The document discusses narrative theory and conventions as they relate to music videos. It explains that music videos commonly have one of three relationships between the song lyrics and the narrative: illustration, amplification, or disjuncture. Additionally, it outlines different types of music videos in terms of their use of narrative and performance. The document then discusses common narrative structures, such as the three-act structure, and concepts like narrative range, conflict, themes, and audience positioning that are important to consider when analyzing narratives in music videos.
2. Learning Intentions
To recap basic narrative conventions within a
music video
To understand narrative theory
To apply the theory to a professional music video
3. Narrative & the Song (lyrics)
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SONG CONTENT AND NARRATIVE
CONTENT
Illustration
The narrative in the video very closely echoes the
lyrical content of the song
Amplification
The narrative whilst inspired by the song adds a
narrative element to complement the themes / subject
matter of the song
Disjuncture
The narrative seems to hold very little relationship to
the song and quite arbitrary (random)
4. Narrative / Performance
Performance Videos
• Exclusively performance
• The performance in
these video will be given
special treatment:
• Performing in an
unusual place
• Stunning visual effects
• Comic performance
• Spectacle
performance
Combination Videos
• These videos will be a
mixture of performance
and narrative and can
include:
• The performance and
narrative completely
separate
• The star / band
observes the action as
an invisible narrator
• The performer has an
active role in the
narrative
Narrative Videos
• Have little of no
performance. (Quite
unusual given music
videos nature as advert
for the band.)
• May often tell a socially
important story (giving a
voice to the voiceless)
• May use a complex
narrative structure/
range
• May use inter-textual
references from films or
other stories.
5. NARRATIVE CONVENTIONS
When thinking about the relationship between
narrative and performance in the music video, also
consider how far the following are conventionally true:
Narrative is subordinate to performance.
Songs rarely tell complete narratives.
Music videos resist classic realistic narratives (stories
with a beginning, middle and end and a full cast of
characters).
Music videos narratives tend to reflect a ‘sense of a story’ and
are more thematic in their approach
The audience consume music videos in a looser, more
casual way.
Music videos need to have repeatability built into them.
Most important is the authenticity of the performance.
8. The Three Act Structure
Act 1 (Exposition)
•Introduce the main character, sets up
conflicts which is the story of the film.
•At the end is the catalytic moment
where the equilibrium is disrupted
9. The Three Act Structure
Act 2 (Disequilibrium or Climax)
Explored the consequences of the
catalytic moment.
The protagonist recognises the
disruption and tries to repair the
diegesis .
10. The Three Act Structure
Act 3 (Denouement)
With one final revelation or moment
of crisis / conflict the story is resolved
(a new equilibrium created) and the
audience is told the outcomes.
The themes should be evident in the
denouement
11. Describe your narrative and how much is
shown in the video. (Todorov)
Equilibrium/
Exposition
Disruption
Disequilibrium/
Climax
Revelation
Equilibrium/
Denouement
Narrative Organisation
Time
12. “All stories must have a beginning, middle and
an end, just not necessarily in that order”
Quentin Tarantino on Pulp Fiction
15. Binary Opposition (Levi-Strauss)
Typical Narrative Oppositions...
Protagonist Antagonist
Future Past
Civilisation Savagery
The Police Criminals
Age Youth
Equality Injustice
Love Appearances
Searching Finding
Betrayal Redemption
Entrapment Freedom
Loss Discovery
16. Conflict & Themes
As the audience watch the story and witness the
conflicts and the denouement the themes can
emerge.
18. Whose story is it?
Who are we being encouraged to empathise
with?
How is that character represented to us?
What character codes are being used?
19. Band / Singer in the Narrative
What is the relationship between the band or
artist and the narrative? Are they:
Separate from the narrative?
A player within the narrative?
Are key lyrics put into the mouths‟ of the
characters?
Is the band watching the action like an invisible
narrator?
What impact does this have on our reading of the
text /star?
21. Restricted
Narrative Range
Doesn‟t reveal all the narrative information to the
audience
Such as in thrillers
Events in the narrative which are (initially)
unexplained are called „enigma codes‟
Which will be explained later in the narrative
In thrillers this is called the twist
This opens the text to multiple readings, which is
pleasurable for the audience and useful for the
repeatability of the music video
23. Unrestricted
Narrative Range
Gives the audience privileged position in terms
of the narrative
Such as in soaps
The audience‟s pre knowledge of important facts
leads to a heightened emotional response and
greater anticipation in terms of the revelation of
that information to ignorant characters.
26. Narrative Analysis
How is the narrative structured?
Where on the narrative arc is it taking place?
Is it linear of non-linear? Why?
What conflicts drive the narrative?
How do the conflicts reveal the themes?
How are the audience positioned?
Whose story is it?
What is the intended relationship between the
performance and narrative in the video?
What is the narrative range in the video?
What is the narrative pleasure of the text?
Why would an audience watch it again?
