Let's Talk Media Theories!

Theory Theory Theory!

Part of our task in our project is to integrate a media theory within our project. Looking through theories, it was kind of hard to pick one to integrate into only a film opening, but me and my partner decided to focus on Todorov's Theory of Equilibrium. 

Todorov's Theory of Equilibrium proposes that narratives typically follow a five-stage structure,

1. Equilibrium: The initial stable state of the world where everything is normal, introducing character and setting normally before the...

2. Disruption: An accident, action, or force that disturbs the equilibrium, creating a conflict or problem.

3. Recognition: Characters acknowledge the disruption and recognize the need for a change and act on change.

4. New Equilibrium: New state of balance is reached including new lessons learned. 

In our movie, the theory applies through our script. Our character's equilibrium is introduced when she's home alone, walking home on the phone with her mom. We establish that she's home alone and a very careless and "in her own world" type of teenager. She puts on music, lays on her couch and we begin the sequence of her "Doom Scrolling" on her Computer, on the phone with her friend where we introduce our Disruption, the Ring Camera which leads to the whole disruption of technology being possessed, disturbing her previous equlibrium and sending her and the audience into a stake of panic and anxiety. Now, this is only a Film opening so we can't fully integrate this theory into our film as we're not tasked to include the Recognition aspect or the New Equilibrium since we're not allowed to finish our story or even give reason to the Disruption. Regardless, Todorov's theory of Equlibrium provides a good structure for our Film opening, especially as a Horror Thriller.