Integration of Media Theory

     The class has been studying media theory since the beginning, so it is only natural for us students to be expected to incorporate our knowledge of media theory into our film opening project. With so many parts of mine already thought out, I believe I can find a theory that applies to my story quite well… 

    Levi Strauss’ binary opposition theory states that we experience life through the concept of opposites like good vs. evil, birth and death. This theory relates to narratives where elements of the story are constructed through opposition, and it applies to my own story as well. During my research, I discovered that Strauss studied mythology, a common inspiration for lots of fantasy media, and how his theory persists throughout so much of it. He broke down myths into basic elements and showed that myths from across the world are structured by binary opposition and patterns of transformation. I deduced that this might be why we see so many complete opposites in fantasy, such as the contrast between rich and poor, strength and weakness, beauty and ugliness. The audience makes sense of stories through these concepts which are easier to understand. Of course, I should be able to effectively integrate opposition into my film opening.

    The character of the dragon, who is the monstrous beastly villain of the scene, could be interpreted as a representation of evil and in many classic pieces of mythology, they are. However, I can further illustrate that concept by using color design. A black and red color scheme would  make the beast seem all the more malicious and dangerous, as those two colors, especially when used together, invoke feelings of danger and mystery in the human mind. I might contrast the inherent monstrousness of the dragon with the hero of the story, who is human, and therefore the audience would understand and empathize with him. His facial expressions are readable and we can comprehend his thoughts and feelings without any dialogue. To further push the theory of binary opposition, I should emphasize his facial movements while animating the opening. 

    Overall, focusing on one specific theory and reworking my initial plan a bit to better reflect it has helped me to learn how media theory as a whole could impact a film.