Abstract
The article explores the development of interactive storytelling movies and the possibilities about single-storytelling movies will be alternative. Interactive film as a relatively new approach is gradually being accepted. More and more filmmakers began to experiment with the performance of an interactive method of narrative stories. Interactive movie as a non-linear narrative, which contain more information content and variability. Interactive movie might be considered a form of film, in fact, the interactive movie display an interactive narrative and for a movie the narrative is always the most important. Traditional film into a single-storytelling in certain limits of the integrity of the story, for instance Harry Potter series, when the audience tried to learn more about the movie they have access by other methods such as fiction. Interactive Movie With the advantages of an interactive narrative can break the limitations of a single-storytelling narrative story, which truly communication between audience and story. This paper will be from the narrative structure, interaction method and user experience three aspects to research the possibilities about single-storytelling movies will be alternative by interactive movies. In order to prove the feasibility of an interactive narrative movie, I have to written, directed and produced my own interactive narrative structure movie call Track(or 足迹). Movie will be to protect the animals as the main idea to present a mysterious adventure story.
Keywords：
Interactive movie, non-linear structure, interactive narrative, film making, digital narrative
Introduction
The moving image is about 300 year old. 100 year previously, the movie started out in black and white, but now we have IMAX and 3D movie. The movie development is very fast. When audience watch the black and white first time they are very amazed, but now this outdated effect fail to capture audience’s attention. The narrative of story also like this. The first movies didn’t have any story. Audience just watch documentary moving images. But now audience need the story in the movie. Traditional movie need some good script to be successful. A good script can help audience understand the story. But now the audience always need more new things to taste. For instance the 3d movie “avatar”. As we all know this movie haven’t good script and story, however audience still crazy for this movie. I think that so successful is because the VFX and art setting. Therefore I think the new movie experience also can been agreed by audiences. Follow the times development, must be a new movie model to replace the traditional movie. Thus the author posits that interactive movie will become more and more popular.
Today already have some interactive movie. But the traditional movie still more prevalent than interactive movie. May be people needs more technology and understanding to develop the interactive movie. However in the movie the script still is most important. Write a good movie script is not easy. From a certain angle, the interactive need more complex script. In the interactive movie audience will have different feel from the traditional movie. The audience is not just watch the movie, they can join in the movie shaping its story. So in this essay the author’s argument is although traditional linear narrative is the popular way to make a movie, actually in the future the interactive narrative mode will become the main storytelling style in movies. This essay will first discuss Narratology and introduce the theorists of Narratology. Second the author will explain the different structure about the traditional movie. Third the author will introduce the interactive movie models and interactive story structure.
Research context
For this project, I watch lot of movie, and think about the narrative and structure which is the most important part for a story. For my project, I will make a Non-linear structure story to let the story interactive. My project is interactive movie, so I can’t use traditional narrative to write the script. I also see some book about the Narratology. If I want write some good story, I need to know the story structure from Narratology. Writer must to understand the art and science of Narratology. Understand Narratology can help writers create a more engaging script. Interactive movie especially requires an engaging narrative. In my movie will have three unattached part together. Every part is one story. So when the audience finish chooses the movie that will auto-play. In the other hand, interactive methods are key point for this project. I attempt to find the most suitable way to present the story. And maintain the coherence of the story.
Narrative and method
Narrative is very important for a story. When people think about a story they may not understand Narratology and the structure. But a good story must have a good narrative and structure. The narrative and structure is main part for the Narratology.
Before the movie, theatre drama was the most poplar way to show the story. Audience watch the drama everyday. Most drama have a clear narrative, so audience have thousand year experience to know how to write a good story. This experience is actually a model of narrative. Aristotle consider the drama should have “origin, course, ending” three part. Today writer also follow this order to write story. The movie script may be more complex, but the model is very obvious. Every people know the Hollywood, they also use the three part model(Patmore, 2003). Classical Hollywood model is very clear, first part is introduce the character, story, background. This part is 1/4 in all movie. The second part is opposed. Almost all stories are happened in here. Climax always in this part and all question will be answered. It is the half part in the story. The third part is the ending. In this part the story must have a resolution. In the movie the ending is not must good and full. But must give audience comfortable feel. For example the movie Live Free or Die Hard (Wiseman, 2007). In this movie every thing is follow the Hollywood model. But the audience still very like the movie. In face the start and the ending is most hard to write. If the writer know how to write the start and the ending, that the process will become very easy. If the movie can’t attract audience in 10-15 minute, may be the movie will lost some audience (Patmore, 2003). Ghost Ship (Beck, 2002) is a good example to explain the Hollywood mode. The story of the movie is very boring. But the start and the ending is not bad. The movie is a horror movie. In the start of the movie the screen and the effect is very amazing. Audience will be attracted by this start. But the mid-part is so boring, no any creative. Although the ending is not very surprised, but it is a satisfactory ending. So Hollywood mode sometimes is very helpful for the movie. And this is why Hollywood movie is so successful.
