By studying this scene from Mission Impossible, we can recognise various narrative codes which are used for effect and aid the audience's understanding and enjoyment of the film.
Narrative Flow:
Action code: Some elements in this scene lead the audience to imagine a series of events which might follow in the film. An example of this would be the choice of holding a gun to the female character's head while her mouth is covered. The audience would grasp the idea that she is being used as a bribe by the antagonist-and therefore an interrogation/negotiation of some sort may follow-further implying how the relationship between the protagonist and female character may develop later on in the film.
Enigma code: The scene poses many possible questions for the audience: Who is the female character and why do the villains use her for? Which character will win the negotiation? What will happen to the protagonists? These all create suspense and tension for the audience.
Narrative Detail:
Semic code: The elements of this scene, such as the woman's mouth being covered, wounded stage make-up, and the use of weapons, heavily suggest that the film is of an action genre and the scene is taking place in the disruption of equilibrium due to the portrayal of danger. The dark coloured clothing, low key lighting, and tension building non diegetic music all contribute towards the portrayal of genre conventions.
Symbolic code: The dangerous narrative is expressed through the use of binary oppositions of characters. For example: male/female, composed/explosive behaviour from characters, free/trapped, controlling/controlled. These all emphasise the dramatic effect due to the juxtaposing it creates between characters.
Cultural Code: There are noticeable stereotypes and common genre conventions within this scene, such as the capturing of a female character (reflects Vladamir Propp's theory of characters: princess character used as a target and reward) This is understood by the audience as a common theme in action films because it allows the protagonist to act heroic by saving the 'damsil in distress', often leading to a romance between the two.
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ReplyDeletePerhaps now try and bring them all together with a key focus on what these codes do for the audience? i.e. what they allow us to feel, how we 'buy into' the narrative and so on