Elements of Narrative, Short

Films, Loglines & Plot

Will Jewell, Lucy Moore, Claire
Russell, Nicholas Blincoe
Key Dates:
Date
Fri 7th October
Thurs 13th/Fri 14th October
Thurs 20th/Fri 21st October
Thurs 3rd/Fri 4th Nov
Thurs 10th/Fri 11th Nov
Tues 15th Nov, Thurs 17th, Fri 18th Formatives
Nov
Thurs 24th Nov, Fri 25th
Thurs 1st, Fri 2nd Dec
Thurs 8th/Fri 9th Nov
Thurs 15th/Fri 16th Dec
23:55 Sun 18th Dec
Topic
What is narrative? The Premise
Log lines & Short Films
Developing Your Idea. Opening Scenes
Characters
Narrative Structures, devices and theories
Dialogue, theme & subtext
Short narratives, Writing action, scenes & endings
Writer’s Tools – how to get the most out of your
idea. Predominant Genre. Conflict.
The writing process & industry. Writing workshops
SUBMISSION
Deliverables
https://moodle.rave.ac.uk/course/view.php?id
=4187

Your Submission:

Two elements

A) Portfolio of Narrative Project Work (70%)

•A 5 page script that has reached at least 3rd draft stage

•A 2 page single scene pieces of narrative that illustrate

skills gained in a specific aspects of narrative such as
dialogue, writing action, subtext, conflict, reversal or
twists, genre, hiding exposition, conveying theme etc
And...

B) Analytical Reflection (1500 words +/- 10%) (30%)

This essay is to demonstrate the depth of your grasp of narrative.

This could be undertaken by outlining your understanding of
narrative theories and how narrative is evolving with respect to
how your 5 page script developed through your writing process.
An exploration of your script and breaking it down into narrative
units such as acts, beats, turning points, reversals etc could also
serve to illustrate your understanding of the subject.

The essay could also be used to evaluate what you sought to

specifically achieve in your 2 short single scenes and whether
you feel you realised these goals, in combination with a
reflection on what knowledge you gained about the narrative
process. BIBLIOGRAPHY!
Elements of Narrative
 PREMISE
The fundamental concept that drives the plot /
hooks in the audience.

Toy story – Toys come to life when we aren’t looking

ET – A lonely boy is befriended by an Alien

Jaws – A small town is terrorised by a shark

Sixth Sense – A little boy sees dead people

 PLOT
The King dies
and two weeks later the Queen dies
 STORY
The King dies
and two weeks later the Queen dies
of a broken heart
Structure
 Three Act Structure

Beginning Middle End

Act 1 Act2 Act3

Set Up Development Resolution

Thesis Antithesis Synthesis

It’s the chassis, the undercarriage that underpins the story

A great idea needs a sound narrative structure

Structure can help you spring surprises and twists

If you see a film that didn’t live up to its premise/promise

then it may well be because the structure wasn’t sound

A badly structured film often struggles to hold your

attention. It feels ‘baggy’ or ‘loses its way’

Yet structure shouldn’t be a straight jacket...

Get in the habit of looking for the structure in films...

Eg
The opening scenes must convey to the viewer the world, who protagonist is,
who/what antagonist is, what’s the genre/’rules’ of this world, slip in any exposition
required, what is missing in the protagonist’s life/what their objective is and what is
stopping them getting it... All whilst being gripping and making us want to stay with the
film!

In first 10-15 minutes there will be an ‘inciting incident’ that propels the story

This will often change the protagonist’s reality and they will need to try and get back to
some ‘new normality’ at the end

Look out for the point around 2/3rd to 3/4s when ‘all is lost’ – the darkest light is just
before dawn...

