1. Signs and SemioticsSigns and Semiotics
Understanding how film makers
use signs that we understand to
mean certain things.

2. ‘One of the keys to understanding the meaning
in text is the use of codes. Codes are rules or
conventions by which signs are put together
to create meaning.’
For example, the rule is that we read from left to
right…therefore, you can make sense of the
signs (the words) in this sentence by reading the
letters to the left first.

3. Quiz… write down what each of
these signs mean.

4. Syntogram
‘ A series of signs put together in a
specific order to create meaning. The
sentence you are reading is a
syntogram.’
As are the films you watch, but they are a
bit more complicated.

5. Codes, conventions, denotation
and connotation.
Denotation = dictionary definition.
e.g. cat = small furry animal which makes a
‘meow’ sound.
Connotation = What things imply or what
you understand from them.
e.g. light = good, dark = evil.

6. Saussure…
Sign = Signifier + Signified
Knowing
that the
word
‘tree’
means a
tree
‘Tree’
Draw your
own tree

7. But… hold up your tree
We all have slightly different ideas of what tree will
look like because our experiences of trees are all
slightly different.
Signs rely upon an agreement about what they
stand for.
Codes e.g. dress codes, rely upon the same.
Conventions are the codes that we expect as
part of a particular text. Action films have certain
conventions.

8. Triangle of Dependency

9. Today, on paper you can hand in…
1. Write these notes in your own words.
2. Explain in a paragraph why it is important that films
of a certain genre follow the conventions (rules) of
the genre.
3. Write a list of the conventions you expect to find in
an action film.
4. Write down how your ideas for your film will fit in with
the conventions. (This will take a couple of
paragraphs)

10. Today, on paper you can hand in…
1. Write these notes in your own words.
2. Explain in a paragraph why it is important that films
of a certain genre follow the conventions (rules) of
the genre.
3. Write a list of the conventions you expect to find in
an action film.
4. Write down how your ideas for your film will fit in with
the conventions. (This will take a couple of
paragraphs)