected to make connections between the dark atmosphere, sinister themes, the negative behaviour of the actress and the slow/sad start to the song and to understand that its not normal and that someone has put her in that position.
Enigma: Will she find her way out of the depression and negative state? Contains quite a lot of mystery and is generally poly semic. The mystery is apparent throughout the video but it allows the audience to fill in the gaps themselves and apply their own memories and life experiences to video to make it mean whatever they want it to.
Semic: Dark dress, and pale skin, messed up hair as apposed to the floaty white dress, natural make-up and neat hair. Allows the audience to easily see the difference is not just physical but also represents an emotional change with the model.
Symbolic: Angelic personality reflected with the white, angel like, floaty dress and natural makeup whereas the evil personality is reflected in the dark clothes and pale skin. Typically, the use of light colours generally symbolises good where as black usually symbolises bad or evil.
Cultural: Video is slightly unconventional in its use of structure and character type however it does draw on stereotypes/cliches of other films with the different characters. For example, typically the connotations that go with a full white dress is usually purity, innocence and possibly vulnerability. Typically, white is a symbol of 'good' and innocence a stereotype which is used in many films. The cultural connotations taken from semiotics in our video therefore allows the audience to see the characteristics of the model that we wanted to portray.
