Narrative Theory
Select a film opening of your choice and apply 3 of Barthes' narrative codes. Write a list of the shots in order, how long they last and what you see.
1. Identify the key actions within the opening - what kinds of actions are included and how is the narrative moved forward?
2. Identify the enigma codes within the opening - what kinds of questions are posed and how is the audience meant to read these codes?
3. Identify key characters and think about what they represent in the opening
4. Identify key themes and analyse how symbols are presented visually/technically.
Select a film opening of your choice and apply 3 of Barthes' narrative codes. Write a list of the shots in order, how long they last and what you see.
1. Identify the key actions within the opening - what kinds of actions are included and how is the narrative moved forward?
2. Identify the enigma codes within the opening - what kinds of questions are posed and how is the audience meant to read these codes?
3. Identify key characters and think about what they represent in the opening
4. Identify key themes and analyse how symbols are presented visually/technically.
Roland Barthes' Three Main Codes student example using The Prestige opening scene:
ENIGMA CODE:
- What are the top hats on the ground doing there? What is their relevance to the plot?
- "Are you watching closely?" What does this mean?
- Who is the little girl?
- Who is the magician?
- What is the big machine? What does it do?
- What is the relationship between Angier and Borden?
- Did Borden let Angier drown? Did he murder him?
- Was Borden charged for Angier's murder?
- What will happen to the little girl?
ACTION CODE:
- Flattening the cage (killing the bird?)
- Angier taking off jacket - what is he about to do?
- Stepping into electrical field
- Water tank locking - will he get out?
- Borden putting hand against water tank
- Wave between Borden and little girl
SYMBOLIC/SEMIOTIC CODE:
- Top hats connote magic tricks - pulling something out of the hat
- Clothing signifies Victorian era
- Suit - rich, successful
- Dark, gloomy - mysterious
- Electricity/lightning - danger, electrocution
- Warm colours connote comfort, safety
- Wave between Borden and girl suggests that he is her father
- Shackles - he is the one being charged
- Drumming fingers, fidgeting - impatience
- Top hats symbolise the mystery to come
- The small bird represents the victim in the magic trick - the place taken by Angier in his own illusion, where he drowns/begins to drown
- Little girl represents the audience