The topic of this week’s lectorial sounded interesting when it was mentioned last week, but to an extent. I mean for the past however many years, text has meant or been a part of two things…
1) Textbook- that dreaded pile of paper that has headaches hidden in the first page of every chapter
2) A text message- a little bit better than a textbook; especially if its from Grandma who signs hers off with a little frog emoji #bless
It wasn’t until I delved into the readings that I remembered the real meaning of the word text.. ‘Material traces that are left of the practice of sense-making – the only empirical evidence we have of how other people make sense of the world’– Alan McKee
I was reminded of the fact that the way we read, interpret and receive texts influences our understanding of their intentions and meanings. I am one of those people who is constantly looking for the deeper meaning in songs, movies, photographs, conversations… I love it and it was part of the reason I chose to enter the world that I now call home- the world of Media (beginning in VCE)
In G.Branston & R.Stafford’s ‘Approaching Media Texts’ (Ch.1) in The Media Student’s Book, I was reminded of Semiotics- a theory of signs that can be used to explain how texts work to produce meanings and how they come to have such significance. This reading also built on my knowledge of connotations and associations as elements of semiotics- Denotation is the literal or first order meaning, whilst connotation is the cultural or second order meaning.
For the word Text, the denotation of text could be something ‘written or printed’, most likely referring to words.
The connotation of text, the cultural meaning would be ‘SMS’… “I got a text from Annie today…”
Inception of ideas…
The second reading, Victor Burgin’s ‘Looking at Photographs’ (Ch.6) from Thinking Photography, was relevant to a task I had just finished for my Cinema Studies class- shot analysis. The ideas presented through this reading were the finishing touches to those already inside my head- his words were highlighted the fact that a photograph can tell 1000 words, just like a shot from a film; each pixel or second is filled with so much meaning.
I will conclude this blog with a quote from my legendary friend Emily Mitrevski…
Text is the tissue of today’s society and the fabric of our communication with others – seen through film, photographs, recordings. it’s what binds humanity together in an existential way.
-Emily Mitrevski
I am so glad that I met her- we have been such an awesome collaborative team- Annie, her and I- not only for uni projects, but just in general life.
I guess thats what friends are for… :’) <3
I LOVE THIS