The Hermeneutic Code

1. Hermeneutic Code
Jessica Underwood and Molly Braggins

2. • Creating suspense is a vital element during a film opening sequence,
including keeping the audience intrigued as to what's going to happen
and therefore keeping them engaged with the film.
• Using the hermeneutic code creates the right balance of suspense as
well as keeping the audience engaged in the film opening.
What does the Hermeneutic Code do?

3. What does the Hermeneutic Code do?
• A way of creating suspense in the narrative.
• The hermeneutic code also helps the audience identify the genre of
the film, and this is done by making them subconsciously ask
questions about the sequence that were created by the code.
• The purpose of the hermeneutic code is to arrest the enigma and to
keep the audience guessing until the final scene of the opening
sequence when questions are answered.

4. What is the Hermeneutic Code?
• The Hermeneutic Code refers to any element of the story that is not
fully explained and hence becomes the mystery to the audience. It is
the way in which the narrative avoids telling the truth or revealing all
the facts in order to reveal clues throughout the film.

5. A Breakdown of the Code:
• SNARES: When film makers deliberately avoid revealing the truth in
order to keep the audience engaged and to keep them asking
questions about what is happening.
• EQUIVOCATIONS: Giving the audience partial or incomplete answers
as to how the film will end.
• JAMMINGS: When the narrative structure makes it clear that there is
no answer to a problem.