The Linguistic Message
There are many facets to creating video, painting, photography, and even music. While these all tell different stories or perhaps can convey similar meanings, there is a core to all of these communication mediums. The Linguistic Message is what videographers and directors of photography deal with on a daily basis, even if they don’t know it.
The word, image, is linked to its Latin origin, ‘Imitari’. This leaves us caught in between the image we see and what it embodies symbolically. Linguists aren’t the only ones suspicious of the meaning of symbols and words and their inherent relationship. In modern video, whether you are producing say, the latest inspirational video, or music video from a prized local band, the challenge is essentially the same.
Let’s the say that a local chef wants to begin a cooking show for distribution on Youtube, and they want to make some revenue on the side. Advertisements and sponsors may be the end goal, but getting the linguistic message across is foremost, just so the rest can follow.
The entire production of the video must be geared around the central message, which in some way, is theorized to be a message of a certain mythical idea of life. For instance, the appeal is in the basic parts of life that most people hope to improve:
Better skill, in this case cooking
Nicer kitchen and utensils
Knowledge
Confidence
Control over detail
Freedom of work and time
We want to viewer to understand the quality of the work that goes into each dish and we want them to feel satisfied with the aesthetic quality of the production. You want to create an appeal that feeds into deeper needs. If either of these aspects are done incorrectly, then it limits the ability to lend itself to the linguistic image.
In all advertising the signification of the image is undoubtedly intentional; the representation of people and objects are formed in priori by various attributes of the production. Remember the linguistic message and perhaps you’ll see your splash in the media world turn into a tidal wave.
