Characters

Our four main characters were largely based on the slasher character archetypes. We wanted to use these tropes to reflect slasher genre conventions, as well as challenge them.

Below is a presentation detailing the characters. 

 

VODCAST: Slasher Genre Conventions

 

Transcript: 

In this vodcast I will analyse the following slasher conventions: the killer, the setting, character archetypes, character separation, signals, jump scares, illogical thinking, sounds, shots, and lighting. 

SLASHER GENRE: Character Archetypes

In this post I will analyse the following slasher character archetypes; the killer, the jock, the fool, the nice guy, the scream queen and the final girl, as well as treatment of minorities and adults. 

I will be mainly referring to the films The Cabin In The Woods (2011) ,  The Final Girls (2015) and The Babysitter (2017) , as they are post-modern films satirising these archetypes. 

Propp: Character Archetypes

Vladimir Propp

(b. 1895 - d. 1970)

Vladimir Propp was a Soviet folklorist. 

What are the Character Archetypes?:

Propp studied 100s of folk tales and identifies seven archetypes, defined through their "spheres of action" or role they play in the progression of a narrative. The seven archetypes are: the hero, the villain, the donor, the helper, the princess, the dispatcher, and the false hero. 

In this post I will break down and explain the different archetypes using the contemporary comparisons of Shrek (2001) and Shrek 2 (2004). 

The Hero: According to Propp, there are two types of heroes: the seeker, and the victim. The seeker "agrees to liquidate the misfortune" and aids a suffering character on his quest to defeat the evil. The other type is the victim, who "directly suffers from the action of the Villain", and then has to solve their own misfortune. In Shrek, Shrek is a seeker and victim, who agrees (seeker) to complete the Villains quest in order to have the fairytale characters return back home and leave his swamp (victim). The narrative then follows him as he progresses on his hero's journey, helped by the other characters, and marries the Princess. 

The Villain: To develop the narrative, the Villain initially causes a "form of misfortune, damage, or harm", and leads to a struggle with the Hero. In Shrek, this would be Lord Farquaard, who kicks the fairytale creatures out of his kingdom, and forces Shrek to risk his life and rescue Princess Fiona so that he can marry her. 

The Donor/Provider: In order to defeat the Villain, the Hero needs a Donor to complete his quest. Often, the Hero must make a sacrifice and meet the Donors request, in order to be assisted by them. In Shrek 2, this is seen when the Muffin Man makes a giant gingerbread man in order to help Shrek defeat the Fairy Godmother, and Prince Charming. 

The Helper: The Helper aids the Hero in their journey, often providing company, or using their powers to aid the Hero. At the end, their journey with the Hero, the Helper represents the hero's journey and progression within the narrative. In Shrek, although he is met by protest from the Hero, Donkey joins him on his quest, and in return, Shrek receives his company. At the end of the film, Donkeys relationship with Shrek shows his evolution in the story.

The Princess/Prize: Often, the Hero sets off on his journey in order to rescue a Princess. She often aids the Hero in providing an object for defeating the Villain, and the narrative ends when she is married by the Hero. The Princess is also seen as a sought after character, such as a missing person, or simply someone of the title. In Shrek, the Princess is Fiona, who he seeks out to rescue, aids him in defeating the Villain, and ends up marrying. 

The Dispatcher: Once the Villain commits his crime, the Dispatcher calls for help, and often promises the Hero a reward. In some cases, the Dispatcher offers the Hero a release, in order to complete the quest. In Shrek, the Dispatcher is played by Donkey and Lord Faarquad. Donkey initially calls Shrek for help, and Lord Faarquad then sends Shrek on his quest. 

The False Hero: The False Hero takes credit for the Hero's victory, once the quest is completed. In Shrek 2, Prince Charming is the False Hero, as he pretends to be a human Shrek, in order to marry Princess Fiona. 

Possible influences for my film: 
Using the Character Archetypes in my narrative, combining them with the slasher archetypes. 

Resources: 
https://media-studies.com/propp/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Propp

http://serenamediaunit10.blogspot.com/2018/12/a1-valdimir-propps-character-roles.html

https://amyliddella2.wordpress.com/question-1-real-media-products/propp-shrek/