The Attractiveness of the Multimedia Text of the TV Series "Symphonic Novel": Verbal-Nonverbal Ambivalence

Lyu Sin' Lecturer, Department of Mass Communications; Peoples' Friendship University of Russia 9 Ostrovityanova str., Moscow, 117198, Russia dk-liu@hotmail.com Other publications by this author

Introduction to the problemThe rich socio-cultural potential of the TV series can be used not only by the internal vector of influence to test the intrasocial national values, but also in an expanded paradigm of influence on the foreign audience as an image tool.

The Chinese television series "Symphonic Novel", due to its specificity, can be an effective means of attracting attention and forming a positive public opinion about the country and its culture abroad, in particular in Russia due to the attractiveness of its multimedia text.

Modern multimedia text has been widely studied from the point of view of its formation, but the role, place and significance of its individual components in the implementation of various functions has not yet been sufficiently studied. Due to the fact that television series today function not only on television, but also on various network platforms, the content of the TV series "Symphonic Novel" can be considered as a multimedia text consisting of several interacting components: oral verbal text, visual series and audio component, in which various formats can be used. In the TV series, the audio component is a joint sound of verbal text and nonverbal elements (music, sounds of nature, etc.). In this case, music can be considered in two guises: an emotional illustration of an event or an important component of nonverbal communication.

The verbal text contains information-rich, dispassionate meanings, which in themselves are not effective from the point of view of attractiveness. And the emotional orientation, expressive modality, so important for the realization of the influencing function through the effects of attraction, are given in the television series as a cinematic artistic and journalistic work to the audio component in which classical music occupies a special place. Together with the verbal text, it creates a super effect of attractiveness due to internal resources of influence on human perception.

Theoretical and methodological foundations of the studyRecently, interest in the concept of attractiveness has intensified in the broad humanitarian field of knowledge, as a way to "draw attention to anything, which has great potential both in terms of study and in terms of use" [Serebryanskaya, Yakoba 2013: 21].

For mass communication, this concept is doubly relevant, since the task of attracting attention is set by almost every actor initiating communicative interaction. "Communicative attraction, which is an attraction between interlocutors, is an important factor of positive communication, contributing to its effectiveness" [Leontovich 2017: 3]. Interpreted in this way, the communicative attraction "organizes the discursive space" [Kazydub 2011: 96], and the attraction "in the coordinates of human space, the content of which is social practices" has an ambivalent nature: on the one hand, it determines the direction of any communicative message, and on the other hand, it becomes a consequence of the communicative dialogue that has taken place. An important observation of the scientist in terms of our research is the position that attraction takes place [Ibid: 101].

The concept of attractiveness is actively used in the semiotic theory of mass communication [Lemeshko 2013: 23], and the property of attractiveness is attached to the sign used in communication. "Attractiveness should be considered from the point of view of the most effective semiotic solution in determining the significance of an object of the referential world, interpreted and evaluated by a person" [Serebrennikova 2012: 9]. The attractiveness of the sign is related to the intensity of its illocutionary force [Radbil 2017], the impact potential [Lemeshko 2013: 25]. In this regard, individual words and phrases can be attractive - for example, headings [Filonenko 2008], even whole sentences and fragments of text are larger than sentences.

In the nature of a multimedia text, attractiveness should be considered as a property of a communicative event in terms of synergetic success, effectiveness of utterance. [Nikolis, Prigozhin 2003]. From a linguistic point of view, "linguistic components have certain coefficients of attractiveness, or "attractiveness", manifested at various levels of linguistic organization" [Maksimenko, Strelova 2013: 68]. In a multimedia text, video-format and audio-format components of other sign systems are connected to linguistic ones.

At the same time, it is necessary to distinguish between intra-linguistic attraction, or attraction, which acts as a relationship between linguistic units in a linear speech chain (subordination, composition, application, coordination, etc.) [Ledenev 2007], and extralanguage attraction as a process and result of the interaction of linguistic objects with external objects within the flow of various types of discourse. As a result, "the property of a linguistic object is born to attract the increased attention of the audience to which the message contained in it is directed" [Ibid.: 69]. This statement can be extended to apply to multimedia text.

It is important that attractiveness is realized both at the level of conscious perception of the text or its part, and at the subconscious level, when some elements of the text are imprinted in memory, lingered in the recipient's consciousness, according to the principle of perceptual organization of the figure - background  [Radbil 2017]. To a large extent, this is facilitated by polycode components, which are imprinted in the recipient's memory much deeper. "In this case, an element endowed with an increased level of attractiveness is a kind of signal that ensures attracting the recipient's attention. As an example, we can use the memorization of some advertising slogans, which occurs without the recipient making special efforts for this or against his will in general" [Maksimenko, Strelova 2013: 70]. The elements of discourse that are "responsible" for the attractiveness of this fragment of discourse are called "attractors". They can take place at any level of the language system and its speech implementation. Nonverbal components of the multimedia text of the TV series become such attractors.

Basic research "The conscious marking of particularly significant semantic units at various levels of language perception ensures that they attract the attention of the audience, which means that they can set the direction of interpretation of the received message that is most desirable for the addressee" [ibid.: 72].

