Tzvetan Todorov

·        Philosopher

·        French/Bulgarian

·        Published 21 books

·        Visiting professor at Harvard and Yale etc.

Todorov suggested that stories begin with an equilibrium or status quo where any potentially opposing forces are in balance. This is disrupted by some event, setting in chain a series of events. Problems are solved so that order can be restored to the world of the fiction.

He believed that there are five stages to narrative structure.

1. A state of Equilibrium. (All as is if it should be)
2. A disruption to that order (by an event)
3. A recognition that the disorder has occured.
4. An attempt to repair the damage.
5. A return or restoration to start a NEW equilibrium. 
Tzvetan Todorov believes that characters and situations are transformed through narrative cycle.


Todorov's theory is a great example of how codes and conventions are essential to making a professional and creative narrative of which we will use in our music video. This will show us how to structure our narrative and how to create a story that is common to the audience.

However we do plan to oppose Todorov's theory as the equilibrium will not be re-established. Our main actor is to be a 'cool, fun' guy who has lots of friends. The equilibrium is then disturbed by an affair type scenario and then recognition of this (people beating up the character etc). However from here the video ends with an unhappy main character. This gives the audience the chance to decide whether he is forgiven by his friends or whether he is not.