Semiotics

Semiotics:

Definition: the study of SIGNS

·      Examines how symbolic, written and technical signs construct meaning

·      Looks at how meaning is made and understood

Signifier & Signified

The signifier – the sign: a word, colour or images (i.e. The colour blue)

The signified – the concept/meaning/association that the sign refers to (i.e. BLUE is often associated with sadness or the sea ect)

Examples:

Signifier: red rose

Signifies: a symbol of passion and love – this is what the red rose represents

Signifier: Brown Rose

Signifiers: a symbol of religion, or it can be more specific this is a symbol of Christianity

Signifier: Heart

Signifies: a symbol of love and affection

With good signifiers you get the reaction you want out of the audience.

Mean texts ‘re-present’ the world to us

The media ‘mediates’ how we view the world and in many ways can dictate if we respond to types of ‘stereotypes’ of things in a positive or negative ways

Stereotypes – a stereotype is a simplified representation of a group of people normally based on one or two aspects of their character

Representation - Young people in hoodies are represented as wild, obnoxious, violent aggressive thugs.

However a picture taken from an advertisement for a PS3 game it is a media image therefore reinforces the stereotype.

Subverting Stereotypes – Media producers do not all construct lazy, simplistic representations that fit in with societies and the audiences existing misconceptions and prejudices.

Media texts can choose to present characters and events that challenge these ideas. These characters may subconsciously go against the stereotype, or just present a person as not being different to others.

DENOTATION LEVEL – what we actually see (the surface meaning)

CONNOTATIVE LEVEL – what you associate with this image (the deeper or hidden meanings and associations)