Applying narrative theories to my opening sequence:

I am going to apply the narrative theories I have researched, to ‘The Anaesthetist’.

Levi-Strauss: Binary Opposites:
· disorientation v full consciousness
· good v evil,
· male v female
· innocence v experienced
· victim v villain
· fear v happiness
· life v death
· control v lack of control

Roland Barthes - action/enigma codes:

In this sequence there are many action and enigma codes which I feel heighten suspense throughout.

Examples of action codes (we see an action and want to know what's next):
Whose shoe is that?
Will Amy get up off the floor before she is caught?
Amy fell over- is she going to be caught now?
Is her disorientated state and consequent hallucination going to lead her to be captured?
Is he going to kill her now that he has caught her?

Examples of enigma codes (raises questions in the audience's minds):
Why is Amy in this state?
Why is she dressed in a white silk dress?
What is the relationship between these characters?
Why does this man want to catch her?
Why is Amy in this woodland?
What is his motivation to kill?

Tzvetan Todorov’s- narrative structure: (main examples of the narrative structure)

As the film gives an insight to the Villain’s life and is mainly from his point of view I have displayed this narrative structure for the Villain as well as the victim.

• A state of equilibrium (the normal) – the opening sequence begins at a state of disequilibrium. However the audience can presume the equilibrium is the victim in her normal life before this villain disrupted it.
Villain- Successfully capturing and killing his victims without being caught.

• A disruption by an event – the opening sequence begins after the victim’s disruption. This is that the villain has caught her and takes advantage of her. The villain- she has escaped from his lair and is making a run for it.

• recognition of the disorder – Victim- she is dressed in this white silk dress and is heavily drugged and disorientated and from the news report we are informed that the police are looking for her.
Villain- he is publically chasing her through the woodland.

· An attempt to repair the disruption –Victim-she is running from him trying to escape and find help. Villain- Once he has caught her he re-anesthetises her.

• A new state of equilibrium – Victim- she does not have a new equilibrium- put out of her misery? Villain-he has successfully recaptured and eventually killed her.

Vladimir Propp - Character types present in the opening sequence:
· The villain –Nathan Jones
· The false heroine- Amy Miller