An introduction to the application of social semiotics in film analysis

Authors
mokhtar jafari 1
mohsen shakerinejad 2
1 master of communication /Iran Broadcasting University
2 هیئت علمی/دانشگاه صداوسیمای تهران
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is the criticism of social semiotics in film analysis. Social semiotics which is based on Holliday votes abandoned the contractual relationship between signifier and signified and considers it as constitutive of social relations. Among those who have applied the visual analysis of social semiotics are Kress and Van Leeuwen. Therefore, this article answers the question which are the capabilities and limitations of the social semiotics in film analysis considering their method in film analysis? To provide the method, library resources were used and semiotic analysis was conducted as an example of a scene from the series “Song of Territory ". Finally, study after the expression of different views on the method has concluded that the use of semiotic resources instead of signs, the possibility of analyzing multimodal texts, and critical view are the strengths and being descriptive, laborious and cultural constraints of the method are weaknesses of this approach.
Keywords
Social semiotics
Kress and Van Leeuwen
The filmic meaning
film analysis
Series “Song of Territory"
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Society Culture Media
Volume 8, Issue 31
Winter 2020
Pages 65-102

  • Receive Date 08 February 2020