Media Theorist

Vladimir Propp
Vladimir Propp used old fairy tales to break the main charters within a story into different sections.
He noticed that nearly all fairy tales had the same characters styles mix within the story. The key
characters are;
The villain struggles fighting the hero.
The dispatcher sends the hero off.
The (magical) helper helps the hero.
The princess or prize and her father the hero deserves her throughout the story
but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain.
The donor prepares the hero and gives him and object or inspiration to
complete the task.
The hero or victim/seeker hero reacts to the donor and takes/rejects his
opposition.
The false hero takes credit for the heros actions.

Todorov
Todorov had a theory that all stories followed the same narrative pattern. All films
went through the same stages even if they were portrayed in a different view, they
were still on the same story arc. The stages that followed Todorov theory were
equilibrium, disequilibrium, acknowledgement, solving and again equilibrium.
There are five stages the narrative can progress through:
1. A state of equilibrium (All is as it should be.)
2. A disruption of that order by an event.
3. A recognition that the disorder has occurred.
4. An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption.
5. A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium.

Claude Levi-Strauss
Claude Levi-Strauss believed in Binary Opposition which is the constant creation of
opposition and conflict. The theory states that narrative can only end on a
resolution conflict, which is the fighting of two opposites. This opposition can be a
visual confrontation e.g. Light/Dark. Or this opposition can be conceptual e.g.
Love/Hate. This binary opposition creates tension and a clear divide in most stories.





Stuart Hall
Stuart halls Audience theory is that media has a message which is placed by the writer or director.
The director/writer wants the audience to proceed this message. Halls suggests that all the theory is
split into three parts, and that all texts can have multiple meanings. The text can be read in a
different view depending on the audiences identity, cultural knowledge and opinions.
Preferred reading
- This when the audience responds to the message in the way the producers
expected them too.
Negotiated reading
- This is when the audience agrees with the basic message but doesnt agree with
other parts giving them a mixed opium towards the message and not fall either
way.
Oppositional reading
- This is when the audience is in complete disagreement with the products
message.