Narrative theories in Music Videos

Todorov- he proposes that all texts have a narrative structure. He states there are 5 stages to each narrative structure and he analyses old Russian Folk tales in oder to demonstrate his theory. 

He argues that we have the following:

• Equilibrium- normality at the beginning 
• Disruption- An event occurs to disrupt the normality 
• Acknowledgement - When the main protagonist understands that he/she needs to act in order to restore normality/ equilibrium 
• Attempt to restore- is that act of fighting/ rectifying the problem in order to the issue. 
• New equilibrium - is the restoration of normality, however due to the act/ journey undertaken by the protagonist this is a new normal as the old version of normality no longer exists (can never be replicated)

The narrative structures do not have to come in a specific order and can often start at the point of disruption or acknowledgement and then work in a non- linear fashion towards the new equilibrium.

Vladimir Propp-  Russian Folklorist in the early of the 20th century. 
He said there are only ever 7 different character types that exists in literature. 

• Here 
• Dono 
• Helper 
• Villain
• Princess 
• False hero 
• Dispacher 

He added that it is not a necessity for all 7 character types to appear in the plot, but after analysing a range of different folk tales and literature observed that these 7 character types were the mainstays of all fiction and media texts. 

The music video- Hero Enrique Inglesias 

Starts ar the point of disruption as someone has been robbed and the main princess and hero have run off together. 

Acknowledgement occurs when Enrique realises he needs to fight to the villain to win the princess. 

He cannot escape the villain and restore equlibrium without first fighting to win her and the money. 

The attempt to restore is that they meet up in the desert to fight snd to see who will win the princess. Winner takes the money, however the princess calls for helpers (police) they are not aware they did this. Enrique dies and the police do not make it in time. 

New equpium- villain is arrested, hero dies, princess heart broken but runs away with all the money. 

Band of the Horses- Dilly

• Equilibrium- the town people are fine and the bikers are fine as they don't release they are going to end up in so much trouble in the town. 
• Disruption- The bikers realised they were not liked by the bar and in turn they react in a way that they shouldn't 
• Acknowledgement - The bar people called the police
• Attempt to Restore- the shoot out between the bikers and the police 
• New equilibrium- The bikers ride off into the sunset