In the short film, Tick Tock, narrative theories are represented through the use of micro elements such as Mise-en-Scene, Editing, Camera Angles and Movement, and Sound.
Todorov's theory of Equilibrium was not evident in the short film, as it did not follow a conventional, linear story arc. Instead, a reverse chronological narrative was established through the use of editing. The utilisation of reverse editing exemplifies the use of a reverse chronological narrative as the story is not told in a traditionally chronological order, but instead reveals the ending of the film first. The use of a single long shot throughout the film illustrates that the protagonist has no time to think things through or change his mind as he believes he is going to die, driving the overall narrative of the film. The use of slow motion and the speeding up of some clips creates a representation of the adrenaline that the protagonist is feeling due to his impending death. This, when combined with the words on the screen, creates the implication that the male is unintentionally righting his wrongs as he believes that he is running out of time to do so - and is desperate to do something good with his life before in inevitably ends.
The short film has a closed narrative, as theorised by Barthes, as the meaning is clear and resolved at the end. Barthes also theorised that an enigma code is crucial in engaging an audience in a narrative which was created through the use of sound. In the film, the absence/muffling of dialogue contributes to the films puzzle as the audience are therefore unable to hear what the characters are saying, and have to focus on the visual narrative of the film to learn what is happening. The muffling of any noise creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and disorientation as the order are encouraged the focus solely on the protagonist and the way he is feeling throughout the duration of the film. In addition to this, the use of synchronous and a fast paced soundtrack emphasises the protagonists belief that he is going to die, and the adrenaline he is feeling as a result of this, as he attempts to put things right.
Broadwell and Thompson state that a narrative is the product of a cause and effect relationship, and that this can be seen through the use of key props in the mise en scene such as the pills which are consumed by the protagonist. The pills cause the drive of the narrative, by making the protagonist believe he is going to die and that he needs to set things right before he does so, creating the story's arc and the disruption in the films original equilibrium. Furthermore, the box is a driving prop in the films narrative as the protagonists desire to give it back to his lover pushes him to find her and result in his actions in the rest of the film. The box embodies a physical representation of relationships, love and regret, emphasising the message that is created at the end of the film with the quote for Steve Jobs, suggesting that you should not live your life with any regrets or uncertainty as in the face of death your pride and fears will disappear, and only the regret will remain in the face of death.
Levi Strauss theorises that in a story, opposites have to be utilised to create an entertaining narrative. These opposites are created through the use of camera angles. Through the use of a long tracking shot, the audience are unaware of what is happening other than that the male protagonist knows the cause of the narrative, and that he believes he may die. This creation of a known vs. unknown opposite develops the effect created by the sound by emphasising the enigma of the film. The contrast between right and wrong is created through the use of the tracking shot and the credits that appear on the screen. The combination of the two represent the protagonist doing something 'right' or a good deed, such as giving his wallet to the charity, whilst the credits read the word 'greed' the complete opposite to the mans actions. This contributes to the drive of the narrative, by making the audience intrigued as to why the man is doing so many good deeds and why the credits create a representation of the direct opposite to the nature of his actions.
