Story Techniques & Structures Narrative Structures The narrative structure describes the order in which events of the plot are presented throughout the narrative work. Linear structure Constructs the plot in a straight-moving, cause and effect in a chronological order with the chronologically first event presented first and the last event presented last. Non-linear structure Constructs the plot in a non-causal order, with events presented in a random format jumping to and from the main plot with flashbacks or flash-forwards with large intervals or gaps of time skipped between events. Realist This is when the content of the film is realistic, as in are the characters and events believable? Does the camera capture these in a realistic way e.g. from a perspective that you can identify with how you would see the world normally. Anti-Realist This is the opposite of Realist and is a depiction of characters or the world in a way that does not represent real life. Something that is anti-realist would be an idea or subject that could have a place in the real world, but would not seem natural or likely to happen. The camera shots are also not as they would seem in everyday life, for instance the camera techniques could be creatively used and not like how we see the world. Flashback This is a technique that is used to go back to events or memories that have happened before the present narrative structure or to highlight something important that has happened previously that you have seen. This could be showing an event, a person/people or a particular detail within a place. Open Ending In other words, the end of the narrative structure presents us with an open story and events that leave us uncertain of the final consequences. This is used for cliffhangers in television shows or can leave the viewer to interpret the ending for themselves.
Closed Ending Most classical narrative leave no loose ends unresolved, these films seek to end their narrative structure with a final event or outcome. We usually learn the fate of each character, the answer to each mystery and the result of any conflicts. Parody/Satire A parody is a form of humour that spoofs — or satirizes — something using the same form. For example, shows like "Saturday Night Live" and "The Daily Show" have parodied real newscasts by doing fake newscasts that look like the real thing.
Tenses Present Tense The events of the plot are depicted as occurring now at the current moment in real time Future Tense Extremely rare form of tense the events of the plot are depicted as occurring soon these upcoming events are described in a way that makes it seem like the narrators uncannily know (or believe they know) the future.
Point of View First Person In a first-person narrative the story is relayed by a narrator who is also a character within the story, so that the narrator reveals the plot by referring to this viewpoint character as "I" (or, when plural, "we"). Second person Probably the rarest mode in literature is the second-person narrative mode, in which the narrator refers to one of the characters as "you", therefore making the audience member feel as if he or she is a character within the story. Third Person Third-person narration provides the greatest flexibility to the author and thus is the most commonly used narrative mode in literature. In the third-person narrative mode, each and every character is referred to by the narrator as "he", "she", "it", or "they".