Film theorists
Transcript of Film theorists
{Film theorists
By Divya Sharma
He said that a narrative text have a deeper meaning to them and you have to unravel them to find that meaning. He came up with these five codes: The Hermeneutic Code (HER) = (the voice of truth) The way a story avoids telling
the truth or revealing all the facts to be able to drop clues for the reader and create mystery
The Enigma/ Proairetic Code (ACT) = (empirical voice) the way tension is built up through the story to leave the audience guessing what will happen next.
The Semantic Code (SEM) = (the voice of the person) A text that suggest an additional meaning by way of connotation which the story suggests.
The Symbolic Code (SYM) = (the voice of symbols) similar to semantic but it acts on a wider level. This is typically done in the use of antithesis, where new meaning arises out of opposing and conflict ideas.
The Cultural Code (REF) = (voice of science) Looks at the audiences wider cultural knowledge, morality and ideology
Roland Bartes
His theory was about genre and he argued that pleasure is derived from 'repetition and difference, there would be no pleasure without difference. We may derive pleasure from observing how the conventions of the genre are manipulated. We may also enjoy the stretching of a genre in new directions and the consequent shifting of our expectations.
Hollywood’s generic regime performs two inter-related functions:
To guarantee meanings and pleasures for audiences
To offset the considerable economic risks of industrial film production by providing cognitive collateral against innovation and difference.
Steven Neale
He believed that the way we understand certain words depends not so much on any meaning they themselves directly contain, but much more by our understanding of the difference between the word and its 'opposite' or, as he called it 'binary opposites'.
Examples:
Young vs Old
Villain vs Hero
Good vs Bad
Levi Strauss
Pretty women
The Binary opposition in this film is the Wealthy Vs the poor
In the film the opposition is that the ‘pretty women’ is a prostitute that is struggling to make ends meet and meets and gets involved with a highly wealthy and respected business man and these two types of people are not suppose to mix.
The proposal
Boss Vs Assistant
In the film the opposition is ultimately power as the boss is in charge of the assistant and has the dominance of him.
Levi Strauss applied to
Romantic Comedies
Todorovs said that all narrative include contain five fundamental stages which are:
A state of equilibrium (all as it should be, the norm)
A disruption caused by an event
A recognition that the disruption has occurred
An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption
A return or restoration of a new equilibrium
Tzventan Todorov
She’s The Man State of equilibrium – When the main character is playing football at the
beach with her friends and her boyfriend Disruption – When she is told that there will not be a girls football team
and when her boyfriend agrees that girls shouldn’t play football she breaks up with him
Recognition of disruption – when her mum comments that she doesn’t like her playing football and she responds telling her that there no longer a girls football team.
Attempt to repair the disruption – when she poses as a boy so she can beat her school boys football team and she starts falling for another guy
Return or restoration of a new equilibrium – When they beat the boys football team and she ends up with the guy becoming her new boyfriend.
Tzventan Todorov applied to Romantic Comedies
Propp’s said that in very narrative there are always certain people that play certain roles. These roles can be:
hero
villain
heroine
side kick
donor
mentor
father
Vladmir Propps
(500) Days Of Summer Hero = Tom Hanson (Joseph Gordon- Levitt) Heroine = Summer (Zooey Deschanle) Mentor = Rachel (Chloe Grace Moretz)
How to lose a guy in 10 days Hero = Ben Barry (Matthew Mconaughey) Heroine = Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) Villain = Michael Michel (Judy spears)
Shalom Harlow (Judy Green) Sidekick = Kathryn Hahn Mentor = Annie Parisse
Vladmir Propps
Roland Bartes
If applied to this genre it would use a mixture of the semantic and symbolic code. It would also use the cultural code too as everyone has a different sense of humour and what they find funny. Steven Neale
His theory would apply to this genre as I would have to include the conventions that are recognized by my audience and be able to manipulate them in a way that my audience will get pleasure from it. But also the audience might enjoy and get pleasure from seeing the genre being stretched out of its comfort zone.
These theories when applied to the genre of Romantic Comedy
Levi strauss
Applying his theory to this genre and the binary opposites would be the male against the female or any attributes of males and females that opposed one another, such as strong vs weak.Tzentan Todorov
If applied to this genre :
Starting her normal day and she interaction with the male
Another person normally form her or his past comes along
The main girl and guy have broken up or drifted away from each other
They both apologise or the unwelcomed guest leaves or is put in their place
They girl and guy have a happy ending ( a new life together and married with kids)
Vladmir Propps
Applied to this genre the people who will play these roles would be:
Hero= main male actor
Heroine = main female actor
Villain= the unwelcomed person form either male/females past
Side kick= the best friend
Donor= some form of message
Mentor= the girl’s mother
Father= the guys father