Demonstrate Understanding of Narrative in media texts
Exposition: Describe, Explain and Analyse the role of the exposition in a film. The purpose of the exposition in 'Going Down' is to introduce the setting and establish characters for the audience and create a feeling of interest as the audience want to know what will happen next. The film begins with the sound of car horns and 'city sounds', this shows the audience that the film is set in a busy city. There are other sounds like keys rattling, whistling, footsteps and the sound of an elevator arriving. These sounds are an example of Foley in the text and are used to create a sense of realism as these are sounds we are familiar with. There are not many camera techniques used in this early section of the film, mainly mid-shots and close-ups of the mans keys etc. The mid-shots are used when the two main characters, the businessman and repairman, are in the elevator. The mid-shots show that the two men are on the same level at the beginning of the film as they are the same height and are made to appear as though they are equal at the beginning of the narrative. After the businessman enters the elevator the camera then cuts to a high-angle shot of the elevator turning on and beginning to move downwards. The editing in this section of the film is quite smooth and fluid. It is also fairly minimal as there are not many techniques used in terms of sound etc. at this point in the film. The lighting in the exposition is quite dim. The hallway of this building is quite dark and dirty looking, this has been used to help create a tense and eerie atmosphere as not everything about the man's surrounding is visible to us. Catalyst: Describe, Explain and Analyse what is the role of the catalyst in a film. The purpose of the catalyst in a piece of media is to trigger plot development. In going down the catalyst is the newspaper article as it changes the atmosphere from something relatively relaxed to very intense and nervous. At the beginning of the narrative the man speaks to the repairman in a breezy, casual way as he is just making small talk. However, when he reads the newspaper article and comments on some points like the murderer targeting businessman and sometimes wearing a suit or posing as a repairman he begins to feel nervous as he wonders if the repairman is the killer. While the man is reading the section that states "the police say he is posing as a businessman or..." he pauses and looks up at the repairman before he quietly says "...a repairman". This pause is used to create a sense of tension and shows the audience that the man is suddenly nervous about the repairman's presence. When the man begins to read the article there is virtually no music, only the sound of the dialogue and the quiet hum of the elevator. However, after the man says "...a repairman" music begins to play. The atmosphere is intensified by the music as it slowly begins to build up the more anxious the man becomes. The sound of a whip that slowly becomes more prominent is interlaced in it, the time between the whip sound is slowly increased as the tension continues to build. The use of camera angles creates an even more uncomfortable, intense atmosphere. The camera begins to cut to extreme close-ups of the man's forehead and face as he begins to sweat nervously and has to continuously wipe it off. The camera also uses zooming and distortion to aid this feeling. The camera zooms in and out of the two characters faces often distorting the repairman's features in particular to make him seem more menacing and as though he is more of a threat now. The camera also frequently cuts to a high-angle shot of an external view of the elevator as it moves down the lift shaft. These cuts are used to show that these two things are happening at the same time. So, while the man and repairman are in the lift the elevator continues to travel downwards. It also aids to the tension as it makes the elevator ride appear to be longer and more drawn out making the audience more and more anxious to know what will happen. These different techniques help build up tension and create the sense that the repairman is a threat to the businessman. All of these different events are caused by the introduction of the catalyst, the article, and allows the plot to move forward as we learn more about the serial killings. Inner Conflict: Describe, Explain and Analyse the role of inner conflict in films/ stories. The inner conflict in this narrative if from the perspective of the businessman. Visual and Sound techniques are used in the film to show this conflict without ever completely stating outright how the man feels. The Sound techniques are mainly the use of dialogue and music. We can hear the sound of the man's breath increase in volume and speed as he begins to panic. The sound of his voice also gets more and more tense and desperate especially when he starts to frantically push the down button repeating "come on -come on!" over and over again until the lift stops. This shows the build-up of fear in the man as in the beginning of the narrative he is fairly relaxed and casual but at the end he is frantic and desperate. The music also aids this as at the beginning of the film the music is minimal and the main sounds we can hear are car horns in the distance. However, after the catalyst there is a build-up in the intensity of the music and the sound of a whip is also used. This shows the inner conflict as it orally symbolises the build-up of fear and anxiety in the man. At the climax point of the film the music is very loud and sounds as though it has lost all sense of control and the whip is used more often and is much louder then it had been earlier. This music paired with the dialogue shows how emotional the man has become and that he has basically lost all control and ability to contain his emotions. The visual techniques used are mainly camera angles and editing. The camera repeatedly cuts to extreme-close ups of the man wiping sweat off of his face as he begins to become afraid of the repairman. This becomes more common as the film reaches its climax point. Mid-shots are also used to show the businessman nervously looking over at the repairman in fear as though he is trying to decide what he would do if the man attacked him. Editing also shows the inner conflict as it allows the cuts between shots to be very fast so that the camera appears to be frantically moving around the small elevator. It also reinforces the small space of the elevator and the idea that the man is trapped in the elevator and that he can not escape from the repairman just as he can not shake off the extreme fear he can feel building up inside of himself. The inner conflict helps develop the narrative in the film as it causes the man to be mentally pushed to breaking point. He becomes so mentally and physically panicked that he begins profusely sweating and frantically glancing over at the repairman while his breathing quickens. This means that when the repairman actually leaves the elevator he is so caught off guard and relieved that he does even consider the possibility that the man entering the elevator after the repairman leaves could be the killer. This thusly causes the man to be murdered by the serial killer and concludes the narrative.
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Todorov's narrative theory helps the viewer of a film understand the story and plot. When a film has a distinct narrative it becomes more organised and structured. A main part of the narrative theory is the structure of a narrative. Todorov theorised that a film is separated into five main stages:
I have applied Todorov's five stage narrative to Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho":
Step 1: A state of Equilibrium:
Step 2: Disruption of the Equilibrium:
Step 3: Recognition of the Disruption:
Step Four: Attempt to Repair the Disruption:
Stage Five: Reinstatement of a new Equilibrium:
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