Other Media Theory Applications

Theory of Semiotics
One of the original theorists of semiotics Ferdinand de Saussure created the concept of signifiers within texts which suggest at other meanings and indications behind signs and symbols. It creates a deeper underlying meaning based on the audience's perception of that object.

Signs used can be split into the following categories:

• ICONIC - literal meaning of the object e.g. an image of a man means the men's toilets
• SYMBOLIC - arbitrary meaning unrelated to what it is representing, but which is learnt and denotes a certain meaning e.g. chemical signs
• INDEXICAL - an indication of a meaning e.g. chess pieces in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy indicate that the narrative is a game. To read more click here.

Our rebel symbol is a symbolic sign of anarchy and the fight for freedom of speech. To read more on our symbol research click here. 

Theory of Audience

Appealing to a target audience is central to the creation of any media text. Audience demographic can be split up into six main sections: Age, gender, family, money, sexuality and education. We believe our target audience are between the ages of 18-30, are male, interested in thriller books and movies, are middle class, and are educated to a higher level.

We are appealing to a niche audience due to the high brow content of our trailer. Audience theory also states that media has a preferred reading where the audience recieves the media in the intended way. Adherrant decoding is where the audience reads the text in the incorrect way, but not neccesarily with a negative effect. In this way our text may be recieved positvely by a female audience to the same extent as male reception, for example.

Hyperdermic Needle Effect (1930s)
The Hyperdermic Needle Theory assumes that an audience will passively recieve any message presented to them and this message immediatly effects them. It states that the public cannot escape from the media's influence and vulnerable to it in this way. In this way, it believes that media is an invasive force in our lives. To some extent this applies to the presentation of our trailer, as the message we present is the importance of freedom of speech and we would hope this would affect our audience. It also applies to our narrative, where the media the government presents is recieved and accepted by a majorly passive audience (excluding the rebel force).

Uses and Gratification Theory (1974)
Uses and Gratification Theory attempts to define why audiences seek out particular media content. It states that people will attempt to find media that will meet their needs and also enchance their knowledge, improve personal relationships and a knowledge of personal indentity but also provide escapism or catharsis. It, as a contrast to Hyperdermic Needle Effect, assumes that the audience has an active role in how they use and intepret media.
The theory applies to our trailer as one of the aims of our genre is to provide escapism through a alien or parallel society. The audience would experience the action of the film and catharsis would be acheived because the action and emotion of the film would provide cleansing. It might also effect personal identity in the audience's own perception of goverment control and the need for freedom of speech and mass media.

To read our evaluation question on audience, click here.

'Blade Runner' Semiotics

Each of the main characters is associated with an animal.
Roy - is both a wolf and a dove,
Rachael - is connected to the spider,
Tyrell - Owl and
Deckard - to sushi (raw fish) and the unicorn.

Each creature also carries connotations of character:
Roy’s dove - a link to his final scene in which he holds a dove – a symbol of peace and often the soul, it flies from his hands when he dies.
Significance? the slow extinction of Earth’s natural animals and their replacement by replicants.
- Human fears replicants replacing all humans
- Or the preciousness of each individual, as once they are extinct (dead) nothing again will be exactly like them.
- In fiction,(for example His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman), the soul’s outward appearance often has that of an animal. The Point: Replicants have souls too despite their unnatural creation.

 

The chess game between Tyrell and Sebastian:

Uses the conclusion of a game played between Anderssen and Kieseritzky (London, 1851). It is considered one of the most brilliant games ever played, and is universally known as "The Immortal Game".

Symbolism?

- The concept of immortality 

- Represents the struggle of the replicants against the humans: the humans consider the replicants pawns, to be removed one by one. 

- Or it represents the game between Tyrell and Roy who is stalking Tyrell. 

Eye symbolism is also a key part of the narrative shown through images of:
    - The eye in the opening shots

    - Replicants' eyes glow

    - Tyrell has huge glasses to make his eyes bigger

    - Eyes are used in the VK test to examine pupil dilation and seek emotional reactions/lies

    - The first person the replicants go to is Chew, at the Eye Works, who makes the Nexus’ eyes. He says "Eyes, eyes... I do only eyes"

    - Roy replies "Chew, if only you could see what I've seen with your eyes!" 

    - Leon tries to stick his fingers in Deckard's eyes and Roy kills Tyrell by sticking his thumbs in his eyes

    - Roy says "I've SEEN things you people wouldn't believe” and "I wanted to SEE you"

The film’s theme, the quest for immortality, is linked to the ever-present eye motif:
- eyes are the windows to the soul, and only the soul is immortal 
- The replicants’ underlying humanity is displayed through showing their ‘souls’ in this way, as well as through their attachments to each other.   

There is also a lot of religious symbolism within the narrative. Roy, who is shown to have a dual nature, is shown on the one hand to be Lucifer and the other replicants are fallen angels because they were inherently benign creatures who became violent only through the neglect of a corrupt society. 

Roy paraphrases part of William Blake’s “America: A Prophesy” which supports the theory that the replicants are representing the fallen angels.

