GCSE FILM

Narrative and Plot

Narrative

• Narrative is the story• Beginning – middle -

endi.e. Peter Parker becomes

Spiderman – he battles the Green Goblin – saves the day, gets the girl

What are some other Superhero film narratives? Are any of them iconic?

Plot• Plot is how the story is

constructed, it tells the individual characters stories, often as Sub-Plots

i.e. Peter has always loved Mary-Jane and starts to charm her as Spidey. Peter must also deal with his guilt over his Uncles death. Etc...

What are the plots and sub-plots of other Superhero films?

• The term 'narrative' is often confused with the term 'plot,' but they're not the same thing. If I tell you that the king died, and then the queen died, that's not plot, that's narrative. But, if I tell you that the king died, and then the queen died of grief, that's plot."

• Linear narrative = the structure is in order i.e. beginning, middle, end• Non-linear = out of order i.e. end,

middle, beginning• Flashback = characters remember

past events to help show audience what happened. Flashbacks are non-linear

• Parallel narratives = two or more characters share different stories centring on the same event

• Formulaic = film contains the same codes, conventions and iconography as others in the genre

Task

• As a scriptwriter for a major Hollywood studio you are tasked with coming up with a new Superhero Film

1. Invent the Origin Story for your hero. Discuss this with a friend, do you keep origin secret from audience or start the film with it?

2. Write a brief synopsis for your film. Include details about the narrative and plots