Barthes' Narrative Codes: Enigma, Action and Semic Code
Barthes says that all narrative is made up of plot, sequences and images, within the plot there will be cardinal functions (main events) also within the plot are catalysers (events that change the narrative). My music video challenges this theory as there are no clear carndinal functions as I use a series of flashbacks with the use of a fast cut montage effect, a convention of a music video. My music video does include an enigma (a mystery to encourage questions) as the audience is unaware of what triggers her isolation and sombre emotions as mentioned in her lyrics and I have represented this in my music video through the use of slow fades and black/white colour filter effects.
Propp's 8 Characters and Action
Using fairy tales as a basis, Propp provides a model of narrative where characters and events can be seen as constructs that exist to drive a narrative momentum. My music video challenges Propp's theory as I deliberately don't show a donar/helper for example when the artist is feeling sad and lonely, the mise en scene is isolated to emphasise these emotions. The character types in my music video seem to overlap as the main character could be seen as the protagonist as well as the vulnerable victim because she is shown as independent when the artist is walking around cheerfully and I used high camera angle to portray her confidence but also shows her vulnerability through her lyrics for example 'I want to be blind for you' showing her innocence.
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Narrative Theory
Todorov
-Movement of Equilibrums
Barthes
-Narrative codes: Enigma, Action and Semic code
Propp
-8 Characters and Action
Levi-Strauss
-Binary Oppositions
-Movement of Equilibrums
Barthes
-Narrative codes: Enigma, Action and Semic code
Propp
-8 Characters and Action
Levi-Strauss
-Binary Oppositions
Linking Narrative to own Production work
My production contains an open narrative, a text which is open to a number of interpretations so the audience tends to create their own narratives around the text this is clear in my work because of the use of cross cutting and fast cut montage effect.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Representation
Presentation of reality in a media text, it is NOT reality but a form of reality presented to us. Media producers have to be selective in their choice of material, however naturalistic their approach is.
SOCIAL TYPES
Which groups are over represented, misrepresented or under represented?
Representation of the female gender as innocent and needy, through posture and use of high camera angled shots. This social group has been misrepresented.
Complicated relationships in the artists life with the use of complex, emotive and dramatic lyrics. This has been over-represented.
Gauntlett's theory suggests audiences may reconfirm or challenge their identity through these social types, he says that audiences use texts as a tool kit. My audience may challenge their identity and challenge whether this representation has bee mediated.
GENDER THEORY (1)
Laura Mulvey's, the male gaze gender theory explores the idea that the camera 'sees' images through male eyes. In my music video this may be evident as the mise en scene suggests that the male is in power and control, during the scene of him picking her up and spinning her around it shows that she needs him for happiness also the editing uses a glowing effect which makes the mise en scene much more illuminated. The lyrics give connotation of the female being more needy and the male having more authority.
GENDER THEORY (2)
Judith Butler's, feminism/post feminism gender theory that suggests that gender is a performance, it is what you do at particular times rather than about who you are. This theory affected decisions made during the making of my music video, I made my music video a female performance through soft focus effects and fade transitions. Editing shows femininity with slow fades as this transition is soft and smooth reflecting the vunerability of the artist. With the use of high angled and long shots this is represented as well these particular shots portray isolation.
-Feminism=movement (c.1960s) promoting the rights of women to be equal to men and arguing that women should no longer dress or behave as men wish them to
-Post feminism=movement arguing that women have now achieved equality and should be free to dress and behave as they wish without doing so for the benefit of men
VERISIMILITUDE
My music video creates verisimilitude, the imitation of reality
-Mise en scene: using realistic locations and settings
-Camera work: use of hand held camera.
-Editing: we are overly conscious of the editing, jumps from different scenes using slow fades not continuity editing.
-Narrative: events are constructed from different viewpoints and not just one.
SOCIAL TYPES
Which groups are over represented, misrepresented or under represented?
Representation of the female gender as innocent and needy, through posture and use of high camera angled shots. This social group has been misrepresented.
Complicated relationships in the artists life with the use of complex, emotive and dramatic lyrics. This has been over-represented.
Gauntlett's theory suggests audiences may reconfirm or challenge their identity through these social types, he says that audiences use texts as a tool kit. My audience may challenge their identity and challenge whether this representation has bee mediated.
GENDER THEORY (1)
Laura Mulvey's, the male gaze gender theory explores the idea that the camera 'sees' images through male eyes. In my music video this may be evident as the mise en scene suggests that the male is in power and control, during the scene of him picking her up and spinning her around it shows that she needs him for happiness also the editing uses a glowing effect which makes the mise en scene much more illuminated. The lyrics give connotation of the female being more needy and the male having more authority.
