Narrative Theories

Propp's Theory

Vladimir Propp was a Russian critic in 1920. According to Propp characters have a narrative function and they provide a structure for the text.

Typical characters that Propp found were;

• A hero - a character who seeks something
• A villain - a character that opposes or stops the hero from getting something
• The donor - a character that provides a magical power
• The dispatcher - who sends the hero on the mission
• The false hero - who disrupts the hero's quest by making fake claims
• The helper - someone who aids the hero
• The princess - acts as a reward for the hero and the object of the villains plot
• The father - to acts to reward the hero

In a struggle scene Propp suggested this theory;

1. There is a struggle between the hero and the villain
2. The hero is branded
3. The villain is overcome
4. the state of disorder is settled

In the recognition scene Propp suggested this theory;

1. At this stage in the film, the hero is recognised
2. The false hero is unmasked
3. The false hero could be hurt or killed
4. The hero then could be rewarded by the princess or the object they were looking for

Todorov's Theory

Todorov stated in 1960 that videos often started with a state of equilibrium, where any potentially opposing forces are in balance. This is then disrupted by some event, setting a chain series of events. Problems are solved so that order can be restored to the world of fiction. There are five stages to his theory;

1. a state of equilibrium
2. a disruption of the equilibrium
3. a recognition of the disruption
4. an attempt to repair the disruption
5. a reinstatement of equilibrium

Barthes Theory

Barthes describes a text as a "galaxy of signifiers, not a structure of signifieds; it has no beginning; it is reversible; we gain accesses to it through several entrances". Barth said;

• The text is a tangled ball of threads
• The thread needs to be unravelled
• Once unravelled we reveal a series of potential outcomes and scenarios
• We start by looking at a narrative one way, from one view point
• You can then continue unravelling the thread and looking at the scenario in a completely different way

There are five codes;

1. The hermeneutic code
2. The proairetic code
3. The symbolic code
4. The cultural code
5. The semantic code

The Hermeneutic Code - the voice of truth
This is the way the story avoids telling the truth or revealing all the facts, in order to drop clues throughout to help create mystery.
The Proairetic Code - empirical voice
This is the way tension is built up and the audience is left guessing what happens next.
The Symbolic code - the voice of symbols
Similar to the Semantic Code, but acts on a wider level. Organising sematic meanings into broader and deeper sets of meaning. This is typically done using antithesis, where a new meaning arises out of opposing conflicts.
The Cultural Code - the voice of science
Looks at the wider cultural knowledge.
The Semantic Code - voice of the person
This points to any element in a text that suggests a particular, often additional meaning by the way of connotation the story suggests.

Levi - Strauss'

Straus argued that all narratives can be reduced to binary oppositions.

Binary Opposites such as;

Hero vs. Villain
Girl sv. Boy
Weak vs. Strong

Andrew Goodwin's Theory

1922 he released a book on the codes of music videos. 

• All music videos have certain genre characteristics, depending on the genre of music
• More often han not there is a relationship between the visuals and lyrics
• There is a relationship in-between lyrics and visuals
• The demanding record label will be evident in the video
• Artist iconography
• Motion of looking
• Intertextual

Take On Me - Analysis

Take On Me - AH-HA

1985 - AH-HA

Producer - Alan Tarney

MTV picked it up and it quick became a number one on October 19thof the same year.

Relationship between lyrics and visuals

At 00:36 the lyrics begin and we see a female character when the lyrics begin "We're talking away". However the female is sitting alone reading a comic in a coffee house. The animation we see in the first 00:36 seconds is the comic she is reading. When the chorus begins "take on me" the audience see's the females eyes meet the animations eyes and there is a shot reverse shot of the characters eyes meeting even though one of them is an animation. This allows the audience to connote that there is a connection between the animation and the female. She isn't just reading the average comic; it means something to her. The animation then comes out of the magazine towards the female. This is occurring whilst the chorus is continuing. The female protagonist then looks around the coffee shop and there is a medium shot of the people in the room. They aren't taking notice of what is happening; we can connote that the female is in her own world seeing this and she is intrigued by this comic. The lyrics are "take on me, I’ll be there". She then grabs the hand coming out of the comic quite literally. We then denote that she then gets taken into the comic by the man in the comic lifting her down. We can then also denote that he is holding her hand and leading her around the comic. We then denote there is a large doorway and the male character walks behind the picture frame. The comic animation of the male character then turns to a real life character; much like the female character in the beginning of the music video.

