GENERAL CONVENTIONS 7: Transition to main film

MY INFLUENCES:

• after learning about Todorov's theory I understand much better when the main movie has started
• 3 different stages of equilibrium
• I could also use this theory for my own film opening
• how to create a dis-equilibrium

WHAT I DISCUSS IN THIS POST:

• Todorov's Narrative Theory
• understand when the main movie starts
• 3 part equilibrium 

SUMMARY:
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• represented from Todorov's Narrative theory
• it suggests that it follows a 3 part equilibrium structure 
• this equilibrium is disrupted by something (binary opposition)
• then reaches a solution when equilibrium is restored

RESEARCH(SAM'S):

The clear transitioning to the main film can be represented from Todorov's Narrative Theory. Tzvetan Todorov's narrative theory suggests that all narratives follow a 3 part equilibrium structure, it progresses as suddenly something comes/happen to disrupt that equilibrium (e.g. binary opposition) and finally reach a solution when the equilibrium is restored. The transition to the main film starts with an equilibrium (everything is as it should be) then there's a disruption (by an event or change in the characters life) that's when it's clear it has transitioned to the main film.

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For This Is England it was when Shaun met Woody. Before, Shaun's life was miserable, he always gets picked on by his schoolmates. When he met Woody everything changes, Shaun felt accepted and confident with his new group.

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In Would You Rather (2013) the equilibrium is that the central protagonist and her brother have been left in debt after their parents died and the brother is very ill who needs medical help which they can't afford. Her life changes when it's offered to her to win a lot of money which can pay for her school, debts, and her brother's treatment. In order to win she has to compete in a game with other participants. 

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In Need For Speed (2014) the equilibrium is that the central protagonist stopped racing after he sat in prison for a few years. But soon he changes his mind and his life changed when he started preparing himself for that famous race he decided to take part in. As well as to revenge his friend who got killed at a car accident.

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RESEARCH(MINE):

Summary:

• Fade to black and crossfading
• Todorov's 5 point narrative - transition at establishment of equilibrium, or at disruption 
•  title cards

Mean Girls

This examples uses a cross-fade to transition to the main film

• After the protagonist has spent her first day of school being told off and sitting by herself
•  there is a clear disruption of the equilibrium established at the start of the film, where she was initially excited.
• She comes home to her parents and shrugs them off rather than engaging with them as she did at the start

Mean Girls cross-fade to mark transition

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Submarine

• This examples has a series of wide shots of the welsh countryside, then a title card
• establishing an equilibrium with the protagonist fitting in more with the countryside than 'most people' - as he puts it

  

  Submarine title card

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Baby Driver

• Quite similar to Submarine, this example had a title sequence that began with a worms eye view of a building, and the film title transitioned in with a little animation
• at the en dog the title sequence the protagonist enters the same building 
• this creates a sense of closure, and establishes an equilibrium (the protagonist is in a sense driving in circles in his life, with nothing new ever happening)
• You see a police car quickly drive past (also part of the equilibrium as the police are in a sense always just behind the protagonist (catching up maybe?)
  

  

  Baby Driver - juist after protagonist has re-entered building

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The Mexican

Quite typical - fade to black then fade up to begin the main film

• Creates narrative enigma as we just heard a car crash - who was in it? did they survive? was it actually an accident?
• Isn't done in chronological order - the happens towards the end of the film

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The Notebook

• This film begins with a serious os wide shots of a lake at sunset 
• it's really serene and romantic 
• Marks the transition to the main film with a sudden cut to a closeup shot of an old woman's face, and the music playing comes to an end

  

  The Notebook closeup shot

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