Narrative techniques applied to a film: Kill Bill

Kill Bill – Quentin Tarantino

Year: 2003

Countries: USA, Japan

Quentin Tarantino

Technique	Description	Effect (in term of driving forward the narrative of the film)	Example from a film
1. Exposition	Fills in the back of the characters and their situations	Shows interest in the characters and want to see what happens next	Applied when using flashbacks in black and white
2. Dangling cause	Information or actions that leads to no effect of resolution until much later in the film	- You can retain your interest so you watch the film until the end - Allows the story to be told in different levels	The list that first doesn’t seem too important but then it is really important because it is the list of the ones who are going to kill
3. Obstacle	Stands in the way of the characters reaching their goal	- Makes it more interesting/dramatic - With no obstacle nothing interest will happen / leave social norms	The crazy 88: a group of samurais which are going to fight against the main character.
4. Deadline	A time limit placed on a protagonist to accomplish a goal	- Increases tension - Makes film more goal orientated	Has to fly to Japan before Lucy’s character has to fly to Japan
5. Dialogue hook	Creates a link between two consecutive scenes	- Allows the scenes to have a continuity - To have sense between scenes	Main character says needs to go to Japan, next scene is in airplane



Deborah Méndez ©

Fabula & sujet

The fabula is the “raw material” of a story in chronological order

The sujet is the way a story is then organized by the director on film

Sujet in Pulp Fiction (Directed by Quention Tarantino in 1994, USA) :

-         unusual

-         complex

Deborah Méndez ©

Narrative structure applied to films

Name of film: A Cinderella Story

(Directed by Mark Rosman in 2004, USA)

Mark Rosman

1. A state of equilibrium

Samantha Montgomery was a happy girl living with his father until her father dies.

2. Disruption to that equilibrium

Her father dies and her stepmother Fiona and stepsisters treat her as a slave, taking their breakfast, clean the

3. Successful restoration of the equilibrium

Austin Ames, in the middle of a soccer game goes were Sam was and both make true their dream since childhood: going to University of Princeton

Name of film: Mulan

(Directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook in 1998 in USA)

Tony Bancroft

1. A state of equilibrium

- Mulan is living in her town, happy with all of their family

2. Disruption to that equilibrium

- Because of war her dad has to go but she doesn’t let him so she goes and pretends to be a boy

- They recognize she is not a man and causes problems

3. Successful restoration of the equilibrium

-         Demonstrates everyone that although she is a woman she can fight and make everything normal and better than the boys

-         Finally everybody wants her and she is a type of “idol” because she wan the fight and save the town and population.


Deborah Méndez ©

Narrative techniques

Technique	Description	Effect (in term of driving forward the narrative of the film)	Example from a film
1. Exposition	Fills in the back of the characters and their situations	Shows interest in the characters and want to see what happens next	Amélie: the narration at the beginning of the film explaining the background of the main character and their parents
2. Dangling cause	Information or actions that leads to no effect of resolution until much later in the film	- You can retain your interest so you watch the film until the end - Allows the story to be told in different levels	Jurassic Park: the DNA from the frog for the dinosaurs. Shrek II: you don’t know what is given to the Prince and at the end you know it because of the help of the God mother
3. Obstacle	Stands in the way of the characters reaching their goal	- Makes it more interesting/dramatic - With no obstacle nothing interest will happen / leave social norms	Psycho: The woman is being followed by the policemen
4. Deadline	A time limit placed on a protagonist to accomplish a goal	- Increases tension - Makes film more goal orientated	Inception: the character has a certain time to reach the bomb
5. Dialogue hook	Creates a link between two consecutive scenes	- Allows the scenes to have a continuity - To have sense between scenes	The Patriot

Deborah Méndez ©

The Patriot

Roland Emmerich

Director: Roland Emmerich

Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Jason Isaacs, Joely Richardson, Chris Cooper, Tom Wilkinson

Release date: June 28^th, 2000

Country: United States

This film starts with the beginning of the American Revolution during the Colonial times in the 18^th century.

1. A state of equilibrium

- The family is happy and has peace, everything runs normally

- The father is a modern farmer which is in love of their children

2. Disruption of that equilibrium

- The is a War against the British

- Ultimate disruption à the death of a family member, in this case of one the children

3. Successful restoration of the equilibrium

- Family and town has again find the peace they had before war

- The town has gain their independence

- Family is back together as they were before war conflicts


Deborah Méndez ©

Tribeca Film Festival

Foundation:

Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert de Niro and Craig Hatkoff. It was founded in response to the 11th September of 2001 attacks of the Twin Towers.

