Media language essay

In my group’s final horror film trailer, which focuses on a young female victim who fears leaving her own home and has failed to do so for the last 15 years, after the murder of her mother, whilst experiencing consistent unexplained occurrences, we aim to include a wide range of media language to allow the audience to break down and understand the intended meanings of our text, and allow audience interpretation.

An example of media texts we plan to include are ‘technical codes.’ This text focuses on the ways camera and editing have been used to create meaning. For example, high angle shots are typically used to depict a vulnerable victim, as this creates the feeling that the character is being looked down upon, or that they are smaller/inferior. In contrast, low angle shots are used for the opposite effect, as they present a character as powerful/dominant through the way they are looking downwards upon the viewer. This type of shot is generally used for the antagonist/ a powerful character. Close-up and extreme close-up shots are also used to create a sense of claustrophobia/present the emotion of fear. Editing also plays a role in technical codes, such as the use of fades/cuts to black, which allow connotation of death/evil based on concepts related to the colour black.

Symbolic codes relate to how colours and iconography are used to create a message in a media text. for example, red is commonly used in horror to represent blood, a link to death/violence which is a common theme in slasher/splatter movies, as well as black which carries connotations of death/evil which is contrasted with white which represents purity/innocence to create a binary opposition. Iconography of horror includes weapons such as knives, which are phallic objects, often used to give an antagonist a sense of male power/dominance over a typically female victim, as well as masks, used to hide the identity of a character, dolls/clowns which are typically associated with children/innocence, but are twisted to suggest a loss of innocence.

audio codes are used to decode meaning from the choice of sounds used in a horror trailer, for example the use of distorted music box/fairground music explores the idea of loss of childhood innocence, as this music’s original intention was children’s entertainment. Music is also used to suggest emotion such as fear, through once slow/calm music speeding up or increasing in volume.

Written codes are based on the messages portrayed via text in a trailer. This could relate to the text’s visual style : e.g. a the convention of a broken/worn out font could suggest the victim’s ‘damage’ from their experiences throughout the film’s story. It can also relate to the written words in a film’s slogan.

While the codes I have mentioned serve to carry a meaning, the theorists : Barthes and de Saussure suggests that without context these codes carry no meaning. For example, the inclusion of horror conventions must carry relevance to the theme of the text. If a film contains iconography of dolls, but fails to relate to the concept of loss of childhood innocence, the iconography has lost its intended meaning.

Audience essay

The theory of the Hypodermic needle suggests that the consumption of media texts has a (typically negative) effect or influence on the audience, through the ‘injection’ of messages. The audience react passively to this, as they are unable to reject influence. However, audiences can also have beneficial reactions through this model, for instance, the 1938 broadcast of ‘The War of the worlds’ provoked fear in it’s American audience, resulting in research movements. The effects of the hypodermic model take place in our summer trailer through the message of a negative representation of teens who suffer from mental health conditions. While this message was unintentional, our trailer presents a character with an exaggerated lack of control, who unleashes her inner evil which can only be managed through use of medication. This is an unrealistic representation of teens with mental health issues, which an audience could come to believe after viewing our film/trailer.

The Uses and gratifications theory suggests that different people have their own personal purposes for consuming a media text, whether that be as a form of escapism from everyday life or to provoke an emotion/response etc. In the case of the horror genre, audiences often view these media texts to receive thrills which we lack in our everyday lives such as fear, mystery, violence and a face-off between good and evil. Alternatively, the target demographic of horror (ages 15-25) may find themselves identifying the characters presented in the text, through the focus on characters of a similar age range. This theory could apply to our summer trailer through our trailer’s attempt to indicate an emotional response from the audience, through the focus on our character’s tragic lifestyle and transformation, and the build up of tension and mystery. However, our trailer falls flat through our lack of details on the character’s back-story, giving the audience no reason to care or sympathise with the character, and overall lack of action/violence, failing to create a sense of thrill.

The desentisisation theory suggests that consistent exposure to graphic content results in the loss of sensitivity to the viewer. This can result in negative effects such as the loss of shock in response to violence in the real world. This theory applies to the horror genre due to the genre’s focus on violence/graphic content, most notably in the slasher/splatter sub-genres. While an audience is usually disturbed by the content of these films, the target demographic of people aged 15-25 are able to separate fiction from reality, which is why these films are not recommended for a younger audience as they may have a stronger emotional impact on minds that are less exposed to these concepts. In our summer trailer we have failed to include this theory due to our trailer’s overall lack of graphic content, and as a result failing to focus on the genre’s target demographic of 15-25 year olds as most of the trailer’s content would fail to thrill a typically desensitised audience.

The catharsis theory suggests that the implementation of violence in films is used by the audience to ‘cleanse’ negative emotions e.g. anger or fear, as viewing violence helps to neutralise the viewer’s urge to commit similar actions.
This theory applies to horror, due to the genre’s heavy focus on violence, especially so in the slasher/splatter sub-genres, meaning that viewers who consume media products to create a cathartic effect are likely to choose these films due to their content. Their inner urge to perform these actions, can allow these viewers to relate more to the antagonist, who typically act upon their desires. I believe that our summer trailer is ineffective at producing a cathartic effect in terms of violence, due to it’s overall lack of graphic content, but may carry cathartic effects related to depression/anxiety, which are an important aspect of the character, and something many people can relate to.

The Cultivation theory suggests that overconsumption of media products can begin to cause consumers to fail to separate the real world from worlds presented in the media, resulting in people’s actions and choices corresponding with those presented in the media. This can have negative effects such as overestimation of levels of violence in their communities and the world. In context of horror films, without the ability to differentiate the fictional exaggerated situations of horror films with real world problems, a viewer is much more likely to have a longer lasting emotional impact. Our trailer relates to this theory through it’s unrealistic representation of teens with mental health issues, which could be misinterpreted as an accurate depiction, potentially resulting in a negative impact how on those who suffer from these conditions are treated.

