Codal Analysis

KAT I E M O U L D

CODE ANALYSIS’

NARRATIVE THEORIESTH

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STodorov’s Theory• His theory follows the very simple idea shown below:

EQUILIBRIUM DISEQUILIBRIUM NEW EQUILIBRIUM

Vladimir Propp• Decided on a series of stock characters that are in every film:

PROTAGONIST, ANTAGONIST, DONOR, PRINCESS, HER FATHER, DISPATCHER, FALSE HERO, HELPER.

• He analysed a series of Russian fairy tales which can be applied to pretty much any film.

Claude Levi-Strauss• Stated that our understanding of particular words derive not from

their actual meaning, but from their opposite. For example, out understanding of the word hero, is driven by it’s opposite being a villain. This is referred to as ‘binary opposites’.

• Some other binary’s include the youth/age binary, the masculinity/femininity binary, the good/evil binary and so on.

500 DAYS OF SUMMER

VISUAL CODES (MISE – EN – SCENE)

The mise – en – scene in a film trailer is usually used to highlight to the audience the type of genre that they actual film is going to be. Certain aspects of the trailer will also indicate the storyline to the audience so that they get a general outline of the plot.

Throughout the trailer for 500 Days of Summer there are many different aspect of mise-en-scene that would indicate to the audience that it is a romance and drama. For example, the way that the characters look at each other through their facial expressions emotions and also through their body language, gives us a pretty good idea of the fact that it is going to be about two people and a relationship between them which

connotes typical stereotypical ideas of dramas and romances.

MORE VISUAL CODES

Other very stereotypical scenarios are portrayed in the trailer, such as the location of the film which is in New York, the city that drama films and romance films are tend to be based around, even when they’re not, they are still somewhat loosely based around the idea of New York.

The lighting of the trailer is very bright in nearly every scene to replicate the type of emotion in the actual film. This is important because if it was darker it would give off a more mysterious and scary vibe which is obviously not what the genre would show.

The props used as well as the costumes and make-up are all very normal and natural to give a sense of verisimilitude that the drama genre requires. Nothing looks out of place and as though it shouldn’t be there which shows that the genre will not be something out of the ordinary such as fantasy and sci-fi films.

AUDIO CODES(NARRATION, DIALOGUE, SOUNDTRACK, DIAGETIC AND NON-DIEGETIC)

The various audio codes in the trailer usually replicate the genre through the music in the background which tends to be light hearted and not necessarily fast paced. The dialogue and narration is also very laid back to continue with the sense of verisimilitude that the aspects of mise-en-scene give off.

The narration in the trailer is much more like a voiceover, only narrating certain parts of the trailer to add to the overall effect that the trailer gives off. The voiceover in this particular trailer gives us a little bit of information about what the trailer is going to be about. The narrator plainly tells the audience that it is not a movie about love even though we know that there is an aspect of love and romance in the actual film due to the information in the rest of the trailer. The dialogue is an indication of the genre through the very normal conversations and tones that the characters are using. The soundtrack is also a good indication because there is very low key music playing in the background that would replicate the type of genre.

NARRATIVE CODES(REFERRING BACK TO NARRATIVE THEORY)

• The film 500 Days of Summer, like many other films, follows Todorov’s theory when building the storyline. Everything seems to be going well with a strong sense of equilibrium and then something happens half way through that disrupts this equilibrium. At the end of the film a new equilibrium is formed which is slightly different to the way some action films are formed as usually the equilibrium we see in the beginning of the film is restored.

• Through creating a new equilibrium in the trailer we are aware that a lot is going to change before we even watch the entire film. This can be effective because it can make the audience want to know what happens before this new equilibrium is formed, or it can make them not bother to find out as they know they new ending of the film.

ACTION CODES(ACTION IN THE TRAILER)

• These types of codes reflect the action that is going on in the trailer in order for the audience to get a better idea of what is going on without even realising that it is happening.

• Sometimes the emotion and expression and the general look on the characters faces can give a good indication of the type of action that is going on.

