Media unit 3 aos 1

codes

media codes refer to technical, written, and symbolic tools used to construct or suggest meaning in media forms and products
includes the use of camera, acting, setting, editing, lighting, sound, sound effects, typography, color, visual composition, text, and graphics

types of codes

technical, symbolic, written

technical code

ways in which equipment is used to tell the story (camera techniques, framing, depth of fields, lighting, and exposure)

camera work

refers to how the camera is operated, positioned, and moved for specific effects that include the following:
1. positioning
2. movement
3. framing
4. exposure
5. lens choice

editing

the process of choosing, manipulating, and arranging images and sound. reasons for editing include:
1. graphic edits - images are edited in the film
2. rhythmic edits - control film pace
3. special edits - special visual effects
4. temporal edits - relations between shots and
function to control time, works to convey the
order, duration, or frequency of events

graphic edits

images are edited in the film

rhythmic edits

control film pace

special edits

special visual effects

temporal edits

relations between shots and function to control time, works to convey the order, duration, or frequency of events

audio

it is the expressive or naturalistic use of sound
1. dialogue
2. sound effects
3. music

dialogue

sound/audio should be clear

sound effects

artificial sounds

conventions

these are accepted ways of using media codes.
it is connected to the audience expectations of
a media product

form conventions

these are the certain ways we expect types of media's codes to be arranged
- ex: audience expects to have a title of
the film at the beginning and the credits
at the end
- newspapers place important news on the front
page while sports at the back page

story conventions

these are common narrative structures and understandings that are common in storytelling media products
1. narrative structures
2. cause and effect
3. character construction
4. point of view

genre conventions

these point to the common use of tropes, characters, settings, or themes in a particular type of medium
- these are closely linked with audience expectations

Symbolic Code Definition

Exist in the wider society as a nonverbal form of communication.
eg. a rose = love / romance
skull and crossbones = poison / pirates / death

Examples of Technical Codes

C.A.M.E.L.S and Visual composition, Special effects, Text, Colour, (Setting)

Camera Techniques

Shot size, Movement, Angle, Focus

Acting Techniques

Gesture, Movement, Facial Expression, Voice

Mis en Scene Techniques

Costume/Makeup, Props, Set Design, Colour

Editing Techniques

Manipulating Time, Transitions, Colour Grading, Special Effects, Graphics

Lighting Techniques

Source, Quality, Direction, Temperature, Intensity

Sound Techniques

Diegetic, Non-diegetic. Includes dialogue, music, sound effects.

What is Diegetic Sound?

All sounds that can be heard in the narrative world

What is Non-diegetic Sound?

Any sound that the audience can hear, but the characters in the narrative world cannot.

Camera in Parasite

In parasites opening camera is used to convey the relationship between the kims and their neighbourhood (e.g. wi-fi scene camera pans from just above ground to Ki-woo at eye level- helps to establish location (code) and setting (convention) and that kims are below their peers)

Mise-en-scene in Parasite

In opening if oarasite mise-en-scene conveys meaning about the Kim’s social and economic status

• Use the limited natural light they recieve to dry their clothes

• Try accessing neighbours wi-fi

• Ki-teck eats moldy bread

• Kim’s semi-basement appartment shown for 4 mins to make audiences feel clustrophobia they feel

Parasite Genre

Black comedy and thriller:

• uses comedic style

• Adresses tabo subjects

• Aims to amuse through shocking or unexpected actions

• Used to provoke serious thought and discussions

Examples of parasites genre

• Proud son scene where Ki-taek congradulates his son for document forgery

• Acting class scene where Joon-ho shows how the Kim’s plan on using their insights about rich people to scheme their way into more jobs

Bong Joon-ho directorial style

• Dark sense of hum or

• Creative use of camera movement and composition

• Economic struggles of working and lower class

• Typically political

• Misdirects from real climax

• Clear flow of movement through editing

• Shows darker side of humanity

Lighting in parasite

• Opening and closing scenes of parasite, opening has brighter high-key lighting from the socks at the window to the pan down of the couch (more natural daytime lighting), closing has dimmer lighting to show juxtaposition from beginning to end of the film

• Also use lighting to show contrast of the wealthy and poor, contrasting colours

Music and sound in Parasite

Layers of diegetic sound including voices of neighbours, sound of car, quiet sounds such as clicking of a bicycles wheels audible above the non-diegetic music, helping convey kims economic class

Establishment & development of characters (convention)

• Kim’s established as poor family through mise-en-scene and camera (crane down in opening scene from ground to kims appartment, shows their lower social and class position than neighbourhood), mise en scene of semi basement appartment

P.O.V (convention)

Wi-fi scene confines Kim’s to semi-basement appartment, viewer immediatley position to empathise with the kims p.o.v despite their actions

Lighting in Parasite

indoor lighting and LED lighting similar to mansions the same, focus on depicting the softness and the sophistication exclusive to rich households by using warm-colored lights, gentle indirect lighting, and applying dimmer switches (unlike greenish fluorescent light). In the end, semi-basement lighting was ‘technical lighting’ while the lighting in Park’s house was ‘aesthetic lighting

Slow-mo in parasite

Bong Joon-ho routinely uses 36 and 48 fps (frames per second) in Parasite to slow down action, which has the effect of emphasising key moments in the plot as well as highlighting character emotion. The 33% reduction in speed allowed Parasite's editor, Yang Jin-mo, to still use the original sound when cutting the slow-motion footage.

Foley art Parasite

• poor Kim house, used sound to accentuate the semi-underground location and limited size of the space with its narrow interior. achieved by utilizing the external ambience noises from the Kim’s neighborhood.

