Narrative (Lecture Notes)

"A whole is that which has a beginning, a middle, and an end."

                                          - Aristotle, Poetics.

Exposition

• Dictionary definition - "the act of explaining"
• Can be used to describe the introduction to any narrative or event
• Sets the scene for the actual story to begin

For example, the phrase "once upon a time there was a princess in a tower" would be an exposition as it does not tell any part of the story but merely sets the scene for the narrative that follows. 

Narrative

A narrative can be defined as a spoken or written account of connected events. An example of this would be "the knight rode up to the tower and called out to the princess to let down her hair". This has moved on from the original exposition and now includes actions made by the characters. 

This is relevant to Graphic Design as it is our job to successfully demonstrate the solution to a brief through a series of visual narrations that explain the original brief in an art form. 

Story Based Messaging

"The audience does not need to tune themselves to you - you need to tune your message to them."

                                        - Nancy Duarte

This is a very important message to remember, any work that is created must always be tailored towards the intended audience of the brief. We must do this by thinking of what emotional response we wish to evoke in the work and becoming invested in the project in order to reach the audience in this way. 

This may be done in a variety of ways including using a particular "tone of voice" through the work or even through the use of colour. 

Stills from Disney Pixar's Inside Out

A good example of the use of colour to convey an emotional change in narrative can be seen in the Disney Pixar film Inside Out. The first image is full of bright colours when "Joy" is conveyed on the screen. However the second image shows the drastic change in colour when the focus is on "Sadness".

Denouement

• What is the issue?
• What are the key events or moments?
• Are there characters? If so, who are they and what relation do they have to the narrative?
• What is the context of what you are trying to tell?