Media language discussion

1. Evaluation Question 1:In
what ways does your
media product use,

2. Media Language
Signifier/Denotation:
In the park scene the
killer pulls out a knife
from Jessica’s point of
view, this signifies that
she is going to be killed.
Also in most horror films
deaths take part in an
isolated park.
Mythical Connotation: In the
church scene there is a conflict
between what happens in church and
outside of church. In our trailer it
hints that a death has happened. This
give the audience the message that
death can happen anywhere, whether
you are at a religious building or not.
This scene also convey that no-one is
safe wherever they are.
Anchored Meaning:
When viewing this video
the audience are unaware
of the fact that the killer
for the film is in this viral
video which is later
discovered in the trailer.
Dominant Preferred Meaning: As a production
we wanted the audience to deconstruct the messages
that it’s not good to laugh at others, at some point in
your life you have to face your fears and there are
consequences for your bad actions.
Oppositional Reading: Like the characters in the
trailer, the audience believe that the video shown is
something viral but ignore the message that it is a
virus that can effect the characters lives.
Negotiated Reading: The audience can relate
to our trailer because our target audience and
characters are teenagers. In today’s society the
majority of teenagers use a mobile phone and
social media is highly used.

3. Media Language: Iconic signs and codes
In our trailer there are
iconic signs and codes
used. This iconic code
shows a teenage girl
wearing casual clothes:
a hat, glasses and top.
This implies that she is
just a normal girl
wearing casual clothes.
The glasses also imply
that she has a quirky
character.
In this image,
this is iconic
because the
killer’s hoodie
represents gang
violence and
criminality, this
also allows the
audience to
understand that
this is the killer.
It is common for horror films to be
mysterious in different ways by having the
audience to try and fix the puzzle or
allowing them to wait for the surprise. One
way our trailer does this is by making all the
characters receive a message from an
unknown number which says ‘face your
fears,’ the person texting them is ambiguous
which for the audience creates mystery. This
foreshadows that the ‘unknown number’
could be someone dangerous and all the
characters are going to meet this mysterious
person.
These two low angle shots tells us that the
characters are in a vulnerable moment. The top
image shows Brooklyn lying down on the floor,
this shows that she is weak and powerless. This
also indicates that the killer has done
something to her for her to end up in this
position.
This bottom image shows Jessica crawling
backwards. This illustrates she can’t escape
from the killer and that the killer has more
power, authority and superiority over Jessica.
This also gives us the message that Jessica is
about to be murdered by the killer.

4. Media studies: Indexical signs
When the killer
enters the lift
with a needle, we
hear a scream
under this. This
highlights the fear
of needles and
relates to our
audience that are
scared of needles
or injections.
From Brooklyn’s point of view in the lift scene we
can see that her vison is blurry which suggests
that she is unconscious. This also suggests that
the killer has done something to her.
In the church scene, a close up of Nicole’s feet is shown
of her walking down the church. The jump cuts of
religious statues, picture and stained glass windows
shown in between every step she takes gives the
audience a sense that she is being watched.

5. Media Language: Symbolic codes
A wide shot shows the 3
main characters of the
film. This indicates that
the film is about teenage
girls and it is typical for
slasher horrors to mostly
have teenage characters.
This shot decodes their
bond and friendship.
The gate in the lift
symbolises entrapment and
foreshadows that Brooklyn
is going to face a situation
that she can’t escape.
The black boots that
the killer wears imitates
danger and that
something is going to
happen. This also
suggests that Nicole is
at risk.
It is common for horror films to
show blood which is a common
code used in death scenes. Blood
and the colour red symbolises
death/murder, danger and
tragedy.

6. Media Language: Symbolic codes
A wide shot shows the 3
main characters of the
film. This indicates that
the film is about teenage
girls and it is typical for
slasher horrors to mostly
have teenage characters.
This shot decodes their
bond and friendship.
The gate in the lift
symbolises entrapment and
foreshadows that Brooklyn
is going to face a situation
that she can’t escape.
The black boots that
the killer wears imitates
danger and that
something is going to
happen. This also
suggests that Nicole is
at risk.
It is common for horror films to
show blood which is a common
code used in death scenes. Blood
and the colour red symbolises
death/murder, danger and
tragedy.