Dramaturgy refers to the doctrine of drama theory and form problems, or if you will, the doctrine of dramatic storytelling. To master the art of telling captivating and constantly moving on two levels. The action plane that describes what is happening and the narrator plane how it is happening. The basis of all narration is the recipient. The role of the recipient is yourself to fill in the course of events.
All drama has a purpose; to create a mood of some kind in your recipients, your task is not to tell what the recipient should feel but your task is to convey this. All drama also works in an interplay between you as a screenwriter and your recipients, everyone assumes that things are built up to a climax at some point during the product and then fade out and end. Your mission now is to guide your recipients there, to create the flow that carries the story. To write a story is to make a promise!
When graphic communication is most successful, it makes the viewer pay attention to it and take part in the dramaturgy and then immerse themselves in the message. To succeed in this, those who are active in graphic communication need to work according to principles similar to the dramaturgical working methods of the author, director, and playwright.
Dramaturgy in moving media
During my years as a teacher in Multimedia Production, one part of the education included ways of building up dramaturgy through narrative to keep an interesting level of storytelling all the way.
Linear storytelling (as opposed to, for example, interactive storytelling) is based on telling a story or otherwise conveying a message with a specific start and end point. The recipient has limited opportunities to influence the content or pause the story. The first thing that can be imagined as an example is ordinary dramatic storytelling on film. But it can also be about reportage, news broadcasting and "sofa programs". There are, of course, both pros and cons to this type of storytelling:
+ Bring out emotions and moods.
+ Engage
+ Create an overview.
+ Show "reality"
+ Explain difficult contexts.
- Passive learning situation
- Poor in conveying detailed facts
- Requires "start-up time."
A message that is conveyed with the help of sound and moving images Can have a very large impact. You have in the medium a number of tools that you can combine in an extremely powerful way to achieve your goal. On the other hand, these tools can have the opposite effect if not used properly.
Dramatic storytelling
To create a narrative where an action is created that arouses interest and then maintains it throughout the story, most people work with the so-called dramatic curve, which is shown in the illustration below.
Three storytelling techniques
Dramaturgy includes three storytelling techniques:
The dramatic technique is based on the dramatic triangle involving the pursuer, the victim, and the rescuer.
In commercial storytelling, it is about a problem, which an intended consumer experiences and which a product (as an instrument) can remedy.
The non-dramatic is based on a softer dialogue with the audience, which is given the opportunity for their own interpretations and values. This creates a relationship to the message.
The interactive, a storytelling technique that is based on the visitor using a navigation instrument to some extent creating an interactive story.
Seven identified dramatis personae
Based on the above mentioned three storytelling techniques one can also add more depth by Vladimir Propp’s Morphology of the Folktale where he extends the dramatic triangle by a series of rules for narrative based on the two components:
1. Roles which are filled by characters.
2. Functions, which constitute the plot.
Segmentation of plot
While mentioning moving media in communication we should look at the central moments of the plot and their place in a movie narrative. Narratives in general sense are all around us, all communication follows narratives, and it is of central important how we understand the communication process. In moving images, the narrative present, all events setting the story and its plot. Any successful moving image need some sort of plot with the relationship of cause and effect which is the substance of the story. The most common type of narrative of today is the standard Hollywood narrative including the following key features.
A single diegesis: there is one main storyline.
A central pattern of enigma and resolution is followed.
All questions posed at the start of the narrative, or as it progresses, are answered.
The chain of events follows a logical sequence and has an inner logic.
Verisimilitude: all events are believable.
The audience should empathize with the central characters.
The focus of the narrative is on individuals rather than society or groups.
Technical or symbolic elements are subordinate to the construction of the narrative and the need to drive it along.
This type of storytelling is organized into a standard of three acts. Hence, one of the central points comprised of an identifiable Beginning, a Middle and an End. These can also be called Opening, Conflict, and resolution.
Police TV shows of today are very similar to the film noir narrative of the past in this example:
The Seven roles of dramatis personae
Based on the storytelling technique Rescuer, Pursuer and victim explained earlier in this text there are seven roles or dramatis personae that can be identified, some of which can be filled by the same character and may also be filled by more than one character.
1. The villain
2. The donor or provider
3. The helper
4. The princess and her father
5. The dispatcher
6. The hero
7. The false hero
When adding these roles into the segmented plot and its three acts opening, conflict and resolution, it is possible to study the narrative functions with a more advanced setup using the preparation, complication, transference, struggle, return and recognition.
The below narrative functions fit almost any adventure or action movie following the Hollywood narrative, although Moving image scripts will rarely contain all the elements defined; however, they can all be identified as variant on these central themes. Let us do an experiment and think of a favorite adventure movie mind reading the following narrative functions and see how many of them fit your script. I had the Lord of the Rings and Avatar movies in mind when I first read them and could check most of the narrative functions. Do any of the below statements per box fit the movie you have in mind?
The Hollywood Narrative
Preparation A member of the family leaves home.
A prohibition or rule is imposed to the hero.
This prohibition is broken.
The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance.
The villain learns something about his victim.
The villain tries to deceive the victim to get possession of him or his belongings.
