Title Sequences

Denotations:

Smoking
Kissing
Trampoline
Clouds
Houses
Running
Bedroom
Mobile
Laughing
Moving cycle
Undressed male
Optical Illusions

Connotations:

The symbolic codes in the title sequence of Skins all contribute to the representation of teenagers in modern day Britain. Some of the objects that are used represent what Teenagers either strive to be or what others want them to be. For example, the use of the trampoline suggests that teenagers just want to have some fun in their lives without the stress and hassle of such things as education. However, it may just be and embodiment of what teenagers used to be and what they should be like.

Many of the objects used throughout this title sequence further add to the representation of teenagers in Britain. Smoking, kissing, mobile phones are all associated with the modern day teenager. This opening sequence aims to present this to the viewer as if it is the norm in today’s society for teenagers to be operating around these examples.

There are also denotations in the title sequence which again depict the negatives of teenage life in Britain. For example, the undressed male suggests orgies or partying which is common in teenage life nowadays however it is not a norm in society and tends to focus on the negatives of teenage life.

The written codes also add effect to the representation in Skins. Although there are not that many written codes, those that are used are effective. For example, the title Skins is not very big yet it is identifiable. This suggests that like teenagers the title is stuck in a stage in the middle in between big and small.