Genre characteristics

The genre of 'Take on me' is pop, chart. Pop genre is an abbreviation of 'popular music'. In the 1980's, when 'take on me' was released pop music was often crafted from films or rock music. Pop genre characteristics in the 80's were mainly rock. Therefore they could be pulled from films and the music videos, such as 'Wake me up before you go' (WHAM!) involve protagonists. 'Take on me' however doesn't involve a performance from AH-HA, unlike in 'Wake me up before you go' and 'eye of the tiger' music videos. Therefore 'Take on me' doesn't follow the typical conventions of a 1980's pop genre.  However there is some shots of the band performing the main singer isn't singing, we only denote the band playing the instruments in half cartoon and half realistic. 

Intertextuality

There is some intertextuality in 'Take on me'. The comic book theme shows some intertextuality. This shows a wider culture than just music. The art of comics and storytelling through animation is also shown. We see the drawings telling a story between a woman and a man who belongs in the cartoon. This could represent how a book or comic can bring you deep into the story line. In the end we see both the female and male protagonists coming out of the comic and ending up together. This allows us to connote that the whole time we are watching the non-linear animation and real life shots that they have been trying to end up together. She has fallen in love with a character in a comic and felt a connection. She is deep into the book. There is a sense of narrative enigma throughout because we are unaware as to why they are together and trying to be together the whole time. 

Performance

In this music video we see a narrative throughout, watching a male and female trying to be together and going into each other’s worlds. However at 2:02 we see AH-HA perform, playing the drums and the keyboard. This is a general convention for a pop song in the 80's. Often pop songs were rock therefore were mainly performance videos. 'Take on me' wasn't a rock song however they took notice of the characteristics and parts of the music video were performance. There is a heavier balance on the narrative of the music video. We can infer from this that the point to this music video is to focus on the narrative and the shots of the performance are short, usually lasting 0:03 seconds.

Performance style

The short clips of the performance from AH-HA were all in the same place in the two times we see them perform. They are in a white room with wall paper in the background. The clips are short and they are medium shots of the band members looking directly at the camera whilst playing the instruments. This is breaking the fourth wall. Denoting a break in the narrative. There is someone playing the keyboard and someone playing the drums. 

Narrative

Take on me has a linear narrative; it has a start, middle and an end. In the beginning we see a girl reading the comic about this man and then falling into the story. The middle is us following the story of both the girl and the boy together in the comic. Finally they end up together out of the comic. There is also a proairetic story line meaning that there is protagonist and an antagonist. This means that the narrative creates suspension through action. Todorov's theory can be applied here. We see a beginning of equilibrium; the girl is reading the magazine and drinking coffee like a normal person. This state of equilibrium is then disrupted by the event that she gets lifted into the comic by the artist in the comic. They are then chased and she gets out of the comic. The artist in the novel then also makes it out. We see fiction being restored after a state of nonfiction. 

Mode of address

The artist never looks directly at the camera. However the artist in the animation looks at a mirror then walks around the mirror, this mirror then becomes a window and through the window is the performance. We see the real life through the window. However the female protagonist then walks through the window and this is makes it look fourth dimensional in the animation. The audience doesn't build a relationship with the artists. But we are able to denote are the artists building a relationship together; we follow their story.