Propp - Formula for the story
Vladimir Propp is an important theorist in the subject of Narratology. In 1928 Propp wrote a famous book “Morphology of the Folktale”. It is a important book in the field of Narratology (Propp, 1928).
Propp researched about 100 Russia Folktale then formulated the “Morphology of the Folktale”. In this book have lot knowledge is about Narratology (Propp, 1928). “Morphology of the Folktale” is very helpful for story analysis and formulation. In his book the Russian Formalist identified 31 “functions” for the story structure of Folktales.
31 functions for the story (Propp, 1928)
FIGURE 1
| A member of a family leaves home; |
| An interdiction is addressed to the hero; |
| The interdiction is violated; |
| The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance; |
| The villain gains information about the victim; |
| The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings; |
| Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy; |
| Villain causes harm/injury to family member; Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something; |
| Misfortune or lack is made known; |
| Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action; |
| Hero leaves home; |
| Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc, preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper; |
| Hero reacts to actions of future donor; |
| Hero acquires use of a magical agent; |
| Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search; |
| Hero and villain join in direct combat; |
| Hero is branded; |
| Villain is defeated; |
| Initial misfortune or lack is resolved; |
| Hero returns; |
| Hero is pursued; |
| Hero is rescued from pursuit; |
| Hero unrecognized, arrives home or in another country; |
| False hero presents unfounded claims; |
| Difficult task proposed to the hero; |
| Task is resolved; |
| Hero is recognized; |
| False hero or villain is exposed; |
| Hero is given a new appearance; |
| Villain is punished; |
| Hero marries and ascends the throne. |
If talk about the structure, we must have some knowledge about “function”. Propp expounds “function” is kind of action about the character (Propp, 1928). Example a prince jump to the princess’s window. The Jumping is not “function” in the story. The Prince’s courtship to the princess is “function”. So “function” is a specialized term in this book, the word has a specific meaning.
How to find a story’s “function”? They are not easy to find, it’s from lot of contrast and reasoning. Some theorists don’t agree Propp (Propp, 1928). But Propp holds firm. He explain his point is from narrative and story’s rule. Story’s rule is not random and the function is not random. Propp describes how to arrange functions as “Narrative sequence” (Propp, 1928). The “Narrative sequence” is very abstract. It is the basic element of the story. Just like the bone for the story. For example a monster kidnaps Princess. The farmer’s son tries to find her. On the road, he meet a old woman, she asks the boy help her to save her horse. Then the boy done the job, and the old woman give him a new horse. The horse lead the boy to the island of the monster. The boy kill the monster, go home, as a reward the king allows him marry with princess (Propp, 1928). This is the story. In this story “Narrative sequence” is:
Happened calamity.
Someone want help.
So the boy agree the people to find the monster.
In the road the boy meet some one.
Finished test the boy got the reward.
He use this reward find the objective.
This is the Narrative sequence. Viewers can easy find same Narrative sequence in lot of Folktales. “Narrative sequence” is the basis of the story. But the story is can be change. Some theorists define story and “Narrative sequence” together as structure (Propp, 1928).
Joseph Campbell - Hero With a Thousand Faces
Campbell in 1949 publish a famous book about mythology-“Hero With a Thousand Faces” (Campbell, 1949). In this book he discuss lots of different mythology. Although from different mythology, but we can summarize a kind of same story structure, we can call it the “Monomyth” or The hero’s Journey. “Monomyth” can be all kind of character archetype, this kind of character archetype can be accept by every audience (Campbell, 1949).
