Narrative (Sarah)

Narrative for our film 

Restricted narrative - We decided on a restricted narrative to lead the audience to not know what exactly happened until Sophie is out of the coma. This creates suspense and forces the audience to ask questions as the plot unravels.



Non-linear - The use of flashbacks are used as memories of the accident indicates to the audience visually the story of what has happened.

Flashbacks recreate the order of scenes and sequences. This produces a whole different atmosphere and theme to a film. It effects how the audience perceive the characters in relation to the film and also the role of the audience themselves. Flashbacks are also used to give more purpose to the film. If our plot had been shown to the audience as a linear narrative, the suspense and confusion would be taken away, giving less purpose to the film.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narratology

This states a narrative plot is supposed to have a beginning, middle and an end. The type of narrative defines the order and power the film has in it's aim to capture the audience. This way the film creates a new beginning middle and end.

Research into flashbacks

After researching non linear narratives, I came across this document

http://leighjoslin.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/introduction-chapters-conclusion-bibliography1.pdf

 

"The classic Flashback technique was in fact invented by D.W. Griffith in his film Intolerance and as before-mentioned was used later in films such as The Power and the Glory and then Citizen Kane. The flashback is usually used to clarify plot and to create context or deliver exposition or even a back-story within a film, however it can be used to mislead the viewer as done in Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon (1950) where it is used to tell unreliable testimonies in court."

Bordwell and Thompson -
Plot and story -
The story/synopsis of our film is (short version) how two girls who have a night out drinking, decide to drink drive home. They then take place in an car accident, in which the bestfriend 'Lucy' dies. 'Sophie' this character driving, is then taken to hospital who then falls into a coma. When she wakes up she realises what has happened.

Plot version - A female character is lying in  a hospital bed in a coma. The audience then relives the reason how she became there, finding out this girl 'Sophie' was drunk driving and was in an accident with her bestfriend'. When she wakes up she realises it was her fault for killing her bestfriend and a policeman is standing at the side of her bed.

Our story follows Todorovs 5 stages of narrative however our plot does not due to the rearrangement of scenes -
Story -

1. A state of equilibrium - girls out on a night out

2. A disruption of that order by an event - decide to drunk drive

3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred - the girls have a car accident

4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption - Sophie wakes up in hospital alive

5. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium - The policeman is standing at the side of the bed, so justice will be served.

Semantic codes - visual codes

• hand with drip - portrays the girl is in hospital and unwell
• pub - shows the characters have been drinking
• car - conveys getting in a car drunk they are likely to have an accident
• eyes - The zoom in of closed eyes throughout conveys she is in a coma

Levi Strauss Binary Oppositions:

• Right/wrong - because of the aspect of drink driving

Inspiration for my narrative: TOUCH

http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/film/5394/touch#.VB7mjvldXi0

After I had researched other short films, I found the aspect of flashbacks in the film Touch would work well in a way with our film. We have also decided to use the close up of the eyes featured in this film as again I feel it works well to portray to the audience that the character is having a flashback.