Consequently, the attractiveness can be "controlled", i.e., its level can be increased by using special techniques and means not only of speech, but also of audiovisual influence. In the final episode, such a special technique is the performance of Mozart's sonata for 2 pianos, against which the inner monologue of the main character sounds.

The key factor of attractiveness becomes attractiveness (the ability to like, attract a personal location or liking [Ozhegov, Shvedova 1998]), which is implicitly present in its content and often comes to the fore in the exploitation of the category of attractiveness in advertising, media, marketing and PR activities [Melnik 2011]. The sound of Mozart's music in its beautiful embodiment in the sonata in D major for two pianos becomes the main character in the 1st episode of the TV series "Symphonic Novel".

In B.N. Golovin's concept of communicative qualities of speech, expressiveness of speech refers to such structural features that support the attention and interest of the listener or reader, "the property of speech to attract attention and be remembered, the ability of the text to attract attention with its speech organization" [Golovin 1980: 284]. Considering a complex multimedia text, we refer to its speech characteristics not only the actual verbal utterances of the heroes of the TV series, but also audiovisual components, which can be considered as utterances encoded using signs of other language systems, in particular musical language.

Expressiveness closely correlates with the partially synonymous term "expressiveness / expression". Expression in the broad sense is expressiveness as a property of the language as a whole or its individual units, and in the narrow sense - certain properties of a word or expression,. Multimedia texts of the TV series are fully creolized, that is, polycode texts, the attractiveness of which is interpreted as "a signal of interaction and coordination of the semantic and emotional fields of the communicator and the recipient" [Sorokin, Tarasov 1990: 184]. Speaking about multimedia text, it should be understood that verbalized speech in it is inextricably linked with non–verbal means of expressing meanings - speech of music, gestures, views, etc., which by their nature organically have a high degree of expressiveness. In art, music is ranked among its expressive types.

E.E. Anisimova writes about the special role of image playing techniques in polycode multimedia text, pointing to the rich possibilities of creolization to make texts attractive [Anisimova 2003]. Special signs are considered as carriers of attraction, which, together with the rules of their use, are defined as codes. So, A.N. Baranov believes that "U. Eco, who was engaged in the semiotics of music, noted both the undoubted emotional impact of music and the obvious presence of ideological connotations in music - cf., for example, marches and jazz. Some musical works are signs (sound indexes) of cities, countries, periods of history, etc." [Baranov 2018: 22]. Music as a specific code is indeed an equally strong method of enhancing attractiveness in the TV series "Symphonic Novel".

All such codes are present and valid in the multimedia text content of the TV series "Symphonic Novel". Polycode multimedia texts are divided into static and dynamic. The content of the TV series as a multimedia text refers to dynamic polycode formats (videos and animation), the attractiveness of which is expressed by genre, plot and characters (elements - figures of the image). When identifying these components of dynamic polycode texts, factors such as the unity of actors, place, time, action, as well as compliance with one topic are taken into account. Such unity can be traced both through the entire series and in each of its episodes separately.

The first series of the TV series is based on Mozart's sonata in D major for 2 pianos, which plays a serious role both in the development of the plot, the figurative system, and in the formation of the attractiveness of the TV series. The healing and influencing power of Mozart's music is well known, so its choice is not accidental. Arguments about the importance of music sound in the form of internal monologues of the main character, a young man named Li Zengyan ("Every moment of life is filled with sound. It is worth opening your eyes in the morning, as the hearing is filled with sounds. The sound can cause an emotional uplift or stop, change the mood. It's like listening to a symphony orchestra.  Music is an art because it is pure and verified! In my opinion, whether it's life or music, falsehood is unacceptable."). In these arguments, the originality of the character of the hero is also demonstrated (reasonableness, seriousness, attitude to life, etc.). Along the way, he introduces us to himself ("My name is Li Zengyan. I am a student I am a student of the piano department of the Mario Pace Conservatory. If you can say that the piano is a part of my life, then conducting is my whole life. ... I firmly believe that faith and perseverance will help me realize my dream of becoming a conductor. ... I want the wand in my hand to help me experience all the uniqueness and boiling of youth. I want the whole world to hear the sounds that I bring to him.").

The visual series of the series helps the audience to get an idea of the appearance of the main characters, the environment of their existence. The visual code forms the attractiveness at the first level, it is the pleasant appearance of people and the town. Much more meanings are formed at the auditory level. Verbal utterances are combined with the sound and performance of music, which becomes not just a pleasant background, but a marker of the significance of verbally communicated meanings.

His first meeting with the main character Fan Xiaovo takes place in an episode of a conflict with a teacher. In music, this happens like changing Beethoven's piano sonata "Aurora" (Li Zengyan plays in class before the conflict) to the sounds of Mozart's piano sonata he heard from Street 13 ("What a disorderly performance. It's just disgusting. Although, wait a minute, there don't seem to be any mistakes. And it even sounds good somehow.").

