media theorists (finished)

Media theorists:

There are five main theorists when it comes to talking about film and media and when it comes to talking about the different aspects within these areas:

1. Barthes - enigma codes
2. levi Strauss - binary opposites 
3. traditional Hollywood narrative structure - 3 acts (linear)
4. todorov - narrative theory - 5 stages
5. propp - character type 

Traditional Hollywood narrative structure: 

This is also known as the three act structure and is the traditional Hollywood narrative when it comes to film making, this theory states that all film especially traditional Hollywood made films follow a three act structure of set up(25%), confrontation(50%) and then climax(25%, this theory also states that the story line is linear and follows the chronological pathway with few sub-plots and if there are any then they tend to be towards the end of the movie and closure.

Roland Barthes - enigma codes:

This theory talks about enigmas being within the movies and there being a lot of underlying mystery, Roland Barthes talks about all texts being "complex" bundles of meaning and when enigmas codes or "problems" are introduced it is normally within the disruption stage it also talks about open and closed texts, open being when the movie and problem is not resolves at the end and closed texts being when  the problems is solved at the end, finally it also talks about polysemic texts beings texts with bundles of different meanings. 

Levi Strauss - Binary opposition:

He said narratives can be organised through binary opposition -  two things opposed – often dominant vs subordinate - e.g. male/female, hero/villain

Todorovs narrative theory and the 5 stages:

in 1969 todorov developed a theory which he said could be applied to any film and he believed that they all followed the same narrative pattern these patterns and stages are as followed:

1. state of equilibrium (as it should be)
2. disruption of order of events
3. recognition that disruption has occurred
4. attempt to repair the damage cause by the disruption
5. a return or restoration of a new equilibrium

Vladimir propp:

Propp analysed traditional folk stories and quickly identified 8 key character roles in any text these consisted of the hero/villain/helper/donor/father/dispatcher/princess/false hero. 

Note however that one character can perform numerous roles out of the 8 and it doesn't have to be one person to one role