Revision - Roland Barthes Semiotics Theory

 Roland Barthes - Semiotics Theory

Hermenutic/Engima Codes

• enigma means mystery
• an enigma/hermenutic codes engages and hooks an audience into the media product, making them want to read the article/watch the film/tv show
• TIDE - 'we've got what women want'
• what do women want? The TA want to know
• feel as if they have to continue reading or buy the product

Proairetic/Action Codes

• elements of media products which signify something is going to happen as a result
• e.g seeing a gun in a pocket makes the audience believe something will happen involving the gun
• KISS OF THE VAMPIRE - woman holding man by his throat allows the audience to understand that the women has the potential in the film to kill the man

Symbolic Codes

• symbol is an image come to represent something else
• e.g cross on a building may represent a church
• e.g heart may symbolise love

• KISS OF THE VAMPIRE - bats in the background are a symbolic code - symbol of a vampire.

Semantic Codes

• parts of a media product we understand have a hidden meaning
• e/g: in a horror movie, the colours red and black connote blood, danger, darkness, mystery
• KISS OF THE VAMPIRE - red and black colour scheme is a semantic code for horror
• TIDE ADVERT - woman smiling hugging the box of Tide emphasises her love for Tide.

Cultural/Referential Codes

• people from outside a certain culture/group may not understand certain elements of the culture within media products
• good way of engaging particular audiences, however other audiences may find the media products hard to engage in/understand