1. Introduction to Film Studies 1: Hollywood Cinema
Lecture Five:
Semiotics and
Issues of Representation

2. Structuralist Theory Linguistic theory Ferdinand de Saussure
‘Parole’ and ‘langue’
‘Signifiers’ and ‘signified’
Semiotics: language as a signifying system
Meaning is arbitrary and changeable – context is key

3. Film Semiotics Christian Metz: the language of cinema
Narrative structures (sequences) and visual symbols (shots)
The audience learns to ‘read’ a film, but the language becomes transparent

4. Semiotics and Ideology
Semiotics conveys values
Visual codes denote this
Suture
Film analysis reveals the process

5. Representation Cinema as ‘mirror’ for the world
This mirror image may contain dominant values, or the specific values of the filmmakers or the audience
Film language (semiotics) helps create a cinematic world which looks ‘real’, but which is constructed
We must be passive in order to enjoy the film; we must accept what is on screen

6. Key Areas of Representation
Gender
Ethnicity
Sexuality
Class
National identity
Work, violence, age, students, universities??

7. Analysing Representation
How is approval/disapproval indicated
Role models
Stereotyping
Audience responses
Segmented audiences
Historical and cultural placement

8. Subverting Dominant Representations
Make your own films
Audiences appropriate films
Niche audiences
Individual filmmakers – Spike Lee
Globalisation
Hybrid representation