About Time - Narrative

The narrative structure:

Tsvetan Todorov:

• A theorist who believed that stories start in a state of equilibrium, which is then disrupted, setting in motion a change of events. The resolution of the story is the creation of a new or different equilibrium.He summed it up in 5 stages:

1. Equilibrium.
2. Disruption of equilibrium by a person or event.
3. Realisation that disruption has occurred.
4. Attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.
5. Restoration of equilibrium (usually a new equilibrium).  

The narrative structure 'Vanity':

1. Zac and Florence are happy newlyweds in a society in the near future where vanity and appearance are not the be all and end all.
2. Someone tells Zac that he is very handsome which is forbidden as people are not supposed to take appearance into account. 
3. Zac notices himself in a different way for the first time after being told this, he starts to become obsessed and infatuated with his own reflection (himself). 
4. Florence takes Zac to the doctors because she realises something is wrong, the doctor cures him.
5. Zac is unhappy as his one true love has been taken away from him, Florence is happy because she has her husband back. 

Comparing trailer narratives to their feature length film:

About Time:

Film plot:

1. The man has a good family and a happy life but he always struggles to find love / can't say the right thing etc.
2. His father tells him that the men in the family can travel in time, he doesn't believe him and has to find out for himself.
3. Once he realises it is real, he discovers that he can re-do things to his advantage and change the future so he can fall in love with the perfect girl.
4. He goes back in time to prevent his sister from being in a car crash but when he returns to the present he discovers that his daughter is now his son, therefore he has to go back again and ket it happen.
5. He has his own happy family (a wife and three children) and his sister has also found happiness and is starting a family of her own.

Trailer narrative:

1. Shown how he struggles with girls.
2. Shown the discussion between him and his father when he is told he can travel in time.
3. Shown his going back and kissing a girl, he realises he can change things.
4. Not shown.
5. Not shown.