28390 - Media Semiotics (1) (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the module, students will have the expertise and will have learned the semiotic tools to analyze the mass media products.

Course contents

The module introduces the semiotic study of an area, such as media contents, which in recent decades has undergone a radical transformation: from a traditional system consisting of separate elements (radio, television, cinema, press), to a digitization process that it has led to forms of convergence between media, and to the breaking down of the division between production and audience.

Traditional models of text analysis developed by semiotic disciplines must therefore face a change, where media have a hybrid nature that includes old formats and new platforms, at the same time incorporating cinema and post-broadcast TV. Audiovisual textuality must therefore currently be framed in a sociosemiotic dimension, and in a complex and interconnected process.

The module will provide a critical introduction to the characteristics and components of audiovisual media texts: fiction (cinema, TV series), non-fiction (documentaries, news, entertainment) and short forms (trailers, commercials, music videos), identifying methods of analysis, genres, narrative procedures, forms of identity, enunciative dynamics. In particular, the syncretic peculiarities of the audiovisual text (sound / image relationship) will be explored.

Readings/Bibliography

COMPULSORY READINGS

Bertetti, P. (2012). Il racconto audiovisivo. Teorie e strumenti semiotici. Cartman.

Dusi, N. e Grignaffini G. (2020). Capire le serie Tv. Generi, stili, pratiche. Carocci.

Malavasi, L. (2019). Il linguaggio del cinema. Pearson.

Spaziante, L. (2020). "Tv playlist: serie tv, musica e supervisione musicale". Mediascapes Journal, 16.

Spaziante, L. (2023). "Testo mediale e linguaggio audiovisivo" (handouts).

Spaziante L. (2022), “La relazione tra suono e immagine nel videoclip” in estetica. studi e ricerche, 2/2022, pp. 313-330 (via remote Unibo access service).

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL TEXTS

Andò, R. e Marinelli, A. (2018). Television(s). Come cambia l'esperienza televisiva tra tecnologie convergenti e pratiche social. Guerini.

Bertetto, P. (a cura di). (2006). Metodologie di analisi del film. Laterza.

Bertetti, P. (2020). Che cos'è la transmedialità. Carocci.

Brembilla, P. (2018). It's all connected: l'evoluzione delle serie TV statunitensi. Franco Angeli.

Eco, U. (2018). Sulla televisione: Scritti 1956–2015. La Nave di Teseo Editore.

Eugeni, R. (2015). La condizione postmediale. Media, linguaggi e narrazioni. La Scuola.

Dusi, N. (a cura di). (2019) Confini di genere. Sociosemiotica delle serie tv. Morlacchi editore.

Dusi, N. (2014). Dal cinema ai media digitali. Logiche del sensibile tra corpi, oggetti, passioni. Mimesis edizioni.

Federico, M. (2020). “La teoria della narrazione tra trailer e film”, in Pubblicità e Cinema, a cura di M. Federico e R. Ragonese, Carocci, pp. 59-89.

Giannitrapani, A. (2019). "Don’t Skip Intro. Sigle da non perdere".
estetica. studi e ricerche, IX – 2, pp. 539-564.

Grignaffini, G. (2021). I generi televisivi, Carocci (nuova edizione).

Grignaffini, G., & Bernardelli, A. (2017). Che cos' è una serie televisiva. Carocci editore.

Hill, A. (2019) Esperienze mediali: dalle serie tv al reality. Minimum Fax edizioni.

Innocenti, V., & Perrotta, M. (Eds.). (2013). Factual, reality, makeover: lo spettacolo della trasformazione nella televisione contemporanea. Bulzoni editore.

Lotz, A.D. (2017). Post Network: La rivoluzione della tv. Minimum Fax edizioni.

Marrone, G. (1998). Estetica del telegiornale: identità di testata e stili comunicativi. Meltemi Editore.

Migliore, T. (2016). Rimediazioni: immagini interattive. Aracne editrice.

Montani, P. (2010). L'immaginazione intermediale: perlustrare, rifigurare, testimoniare il mondo visibile. GLF editori Laterza.

Montani, P. (2014). Tecnologie della sensibilità: estetica e immaginazione interattiva. R. Cortina editore.

Odin, R. (2004). Della finzione. Edizioni Vita e Pensiero.

Pezzini, I. & Spaziante, L. (a cura di) (2014). Corpi mediali: semiotica e contemporaneità. ETS edizioni.

Serra, M., & Miconi, A. (2018). "Di che cosa parliamo quando parliamo di medium? Una via empirica alla definizione operativa del concetto". Studi culturali, 15(1), 3-20.

Stam R., Burgoyne R., Flitterman-Lewis S. (1999). Semiologia del cinema e dell'audiovisivo: parole chiave nell'analisi del film. Bompiani.

Tirino, M., & Tramontana, A. (a cura di). (2018). I riflessi di Black Mirror: glossario su immaginari, culture e media della società distopica. Rogas edizioni.

Teaching methods

Lectures will introduce themes and problems, suggesting pathways for analysis. They will therefore be enriched by collective and individual works with semiotic analysis practices carried out together with the students.

Presence or in any case participation of students is encouraged, as audiovisuals will be shown during the lessons, and collective or group analyzes will be carried out.

 

 

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

 

Assessment methods

 

This course does not distinguish between attending and non-attending students.

 

The exam can be carried out in different ways, alternatively between them:

• a written test with open questions
  
• an essay, individually or in small groups (from 2 to 4 people), on specific topics or case-studies. The work should take advantage of the ideas provided in class, applying the categories and perspectives of analysis discussed throughout the course. The length of the final paper must be around 20,000 characters, and must be delivered in advance (maximum 7 days before the appeal) to be then discussed during the oral interview.
• an oral interview

 

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EVALUATION CRITERIA

The ability to argue in a critical, in-depth and original way - reporting citations of names and definitions - together with the possession of an expressive mastery, which also demonstrates the learning of a specific language, will be evaluated with votes of excellence (28 / 30L).
The mechanical and / or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, combined with poorly developed synthesis and analysis skills, and / or an incorrect use of the specific language, will lead to discrete evaluations (24/27).
Obvious training gaps and / or inappropriate language - while showing a minimal set of knowledge of the exam material - will lead to grades that, depending on the case, will exceed the sufficiency, or slightly more (18/24).
Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic materials offered during the course, inability to argue, will be evaluated below the sufficiency.

 

Teaching tools

During the course, the IT supports and multimedia tools (pc and audiovisuals) will be used.

Office hours

See the website of Lucio Spaziante