Then it is no coincidence that the characters meet at a piano lesson, where the teacher invites them to play a duet. So music becomes a device that organizes the life of heroes, a factor that determines their development, a marker that reveals their characters. So, Li Zengyan resists at first, and he says a lot of things mentally, to himself ("... But she's playing at random. We won't play. / ...You can definitely do it, you're the best pianist of our conservatory. / Mozart, sonata for 2 pianos ... the tempo is fast, it will be difficult to match. / Everything will depend on how well you interact."). During the work on the sonata, the attitude to life of both Fan Xiaovo and Li Zengyan is gradually demonstrated in the lesson.

Even more expressive is the further development of the plot in this series. Li Zengyan recalls his communication with the great conductor Maestro Wayne against the background of a performance of L. van Beethoven's symphony ("I have never since heard a performance that would have touched and inspired me so much. Maestro Wayne, you said that such an experience is the greatest happiness for a musician, but is it possible to experience such happiness again?").

At the next rehearsal, Li Zengyan tries to teach Fan Xiaovo to work accurately and thoroughly ("... you used to play the piano for your pleasure, but now everything is different, you have a goal.  And since this is a duet, you need to understand the partner as well as you understand the original intention of the composer. How can you play so randomly?!"). But then he realizes the fallacy of his behavior towards Fang Xiaovo.

And at the next rehearsal, he goes after Fan Xiaovo, accepts her position. They perform a sonata, which is accompanied by a verbal reproduction of Li Zengyan's inner thoughts ("She has a special talent. But the only one who can match her and echo her crazy ideas is me. ...We match perfectly. ...Here it is, this smile. She plays absolutely freely.").

There is a visualization of the conductor Wayne, who says: "Listen, a real musician, wherever he plays, should feel emotions, pulsation. This is true happiness.".

The characters continue to play, and Li Zengyan's inner monologue ends with a climactic conclusion ("I remember such moments of anticipation of happiness that come in dreams. I used to give up before, but now I know I can do anything. Thanks to the music. ... The brilliant Mozart wrote only one sonata for 2 pianos. although for a long time it was believed that he only wanted to help talented students. But in fact, it was his students who inspired him. After talking with them, he recreated the pure passion for music that possessed his heart.").

So, serious changes are taking place inside the performance of the sonata, which move the plot and the characters of the characters. Thanks to classical music, the realization of both educational and influencing functions is enhanced, and the plot itself and the characters of the TV series become more attractive.

It should be noted that along the way, instructive statements also sound in the series ("You are looking for an excuse. You sit here and revel in your suffering. ...You just don't have the guts to fight for your dream. You will continue in the same spirit, you won't even see a tit in your hand.; "... if you don't move forward, no one will stand and wait for you."; "I need to work harder. Dreams are not just dreams. They are the first step on the way to perfection. If there is no music in your dreams, how to play a romantic melody?").

The attractiveness of multimedia content in a television series is its ability to attract the increased attention of the audience in order to form a positive image of the depicted person, object or phenomenon. "Increased attention in this case is presented as an emotional attraction or interest" [Serebryanskaya, Yakoba 2013: 16], primarily in the sense of a mandatory positive-evaluative component that produces a positive attitude towards the perceived object or phenomenon. This demonstrates the attractiveness and attractiveness as special opportunities for the expression of attractiveness associated with the polycode organization of the content of the television series. In particular, M.V. Povarnitsyna's article "Manipulation, suggestion, attraction and fascination in a creolized text" is devoted to this problem, in which attractiveness is interpreted as "attraction that helps to attract the attention of the recipient of the message and evoke positive emotions in him" [Povarnitsyna 2016: 20].

In the first episode of the TV series "Symphonic Novel" classical music is multifunctional. Firstly, it contributes to the verbalization of the most important postulates that the authors of the TV series want to convey to the audience. Secondly, it creates emotional appeal, taking shape in the language of audio code, participating in the polycode embodiment of meanings. Thirdly, the authority of classical music raises the pretentious level of the entire content. The authors inform the world that the Chinese are not closed, not backward, they can feel and understand the world European classics not worse, but better than others. This heartfelt understanding of classical music contributes to the fact that, in general, multimedia text becomes a potentially effective factor in the attractiveness of a television series, which makes it possible to assess its image potential as very high.

The main communicative and pragmatic feature of media communication, including the television product, lies in its interactive nature, i.e. in a constant dialogue with the addressee in "real time". The possibility of feedback in real time creates the illusion of similarity of media communication with real communication, brings the former as close as possible to the latter. It is the property of interactivity that is exploited by the creators of television content.

The category of attractiveness of the verbal-musical component plays a special role in the communicative space of the media discourse of the TV series, which itself has a significant potential for attractiveness due to the peculiarities of the communication channel and the specifics in the formation of content and to which the TV series belongs.

The use of diverse sign systems in their diverse combinations is highly attractive by the very fact of its existence. The implementation of the category of attractiveness plays a fundamental role, since it is included in the illocutionary dominant (the main communicative super-task) of the media content, which consists in the widest possible coverage of the audience of the TV series "Symphonic Novel". The attractiveness of the TV series is formed due to the ambivalent combination of verbal and nonverbal components with the leading role of the audio format.