Textual analysis

Theories

Levi-Strauss and Binary Opposition

- Binary opposition means opposites

- Narrative tension is based on opposition or conflict. This can be as simple as two characters fighting, but more often functions at an ideological level

EXAMPLES OF BINARY OPPOSITION;

- Good vs Evil

- Black vs White

- Boy vs Girl

- Peace vs War

- Civilized vs savage

- Democracy vs Dictatorship

- First world vs the Third world

- Domestic vs Foreign/Alien

- Articulate vs Inarticulate

- Young vs Old

- Man vs Nature

- Protagonist vs Antagonist 

- Action vs Inaction

- Motivator vs Observer

- Empowered vs Victim

Propp theory

- The theory states that there are the same 8 characters in across every text

Characters;

- Villain - Always against the hero

- Helper - Someone who helps the hero on his mission

- Princess or Prize - Is usually the prize for the hero. The hero deserves her throughout the story and must overcome a task to get her/It

- Her father - The princess' father

- The Donor - Helps the hero and sometimes has a magical power/object to help

- The Hero - The one who goes on a quest and usually ends up with the princess 

- The false hero - Takes credit for the hero's action and tries to take the prize

- The Dispatcher - The one who sends the hero on his quest

Todorov's theory

- This theory states that all films and programmes begin with an equilibrium, a calm period. Then agents of disruption cause equilibrium, a period of unsettlement and disquiet. This is then followed by a renewed state of peace and harmony for the protagonists and a new equilibrium brings the chaos to an end. 

Barthes theory - Action + Enigma codes 

- Action codes - What will happen next

She falls over - Will he catch her?

She has been caught - What will he do with her?

- Enigma codes - The audience question why... why is there a show on the floor?

Altman theory

Each genre offers a different pleasure;

Emotional pleasure - How does it make you feel? - Happy, sad, nostalgic etc.

Visceral pleasure - gut responses such as excitement, fear, laughter

Intellectual pleasure -  Does it make the audience think?

Micro-features; 

Mise-en-scene; 

- Costume 

- Props

- Lighting

- Setting 

- Colour palette

- Hair and Makeup

- Performance

Camerawork;

- Camera movement 

- Camera angle 

- Shot size 

- Depth of field 

- Framing 

Editing;

- Pacing 

- Length of cuts

- Transition

- Elliptical editing 

Sound;

- Sound FX
- Diegetic

- Non-Diegetic

- Parallel

- Contrapuntal   

Mise-en-scene

- Foreground and Background  - Depicts the focal point of the viewer

- Lighting - Three lights used to make sure everything can be seen
     - Key light - the main light
     - Backlight - Helps to create a silhouette
     - Filler - Helps to soften the harsh shadows the use of key and backlights


Camerawork

- Main three;
           - Movement; Pan, Tilt, Crane shot, Tracking shot, Rolling shot, Steadicam
           - Shot size; Extreme close up, Close up, Long shot, wide shot, Medium shot, Point of view
           - Angle; Low angle, High angle, Over the shoulder


Editing 

- The length of each sequence will determine how quickly to movie moves along
Basic transitions
- Cross-cutting - When there is more than one storyline occurring at once
- Straight cut  - When it changes the scene suddenly
- Fade - The darkening or brightening of a scene
- Dissolve - When the screen fades off and another fades in
- Wipe - One image is pushed off the screen by another 

Sound

- Diagetic - Refers to the world of the text
- Non-Diagetic - refers to the sound outside of the world's text

- On-Screen sound - The audience can see the source of the sound
- Off-Screen sound - The audience can't see the source of the sound

- Parallel - The sound matches the action
- Contrapuntal - sound that doesn't match the action - builds tension

- Sound bridge - Helps to create a smooth transition between from one scene to another