Abstract
In the movie industry, the complex cinematic universes constructed for sequels are crucial elements that strengthen the narrative continuity and bond between the audience and the story. In successful cases, this will result in a strong attachment and easy identification by the viewer, since they would emotionally relate to what and how things are represented in the film. On another aspect, sequels frequently answer ontological questions that arose in the first film. This clarification accounts to a satisfying completion in terms of overall story and feel. In order to achieve this, sequels often introduce new characters, side stories and flashbacks. This slight contribution adds to the expansion of overall cinematic experience, enriching and deepening the film texture. For this study, the 1982 film Blade Runner and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017) are analyzed on how the inclusion of new characters and spaces in the cinematic universe effects the narrative structure of the films.
TopIntroduction
The movies that are massively liked in the film industry create a mass among the audience. This mass creates an organic demand. In response to this demand, a new supply is made by the producers, and this is how the sequels usually come out. Commercially, this supply and demand relationship is built on the expectations of the audience. Thomas Leitch (2002) argues that “sequels are packaged and consumed based on a promise that they are just as good as the originals, even if they tell a different story” (p. 44). However, this approach falls short of explaining why the audience demands them. Especially in the Hollywood industry, being commercially profitable is the main factor when a new project emerges. However, in the sequels, this remains as a low priority concern since the main motivation behind the production is the success of the original movie. In this context, the production efforts for the sequel mainly focus on the attractiveness of the story, new aspects to the characters and/or new locations to create more complexity, depth, and texture.
The audience expects to find interesting characters, newly integrated back or side stories, new places and new interactions while a solid connection between the sequel and its original being maintained. At this point, Star Wars franchise can be an interesting example. Following its success, the sequels to the original movie exceeded far beyond the studio’s expectations and even the separate characters in the original film became film materials on their own. “From the very beginning, these franchises rely on serialization strategies that foster audience loyalty and engagement by developing the narrative over several installments” (Loock, 2017, p. 93). There is a positive correlation between audience's loyalty to the sequels and the sequels’ fidelity to the original story. According to Loock (2017), “The main purpose of the sequels is to complete gaps found in the original story and, if possible, developing the idea further to increase the engagement. However, sequels can also reveal new stories in some cases. The fact that a sequel is derived from a creative and innovative reproduction process means that it can appeal to the audience by evoking memories of the previous film, building audience loyalty and managing expectations” (p. 93). Either way, sequels come up with new characters, new locations, and new and improved technologies. New characters and places have a deepening and expanding effect on the story. On the other hand, sequels also serve as a socio-cultural bridge between generations.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Narrative Structure Analysis: A method of understanding a text (or other form of communication) by breaking it down into its component parts and assessing their contributions to the overall meaning. It involves analyzing elements like plot, character, setting, point of view, language, and tone. The goal of narrative structure analysis is to identify patterns in the text, determine the message and the meaning behind it, and evaluate the effectiveness of the text in conveying its message. Narrative structure analysis helps to understand the structure of literature, cinema and other artistic works and provides a deeper understanding in the reader or viewer.
Character Creation and Design: Character creation in films is a complex process that involves the artistic vision of a director, the scriptwriting and writing of the character, and the actor who will bring the character to life on the screen. It is a very involved process that takes a lot of effort and resources to create a believable character that comes to life on screen. The director will typically start the process by discussing with the writer the story they are trying to tell and the theme they are trying to portray. They will then work on brainstorming ideas for characters to be featured. The character's traits and qualities must be explored, as well as the character's age, personality, and motivations.
Cinematic Universe: A concept that refers to a collection of individually connected movie franchises that share a similar and ongoing narrative. The concept of a shared universe was first introduced by Marvel Comics with their 'Marvel Universe' in 1961. The term “cinematic universe” is most often used to refer specifically to franchises owned and produced by the major Hollywood studios, including Marvel, Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, and Sony. The idea of a cinematic universe has been implemented by studios in their franchises in order to maximize their returns by keeping the same characters, settings, and themes across multiple films and television series. This has allowed for interaction between the films and series, creating an interconnected story and allowing for crossover characters and plot points.
Probabilistic Narrative Structure Analysis (PROBS): A type of qualitative analysis used to evaluate the narrative structure of a text. It involves looking at how the text is structured, the themes and motifs used, and identifying what strategies are used to develop the story. This type of analysis can provide insight into how the story is told, how the story develops and progresses, and what meaning the story conveys. Additionally, it can help identify patterns and trends in the text which can be used to further inform and explain the narrative structure. Probabilistic narrative structure analysis can be used in various domains including literature, film, television, and theatre. PROBS uses a mathematical model to measure probabilities in the narrative of the text or work and how these probabilities affect it.
New Character and Narrative: In narrative works, new characters can be used to introduce new elements to the story. For example, a new character could be a local guide to help the protagonist navigate a foreign location. Alternatively, a new character could be an antagonist, providing tension and conflict in the plot. A new character can also be a supporting character, providing insight and help to the protagonist on their journey. Furthermore, new characters can offer a new perspective on the story and help reveal hidden meaning and depth. A new character can also influence the way the story is told, and give a new direction to the language, discourse and techniques of the story.
Content Analysis: A method used by social scientists to analyze the content of qualitative and quantitative data. It can be used to analyze any type of data, such as photographs, video and audio recordings, or textual data. Content analysis is often used to understand the attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors of a large population, as it can uncover patterns or trends in the data that would not be evident to the researcher if they only interacted with a small sample of the population. Content analysis can also be used to compare different populations to understand how they differ in their attitudes and beliefs.
Purposive Sampling: A non-probability sampling technique used in social science research. It involves the researcher purposively selecting elements (such as people, organizations, or documents) that are expected to provide maximum information related to the research problem being studied. In some cases, the sample is selected based on knowledge about the characteristics of the universe and according to the purpose of the research. In purposive sampling, the researcher chooses a subgroup as a sample that he thinks represents the universe and is a typical example of the universe. It is especially used when the sampling frame is not certain, and the researcher is knowledgeable about the universe.
Structural Units in Narrative: In narratology, the term “structural unit” typically refers to a segment of a narrative that contributes to the overall structure, or organization, of a story. This can include such entities as scenes, chapters, acts, or even sentences. A structural unit can help the reader interpret the order of events, the type of discourse being used, and the purpose of the narrative. It can also help the author to develop a cohesive theme, as well as to provide a sense of order and unity to the narrative. Structural units can also carry certain connotations and cultural references which provide additional depth and resonance to the text.