Semiotics

Signifier - is a single detail we pick out which we think has symbolic meaning. 
Denotation - description of what we see or hear.
Connotation - the symbolic meaning of these factual details.
Intertextuality - The meaning of one text is tied to another, earlier text e.g. to fully understand 'Scary Movie' you'd need to have seen 'Scream'. This can cause contested readings.

Narrative Theories
Levi-Strauss' Binary Opposition - The juxtaposition of the refined Voldemort and Harry Potter is an example of juxtaposition. Any mutually exclusive pair form a binary opposition (male/female, rich/poor, rural/urban). Binary opposites are a key device for generating conflict and thus drama. When placed together, we can talk of binary opposites being juxtaposed - paired together to emphasise the contrast; their difference.
Polysemy/Anchorage - the coexistence of many possible meanings for something. E.g. 
Commutation Test - 
Preferred/Contested/Oppositional Reading -

Barthes' Narrative Enigma - Mysterious elements within a text form narrative enigma (information is being held back from the audience), needed in any drama. 

Propp's 7 Recurring Character Types 
From the study of fairytales:
1. The Villain (antagonist) - struggles against the hero. 
2. The Donor - prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.
3. The Helper - helps the hero in the quest. 
4. The Hero - reacts to the donor, saves the day, weds the princess. 
5. The False Hero - takes credit for the hero's actions or tries to marry the princess.
6. The Princess or Prize - the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain. Propp noted that functionally, the princess and father cannot be clearly distinguished. 
7. The Dispatcher - character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off. 

Todorov's 5-Part Narrative Theory

1. A state of equilibrium at the outset.

2. A disruption of the equilibrium by some action.

3. A recognition that there has been a disruption.

4. An attempt to repair the disruption.

5. A reinstatement of the equilibrium.