Todorov’s Theory in SHIFT HAPPENS

For this blog post, I chose a media theory that I would like to use on my project. Todorov's Narrative Theory of Equilibrium, which describes how stories go through a process from equilibrium to disequilibrium and back to equilibrium.


When film opening begins, everything is at a stable point. Paulie buys rare automobile parts, does most of the work himself before arriving at a race, it is simply another evening for him. By giving this impression of Paulie at the beginning, the viewer can connect with Paulie's character as having confidence and knowledge.


When the race starts and Paulie stalls his car it causes a break in the equilibrium. This is a major disruption, and instead of everything going as planned, everything goes wrong. This disruption creates both tension and comedy, which is appropriate for a project in the comedy genre.


The film does not finish itself before jumping into the title, establishing a sense of new equilibrium but without giving enough context for the audience to understand why the events contained in that frame are changing Paulie's life and that the overall story is only beginning.


Using Todorov's theory on the film opening gives it a sense of purpose and structure while being short. By using this theory we are able to create balance between comedic and narratives to get a good engagement throughout the entire film opening.