• Close-ups might suggest that there is a form of jealousy or that something important is either happening or about to happen.

• Other signs might also suggest that something is about to happen, such as the music changing or the camera angle taking a sudden drastic change of angle to show something completely different.

ENIGMA CODES(WHAT IS LEFT UNANSWERED)

This type of code is present in almost every single film. It cover the basis of the idea of cliffhangers and that there are always little puzzles that need to be solved which will eventually be resolved by the end of the film or right at the end of the film.

SYMBOLIC CODES(HIDDEN SIGNS AND SYMBOLS)

This is usually an object, event or action which refers to something that is outside of itself. This can be highly effective if you use it correctly and in an interesting way. A good example of how this works is the flower that represents ET’s life.

TECHNICAL CODES(EDITING – PACE, GRAPHICS, EFFECTS)

• The editing techniques are used to replicate the soft romantic nature of the film itself. A lot of the shots are over – the – shoulder shots which gives us a much more personal approach to the film. This is important for a drama/romance film because it makes us feel like we can relate more to the film itself. They are edited together to create a conversation that makes us feel like we are actually watching their conversation in first person.

• The pace of the trailer is not necessarily very fast as the slow pace that we see is reflecting on the relationship that we are following in the story.

• There aren’t that many effects in the trailer because I think that it works a lot better when it is more simple. One effect that is used is the fading between some of the shots to show the lightheartedness of the film itself.

THE GREAT GATSBY

VISUAL CODES(MISE – EN – SCENE)

• The aspects of the trailer and the entire film, gives of a very extravagant vibe through the mise-en-scene.

• Every detail for the time period has been looked at very closely and everything adds to the whole outcome of the film.

• The costumes in particular make the film what it is. The flapper costumes that we see at the parties are essential to making us understand the time period. The locations as well are also very important as it indicates to us where it is that the film is set. In this case we can see that the film is set in 1920s New York.

• The extravagant lifestyle of Gatsby is also portrayed through the props such as the car that he drives and everything inside of his house. This is important because I establishes to the audience that he is a rich character that we need to pay attention to.


• The soundtrack to this movie is probably one of the main aspects of the trailer to showcase the film. The songs that are used in the trailer have a sense of the 1920s which again indicates the time period to the audience. The editor has decided to alternate between different types of music. For instance the trailer starts off with average paced music which a lot of sound effects such as cars racing and dialogue to put emphasis on the characters. The music then stops to highlight a dramatic scene and then the music slows down and puts more emphasis on the love in the movie. This is important so that the audience understands that the movie also has a very strong indication of love throughout it.

• The voiceover throughout the trailer is told by one of the main character which I think is very effective at enticing the audience because it shows the connection between the two main characters.


• The Great Gatsby follows two of the theories that I have looked at, including Todorov’s theory and Vladimir Propp’s idea of the stock characters. There are clear indications of all of the different stock characters that Propp identifies in his theory which is important because it proves that there are stereotypical characters within the genre.

• Much like action films, Todorov’s theory is slightly altered in The Great Gatsby due to the equilibrium change. The equilibrium that we are faced with at the beginning of the trailer is the same as the equilibrium that we know to be true at the start of the trailer.


• A lot of what happens in the film is portrayed through the use of close-ups to indicate the simplicity in what is going on. The simple conversations mimic the relationships shown through the close-ups which I think is important when looking at the type of action.

• Some of the more fast paced scenes such as cars driving about are show more from a distance because it gives off a better effect to the audience.

• Another important action sequence would be the slow motion car accident that we are given a glimpse of in the trailer. This would be important to take note of because it may emphasise an important part of the movie. The action sequence would be important because it highlights a key aspect in the storyline.



The Great Gatsby trailer contains many enigma codes that leave the audience on edge of their seats which is what the trailer is aiming to do. Enigma codes are important to draw in the audience and make them want to come and see the films and there are many in the trailer for The Great Gatsby because of the massive story behind it. I think that a lot of the enigma codes that are presented indicate to the audience the type of movie that they are expecting to see as well through the various action shots of parties and dinners that we are shown.

