2021/11
Title：
The reconstruction of narrative structure of traditional film by interactive film
Key words:
interactive narratives, Narrative structures, Interactive film
Part 1: Introduction/ Issue/ topic
An interactive film is one in which the viewer can interact with it and influence the events within it. With the release of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch at the end of 2018, the interactive film has once again become a popular topic of conversation. Interactive Film’s special narrative structure brings the experience to a large audience and has been well received. Many media say interactive film will become a new mainstream. However, there are also some people who believe that this narrative model has limitations. By investigating, analyzing relevant cases and drawing conclusions. This essay will discuss how interactive film reconstructs the traditional film narrative structure and analyze the current advantages and limitations of this narrative structure.
Part 2:
Through examples and references, this part will analyze the advantages of interactive film narrative structure and some personal views.
The beginning of this section may introduce some development history of interactive film to examine the original purpose for which it was created. This can help analyze its characteristics. By examples, Then will analyze How interactive film Reconstructs the traditional film narrative structure and analyze its advantages.
(story arcs/ branching story/ Multi-perspective story
Part 3:
This section focuses on one of the major contradictory points arising from this narrative structure: Interactivity versus drama. Analyze the disadvantages and existing problems.
Too much focus on the form of interaction at the expense of story content. The blurring of the boundaries between interactive film and games.
Limitations in the openness of the narrative.
The development trend of interactive narrative. Interactive storytelling. The storyline is not predetermined in this mode. Only the setting, characters and situations necessary for the story are set. The audience experiences a unique story based on their interaction with the story. It breaks the limits of plot content by relying on algorithms. At the same time, however, logic and drama are difficult to balance.
Chris Crawford believed that Interactive storytelling is about more than relying on cameras: creators also need to know how to use algorithms to express dramatic ideas.
Part 4:
Conclusion/ future
Part 5: References
Previous draft
Background:
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, which was an interactive film to gain widespread media attention and acclaim. The success of this work brought the concept of Interactive film back into focus. Due to the audience’s participation, Interactive film has a different narrative structure from traditional films, which is one of its special features.
The main focus of this essay is on how the addition of interaction in interactive video changes the traditional narrative structure and its impact.
Questions:
- What is the narrative structure of interactive film?
- How does it differ from a traditional movie narrative structure?What are the same?
- What is the relationship between them?
- What are the advantages of this narrative structure? How does this play out in practical examples?
- What are the disadvantages of this narrative structre? What’s wrong with this narrative structure? What are the problems?
- what next?
Traditional film narration has linear narration and nonlinear narration, which comes from the author’s design of the spatio-temporal relationship of the story. In terms of experience, the audience’s viewing sequence remains unchanged, which is still a linear process.
Interactive film allows the audience to actively control the narrative structure. Allow the audience to experience different directions in the story. It’s another level of nonlinear structure.
Branching story
Multi-perspective story
Interactive storytelling is about more than relying on cameras: creators also need to know how to use algorithms to express dramatic ideas. This is the biggest problem most people face.
（Chris Crawford