Roy:  "Fiery the angels fell, // Deep thunder roll'd around their shores // Burning with the fires of Orc." 

Blake: "Fiery the angels rose, // And as they rose deep thunder roll'd // Around their shores: indignant burning with the fires of Orc."

In the light of this idea the screenwriter plays with the idea that these human creations show us more about the ugliness of man then they do of the created.

On the other hand, Roy can be shown to be Christ. As he begins to cramp and die Roy puts a nail through his palm – a symbol of crucifixion. The society was not ready for replicants on Earth and so programmed them to die after only a glimpse of the world. When Roy dies it is a release from his torment. 

'Gattaca' Semiotics

Semiotics:

Vincent’s dreams to go to space are symbolic of his high aspiration,
-a metaphor showing his desire to ignore the limit society has given him, the sky is not his limit (in contrast with the saying).
- Stars are a global symbol of wishes or dreams.

A motif of identification and being categorised.
- a catalyst of much of the film’s tension,
- serves to emphasise this society’s aim to remove individualism.

The advanced scientific technology (for Vincent to hide his true identity) is not so far removed from that available today that the words from the beginning of the film “In a not too distant future” ring true and the audience’s disbelief is suspended.

Futuristic conventions: - the technology
- the clean and clinical looking environments 
- remind the audience of a science lab implying that the whole world is now scientifically focussed.

Jerome’s silver medal is symbolic of his perceived short-comings and of the world that made him feel that way.
It is significant therefore that in the final image of Jerome he reclaims the medal as a possession of pride and it is the last thing the audience is shown of him.

There is also a motif of light and dark :
- hints at secrecy and mystery.
- brighter, naturally lit scenes are generally those in which Irene and Vincent connect.

Action Sequences: As a thriller tension and mystery are generally substitutes for actual action.
The only really violent scene, the murder of Gattaca’s mission director, is not shown on screen. In one scene Victor attacks a policeman in order to escape. This is in contrast with his almost continuous composure in ‘public’ and is therefore all the more surprising.

1984: Semiotics, Gang Culture and Speeches

Semiotics:

-          Use of light and dark during scenes to illustrate Winston’s struggle for truth in a world of ‘Untruth’. Light is used to emphasise the loveliness of the fields and nature but is also seen to be used deceptively through the constant uncomfortable light in the torture rooms.

-          Crossing arms over their heads, a symbol for Oceania, shows their conformity.

-          In the announcements the Party use a “cancer” metaphor for Goldstein and the Brotherhood

-          Big Brother’s face is present in nearly every scene either on the telescreens or as a poster and intimates the oppressive nature of ‘His’ regime. He is made almost God-like through the repetition of his image.

-          Eyes watching are a symbol seen throughout the film. Either they hint at the rebellion of certain characters, connecting them because eyes cannot lie or to highlight the constant surveillance. There is even a POV shot looking out of the telescreen to impress this.

-          The monotonous grey and dilapidated buildings have implications of jails/prisons and can be seen as a metaphor for the character’s imprisonment.

-          The red ‘V’ for Victory is the symbol of Ingsoc., The Party, and can be seen on posters, flags and gin bottles, constantly presenting a false ideology to the society.

-          Glasses, worn by principal characters O’Brien and Winston, are supposed to make you see clearly. This idea presents the debate as to which of these characters sees the truth as they act as foils for one another.

-          There is a motif of mortality, introduced and repeated by Winston who signs his first diary entry “from a dead man”. This foreshadowing is used to create tension but could also imply that the characters are not alive, not living, they merely exist in the world (although O’Brien believes that even that is not the case).

-          The numerous ‘Newspeak Dictionaries’ should be enhancing communication but actually it is being reducing it because of the Party’s sinister motive of reducing words.

-          Acts to dehumanise can be seen and heard presented through announcements, for example control of natural impulses like sex. This then becomes an act of anarchy.

-          Julia’s handwritten note and Winston’s diary highlighting their wish to communicate and connect. They are also symbols of rebellion of thought and feeling.

-          The coral paperweight, which is an object meant just for beauty alludes to the perception of the beauty of the past (before Big Brother). The coral is suspended, unchanging in glass, potentially a metaphor for Julia and Winston’s fragile state as they try to exist outside of the Party. Nothing about the ‘new’ world is real, but the old object Winston explores is presented through the senses and makes them seem more real to him. This interest in the ‘Old’ world is a form of rebellion and so in some ways the coral is a symbol of this rebellion. Later in the film it is smashed when Julia and Winston are caught.

-          There is a Chess board around which Winston sees those who are already beaten by society sitting around it (later he would find himself in that very place. This highlights the unwinnable nature of the game the Party plays and that all the characters are just pawns with no actual control.

Anarchy and rebellion are not overtly seen in ‘1984’ because it is not particularly physical; the battle for freedom is mainly on an emotional and psychological level.

Gang culture and graffiti:

-          There is a mob mentality displayed by the masses due to their indoctrinated of hateful ideas leaving them incapable of free thought.

-          One moment the crowds are riled into hate – shouting and displaying violent emotions, almost animalistic in their actions and then, the next they are chanting in rapture the word “Big”, praising Big Brother (cultish). These extremes of emotion are dictated by the speeches.

