Meaning Theory Pro Fora

1. Meaning
Theory
Thomas Dickinson

2. Snake
• Denotation
It is a long and Scaly reptile.
• Connotation
It could possibly untrustworthy.

3. Flag
• Denotation
Symbol of a country.
• Connotation
It represents pride.

4. Gun
• Denotation
A contraption that shoots bullets.
• Connotation
It makes people fearful/dead.

5. Poster Analysis 1
Colours: The colours are
used in a way to make the
actor stand out. They
accomplish this by making
the background dull
colours and the actor
bright red and yellow.
Props: A red suit.
Costume: He’s wearing a
smart red suit with a
yellow vest and a green
shirt to make him stick
out.
Framing: The framing is
central because he’s the
main character.
Lighting: The lighting
is on the actors face
so you focus on
them.
Actor: A male actor on
his own possibly a
lonely film.
Location: He’s on
some very big but
empty stairs maybe to
signify he is alone.

6. Poster Analysis 2
Colours: All very bright
pastel colours
Actor: It’s a female
actress crying and
looking distressed
she’s probably a
victim of
something.
Framing: The female
actor is off centre
because she is sharing
the frame with a crowd
of people and a cross.
The people could be a
looming threat loitering
in the background or
both the actor and the
crowd are equally
crucial to the film.
Lighting: Its very well lit as if
there's nothing to hide or
maybe it’s a false sense of
security.
Props: A flower crown
a cross and lots of
robes.
Location: An open field as if
theirs nowhere to hide in
daylight, she’s very on
display.
Costume: She is wearing a
flower crown and a robe
maybe to signify she’s a
leader of sorts.

7. Poster Analysis 3
Actors: A male and female
actor probably on the same
side.
Framing: The actors are on the
left to show the threat that they
need to defeat on the right.
Colours: The colours are a
blend of bright and dull and
the location/background is
very bright compared to the
actors who are in dull colours,
they might be trying to hide.
Costume: The costumes are
very camouflaged and
steampunk. They are dressed
like they’re surviving the
aftermath of apocalypse.
Location: In the middle of a
dusty warzone full of modified
cars.
Lighting: It’s lit in a way where the
light fades out towards the back
but the characters and things of
purpose are lit well.
Props: A sawed off
double barrel shotgun.

8. Soundtrack
• Clip 1
It’s a thriller because the tensions growing
and it puts you on edge maybe the characters
are arguing and about to fight
• Clip 2
It’s a romance because it’s happy and it pulls
you in. The characters are most likely kiss or
ones going to propose.

9. Shining
• Audio: It’s got upbeat music in the background which makes it
seem fun and happy. The music is relaxing and its meant to
drop your guard and to make you think it’s a family film.
• Video: Shining is edited in a snappy way of putting lots of
short clips together to give the effect its fast paced as most
family comedies tend to be. Also everyone is getting along
and being very positive and supportive.

10. Scary Mary
• Audio: The music in the background has a lot of build up and screeching
noises which instantly give you discomfort. The noises progressively get
louder and when they get as loud they can they swap shots to keep the
tension constantly rising.
• Video: Scary Mary is edited in an unnerving way to make the audience
uneasy and on edge. They use dark and strange shots to make Mary seem
sinister. They’ve also used shots where you don’t see a lot of Mary and she
doesn’t speak or show much emotion so she seems scarier

11. Stereotypes
Men
• In most movies men are
made to be brave and
strong-willed, if in a fantasy
they’re a knight or in a
horror movie they are a jock.
Women
• In horror movies women
tend to live to the end and in
fantasy movies women are
made to be saved and are
“damsels in distress”.

12. Stereotypes
Upper Class
• They are always well
dressed, rich and well
spoken.
• The upper class look down
on people.
Working Class
• In media the working class
live in terrace houses and
are racist and sexist.
• They aren’t well dressed and
are rude.

13. Stereotypes
Old People
• Old people tend to be weak
and need saving.
• They tend to have outdated
opinions and are rude to
people and look down on
them.
Young People
• Young people are unaware
and irresponsible.
• They also don’t work very
hard and do as little as
possible.

14. Iconography- Western

15. Iconography- Sci-Fi

16. Iconography- Fantasy

17. Narrative
• Narrative Definition
Narrative definition is how you put films together (genre and
structure).
• Linear Narrative Definition
Linear narrative definition is when a film is chronological and has
a beginning, a middle and an end.
• Linear Narrative Film Example
A linear film would be Evil Dead as the plot is in order.

18. Narrative
• Non-Linear Narrative Definition
Non-linear narrative definition is when the movie is all out of
order and not chronological.
• Non-Linear Narrative Film Example
A non-Linear film would be Pulp Fiction because its not a straight
forward story.

19. Clip Analysis
• The costumes for the good guys have colour and they aren’t really armoured.
However, the bad guys was black and dull coloured and very armoured.
• The dialogue was very combative and aggressive to the enemy, but to their allies
they were caring and trying to make sure they were fine.
• The props in the duel were three lightsabers, two blues and a red. The blue is
bright and therefore shows that they’re on the good side and alternatively the red
means he is on the bad side.
• The lighting is mostly dull only being lit up by the guns bullets and the lightsabers.
• The camera work is steady and is often central especially for one shot of the villain
with fire behind him.
• It’s edited in a way where it is mostly fast paced, only lingering on the important
shots.
• The music is ominous and tense and it has an looming evil presence hanging over
it.
• The colour is used to show who’s the good and who’s the bad. The good guys are
in colour and the bad is in black and white.