Representations

There are representations of the female being attached to the male in the comic. She is getting involved in the comic; this implies that she is interested in comics and that she has fallen for a nonfictional character. The male in the comic is represented as a typical male protagonist. He is found attractive by female by just reading about him. The female protagonist enjoys reading about him so much; that by the end of the music video we see her cry due to the fact she is out of the comic and is reading to the end to see if he dies. However the audience denotes that they end up together out of the comic. The two shots below represent where the tempo increases. The shot on the left is where the video starts and represents the speed and agility of the motorbike race. The second shot is where the tempo is at its highest; where the antagonist is chasing the protagonists. There is then the performance and we see the angry woman crumple up the comic and put it in the bin. This is when we see the antagonists enter the later scenes. There is a representation of love throughout the music video. It is clear that from the beginning of the music video the female protagonist has a crush on the male protagonist in the comic. She is reading the comic to find out specifically what happens to the male character. The shot in which he takes his hand is representing how much trust she has in the male character. There is then the shot in which the male protagonist is holding her and their eyes meet for the first time. When the female protagonist walks towards the window with the male protagonist is on the other side, it lets the audience connote that the male protagonist wants her to trust him. There is then a shot in which one of the antagonists grabs hold of the female protagonists and the male protagonist then punches the antagonist in the face; this lets the audience connote how he will do anything to protect her and earn her love. They continue and then end up getting trapped. He saves her representing his love for her. 

Pace

There are several shots that show the variety in pace. The shot below is when the pace and the tempo of the music are at its highest. This is when the protagonist is getting chased by the antagonists and there is a strong sense of narrative enigma. There are several long tracking shots of the protagonists being chased. This allows the audience to see what his happening clearly.

Shot variety

There are several shots throughout the duration of the music video. The Norwegian pop group were able to mix narrative and performance in the music video. There were mainly close ups and extreme close shots to emphasise the artists for promotional uses. There are also several panning shots and tracking shots of the artists to follow them and the story.

Effects

The transitions were usually jump cuts; this allowed the editors to switch between the narrative and the performance.

Mis-en-scene

Initially there is the location of a coffee house. The female protagonist is sitting reading the comic that the male protagonist is in. She then gets dragged into the comic and this is the location in which most of the music video occurs.

I'm yours analysis

I'm yours - Jason Mraz

Relationship between visuals and lyrics

The relationship between visuals and lyrics in 'I'm yours' are direct. The singer (Jason Mraz) also stars in the video. We can hear the lyrics implying that if you let go of your life a little to you will live a fuller and happier life; enabling you to see things which you wouldn't see if you don't free your mind. The song is about not questioning things and living life being spontaneous. For example a quote is 'I won't hesitate no more' and we can see within the first 40 seconds that Jason has left his house got on a plane and is now hitch hiking around a foreign country. We can denote that he is living his life differently now. We can then connote from putting the lyrics and video together that Jason in the video is living a new life and seeing the world. Jason is singing about how he has spent too much time trying to be perfect for other people and he wasn't truly happy. The lyrics at the end go 'open up your mind and you'll be free'. Jason is letting go and having fun in this video. No one is perfect.

Genre characteristics

The genre of 'I'm yours' is pop. Generally pop songs are about love and or heartbreak and they can be rather sad, however Jason has written a song about initially being in love and then moving into what he loves to do. It is a song about love; however it is a happy upbeat song. The camera shots are mainly wide shots of Jason’s surroundings and locations showing how his locations are changing and the people he is with are changing. The shots are mainly slow panning shots to give the audience a sense of where Jason is. We see Jason in the back of a pickup truck with the sunset in the background and it implies to the audience the feeling of a happy ever after. He is on his way to happiness. In the rest of the video he is experiencing happiness wherever he goes.

Narrative

There is a linear narrative in 'I'm yours'. We first see Jason in his house packing to go somewhere and in the first verse there is the line; 'I tried to be chill but you're so hot that i melted' implying that he is in love with someone and then the song progresses to lines that involve his love for the world. We see in the music his love for the world by him travelling around on his own and having a good time. He then comes back to the personal love in the first verse later on the song by quoting 'it's our god-forsaken right to be loved'. Bringing the personal love back to light; whilst the music video still progresses in the love for the world. Overall allowing the audience to connote that the song is a happy, upbeat song about love. The linear narrative is strong. The audience is able to see a clear connection between the beginning and the end of the music video. With the beginning being Jason leaving his home with a large bag; letting the audience connote he is going travelling. We then see Jason on a plane on his own (this is before the lyrics have begun). The lyrics begin and we see Jason standing at the side of the road hitch hiking and he gets a ride from two men. His journey begins and we see him travel through the world and making friends wherever he goes. The song ends with a montage of clips from the earlier adventures we saw in the music video and Jason is singing 'I'm yours'. The final clip is Jason sitting on his own on a small wooden boat and the sky is dark. The ending is implying a sense of serenity for Jason.

