Storytelling and Narratives: 2016

STORYTELLING AND NARRATIVES

Storytelling .... What is it?

What are the elements that we use that make a story?

□ Characters (3D)
□ Setting-location + Time and period
□ Plot-structute
□ Emotional curves
□ Flow

The first story ever told

VISUALIZING STORIES

□ Mise-en-scene
□ Colour
□ Gesture
□ Composition
□ Exposure
□ Camera placement & shots
□ D.O.F

Examples of storytelling:

□ Instagram;

EMILY STOCK & ESSENTIAL PITTSBURGH. 2016. Instagram Artist-In-Residence On Storytelling Through Social Media.

[ONLINE] Available at: http://wesa.fm/post/instagram-artist-residence-storytelling-through-social-media.

[Accessed 27 February 16].

Christina Greve. 2016. 8 Visual Masters To Follow On Instagram.

[ONLINE] Available at:http://christinagreve.com/8-visual-masters-to-follow-on-instagram/.

[Accessed 27 February 16].

□ Facebook;

Dan Virgillito. 2015. 4 Ways To Engage Your Audience With Visual Storytelling On Facebook. [ONLINE] Available at: https://adespresso.com/academy/blog/4-ways-engage-audience-visual-storytelling-facebook/. [Accessed 27 February 16].

□ Snapshot;

Manfrotto. 2016. STORYTELLING THROUGH DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.manfrottoimaginemore.com/2016/02/15/storytelling-through-documentary-photography/#.VtGL4ZwrKhc. [Accessed 27 February 16].

□ YouTube

pagontradLT. (2008). Green Street Hooligans trailer. [Online Video]. 03 June. Available from:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct5y990N9wM. [Accessed: 27 February 2016].

Film:

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

In the mood for love

Mr Nobody

The Shawshank Redemption

The tree of life

The new world

Skyfall

The pursuit of happiness

#instagrampic1

HARK! LISTEN! The story behind these bars will remain a mystery. The place emits a mixture of feelings - #sadness, #fear, #imprisonment and #isolation, #curious to know more yet safer to keep a distance.

Students feedback:

Following rule number 4 in the film 'UP'

"Once upon a time there was a boy called Carl Fredrikson who met a young adventure-spirited girl called Ellie. Everyday, Carl and Ellie would play together and go exploring. One day Carl and Ellie got married and made a promise to one day go and live in a lost land in South America. 70 years later Ellie dies. Carl remembers the promise they made and because of that, Sets off to the south of America to fore fill their dream with A little boy scout and together set off on their adventure. Because of that, they encounter talking dogs, an evil villain and a rare bird called Kevin. Until finally Carl pursues his dream.

Following rule number 4 in the film 'Beauty and the Beast'

"Once upon a time there was a girl called Belle` who lived with her father in a small village. Every day, Belle` would go to the village to return and borrow a book and as usual bumps into Gaston, a guy who desperately want to marry her. One day her father had to leave her to go to a fair. Along the way he got lost and got chased by a pack of wolves. As he was running he through a gate way which led to a castle. It started to rain and because of that, he decides to take shelter and rest for the night. A cruel beast who lived in the castle was angry toward her father for trespassing in his home and as punishment he locked him in a cell. Because of that, Belle is afraid when she see her father’s horse running towards her without him. She sets off to find her father and eventually comes face to face with the beast. Bravely she took her father’s place. Over time the beast starts to fall for Belle and she back. One night the beast gives Belle’ a magic mirror so that she could see beyond the castle. Belle sees her father dying in the snow. The beast was afraid to let her go because if he did Belle` might not return to him and he would remain a beast for all time. After Gaston finds out that Belle` is back he comes up with a plan to force Belle` to marry him. He sets off with his gang to her house, her father on the other hand starts telling them about the beast. Gaston finds out that Belle` is in love with the beast and is infuriated and heads off to kill the beast. Belle` arrives in the nick of time. Gaston hurts the beast but shortly after gets killed by him. Belle` runs to save the beast and before his final breath she confesses her love to him. Until finally the spell is broke and the beast transforms back to the Prince that he originally was and ends up being with Belle`.

What is a Narrative?

A sequence of events organised into a story with a particular structure.

What makes visual stories?