-          The unity of the masses is highlighted visually by the timed marching and uniform dress code which further presents the oppression.

-          There is not graffiti despite the dilapidated appearance of the city but Big Brother’s posters appear everywhere.

Speeches:

-          There is constant radio and screen announcements used to incite hatred (It is even named the ‘2 Minute Hate’. The main aim of these speeches and, indeed, the telescreens are to show propaganda videos and inspire love for Big Brother and patriotism.

Spiral Staircases

 

 

As our genre is Soft Sci-Fi/Thriller and one of our locations included a spiralling staircase, we decided to research the use of staircases in films of a similar genre.

Staircases are a convention of thrillers, and are mainly found in those that have a distinct psychological aspect. Recent prominent thrillers that have used them include "Inception" (top left) and Guy Ritchie's "Sherlock Holmes" (top right). Both of these stressed the psychological side of the plot, as well as involving action, elements that we are trying to emulate in our own film.

The Inception staircase is based on Escher's Klimmen en dalen (bottom left), and that is based on the Penrose Stairs, or the Impossible Stairs. The angle we used for our staircase shot makes it look almost like an optical illusion, as if the stairs could continue descending forever. Having Luke run down them suggests a more complex theme for our film; that there will always be good and bad sides to freedom of speech and that as long as everyone can say what they want, there will always be conflict, going round and round like the staircase.

Symbols Research

Symbols through time

Swastika

The swastika is a prime example of a symbol that has changed through time. Generally it is associated with the Nazi Party of Germany in the 1920s, '30s and '40s. It has become a symbol that has been largely stigmatised. Many post-Nazism groups have used and still use this symbol as an indication of their far-right wing agendas.

The swastika has been a religious symbol of peace for centuries in religions such as Hinduism.

The Nazi Party, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, adopted the swastika as its party symbol in 1920. It became a part of the state flag when the Nazis came to power in the early 1930s.

The Russian far-right wing political party, the Russian National Unity, modified the swastika as a symbol of their party.

The far-right wing South African political party, Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging, have also adopted their own version of the swastika, evidently inspired by the version used by the Nazi Party.

Anarchy and conflict

There are many different symbols that have become iconic in identifying a cause in conflicts and in civil events.

Although members of anarchist movements have largely denied the importance of symbols in political movements, they have adopted certain symbols to represent their cause. The circle-A symbol, along with the black flag and others, is a traditional symbol of the anarchist movement.

The clenched fist is an iconic symbol of resistance or rebellion. It has been used by many groups and causes to represent opposition to governments or events. Its general use was originally a symbol of the broader workers' movement. Famous examples where it has been used are in the Spanish Civil War, by the parties of the Comintern, by black power groups such as Black Panthers and at the 1968 Olympic medal ceremonies where two black American athletes, Smith and Carlos, raised their black gloved fists in the air to represent black power (although in his autobiography Smith says that it was not a black power salute, but a human rights salute). A black fist usually indicates black nationalism, or socialism, while a white fist usually indicates white nationalism.

Religion

There are many symbols that have become icons of religion and usually have a particular history to define their place in their religions.

Perhaps the most famous religious symbol is the sacred cross. It is used in Christianity as a symbol of the crucifixion of Christ.

The Star of David is another famous religious symbol, used to represent Judaism. It has become ingrained in history through its links to Jewish discrimination and anti-Semitism, mainly in Germany in the early to mid 20^th century and the Holocaust.

National Emblems

National emblems have always been an important factor in recognising different nationalities and cultures. Many national emblems are embedded in history as signifying a particularly era of a nation.

The hammer and sickle became an important symbol of communism and the Soviet Union (USSR). It is largely attributed to the rule of communist Russia, but represented all of the surrounding satellite nations of the Soviet Union. The hammer and sickle was also the emblem used on the Soviet state flag.

The Union Jack has been the flag of the United Kingdom since 1801 and is one of the world's most recognisable national flags, also being included in other national flags, such as that of Australia. It dates back to the Union of Great Britain and Ireland and consists of the three crosses of St. George, St. Andrew and St. Patrick.

The national flag of the USA is another instantly recognisable flag. The fifty stars on the flag represent the 50 states and the 13 stripes represent the thirteen colonies that rebelled against the British monarchy and became the first states in the Union.

Iconic People

There are many posters, photos and pictures that have become iconic symbols of a cause.

The image of Ché Guevara (usually set upon a backdrop of red) has become an iconic image, not just associated with the Cuban Revolution, but as a symbol of resistance and rebellion across the world. It has become one of the most famous images of all time.

Martin Luther King Jr. became the face of the Civil Rights Movement in the USA during the 1960s. His “I Have A Dream” speech and the March on Washington have become famous and incredibly important parts of American history.

The British First World War recruitment poster, featuring Field Marshall and Lord Kitchener, (image left) is one of the most famous, and parodied, posters of all time. At the time, Lord Kitchener was Secretary of State for War.

The similar poster of “Uncle Sam” (image right) was used as a recruitment poster in the USA during the First World War.