The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches

This study provides a semiotic theorization of how emotion is represented in film to complement the cognitive approach, which focuses on how film elicits emotion from viewers. Drawing upon social semiotic theories and cognitive theories of emotion, we develop a multimodal framework in which filmic r...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Feng, D., O'Halloran, Kay
Format: Journal Article
Published: De Gruyter Mouton 2013
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49187
_version_ 1848758184263548928
author Feng, D.
O'Halloran, Kay
author_facet Feng, D.
O'Halloran, Kay
author_sort Feng, D.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This study provides a semiotic theorization of how emotion is represented in film to complement the cognitive approach, which focuses on how film elicits emotion from viewers. Drawing upon social semiotic theories and cognitive theories of emotion, we develop a multimodal framework in which filmic representation of emotion is seen as combinations of semiotic choices derived from cognitive components of emotion. The semiotic model is employed to investigate how emotive meaning is realised through verbal and nonverbal resources., At the discursive level of film, the choices available in the shot organisation of eliciting condition and expression are examined. The paper demonstrates how the social semiotic approach, combined with cognitive theory of emotion structure, is able to provide a comprehensive theoretical account of how various film techniques represent emotion. It is also significant for the study of viewer emotion, which to a large degree stems from character emotion.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T09:39:57Z
format Journal Article
id curtin-20.500.11937-49187
institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T09:39:57Z
publishDate 2013
publisher De Gruyter Mouton
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-491872017-09-13T21:25:24Z The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches Feng, D. O'Halloran, Kay This study provides a semiotic theorization of how emotion is represented in film to complement the cognitive approach, which focuses on how film elicits emotion from viewers. Drawing upon social semiotic theories and cognitive theories of emotion, we develop a multimodal framework in which filmic representation of emotion is seen as combinations of semiotic choices derived from cognitive components of emotion. The semiotic model is employed to investigate how emotive meaning is realised through verbal and nonverbal resources., At the discursive level of film, the choices available in the shot organisation of eliciting condition and expression are examined. The paper demonstrates how the social semiotic approach, combined with cognitive theory of emotion structure, is able to provide a comprehensive theoretical account of how various film techniques represent emotion. It is also significant for the study of viewer emotion, which to a large degree stems from character emotion. 2013 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49187 10.1515/sem-2013-0082 De Gruyter Mouton fulltext
spellingShingle Feng, D.
O'Halloran, Kay
The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches
title The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches
title_full The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches
title_fullStr The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches
title_full_unstemmed The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches
title_short The multimodal representation of emotion in film: Integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches
title_sort multimodal representation of emotion in film: integrating cognitive and semiotic approaches
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/49187