Our second online lesson was about semiotics, which is defined as the study of signs and symbols and their use of interpretations. In other words, it is the use of symbolism and the meaning behind an image, action, object, scene, or anything else. In this modern age, almost everyone is reliant on semiotics or has some form of semiotics in their lives, like in the media, on their phones, in the shopping center or on the road – symbols are everywhere and it is up to us to understand their meanings and values.  Often, we interpret things differently, because every person has their own bank of cultural information that govern the way we think about things and our ability to instantly and instinctively comprehend something. Denotations and connotations are a large part of this. Denotations are the first level of description, simply acknowledging and stating what an object is and understanding it’s existence on the surface level. The human brain can naturally do this. Connotations, on the other hand, are quite different, being the second level of description, linked to the images and meanings created in our minds, thanks to that bank of cultural idealogy. This is where everyone slightly differs, and although a lot of symbols are commonly known, there are many that mean something entirely different to an individual than society. Our connotations of something are based on past experiences, attitudes, values and beliefs. It is the knowledge we have and apply to whatever it is we are interpreting. Our first task for the lesson was to show our understanding of this by finding an image and identifying it’s denotations and connotations. Since we could do anything, I chose things that I like; the scene from a movie I love and flower with personal symbolism.

 

 

 

 

I learned that context is crucial in semiotics. Understanding what is happening around the sign is usually more important than even the sign itself, because the context in which a sign is communicated can transform its meaning entirely, and in order for us to act appropriately, we need to comprehend it all. Within context, several things must be taken into reflection, the first of which is whether or not something is the zeitgeist, which is quite often the case. Zeitgeist is a way to describe something with a defining mood or spirit of a particular period in history, with the beliefs and ideas of that time being used. An example of this would be the movie Deadpool, which is certainly zeitgeist of the current time period – there are many jokes and references that someone from even a few years ago wouldn’t understand, but it is more than just that. The very atmosphere of the film is familiar. It evokes feelings and experiences in the audience that are relevant to their lives and therefore establishes a deeper emotional connection with them, something that could not be achieved as well if that same audience was made to watch a film produced in the 1960s. Zeitgeist can be said as current and past because of this.

 

 

 

Another thing to consider is polysemic readings. Polyseimic is when something has more than one meaning (multi meanings). It is important to remember that media can be decoded in many different ways and that people view everything uniquely. Whilst there is often common ground, culture, personal experience and core beliefs drive individuals to their own perceptions that in some way differ to those around them, and whilst most products are designed to be polysemic, it is important to remember this before including say, a controversial symbol or spoken word in something in creation. Anchorage also affects context, which is when a meaning is anchored or closed down in some manner. For example, an image of a beach puts forward a calm, relaxing and cheerful impression, but putting sombre music ontop instantly changes that and creates a sense of unease. This cements the meaning that is trying to be portrayed and makes that image or scene less polysemic.

For the final part of our lesson, we were asked to choose a film that is zeitgeist to its time and explain why in groups. One of the greatest challenges in our group was trying to find a film that everyone had watched. In the end, we decided on The Matrix, which everyone had at least heard of. In retrospective, this might not have been the best choice as although the film was made in the 1900s, it was set in the future. However, it still had it’s own ‘feel’ as the best way to put it. The matrix succeeded in establishing its own aesthetic with a brilliant idea and world-building. This is what helped us with determining what was the zeitgeist.