Information on Narrative Structure of Film “Crash”:

As this film beings, each episode in the narrative seems separate and unrelated but as the story progresses, the lives of these different characters are woven together in a tale of how humans react to, and interact with, each other. What we experience is a complex web of parallel narratives as well follow each character or set of characters through their day.

Multiple storylines in this film, there are five to start with and eleven by the time they have split into different strands which are more like an introduction of life in LA than a conventionally plotted story.

For more information on the storyline read the essay on Page 28 in your booklet – it discusses some great techniques that show the storyline to the audience.

First act introduces main characters and situation: Graham and Ria, the situation is the car accident with the Asian woman and the complication is finding Pete’s dead body on the highway where we are left wondering how? Why? Who? When?

Then you are taken back in time to yesterday where we are given the storylines of the characters that lead to this complication occurring.

Turning Point: Ryan’s assault of Christine – this is the scene where Officer Ryan pulls up Christine / Cameron because they are driving a black SUV (like the stolen one but with different plates) but he pulls them over anyway because he can see they are doing something that he does not agree with. Ryan’s shocking assault on Christine spins all the characters into different directions.

Then you have the key scene involving Officer Ryan and Christine again (it is important to note here that the scenes involving these characters are a lot longer than the rest) where Ryan the central character is no longer the stereotype we were given in the previous scene. It shows Ryan as everyman (representative of humans – stands for the complexity that makes us all human). This scene also shows that everyone is complex, nobody is straightforward and that everyone connects.

Scene 44: Back to the beginning where Graham is examining the dead body and realises that it is his younger bother Pete therefore we are given the resolution to the complication from the beginning of the film.

Then right at the end of the film we are given the resolution for each character / set of characters where everything makes sense and we are able to understand the character’s actions and realise that they are all human, especially Anthony who lets the immigrants free instead of selling them.

Film ends with a crash scene just like at the beginning showing that this is the reality of L.A – people crash / collide into each other.

Passing of time: over 24 – 36 hours

Change in lighting shows us the passing of time in this film and also the sequence of events as they follow on from one another until we are back at the crime scene on the highway.

The sequences of events in the film follow the characters lives bit have been organised to create suspense for the audience. We start of knowing nothing of this dead body and what has happened for this man to end up dead in the middle of bush in the highway but as then story unfolds all of the characters intertwine and the complication of the dead body on the highway starts to make a lot more sense hence we are taken back to this scene from the start and see that it is Graham’s brother – so the things to think about are: why were we no told that it was Graham’s brother from the start? What was the reason for going back and filling in the gaps to how this incident occurred? It makes us understand the purpose of this incident a lot more and how easily it can occur in this city rife with race relations affecting people everyday. I think it is fair to say that if we were told about Pete’s death and how it occurred from the start we wouldn’t understand the intertwining of all characters, how they are connected but do now know it and how it can affect their lives so deeply.

Question on narrative structure: Analyse how the organisation or narration style of the visual text created a particular response, atmosphere or perspective for the audience

Use the informative above on organisation / narrations style to answer the first part of this question.

Ideas for this question: 3 main parts to discuss as examples from the film – the introduction and towards the ending – clearly link to each other (back to the crime scene where Pete’s body is found) and we are told how the incident occurred and why – it tells us the meaning / purpose of it. There is also the scene where Cameron and Christine are pulled over that has major consequences on all of the characters in the film and then the scene where Officer Ryan saves Christine from the burning car wreck and it is a huge contrast to the previous scene involving these two characters.

Response: suspense for the audience is created by the organisation of events in the story. The start of the film shows the dead body of Pete but we are not told that it is Graham’s brother or how he died until towards the end of the film – which has been done purposely to create suspense and speculation from the audience.

Perspective: It shows the race relations existing in LA (USA) through the many characters that collide into one another throughout the film but do not know or understand the significance of their encounters on their lives. Many of the characters in the film are prejudice / racist towards each other which in turn affects their lives as we see with Pete who is shot by Officer Hanson in the end because of the colour of his skin and with Anthony and Pete hijacking Rick and Jean’s car because of the way Jean looks at the two black man – she judges them on their appearance. We are shown the perspective that people in USA and LA to be in fact are not judged on the content of their character but by the way they look their culture and beliefs.

Atmosphere: The atmosphere in the film is very realistic to the audience – we are shown the true ramifications of life in a big city where many races collide but are not accepting of one another or understand the significance of their encounters. We are also given a eerie feeling whilst watching this film as so many of the characters lives are dramatically affected and severe consequences arise including death or near death e.g. Daniel’s daughter.

Please read information on parallel and contrasts on Page and copy and answer the table on Page 14 on motifs as this relates to the narrative structure and the information could be used to help answer an essay question on the narrative structure of the film.