Semiotics

1) What meanings are the audience encouraged to take about the two main characters from the opening of the film?

 The film teaches the audience that stereotypes are not always true and to make your own assumptions rather than believing ones that have been created by society. It teaches the audience that everything is not as it seems and to look into the deeper meaning of things.

2) How does the end of the film emphasise de Saussure’s belief that signs are polysemic – open to interpretation or more than one meaning?

The film is evidence that signs are  polysemic (open to interpretation) as the audience may have thought the the two characters where going to rob or cause distress to the homeless man, however they actually helped him instead which is not what the audience would have expected.

1) What did Ferdinand de Saussure suggest are the two parts that make up a sign?

Ferdinand de Saussure suggests the two parts that make up a sign the signifier and the signified. The signifier is the thing that does the communication, the signified is what is communicated (the concept).


2) What does ‘polysemy’ mean?

Polysemy is defined as 'many meanings', it refers to the multiple interpretations in media.


3) What does Barthes mean when he suggests signs can become ‘naturalised’?

 This means that meanings are created in society and when over time meanings are  'naturalised' and we accept it unquestioningly.

4) What are Barthes’ 5 narrative codes?

Barthes five narrative codes are: 

• Hermenuetic code or 'enigma code'
• Proaeiretic code or 'action code'
• semantic code
• symbolic code
• cultural code

5) How does the writer suggest Russian Doll (Netflix) uses narrative codes?

 The title acts as a symbolic code as it helps the audience to make sense of the narrative. The film also uses enigma code when the camera moves past a bowl of rotten fruits. the way the camera is moved makes it seem the fruits are moving and everything surrounding it is still.

1) Find two examples for each: icon, index and symbol. Provide images or links.
Icon:
 

Index:   




Symbol: 

 

2) Why are icons and indexes so important in media texts?


Icons are important as they are the visual representation in media texts and give the audience an understanding. Indexes are important as they show evidence of what is being represented they allow the audience to make connotations of the media texts.

3) Why might global brands try and avoid symbols in their advertising and marketing?

The symbol might communicate something in the wrong way and create a different meaning or interpreted in the wrong way which could cause controversy.


4) Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) where the producer has accidentally communicated the wrong meaning using icons, indexes or symbols. Why did the media product fail?

Bloomingdale's ad created a lot of outrage as the text on the ad said ' Spike your best friends eggnog when they're not looking', this was a symbol that they intended on being funny but was actually offensive to the audience.


5) Find an example of a media text (e.g. advert) that successfully uses icons or indexes to create a message that can be easily understood across the world.

Nike: Just do it was one of the best advertising campaigns as it was short, catchy and motivational.