The protagonist may get what they’re after or maybe they don’t but realise it wasn’t
what they actually wanted – it’s all about the journey...
 STRUCTURE
• THREE ACT STRUCTURE: at its simplest:
• Beginning, Middle and End
• Can you identify key turning points in the story?
• Crisis points for the protagonist? An ‘All is lost’
moment?
• Do we enter and exit the story at the best moments?
• LOTR - the longest, most drawn out ending ever!
• Well structured films: what happens feels surprising,
yet inevitable and every scene feeds the story.
14
 Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect makes a narrative
compelling and cohesive. It holds our
attention.
We understand how one thing has led to
another and why.
A sequence of events is rooted in character
action and behaviour.
Delicious moments in comedies and
thrillers where we anticipate the
reactions of characters we have got to
know. i.e. Back to the Future ‘Don’t call
me stupid’
What makes a great
Character?
How are characters differentiated?

Description - (hair and make up)

Dialogue

Their key desires - what drives them.

Behaviour choices

Attitude to life, to other people’s behaviour, to the world.

Tics and quirks. What makes them unique individuals rather than bland
stereotypes?
 DIALOGUE
• Style? Heightened? Realistic?

• Dialogue heavy or no? (Wall-E, The Artist versus

Shakespeare in Love, Clerks)

• How does dialogue differentiate characters? Denotes

class, education, geography, emotional state, openness

• What makes good dialogue? Wit? Subtext? Befitting of

character.
 THEME
What is the film really about?

How does theme manifest through character journey?

How does the ending of the film reflect theme?

How is it reflected in the visual choices / language?

 GENRE
How is genre indicated?

What are audience expectations?

What do you expect from a…

rom-com, horror, thriller, drama, teen film,

action, disaster movie?
 For the Birds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6g_5aThEv0
Identify:

•Premise
•Plot
•Structure
• Acts
• inciting incident,
• turning points,
• reversals
•Characters
FOR THE BIRDS - STORY ANALYSIS

- Loads of little birds jostle for position on a telephone wire.

- (setting/character - what kinds of birds are they?)

- They are silenced by the arrival of a big, goofy, friendly bird.

- (character/inciting incident / Who are we rooting for?)

- They take the piss out of his appearance and voice.

- (character, theme, audience empathy, humour)
- He attempts to make friends again, they move away
- and mutter suspiciously.
- (plot, character, conflict)

- He flies into their midst making the telephone wire sag.

- (plot – motivated by character, a new decision by protagonist)

- Birds are squashed up against him. They are not happy.

(reaction - cause and effect / character / rising tension)

- He misinterprets their angry squeaking as happy chatter.

One bird pecks him making him hang upside-down.
(comedy, character / plot, escalation tension – unexpected new twist.)
- mean birds hatch a plan to get rid of him, peck his toes
(plot – motivated by character, escalation of violence!)

- one realises its going to backfire too late.

(reaction, humour, dramatic irony)

- Big bird drops off and the wire pings up, he’s ok - hasn’t fallen far.
(plot, pay-off, humour)

- birds land, naked and humiliated. big bird has the last laugh.
(humiliation added to defeat – double payoff!)
WHY DOES THIS STORY WORK WELL?

Clear cause and effect between actions

Each action is motivated by character and character behaviour is consistent

Characters are neatly set up and recognizable archetypes

Theme is universal human desire – wish to fit in,

suspicion of the different. It’s the outsider getting revenge on bullies.

Satisfying to see mean behaviour punished.

It’s funny.
 KNICK KNACK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uhM_SUhdaw
Recognising Narrative Devices

Knick Knack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HFIXKxGIss

Identify:

Inciting incident
Character objective
Obstacles
Further complications
False hope
Reversal/twist
Short Films
Watch Short Films!!

