Narrative structures in Colombian fictional web series published on YouTube

Abstract

This research seeks to contribute to knowledge of the structural characteristics and narrative complexity that define the web series format. To do so, we look at the case of Colombia’s prolific web series production, undertaken by professional and amateur producers and promoted by institutional and educational programmes. This research analyses the structure of 26 productions (thirteen professional, thirteen amateur) using a mixed-methods approach and an exploratory-descriptive scope. It uses analytical tools created inspired by narratology. Specifically, it offers data that allow us to develop the definition of web series: characteristics of their plots, characters, aspects of narration (time, mood, voice) and forms of endings. The results indicate that Colombian web series mostly present traditional serialized narrative structures and plot simplicity. They have linear, chronological and elliptical narratives developed in the present tense. They also tend to tell a single narrative, albeit through different stories, and leave open endings. Finally, there are only slight differences in these aspects between the two types of producers. These results, based on a specific geographical and industrial context, contribute to knowledge of web series form and its relationship to conventional serialized fiction.