To be able to show examples of how these theories work I will be using Foo Fighters-Learn to Fly music video and Selena Gomez-Bad Liar. The reason why I have chosen both of these videos is due to the similarity of editing to them as they both contain a cloning edit type of look. Below are both music videos along with the definitions of the theories before analysing how both theories work within the music videos.
Todorov's Theory
Tzvetan Todorov's theory suggests that there are 3 different parts to a narrative, in which they begin with an equilibrium (normality), which follows onto something disturbing the equilibrium to then reaching a resolution to form equilibrium once again.
Propp's Theory
Vladmir Propp's theory suggests that each narrative has similar style within characters and their actions. He discovered that there are typically 7 recognisable characters in a narrative.
Todorov's Theory
In "Learn to Fly" the theory is shown with the equilibrium of getting onto a plane before setting off. The plane gets cleaned, the people board, the air hostess show the exits, etc. The reason as to why the equilibrium gets disturbed is due to the fact that one of the cleaners places erotic sleeping powder into the coffee machine which then is given out to the pilots and passengers which causes an alarm to the passengers that did not take the coffee. The resolution was that one of the passengers managed to control the plane and landed safely and the villains were then arrested.
Propp's Theory
The villains are the first characters to be spotted in the music video due to one of them placing erotic sleeping powder into the coffee machine. The hero is the lead singer of the band which saves the plane from crashing and saves everyone. The donor is one of the passengers that finds the "Learn to Fly" manual. The dispatcher personally is hard to identify in the music video as I would say the video starts of very normal and does not seem like it was planned for the lead singer to save the day, the only person I believe could also be the dispatcher is the villain which caused the disturbance. There is not a princess in this case as it is the prize of surviving. The false hero could be either the other 2 passengers that did not take the drink as they did also help save everyone or it could even be the FBI that arrests the villains. The magical helper again I would say is hard to identify as I would personally say the donor is very similar to the magical helper.
Selena Gomez-Bad Liar
Todorov's Theory
The equilibrium in the music video is Selena Gomez going to school like an ordinary teenager, perhaps she is acting as herself in the way she wishes to be without fame or as someone else. The disturbance is seeing a female (played by herself dressed up just like the "Learn to Fly" video) in a car outside her class room which distracts her as she spots a man go up to the lady in the car (again the male is played by herself). Later on the male and female are shown perhaps flirting by the stairs whilst Selena watches then hides away. Selena is then shown in the school gym playing basketball with the female shown previously teaching the lesson and she seems very distracted by the female, at this point personally I assumed perhaps the male is her father and he may be cheating on her mother with the blonde lady shown throughout the majority of the video flirting. The resolution is shown very differently as it truly feels like a story full of questions, as the next scene shows another lady (again played by Gomez) that also pulls up at school which then the male gets into the car, both characters are shown at a dinner table, with characters both still lip singing the actual song lyrics I have understood perhaps the male may have told the second female about the first female as they are both clearly singing "I'm trying". Gomez is then shown walking into the house that the couple are having dinner in, this shows that the second female and male are her parents and her father seems to be cheating on her mother. Gomez is then shown in her bedroom dancing before pretending to be asleep as her mother walks into her room, which then after she leaves Gomez holds a polaroid of the first lady shown in the music video which gives us the answer to why Gomez is so obsessed with her, it is because she is actually in love with her herself.
Propp's Theory
The hero in this music video is the first Selena Gomez that is playing as a student, the villain I would personally say is her father seeing as he is flirting with the lady that she fancies, the donor is not clear to me as I really do not see anyone on her side as she is represented as an outsider, the dispatcher again is not clearly shown in the music video. The princess is shown very clearly which is the flirty female gym teacher as she is what Selena wants and what her dad desires also. The false hero could be her father seeing as he seems to be trying to get the with the teacher as he is shown flirting and perhaps cheating on his wife. And again the magical helper is not obvious enough to be spotted as there is not many main characters in the video seeing as there is Selena, the father, the mother and the flirty teacher.
