theory

1. Medialanguage
Medialanguage referstowhatwe expectto see ina teatand how audience knowledgeable tothis.
These mediaspecificlanguageswill oftenbe closelyconnectedtoothermediaconceptssuchas
genre or narrative andcandidatesare at libertytomake such connectionstoa greateror lesser
extentintheiranswers.
Technical elements
- Mise en scene – everythingthatappearsbefore the cameraandits arrangement(setting,
performance,costume,colour,props,lighting,blocking)
- Camera– Framing,angles,movement,type
- Sound – tellsaudience howtoreact.Distinctsoundsare usedforparticulargenres.
- Editing– joinbetweenshots.
The word ‘text’isusedtodescribe anymediaproduct
One keyunderstandingthenmeaningsintextisthe use of codes
Codes- rulesorconventionsbywhichsignsare puttogethertocreate meaning.
Semiotics- studyof the signs
Ferdinandde Saussure
Signifer + signified = sign
The form whichthe signtakes + The conceptit represents=sign
In orderto workthere mustbe a sharedreference orexperience.
Peirce
- Symbol – the signthat representsthe object
- Iconic– alwaysrepresentwhattheysignify
- Index- all of ittogether
Barthes
Bartheslookedatsignstake on the dominantvalue systemof aparticularsocietyandmake these
valuesseemnatural.The dominantvaluesystemof asocietyisknownasideology,a wayof looking
at thingssharedby the majorityof that society.Barthessayssignsonlymake sense if sharedand
knowninsociety.
Barthesshowedthatsaussuressigncanbe a signifiertocreate,notonlya connotation,buta myth.
Signscan distinguish themselves,atrickthat allowsmythstostructure the meaningof the
communicationwithoutappearingtodoso.Myths positionthe audienceinaspecificrelationship
witha signand simultaneouslydisguisethemselves.
Goodwin
- 6 featuresof a musicvideo
- 5 waysto analyse amusicvideo