Semiotics: blog tasks

Part 1) English by Tarun Thind analysis

Watch (or re-watch) the short film English by former Greenford Media student Tarun Thind and then answer the two questions below:

English from Tarun Thind writer | director on Vimeo.

1) What meanings are the audience encouraged to take about the two main characters from the opening of the film?

• From the opening of the short film the audience is encouraged to think of the two main characters as stereotypically rude teens who don't care about how their actions may affect others. This belief is further shown through the other characters reactions to them with them thinking that English is holding a shank in his pocket or that he is stealing from the shop.

2) How does the end of the film emphasise de Saussure’s belief that signs are polysemic – open to interpretation or more than one meaning?

• The ending of the film shows that despite how they were presented as ignorant teenagers throughout the entire short film they were actually just deaf and could not hear the noise they were making with the harmonica or what any of the other people were saying to them. Furthermore the conversation the two main

Part 2) Media Magazine theory drop: Semiotics

1) What did Ferdinand de Saussure suggest are the two parts that make up a sign?

• Signifiers and signified.

2) What does ‘polysemic’ mean?

• Having multiple meanings

3) What does Barthes mean when he suggests signs can become ‘naturalised’?

• Certain meanings are created or brought about in society and overtime as more people accept the definition it becomes 'naturalised'

4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?

• Hermeneutic code/Enigma code - Anything in the text that is mysterious or unexplained, raising questions the audience wants answered.
• Proairetic code/action code - Sequential elements or actions in a text create meaning. e.g. A character picking up their keys may suggest that they are leaving their house
• Semantic code - Elements of the text that carry deeper meaning. (connotations)
• Symbolic code -  anything that has a symbolic meaning. e.g. colours in lighting, set design or costume
• Cultural code - anything in the text which refers to an external body of knowledge such as scientific, historical, and cultural knowledge. (references)

5) How does the writer suggest Russian Doll (Netflix) uses narrative codes?

• The title acts as symbolic code as every time the universe resets it gets smaller like how a matryoshka doll gets smaller when opened. The bowl of rotten fruit acts as an enigma code as the viewer may notice it and wonder why they are rotting and why the characters haven't noticed it. 

Part 3) Icons, indexes and symbols

1) Find two examples for each: icon, index and symbol. Provide images or links.

Icon:                               

Index:   

Symbol:

2) Why are icons and indexes so important in media texts?

• Icons and indexes are so important in media texts as they are what the audience is seeing meaning that they are where the audience gets a majority of their information about the text so the denotations and connotations of the icons and indexes are what will help form the majority of their opinions on the piece of media.

3) Why might global brands try and avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing?

• Global brands might try to avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing as they may accidentally portray something negative about their product if they use a symbol that has negative connotations. Furthermore some symbols might remind people of other brands which is the opposite of what they want to do.

4) Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) where the producer has accidentally communicated the wrong meaning using icons, indexes or symbols. Why did the media product fail? (This web feature on bad ads and marketing fails provides some compelling examples).

This ad was released one year after 9/11 and depicts a dragon fly flying into two Starbucks drinks standing side by side on a field of grass cut with square tops mirroring the events of the day with the dragon fly being the plane, the two drinks are the world trade centre and the grass is the other buildings that were in the area. This media product failed as the images reminded Americans of a national tragedy that had occurred only one year ago at the time with many people still mourning the loss of loved ones this advertisement was a reminder of that loss instead of being something that makes them think that they want to go get a drink from Starbucks.

5) Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) that successfully uses icons or indexes to create a message that can be easily understood across the world.

This ad uses car keys in the shape of a gun in order to show that cars can also be dangerous as guns have a connotation of death and violence so linking the two together makes people think that cars can be just as dangerous as a gun.