Narrative
Narrative is the story being told within the media product. It includes the characters, the setting, the events that take place, and the reasons behind those events.
A narrative helps the audience understand what is happening, who is involved, and why things are happening the way they are. Whatever the product, the narrative is what guides us through the story from start to finish.
There are different types of narrative structures:
- Linear: The story is told in order, and a new equilibrium is achieved at the end.
- Non-Linear: The events within the story are told out of sequence.
- Circular: The story ends in the same place as it began e.g. there has been no change to the equilibrium.
- Interactive: This is where the audience can influence the narrative, normally used in video games.
- Open: In an open narrative, there is no resolution by the end, this could be a cliffhanger.
- Closed: The elements within the story are resolved by the end.
- Single-stranded: The narrative follows one storyline throughout.
- Multi-stranded: The narrative follows different interwoven stories in the product.
Photo by Callum Blacoe on Unsplash.
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