COMMUNICATIVE VALUE OF CINEMATOGRAPHIC ELEMENTS IN SUPER SEMA ANIMATED SERIES
Abstract
Background: The study explored the construction of cinematographic elements in Super Sema, a Kenyan animation film. The study intended to reconnoitre how cinematographic elements conveyed certain communicative values, which was done by investigating how the cinematographic elements were used to convey particular communicative values. Animation films use visual elements to convey various messages to the audience, and Cinematography is one of the most influential factors in communicating ideas to the audience visually. Cinematography is incredibly important in films, and a filmmaker has to understand different cinematographic methods and how to use them to tell a narrative effectively visually. This research aimed to determine whether Super Sema series animators employed cinematographic elements as visual metaphors with visual semantics to convey various communicative values.
Methodology: The study used Super Sema (2021) animated series as a case study. The following objective guided the study: To establish the communicative value of the cinematographic elements in Super Sema. This study was qualitative in nature. Random sampling was employed to select the sample of the eight (8) episodes of the Super Sema animated series. The study used Semiotic theory to explain the study's variables, relationships, and findings. The primary data was collected via observations-close reading, and secondary Super data was collected from the existing literary works. Content analysis was used to analyse the data collected.
Conclusion: After conducting a content analysis through a close reading of the selected episodes, the study found five communicative values associated with cinematographic elements to signify thematic aspects, emotions, power dynamics, guiding the viewer and revealing visual narrative information (VNI).
Key words: Cinematographic elements, Communicative value, Narrative
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