GENDER THEORY (2)
Judith Butler's, feminism/post feminism gender theory that suggests that gender is a performance, it is what you do at particular times rather than about who you are. This theory affected decisions made during the making of my music video, I made my music video a female performance through soft focus effects and fade transitions. Editing shows femininity with slow fades as this transition is soft and smooth reflecting the vunerability of the artist. With the use of high angled and long shots this is represented as well these particular shots portray isolation.
-Feminism=movement (c.1960s) promoting the rights of women to be equal to men and arguing that women should no longer dress or behave as men wish them to
-Post feminism=movement arguing that women have now achieved equality and should be free to dress and behave as they wish without doing so for the benefit of men
VERISIMILITUDE
My music video creates verisimilitude, the imitation of reality
-Mise en scene: using realistic locations and settings
-Camera work: use of hand held camera.
-Editing: we are overly conscious of the editing, jumps from different scenes using slow fades not continuity editing.
-Narrative: events are constructed from different viewpoints and not just one.
Sunday, 18 March 2012
Sunday, 11 March 2012
How far does your music video encourage audiences to confirm or challenge who they are when watching your music video?
Gauntlett's theory 'constructing identity' suggests that audiences’ identities may be shaped through accessing media texts. In my music video the lyrics portray sombre emotions and make the artist look needy as they include lyrics like ‘I want to be blind for you’, this may reconfirm audiences about the particular scenario shows of heartbreak and the insecurity of the girl. His theory relates to my music video for example my music video shows a venerable girl during a complicated insecure teenage relationship, with the use of a black and white filter effect capturing the couples emotional dilemma in the past. If my audience accept this reading to reassure them that this type of behaviour and state of mind is normal during this period of the lives, then this shows that my audience are shaping their identity through my music video.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Audience Theory
Linear Models
-Hypodermic syringe theory: audiences accept the messages that are 'injected' into them via the media for example my music video shows insecurity and doubt in the artists relationship through the lyrics, therefore the audience may believe that all teenage relationships are like this.
-Two step flow theory: sender-message-receiver, ideas travel from media to opinion leaders to individuals in society. (BUT what if audience are active like contemporary audience, theory is too simplistic and audience challenge readings)
-Uses and gratifications theory: expanded by Blulmer and Katz, published in 1974. People may use my music video as a diversion (escape from everyday problems) and personal relationships (using media for emotional and other interactions).
Stuart Hall
-Encoding and decoding texts: we understand codes of media as we learn to read them, media texts are constructed and have an intended or preferred reading eg, someone dressed in black is bad. Media is encoded by producers then decoded by audiences. Active audiences have a negotiated reading, partly accepting but partly giving its own reading by the audience.
Cultural Identity
-David Gauntlett: suggests that your identity is not fixed, you are shaped by the media. Audiences use media representations to check their own identity for example in my music video audiences see the painful process of life's problems and complicated relationships as the artists insecure relationship is portrayed in the music video.
Louis Althusser
-Reinforcing the values of society: individuals believe that they are free to form their own opinions and values, my music video reinforces ideas and values that are found in popular culture of promoting innocence. Individuals are interpellated, they are unconsciously controlled by those in power, audiences are manipulated.
-Hypodermic syringe theory: audiences accept the messages that are 'injected' into them via the media for example my music video shows insecurity and doubt in the artists relationship through the lyrics, therefore the audience may believe that all teenage relationships are like this.
-Two step flow theory: sender-message-receiver, ideas travel from media to opinion leaders to individuals in society. (BUT what if audience are active like contemporary audience, theory is too simplistic and audience challenge readings)
-Uses and gratifications theory: expanded by Blulmer and Katz, published in 1974. People may use my music video as a diversion (escape from everyday problems) and personal relationships (using media for emotional and other interactions).
Stuart Hall
-Encoding and decoding texts: we understand codes of media as we learn to read them, media texts are constructed and have an intended or preferred reading eg, someone dressed in black is bad. Media is encoded by producers then decoded by audiences. Active audiences have a negotiated reading, partly accepting but partly giving its own reading by the audience.
Cultural Identity
-David Gauntlett: suggests that your identity is not fixed, you are shaped by the media. Audiences use media representations to check their own identity for example in my music video audiences see the painful process of life's problems and complicated relationships as the artists insecure relationship is portrayed in the music video.
Louis Althusser
-Reinforcing the values of society: individuals believe that they are free to form their own opinions and values, my music video reinforces ideas and values that are found in popular culture of promoting innocence. Individuals are interpellated, they are unconsciously controlled by those in power, audiences are manipulated.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)