I have been reading a
relatively small section of this paper in order to understand it. The overall
theme of the text is about how people create meanings from images such as
paintings and film that are sometimes completely different from what the
creator or producer of the image originally intended.
In the text the
author suggests that images are not just placed waiting for the viewer to find
them, that there is in fact other factors to bring into account. The author
describes ‘complex negotiations’ and describes the codes and conventions that
structure the image, how viewers understand it and the context in which the
image is shown. Therefore the producer has to understand political, social,
cultural and economic influences of the viewer. Also understand how the viewers
will react to the image and in what context they receive the image. The author
refers to the viewer as an individual rather than as part of an audience. He
aims to engage and cause a reaction from the viewers’, rather than mould a
collective audience.
The author introduces
the concept of interpellation, I understand this to mean, engaging the viewer
and allowing them to respond and question. In order for the viewers to
understand the meaning of an image the producer has to understand the codes and
conventions of the social group he is addressing. In advertising producers seek
to interpellate viewers/consumers by implying they are within the advert,
allowing viewers to associate with the message portrayed by the image. Some
viewers may not relate to the advert directly, but may associate with it in an
indirect manner, for example I may not wish to buy the perfume, however, my
sister would really like it.
Producers can evoke
feelings within their audience, to engage or interpellate, this can be achieved
in the style of the photograph or image. An image may have close-ups, blurred
perspective or use of warm colours to portray a nostalgic, traditional view of
childhood, as seen in Wethers Originals. Alternatively, emotions of disgust or
sorrow can create a personal response to charitable advertising for donations.
Therefore by knowing the codes and conventions the producer can reach targeted
individuals within their intended audience.
Producers Intended Meanings
A
producer can be an individual, organisation or a collective of artists. The
theorist Roland Barthes in ‘the death of an Author’ (1967) suggests that when a
piece of art is published it no longer belongs to the original creator, but to
the public domain. Barthes suggests that the producer does not have authority,
it is the critical, analytical reader who interprets the work from a
perspective relevant to time and situation in which it was read. An example of
this would be Tolkein’s ‘Lord of the rings’ which originally was not received
well by critics, later, after the cultural changes of the sixties, the book
became more relevant. Barthes’ idea that the viewer observed art and produced
the meanings, caused the death of the author, is less relevant today thanks to
photoshop and other editing software.
Michel
Foucault in 1979 raised the question who is the author, when organisations
produce an advert the author is sometimes not even recognised but the brand is.
Organisations may intend to give a direct message, however, it all depends on
the context that the viewer perceives the image and this cannot be predicted by
the producer/organisation. Sometimes the meaning is received in a way that the
original creators never intended. In the case of the movie, Titanic, viewers enjoyed
the film for diverse reasons; the history, social history or its romantic
themes, this was the intended message. However, for middle aged Chinese viewers
the subtext was that of regret in regards to the loss of socialism and their
youthful dreams.