Todorov's Theory
Tzvetan Todorov's theory suggests that there are 3 different parts to a narrative, in which they begin with an equilibrium (normality), which follows onto something disturbing the equilibrium to then reaching a resolution to form equilibrium once again.
Propp's Theory
Vladmir Propp's theory suggests that each narrative has similar style within characters and their actions. He discovered that there are typically 7 recognisable characters in a narrative.
- The Hero- The character that seeks something.
- The Villain- The character that blocks the heros quest.
- The Donor- The character that helps the hero, for example with an object.
- The Dispatcher- The character that sends the hero on his/her quest.
- The Princess or Prize- The character or perhaps the object that the hero wants which the villain tries to stop the hero from getting.
- The False Hero- The character that takes credit for the hero's actions and tries to get the prize.
- The Magical Helper- The character that helps the hero with the quest.
Todorov's Theory
In "Learn to Fly" the theory is shown with the equilibrium of getting onto a plane before setting off. The plane gets cleaned, the people board, the air hostess show the exits, etc. The reason as to why the equilibrium gets disturbed is due to the fact that one of the cleaners places erotic sleeping powder into the coffee machine which then is given out to the pilots and passengers which causes an alarm to the passengers that did not take the coffee. The resolution was that one of the passengers managed to control the plane and landed safely and the villains were then arrested.
Propp's Theory
The villains are the first characters to be spotted in the music video due to one of them placing erotic sleeping powder into the coffee machine. The hero is the lead singer of the band which saves the plane from crashing and saves everyone. The donor is one of the passengers that finds the "Learn to Fly" manual. The dispatcher personally is hard to identify in the music video as I would say the video starts of very normal and does not seem like it was planned for the lead singer to save the day, the only person I believe could also be the dispatcher is the villain which caused the disturbance. There is not a princess in this case as it is the prize of surviving. The false hero could be either the other 2 passengers that did not take the drink as they did also help save everyone or it could even be the FBI that arrests the villains. The magical helper again I would say is hard to identify as I would personally say the donor is very similar to the magical helper.
Selena Gomez-Bad Liar
Todorov's Theory
The equilibrium in the music video is Selena Gomez going to school like an ordinary teenager, perhaps she is acting as herself in the way she wishes to be without fame or as someone else. The disturbance is seeing a female (played by herself dressed up just like the "Learn to Fly" video) in a car outside her class room which distracts her as she spots a man go up to the lady in the car (again the male is played by herself). Later on the male and female are shown perhaps flirting by the stairs whilst Selena watches then hides away. Selena is then shown in the school gym playing basketball with the female shown previously teaching the lesson and she seems very distracted by the female, at this point personally I assumed perhaps the male is her father and he may be cheating on her mother with the blonde lady shown throughout the majority of the video flirting. The resolution is shown very differently as it truly feels like a story full of questions, as the next scene shows another lady (again played by Gomez) that also pulls up at school which then the male gets into the car, both characters are shown at a dinner table, with characters both still lip singing the actual song lyrics I have understood perhaps the male may have told the second female about the first female as they are both clearly singing "I'm trying". Gomez is then shown walking into the house that the couple are having dinner in, this shows that the second female and male are her parents and her father seems to be cheating on her mother. Gomez is then shown in her bedroom dancing before pretending to be asleep as her mother walks into her room, which then after she leaves Gomez holds a polaroid of the first lady shown in the music video which gives us the answer to why Gomez is so obsessed with her, it is because she is actually in love with her herself.
Propp's Theory
The hero in this music video is the first Selena Gomez that is playing as a student, the villain I would personally say is her father seeing as he is flirting with the lady that she fancies, the donor is not clear to me as I really do not see anyone on her side as she is represented as an outsider, the dispatcher again is not clearly shown in the music video. The princess is shown very clearly which is the flirty female gym teacher as she is what Selena wants and what her dad desires also. The false hero could be her father seeing as he seems to be trying to get the with the teacher as he is shown flirting and perhaps cheating on his wife. And again the magical helper is not obvious enough to be spotted as there is not many main characters in the video seeing as there is Selena, the father, the mother and the flirty teacher.
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