Our Use Of Media Theories

In the planning process of our opening sequence, we drew upon our knowledge of Propp's character theory, Barthes' theory of semiotics, Levi Strauss' theory of binary opposties and Todorov's narrative theory:

PROPP'S CHARACTER THEORY:

The Hero - Lila
The Villain - Her Parents
The Donor - Dead brother who started bucket list
The Helper - Her two friends Atticus and Jess
The Princess - Living her life to the full and independence (and possibly Atticus)

BARTHES THEORY OF SEMIOTICS:

A text is "a galaxy of signifiers"

Enigma Code in Our Opening:

• Who is the boy in the photograph?
• Why does she have a bucket list?
• What Journey is she going on?
• Why is she going on this journey?
• Will she complete her bucket list?
• What's her relationship with Jess and Atticus?
• Where are her family?

Action Code

• Protagonist picks up bag - puts on shoulders - walks away
• Protagonist walks toward friends - friends react
• Cyclist starts to cycle into protagonist - protagonist dodges out of the way
• Protagonist lifts camera - films sunrise and sunset
• Protagonist puts hand in pocket - pulls out list

Semiotic Code

• Sunrise- new beginnings
• Rucksack - journey
• Camera/phone - youth, art, photography, making memories
• Bucket list - Past trauma, hope, fun, living
• Birds - hope, freedom, youth, breaking free

Cultural Code

• Primrose Hill - London
• London skyline
• Bucket list - death, living life
• Photograph in pocket - loving memory, nostalgia, missing someone
• Rucksack - she's going somewhere

Symbolic Code

• New beginning/hope.start
• Joy from darkness
• Friendship
• Memory
• Journeys
• Moving on
• Loneliness/sadness

LEVI-STRAUSS THEORY OF BINARY OPPOSITES:

Young vs old
Female vs Male
Lila vs Parents
Adventure vs Normal Life
Fun vs Mundanity
Death vs Life

TODOROV'S NARRATIVE THEORY:

1. A state of equilibrium at the outset
2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action
3. A recognition that there has been disruption
4. An attempt to repair the disruption
5. A reinstatement of the equilibrium 

Our narrative within the film follows from recognition to reinstatement of the equilibrium  but disruption and equilibrium are alluded to throughout the film. For example, although the death of the brother acts as a disruption, we do not actually see this event in the film, and just see flashbacks of how Lila and her brother interacted throughout his illness.