Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Media theory: Semiotics – Roland Barthes

Todays, Blog is on the Media Theory Semiotics/Barthes:

While researching on how to make film I came across the media theories. One of the theories was by Barthes and this was the theory of Semiotics.

What is Semiotics?

Semiotics is the theory of symbols and signs in media. These include hermeneutic, prioritic, referential and symbolic codes. The ideas can exist from myths and other legends. A few examples include: a scar on the face equals bad guy, someone in the air is powerful. These concepts correlate to stereotypes and hegemony (leadership or dominance,)

Attempt at identifying Semiotics in film:

 
Punch-Drunk love

From this scene we will identify Semiotics: sign, signifier, signified, denotative meaning, connotative meaning, code.

  • Sign: Art in the protagonist life
  • Signifier: Piano
  • Signified: Music
  • Denotative meaning: The sudden car crash in the empty quiet environment.
  • Connotative meaning: The denotative event is a type of a call for action. The calm serene events that unfold the crash. Fear and shock.
  • Code: Hermeneutic/enigma code.
    • Example: 'Why was the piano dropped off

Application of the theory:

In this scene, out of the elements of mise en scéne, I used the piano. The piano appears after an accident that came out of nowhere. Then after, the crash of the piano. The piano, this instrument of sound and art is here. Why is it here, why now? which is what the hermeneutic code is for.





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