Narrative Form and Interpretation--Detailed Analysis/Shot Sheet (A), Narrative Structural Analysis (B)

DUE: Feb. 24
You are assigned a commercial from the latest Superbowl 2011 collection. Your challenge is to actively view this commercial, analyzing its editing choices and narrative structure. As you watch the commercial, consider how your expectations shift, why they shift, and what did the director do to motivate these shifts. Also consider what ideology is being put forth, and what discourses are used to do so. Your goal, through this narrative structure analysis, is ultimately to consider what this commercial means within our popular culture.

A. Detailed Analysis/Shot Sheet

You should draw upon our class PPT, Media & Society, Ch. 16, for this part of the assignment. As is illustrated on pp. 252-264, carefully draw up a shot sheet (see illustration below) and analyze each shot in the commercial. It is helpful to mute the sound so that you can focus on the mise-en-scene and editing. Then listen to the soundtrack and voice over (only). Finally, watch both visual and sound together and see how they inter-relate. Later add in extra details like shot duration, and make notes about lighting, performance, and your responses to each shot. Try thinking of the director's intentions.

Shot No. Description Interpretation/Notes
1    
2    
3    
4...etc    

Then in a paragraph, write about the following:

  • Why do you think the editor decided to start the commercial this way?
  • What is the non-diegetic sound in the commericial, as opposed to the diegetic sound. Why were these sounds included?
  • Identify the dialogue: who is speaking; who are you identifying with, and how does the dialogue construct character?
  • Identify the mise-en-scene: Draw upon discussions we had earlier in the semester about visual aesthetics, form, movement, and color. What is the setting, objects, costumes, actors, and the way these are visually arranged and lit? What is the palette of the commercial? What do you think it means?
  • Identify the editing: continuity editing; match-on-action shots; rhythmic editing, rhythmic montage, motif, intellectual editing, intellectual montage, graphic editing, graphic montage, sound bridge (if any).
  • Identify the length of shots and their pacing (long shots vs. close ups).
  • Write a conclusion about how this commercial communicates meaning to us. Why all the above choices?

B. Narrative structural analysis.

What is the story? Your goal is to understand how your commercial works by looking at its structure, and then determine how the narrative structure relates to and affects the meaning of the story. You should draw upon Media & Society, Ch. 17 for this part of the assignment, as well as draw upon the discussions we had in class. It would also be helpful to peruse the Bordwell and Thompson chapter on film narratives (not required, but part this week's suggested reading).

  1. ANALYSIS. Analyse the patterns, structural positions of characters, points of view, discourses, and ending of your commercial, and consider these points of analysis:
  • How does the narrative pattern work in your commercial? Is there a disturbing incident(s), is something not revealed at the beginning...and if so, when does it (they) happen? Or...what are the *questions asked* (see p. 270 in Media & Society).  
  • Which story events are directly presented to us in the commercial, and which must we assume or infer?
  • Who makes things happen? What moves the commercial forward?  What is the temporal order of the episode?
  • What structural roles do people have in the narrative?
  • From whose point of view do we see and hear things?
  • What is the order of events? How does your episode differ from straight chronology (or does it?). How is time compressed or elongated? What is the significance of the temporal order (B & T, p. 75); temporal duration (B & T, p. 75); and, if relevant, the temporal frequency (B & T, p. 76)?  How does this order create suspense (delay in expectations), surprise (incorrect expecation), or overall storytelling virtuosity?  How were your expectations disturbed? 
  • What structural roles do people have in the narrative?
  • What is the dominant discourse or the hierarchy of discourses?
  • What is the discourse of film language: camera style, lighting, editing, music, and so on?
  • Are women positioned differently from men in the narrative?
  • What does the ending tell you about the ideology of this advertisement.
  • Is there any binary opposition in your commercial? (see Media & Society, Ch. 17, pp. 290-296)

First Quarter
Audi: Release the Hounds: Vanessa
Doritos: Finger Licking: Cam
Doritos: Pug: Melissa
Chevrolet: Senior Citizens: Kyle
PepsiMax: Shooting Cooler: Jessica
Doritos: House Sitting: Holly
Pepsi: Can Thrower: Tatum
Lassie Truck : Jamie

Second Quarter
Volkswagon: Darth Vader: Katie
Career Builder: Chimps: Troy
Teleflora: Faith Hill: Valerie
Budweiser: Tiny Dancer: Kayleigh
GoDaddy.com: Joan Rivers: Ellie
Motorola: Xoom (make sure you reference 1984 Mac ad): Mitchell
Snickers: Roseanne Bar: Allison
Chevrolet: Volt: Travis
Bridgestone: Reply All: Sean
BMW: X3: Kelsey
BMW: Change : Brian
Chevy: Cruz : Aaron

Third Quarter
Chevrolet: Senior Citizens: Brooke
Mini: Game Show: Trista
Stella: Adrian Brody : Jeffrey
Coca Cola: Border Crossing: Jayna

Fourth Quarter
Volkswagon: Black Beetle: Erin
Sketchers: Kim Kardashian : Michael