Timed question:

“Media texts rely on cultural experiences in order for audiences to easily make sense of narratives”. Explain how you used conventional and / or experimental narrative approaches in one of your production pieces.

In my A2 production work, I have tried to incorporate both conventional and experimental narrative. Todorov suggested that there was five clear stages in narrative structure which helps to construct a story. The first he suggested was a state of equilibrium, where any opposing forces are in balance. I tried this in my film, where the girl is shown to be unhappy with her life. Todorov then suggested that in the middle stages there is some kind of disruption, this is clearly presented in my music video as the girl's 'bad life' is in a sense disrupted when she goes into a dream of what a good life would be like. The last stage by Todorov is where a conclusion is drawn and the equilibrium is again presented. This applies to my video when the girl wakes up from the dream, and smiles as she is happy and realises she has the baby to look forward to. I have also tried to use experimental narrative into my A2 production work. The goal of experimental narrative is to create a more thoughtful relationship to the film. In my video I have used various effects in order to help create a more active narrative. At the start of the film and at the end, I have used black and white effects in order to present her life as being unhappy. I then use more colour when she she goes into her 'dream' state, which gives a more clear view to the audience what is happening. Another effect I have used in my video is slow motion I have done this as I believe it looks more like fantasy. I also added in some blurring effects which makes the video look more like a dream. In some parts of my production work, I have tried to link the lyrics in well with what is happening in the video, to make a more clear view of the narrative being expressed. The expression on the girls face in my video is also important as it defines her emotional state. In the beginning she is shown to look depressed, whereas in the video she is smiling.