The Cultural Semiotics of Animation

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the relationship between cultural semiotics and animation within the context of anthropology. It specifically looks at the use of animation in pop-culture devices such as advertising and marketing material. The paper also discusses the complexity of animation, as a system of communication and the use of semiology in artistic endeavors, such as communication.

From the Paper:

"The level of communication taking place within contemporary animation is often equated to the subtext within semiotic constructs. Beasley and Danesi describe this sub-textual transfer of meaning as being connotative in nature and often relying on associative chains where meaning or signifier is established through storylines (104). Barthes clearly provides the theoretical foundation upon which animators, as indicated by Beasley, Danesi, and Ohmann, develop their unique language constructs that both rely on cultural associations with meaning as well as develop new cultural queues that became part of the popular folklore such as Red Bull's business man and pigeon animation. Yet, other researchers argue that contemporary animation is nothing but a retelling of existing myth that resonates culturally with the societies."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Barthes, Roland. Elements of Semiology. Hill and Wang, New York; 1964.
• Beasley, Ron, and Marcel Danesi. Persuasive Signs: The Semiotics of Advertising. Berlin, Mouton de Gruyter; 2002.
• Miyazaki, Hayao. Spirited Away. "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi." Japan; 2001.
• Ohmann, Richard. Selling Culture: Magazines, Markets, and Class at the Turn of the Century. London: Verso, 1996.
• "Red Bull Advertisements." YouTube (online). Apr.4, 2007< http://www.youtube.com/results?search_ query=red+bull+ energy&search=Search>.

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