Narrative Codes
Roland Barthes' Codes
Texts may be open meaning that they can be unravelled in a lot of different ways, so essentially you can look at a narrative from one viewpoint and create a meaning for that text, but can also continue unravelling the narrative from different angles and create an entirely different meaning for the text. Texts can also be closed meaning that there is only one obvious viewpoint to look from, or only one distinct meaning behind the text.
Barthes also decided that the threads that you pull on to try and unravel meaning are called narrative codes and that they could be categorised in the following five ways:
Action Codes are any action that moves the narrative forward, and enigma codes are things that make the audience ask questions; and these questions are slowly revealed throughout the story. Enigma code can be displayed through expression (is the character expressing anger, or worry and anguish?). I've posted a video featuring examples of action codes and enigma codes, check out from 0.44 min to 3.38 min.
Images can also have narratives. Narrative image is all about the marketing of the film, as the narrative image is what we think of before we actually see the film. It is the film's image/identity and how it is branded. It comes from the direct publicity surrounding the film (the poster, trailer, video release etc) and also from word of mouth and it particularly draws on the generic qualities of the film. In other words, the marketing promotes the film's genre signifiers in order to exploit the audience's desire for familiarity and recognition- broadening the potential appeal.
But the narrative image also centres around the idea of difference and originality, this comes in the form of the narrative enigma. The film's publicity has to encourage the audience into asking questions about the film and must intrigue the audience to know the answers; which they will only know if they pay to go and see the film. This is the enigma; the mystery surrounding the film.
- Hermeneutic Code (Enigma Code) and Proairetic Code (Action Codes)
- Symbols & Signs
- Points of Cultural Reference
- Simple description/reproduction
Action Codes are any action that moves the narrative forward, and enigma codes are things that make the audience ask questions; and these questions are slowly revealed throughout the story. Enigma code can be displayed through expression (is the character expressing anger, or worry and anguish?). I've posted a video featuring examples of action codes and enigma codes, check out from 0.44 min to 3.38 min.
Images can also have narratives. Narrative image is all about the marketing of the film, as the narrative image is what we think of before we actually see the film. It is the film's image/identity and how it is branded. It comes from the direct publicity surrounding the film (the poster, trailer, video release etc) and also from word of mouth and it particularly draws on the generic qualities of the film. In other words, the marketing promotes the film's genre signifiers in order to exploit the audience's desire for familiarity and recognition- broadening the potential appeal.
But the narrative image also centres around the idea of difference and originality, this comes in the form of the narrative enigma. The film's publicity has to encourage the audience into asking questions about the film and must intrigue the audience to know the answers; which they will only know if they pay to go and see the film. This is the enigma; the mystery surrounding the film.
Allan Cameron-Modular Narratives
Allan-Cameron argues that in the last 20 years, "popular cinema has displayed a turn towards narrative complexity", meaning that narratives are becoming more complex. He has identified 4 different types of modular narrative.
Allan-Cameron argues that in the last 20 years, "popular cinema has displayed a turn towards narrative complexity", meaning that narratives are becoming more complex. He has identified 4 different types of modular narrative.
- Anachronic - Can involve modified flashbacks and flashforwards. It is when there is no clear dominance between any of the narrative threads. An example of this is the film Pulp Fiction - the film throws the viewer from one location to another, not necessarily in a linear order; making it actually quite difficult at times to know who we're meant to be following, as we're thrown from one storyline to another. The action doesn't follow on chronologically.
- Forking Path - When you get alternative versions of the story in the same narrative. So a film might show the possible outcomes which might result from small changes in a single event or group of events. There might be a number of plotlines which contradict one another. Cameron gives the examples of Groundhog Day, and Sliding Doors.
- Episodic - Following a collection of stories joined by a common theme. One of Cameron's examples is 32 Short Films about Glenn Gould; A film about the pianist Glenn Gould, which includes 31 short films from different perspectives trying to show a different aspect of Gould. It isn't chronological, some parts are interviews, some parts are reenactments of parts of his life, and some parts are interviews of Gould himself played by an actor; but the common theme is Gould himself.
- Split Screen - These narratives are spatial rather than temporal, so they're in different locations at the same time, and we see a split screen dividing up the shots of the different locations. A great example of this is the tv series 24; where they split the screen, showing different things happening in different locations, all at the same time.
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