Titanic

Lord of the rings sequence

Snoopy and Garfield comics

Circular narrative

#instagrampic2

I used a Black and White filter to bring out the maturity of this Nieer piano and I captured the number hidden beneath the music rack to expose a curious (and maybe mysterious) element of what is behind the six digits. Who engraved them? and Why? What does it implicate? Is it perhaps a secret code? Is there a sentimental value behind it? We can never know I suppose ...!

Students feedback:

Jelena Attard: 'love how simple this is, but it might be something extremely important for someone and coming from someone who plays the piano this really captures it. '

#instagrampic3

This image emits a creepy and uncomfortable feeling ... sending a chill down your spine ... heading for the unknown ... wishing to escape but where to?!?!

Students feedback:

Zoey Marsh: ' Gives me a feeling of the unknown, like there is something hiding in the fog waiting for its next victim .... '

What is Mise en scene?

1. WORLD-BUILDING: SETTING / LOCATION / PERIOD / ARCHITECTURE

2. CHARACTERISATION: CHARACTERS / WARDROBE / MAKE-UP / PROPS

3. ATMOSPHERE / MOOD: LIGHTING / COLOUR / WEATHER / TIME OF DAY

WHAT IS SETTING?

1. CONVEYS THEME / GENRE

2. CREATES ATMOSPHERE

3. MAKES THE STORY CREDIBLE

Here are the elements which determine the setting:

WORLD HISTORY LANGUAGE

DIALECT AESTHETICS PROPS ATMOSPHERE

MOOD TIME AND PLACE WEATHER

DAY-TO-DAY: CLOTHING, FOOD, ETC TRANSPORTATION SYMBOLS & MOTIFS

WHY IS IMPORTANT FOR THE STORY?

7 basic plot types:

■ Overcoming the monster;

■ The Quest;

■ Voyage and Return

■ Comedy;

■ Tragedy;

■ Rags to Riches

■ Rebirth.

TASK #3

My task consisted of listing down a few films which I knew well. Afterwards I was instructed to label each film according to its plot type. Below are my results:

Maleficent - Rebirth,

Maleficent has a change of heart when it comes to the princess' faith. Turns from Evil to kind)

The Amazing Spider Man - Overcoming the monster,

Peter Parker gets bitten by a genetically altered spider and later discovers that he now has spider-like powers. Peter sets to solve the mystery behind his parents' death.

Hercules - Quest,

In order to regain his God powers and return to his family Hercules has to go through a series of challenging tasks. Along the way he falls in love and saves the world from evil.

Inside out - Comedy,

Riley has moved to a new town and school with her family. Her emotions Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness accompany her through her new life/adventure and help Riley through thick and thin.

Jurassic Park - Overcoming the monster,

A theme Park suffers through a bad power breakdown which leaves its cloned dinosaurs exhibits to run wild causing chaos and destruction.

Schindler's list - Tragedy,

During the period of WWII the Nazis take over the Jews and put them all in concentration camps. Schindler hatches a plan to rescue as many Jews as possible. In the end he saves the lives of thousands and becomes a hero who is remembered throughout the Jews' memory.

Burlesque - Rags to riches,

This film tells the story of a small-town girl who later becomes a star after she sets off to Los Angeles to find her place in a Neo-Burlesque.

Chicago - Overcoming the monster,

The story follows two murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart and how they fought for their fame to keep themselves out of harm’s way (the gallows) during the 1920`s in Chicago.

The lovely bones - Overcoming the monster,

Susie Salmon gets murdered by her next door neighbor. While she was on the other side she watched over her family and her murderer. Susie needs to make a choice, either get her vengeance or let her family morn over her.

Skyfall - Overcoming the monster and Quest,

James Bond (007) is put on a mission ordered by M to investigate and track down a person no matter the cost. Bond has to go through a few painful past memories to achieve his goal.

Les Miserables - Rags to riches and Tragedy,

Jean Valjean has been on the run from Javert (Chief of Police) for years after breaking his parole. Along his journey he keeps his word to a factory worker to find her daughter (Cosette) and take care. His life changes after making this decision.

Harry Potter - Overcoming the monster and Quest.

From birth Harry Potter had only one mission, to destroy the evil wizard who killed many innocent people (including his parents). Hermione, Ron and his friends fight alongside him throughout his quest.

I mapped out one of the characters in the film Finding Nemo, Marlin

In the beginning of the film Marlin is a happy clown fish who has a wife and who is ready to be a father. Marlin wants the best for his children so he makes sure that they get the best.