Performance style

There is lip syncing and a performance from Jason whilst he is on his journey. We see him lip syncing, then he begins to make friends with the locals and we denote Jason is having a discussion with them. There is quick shots in the beginning of the video showing Jason in is house and his fish tank. The fish tank implies that this has potentially been his inspiration for the rest of the video and it links to the rest of the video. The shots are quick and generally medium shots of his apartment and them him on the plane waiting to leave.

There is then a medium shot of Jason in the back of a pickup truck lip syncing the lyrics. There is no live performance in this music video due to it being pop; it isn't conventional for there to be a live performance.

Narrative

The narrative of 'I'm yours' is a linear open narrative. As the audience we can denote that we are following Jason on his journey around the world. However we cannot see an end to this journey. The last clip ends with him on a boat in a lake; therefore implying that he could stay there forever and never return home. Leaving the end to suggest that the world is offering never ending opportunities. I can apply the soviet montage theory to this video. There is metric montage in the beginning of the video. Where there are quick cutting shots which usually last from one second to three seconds; and it is irrelevant what is happening in the shots but they are being cut and put into a montage of events. This is letting the audience connote that nothing much is happening here at his apartment. Further on into the video i can also apply the soviet montage theory, (where editing is an important factor in the intended effect for the video). Later on the video there is tonal montage. This is when there is editing of the shots based on the emotional meaning in the shot. The lengths of the shots are varying. For example when we see Jason breaking the fourth wall and looking directly at the camera and singing these shots usually last three of more seconds, however when we are following him on his journey the shots can vary depending on whether it is a wide panning shot and then the audience can denote the location or if it is of him and his friends walking to the location. However either way the shots are short cut and fast pase. This helps with the upbeat theme of the lyrics and the beat. Overall there is a sense of over tonal montage in the video, combing the metric, tonal and rhythmic. Meaning that it is more complicated to watch. This applies to the video because the video is a fast paced linear montage of the events and his journey. The video 'I'm yours' is able to apply to the Todorov theory in which a video begins with a state of calm and equlibrium. Then as the video moves on we can denote and connote a sense of disequilibrium. Then followed by a renewed state of serenity. I'm yours follows this story line because we initially denote Jason in his apartment with nothing new happening. The audience can connote there is no sense of future there. We then denote a large change in Jason’s life; when he gets on a plane and begins his journey hitch hiking and making new friends. By the end of the video we can denote Jason on a boat in the evening time alone. This implies a sense of serenity and true happiness for Jason. He has found a new happiness after a big change in his life.

The entire video has a sense of enigma. As the audience we don't know why Jason has decided to leave his apartment and his belongings behind. He doesn't state why in the lyrics of why in the video. This applies to one of Barthes five codes. The Hermeneutic code (enigma code). This implies that at some point in the video something is not explained leaving the audience with a sense of mystery. We see this in the initial 20 seconds of the video; with Jason packing his bags and leaving. He is also singing about love at this point in time. Therefore providing the audience with even more enigma. He then (in the second verse) sings about his love for the world, showing a direct connection between the lyrics and the video. This helps the audience clear up the sense on enigma slightly. Because he is singing about his love for the world, letting the audience connote that is why he left.

Mode of address

The singer doesn't look directly at the camera until one of the final shots in which he looks then looks past the lenses, implying that the singer is aware of the camera being there. There are many direct close shots of Jason however he is swinging his head to the beat and purposefully not looking at the camera. We are building a personal relationship with the singer in the video because we are following his journey around the world however we do not have a direct connection because we can connote that the singer isn't paying attention to the camera therefore we are just following him.

