Semantic and Syntactic

Olivya Simone

Semantic and Syntactic

Semantic is concerned with what communicates the audience with what's on

screen such as location, costume, lighting, body

language, editing, transitions, speed/pace, actors, props and sounds.

Syntactic focuses on the relationship between these fundamentals and the

structure of the narrative – What we expect to happen.

Semantic

My chosen genre to analyse is Horror. For my genre research, I analysed Scream 4 and Grave

Encounters. The opening scene on both of these trailers introduce the characters, as a group

or singular. This is so the audience can witness the characters before something terrifying

occurs. The locations of Scream alternates from the homes of the victims to different isolated

areas, however, Grave Encounters is based in one isolated area. Different camera shots are

used and merged together making the scenes have a fast pace, creating suspense. During the

chase and murder scenes, dramatic, orchestral music used to create anticipation. The props

used in Scream are used throughout the whole movie and even in the sequels, which are a

large butchers knife, the ‘ghost face’ mask and a telephone.

Syntactic

The Syntactic approach in a genre shows several different generic events, taking

from all sectors of the film. This usually starts by introducing the characters to the

audience, in a group or singular. Once the characters have been witnessed, the

trailer shows a number of deaths, to create a intense atmosphere. These deaths can

occur forty, fifty minutes apart in the film itself, but take place at the same time in the

trailer, making it seem more interesting. Trailers also contain numerous shock

scenes, additional killings, false scares and suspicion. The death of antagonists is

never shown in the trailer, as it would give away the ending, therefore keeping the

curiosity from the viewers and making them want to see the film. Deaths to the

antagonists don’t always take place, leaving a cliff hanger and possibly a sequel.

Selected shots and sequences including in the trailer don’t necessarily occur in chronological order.