The victim unknowingly helps the villain by being deceived or influenced by the villain.
Complication The villain harms a member of the family.
A member of the family lacks or desires something.
This lack or misfortune is made known; the hero is given a request or command and he
goes or is sent on a mission/ request.
The seeker (or the hero) plans action against the villain.
Transference The hero leaves home.
The hero is tested, interrogated, and as a result receives either a magical agent or helper.
The hero reacts to the actions of the future donor.
The hero uses the magical agent.
The hero is transferred to the general location of the object of his mission/quest.
Struggle The hero and villain join in direct combat.
The hero is branded.
The villain is defeated.
The initial misfortune or lack is set right.
Return The hero returns.
The hero is pursued.
The hero is rescued from the pursuit.
The hero arrives home or elsewhere and is not recognized.
A False hero make false claims.
A difficult task is set for the hero.
The task is accomplished.
Recognition The hero is recognized.
The false hero/villain is exposed.
The false hero is transformed.
The villain is punished.
The hero is married and crowned,
The Equilibrium Formula of Hollywood Narrative
Most linear narratives based on the Hollywood Narrative also follows the Equilibrium formula (balance formula). This formula emphasizes the linear nature of most narratives. Most narratives start with some sort of equilibrium, followed by disruption, and end with the equilibrium being regained:
1. Equilibrium/plenitude ->
2. Disruption/disequilibrium ->
3. Quest [opposition force versus unifying equalizing force] ->
4. Disequilibrium ->
5. New Equilibrium
Almost any action movie of today follows the above Equilibrium formula but let’s look closer at the model of the classical western movie ‘High Noon’ also known as ‘the Sheriff’ from 1952 produced by Fred Zimmermann.
Equilibrium and state of Plenitude
(quiet western town, a unifying marriage is taking place)
Disruption and disequilibrium
(outlaws arrive in town to wait for leader, who is coming on the noon train to gain revenge)
Opposition force
(outlaw leader Miller just released from prison) versus unifying/equalizing force (Sheriff Will Kane)
Quest
(Sheriff looks for help, decides to/has to stand alone)
Disequilibrium
(gunfight with outlaws, Kane saved by wife’s intervention)
New Equilibrium
(outlaws killed, town safe, but characters different because of experience)
After reading this particular model, you probably see how similar it is to almost any action movie plot of today.
The same pattern applies to many moving image advertisements of today. By using the Equilibrium formula Companies can communicate their products, solutions and offers, where a state of equilibrium or inferred state of equilibrium, is disrupted by some oppositional force, perhaps dirt, body odor, hunger, or a poor self-image, which then is dealt with by an equalizing force, or product, leading a new (and much improved) state of equilibrium.
With some variation, this model can be applied to all moving image products within the Hollywood narrative framework.
The campfire curve
The so-called campfire curve can be used to keep the viewer, the user interested through a program, a multimedia production, or other dialogue-based media. In principle, it means that the degree of excitement, interesting information or whatever it may be should vary in intensity through the program. The spectator must be fed with small events in reasonably large mouthfuls.
Typical campfire curve where the spectator is fed with variety.
The "balloon" in the introduction raises expectations that you can then not live up to.
The spectator's degree of experience is relative. If you go to a "high" level from the beginning, this level will be considered a reference. If you cannot then live up to that reference, then the experience will be negative in the worst case.
Being at an even and high level at all times is demanding and not very effective. The spectator quickly gets used to the new level and it becomes a new "zero level".
The "vampire" is an effective saboteur of an otherwise positive experience.
The campfire curve can be said to be an alternative or complement to the classic dramaturgy. It is most applicable where the information is divided and where it is difficult to create a coherent story. You must also know that you always have the audience with you, so that during the journey they do not have the opportunity to choose another program. Then you can live with the motto "You have to be a little boring to be able to appreciate the fun".
Actants and Structural Semantics
When study the language of the narrative and the construction of meaning its important to identify the various elements and how their interrelationships and how they change as the narrative progresses. Using this perspective one can study the act and action which register in the methodology. The act is the verb in the construction of the narrative sentence. This ‘Actoral’ model consists of six categories that we recognize from Shannon and Weaver's Mathematical model of communication. The difference here is that these six categories are assigned to the different characters that are included in the story. These are:
Sender Receiver
Subject Object
Helper Opposer
Each character may cross into one or more categories as the narrative progresses. For instance, consider the following: The Subject desires the abstract object (the sought-for-person). The Helper supports the Subject in obtaining the Object. The Opposer, works against the Helper and tries to prevent the Subject from gaining the object.
The Sender include a dispatcher initiates the action and the Receiver profits from the action; Both Receiver and Subject can be the hero of the plot.
Whether or not the Subject will acquire the desired Object depends on the power of the Subject.
The Helper remains the helper/provider and the opponent becomes variously the villain and the false hero. It is easy to put all these roles into action when it comes to commercials and how different roles are used.
Analyzing characters according to the Actant Model enables a detailed breakdown of the characters' function within the plot but also creates a simplified character constellation in association with the action.
The audience is drawn into the plot through empathy with central characters. This is achieved through close-up shots, and point-of-view shots. The star system also encourages this identification.
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