Types of Narrative

As opposed to just having a performance aspect, many music videos use a narrative that features a story of sorts playing out in front of the audience that is, more often than not used as a tie in to the meaning of the song.


Linear

Most music videos use a linear, or Todorovian, format in which all events in the narrative are in chronological order. Todorov's narrative theory follows five steps, the first being equilibrium in which everything is as it should be. This is then followed by the disruption of that equilibrium where something will happen to disrupt the balance of life, this is then recognised by the protagonist of the narrative. The protagonist will then begin on their quest to restore equilibrium, a quest which, in theory they will succeed in as the final step of Todorov's theory. This theory is used as a guideline for fairytale structures, a structure which has become increasingly less popular as directors make an effort to break the mould and create something more unique, however it still remains the most popular format for music videos. Example: Red Hot Chili Peppers - By the way

Non-Linear
In most videos in this modern times, directors try to stray form the linear chronological format of music videos so to create a more unique and artistic visual experience for the viewer. An example of this format is in the video for "The Scientist" by Coldplay. The video is filmed in reverse and sees the main character, Chris Martin, singing the song whilst walking in the reverse of how he would have originally travelled, he continues to walk and we see that he was actually walking away from a car accident, this is a representation of the lyric "take me back to the start" which features throughout the song. This is a format that is the reverse of the Todorovian structure with the equilibrium being at the end of the video but at the start of the overall narrative of the video.

Circular 
The narrative begins at the end events (often with the climax). The audience are taken on a journey arriving back where they start. Example of a circular is Ed Sheeran - The A team, where the ending of the whole narrative is put at the beginning so that after that then the video shows who it actually happened  

Parallel Narrative

Parallel narrative is where it's the same scene but spilt into two screen and shot in different angles. This shows the actors or artist point of view of what they are doing at the same time as the other actor/singer

Convergent Narrative

Convergent narrative is where two story line and come together, as in we see two different points of views put together, for an example Fantasia - When I see you, in this music video we see two main characters coming towards each other

Interweaving Narrative

When more then one or multiple story-lines eventually weave together. Chris Brown Ft Justin Bieber - Next to you, this has a mixture of the two artist point of view of what's happening which collide together