LANGUAGE

Denotation
Connotation
Mise-en-scene
Lighting and Colour
black and red 'rays'
warm colours
rich colours
use of shadows
Costume and Makeup
specific martial arts style of clothes
Chinese ancient clothes
Setting and Props
temple, monastery
old Chinese place
dummy punch bag (looks like Panda)
set on mountain
spiky obstacle course
cookie jar
Expression and Movement
shocked expression on Master's face
when P. eats cookies
Slow motion P. spins through air
P's reluctant expression about Kung Fu

Title card
Denotation

Connotation

Red

bright, warm, happy

Background red - deeper, darker

san serif
display font
central position
stretched at edges
dramatic, takes up space
curved
bold
kids
yellow
contrasting colours
read - appeal to kids
primary colours
big laughs
blocked
3D letters
capitals
manipulate the shape, logo
drop shadow
'Kung Fu'
art, action-packed, highly
skilled
'Panda'
assumption unexpected combination of words
'Rising sun' striped background
rise
Sound
'Kung Fu Fighting' tune
'whoosh'
voiceover
Camera Movement
title 'flies' in
then zooms towards us
background slowly rotates

warmth - helps title stand out more

modern style, cartoon style
individual style - big budget
focal point
dynamic style, exciting,
dynamic
grabs attention - appeal to
cheerful
bold, stands out, easy to
strong contrast - strong emotions,
stands out
stands out, modern
adds importance, easier to
3D effect, stands out
martial arts expert, ancient
fat, fluffy, cuddly, lazy - cultural
cultural connotations - Japanese flag
symbolic code - panda will

What have we learned?

how to join the Key Aspects together
what the Key Aspects are
why institutions put things into films
how certain KAs affect other KAs
that particular words have to be used when
talking about KAs
Red: Categories, Narrative
Amber: Language
Green:
What makes a successful film trailer?
bright colours
upbeat music
interesting characters
humour
clips from the film
film title
release date
catchy tagline
enigma
age certificate
clear genre
introduce the characters
appropriate voiceover

NARRATIVE
Key Terms
narrative structure - how the story is told; the way it is constructed, put
together, built up - in other words: the plot
narrative codes - Barthes's codes including enigmatic, action,
semic/symbolic, cultural codes - codes that indicate particular meanings
about the text
narrative conventions - codes used to indicate a particular genre or role e.g.
action hero
When you study a media text, you learn that its narrative has been very
carefully constructed.
Explain how the narrative structure and/or narrative codes in a media text
you have studied have been shaped to engage audiences, or develop
representations or meet institutional demands.
gong symbolises the start - setting the scene (music and establishing shot)
Classic Hollywood Narrative - normality
Kung Fu experts
skilled moves
voiceover
drums and music
slow motion
names on intertitle/caption cards
builds up to an expected climax (Audience)
instead, they get an anti-climax - creating humorous tone (Audience)
Classic Hollywood Narrative - disruption in the form of a problem
Panda no good at Kung Fu
eating cookies - hungry
nervous - 'Don't tell . . .'
no support - music cuts out
Classic Hollywood Narrative - conflict/ confrontation
with Shifu - 'Show us what you can do.'
with the other animals
Classic Hollywood Narrative - return to normality
However, this one does not because it is a film trailer.
enigmatic code to encourage the audience to go and see the film questions
How is the problem resolved?
action code to tell the audience there is going to be a happy ending answers
use of comedy and humour
bright colours

Text-based Key Aspects are ones relating to codes used in the

text.
Categories (tone, genre, form etc.)
Language (cultural and technical codes, anchorage)
Narrative (codes, conventions and structure)
Representation (of people, places, events and issues)
Context-based Key Aspects refer to external forces (things
surrounding the text).
Audience (cultural assumptions - race, gender, age, social
class, lifestyle etc.)
Institution (who produces the text, who funds the text, who
constrains the text)
Complete two analysis NABs. They each need to cover two textbased KA and one context-based KA. Across, the two NABs you
need to cover all the KA.
Analysis non-fiction: 'Kung Fu Panda' film trailer
Categories or Language
Narrative or Representation
Audience or Institution