Signifier & Signified: A signifier is a single we pick out which we think has symbolic meaning ( the signified ): A low angle shot ( signifier ) often signifies power or strength; with a high angled shot the signified is often weakness or vulnerability.
Denote/Connote: Denotation= description of what we see or hear; connotation = the symbolic meaning of these factual details: When we can denote a male having stubble and dark hair this often connotes villainy; this may be anchored through use of menacing, non-diegetic music.
Binary Opposition: The juxtapostion of the refined parson high up on horseback, and the lowly D'Urbeville character, at the very beginning of the Tess mini-series is an example of binary opposition: any mutually exclusive pair form a binary opposition (male/female, rich/poor, rural/urban). Binary opposites are a key device for generating conflict and thus drama. When placed together, we can talk of binary opposites being juxtaposed- paired together to emphasise the contrast; their difference.
Polysemy/ Anchorage: Every media text is essentially polysemic: it has many possible meanings. Our interpretaion will be influenced by our knowledge of other texts, genre, our values, cultural background, age, gender, etc. Signifiers are embedded within texts to point us towards a particular, preferred, interpretation. The mise-en-scene will generally give us clues as to the geographical and time setting, but we often require on-screen graphics or dialogue to precisely anchor the period/location.
commutation Test: Always consider what we didn't see; the choices the producers have rejected.
Preferred/Contested/Oppositional Readin: We may be mainly considering what we consider to be the preferred reading (the interpretation the producers wish us to follow) but as texts are all polysemic, they are open to contested or even oppositional readings. its useful to highlight any sequences you think invite contested/oppositional readings through being poorly constructed.
Narrative Enigma: Mysterious elements within a text form a narrative enigma, needed in any drama.
Intertextual: Meaning of one text is tied to another, earlier text, e.g. to fully understand Scary Movie you'd need to have seen Scream, which it spoofs. This can cause contested readings.
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