Short of the Week:

www.shortoftheweek.com

Short of the Month:

www.shortofthemonth.com

Future Shorts:
https://www.youtube.com/user/futureshorts

Jameson’s Shorts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns1OLcnXb7w

Virgin Media Shorts:

https://www.youtube.com/user/VirginMediaShorts

The Smalls:
http://www.thesmalls.com/browse/films

Film Minute
http://www.filminute.com/home.php
 Every film maker starts with shorts

http://mic.com/articles/92951/16-short-films-that-launched-the-career
s-of-famous-directors
Stepping Stone medium

Allows you to hone narrative sensibilities, find your

voice before attempting longer form

If you can visually tell a story well in 5-10 mins you

have a strong foundation

Get festival buzz, profile, calling card

Landmark shorts such as:

La Jetee
An Occurrence at Owl Creek
Plot vs Character

Plot-based Character-based

Thrillers Drama
Action Comedy
Adventure Ensemble
Sci Fi Social realism
Horror
Character

Gasman (1998)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6mwS6NVZWc
WASP
Milk (B v B)
Two Cars, One Night (B v B)

Long Distance Information (Joy Of 6)

North Atlantic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aScwR4tmFmI
Envelopes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tFcQOJvSCc
Soft
The Ellington Kid (JO6)
Friend Request Pending (JO6)

The Banker (B v B)
Joyride
The Last Breath
https://vimeo.com/26135892
Operator:
Plot https://www.shortoftheweek.com/2016/04/01/operator/
Homework:

For next week watch at least 2 short films and deconstruct/review them:

What is the premise?

How would you describe it in a logline?

Did you like it? Why?

Is it well shot? Well-acted?

How long do you think it was shot in?

What would you do differently if you’d made the film?

 Some broad types of short narratives
• Micro shorts structured like a joke/pub story
• Slice of life - social realism: character over plot
• Sting in the tail / punch-line or twist
• Elliptical
• Feature in miniature/proof of concept
• Calling cards
Micro Shorts
‘A great short film is like a joke well told’

Cool Unicorn, Bruv: https://vimeo.com/58207848

The Ellington Kid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-InkUlwrqXs
The Black Hole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5_Msrdg3Hk
Long Distance Information
Big Society
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geq4MHsoH4Y
Character over Plot
Considered more ‘Arthouse’ – nuanced, intimate
portraits of characters. Often short on plot.

Gasman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6mwS6NVZWc
Small Deaths
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twLZx4uUg6I
WASP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol8imKa9yd8
Milk
Two Cars, One Night
About A Girl
Eight
Who’s My Favourite Girl?
Sting in the tail
Similar to ‘joke’ structure -

Short film format suits this structure

Misdirection & punchline/denouement
Method Actor:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/19966855?autoplay=1
Long Distance Information
The Voorman Problem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r73SdnlSx50 (on itunes)
https://www.thevoormanproblem.com
Man In Fear
About A Girl
Room 8
Breathe
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/i-didnt-expect-the-horrific-end-twis
t-in-this-short-fil-1684947224
Elliptical
Makes a short slice of screen time feel bigger
Resonate beyond first & last frame:

Loop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PArM9atP6
nE
Doodlebug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WhKt_CkX
D0
Room 8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJj_NMhY
wf0
La Cabina
Feature in miniature/proof of concept
Make the imagination leap to features easier

http://mentalfloss.com/article/53961/19-short-films-
were-made-feature-length-movies

A dry run or ‘proof of concept’

Bottle Rocket
Saw
Cashback
District 9
Man In Fear
Whiplash
https://vimeo.com/123482554
Skeletons https://vimeo.com/14362295
Cashback
Calling Cards
Pitch Black Heist:
http://www.film4.com/film4-productions/shorts/pitch-black-heist
Slap
Island Queen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rckF_NT4W0&list=PLqzw2q_
GfuvZqg3p99w4KsV2PS4KMP-9K&index=2
Wish 143 https://vimeo.com/17883974
Curfew
The Phone Call
Keeping Up With The Jonses
The VFX Calling Card
Panic Attack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
dadPWhEhVk

