Formative Assessment Task using Short Film Going Down

NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

Example from Going Down

Exposition: Describe,
Explain and analyse what
is the role of the exposition
in a film.

Analyse how exposition in Going Down helps develop the

narrative. Refer to the use of camera, sound and editing

The exposition is the

beginning or introduction
of a film. It establishes the
setting, characters and
plot of a narrative. The
purpose of an exposition in
a film is to attract the
audiences attention and
encourage them to keep
watching. Film makers do
this by establishing
background information,
introducing believable
main characters and
creating a conflict or
problem the plot of the
story is based around.

Catalyst: Describe,
explain and analyse what
is the role of the catalyst in
a film. (Or you may do this
on another like Turning
point or resolution...)
A catalyst or turning point
is an event in the plot of
the narrative that changes
the course of the plot. The
catalyst is the event which
disrupts the equilibrium
established in the
exposition. role of the
catalyst in a film is to
develop the narrative and
bring the film to its
eventual revolution. The
catalyst event usually

The exposition of Going Down helps develop the narrative

because establishes the setting of the film and introduces the
main characters

Ambient sound of cars helps develop the narrative by allowing the

audience to understand the film is set in a city

Close-ups of the main characters clothes develop the narrative

because it helps us to understand that he is a business man

The Introductory music is the type of jazzy music often played

through elevators, giving the audience insight into the main
setting of the story and helping develop the narrative by
conveying to the audience that something is going to happen
inside the elevator

The line of dialogue, Hang on there, mate! uses colloquial

language develops the narrative by helping the audience to
establish that the film is set in New Zealand

The line of dialogue Going Down? is also the title of the film. The
use of this line in the film helps the audience to understand the
films title, and helps develop the narrative by allowing us to
understand that the main setting of the film is inside the elevator
and something is going to happen in it

Analyse how the catalyst in Going Down helps develop the

narrative. Refer to the use of camera, sound and editing

The catalyst in the film Going Down is when the main character
is reading aloud from the newspaper and realises that he may be
sharing the elevator with the killer. This helps develop the
narrative because it creates tension within the audience and
makes them want to find out whether the man is the killer or not

The use of the pause during the line of dialogue, The killer may
disguise himself as either a businessman or aworkman, helps
develop the narrative by illustrating to the audience the exact
moment where the catalyst takes place and helps them
understand the main characters reaction to what he has just read

The use of non-melodic, low pitched music with a sinister tune at

the moment of the catalyst helps develop the narrative by
creating suspense among the members of the audience

A close up of the mans overalls at the moment of the catalyst

triggers a problem whose

resolution is the main
focus of the plot. The main
characters in a narrative
will usually recognise the
problem created by the
catalyst, resolve the
problem and establish a
new equilibrium.

Inner Conflict: Describe,

Explain and Analyse the
role of inner conflict in
films / stories. What are
some of the conventional
ways to show inner conflict
in films?
Inner conflict is a conflict
of one person who is
struggling with difficult
events or decisions. An
inner conflict can be a
difficult moral decision for
a main character or the
acknowledgement of
certain ideas or facts that
is difficult for the character
to deal with. The role of an
inner conflict in a film is to
help develop the narrative
and give us insight into the
personality of the main
character(s). Seeing how a
character deals with
internal conflict allows us
to measure that
characters personality
which can influence our
perception of them
throughout the story. Some
conventional ways of
showing inner conflict in
films is close-ups of the
characters facial
expressions, a narration of
the main characters
thoughts/feelings or music
that relates to the

helps develop the narrative because it allows the audience to

realise that he may in fact be the killer. Overalls are significant in
horror films because in many horror films the killer wears overalls,
such as in Halloween.

Close-up shots of the main characters face as he realises what he

has just read help develop the narrative because they help
convey to the audience the main characters fear.

A close-up shot of the mans hand tightening around his briefcase

helps develop the narrative because it makes the audience
believe he has just reacted to the main characters belief that he
is the killer

Analyse how the inner conflict develops the narrative. Refer to

the use of camera, sound and editing

The inner conflict in Going Down is the main characters struggle

to keep his composure after he realises that he may be stuck in
an elevator with a serial killer. This helps develop the narrative as
it creates tension and anticipation among the audience

The repetition of the dialogue line come on, down! helps

develop the narrative because it creates tension among the
audience and helps us understand the main characters fear

Close-up shots of the killer and the main characters sweaty

faces help develop the narrative as it conveys to the audience the
main characters fear and makes us believe the killer is nervous
because he believes he has been discovered

The increase is the crescendo and pitch of the sinister music helps
develop the narrative because it builds tension and anticipation
as well as leading the audience to believe the climax is near. It
reflects the main characters mounting fear

The high pitched staccato violin notes are vaguely reminiscent of

Bernard Hermanns music composition for the shower scene in
Psycho, helping develop the narrative by highlighting that the
main character believes that he could be murdered in the elevator

The main characters nervous laughter helps develop the

narrative because it helps us understand his internal conflict in
trying to keep his composure around the killer and not let on
that he has discovered the killers identity

characters emotions at
the time of the conflict.