In old mythology, people think the life just like a snake bite herself’s tail. This snake eat herself tail to alive, it is metaphor person birth-grow up-old-died-birth. This process just like the snake, always repeat. In English theorist call “Ouroboros” (Campbell, 1949). In “Hero With a Thousand Faces” Joseph Campbell suggests a same narrative sequence for the “Monomyth”. And this sequence is just like the “Ouroboros”. This fundamental structure contains a number of stages, which includes:
Narrative structure for the “Monomyth” (Campbell, 1949)
FIGURE 2
| 1. A call to adventure, which the hero has to accept or decline |
| 2. A road of trials, regarding which the hero succeeds or fails |
| 3. Achieving the goal or "boon", which often results in important self-knowledge |
| 4. A return to the ordinary world, again as to which the hero can succeed or fail |
| 5. Applying the boon, in which what the hero has gained can be used to improve the world |
The Monomyth structure can be found in many popular books and films, such as the Star Wars and The Matrix movie series, the Harry Potter series of novels, and the anime Fortune Dogs. In this film or novels we can find the Seventeen Stages of the Monomyth.
Seventeen Stages of the Monomyth. (Campbell, 1949)
FIGURE 3
| Departure (or Separation) The Call to Adventure-Refusal of the Call-Supernatural Aid-The Crossing of the First Threshold-Rebirth |
| Initiation The Road of Trials-Marriage-Woman as Temptress-Atonement with the Father-Apotheosis-The Ultimate Boon |
| Return Refusal of the Return-The Magic Flight-Rescue from Without-The Crossing of the Return Threshold-Master of Two Worlds-Freedom to Live |
Structure
It use for lot of things. Movie is popular way that uses the narratology. In here I will just talk about structure of the narratology. Structure is a kind of relationship about the things. Structure has two parts. Surface structure and Deep Structure. Surface structure is about screen and story that is surface relationship (Noël, 1986). Audience can feel it. Every story have a main actor, the villain of the piece and other actor. They are players in the movie. When the movie is about love. They will fighting for love. When the movie is about sin. They will kill each other. The audience will find this story structure very easily. So this is Surface structure(Noël, 1986). In here author will discuss Cause and effect linear structure (Li, 2000). Cause and effect linear structure have two main point. First is means the structure is use Cause and effect to drive the narrative. Second is means the narrative is use linear style narrative (Li, 2000). This kind narrative must become everything very clear. So we need very orderly narrative sequence in all plot. Always means the writer should write a clear start, then build it up, last ending the story. And because the narrative so orderly when the audience watch the movie they will fell so comfortable. Cause and effect linear’s characteristic is follow the time developed. Sequence is one by one and a complete and is the most classic model in the narrative structure (Li, 2000). But some theorist think the plot structure is not art. Some audience thinks the cause and effect linear structure is outdated. It is just like the folktale. But the author think this structure already have philosophic and idealistic exhibition. If audience watch The Name of the Rose (Annaud, 1986). They will find this movie’s structure is very classic. Although the story is very intricate, but the narrative still has a linear development. The movie uses an old man to narrate what happened in his experience. The story is told in first person style. This kind of narrative have an intimate feel. So the audience will feel realism and identify with character. In the movie although have a old man to remember the history. But there is no real cut back structure. The movie have not show the ending. The whole movie is follow the drama narrative mode. The reason is that the Cause and effect linear structure is most close to the narrative of people’s life.
Deep structure is the meaning about a movie. Audience finish the movie then to think about the movie. It’s just like a kind of metaphor. The deep mean is not easy the find. But it’s the most important characteristic of the a good story (Li, 2000).
Mr. Brooks (Evans, 2007) is a good example for reader to know the deep structure. This movie is about a double character killer. In the movie the Mr. Brooks always read “My God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change，The courage to change the things I can，And the wisdom to know the difference”. So if audiences don’t know what is the background for is sentence they will don’t care this sentence. If the audience know it the audience will find this movie is not just talk about the guy how to kill people. In the movie Brooks is a commercial giant, but also good father. It is different with other killer movie. In the movie director discuss the humanity and emotion. Sometimes the audience can’t find the meaning. So something is behind the movie that is the deep structure. When the audience watch the movie they can’t see Surface structure and Deep Structure in the shots the movie. It’s very abstract, embedded inside the story or the movie. The audience must to think about it. This is also the story of the most attractive places.
36 kind of plot
In here have a other theorist who did very helpful things for story. His name is Polti. Polti summarize all the plot become 36 plots. Although today have lot of movie beyond 36 kind of plot, but it still including almost mode.
