I would like to start with an except from the deeply beautiful, philosophical rotoscoped animation "Waking Life" this clip 'Because words are inert' describes a possible explanation for the development of language and a rationalisation for the human desire to communicate, to be understood and to understand.
Of course spoken language is by no means the only way media can communicate with its audience, but it seems to me that the development of the communication techniques used in media might stem from a point made in the above clip, the human desire to be understood to transcend this boundary that exists between each individual and the species as a whole, it is a braking down of barriers of language, visual media has been trying for as long as it has existed to find new ways of passing information without the use of language. Charlie Chaplin is an excellent example of the level of communication and indeed depth of communication that can be achieved only through body language.
Of course there are other means of communication which do not require text, artists throughout history have been communicating through symbols and visual metaphors some times with remarkable clarity, communicating hugely complex ideas through time, such as these possible messages from Michelangelo left on the Sistine Chapel. I assume he had hoped that one day the rest of mankind would catch up with him and interpret his message.
I think that strong symbolism is important not only for hiding meanings but strengthening them a scene being shot in a dark forest will seem far more menacing with pointed tree's resembling daggers than a scene with soft fluffy tree tops inspiring thoughts of green clouds.
now some puppets
The puppets in the excellent film "Being John Malkovich" are a clear metaphor for the concept of embodying another being and a great symbolic tool for the reversed roles of the characters.
Communicating successfully with the audience is paramount to the success of any film, animation or image and the variety of language tools at our disposal is vast and stretches from the literal to the implied. It is however at the root of it the art of unlocking and inspiring shared memories of experience and feeling within the collective psyche of the audience.
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