Character's mood: Happy, loving, proud of his family, thoughtful ...

In the middle of the film:

Marlin loses his wife and his kids, except for one. He called him Nemo in memory of his wife. With everything that had happened, Marlin swears to his only son that he would protect him and make sure that nothing happens to him.

Character's mood: Over protective, loving and caring ...

One day Nemo starts his first day of school. Marlin is afraid of Nemo leaving his side. After Nemo left with his class our parents mention to him that they were going to the Drop Off. Marlin starts to panic and immediately swims as fast as can to save his son. Nemo was born with one of his fins being a bit smaller. Marlin gets to Nemo in time but did not expect 2 scuba divers to pop out of nowhere and kidnap his son. One of the divers flashed a camera at Marlin and blinded him. He was too late for they had taken Nemo away.

Character's mood: Scared, over protective, sad, worried ...

Marlin immediately sets off to find his son and on the way meet Dory, another fish who helped him on his journey. Dory suffers from short term memory loss so their journey was a long and difficult one. Marlin had to learn to get used to to fact that he was not alone anymore and had to work as a team again after all these years. The two of the them encounter many obstacles but in the end finally make it to their destination.

Character's mood: Tired, angry, frustrated, confused, patient ...relieved

Nemo is put in a fish tank with other fish who once used to live in the ocean. They have been trying to escape for ages. Nemo becomes friends with the fish and together try multiple ways to escape their prison. In the meanwhile a pelican offers to help Marlin and Dory. By the time Marlin finds his son, it is too late. Nemo gets flushed down the toilet. Thinking that his son is long gone the pelican takes Marlin and Dory back to the ocean. On the other hand Nemo was pretty much alive and was travelling down the drain pipe which ended his terrible journey back to the ocean were he encounters two rude crabs. Marlin who was sad at heart happened to pass by these crabs where he over hears them talking about his son. Hope fills his heart and swims off to find his son. Later on Nemo gets stuck in a net but his dad arrives in the nick of time to rescue him. Both father and son are happy to see each other again. Dory goes with the two clown fish back to their home where all 3 of them live safe and sound. Nemo goes back to school and Marlin still kept his promise to protect his son but changed for the better.

In the end of the film the character Marlin is reunited with his son, makes new friends, and changes his ways for the better.

Character's mood: Joyful, loving, not over protective and better understanding.

Want vs Need

Film 1: 'UP'

Carl

Want: to fore fill his dream and go to Paradise falls.

Need: his wife.

Film 2: 'Beauty and the Beast'

Beast

Want: To be a Prince again and live in his ordinary life.

Need: Is for someone to fall in love with him to break his curse.

Narrative Structure

I found this link very helpful when learning about 'Want vs Need'

... "Six Key Scenes of Aristotle’s Incline

Aristotle’s Incline names six key scenes. I’ll define these and provide examples from a fairy tale you may know, Cinderella:

1. Opening: Hook your readers at once by raising an intriguing question they’ll want answered. Give at least a glimpse of what normal life is like for your main character. This scene may include the inciting incident. Modern tastes often prefer the inciting incident closer to or as part of the opening scene, but depending on story needs and genre dictates, it can occur later in Act One, even immediately preceding the first plot point.

EXAMPLE: In Cinderella, the King decides to have a ball in order to find a wife for his son and heir.

2. First Plot Point: Springboards off the inciting incident. The main character becomes engaged by the change brought about by the inciting incident. This Y in the road forces your main character to react with an irrevocable decision and brings down the curtain on Act One.

EXAMPLE: Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother turns her rags to a beautiful gown, turns a pumpkin into a coach, and tells her to be home by midnight.

3. Midpoint or Reversal: In this powerful centerpiece scene your main character decides to stop simply reacting and start acting. The character is now fully engaged in the story.

Example: Cinderella is at the ball dancing with the prince and forgets all about being home by midnight.

4. Second Plot Point: This scene brings the curtain down on Act Two and sets up the conflict that launches the story’s climax.

EXAMPLE: The clock strikes midnight and Cinderella flees the ball, losing a slipper in the process.

5. Climax: Your main character experiences a black moment which leads to an epiphany, or personal revelation and a moment of release. The epiphany transforms your main character in a way that enables him to overcome a previously unconquerable obstacle and obtain either his desired or needed outcome which proves the story’s theme.

