Media language section a
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The document discusses various concepts relating to how meaning is created through media language. It defines key terms like denotation and connotation, and how they relate to encoding and decoding meaning. Elements of media language that create meaning are explained, such as mise-en-scene, camerawork, editing, and sound. The importance of understanding how these micro-level techniques construct intended meanings and can allow for alternative readings is highlighted. Analyzing one's own media products in terms of the specific examples of how these elements create key meanings and audiences' potential alternative interpretations is presented as a task for revising one's work.
Media language section a
- 2. Importance of media language • Every medium has its own ‘language’ – or combination of languages – that it uses to communicate meaning. • We call these ‘languages’ because they use familiar codes and conventions that are generally understood.
- 3. Denotation and Connotation • In Semiotics, denotation and connotation are terms describing the relationship between the signifier (the ‘object’ or what is shown) and its signified (what the object means).
- 4. • Barthes (1977) argued that in film connotation can be (analytically) distinguished from denotation. • As John Fiske (1982) puts it “denotation is what is filmed, connotation is how it is filmed”.
- 5. Roland Barthes – Semiology- the study of signs and their relationship to meaning RoseRose Is just a word The reader shapes or decodes the meaningRose denotes a red sweet- smelling flower Rose CONNOTES (has connotations of) love, passion & romance DENOTATION & CONNOTATION
- 6. Creating meaning • The process of creating meaning involves a complex interplay of encoding and decoding between producer and audience • The surface meaning and the ‘deep’ meaning is often hard to comprehend. • Media images play with these ideas of meaning as being a two- way process. Media images are often manipulated to project a specific meaning (dominant reading) …. Unless you are being pomo • Anchorage is when a piece of media uses another piece of media to reduce the amount of connotations in the first, therefore allowing the audience to interpret it much more easily.) • For instance, in a newspaper, pictures are accompanied by a caption that allows us to understand what the picture is showing us. In films, background music often helps us interpret the scenario, lyrics and images in music videos (Goodwin)
- 7. Making connections? • Evaluating media language is an evaluation of all micro elements and how they have created meaning to inform us about genre, narrative, representations/ ideology, targeting of audiences. • This requires us to use semiotic terminology to explain our encoding of elements and codes and conventions within our texts. • You can also make reference to Stuart Hall (dominate/ negotiated/ oppositional reading)
- 8. Micro Elements: Mise-en-Scene • Mise-en-scène constitutes the key aspect of the pre-production phase of the film and can be taken to include all aspects of production design.
- 9. Aspects of Mise-en-Scene 1. Location - settings, set-design and iconography 2. Performance – Costume, Props and Make Up, Actors and body language/ facial expressions 3. Lighting and Colour 4. Composition
- 10. Micro Elements: Camerawork • There are three aspects to camerawork that you need to understand: 1.Shot Types 2.Camera Movement 3.Camera Angles
- 11. Editing • Transitions (including cuts and other forms of transitions) • The 180° Line Rule. • Action Match. • Crosscutting. • Cutaway. • Insert Shots. • Shot-Reverse Shot. • Eyeline Match. • Pace
- 12. Non-Continuity editing 1. Montage Sequence. 2. Flash Back/Forward. 3. Ellipsis. 4. Graphic Match.
- 13. Key Questions: • What was the intended meaning? • How was that reading constructed through Media Language? • How clear was that meaning? How could it be clearer? • What alternative readings could be taken?
- 14. Task: • Choose any of your AS/A2 Projects • Be specific – give specific examples • What was the key meaning intended? • How effectively did camerawork create that meaning? 2 - 3 examples • How effectively did the editing create this meaning? – give 2- 3 specific examples • How effectively did sound create the meaning ?– give 2 - 3 specific examples • How effectively did MES create this meaning? – give 2 -3 specific examples • Following feedback what other readings were there? – link to audience reception theories
- 15. “Media is communication”. Discuss the ways that you have used media language to create meanings in one of your media products. Think of this question as the first part of your revision...