'How conventional is the narrative structure of your chosen texts?'
This question in many ways has the potential to be pretty straightforward. It allows to to take a number of viewpoints, but there is perhaps a risk of playing things too safe. After all, all three films are very different from one another, and are all arguably completely unconventional.
If I had to answer this question, I would argue that all three films are completely unconventional, and would refer to Bond's bewildering narrative structure, Brave's deliberate subversion of typical Disney narratives and The Selfish Giant's refusal to provide the audience with an entertaining narrative. However, R block media suggested the excellent argument that all three texts are conventional... within the context of their genres!
This is potentially excellent argument to make, but students need to remember to consistently refer back to the question and remember that this is a narrative and not a genre question. However, it's impossible to discuss narrative without referring to genre conventions and issues of representation, as demonstrated below:
Introduction
Definition - Narrative refers to the way in which a story is told. The are many ways in which a producer can use narrative conventions, which can drastically affect the way in which audiences respond to media texts. Therefore, narratology is perhaps the most vital component of any media text.
Argument - I am going to argue all three of the films I have studied are unconventional in many ways, yet all are very much conventional examples of narrative within their genre.
Context - In order to elaborate on my argument, I will be exploring Skyfall, an action/spy film released in 2012 and directed by Sam Mendes, Brave, a 2012 Disney Princess/action adventure film, and The Selfish Giant, a social realist drama released in 2013 and directed by Clio Barnard.
Skyfall - key scene - opening titles
Binary oppositions - light and dark. Bond, in high angle mid shot shoots at four dark shadows of himself, symbolising his internal conflict. Typical convention of the Bond franchise, especially more recent Bond films.
Enigma codes - Chinese dragon, symbolises danger, and a foreign culture, which symbolises conflict between the British James Bond and the foreign enemy China.
Action code - use of grave imagery, which suggests to audience that somebody will die at the climax of the narrative. Death is very much convention of Bond films.
Character types - Bond, with his phallic gun is a perfect example of hypermasculinity, and a typical protagonist.
Disruption of equilibrium - Opening sequence occurs straight after disruption and the enigma code created by the mid shot of Bond's lifeless body being washed down the river. Typical of Bond films. Non-diegetic of Adele singing 'this is the end' reinforces the enigma.
Representation of women- Very sexualised representation of women. Reflected dancing women, completely naked, which appeals to the young, male, heterosexual audience. Perfect example of male gaze, and the silver paint is an example of intertextuality through referencing Goldfinger (1964)
Genre convention - Bond girl - East Asian woman, typical of exotic, beautiful yet deadly women featured in bond films.
Selfish Giant - key scene - Arbor's atonement
Low key lighting - symbolic code of the depressing atmosphere, a conventional narrative code of the social realist film.
Slow paced editing - and lack of significant events. Conventional of social realist films, which show the often dull reality of everyday lives.
Mise en scene - Dirty, torn clothing, and extreme close-up of hands holding. Light and dark, the contrast of hope and despair. Also, the contrast between Swifty's hand size and arbor's shows the audience the relationship between the two characters.
Flashback - Arbor remembers when Swifty was alive, and the two characters are shown in mid-shot, an example of non-linear narrative. By forcing the audience to reflect on the issues the characters are facing, this is a typical narrative convention of the social realist film.
Brave - key scene - horse riding montage
Action code - Close up of target with dozens of arrows, which suggests that not only is Merida a skilled archer, but archery will feature a lot in this film. Symbolic of Merida's status as an atypical Disney Princess, who lives an active lifestyle.
Symbolic code - Bow and arrow symbolises freedom, and the atypical, controversial lifestyle that she leads.
Tracking shot - montage of shots from many angles during horseback archery scene highlights the significance of her character to the narrative
Audience - Young, female, age 8 - 14, are able to relate to the protagonist, who is a typical action protagonist, where the difference is that she is difference . Repetition and difference - audiences rely on genre conventions, while wishing to see something exciting.
Binary opposition - between the mise en scene of Merida's messy, ginger hair, and the costume code of her regal, expensive dress.