EXAMPLE: Cinderella believes she has lost the prince forever (black moment). When the footman comes around with the glass slipper, she has a personal epiphany (moment of enlightenment) and realizes that she is the only one who will fit her slipper. She is worthy. She challenges her stepmother’s abuse by asking to try the slipper on.

6. Closing: This scene resolves any remaining plot threads and allows the reader to savor the main character’s victory.

EXAMPLE: Cinderella marries her handsome prince and lives happily ever after.

Connecting Scenes

How do you fill the gaps between your story’s key scenes? By a process I like to call Reaction-Response-Consequence Cycles. Your main character reacts to the inciting incident and sets off a chain of events that climbs with increasing tension to the climax.

Reaction: Your main character reacts to the antagonistic force by making an irrevocable decision, often based on a lie he or she believes to be true.

Response : The antagonistic force in your story responds to your main character’s decision.

Consequence: Fulfillment of your main character’s greatest desire is derailed and the story moves toward a confrontation with her greatest fear. As she reacts to this new obstacle, the cycle begins again.

Actors in a theater production become comfortable with the story and one another during the first read-through. When they first go off the script, their lines may seem stilted and their movements confused. But soon they own their lines, delivering them with the ease of familiarity, and command the stage. As with performing in a theater production, plotting a novel in three acts takes practice, patience and talent. But once you’ve mastered this technique, your delighted readers may just call for an encore." ...

JANALYN VOIGT. 2014. PLOTTING YOUR NOVEL PLOTTING A NOVEL IN THREE ACTS.

[ONLINE] Available at: https://www.google.com.mt/search?q=aristotle+-+a+creature+of+necessity+in+a+landscape+of+scarcity&rlz=1C1MSNA_enMT675MT675&espv=2&biw=1149&bih=904&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjz4KftrdTLAhUDzxQKHcnABdgQ_AUICCgD#tbm=isch&q=3+act+structure+aristotle&imgrc=fgn96hUKCMufIM%3A. [Accessed 22 March 16]

Hero's Journey - 'Star Wars 4: A New Hope'

Part 1 - call to adventure:

The Evil Empire is afflicting the galaxy,
R2D2 plays a part of princess Leia's call for help,
Luke does not accept following Obi-Wan.

Part 2 - Supreme Ordeal/Initiation:

R2D2 shows a messagein which Luke has in hand the plans of the Death Star. Obi-Wan later on hands Luke his father's light saver and recounts Luke's heritage. That is when Luck offers his assistance.
Luck's aunt and uncle are murdered. His duty is to give these secret plans to Alderaan,
Luck is rescued by Obi-Wan's use of the FORCE.

Part 3 - Unification/Transformation:

Later on Obi-Wan instructs Luke about the FORCE,
While aboard the Death Star Luke and Obi-Wan disguise themselves as Stormtroopers and try to the Princess.They are also spotted by the enemy,
Luck get captured by a creature and then gets rescued by his mates. They come up with a plan to escape from the Death Star,

Part 4 - Road back home/ Hero's return:

Obi-Wan dies in order to help the others escape from the Death Star leaving Luck to fight alongside the rebels,
Final battle occurs,
Luck hears Obi-Wan's voice and uses the FORCE to destroy the Death Star,
The Evil Empire is destroyed,
Luck and his friends are honored back as heroes,
There is once again peace in the galaxy.

ARCHETYPE

These are split into 8 sections:

HERO: TO SERVE AND SACRIFICE
MENTOR: TO GUIDE
THRESHOLD GUARDIAN: TO TEST
HERALD: TO WARN AND CHALLENGE
SHAPESHIFTER: TO QUESTION AND DECEIVE
SHADOW: TO DESTROY
TRICKSTER: TO DISRUPT
ALLIES: TO ACCOMPANY AND HELP

My chosen film: The Lion King

HERO: Simba
MENTOR: Pumba + Timon, Rafiki and Mufasa
THRESHOLD GUARDIAN: Nala and Rafiki
HERALD: Rafiki
SHAPESHIFTER: Scar??
SHADOW: Scar
TRICKSTER: Timon
ALLIES: Pumba + Timon and Nala

The Protagonist

What is the Protagonist?

The main character;

The person who has a problem that needs to be solved.

