Connotation in Film - Signs Symbols Semiotics
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Connotation is the secondary, often cultural or emotional, meanings that images, sounds, and sequences convey beyond their literal or denotative meanings. It involves the implicit messages and associations filmmakers create through various cinematic techniques.
Connotation is a fundamental concept in film semiotics, which is the study of signs and symbols in film and how they create meaning.
Key Aspects of Connotations in Movies
Connotations can take multiple forms and highly depend on the viewer’s interpretation (I’ll get back to that in a minute). Here are some common ways connotations emerge in film:
Imagery
Directors often use visual elements like color, lighting, and composition to evoke certain feelings or ideas. For example, red might connote danger, passion, or violence.
Read more on Imagery in Film.
Symbolism
Objects, settings, or actions that represent more than their literal meaning. For instance, a broken mirror might symbolize a fractured identity or shattered dreams.
Read more on Symbolism in Film.
Sound and Music
Sound design and musical scores can carry connotative meanings.
For example, a melancholic tune might evoke sadness or nostalgia, while a high-pitched, discordant sound might suggest tension or fear.
Character Representation
Character representation is about how characters are dressed, their mannerisms, and dialogue can convey connotative meanings about their personalities, backgrounds, or roles in the narrative.
For example, a character in a pristine white suit might connote purity or high status.
Editing and Montage
The juxtaposition of shots and montages can create connotative meanings (think about the Kuleshov effect), which can especially attributed to the Soviet Montage film movement.
For example, cutting from a bustling city scene to a lonely countryside might convey feelings of isolation or escape.
Read more about Movie Montages.
Camera Angles and Movement
The camera angles and movement can influence how the audience perceives a scene.
A low-angle shot can make a character appear powerful or menacing, while a shaky handheld camera can convey chaos or realism.
Read more about Camera Angles in Film.
Connotation within Film Semiotics
Film semiotics analyzes how visual, auditory, and narrative elements function as signs within the cinematic language. As such, studying what the signs connote makes sense as long as you remember to account for cultural biases.
In semiotics, a sign consists of the signifier (the form of the sign, such as an image or sound) and the signified (the concept it represents). Connotation refers to the additional meanings or associations that signs carry beyond their direct, literal meaning.
For example, the image of orange in The Godfather (1972) is the signifier, the signified (denotation) literal meaning is simply the fruit, and the connotation is the impending doom or danger because they always appear before moments of death and violence.
Another example is a rose on the screen, which denotes a flower. Still, connotatively, it might symbolize romance, passion, or even secrecy (as in the Latin sub rosa, meaning in secrecy).
Denotation vs. Connotation
Roland Barthes, a key figure in semiotics, distinguished between two levels of meaning in signs: denotation (the primary, literal meaning) and connotation (the secondary, associated meanings).
In film, these levels operate simultaneously to create a richer, more complex understanding of the narrative and themes.
For instance, a character’s attire might denotatively be just clothing, but connotatively, it can indicate social status, personality, or cultural background.
Codes and Conventions
Film semiotics also examines the codes and conventions that guide how signs are interpreted. These codes are culturally specific and learned, influencing viewers’ connotations from filmic elements.
For example, using black and white in a modern film might connote a sense of nostalgia or a reference to classic cinema, depending on the cultural context and the filmmaker’s intent.
A good example is Schindler’s List (1993), which is mostly in black and white. This choice connotes historical authenticity and gravity, evoking the feel of archival footage and emphasizing the stark moral contrasts of the Holocaust era.
Myth and Ideology
Barthes also discussed the concept of myth in semiotics, where connotative meanings become naturalized and accepted as "truths" within a culture. Films often use these myths to subtly convey ideological messages.
For example, the portrayal of heroism in war films might connotatively reinforce certain ideological views about patriotism and bravery.
A good example is a movie like Top Gun (1986), which uses the myth of the heroic fighter pilot to connotatively reinforce American ideals of bravery, patriotism, and military prowess during the Cold War era. As such, it subtly promotes the ideology of American military superiority and the nobility of serving one’s country.
Narrative and Genre
Different film genres have their own sets of connotations (and tropes).
A horror film might use horror tropes such as low lighting and eerie music to connote fear and suspense, whereas a romantic comedy might use bright lighting and uplifting music to connote joy and love.
These genre conventions rely heavily on connotative meanings to meet audience expectations and elicit specific emotional responses.
See also Genre Conventions in Film.
Intertextuality
Film semiotics also considers how films reference other texts and media. These references carry connotations based on the audience’s prior knowledge and experiences.
For example, a film that visually quotes another famous film might carry all the connotations of the original, enriching the viewer’s experience and understanding.
For example, Quentin Tarantino’s "Kill Bill" movies are filled with visual and thematic references to classic martial arts films, spaghetti westerns, and samurai cinema. These references carry the connotations of their original contexts, enriching the viewer’s experience by invoking the stylistic and thematic elements of the genres to which Tarantino pays homage, creating a layered and self-aware narrative.
Read more on Intertextuality in Film.
So, to sum up, connotation in film semiotics is about understanding the deeper, often culturally and emotionally charged meanings that cinematic signs convey beyond their literal appearance.
It involves analyzing how these meanings are constructed and interpreted within the context of the film’s language, genre, and cultural setting.
Connotation Depends on the Eyes of the Beholder
It’s important to note that connotation is subjective and culturally specific, relying on the viewer’s experiences, cultural background, and the context in which the sign is presented.
So, where a director might deliberately use oranges as a sign that foreshadows death—as in the Godfather series—or a specific color as a symbol, the connotation depends on the viewer’s interpretation of that symbol or sign.
That’s why communication (and film is communication) is difficult to master. It depends on the recipient’s ability to understand the message, and that ability is colored by the individual’s cognitive abilities and cultural upbringing. On the other hand, it opens up movies to multiple interpretations.
Summing Up
Connotations in film are the underlying meanings, emotions, and associations evoked by certain elements such as color, music, setting, or character behavior.
It adds depth and complexity to the narrative, allowing directors and screenwriters to convey subtle messages, themes, and subtext to the audience.
However, interpreting the filmmakers’ intentions depends entirely on the individual watching, leaving room for multiple interpretations and meanings.
Up Next: What is Characterization?