Visual perception and audiovisual translation: directed vision

This paper is based on the premise that "some of the basic skills needed to understand film and television are identical to those necessary for natural visual perception" (Grodal 1999: 76). Perception is an unconscious and natural way of interpreting our environment based on prior experience and learning. In contrast to the deeply rooted Western belief that image is universal and true, our argument is that visual perception is a cognitive process determined by prior experience, environment, context, cultural values and motivation. This paper analyzes the application of cognitive research on visual perception in audiovisual narrative strategies and its implications for the study of the audiovisual translation process and of its reception.