MED4104 - Directed Study Week 3

For this weeks task we had to create a presentation as a group about the Language of TV/Film, in our group we decided to look at Sherlock Holmes (Film). 

First we looked at the background history, for those who have never heard of Sherlock Holmes as a film franchise, here is a little bit of background information. It was disrupted by Wanner Brothers Studio in late 2009.The film is set in the late 19th century in London.The main protagonists in the film are Robert Downey Junior playing as Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law as Dr Watson. The main antagonists are Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood and  Rachel McAdams as Iren Adler.  The film plot is about murders committed by lord blackwood, once captured by Holmes and Watson, Blackwood is executed. Days past but can lord Blackwood rise back from the grave? Holmes and Watson investigate into Backwoods return, with some help from Iren along the way. We chose to look at semiological analysis because it offers a few ways to understand the language behind the film. Semiological analysis is a theory by Theorist Ferdinand de Saussure, it literally means the study of signs, imagery in this case. It is broken down into two parts, 'Signifier’ – sound/object (physical properties) and ‘Signified’ – concept/mental construct that the signifier invoke. This is perfect for a breakdown analysis of a film such as Sherlock Holmes because it can offer more details into the language behind the film. We will be using theory from Ellis, John and Nowell-Smith, Geoffrey to get a better understanding of the media texts. 



We used the trailer for our clip, looking into the language used in the clip briefly, there was a lot of editing elements, quick cutting, slow motion. The editing was done in a sense to create ties with the audition, it creates emotion and fear. The choice of music was rather dramatic and well placed, which can create a certain edge of urgency and can effect the pace of the media text as well. Use of costume to give a character a better sense of who they are, even before they open their mouth, for example, Lord Blackwood wearing Black, which give the audition an understanding that he is villain in this film, which is suggested by Nowell Smith “Even before the character opens their mouth, the spectator can gather what sort of character they are likely to be playing"(Nowell-smith, 2000). Special effects are used to keep it explosive and exciting for an audience. There are other language elements used in this clip, such as sound and lighting. Later on, the media language we discovered were; editing, music, costume, special effect, sound and lighting, which will be looked at in more depth. But first, here is a look of three different scene that we picked up on.

Big Ben

Looking at this image from a semiological point of view, the director is trying to communicate a number of ideologies to its audience, through imagery. Big Ben has many signifiers, it is tall, well decorated, loud when it strikes the hour, it is a tower above all others, it is part of the one of the most powerful buildings in the world, parliament and the sky being dull and grey. In further detail the signified of Big Ben being tall is reflection on the film being set in powerful era of the late 19th century. Big Ben being well decorated could suggest that iconic places such as Big Ben reflects British culture being rich. However, the clashing of the dull grey clouds could suggest that London has a rough side to it, that London culture and the character in the film are not living to the standards of Big Ben. The clock of Big Ben open up as a timer of the plot of the evolving over time. However, Big Ben being part of the parliament could suggest that Big Ben lives in in its shadow, which could reflect sherlock Holmes living in the shadow of Lord Blackwood. One of the great things about film, suggested by Nowell Smith, that film can make an audience question what is happening in the scenes to further make sense of what the film producer is trying to narrate (Nowell-Smith, 2000).

London Bridge

London bridge signifies that it is a technological advancement, it is iconic, it has a rather dull construction with the color grey, rather tall, it is surrounded by water. Looking into the scene in more depth, London bridge is like the films crown jewels, it is an advanced piece of technology for the time period the film set in, the construction being tall has been purposely done to make the audience's attention focus on the London bridge, for how iconic is it today in British society. Breaking down the colour of London bridge being grey could suggest that London society is dirty and unclear for this time period, which can be also backed up by the dirty water that surrounds the bridge. London bridge being constructed could also suggest that it is a metaphor of the joining of two sides, the audience and the film maker, in creating a relationship that works.

Saussure's theory of semiological was not originally intended for film, Saussure's theory was based around the understanding of language in other cultures. Why do words mean this, for example when we associate an object such as a pen, why do we associate the word pen with it? Saussure's theory was to question language for its meaning, breaking it down, Saussure's theory was then put into practice for film by theorist Christan Metz. Christan Metz wanted to prove something, but what did he want to prove?. 

River Thames

The River Thames from a primary level looks ordinary, unclean water, surrounded by boats and it is a network for transport. From a secondary point of view, it has been purposefully made to look ordinary to fit the time period that the film is set in and the plot of the story, also to fit the society and culture of the industrial revolution. The scene being unclean could make the audience more interested in what's going on. The boats going up the river could be another form of transporting the audience through the films story. Expanding on the boats on the river, the different coloured flags could show deeper meaning of how aesthetics   play a part in film industry.

Looking back on the history of the language of cinema, there were a lot of debates around whether cinema was a language, Nowell smith clearly states “Cinema is a language” (Nowell-Smith, 2000:11) and explores this idea and looks at different theorists such as Metz who claimed that “Cinema had to be seen as a composite artistic language”(Nowell-Smith: 2000). However Saussure’s inspiration was that languages exist as networks deployed as it were horizontally, so that concrete instances of meaning need to be analysed. He believed language was a system, where everything holds together. Eventually Metz recomposed the world of the fiction film as an elaborate web of filmic and cinematic codes and sub codes, systems and subsystems (Nowell-Smith, 2000:12). Theorist Bordwell rebelled against Metz’s semiotic apparatus, Bordwell’s theory was what he called the narration, his model saw the film producing not so much signification as information. This information is contained in the dialogue and in the various movements of the picture shots (Nowell-Smith, 2000:13). This meant the language of TV/Film was not only about dialogue but about analysing the film itself, analysing how it was filmed and edited.

Today language of TV/film consists of:

•Lighting

•Music and sound

•Performance

•Direction

•Editing

•Special effects

•Camera angles

•Costume

From looking at the trailer, you can see the different elements of language throughout, for example:

•Different types of lighting have been used to create mood, suggest time of time and to set the scene, the clip begins with a scene in an old prison, candles have been used to create light and to suggest the location is dark, gloomy and is underground, there is no natural light

•Sound effects are used to create tension and mood and at times to make the film seem more naturalistic, the sound of thunder and lightening is used when Sherlock is stood on London bridge with the sky behind him, sound effects used in the trailer builds up tension and excitement putting audiences on the edge of their seats

•Special effects are used in fighting scenes, slow motion is used to capture the whole scene, this is affective for the audience because Sherlock gives a dialogue throughout the fight to tell audiences how he is injuring his victims, the camera zooms in on this, for example on the line “Cracked rips” the shot is a Close up of Sherlock punching someone in the ribs in slow motion therefore making the scene more effective.

•The camera shots of London show audiences the location of the film and famous sights E.G Big ben, London bridge, because they are iconic and the trailer is trying to showcase this through visuals instead of dialogue 

         
In conclusion, Film language can be understood in different forms of theory, whether it be  
through the narration or the connotation and detonation. No matter what the theory is, film 
theory as a whole is based around the relationship of portraying reality, society and culture. 
However, the description of the films image can substitute the films plot interlay and can 
create new meaning and understanding to each individual watching the film. I believe the 
language of film can be understood to fit a person particular view or point on culture,  
society etc. Which in effect, creates an even stronger relationship between film maker and 
audience. 



References: 

Ellis, John (1982) Visible Fictions: Cinema, Television, Video, Routledge: London - pp. 127-159

Nowell-Smith, Geoffrey (2000) ‘How films mean, or, from aesthetics to semiotics and half-way back again’ in Gledhill, C and Williams, L. (2000), Reinventing Film Studies. London: Bloomsbury Academic.