Semiotics exercises You have been asked You have been asked

to make a trailer for a to make a trailer for a children’s animated children’s animated adventure film.adventure film.

Where would you set Where would you set it and why?it and why?

Denotation The image is The image is

(denotes) an animated (denotes) an animated shark partially shark partially underwater with the underwater with the Sydney skyline in the Sydney skyline in the background. background.

Connotation What do we associate What do we associate

with Australia and with Australia and why is this appropriate why is this appropriate to the message the to the message the poster is trying to poster is trying to convey?convey?

Connotation In the first instance In the first instance

Sydney connotes a Sydney connotes a gateway to Oceania – gateway to Oceania – the outdoor life, where the outdoor life, where exotic species live. exotic species live. Other connotations of Other connotations of Oz are irrelevant here.Oz are irrelevant here.

Paradigm

Distributors of the Distributors of the film were choosing film were choosing from a paradigm of from a paradigm of images of Oz: images of Oz: outback? Sydney outback? Sydney harbour? Ayres Rock harbour? Ayres Rock (Uluru)? Kylie?(Uluru)? Kylie?

Syntagm

A syntagmatic A syntagmatic analysis assesses how analysis assesses how words, images, colours words, images, colours etc form a CHAIN of etc form a CHAIN of meaning. How meaning. How everything goes everything goes together suggests together suggests pleasures for a specific pleasures for a specific audienceaudience

Connotations Now choose a setting Now choose a setting

for an action film.for an action film. What connotations What connotations

would your setting would your setting have and how would have and how would these be appropriate these be appropriate for your trailer|?for your trailer|?

Myth

Myth and ideology Think of a good guy Think of a good guy

and a bad guy for an and a bad guy for an action film.action film.

How might a trailer How might a trailer for the film suggest for the film suggest that they are good or that they are good or bad?bad?

MythDo your

goodies and baddies say

anything about how the western media

have influenced our

idea of good and evil?

Myth Myths can function to Myths can function to

hide the hide the ideological ideological function of signs and function of signs and codes. The power of codes. The power of such myths is that they such myths is that they 'go without saying' and 'go without saying' and so appear not to need so appear not to need to be deciphered, to be deciphered, interpreted or interpreted or demystifieddemystified

1st/2nd/3rd order of signification

1st)Your baddie is……1st)Your baddie is……(actor, part played)(actor, part played)

Your goodie is….Your goodie is….

2nd) Their 2nd) Their costume/voice/manner/ costume/voice/manner/ appearance/ accent appearance/ accent suggestssuggests

33rdrd) This underlines the ) This underlines the attitudes in western attitudes in western culture towards…. culture towards….

Barthes and signification

11stst: a black French : a black French soldier salutingsoldier saluting

22ndnd: patriotism, pride, : patriotism, pride, militarismmilitarism

33rdrd Whether black or Whether black or white/ young or old, white/ young or old, people are proud to people are proud to salute the French flag salute the French flag

Signification and myth

Like ancient myths, Like ancient myths, this is not strictly true. this is not strictly true. The myth HIDES the The myth HIDES the TRUTH that France TRUTH that France colonised much of colonised much of black Africa and is black Africa and is responsible for responsible for atrocities against black atrocities against black people.people.

At the denotative level this At the denotative level this is a photograph of the movie is a photograph of the movie star Marilyn Monroe. At a star Marilyn Monroe. At a connotative level we connotative level we associate this photograph associate this photograph with Marilyn Monroe's star with Marilyn Monroe's star qualities of glamour, qualities of glamour, sexuality, beauty - if this is sexuality, beauty - if this is an early photograph - but an early photograph - but also with her depression, also with her depression, drug-taking and untimely drug-taking and untimely death if it is one of her last death if it is one of her last photographs. photographs.

At a mythic level we At a mythic level we understand this sign as understand this sign as activating the myth of activating the myth of Hollywood: the dream Hollywood: the dream factory that produces factory that produces glamour in the form of glamour in the form of the stars it constructs, the stars it constructs, but also the dream but also the dream machine that can crush machine that can crush them - all with a view them - all with a view to profit and to profit and expediency. (Hayward expediency. (Hayward 1996, 310) 1996, 310)

Marilyn Monroe and myth

Metonym

How would you know How would you know your goodies are good your goodies are good and baddies bad? and baddies bad? What would they hold, What would they hold, wear; what would be wear; what would be notable about their notable about their appearance?appearance?

Metonym

James Bond’s gun James Bond’s gun stands for something stands for something broader – a license to broader – a license to kill, justice, the kill, justice, the defence of western defence of western values etc.values etc.

BMW often advertise BMW often advertise cars showing just an cars showing just an engine to stand for engine to stand for power, efficiency. power, efficiency.

Metonym

Metonyms substitute Metonyms substitute words or objects and words or objects and replace them with a part replace them with a part that represents that represents something broader. something broader. Hence, the word ‘suit’ Hence, the word ‘suit’ stands in for manager, stands in for manager, ‘wheels’ for car; an ‘wheels’ for car; an image of frightened eyes image of frightened eyes to stand in for fear. to stand in for fear.

What metonyms did you use in your film ideas?

Metaphor

A Metonym is a type of A Metonym is a type of metaphor. A metaphor is metaphor. A metaphor is a representation of a representation of something that is not something that is not real, eg, ‘Her name is real, eg, ‘Her name is mud.’ mud.’

What metaphors would you use in your action film to convey values such as evil, good, romance, strength etc?

Metaphor In this classic 90s ad In this classic 90s ad

for Nissan Micra there for Nissan Micra there are some obvious are some obvious visual metaphors. visual metaphors. What are they?What are they?

Polysemy Think of an image that Think of an image that

cold be interpreted in cold be interpreted in many ways.many ways.

Now think of a Now think of a voiceover for an voiceover for an action film trailer that action film trailer that would ‘anchor’ its would ‘anchor’ its meaning and prevent meaning and prevent misinterpretation.misinterpretation.

Polysemic images This ad (for Honda) is open to many meanings:This ad (for Honda) is open to many meanings: The caption directs us to a specific interpretation The caption directs us to a specific interpretation

(an example of anchorage)(an example of anchorage)

Discuss how the ad makes meaning.

Heavy use of myths and metaphors here?

Now throw all your knowledge at this ad