Jane Rosenthal & Robert de Niro

Purpose of the festival:

- "Enable the international film community and the general public to experience the power of film by redefining the film festival experience". 

- It is mainly for general public which enjoy movies, not too much restrictions

Line-up of the festival:

Independent films such as:

- Documentaries

- Narrrative features

- Shorts

- Family-friendly films

What are the prizes for each category?

For each categories:

- Best Editing

- Best Cinematography

- Best New Narrative

- Best Screenplay

What films won or are in contention at the Festival in 2010/2011?

- Like water

- Artificial Paradises

- Semper Fi: Always Faithful

- Turn on goddammit

World Narrative Competition

2011 World Narrative Competition Jurors:

Souleymane Cissé, Scott Glenn, David Gordon Green, Rula Jebreal, Art Linson, Jason Sudeikis and Dianne Wiest

The Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature

She Monkeys

Directed by Lisa Aschan (Sweden)

Winner receives $25,000, sponsored by AKA Hotel Residences; and the art award "Anna Christie Entering the Bar, 1965-1967," by Robert De Niro Sr. . 

Best Actress in a Narrative Feature Film

Carice Van Houten in Black Butterflies

Directed by Paula Van Der Oest (Germany, Netherlands, South Africa) 

Winner receives $2,500. 

Best Actor in a Narrative Feature Film

Ramadhan "Shami" Bizimana in Grey Matter

Directed by Kivu Ruhorahoza (Rwanda, Australia)

Winner receives $2,500. 

Best Cinematography

Luisa Tillinger for Artificial Paradises

Directed by Yulene Olaizola (Mexico)

Winner receives $5,000, and $50,000 in post-production services, provided by Company 3. 

Best Screenplay

Jannicke Systad Jacobsen for Turn me on, goddammit 

Directed by Jannicke Systad Jacobsen  (Norway)

Winner receives $5,000.

What is the role of a film festival?

The main role of a film festival is to present and give awards to new films. 

What makes a succesful festival?

- Publicity

- Celebrities

- Good films

- Advertising


Deborah Méndez ©

Film Questionnaire

1. How would you define a good film?

I would personally define a good film when it has a good and interesting plot which is developed the right way. Also, a good film should make you feel as you are inside the movie and are the eye-witness of the event. This makes you experience a more realistic movie and enjoy it more. As well, transfer the original plot but not changing it to much, so that you can be able to get the original idea.

2. If you like a film, do other people have the right to tell you you’re wrong?

I don’t think that it is fair that when you like a film other people say you’re wrong because what you like in a film don’t necessary like to be good for other people. Also some people have different opinions and like some themes which are not liked by some people. You can obtain different feelings and opinions of the film you have watched.

3. How should people behave in cinema?

The way that people should behave in the cinema is not talking and whispering throughout the entire movie. I agree that you can express some emotions, such as a small laugh when looking to a comedy, but not throwing food such as popcorn, to other people. People should be respectful because others want to enjoy the movie and relax themselves. They should be polite not exaggerate with your emotions.

4. Is film an art form? Explain your answer

I do agree when saying that a film is an art form because they transfer someone’s feelings with images and sound. A film is an art because it combines different forms of transferring art such as literature, photography, music and others.

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5. Who should get the final credit for a film, why?

I think that the one that gets the final credit for a film is not depending in one person. This is because the director does a good job in making the film work, but the actors are the ones which transmit all the feelings the director wants. Also, there are lots of minds behind the movie which are very important for the film to be produced at it was.

6. How many different roles can you think of in the making of a film?

-          Producer

-          Director

-          Editor

-          Actor

-          Actress

-          Scriptwriter

-          Make-up in charged

-          Props in charged

-          Costume designer

-          Sounds

7. Is there a function of film?

The function to produce a film is to transmit a message to the audience that someone has created or lived as an experience. There can be also the want to educate through films so that they can get the message.

8. Why do people make films?

The reason why people make films is because they really like to make them and they enjoy the process of having an idea and transferring into acts and something “physical” that other people can see. With this they can transfer their own feelings and do what they like by having fun.

9. Do film makers have a moral responsibility to their audiences

I think that film makers don’t have a moral responsibility to their audiences completely because mostly always they are not trying to offend someone; they are just trying to transmit experiences or ideas they have to entertain or communicate to the audience. This is why I think it goes to a certain point because film makers should be conscious of the globalize environment that we are living and the issues we have in the moment, they shouldn’t try to offend exactly a group of population.


Deborah Méndez ©