Media Language



Repetition of these signs become Horror genre conventions, however overuse results in taking away the signified meaning

There is a constant repetition of conventions in different types of mediums and in this case, horror trailers, but the more prominent they become, the more typical and eventually audiences start to not realize the valued meaning behind these conventions as over exposure to the same ones becomes tiresome to them. 

Saussure's theory of the signifier and the signified is used constantly in horror. The signifier is the physical form of the object and the signified is the concept or idea that it produces. Horrors constantly use this theory to help layer their subtext and infer meaning into their details. Barthes has a theory of denotation and connotation which means to understand the face value, literal meaning and sub text to find the less obvious deeper meaning and sub text behind it. For example, the denotation of a knife is that it's used to stab people but the connotation in the context of a slasher for example would be that it shows phallic imagery and that it is meant to be sexualized. Over time however, audiences' visions become clouded and they begin not seeing the meaning behind these conventions. 

For example, when conventional scene in horror is that the people that have sex always die, and most people see this as an over used horror trope only put in the film for the sake of making it recognizable. What they fail to realize however is that teens dying whilst having sex is meant to show teen punishment. Sex before marriage is seen as a sin by the catholic church and long ago when most of society was catholic, they put this in horror films to help illustrate this idea that sex before marriage is bad. However, one could say that nowadays, this idea isn't relevant to our generation anymore as not everybody is catholic/christian and that this sub text is now dated. 

Comments

  1. ctkmedia15 November 2017 at 05:10

    This doesn't follow the essay plan given or give EXAMPLES from your Trailer

    "For example, the denotation of a knife is that it's used to stab people but the connotation in the context of a slasher for example would be that it shows phallic imagery and that it is meant to be sexualized. Over time however, audiences' visions become clouded and they begin not seeing the meaning behind these conventions. "
    WHERE is the reference to YOUR trailer?
    WHAT does this look like on screen MES?

    Introduction Theorist: "Horror films use established signs and codes in their conventions to signify deeper meaning...in my A2 Horror Trailer...X connotes Y."

    "Repetition of these signs become Horror genre conventions, however overuse results in taking away the signified (the meaning) and you are left with just the sign - the visual style rather than producing any subtext or meaning."

    Symbolic Codes
    Technical Codes
    Written Codes
    Audio Codes

    P1 Theory: Symbolic Codes - what, where and how? (C)
    Compare with actual Horror RMT and examine meaning? (B)
    Denotation and Connotation reading in your Trailer and the message (A)

    P2 Theory: Technical Codes - Camera - what, where and how? (C)
    Compare with actual Horror RMT and examine meaning? (B)
    Denotation and Connotation reading in your Trailer and the message (A)

    P3 Theory: Technical Codes - Editing - what, where and how? (C)
    Compare with actual Horror RMT and examine meaning? (B)
    Denotation and Connotation reading in your Trailer and the message (A)

    P4 Theory: Audio Codes - what, where and how? (C)
    Compare with actual Horror RMT and examine meaning? (B)
    Denotation and Connotation reading in your Trailer and the message (A)

    P5 Theory: Written Codes - what, where and how? (C)
    Compare with actual Horror RMT and examine meaning? (B)
    Denotation and Connotation reading in your Trailer and the message (A)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Audience Essay

Horror is a film genre meant to illicit a form of negative reaction by playing on the audiences primal fears, but this can only work on certain audiences that appeal to the horror genre. In this essay, I will explain and evaluate the different ways my summer horror trailer did or did not affect my target audience. One of the theories known as the effects model is that consumption of media, in this case horror, has an effect or influence upon the audience. This effect is normally a negative one and audiences are passive and powerless to prevent the influence. This influence is caused by the message within the text.  In the context of my horror trailer, I do not feel as though my horror trailer does this effectively as there isn't much of a strong underlying message in the trailer. The central themes are teen punishment and loss of purity however, these are not conveyed properly as rather than show reason for punishment and loss of purity, it just happens and therefore the audien
Read more

Research and Planning

Way before I began my media course, I was already implementing research and planning into my dauily life, as well as digital technology. I did this by taking pictures of other people as well as selfies, so I was then able to understand the use of framing, lighting and angling. My research and planning was done by looking at other celebrities/models images and copying the way they did their photos and putting it into mine. This has led me to gain a deeper understanding of how to use research and planning as well as develop my abilities in digital technology, which will then lead me to create my own product.
Read more

Real Media Texts

Conventions as 'rules' have purpose in which they can be either followed or broken. They can be reinvented in ordered to keep from being repetitive and add a sense of originality. My understanding of the use and purpose of semiotics was lacking in AS, but when it came to A2, through my research I have gained a much deeper understanding.  I created a music magazine front cover, contents page and double page spread in AS last year. The magazine was in the rap genre and I had to follow a set of codes and conventions typical of rap magazines by looking at other examples. The layout and structure of my magazine was inspired by The Source. The style and positioning of my masthead was very big, bold and took up a third of the front cover. The semiotics, in relation to color, however were not followed. The Source magazine I took inspiration from used Reds, whites and yellows which were meant to present a sense of boldness whereas my magazine used purples and blacks. I did this to a
Read more