The Mystique of The ''Narrative''

[LloydTheGreat]

Hello,
Id like to ask if anyone on indietalk can define what narrative means in film ?
I have searched and searched on the internet quite thoroughly but still only come across interviews with film-makers or actors that just mention ''narrative arcs'' in the story rather than actually explain them.
Now, Ive always thought that narrative means when somebody talks over or comments on the film, like a voice-over, (I.e. Edward Norton's character in Fight Club).
But surely something this 'talked about' cant be that simple can it ?
I am starting a Film Studies course in a fortnight's time and in the course index it says that we will be looking at narrative in film-making - and it takes up quite a chunk of the course too.
So can somebody please explain to me, or direct me to a place where I can be helped to understand or at least get a grasp on narrative in film ?

Thankyou.

 

[stbd1]

I think "narrative" is one of those nebulous terms, like "mise en scene," that means a variety of vague things all loosely related to the art of visual storytelling, depending on who's using them.

"Narrative" isn't a voiceover per se, but it is the "voice" of the story. It can be third person or first person, but it's a general way of mixing the concepts of "point of view" and "plot." It's kind of the theoretical spine of the story that drives both the screenplay and the finished film.

Think of it like this: if a shot, an angle, an edit or a piece of dialogue doesn't "work" within the context of the rest of the film, it probably doesn't work because it's disrupted the flow of the narrative; i.e., it doesn't match the "voice" of the story. (For example, switching genres midtsream, a la From Dusk til Dawn, could be said to disrupt the narrative.)

That's my two cents. Let me know how your professors prove me right or wrong.

 

[NicklausLouis]

... it is the "voice" of the story.

That is the simple definition that they taught me at school.

Think of it like this: if a shot, an angle, an edit or a piece of dialogue doesn't "work" within the context of the rest of the film, it probably doesn't work because it's disrupted the flow of the narrative; i.e., it doesn't match the "voice" of the story. (For example, switching genres midtsream, a la From Dusk til Dawn, could be said to disrupt the narrative.)

And that is a variation of the complex definition.

Both are right. Narrative is the backbone of the story. If you have a crooked narrative the story will likely be disabled and the other kids will be cruel to it.

Poke

 

[clive]

I think sometimes it's easiest to understand the idea of narrative, by understanding what it's not.

It isn't, for instance, just another way of saying "the plot"
The plot is what happens.

At it's most basic, you can work out the narrative of your story, by answering the question, what is this story about?

So, for example, despite being a zombie sci-fi picture, the story is actually about people working together against a common foe or the importance of trust in relationships

Your plot and characterisation should revolve around a dramatic representation of those narrative themes.

So, my film No Place is the story of a daughter and an abusive father. However, the film's narrative themes are about the moral choices we make when we decide to either become involved in a situation or just to walk away. Constantly throughout the script I had to ask myself, if this character does "This," does it move the narrative forward.

Hope this helped.