Star treatment

There is star treatment in the video of the singer (Jason). Most of the shots include him and the camera giving us tracking shots of his journey. There are also a few panning shots of the location. We can infer that there is star treatment of the singer because most of the shots are on him and following him. When the shots do include the people he is surrounding himself with the shots generally are showing them in a good light; for example in the first shot of the man who Jason gets a lift with. The man is smiling and going Jason a lift to wherever. The man then appears later on in the music video. This has a direct connection with the lyrics of the song. About how he has a love for the world. Jason has left his apartment and he is meeting nice friendly people wherever he goes. Initially it was a personal love. But now he has decided to leave he has found that there are nice people everywhere. Even though there is slight star treatment in the matter that this is the singer’s journey and we see him and his journey. We also see other characters and they are all on the same level of happiness. The audience can denote that Jason isn't implying that he is above them in any way. Everyone is equal in the video.

Representations

The representations in the music video 'I'm yours' are that there are nice people wherever you go. The audience can denote that the singer and the other characters are all the same on some level. He is making friends wherever he goes suggesting that you can make friends wherever you go. The rest of the characters in the music video are being represented as being kind and nice. The singer is joining in with activities that he never would've done if he hadn't gone on this adventure.

Pace

The music video has a fast pace and is an upbeat pop song. We can denote the fast cutaway montage of Jason on his adventure. The montage of shots generally are a mixture of panning, tracking, close and medium close shots of Jason and the location he is in. Each clip lasts around 2-4 seconds. Apart from the very last shot of Jason sitting on the boat and this shot lasts around 6 seconds, slowing down the pace. Throughout the video there are short takes of the location and of Jason. There are minimal long take. The only long take is at the end. This lets the audience see the whole of Jason’s adventure in the time frame of a music video. The short takes and fast paced montage of clips lets the audience connote that his adventure was fast paced and there was never a dull moment. Because it is an upbeat song and fast paced. Some of the shots are also in slow motion or get faded into being blurred by the end. This gives the effect that what was happening in the shot was relaxing and gives a sense of serenity. Allowing the audience to be inspired and make them want to go travelling and let go. The editing of the video is quite harsh. Between the clips there aren’t any transition shots but because it is fast pace, it works well and you want to keep watching to see where Jason goes next. The pace doesn't change throughout the music video. There is a constant pace that is fast.

Shot variety

There is a lot of shot variety in 'I’m yours'. The first shot we see is an establishing shot of an aeroplane which allows the audience to connote that the song is about traveling and a journey is going to take place. This shot took place in an airport; which is location one in the music video. We then see Jason on the aeroplane and then an establishing shot of the ground below from the perspective of the aeroplane. The second location was in Jason's apartment. The colours are white and bland. Implying that his life at home is bland and boring and he has taken inspiration from his fish tank to travel. The fish tank is the only bright colourful thing in his room. We then see a sign saying 33 MPH. There are several locations in the music video. I would say that there were about 11 different locations in which filming took place; involving a plane, two cars, skate park, his apartment, waterfall, forest and a lake. The shots are fast paced and flick through these shots in a non-linear narrative however overall the video has a linear narrative due to the fact that we see the beginning of his journey and then we see him arrive at his destination whilst seeing his journey to get to his destination.

Effects

The visible effects are mainly the colouring and filters on the images being shot. In the second shot of Jason riding in the back of the pic-up truck the audience can see the corners of the screen are faded. This gives the effect of a dream and a warm atmosphere.

Mis-en-scene

The location of the video is important in 'I'm yours'. The song is about finding you and living life and learning to let go. The location is showing how he is travelling around the world and meeting new people. We can denote mountains in the background and we can denote a waterfall in which they are jumping into and walking around in forests. These locations all are what the audience can understand as being the typical dream holiday. Most members of Jason's audience are early to late teens who dream about going on adventures and he is showing these locations in a positive light. The location clears up the enigma that is; Jason is singing about letting go, however the audience may think how you let go. Therefore the visuals show that he is travelling from location to location.

There aren't many props suggesting that Jason is travelling with little and still having a good time. The audience can infer that you don't need much to be happy. Jason left his home with one bag.