Semiotics - Roland Barthes

Question 1

Roland Barthes’ Semiotics theory is a media language/representation/industries/audiences

Answer 1

Media language

Question 2

Symbolic codes

Answer 2

A symbol that makes us think of a something or make an assumption - e.g. a cross makes us think of a church

Question 3

Semantic codes

Answer 3

Parts of a media product that have a different meaning and connotations.

Question 4

In a horror movie, there is typically lots of black and red. Why?

Answer 4

They have become semantic codes for horror with links to death and blood

Question 5

Proairetic/action codes

Answer 5

Elements of media products that signify that something is going to happen as a result. E.g. pulling a gun out of a pocket signifies that there will be conflict.

Question 6

How doe the woman holding the man by his throat on the Kiss of the Vampire poster act as a proairetic code to the audience?

Answer 6

It tells us that at some point in the narrative of this film the woman is going to be potentially killing the man

Question 7

Hermeneutic/enigma codes

Answer 7

Any mysterious part of a text that will hook in an audience and make them want to learn/see more

Question 8

Cultural/referential codes

Answer 8

Parts of a media product which you will only understand if you’re part of a certain culture - this could be age group, historical period, gender or actual culture

Question 9

Cultural codes may be a good way of engaging particular audiences, however…

Answer 9

some audiences may find them hard to understand and recognise as they don’t have the referential knowledge. Can exclude some audiences.