Narrative structure

The Narrative Structure

Exposition - meeting the characters, establishing the setting, the tone, establishing the normal of the films world.

Rising action - the central conflict is introduced and the tension between the protagonist and the antagonist begins to mount

Climax - The climax is the turning point, which marks a change for the better or the worse in protagonist future.

Falling action - The major action has happened. This is the aftermath. This is the sorting out of the major conflicts resolution.

Denouement - The Creation of the new normal. The conflict is resolved.

Narrative Form

Narrative form is the structure through which movies tell stories. When we speak of 'going to the movies' we almost always mean we are going to see a narrative (story).

Narratives are everywhere.

Narratives appear throughout media and society - in novels, plays, comic books, television shows and even commercials. Narratives are most common in fiction films, but appear in all basic types of film. E.g. documentaries, animated films, experimental and avant garde films, short films.

Events occur in space and time.

A narrative is an account of a string of events occurring in a space of time. Narratives do not unfold randomly but rather as an ordered series of events connected by the logic of cause and effects. This logic of cause and effect ties together characters, traits, goals, obstacles and actions.