Publications in Film: A Study of the Ritualized Symbolic Meanings of Publications in Dramatic works

Abstract

Newspapers, books, paintings, audio-visual products and other publications frequently appear in films. It forms part of the ideographic elements of the film. We have observed that the publications that appear in the film are often not unintentional in front of the camera but play an extremely important role. It is not only to render the atmosphere, but also to shape the character symbol, and even promote the development of the plot, becoming the clue of the film’s narrative. To this end, this paper attempts to sort out the functional significance of publications as film symbols in the rendering of film atmosphere, character building, and film narrative.