Two Research Talks in Multimodality

You’re invited to the following 2 research talks in multimodality, held on Tuesday 27^th March, at 12pm and at 1pm, in Baines Wing SR G.40:

• 12-1pm: Hanem El-Farahaty “A Multimodal Analysis of Political Satire: Webcomics and GIFs in Post-Arab Spring Egypt”
• 1pm-2pm: Sara Magro Ramos Pinto “Multimodal Film, Monomodal subtitling: how lost do viewers get in-between? Discussion of the principles and structure of a new project”

See abstracts below. All welcome (also to bring your lunch)!

Tuesday 27^th 12pm – Baines Wing SR G.40
A Multimodal Analysis of Political Satire: Webcomics and GIFs in Post-Arab Spring Egypt

Hanem El-Farahaty, Centre for Translation Studies and AIMES 

The Egyptian Revolution in 2011 and the protests known as ‘the Arab Spring’ resulted in an increase in the number of cartoonists and amateurs who use specialist software to digitally mix modes for novel sign-making (Lankshear and Knobel, 2008; Gursimesk, 2016). These people draw creative forms of satire including but not limited to political webcomics and Graphics Interchange Formats (GIFs) which exist alongside political cartoons.

This paper offers a multimodal investigation of political webcomics and GIFs published by cartoonists and amateurs on Facebook. It will briefly discuss the difficulties of translating political webcomics and GIFs into English. Drawing on Serafini’s (2010) tripartite framework of perception, structure and ideology, the paper will analyse the role each of these perspectives play in widening readers’ perceptions and interpretations of the message. With this aim in mind, Kress’ and van Leeuwen’s (2006) elements of visual design and Kress’ (2010) multimodal social semiotic approach will be used to discuss the multifaceted modes contributing to the expression of young people’s political message and the implications of these multimodal aspects on translating the above two forms of political satire. The analysis will also be informed by interviews with Makhlouf, cartoonist at Almasry Alyoum newspaper, with Islam Gawish, webcomic writer and author ofAlwarka/The Paper, and with Shady Sedky, co-founder of the GIFs Facebook page Asa7be Sarcasm Society.

Tuesday 27^th 1pm – Baines Wing SR G.40
Multimodal Film, Monomodal subtitling: how lost do viewers get in-between? Discussion of the principles and structure of a new project

Sara Magro Ramos Pinto, Centre for Translation Studies

This will be a ‘work-in-progress’ session in which I hope to discuss with fellow colleagues and students the project idea at the base of a grant application to be submitted to the AHRC Leadership Fellow scheme.

Present-day subtitling is conceptually obsolete, technologically out-dated and based on untested assumptions which no longer match the needs of 21^st century viewers. The extensive use of subtitling, from on-demand online services to social media and television and its ever-presence in business, personal communication, the entertainment and news industry, as well as education, makes subtitling a key factor in intercultural communication, but also highlights the consequences of ineffective translation and miscommunication. It is imperative to assess the needs and expectations of 21^st century viewers and examine the impact that translation strategies have on reception. Building on my previous research, this project is based on three pillars:

• Need to test current practices: a reception study will be organized to further the understanding of how viewers interpret audiovisual meaning and the impact of present day subtitling.
• Need to address the multimedia nature of audiovisual products: current subtitling ignores the communicative importance of the image currently taken as a universal code easily interpreted. I argue for the need to go beyond the verbal, examine how viewers manage the multimedia meaning making process and test new practices to also translate visual elements.
• Need to take advantage of the digital revolution: film producers and dissatisfied viewers have developed new and more creative forms of subtitling online, but professional subtitling is still limited to two lines at the bottom of the screen leaving the viewers with glaring losses of meaning and an unacceptable sense of confusion.

The reception study will include the testing  of creative practices such as dynamic subtitles and headtitles on screen for contextual information.