Steve Neale
Steve Neale’s theory states that genres are examples of repetition and difference. He believes that films of a type of genre, for example, romance or horror, they should include features that are similar, so the audience would know it is a horror fil, or romance film. And include features that are different to keep an audience interested. This is his theory of repetition and difference. Steve Neale’s theory states that genres are examples of repetition and difference.
In his words:
“Genres are instances of repetition of difference”
“Every genre has generic conventions”
Roland Barthes
Barthes theory is mainly about Semiotic, and his theory is around the symbol that appears on the movie to expand. Barthes' Semiotic Theory have broke down the process of reading signs and focused on their interpretation by different cultures or societies. He believes that the media is produced by the audience, and they use works to identify the media images or the physical content of the movie. Barthes asserts that each action could be named a series of titles of text. These action codes are usually very clear on DVD, chapter titles are usually based on events or important actions.
There are 5 codes that he created in his theory
Cultural code:
In semiotics, the cultural code is a set of shared understandings among users about the relationship and this implied by culture. For example, in the movie “Dune”, there were color red represent death and bloody in western culture, this would make the audience think there were bloody things that already happened.
Semantic code:
The connotation way of suggesting a specific meaning through the elements in the story. The concept or abstraction of an object thought or impression.
Symbolic code:
Symbolic codes in media include setting, mise en scene, acting and colour.
For example:
Facial expression.
Body Language.
Vocal qualities.
Movement.
Body contact.
Ring on his finger he Is illustrate that he married.
Proairetic code
The proairetic code only refers to the behavior of events that lead to other behaviors. It is also about how to build tension through action, and let the audience guess want happen in the movie. It is a good way to connect the movie with the audience.
Hermeneutic code:
The hermeneutic code refers to those plot elements that raise questions on the part of the reader of a text or the viewer of a film. For example, in “Bruce Lee” we see the killer house destroyed in the first five minutes, which leads us to ask the reason for such a traumatic event.
Action code:
by seen the movement of the actor, this is the use to create the speculate of the audience and make them think what the action in the movie is trying to tell you.
Todorov’s theory
Todorov mentioned that there are 5 stages that a character will go through; those are Equilibrium, Disruption, Recognition Repair the Damage and Equilibrium Again.
Examples : 死刑犯
Equilibrium: He is a private car driver who goes to work every day and is often looked down upon by his colleagues in life.
Disruption: He found out that his wife was taking drugs and had affair with other man. He was very angry because he worked hard every day to feed and support the family, but his wife had sex with other man for drugs.
Recognition: The man had a big fight with his wife, because he was angry and killed his wife. After a while, he regretted what he had done. In order not to be found out by the police, he buried his wife under a tree in his yard. A few days later, the girls collogue reported that his was missing. The police came and found out his motive for committing the crime and took him to prison.
Repair: After a week in jail, the man escaped from the jail.
New Equilibrium: Then the man was caught again and sentenced to death. He felt that he was wronged. He killed two more policemen to accompany him to death.
Dune
In the first 6 and half minutes, the dune used camera techniques such as deep focus. Because of the deep focus you only can see the deep focus. Hand to the left and one focus, establish shot, close-up insert and slow zoom, it can build tension make you pay more attention. For the establish shot of the spaceship is they want to let the audience know that there is a spaceship coming. For the close insert, he looks to camera right she looks camera left and make you feel they look at each other and used to emphases the thing is important. The close-up insert is used for building the tension and to focus on the details of the character.
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