Task 3 Developing responses to media products.

Screen Critic

Narrative Theory

Narrative Theory suggests that we as humans use narrative as a way of coming to terms with things that are constantly happening, for example Time and other experiences we have throughout our lives. this is why narrative is studies, looking at its elements, use, effects and structures. Narrative theory also studies what is distinctive about narrative and how its different from other kinds such as lyric poems, descriptions etc... and how this effects people in different situations and circumstances while figuring out how things such as Narrative help people understand the world.

Vladimir  Propp

Vladimir Propp was a soviet folklorist and scholar that analyzed Russian folk tales and would Identify common themes and characteristics in them. Many Folk stories have a web of connections making his work relevant not only for Russian stories but ones from all around the world and that they have influence in modern media today. There were 8 different character types that Vladimir theorized were...

1. The Villain- This character is there to struggle against the hero 
2. The Dispatcher- This person is the one to invite the hero to eliminate the evil. 
3. The Helper- The character that will help the hero fight against evil.  
4. The Princess- This would be the character that would need to be saved by the hero from the villain. 
5. The Donor- The character that would help the hero by offering objects that would aid him.  
6. The Hero- This is the most common character type who defeats the villain then goes on to wed the princess. 
7. The False Hero - The character tries to claim all the glory for him or herself.

   
   

Tzvetan's Todorov

Tzvetan's theory was a Bulgarian-French that every narrative has a 5 part structure and an equilibrium. So it begins with an Equilibrium then there is a disruption of order next the main character will recognize that there is a problem then attempt to solve it. Afterwards it will return to a new equilibrium. He sees the narrative structure as a circle instead of it being linear. He believed that the narrative will transform during this but also the characters during the disruption. The disruption could be anything that breaks the normal social framework, for example a murder. This happens in many modern films today and has also been used in previous films throughout history.

Levi Strauss

Levi Strauss was a French  anthropologist which meant he specialist in the study of humans. He believed that we as humans have opposite reactions for things like life and death which he called Binary opposites he came up with the theory alongside Roland Barthes. Levi Strauss believes that in a narrative will contain element that can be paired depending on how they oppose each other. This allows the narrative to move forward with actual conflict for the potential for it to happen later on. For example using the "coward" to fully understand it you would also have to understand its opposite "Brave" or "hero" 

Roland Barthes

Roland Barthes was a French literary theorist that believed that there were one or more of 5 codes that could describe text. He also believes the text might be "open" or "closed". The 5 codes were Referential, Enigma, Action, Semantic and symbolic.

Referential- This would be when text refers to an external source of knowledge such as science or history.

Enigma- The Enigma code would refer to the mystery within the text. Enigmas are used because they show clues but not very clearly which makes the audience want to watch it more so it attracts them.

Action- Would have back to back action throughout the text and causes suspense.

Semantic- This would refer to parts of the text that have additional meanings. It provides and extra layer of meaning to text.

Symbolic- This code is about symbolism within the text. it creates opposites to create Contrast, Drama, Tension and Character Development. 

Fairy liquid advert analysis

With all the Fairy liquid adverts  up to the 2000s it mainly shows a white mother and daughter in the kitchen with the daughter usually playing next to the mother, Then she will ask why fairy liquid is so good and show will always reply that not only does it clean but it also keeps WOMENS hands nice and soft how they think it should be. Doing this could result in Legal/Ethical action because of the deformation of character that happens when they only show women doing the washing up along with her daughter which many would think is sexist, But it was a different time. There also isn't a range of different ethnicities which is also not very including.  This only changes slightly when in the early 2000s where they kept the mother role but changed the Daughter to a Son as well as changing the ethnicity of the couple meaning the people making the adverts have changed slightly and  have changed with the times but they still have the idea that a women's place is in the kitchen which is completely wrong. Only in the 21st century have advertisers realised that it is not acceptable to be trying to market a product like that in such a sexist manner so they opened up to using men in the kitchen as well showing that parents plan different roles in a family unit. So in the 2015 fairy advert is shows both the Mother and Farther washing the dishes taking turns while trying to sell the bottles great cleaning abilities while lasting a long time instead of its only main selling point being it made women's hands soft.

Tordorov's Narrative theory of equilibrium would relate to these fairy liquid advert because of the equilibrium that is displayed when viewing said advert for example, It starts with the norm being the dirty plates then she realises this and then she does something about it then all the plates are clean creating a new equilibrium where all the plates are clean. But as time moves on we look at fairy liquids 2015 advert  where we can start to make connections to Vladimir Propps Theories how the farther is playing the role of the Donor who gives the empty bottle to the child who is wanting the bottle to help him finish his rocket he wants to build, In this scenario the child would be the Hero.