36 kind of plot (Polti, 1921)
FIGURE 4
| 1. Supplication |
| 2. Deliverance |
| 3. Crime Pursued by Vengeance |
| 4. Vengeance Taken for Kindred Upon Kindred |
| 5. Pursuit |
| 6. Disaster |
| 7. Falling Prey to Cruelty or Misfortune |
| 8. Revolt |
| 9. Daring Enterprise |
| 10. Abduction |
| 11. The Enigma |
| 12. Obtaining |
| 13. Enmity of Kinsmen |
| 14. Rivalry of Kinsmen |
| 15. Murderous Adultery |
| 16. Madness |
| 17. Fatal Imprudence |
| 18. Involuntary Crimes of Love |
| 19. Slaying of a Kinsman Unrecognized |
| 20. Self-Sacrifice for an Ideal |
| 21. Self-Sacrifice for Kindred |
| 22. All Sacrificed for Passion |
| 23. Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones |
| 24. Rivalry of Superior and Inferior |
| 25. Adultery |
| 26. Crimes of Love |
| 27. Discovery of the Dishonor of a Loved One |
| 28. Obstacles to Love |
| 29. An Enemy Loved |
| 30. Ambition |
| 31. Conflict With a God |
| 32. Mistaken Jealousy |
| 33. Erroneous Judgment |
| 34. Remorse |
| 35. Recovery of a Lost One |
| 36. Loss of Loved Ones |
Non-linear structure
Narrative is linear in reading, watching, listening, but non-linear in its structure. Non-linear structure can make story more interesting. Non-linear narrative is kind of no rule narrative. Non-linear narrative always give audience different feel. Have lot of movie use non-linear narrative to show the story.
For example the Rashomon (Kurosawa, 1950) is a Non-linear narrative movie. Rashomon’s story is not very interesting. But the structure is very fit the story. When the audience watch the movie they will think about lot of thing about the movie. The movie look like is talk about the sin, in fact it is discuss the human self problem. This movie’s structure is kind of Multi-cycle structure. In here the author should to explains what is the Multi-cycle structure. In this essay the “multi” means just like story in the story. But the story is not same. In Multi-cycle structure the multi-narrative is most important. The “cycle” means the narrative sequence time. “cycle” is kind of non-linear narrative. It is not show the plot one by one. The audience edit the sequence by themselves. In this movie the director use different character different angle to describe one things time to time. So if the linear narrative is A to B. The Multi-cycle structure narrative is just like maze. Lot of narrative is not for plot. It is for explain the point of the maze. Rashomon does not use the plot to attract audience. It use different character different angle to say the one plot to clear the opinion. It kind of structure must have good time edit and enough repeating. In this movie have lot of different narrative of one plot. This kind of narrative has lot “contrast” “means” and “cliffhanger” for audience. So the Multi-cycle structure function is multi- angle multi-layer multi-view narrative for one thing. Attract the audience to care the narrative. In the other hand Rashomon has a profound meaning, but audience will say other movie also has a profound meaning. For example The Name of the Rose. This movie also have lot of meaning. What is the different between them. The author consider The Name of the Rose point of interest is from his story. But the Rashomon point of interest is from his narrative. Memento(Nolan, 2000)this movie is a good non-linear movie. In the movie have two part narrative. One is ordinary sequence, two is reversal sequence. In the end of the movie the two part combine to one part. This kind of narrative is very creative.
Hypertext
Hypertext is kind of link. These link can help audience jump out the web paper or other images and video. The hypertext was discuss in the 1960's by author Theodor Nelson. Nelson hoped to link texts and human knowledge. So someone can more easily to find knowledge on an electronic screen. Today hypertext is very ordinarily function for the web sit. The viewers can choose the hot link to find what they want. This interactive non-linear model is very popular.
For example the “Garden of Forking Paths” (Borges, 1941) which was re-shaped into the hypertext to by Panagnou. In the web page, the audience can use the mouse to choose the text part. Then the web page will jump to the other page. When the audience finish reading the stories then choose the back button, then the page will go back the main page. This kind Non-linear narrative give audience more interactive. Is different from other Non-linear narrative. In the Non-linear narrative for the movie, the Audience can not do anything for the story. So the author opine if the movie also have some interactive like hypertext that the movie will more creative and interesting.
What is interaction
Dictionary definition:
－The act or process of interacting.
－The state of undergoing interaction.
Physics Any of four fundamental ways in which elementary particles and bodies can influence each other, classified as strong, weak, electromagnetic, and gravitational.
For me interaction have three paradigms, the three paradigms according to the Paradigm theory are essential in terms of interactive movie.
The first paradigm is the physical interactive. The relationship between human and machine which is focus on the physical interaction.
The second paradigm is when human interacting with machine(the media), the mental interaction.
