Vol.13/No.2 /OCTOBER 2020 - Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 CULTURAL COMMUNICATION THROUGH AUDIO-VISUAL MEDIA (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) A. Rani Usman, Ahmad Fauzan, Azman Sulaiman 1,2,3Postgraduate Islamic Communication and Broadcasting Study Program of UIN Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Abstract. Audio-visual or film is one of the strategic means of intercultural communication. Films are often used as a medium of propaganda for partisan and partial political interests, leading to misunderstandings of a culture. The destruction of a nation's cultural meanings and values always involves audio-visual media to create psychological effects in building opinion and mobilizing the masses. Iran and its culture are the victims of world misunderstanding. However, the films directed by Iranian filmmakers have opened a „cultural dialogue‟ with dignity and in an artistic manner. This study aimed to examine Iranian cultural communication patterns through cinema and identify Iranian cultural symbols that influence cultural communication. This research used Symbol and Value Theory. Symbols and values influence political and cultural campaigns. This research employed the Gestalt method that involved descriptive coding of sentences and images and recording of contents. Through Gestalt, we can interpret the meaning and behavior displayed by humans in certain situations. The films „Children of Heaven‟, „Color of Paradise,‟ and „Baran' directed by Majid Majidi, communicate essential aspects of Iranian culture, showing the spirit of resilience of Iranian society today, which is rarely included in the news due to global politics. The representation of Iranian culture is presented in very natural and simple ways without using visual effects. The reproduction of Iranian culture in the three films above uses a measured, intense, and substantive approach and shooting angle. The spirit of Sufism was reflected in the production process and the Iranian cinematic contents. Keywords : Cultural Communication, Audio-visual Media, Iranian Films INTRODUCTION bridge to narrow the ambiguity by describing, interpreting, and The film is a medium for predicting actors' behavior in other creating social and cultural changes cultures to create meaningful in society. This audio-visual media interactions. In intercultural provides a clear and broad picture of communication, we try to maximize many aspects of culture from interaction results. The consequences anywhere in the world. Films can discussed by Sunnafrank (1989) hint also present the reality, ideas, at important implications for thoughts of the characters, and intercultural communication. For cultural signs in stories compressed example, people will interact with into various durations and screens. other people whom they think will The principle of cultural give positive results. Because communication, one of which is to intercultural communication is reduce uncertainty from cultural difficult, we may avoid it. Moreover, differences. Verbal and non-verbal when we get positive results, we communication then becomes a Vol.13/No.2 /OCTOBER 2020 - Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi 368 Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 continue to engage and improve films. Iran itself has produced films communication quality, whereas if that are worldwide but has its we get negative results, we start to paradigm in the development of the withdraw and reduce film. communication. Previous studies of Iranian As the heir to the old Persian films have not been done much. One civilization, Iran has been considered of the few was done by Wildan Hanif a closed country due to the (2017) in his journal article entitled "Western" world's mass media Semiotic Analysis of Iranian Films representation. Films and by Majid Majidi; Children of mainstream media productions Heaven, Color of Paradise, and distributed throughout the world Baran. The article's explanation always shut down any information discusses the meaning of images on Iran's cultural communication. from a semiotic perspective only and After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, finds many visual language Iran was more symbolized as an meanings in several sequences taken Islamic state that threatened from the three films. There is no superpowers in controlling the detailed explanation of the cultural world's economic resources. This communication produced by each of reality is exacerbated by the Sunni- the shooting models. Other research Shia conflict institutionalized in the has been conducted by Sigit history of Islamic politics and Nurwicaksono (2009) in his thesis reproduced by the media, including entitled Construction of the Islamic films that have circulated even to Revolution in Iran in the Film Sunni-Muslim-majority countries, Persepolis. The research focuses on such as Indonesia. academic exploration only from a There are many negative film by an Iranian feminist, Marjana images produced by the mainstream Satrapi, who critically challenged the media towards Iran, even though Iran meaning of revolution through a is an Islamic country. So that with popular film among European and the image and the difference between American film enthusiasts and Sunni and Shi'a, it creates mental observers but was banned in conflict and ideology against Iran, Iran. However, the study of films especially Sunni Islam. There are related to spirituality and ethos in many similarities and positives from films is minimal; this is where the Islamic countries that are not utilized significance lies. in Islamic-based countries, like The three Iranian films that Indonesia, in developing the country. got top achievements at several The film is a medium of international film festivals show cultural manifestation of a country. another side of Iran's daily culture Various propaganda and promotion that is very far from what the mass can be done through film. From media or “western” films represent. cultural, educational, political, Complex cultural communication security, and economic life, it can be problems can be solved through seen how a country produces its cinematic communication. The film Vol.13/No.2 /OCTOBER 2020 - Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi 369 Cultural Communication Through Audio-Visual Media (Study of the films Children of Heaven, Color of Paradise, and Baran by Majid Majidi) Submitted: 04 April 2020, Accepted: 27 November 2020 Profetik Jurnal Komunikasi ISSN: 1979-2522 (print), ISSN:2549-0168 (online) DOI: https://doi.org/10.14421/pjk.v13i2.1890 world has finally become a space for public broadcasts (Kaid, 2015: 76). intensive and systematic cultural Gestalt coding records the entire dialogue to understand world audio-visual display and its meaning cultures. Based on the background of rather than separately analyzing the the problem above, the researcher visual and verbal details. This coding focuses on studying Iranian-Persian is oriented to the meaning conveyed cultural communication that is to the average audience member by reproduced through audio-visual broadcasts, rather than detecting any media (film) and examines Iranian- content of information in an audio- Persian culture's symbols and codes visual message (Kaid, 2015: 76-77). reconstructed in audio-visual media Detecting gestalt for coding relies on (film). verbal leads or images that identify a particular person, location, or situation. This method is considered Research Theory suitable to reveal the meaning of the Messages in audio-visual film understudy. media provide deep meaning to Sources of research data viewers because the meaning can be come from three Iranian films, seen immediately and accompanied namely Children of Heaven, Color of by spoken words to give a deep Paradise, and Baran, the most impression to listeners and viewers. superior cinematic works of the The guide in this article uses Symbol famous Iranian director, Majid and Value theory. According to Majidi. The three films' picture Newman and Perloff, symbols are frames are directly dissected by political material and attraction looking at the author's story based on symbols and values, structure. Several other films by the arguably the most influential of all same director will also be major campaign messages (Kaid, 2015,37). comparators looking for new This film's symbolic approach is the possibilities in communication. director's creations produced through Secondary data sources for spoken words and accompanied by research rely on books, scientific images representing Persian religious papers in journals, online pages culture and wrapped in Persian (websites) that have reviewed these culture that is thick with a high films, and those related to cinematic cultural ethos by displaying communication studies. 1) Literature children's dreams of reaching their study, where researchers will collect future. a number of written documents, both in the form of books, films, and other Research Method scientific notes that support The method used