Blinky http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C-
9rNqLxGw

Brain Centrifuge Project:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=
brain+centrifuge+project&oq=brain+&gs_l=youtu
be.1.0.35i39j0j0i3j0l7.26776.27658.0.29184.6.6.0.
0.0.0.176.521.5j1.6.0...0.0...1ac.1.11.youtube.F5n
YP51hB3U
Watch Short Films!

http://www.film4.com/film4-productions/shorts
Future Shorts
https://www.youtube.com/user/futureshorts
Jameson Shorts:
https://www.youtube.com/user/jamesonwhiskey
https://www.shortoftheweek.com
Shooting people
Vimeo

Joy of 6 http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Joy-Six-Judi-Dench/dp/B00AAXZ5VQ

Best v Best (Shooting People)

Cinema 16 - (inc shorts by Nolan, Ramsay, Leigh etc)
(both at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Award-Winning-Short-Films/dp/B000IFS06S )
BBC Film Network
http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/
Virgin Media Shorts
http://www.virginmediashorts.co.uk/#page=1&filter=date
Reed Short Film Competition
http://www.reed.co.uk/film
Bombay Sapphire
https://vimeo.com/64878402
Micro Shorts
www.shudderfilms.co.uk/micro-movies/
Plot
 PLOT

“The first principle and, as it were,

the soul of the tragedy is the plot”
Aristotle
“…dramatically constructed about a
single action which is whole and
complete, with a beginning, a
middle, and an end”
The beginning of a script should be an event that
by nature does not follow anything, but naturally
leads to something (Act I)

A MURDER is the natural starting point for a

THRILLER

The middle is what naturally follows the beginning

and leads to the end (Act II)

In a thriller this is most often the INVESTIGATION

The end should be an event that naturally comes

out of what has preceded (Act III)

In a thriller this is often when the KILLER is CAUGHT

Beginning – The family preparing to leave
to go to Paris

Middle - 2 main strands

1) Mother trying to get back home
2) Kevin trying to fend off burglars

Ends – The family return

HOME ALONE – MAIN BEATS

• A young boy is forgotten at home when his family

goes on vacation

• He has to defend his home from two burglars

• His mother, realises her mistake, tries to rush home

to him.

• The boy manages to set up traps for the burglars

• The burglars are arrested

• His family returns.

TO FLESH OUT THE PLOT INTO SCENES ASK
QUESTIONS AND CONSTRUCT SCENES AROUND
THE ANSWERS

FOR EXAMPLE IN HOME ALONE

How is the boy forgotten at home?

What kind of traps does he set up?

How/when does the mother realise her

mistake?

What stands in the way of her return?

 “…Anything whose presence or
absence makes no discernible
difference is no essential part of the
whole.”

• Ask the question ‘Does this scene/beat

make a difference to the story as a whole if
this is in the script or not?’

• You may have a scene that you are in love

with but if it doesn’t feed into the main
plot then you have to get rid of it. Robert
McKee calls it “Killing your babies”
 SINGLE ACTION
This is also known as UNITY OF ACTION

• A plot will have unity if all events in it

are linked together

• Each event leading to the next

• In a unified plot, actions should not be

included if they do not converge
towards the same end.

• A good touchstone for plotting scenes is

to ask if this is ultimately leading
towards the end.
For Example:

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

The first act takes place over three continents but all
leads to witnessing the alien spaceship land.

STAR WARS
All events lead to the destruction of the Death Star.
• Historians & journalists (documentary
makers) concern themselves with the
question: What exactly did happen?

• Dramatic writing is more interested in the

question: What could happen?

• The plot provides the framework to then

explore how the character/s reacts by
placing them in certain situations (the
cattle prod to examine the human
condition).
“Plots must have a proper length –
one which can be easily retained
in the memory”
This doesn’t mean they can’t be complex!

A good measure for this is that after seeing

the movie or reading the script we should be
able to describe it to another person.

The unity will assist with remembering the

plot.
VISUAL UNITY – Assists with retaining the
memory of the movie as a whole

Using consistent images (aka lit motif)

throughout.

