Film Analysis Theories

Film Analysis

Independent company- a small company has no backing from a major media brand

Conglomerate- a company with a company that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, theme parks, or the Internet.

Join Venture- A joint venture is when 2 companies (e.g independent and conglomerate) work together to create a bigger product.

The Big 6- The main 6 companies that own the biggest market share in the film industry and have alot of power and say over what happens.

Key Terms: 

Verisimilitude - how real the world of the story appears to the audience - is it believable for example.

Diegesis/diegetic world - the world in which the film take places

Juxtaposition - placing one object next to another to create meaning

Narrative theory - theories that categorise narratives and find features common to them

1) Levi Strauss and Binary Opposition: 

- Levi theorised that since all cultures are products of the human brain, there must be, beneath the surface, features that are common to all 

- Structuralism attempted to de- romanticise  the film maker 

- He analysed traditional myths and legends in an attempt to uncover the essential ingredients, or universal laws, of story structure. 

- Lévi-Strauss concluded that all stories need some level of conflict in order to produce meaning. ... Strauss called these conflicts 'binary oppositions'.

- Narrative tension is based on opposition and conflict (two characters fighting, but more often functions at an ideological level)

E.G GOOD VS EVIL, BLACK VS WHITE, BOY VS GIRL, PEACE VS WAR, YOUNG VS OLD

2) Vladimir Propp - Russian and Soviet formalist scholar:

-He analyses the plot components of Russian folk tales to identify their basic narrative elements 

- He looked at one hundred folk tales and came to conclusion that they were all made up of 31 plot elements which are called function 

- developed 8 character types (Hero, Villain, Helper, Princess/Price, Her father, Donor, False hero, dispatcher) 

HERO= goes on a quest and usually ends up with the princess

VILLAIN= always against the villain 

DISPATCHER= sets the hero off on their quest 

DONER= helps hero and sometimes has magical power/objectg to help 

PRINCESS= usually the prize for the hero, the hero deserves her throughout the story and must overcome a task/defeat the villain to get her

HER FATHER= rewards the hero/identifies false hero 

FALSE HERO= takes credit for the hero's action and tries to end up with princess

THE HELPER= someone who helps the hero on their mission 

Shrek: 

HERO= Shrek 

HELPER= Donkey 

PRINCESS= Fiona 

VILLAIN/DISPATCHER = Lord Farquhar

DONOR= fairytale characters 

FALSE HERO= prince charming 

Peter Pan:

HERO= Peter Pan 

DONER= Kids

VILLAIN= Captain Hook 

PRINCESS= Wendy 

HELPER= Tinker Bell 

3) Todorov Theory- theory of equilibrium:

- Proposed a basic structure for all narratives

-Begins with equilibrium (calm period)

- Agents of disruption (cause disequilibrium) - period of unsettlement and disquiet 

- Recognition 

- Attempt to repair

- Followed by a renewed state of peace and harmony for protagonists and new equilibrium brings chaos to the end 

Peter Pan: 

Equilibrium= The kids sleeping in there room 

Disruption= Peter pan enters 

Realisation= go on quest 

Repair= 

Equilibrium= 

ROLAND BARTHES:

Action Code- what will happen next.... she falls over - will he catch her?

Enigma Code- The audience question why....