Preliminary Exercise 4 - Film Codes and Genre Conventions

Symbolic Codes Closed Reading of VALERIAN Official Trailer # 1 (2017) 

     Symbolic codes are used by media producers to add depth and additional meaning to media products. These codes can be interpreted differently by audiences based on their social and cultural influences. A symbolic code is the elements in a *narrative generating* meaning through the use of symbols and *oppositions (Barthes). Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text. Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see.  

     In the 28th century, special operatives Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline work together to maintain order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the minister of defense, the duo embarks on a mission to Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis where diverse species gather to share knowledge and culture. When a dark force threatens the peaceful city, Valerian and Laureline must race against time to identify the menace that also jeopardizes the future of the universe. The genre that I identified for this film is SCI-FI/ACTION.