Assessing DVD covers

Class Analysis: Connotation and Denotation

·            All Media texts are a source of mediatation.

·         Connotation means the preferred reading.

·           Denotation is what you visually see.

·         Negotiated means that you agree and understand the producer.

·          Stewart Hall wrote about decoding, relationships between the producer and text and connotation and denotation. He wrote about preferred, oppositional and a negotiated reading.

·         The producer has an intended reading/preferred reading.

·         Producers encode text.

·         Audiences decode texts.

·         Mise-en-scene- setting, costume, lighting, props and body language.

·         Call the Midwife DVD Cover~

·         Faded background- an old generation lost in time/looking at an old memory.

·         Poverty suggested by clothes hanging up across the streets.

·         Midwives are riding old-fashioned bikes and their costume is set in the 1950s, shows what ere this is.

·         There are three women in a triangle shape. The one in the front suggests that she is the main character.

·         The other two midwives behind her show that they work together in a team.

·         The midwives are smiling, even though they live in a rough area of Britain and have to do an un-glamorous job- they still love their job. The rest of the DVD cover is serious too- the title, colours and fonts.

·         BBC logo- shows heritage drama and good quality.

·         If you like an actress and it’s written on the front cover of a DVD, it will attract you to watch the film if you like a certain actress. The main actresses’ names are displayed at the top of the cover.

·         This story is appealing to females and especially ones who are teenagers and women of all ages.

·         Title is written all in capitals- shows a feeling of urgency, rush but excitement.

·         The colour font is red which suggests blood. Also it shows that this is a medical drama, as it reminds us of the red and white medical cross.

·         Sunday Times and Daily Telegraph are traditional educated newspapers that have their reviews displayed on the front which shows what sort of show this is, and also what sort of actors play and who this story would appeal to.

Ripper Street Cover

·         BBC logo- shows tradition, quality, professionalism and good actors.

·         The background is a map, which is covered with blood. This suggests that this programme is about looking for clues or for cases, and the blood gives the impression that this show has some violent scenes which may not be suitable for children,

·         The font looks like old-fashioned stamps that you would press into ink and put on paper. The font is very wide, white clear colour but has a faded effect with black scratches and rough edges, giving an edgy and horror feel to the cover.

·         There are three men in the centre, which shows they work together in a team. Also, the man in the centre is larger than the other two, so he looks like the main character.

·         The men have serious expressions and their arms are crossed, so it shows that they’re investigating or curious about a case or an incident.

·         Two men are wearing suits which give a professional assumption- wearing 1890’s costume.

·         The words “series 1&2” are written in Roman Numerals which is out of date- shows it’s not set in modern day.

The Goodwife

·         Lots of skin is revealed by the woman in the centre- lots of leg, chest and arm exposure with shiny legs.

·         One of her shoulder straps of her dress has slipped down- edgy look.

·         She has taken her shoes off which is unusual as she is sitting in an office. She looks wild and adventurous.

·         She is made up with her hair done sleek and her basic makeup- looks very lady-like compared to the rest of her.

·          She’s sitting in an office, as she’s high up in a building with a great view of a city behind her. She has a box next to her with her surname on it filled with files- shows it’s her work.

·         Hints that she’s the main character as she’s the centre of attention.

·         The font has no capitals- showing a relaxed and “messing with the rules” feel.

·         The word “the” is in a fun edgy red colour, whereas the word “goodwife” is written in white which is a classic graceful colour. The font is also very traditional and neat.

Broadchurch

·         Contrast between man looking messy with a beard, non-fitted suit and messy hair compared to the woman standing next to him who looks much smarter.

·         They work as a team together by the way they are standing back to back. We as the audience get the impression that they work in the police, as they are holding onto police tape.

·         They’re standing on a beach which shows that they’re not in their usual work environment. There is a cliff behind them with a church and a village- perhaps they live and work on that hill and the church is spoken about throughout the series, suggested by the name “Broadchurch”.

·         There is a lot of light from the sun coming through the background. We can’t see all of the sun as they block the majority of it out. Perhaps they’re blocking out the truth.

·         They are holding onto police tape which is held up across the screen, almost stopping the audience to see what’s behind the tape?

·         The font is in large wide letters, suggested by the name “Broadchurch”.