A1

Narrative filmmaking –
purposes, formats, narrative
structures and visual
storytelling
Formats and purposes
Short films
Why are short films important to the film industry? The short answer is it
gives filmmakers the opportunity to tell a story in a short space of time. A
short film is typically considered to be a movie that is less than 30 minutes in
length. Short films are used to showcase events or showcasing people's
talents. Short films can't fit in the amount of plot and character development
as feature films, so they need to produce unique ways to grab audience
attention. Short films are often screen at film festivals and made by
independent filmmakers with a low or no budget at all. They are usually
funded by film grants, non-profit organisations or personal funds.
An example of a short film is An Irish goodbye by an independent film
television production company found by filmmaker's tom Berkley and rose
white. This was their second film and got them the best live action short at
the 95th academy awards.
Feature length productions
A feature film is a film that typically has a run time between 80
minutes and 180 minutes long. Feature length productions allow
filmmakers to introduce more characters. They also allow characters to
have full character arcs and allow the audience to connect more deeply
to them. They are used to offer more complex stories that may require
more production time, more actors and different sets to tell the story.
An example of a feature length film is willys wonderland directed by
Kevin Lewis with a budget of 5 million. This feature length film stars
Nicolas Cage and he gave a chance for a director and many actor who
haven’t been recognised or have just started a chance to take part in a
film.
TV drama
TV dramas are stand-alone episodes featuring same characters and
different plots each episode. TV dramas allow us to indulge our innate
desire to share human narratives. They are used to be more serious
than humorous in tone.
• an example of a tv drama is ‘doctor who’. This is a science fiction
series that has been airing since 1963. the story is based around a
timelord that has stolen a Tardis and ran away and never stopped.
Serial dramas
Serial dramas have an ongoing narrative development with recurring
themes. Serial dramas are important because unlike tv dramas serial
dramas develop a deeper story and go in on details of the story. They
are not self contained and form part of a series. Serial dramas are used
to hook the audience to follow the plot.
An example of a TV drama is ‘a series of unfortunate events’. This
series has dark and comedic themes, the story is based around the
tragic life of three orphans. Plot, character and tension are evident in
this drama, these are the basis of any great drama.
 Narrative structures
• The monomyth – the monomyth idea explains the adventure of the
main man or woman in which they move on an journey, faces a disaster,
then wins and returns triumphant.
• Todorv's equilibrium - Todorv's equilibrium states that the tale begins at
an equilibrium in which the whole thing is normal, then there is a
disruption which begins the complete story
• Propp's character types - Propp’s
character types recommend that each story is decided and managed by
using the selections and movements of the characters. There are set
stereotypes on this theory which can be implemented to the characters
who can have the most have an effect on within the tale
 An example of a monomyth theory is
buffy the vampire slayer. As a teenager
she was a demon slayer, buffy
undergoes giant changes when it
comes to her calling as a slayer.
reluctant before everything, she comes
to terms along with her duties later
within the series.
The call
The calls has Todorv's equilibrium ,
as the story starts with four
teenagers terrorising an elderly
woman. We learn that one of the
teenagers sisters went missing and
this elderly woman got accused of
kidnapping her.