The third paradigm is not only the thing about human and machine, when they doing the interaction process, they affect the whole environment.
Interms of my proposed interactive movie, the interactivity can reach the second paradigm.
From this research, I can understand the three paradigm clearly that to be used in the real project as a direction of practice (Steve, Deborah, Phoebe, 2004).
Interactive movie
Interactive movie is a kind of multi-line movie. It is different for traditional movie mode. Audience will use some way to interactive with the movie. May be every viewers will have different feel for the movie. In fact the interactive movie mode is not far from us. We play the video game all the time. Actually lot of video game is a interactive system. When player play the game, they can become the character in the game. Most game just have one story line. Every time player play the game, haven’t any different with before. But now is different. Lots of good game have multi story line and non-linear story (wikipedia). That means you can play the game many time but every time you will find some news thing from the game. So the interactive movie also can like that. The audience can choose the movie clip by themselves or the computer help you choose. So every time audiences see the movie they will see the new part.
For interactive narrative there are 4 levels interactivity.
Level 1. Peripheral Interactivity (Ryan,2005)
In this level interactive do not affects the story. And the story more like movie clip. Sometime even no story in there.
Level 2. Interactivity affecting narrative discourse and the presentation of the story (Ryan,2005).
In this level the story can be interactive by the audience. But the interactive should follow the story line. In simply worlds, the whole interactive project just like a “two select one” game. Audience just select one button from several choose.
Level 3. Interactivity creating variations in a partly pre-defined story (Ryan,2005)
This level the interactive is more dynamic. The audience can control the character in the project. Its like a RPG game. The character can play around in the game or follow the story process. For instance, GTA-Greater Theft Auto
Level 4. Real time story generation (Ryan,2005)
In this level, the character got artificial intelligence and in the story audience will never know the ending. So that, the level 4 interactive narrative is the highest interactive. The audience totally free in the story.
For instance, “Façade”, made by Michael Mateas and Andrew Stern.
For me I will focus level 3 interactive. Level 4 is too complex and difficult.
There has an other good example. ONG and TEONG JOO, they want do a "Interactive Storytelling Engines." The author want did interactive storytelling engines. The engines can write the story use computer. The writer can use more time to think about the idea.
This is interesting idea. But writer write the story will more creativity. Because the computer can’t think about like person. This project is not about the interactive movie, but author can get some idea from here. May be in the future we can did a interactive shooting engines. Direct just create a story structure, then the computer can do the every things. In the movie every thing is 3d. This kind of movie can save lot of money.(ONG, 2006) Or the interactive movie can become a non-linear story game system. Audience can pull on the Wearable screen. Then become the part of the movie. This is just like a game, but audience can’t the do every thing, just enjoy the movie. And the screen is very big when audience turn the head, they can see the environment of the movie. It is a great view experience.
In the research author find have two theorist, they want do interactive cinema called “thinkies.” Morgenroth and Lee H want give audience an immersive environment, integration of interaction with story, and constraint of narrative construction. This is very good idea. This means audience can join in the movie. This is kind of interactive. In our life the audience watch the movie is just watch. Audience is not joining in the movie. So they are project can give audience more angle to enjoy in the movie (Morgenroth, 1992).
In 2002 Jeffrey Shaw design EVE interactive Cinema. In this project people can choose what they want to see of the film. In this project the screen will follow the audience’ s eyes. When audience watch the movie, they will put a machine in they head. Then the camera will know the audience view angle. In the cinema no audience will watch same thing about the movie. So this project will give audience very fresh feel (Yan & Castelli, 2007).
Future
Now movie is part of our life. The people enjoy the movie. audience learn something from movie. Traditional narrative mode have thousand years old. It’s very mature. Audience can’t leave it. But the world development is very fast. The audience always need more new things to fill them. The movie also like that, it cannot just stop in the traditional movie model. So the author thinks in the future the interactive movie will become mainstream. The audience can join in the movie. Or the computer can create story for different audience. May be audience don’t need any actor and don’t need to the theater. Interactive movie will become a personal cinema system.
Conclusion
In the end of the essay, the author believes interactive movie will become the main way to show the story in the future. Today more and more filmmaker use the Non-linear narrative to present story. Traditional linear narrative can’t satisfy the audience. This phenomenon means the audience needs new narrative model to say the story. Although the Non-linear narrative is very attract audience. But it still traditional structure. When the audience watch the movie they can’t do any thing for the movie. So the author opinion is the interactive movie must become the main way to show the story.
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