Narrative Theories

• Sergei Eisenstein theory that the narrative of story is told through a series of shots that are all related through their differences. He also believed that when simple images are put next to each other it could convey complex ideas. An example of this is Battleship Potemkin.
• Laura Mulvey believes that Hollywood films often portray men as strong characters and women as quite, passive characters. A film that would fit this theory would be A Damsel in Distress
• Lev Kuleshov believe in the 'Kuleshov effect', which means the minioulation of meaning through editing. An example of this is One flew over the Cuckoo's nest, because this film demonstrates how the viewer can be moved subtly into the scene.
• David Bordwell divides the narrative of a film into sections, the Syuzhet (the order of events) and Fabula (The chronological order that the events took place). Bordwell believes that when viewers are watching the Syuzhet they reconstruct the Fabula in their minds. He believes that meaning is created in a film through the thought process rather then an emotional process.
• Mary Ann Doane, believes that in films women can only take on two roles: they can either be strong women who identify with men, such as Lois Lane in Superman or women can be viewed as the damsel in distress who needs to constantly be saved by men.
• Charles Derry, believed that there are six major subtypes in Thrillers.
  The Thriller of Murderous Passions, The Political Thriller, Thriller of acquired identity,
  Psychosomatic Thriller, Morale confrontation and Innocent on the run.
• Todorov believes in the theory of equilbrium, where a film starts with a state of equilibrium and then the trouble unfolds from there.

We will try to use and develop these narrative theories in our work. In the planning stage we have played perticular attention to Charles Derry's subtypes to help us develop a plot. We have used the idea of creating a hybrid thriller about Murderous passion and innocent on the run.