Applying Barthes Theory

Roland Barthes was initially a structurlist thinker,as times changed and thought and philosophy about language, culture and exsistence progressed, Barthes changed his ideas and in relation to narrative theory. He said that stories had 5 same codes and that all genre signifiers can be grouped under them to create narratives
FIVE CODES:

Action Code-depicts the events which take place in the narrative-the who,where,when of the story. Action codes are sequential

Semantic Code- refers to character and characterisation. The actions in the story are explained by the characters viewpoint on events

Enigma Code- Involves the setting up of a mystery, it's development and it's resoulution

Referential Code-Involoves explaning or informing. Mise-en-scene is a referential code

Symbolic Code-Involoves the reading of the connotations of signs which transforms them into symbolic representations
5 Codes in 'The Blair Witch Project':

Action Code

• the car journey of them reaching the forest them setting up and filming eachother before the adventure
• Interviewing people before which gave the audience a sense of what they were about to do
• Know who the main characters are and they are introduced at the beginning
• We see there emotions and how they feeling-excited
• We know when it was set so we get a feeling of time and place-1999

Enigma Code

• The title 'Blair Witch Project'- is the witch real/ do we get to see her? It makes us want to see what happens. Who she is why they are looking for her?
• Books about this ledgend- Will it turn out to be true?
• We get the journey there which creates suspense for the viewer

Referential Code

• Lightness at the start of the film is reflecting the innocence of the characters and not knowing what they are about to get themselves into.
• The darkness of the forest-this connotates the danger that they are perhaps entering.It also relates to the horror genre
• Light vs dark
• The handheld shots of their experiences makes it much more relistic as this film was based on a true event

Semantic Code

• Young innoncence of the teenagers
• Use average normal people
• Actions all happen around the main characters and they explain what is happening and what they are going to do and then film follows their findings in the forest

Symbolic Code

• All the books and information on the blair witch symbolises what they are about to do
• Characters are not worried at all at the start they jus want to film a documentary however as we find out they do not know what really is in the forest this symbolises their bravery and commitment
• It’s symbolic that they use young characters to identify and understand an old myth