Representation essay

Sarah Dobb’s Theories of feminism in horror suggests that many horror films, primarily slashers include female victims, with a primary focus on the character’s looks, rather than playing an important role in the plot. These are referred to as ‘Scream Queens’, and are used primarily to appeal to horror’s primarily male audience. This could link back to the theme of teen punishment, as these characters are targeted for their sexually provocative nature, which is seen as sinful by Christians. Iconic scream queens include Psycho’s Janet Leigh, who was victimized whilst naked in the shower. The fact that she was attacked using a knife, which is a phallic object wielded by a male antagonist could be used to connote rape. Our character in our summer trailer shares traits associated with scream queens such as vulnerability, and consistent screams for help. However, as she runs low on medication she becomes her own antagonist, and presents a sense of ‘Male dominance’ over her pure self with the use of a knife (phallic object) as a weapon, similar to Psycho’s Norman Bates.

Clover’s theory of the final girl suggests that at the end of a slasher film, one female survives to face off against the (typically male) antagonist, and has usually avoided the actions taken by the other victims such as drug use, sex before marriage etc. Presenting her as pure and innocent. Iconic final girl characters include Alien (1979)’s Ellen Ripley, who finishes off the alien antagonist who killed and impregnated the other members of the crew, which similarly to psycho, connotes rape. Unlike Janet Leigh however, Ripley was able to stand up against the threat, something even the other males were unable to do. Our character shares similarities to the final girl trope, as she is pure and innocent, and for the resolution of our summer trailer’s film, we intended for our character to face off against her inner evil and succeed, however to be a true final girl our protagonist would have to be the last survivor of a group, yet ours was a singular protagonist.

Themes of religion and sexuality are explored through Derry’s theory of haunting sand demonic possession, as he believes that that the concept of possession carries sexual connotations as the evil forces are typically males taking control over a female body. Religious symbols such as crucifixes are commonly used to ward off evil spirits. The transformation of an innocent young girl into a demon possessed monster connotes the theme of loss of innocence. An example of an iconic possessed girl character is The Exorcist’s Reagan MacNeil. She goes against Christian morals by her demonic actions and foul mouth. While the concept of possession hasn’t been explored in our trailer, it shares similarities due to our character’s lack of control of their own body. 

Gramsci’s theory of The Hegemonic model suggests that dominant groups in society maintain the ‘spontaneous consent’ or subordinate groups to keep their dominance in society. The ideas of hegemony work through ideologies : narrow views of elements of real life. our summer trailer includes elements of hegemony, such as the use of dolls as a prop, as these are typically toys for girls. However, it goes against hegemony for a teenager to be playing with toys intended for children, and our character is also given a sense of Male power through the wielding of the knife, a phallic object.

Derry’s theory of the human monster deals with the evil within a character, or insanity, giving the viewer more details on the inner workings of the antagonist’s mind, allowing us to sympathise with the trauma of their past. this concept is explored in our summer trailer through our protagonist becoming insane after running out of her medication. This makes her both the protagonist and antagonist, as she has to fight against her own inner evil.

Genre Essay Re-write

In my summer trailer, our group has created a supernatural horror about a teenage girl, isolated in a dark room, struggling to move on from her past and suffering from mental health conditions. We have used a variety of codes and conventions to apply the concepts of genre to our work.

For example, neale's theory of genres as systems, not processes, suggests that all texts share similar elements, which become conventions. We have purposely used mise-en-scene associated with horror films such as dolls, these are conventional iconography of the horror genre, and are often used to present childhood innocence. In our case, we have created the transition of loss of innocence through the destruction of dolls with fire, as well as a knife, a convention of horror films (most notably slashers) and a phallic object. This suggests that this female character has gained a sense of male power by wielding the knife. Another element of horror used is the trailer's dim lighting. This allows a sense of mystery, as elements of the scene can be obscured from the audience's view. However, for our trailer I believe we should use a more aesthetic location to establish the setting more clearly.

As well as this, Neale's theory of genre development suggests that a genre must change and adapt to stay relevant and appeal to the current target demographic, by including products, trends etc. which appeal to people aged 15-25 at the time of release. For example, in our trailer our character uses a smartphone to call for help, which in the past would have been impossible. We have included the convention of the phone failing to receive a response, in order to create a sense of vulnerability, leaving figuring out what she has to do alone. Although we have used a wide range of codes and conventions, our film brings little new to the table. However, we have taken elements associated with other sub-genres of horror, such as a knife (mainly used in slashers) which other films may not explore.

Another theory of genre is Altman's theories of pleasures (visceral pleasures, emotional pleasures, intellectual pleasures), as we give few details about our character and her backstory, meaning an audience will not be interested in or care for her as a character. In our final trailer, we should improve the fast-paced editing later in the trailer. This increases the tension of the viewer, which I felt our trailer lacked due to an unclear structure, and re-use of similar imagery. The edits of the TV static effect were not suitable for our trailer, as there was no imagery/iconography related to televisions. We were able to create imagery related to violence e.g. use of knife, blood etc. However, this presents our film as more of a slasher, due to taking key elements of the sub-genre.

The next theory we've incorporated into our trailer is Mittel's theory of audience choice. I believe our trailer is apparent as a horror film, through its use of sound, lighting and props (conventional imagery such as dolls and knifes, use of twisted childlike music, transition to fast tense music.) However, to make our genre instantly recognizable by an audience we could choose a more suitable filming location, in order to establish a better atmosphere.