Some of the various ideologies that we are faced with surrounding signs and symbols, indicate to the audience a wide variety of different things that we should consider. For example, the costumes and props that are used throughout the film/trailer are a hidden sign for the power and authority that they hold. If we didn’t understand this term then there wouldn’t be a way that w could identify them. It is also important to have hidden signs and symbols to leave the audience wondering and pondering on the idea of different scenarios.


• The editing that is used in the trailer replicates the drama that we are presented with. We are shown a variety of fast paced shots and cuts that match the action that is going on in the scene and then there are more subtle fades when we get into watching the relationship unfold which I think is a really interesting way of showing the differences in throughout the film.

• The pace of the trailer generally takes on quite a slow demeanor to replicate the style that the movie is trying to represent.

• The graphics and effects are highly important in this movie as they are trying to show a 1920s environment, which is obviously going to be somewhat hard to do when you are in the 21st century. However, they have managed to re-create a good location and it makes the movie a lot more believable.

THE BLINDSIDE

VISUAL CODES (MISE – EN – SCENE)

• There are many different aspects to look at in this particular film/trailer due to it being majorly based around class and status differences which is usually represented in a visual way, such as, through the use of clothing, props, hair and make-up.

• In particular the codes that are shown through the clothing that the characters are wearing is important because it emphasises the differences in the characters. The clean cut woman and the shabby young boy is unusual and it captures the relationship perfectly.

• The lighting is another aspect due to their being brightly lit areas in the richer parts of the film and then the lighting changes to being a lot darker in the poorer areas.


• The narration throughout the trailer is very inspirational and it makes you think a lot about the storyline behind the movie which I think is important when you are trying to entice an audience. • The dialogue is very laid back and it is as though

you are listening to a real life conversation which I think is important in a film like this in order for various points to be made about the background of the movie.


• Narrative Theory in the film follows a simple ideology to Todorov’s theory which is the general idea that most drama films tend to follow as it is the best way to keep the audience involved. I think that it is a god way of showing narrative in this film due to the amount of substance that we are presented with.

• There are also some aspect of Propp’s theory in regards to the ‘stock’ characters that we are presented with. There are all types of characters that are trying to disrupt or help.

• There are many other ideas surrounding narrative theory that may or may not play a role in this movie, but these are the main two that tend to play a role, particularly in drama films.


• The action in the film is not that fast paced due to the realistic approach that the creators of the movie were going for. There are some scenes that involve a little more action than others but it is shown in a bad way and in a very realistic way.• The general idea behind all of the action in the

movie is to keep it down tempo to keep the audience feeling like they can relate to a movie. When an audience is watching a drama movie, they tend to want to be able to relate to the storyline, which is the main factor that the creators have to focus on.



Enigma codes in the trailer are presented in such a way, leaving the audience wanting to know how things happen and what happens as a result.

There are many different ways in which the enigma codes are presented to the audience in the trailer. There are some scenarios that we see a glimpse of in the trailer but we are left to wonder what happens after it, leaving a cliffhanger type ending which is what producers tend to want to leave in a trailer to make the audience see the actual film.

There may not be that many signs and symbols in this film as the idea that is trying to be put across does not require the technique.

The idea behind the movie (originating from a true story), us simply trying to get the storyline across with no hidden meanings. This is important to recognise because it changes some of the more in depth areas we look at in films such as the hidden signs and symbols.Everything in this movie is purely based around storytelling.


• There are many different technical codes in the film, like in many films, to keep the audience watching. Editing techniques to replicate what is going on in the film is done really well in this film/trailer. When there is a low key scene when everything I going well, there are more fade shots and longer sequences whereas when there is more action, it is matched by sharp jump cuts, again to replicate the activity.

• The pace of the movie is quite slow, however it works because of the actual story behind the film. Despite this, the pace does pick up when disequilibrium forces everything to speed up.

• The editing and graphics are also important as it emphasises differences in characters and also gets more of the storyline across in different ways.

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Codal Analysis