Theories of representation - Semiotics

Semiotics are signs and sign systems - basically a symbol that represents something. This theory was developed by Ferdinand de Saussure. His idea was that different signs (for example words, images, sounds, colours, flavours etc) represented something else in films and everyday life. He said that everything was/is a sign, and many people use signs in media products without even realising what they are representing; but they work.

He said that the SIGNIFIER (the symbol such as an object or icon for example) and the SIGNIFIED (the meaning that the symbol is representing/the concept it represents) = the SIGN.

Example:

This sign/symbol of stop represents that you should stop. It also represents danger and that there is something unsafe up ahead. The SIGNIFIER is the stop sign and the SIGNIFIED is the stop or the danger that there is something up ahead.

How we have used this theory in our film:

-The noose: this fore shadows the hanging and the plot twist in the story. There will be constant flashbacks to the hanging to help the audience realise this.

-Use of red: the use of red for example the mother's lipstick will represent danger and death.

-White clothes: the ghosts will wear white clothes as it is a common colour that ghosts are associated with and it also suggests that they are really innocent.

-Syringes: the syringes will be scattered on the floor at the beginning of the film to represent the parents drug use.