Denotation and Connotation

Denotation and Connotation

 

Both used when analysing images, whether it’s still images or moving images. They’re used specifically by producers to target an audience.

 

Denotation is what you see in an image.

Connotation is what does that image mean, what is being represented.

 

Denote	What you see Denote, signified, denotation, shown, portrays, illustrates
Connote	The meaning behind what you see Represents, connotes, connotation, signifies, infers, suggests, implies, indicates

 

PDC:

 

Point – State what textual analysis section I am analysing (Sound, mise-en-scene,           cinematography, editing)

E.g.

• Within the mise-en-scene the women are represented to be inferior to men.

Denotation – A specific example from the extract that is being studied, must be describe as if the examiner has never seen the extract.

E.g.

• The cinematography denotes a close-up of a woman’s eye.
• Denoted in this extract is the use of red within the mise-en-scene.
• Illustrated in the next clip is…
• The juxtaposition of the man and woman is portrayed within the editing.

Connotation – what is the representation, what do you think the deeper meaning is/ what does the director want the audience to interpret.

E.g.

• The connotation of this close up is…
• The colour red within the mise-en-scene signifies…
• The cross-cutting represents…

 

The still image is of a male indie-pop artist. Denoted in the still image is a cartoon version of the artist, the artist is looking to the side with a blank expression on his face. The image is brightly coloured, the background contains images of guitars and bright paint splatters, in the foreground is text of his name. The connotation of this close-up is that it could be representing the artist’s lifestyle. The paint splatter in the background could represent the lively lifestyle that he is living. The guitars could also represent his profession and therefore how his career and fame has changed his life and made it more hectic.

 

Represent:

Representation is when you want to re-create an image, to re-create an event or image with meaning.