Fundamentals of Narrative 2

Display Schedule

Subject guarantor

Petra DOMINKOVÁ

Name of lecturer(s)

Petra DOMINKOVÁ

Contents

The course Fundamentals of Narrative will not teach you how to write the script per se, however, it may significantly help you to do so. We will discuss various facets of narratology, that is the study of narrative and narrative structure, and the ways that these affect human perception. We will become familiar with the terms such as story, plot, narrative, narration, focalization, etc. that are widely used in the literature and their understanding is crucial for comprehending how the script works and what may influence the spectators’ perception. We will try to dig deep into the seemingly simple concepts of time, space, and character. We will discuss few approaches to the analysis of the texts (feminist, semiotic), as well as few theories based on the archetypes (Campbell, Hudson, Propp), and chronotope (Bakhtin). We will devote few lectures to TV series and the specific narrative techniques they are using. We will also discuss adaptation between various media and talk about how the change of the medium may influence the story. All in all, we will try to understand as much as possible how the narratives work, which is necessary for being able to create one.

Classes will be discussion-based, I assume we will mostly discuss various themes together, instead of me delivering the lectures. I expect students will work regularly for the class, there will be reading for each week, and occasionally students may be required to watch the film or episode of TV series. There will be also assignments, even if some of them will be not written, rather would require students to come up with some ideas, think about various ways how the story may be manipulated, come up with their own plot for one particular story, etc.

The lecture will be taught in Fall 2021 and Spring 2022.

Learning outcomes

• To be able to discuss various facets of narratology, that is the study of narrative and narrative structure, and the ways that these affect human perception
• To understand the terms such as story, plot, narrative, narration, focalization, etc. that are widely used in the literature and their understanding is crucial for comprehending how the script works and what may influence the spectators’ perception
• To understand the deeper meanings of seemingly simple concepts of time, space, and character
• To be able to discuss the specific narrative techniques TV series are using nowadays
• To be able to apply all those knowledge in your own creative work

Prerequisites and other requirements

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In order to register for the course 311FON2, the student must have successfully completed the course 311FON1 in a previous semester.

Literature

Aronson, Linda. The 21st century screenplay : a comprehensive guide to writing tomorrow's films. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin, 2010. pp. 45–60.

Dancyger, Ken, and Jeff Rush. Alternative Scriptwriting: Successfully Breaking the Rules. Amsterdam: Elsevier/Focal Press, 2007.

Mittell, Jason. Complex TV : the poetics of contemporary television storytelling. New York: New York University Press, 2015.

Propp. Vladimir. Morphology of the Folktale. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2009 (20th Edition).

Evaluation methods and criteria

The final grade will be calculated as follows:

• Class Attendance and Participation (25 %)
• Final essay (25%)
• 5 assignments (each for 10 %)

Note

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Schedule for winter semester 2022/2023:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2022/2023:

• Week view
• List

The subject is a part of the following study plans

• Cinema and Digital Media - Directing_1920 (required subject with the possibility of repeat registration)
• Cinema and Digital Media - Directing 2020 (required subject with the possibility of repeat registration)