What gives meaning to a story?

The EPIC story of someone winning or losing his soul.

SIX GREAT QUESTIONS

WHOSE story is it?

WHAT is his/her life dream?

WHAT does he/she want? - (SMART Goals (conscious pursuit))

WHAT does he/she need?

WILL he/she get what is needed/wanted?

WHO knows what / when?

WHAT does he/she want?

Easy to accomplish = No story

Impossible = Probably no story

Difficult = A story that can work

Action needed vs Strengths & weaknesses

A storyteller plays with this to create: DRAMATIC TENSION

Engage audience with emotions

DRAMATIC TENSION:

HOPE opportunities vs FEAR obstacles

Can things get worse?

How?

WANT vs NEED

What does the protagonist want?

What does protagonist need?

Hollywood happy ending: Want: YES Need: YES

European happy ending: Want: NO Need: YES

Tragedy: Want: YES Need: NO

All out tragedy: Want: NO Need: NO

Films with a clear ANTAGONIST little growth within the protagonist WANT & NEED are close.

Inner battle within the PROTAGONIST.

protagonist grows more within the story WANT & NEED are far apart.

Protagonist = audience suspense

If both don’t know

Twist

Shock

Will Protagonist be unmasked?

Protagonist < Audience

Audience participate even more suspense – even if the inevitable will happen;

Audience has to know what's going on or they will checkout after 5 mins.

Task 3- Group work: Sarah Vassallo, Zoey Marsh and myself

We had to choose a book (THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES)on which we had to fill in 3 worksheets regarding the 3-Act-Structure.

Chloe's Personality type description

Chloe:

Is the leader of the bullies at her school,
She was not always so cruel,
Everything changed for her after Daniel (her friend) left the hospital after a terrible car accident,
Deep Deep down she is kind and generous person and I know this because she visited Daniel while he was still at the hospital,
She helped Daniel out re. the scar on his face by applying make up for him so that people did not look at his in a disgusted way, helping him to regain his confidence,
Towards the end of the story she is awarded as Student of the Year for her kindness but instead she gives it to Daniel.
This shows that she is not a selfish person but is a caring and generous one.

The Emperor’s New Clothes:

· Beginning: Story begins with childhood friends Chloe and Daniel who grew apart due to school society.

Chloe has become a popular and a bully and Daniel become an outcast and loner,

When Daniel gets into a car accident Chloe is forced to visit him,

The visit becomes voluntary as their friendship grows,

Chloe has video diaries to record their sessions together,

Daniel has horrible facial scarring and due to injuries has to stay in hospital for 3 months,

Due to these visits she begins to change and develop a conscious,

Middle:

Uses makeup applied by Chloe to cover scarring,

When he returns the cronies want to bully him, Chloe refuses

When bullying someone the cronies ask for Chloe’s phone,

On phone they find videos of Daniel and Chloe,

They release video showing Daniel and his scars only as they don’t like their friendship,

Threaten Chloe that they will show her in the videos,

Daniel accuses Chloe of releasing footage that shows scars,

Gets into huge fight loses friendship,

Goes through pit of darkness deciding to keeping her status or becoming a better person,

End:

Decides to release the full footage with her in it,

She regains her friendship with Daniel and becomes a good person,

Becomes popular due to her permanent change of heart,

At prom she is given the award of Student of the Year,

She refuses to take it and gives it to Daniel,

She says he deserves it due to his courage and determination,

But also because it was him who made her change her ways.

Scene Breakdown Worksheet

This scene is the story’s: Ordinary Life of Chloe

The protagonist of this scene is: Chloe

The intention of this scene is to show: Chloe is preparing herself at home to leave for school and then go and bully people with Roberta (even though she hates doing so deep down).

SCENES OF PREPARATION:
B1: Alarm starts ringing
B2: Chloe wakes up in a bad mood because she has to get ready for school

MAIN ACTION:
M1: Checks her Facebook page/messages etc… then takes a shower

M2: Get dressed and puts on her make up

M3: Climax / Main Action Here comes trouble: Phone rings! It is her ‘friend’ Roberta (another bully) and is not pleased

M4: Reaction / Aftermath to the Main Action Roberta tells her who they are going to bully that day. Chloe is annoyed but does not show it.

AFTERMATH:
E1: Chloe takes a selfie.
E2: Leaves to go to school.