PRETTY WOMAN – The Fire Escape

• Vivian uses it in the beginning of the film to
avoid the landlord.
• Edward climbs it to get to her in the end.
Is what happens and story is how it affects the character/s
involved

Plot facilitates story

Star Wars - the plot is obtaining plans for and destroying the
Death Star
- the story is how Luke Skywalker learns to use the
force and become a Jedi
Loglines
Turning your film from the spark of an idea into a

WHO, WHAT, AND/BUT structure

Hone and refine it

Logline – 25 words or less

Who Conflict And/but…

It’s the story The central A further

of… dilemma, irony twist/element
or set up to ratchet up
the
tension/humour
etc

Who’s eyes are Where/what is Paint a mental

we going to see the story? picture that
your world Where does the blooms beyond
through? conflict arise the logline –
from? show its
potential
Who’s story?
What happens?
And...?/but (complication/irony)

Approx 25-30 words

Who Conflict And/but…

Long ago in a galaxy must train as a Jedi to defeat an evil

far away, a simple warrior empire
farm boy
Who Conflict And/but…

A young boy discovers he’s a and goes off to wizard

wizard school
Who Conflict And/but…

Two womanizing seeking to escape the dress in drag and join

musicians mob after witnessing an all-girl band
a massacre headed to Miami
Who Conflict And/but…

A world weary man saves a pregnant in a future world

woman where women no
longer give birth
Who Conflict And/but…

A city cop who hates becomes sheriff of a that is terrorised by a

water holiday island killer shark as 4th July
weekend approaches
Who Conflict And/but…

A scientist on a clones dinosaurs from and creates a

remote island their DNA trapped in dinosaur theme park
prehistoric insects
Script on Moodle:
https://moodle.rave.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/145341/mod_reso
urce/content/1/JG%20-%20NIGHTSHIFT%20EP1%20OCT%20
2011.pdf

PREMISE: VERY SIMPLE!

WE FOLLOW TWO POLICEMAN AS THEY DRIVE THE STREETS

OF SOUTH EAST LONDON IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS
DISCUSSING LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING.

COMMISSIONED BY A PRODUCTION COMPANY RATHER

THAN A BROADCASTER – THIS IS VERY RARE AND GIVES THE
WRITER FAR MORE FREEDOM. WHAT APPEARS ON SCREEN
IS MORE OR LESS WORD FOR WORD WHAT THE WRITER
INTENDED.
SET UP/OPENING:

ESTABLISHES THAT THEY:

ARE ON A NIGHTSHIFT AND

ARE GOOD FRIENDS/COMFORTABLE BEING

TOGETHER

DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THEIR EASY BANTER

MP IS ARMANI.

HIS CHARACTER IS PRESENTED WITH CONFLICT AND HE HAS TO

MAKE A CHOICE; TO KEEP HIS JOB AND PROTECT HIS PENSION
OR SUPPORT HIS FRIEND.

• GOV STAYS THE SAME – IRREVERENT, A RENEGADE

• SO DOES MADDISON – OFFICIOUS, BY-THE-BOOK

INCITING INCIDENT

THEY COME ACROSS A YOUNG, DRUNK GIRL

WHO LATER PRESENTS THE DILEMMA

ANTAGONIST

MADISON. REPRESENTS THE INSTITUTION

THEMES

LOVE/LOYALTY

EVEN PETTIGREW ‘EARNS HIS KEEP’ - HE HAS

HAD AN ARGUMENT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND
THAT’S WHY HE’S WANDERING THE STREETS
IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING.
HAD TO CUT IT FROM 35 MINUTES TO 22 MINUTES

CUT TWO SCENES SET AT THE TEA STAND ON

BLACKHEATH

BOTH GREAT CHARACTER PIECES AND THE TWO

SCENES ACT AS SET UP AND PAY OFF BUT
ULTIMATELY DIDN’T LEAD TO THE END OR ADD TO
THE UNITY.