Applying Barthes to the opening sequence of Take the Lead (Friedlander, 2006)

Roland Barthes' theory suggests that a narrative can be broken down into the following five codes:

Enigma Code

• This code refers to any element in a story that is not explained/revealed therefore it acts as an enigma for the audience. However these questions must be answered at some point in the film otherwise you risk your audience not being satisfied.

Action Code

• This code is applied where an action implies any further narrative, e.g. he pulls out a gun - this implies that he is going to use it to harm someone

Semiotic Code

• This is when only a part of something will be shown but it stands/represents the whole. This code also allows the narrative to show a story rather than tell it.

Cultural Code

• This code is simply where the narrative refers to common bodies of knowledge.

Symbolic Code

• This code is there to explain the complexities of a narrative, but it is one that can be interpreted in many different ways therefore provides no fixed definition/meaning.

To demonstrate these codes in action I have chosen to apply them to the opening sequence of Take the Lead.



Enigma Codes

The questions raised in the opening sequence are: What are they getting ready for? Who are these people and why are they important? Why is the young guy so angry? Why does the smartly dressed man care so much? Why is the man going into the school?

In this clip only the first question gets answered because we see their 'getting ready' routines and then it reveals that the smartly dressed characters are going to a ballroom dance/event and the teenagers are getting ready for a school dance.

We also know from these questions that the smartly dressed man must be a key figure for the rest of the narrative but we do not know exactly what it is going to be just yet.

Action Codes

One example of an action code in this sequence is when the girl in the pink ball gown sighs and looks at unease, as this suggests that she herself is not confident in her dancing skills. This is different from the other female who sits up straight and 'holds her head high', which suggests that something will go wrong in the unconfident girl's routine.

When the young male tries to give in his wet ticket and the teacher stops him with his hand, the audience know that he is not going to be getting to the party that he had aimed to be at. When he walks outside and freezes when he sees the two other males laughing, we know that he is expecting a confrontation, but due to the sigh he lets out we know it is an unwanted one. When they show the golf club we instantly know that it is going to be used to either harm a person or an object.


Semiotic Codes

At the start of the sequence the character's are all getting dressed and putting on make up, etc. this demonstrates to the audience that they are going somewhere out of the ordinary, such as a party.

The apartment size also represents the wealth status of the individuals because the teenagers that are going to the school dance live in very small places that house more than 2 people. We can see this when the girl puts her little brother down and we see more children on the couch and the living room is really messy. Whereas, the man who is getting ready in his suit, has enough space to dance properly and there is hardly any clutter visible.

The MS of the trainers tied on the cable wire and the grimy walls represent that this movie is set somewhere in America that is not wealthy, such as the Bronx, New York.

Cultural Codes

The audience know that the film is set in America because of the character's accents and the yellow taxis.

We also know that the man and girl getting ready for the ballroom event are quite wealthy due to their large apartments and expensive clothing. Whereas the teenagers are not because they live in cramped apartments with their families.

The music that changes at the cuts acts as both a cultural code and semiotic code because we understand the first piece to be classified as classy and quite upper class. Whereas the hip hop music playing at the school dance is very modern and it builds up the atmosphere that the audience percieves through their own knowledge of society.

Symbolic Codes

The constant cuts between the teenagers and the male and female getting ready demonstrate that even though they are worlds apart in terms of wealth, they both share something in common. We are not sure of what exactly they share yet, but we know that their lives will intertwine at some point. It could also represent that the teenagers may seem to be stuck in their lives at the moment but there is still a slight chance that they escape their lifestyles and achieve their dreams like the well dressed man (Antonio Banderas).

It could also be suggested that when the headteacher opens the doors and we see the ballroom event occurring that it represents there is currently a barrier (the door) restricting her students from making it out of poverty. But it could also hint at the glimmer of hope that if the right person comes along to help them, they may gain the ability to open more doors for themselves.