Symbolic Design Strategies for Film and Television Character Modeling in Cross-Cultural Contexts

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the deep integration of the global film and television industry, character design has long transcended the mere pursuit of aesthetics and has become a key symbolic system that carries cultural information, builds identity recognition, and drives narrative. This article, by integrating semiotic theory and cultural dimension analysis, deeply dissects the core functions and common predicaments (stereotypes, cultural misinterpretation) of formative symbols in cross-cultural communication and systematically proposed four core design strategies: “extraction and translation of cultural symbols,” “visual mapping of cultural dimensions,” “symbolic support of narrative functions,” and “cultural decoding presuppositions for target audiences.” This article holds that successful cross-cultural modeling design should be committed to creative transformation on the basis of respecting the authenticity of culture, constructing a visual symbol system that combines cultural depth and universal appeal, and ultimately serving global narratives and in-depth cultural dialogues.