Research - Barthes' Codes

CODES & CONVENTIONS:

Music videos also follow codes and conventions. In class we have looked at Barthes' five codes: Enigma, Action, Semic, Symbolic and Cultural. The majority of music videos will follow at least one of these codes.

Enigma:

The enigma code is used to keep the audience guessing by holding back information. It makes the audience question what is going on, adding a sense of mystery. The enigma code can be presented in 5 different ways: a 'snare' is when information misleads the audience; 'equivocation' is a snare followed by the truth; 'partial answer' makes the audience want to know the whole truth; 'suspended answer' almost gives the truth (like a cliffhanger) and 'jamming' doesn't explain what has happened in a text at all.

An example of enigma in a music video would be: Tyler The Creator - 'Yonkers' giving a jamming enigma as the video does not tells us why he kills himself at the end or eats the cockroach.

Action:

The action code consists of a series of events that lead into one another with logical consequences. It allows the audiences to follow the narrative and sometimes be able to predict what may happen next. This makes the audience want to watch on and find out what happens next. 

An example of action code in a music video would be: Katy Perry - 'Hot N Cold' with the wedding and chasing the groom through the streets as a result of his response suggesting he doesn't want to marry her.

Semic: 

The semic code is where the text connotes something. Whether is be a prop or setting it allows the audience to make assumptions about the narrative such as where it is set or what will happen between two characters. It can also give the audience hints as to what type of genre or narrative structure will be. 

An example of semic code in a music video is Kanye West - 'Power'. This video put him in the center, surrounded by angles and women. There is a halo above him and he appears to be in the clouds. This video is representing him as a God like figure and connotes he is all powerful.

Symbolic:

Symbolic code is a bit like binary opposition. A narrative may use a character or object that may not be the expected or typical first thought. It allows the audience to question why it has been used instead of something else. It breaks the expectations and gets the audience interested and actively thinking throughout the text. 

An example of symbolic code in a music video can be seen in Kanye West - 'Monster' as women are shown to be the 'monsters' or evil whereas usually we associate bad, evil characters to be primarily male. 

Cultural:

The cultural code is where the audience viewing the text must know of a previous event/person/text in order to understand the new text they are viewing. An example of this would be having seen a film the watching a spoof film of that film. It can also refer to specific people or eras in time and even events in the real world. It requires background knowledge from the audience in order to fully understand the text.

And example of cultural code in music video would be: All Time Low - 'I Feel Like Dancing' as it refers back to famous music videos already made at the end (Katy Perry, Lady Gaga etc). It also refers to the music video for Cobra Starship's 'Guilty Pleasure' by having the desk and board coming up with music video ideas however this video is lesser known.