Textual Analysis

Decoding

Decoding is all about saying a lot about a little. It involves interpreting being able to analyse and interpret micro elements in order to see the macro element of the media. For example, when you see a game poster, the micro elements (such as camera angles, lighting, costume, visual elements) tell you and allow you to interpret them into a macro element (theme, characterisation, basic plot). I will give you a few examples of what I am saying by using film covers.

Example 1 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

• The vines encircling the old, Aztec style pillars, are an instant indication as to

the setting of this movie. This iconography hints at an ancient

civilisation.• The fire behind him is a clear sign for

danger and a lot of action. Telling whoever is looking at this poster that

this film is action-packed.• The heavy duty knife/sword he is

carrying suggests a rainforest setting possibly as it is the same kind of knife that would be used to cut down plants

as you walked through a rainforest.• The whip in his hand could symbolise

hard work or possibly doing something against the will as they were used to

control slaves. This could suggest that he is the leader as he is the one holding

the whip.

• His bare chest creates a sex appeal to some of the audience as he has a well toned body and the fact that he is showing it off (shirt is purposely undone) may attract some to watch it, wanting to see him in action.

• His hat is immediately a symbol of an adventurer who treks across long hot plains with only this hat as salvation.

• Overall, this film poster strongly shows a ‘hero-like’ person who adventures into long lost civilisations in the middle of rainforests, leading any who come with him and remaining the leader until the end potentially.

Example 2Superman Returns

• The red cape in the foreground suggests many things. The colour red

is a symbol (love, lust, desire war, rage, etc.) and as it is literally

cloaking/covering the girl, there is a strong indication that she is the one

who these feelings base around.• Her yearning look tells the audience

that she is most probably the victim and she is the one who will end up

falling in love with him. This is mainly a plot based suggestion.

• The way that he is looking down suggests a weakness perhaps or it

could portray an inner feeling that he is going to have to fight himself during

the film.

• The ‘space-like’ background provides an iconography that could possibly hint towards an ‘out of world’ experience. Whether it be in regards to his past or his present.

• The very dark colour scheme near the bottom could possibly mean that something very dark and gloomy will happen and as Superman is only looking at it, it could suggest that he sees it coming and he can’t stop it. Again, a plot indication.

• In conclusion, this film poster is showing the hero, Superman, holding his potential weakness who is a helpless victim herself. Very strong plot indications are shown which helps prepare the audience for what they are going to see.

Example 3The Dark Knight

• The flying rubble strongly suggests a fight of some sort with lots of chaos and explosions thrown in. So just a typical action-packed film.

• The tall buildings in the background tells the audience that the setting is a large city. As this is a Batman film, we know that this is Gotham City.

• The dark clouds could portray a coming storm in which the villain (shown) is right in the centre of it. This is a big plot indication that what is going to happen, is going to happen on a very large scale.

• The person shown right in the middle is the main focus on this film poster. He is the villain due to his manic look and ‘evil pose’. He is the main focus which could either familiarise the audience with the villain or give them a brief glance into the plot.

• To summarise, this film poster tells the audience that this film is an action film and that they should expect this main villain (the Joker) to want revenge on Batman on a large scale. Causing the destruction which you see around him.

Decoding as I said at the beginning, is all about saying a lot about a little. Any film posters that we see in everyday life may simply look like

simple advertising, which in essence they are, but they also give you (whether consciously or subconsciously) indications into the genre, the

characters, potential plots and the setting. This is the power that decoding and iconography has in our everyday lives and is a skill which can be applied to anything whether it be a film cover, a film poster, a book cover or music album art. These are all media of some sort so in

turn can be decoded.

FINAL THOUGHT…