Media Theories and applying them to film

Theories
Roland Barthes: media theory
Barthes looked at many different codes in media texts (whether it’s literature, film or television) and he was a semiotics professor, meaning that he was paid to unravel text and write about it. He used the basic analysis of text, ‘open’ and ‘closed’, and elaborated on these theories.

Action/Proairetic Code
This is the idea of little actions that do not particularly raise questions, as they are the consequence of a smaller action. This code is used to create tension and can assist audiences into guessing what could possibly happen next.

Hermeneutic Code

Barthes’ Hermeneutic Code refers to a text not being fully explained and therefore becoming a mystery for audiences to find out about. The author/director of the text’s aim is to keep the audience guessing up until the very end, referring to the basic structure of the enigma code (below).

Enigma Code
Barthes Enigma Code says that a text involves audiences to ask questions, leading them to (hopefully) continue because they have been enticed by this mystery. This is commonly used in cold openings for films as well as their trailers.

Semantic Code
This code focuses on connotations and meanings behind certain symbols. This code is known as ‘the voice of the person’.

Symbolic Code
Even though this code is very similar to the Semantic Code, it provides a much deeper look at connotations and meanings. This code is known as ‘the voice of symbols’.

Cultural Code
This is a code that refers to anything else in the said text externally. The external body of knowledge can be anything scientific, religious, and historical.

Using Roland Barthes most famous and focused media theories, I will be looking at film trailers and whether or not they use these codes and if so, how they can help benefit me in creating my production.


Tzvetan Todorov: media theory
When looking at trailers in general (a few posts back), I touched upon Todorov’s narrative theory and how it is used in trailers.

The theory says that every media text begins with ‘Equilibrium’ where characters, setting and everything else are at a balance. Then a ‘Disruption’ comes along as a threat to the Equilibrium. The character’s ‘Recognise’ the threat of the Disruption and set out to get rid or ‘Repair’ it in hope of the first or a ‘New Equilibrium’.

I believe that this theory can be applied to trailers to a certain point. Most feature length trailers feature the Equilibrium, the Disruption and show the character’s recognition of this disruption. But because trailers can’t reveal the ending of the film (cause audiences then wouldn’t need to see the film), the trailer either ends at this point or shows the characters attempt at repairing the disruption.

I will be looking at Todorov’s theory when I look closely at psychological thriller trailers to see if they follow a similar narrative structure. If this is the case, I will be looking at how the theory is used to help my own production.


Vladimir Propp’s narrative theory: media theory

Propp’s narrative theory can also be known as the character theory, because his work looked at the significance of character types and the role they play in the media narrative. There are seven main character types that Propp looked at; Hero, Villain, Donor, Helper, Princess, Dispatcher and False Hero.

The Hero is the more often than not the main character of the text, who restores the equilibrium (see Todorov). This character type is often male, but a recent trend in the last 3 decades has seen the role branch out to both genders.

The Villain is usually the character who causes the disruption for the text.

In order for the Hero to restore the equilibrium, a Donor is often used to aid the hero by giving them something, for example advice or an item.

The Helper is usually the character to assist the Hero on their quest or journey to the equilibrium.

The ‘Princess’ is a character type that is now known more as the victim. This is the character that is usually kidnapped or most at threat by the villain, in order for the hero to save.

The Dispatcher is simply known as the character that sends the hero to the task. For most films I consider this to be a community if a large setting or population are put at risk by the disruption.

The False Hero is the character who appears to be good, until the end where it is revealed they are not on the good side.

Of course, not all of these character types can be applied in every single film. But the majority on the most part can be noticed in films.
I will also be referencing to this theory in my study of psychological thriller trailers.