Tips for Narrative and Genre Essay

Focus on how narrative and genre create meaning and generate a response in the viewer

Choose a film you like and a sequence in which narrative and genre are clearly defined

Narrative can be described as story construction and movement

Genre describes the type of film your extract falls in to

Narrative and genre cannot be ‘seen’ in the film like the micro aspects you have already written about in your earlier essay

You do not need to use complex theories of narrative and genre but you need to talk about how they function

GENRE

Make sure you clearly identify what genre of film your extract is

Can you say anything about how the genre makes production easier for producers

For the viewer genre provides a means of recognition. They may prefer a type of film

Part of the pleasure in watching a genre film is having our expectations satisfied and our prior knowledge tested

However, there is more satisfaction if the film uses generic conventions in new or original ways

The use of genre in a new or interesting manner keeps the audience interested and this sustains the popularity of this type of film

WHEN YOU HAVE CHOSEN YOUR FILM CONSIDER THESE POINTS WITH REGARD TO GENRE

What are the conventions evident within my sequence

How are these conventions used

What is their impact for the audience

How does genre help the film industry minimise the risk of failure

What is the genre of my chosen film and what conventions are present in the sequence

Are these conventions used in a new or original way

What is the impact of these conventions on the audience

Why do genre films need to evolve and develop

NARRATIVE

Narrative describes how the story is told to the viewer

You do not have to employ complex theories of narrative in order to provide a good analysis of its function

In any film, the settings, characters and events may be different but there will be elements of the story that remain constant

On a very basic level all films have the same narrative pattern. Stories move through the following stages: exposition, development, complication, climax, resolution

Exposition: introduces the setting and characters to the viewer

Development: takes the story further and more characters are introduced

Complication: presents us with a complicating event which affects the lives of the main characters

Climax: this is where the dramatic tension is at its height and the mystery of the story is answered

Resolution: this is where equilibrium is re-established and a form of calm is restored

IN ORDER TO LOOK AT NARRATIVE IN YOUR SEQUENCE YOU COULD CHOOSE A KEY POINT IN THE FILM WHICH FALLS INTO ONE OF THE ABOVE SECTIONS

Can you see any evidence of cause and effect in the narrative

How is the narrative stage depicted in your sequence

What new information are we given with regards to characters, cause and effect etc

How are the questions asked in the narrative answered

How does the narrative organise time and space. A three hour film can portray great changes in place and time

How are leaps of time or place achieved in your sequence

Are there any flashbacks or flashforwards

WHEN YOU HAVE CHOSEN YOUR FILM CONSIDER THESE POINTS WITH REGARD TO NARRATIVE

In which section of my film does the sequence come

What are the elements in my sequence which provide narrative information

How does my sequence organise time

How does my sequence show the effect of actions that occur

How do the narrative elements I have identified help viewer understanding

YOUR ESSAY

Introduction: in this section you should show that you understand the terms narrative and genre. You should state the main function of both.

Don’t forget to discuss narrative and genre functions for both audience and producers

State the film’s title, director and year of production and identify the sequence you have chosen and where it fits within the film. Have you chosen to discuss exposition, development, complication, climax or resolution

Main body of your essay: in this section identify the features of narrative and genre

Always refer to how they impact on the audience

You could do one paragraph on narrative and one on genre

How does the sequence adhere to conventions

Is it playful in its use of conventions

Is it self-conscious in its use of conventions

Are any of the stars associated with the particular genre or narrative types

Conclusion: summarise the main points and include a comment on how effective the use of narrative and genre has been in the generation of meaning and response in the audience