Experimental Film

Subliminal imagery on television and how it effects you.

My initial idea is to create a film based on the theme of subliminal imagery. Subliminal messaging/imagery is the idea that the media is trying to control your mind, subconsciously, through the use of certain imagery or sounds. The 5 mains ways this is done is through themes of sex, violence, drugs, food and fear. These messages are created to manipulate your mind and influence how you think, this technique is often used by advertising companies in order to make you want to buy their product e.g. product placement. Messages like these are often used in children's shows to manipulate the child's growing mind.

One of the most well known forms of subliminal messaging in television is the quick flashing of text telling the viewer to do something, such as 'Drink Coca Cola' or 'Eat Doritos' during a show. he message could also just make a suggestion such as 'Thirsty?' or 'Hungry?' to simply influence your thoughts. The idea is that the words flash up on screen so quickly that it is undetectable by the person watching as they are so focused on the show that they do not notice the message, but it affects them subconsciously.

I imagined the films to have three parts to it. The first being the audience of the film and introducing the characters, the second being the film itself, and lastly the effects that the subliminal imagery has on the people. The film will start off innocent and pure and gradually show more and more subliminal/disturbing imagery. The imagery will symbolise the 5 main features in this technique: sex, violence, drugs, food and fear and each of the characters will be effected by one of those themes, e.g. imagery of horror giving someone nightmares/ making them paranoid.

To include in the film I was thinking about using both self filmed footage and archive footage that has already been on TV, I would like to use archive as it is will act like an example of what the film is about. I was also thinking that it could be a good idea to create a soundtrack based on the idea that some musicians implant subliminal messages in there music and when played backwards you can hear the message.