Semiotics

 Semiotics

Task 1: watch the video

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

The short film invites people to have a negative opinion about them. they give off the impression of being in a gang and belonging to a lower social class. Their actions, how they dress, and the situation that they find themselves in all reflect this.

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 narrative of what's really happening is revealed to everyone at the conclusion of the short film, along with a clear message. In the end, the characters in the film were deaf and were forced to behave in a certain way by the way society is structured. They are viewed by society as gangsters and lazy lowlifes. But in reality, they are two deaf people attempting to live in society, which is quite difficult for them.

Part 2) Media Magazine theory drop: Semiotics 

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

Two parts that make up a sign is the signifier and the signified.

2) What does ‘polysemy’ mean?

It means that it is open to interpretation or have more than one meaning.

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

This means that certain meanings are created or brought about in society and, over time, once a lot of people know about these newer interpretations, they become ‘naturalised’, accepted and acknowledged. 

4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?

The Barthes’ 5 narrative codes are: Hermeneutic code or ‘enigma code’, Proairetic code or ‘action code’, Semantic code, Symbolic code and Cultural code.

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

So the title acts as a symbolic code here. The symbol of the Russian doll helps us (eventually) to make sense of the narrative. At some point, fairly early on, the camera pans past and lingers on a close up of a bowl of fruit that is entirely rotten – only the most observant viewer (usually the student or teacher of film and media) sees this. This is an example of an enigma code.

Part 3) Icons, indexes and symbols

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

Icon: sign

Index: implied sign

Symbol: culturally learned

icon

  icon

 index

         symbol

    icon

index

symbol

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

In media texts, icons play an essential part since they serve as the audience's visual representation of the message being conveyed. Knowing that they are frequently one of the visual elements on the advertisement, icons have become especially essential. Indexes are significant because they provide an example of the contents that they are meant to represent. They are important because they produce a message that the brand or organisation wants to convey. 

3) Why might global brands try and avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing?
Global brands may try to avoid using symbols in their advertising and marketing because symbols have to be culturally learned and some people might have their own interpretations of the symbol and may not understand the concept and message behind the symbols; creates misunderstanding and preventing the proper understanding of the direct message. 

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?  

In a print advertisement that was published in newspapers, Co-op urged readers to give their daughters chocolate Easter eggs as rewards for "doing the dishes." They faced criticism for it. After being criticised for their "outrageous sexism," they immediately adapted their advertisement. Although the shop chain quickly apologised, the harm had already been done.

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.

One successful advert was the Dove: "Real Beauty" campaign. Unilever created the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004 with the goal of boosting women's and kids' self-esteem. In the initial ad, research was presented, which revealed that only 2% of women think they are beautiful. In the following phase, real ladies rather than models appeared on a number of billboards. The ad, which promoted ageing, varied body types, and transparency regarding wigs, blemishes, and purported "imperfections," was warmly welcomed and expanded into other kinds of media. The purpose of the advertisements was to redefine beauty and shed focus on the potential harm that the beauty industry may cause to young women. The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty received widespread praise for using marketing to enhance the cultural environment, business climate, and lives of customers. To combat #BeautyBias and "make beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety," the campaign is still active today. This campaign works in tandem with projects for social change like "The Dove Self-Esteem Project," which helps young people redefine what beautiful is.

video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpM499XhMJQ