• rich Park house is a quiet neighborhood of rich people. There wasn’t as much environmental noise interference. So to help the audience imagine the location and size of the rich Park house, our sound design used elements that can be expressed in the indoor space ...

Shot stitching Parasite

stitch' together multiple shots that had great rhythms, so that they look like a single shot. For example, there is an overhead shot of Chung-sook’s hands preparing the ram-don.

Ki-taek’s character development

Shown during flood scene- his idealism and belief in the promise of neoliberalism crumble as his possessions are stripped from him due to the floods. Once an optimist – despite historically encountering a series of obstacles in his plans for upward social mobility – he could now better be described as a nihilist. Could say Ki-taek has regressed into depression or progressed towards dismantling his neoliberal beliefs, we can say that his character has developed because it has become more complex, and he is now a different person from when his character was established.

Acting and character development in parasite

Character development (convention) often driven by acting (code). shown in ‘Birthday Party’ sequence. Song Kang-ho manipulates his facial expressions slightly. Rather than ‘telling’ their feelings, Joon-ho has directed the actors to ‘show’ their emotions through the manipulation of facial expressions

Ki-woo’s character development

Ki-woo’s unwavering belief in upward social mobility develops his character as one who is not merely optimistic (as he is established to be) but thoroughly delusional. His values do not change in response to the events around him. In this sense, his character is developed not through identifiable changes but by a slow reveal of how firmly he clings to the promise of neoliberalism. This is used to carry the theme forward and suggest to the audience that some poorer people in society have been encouraged to accept values that inflict harm upon themselves.

motivated by the promise of neoliberalism – the belief that hard work and a good plan guarantees his improved class status. We see that he looks up to his friend Min who wears more expensive clothes, has better academic credentials, and can afford to travel. We learn immediately that Ki-woo is resourceful – he finds free wifi, uses his friends to find employment, and bargains with the Pizza Generation employee to get more work. Ki-woo believes that upward social mobility is possible.

By the end of the film, the audience realise that Ki-woo’s belief in upward social mobility is an unattainable fantasy. Ki-woo remains deluded by his beliefs even when reality comes crashing down and his efforts have only landed him in a worse situation.

In Parasite’s finale, Ki-woo executes a new plan to ‘legitimately’ save money and buy the Parks’ former home. He still believes that upward social mobility is possible in spite of the evidence to the contrary. However, Bong Joon-ho shows the audience that his views and values are built on a fantasy.

Establishing characters using backstories

The nature, form, and structure of the film Parasite is primarily framed by specific beliefs within the broad ideology of capitalism. In particular, the film is structured to critique the neoliberal belief that class mobility and economic wealth can be attained through hard work.

The backstories constructed by Joon-ho frame Parasite as a film that is set within a society that places a strong emphasis on the promise of neoliberalism. In 2017, 25.4% of South Koreans were self-employed, much higher than the OECD average of 15.3%. Many Koreans are driven to pursue such ‘opportunities’ due to lack of full-time stable employment and also because they dream of providing their children with a college education and having economic security in retirement.

Values and views in Parasite

Parasite questions the belief that hard work and a good plan guarantees upward class mobility. This belief implies that the rich are wealthy because they worked hard. Those who believe in upward social mobility respect people like Park Dong-ik who are wealthy businessmen and employ poorer people like the Kims. People like the wealthy Park family typically believe that they are helping the poor by providing them with employment opportunities.

Construction of narrative

• Parasite uses a three-act narrative structure: exposition of two families, rising tension through infiltration and deception, and a climax that erupts in violence.

• Directed by Bong Joon-ho, the film is constructed using visual contrasts, particularly between settings (Kim’s semi-basement vs. Park’s modern mansion) to build tension and thematic resonance.

• Genre blending (black comedy, thriller, drama) and tight character development make the narrative unpredictable and emotionally engaging.

Construction, consumption by audiences

• Constructed with global appeal, Parasite combines Korean social realism with universal themes of inequality.

• Audiences interpret the film differently based on cultural and socio-economic contexts; Western audiences may read it as a critique of capitalism, while Korean viewers may focus on class stratification in Seoul.

• Awards success (e.g., 2020 Academy Awards) widened its consumption and brought art-house cinema to mainstream global audiences.

Codes and conventions conveying meaning

• Symbolic codes: Architecture and verticality represent class hierarchy (basement = poor, house = wealthy).

• Written codes: The scholar’s rock symbolizes social aspiration, later revealing futility.

• Technical codes: Use of camera angles and lighting conveys power dynamics (e.g., low angles on Park family).

• Narrative conventions: Reversal and irony subvert genre expectations (e.g., “parasite” title’s meaning is ambiguous—who is parasitic?).

Appropriate media language

• Terms like mise-en-scène, diegetic sound, framing, motif, and social commentary should be used.

• Example: The mise-en-scène of the Parks’ house—open, bright, elevated—contrasts with the claustrophobic mise-en-scène of the Kim family’s home to visualize class divide.

Context of production

• Produced in South Korea, during a time of increasing income disparity and rising youth unemployment.

• Director Bong Joon-ho drew on real-life urban experiences and frustrations of the working class.

• International rise of anti-capitalist sentiments made the film globally relevant in the post-2008 era.

Construction of representations

• Class and poverty are central representations: the Kims as resourceful but morally ambiguous; the Parks as oblivious but polite.

• Gender roles are challenged: Ki-jung (Jessica) is assertive, skilled, breaking passive female stereotypes.

• Film challenges capitalist ideals and critiques meritocracy, portraying the illusion of social mobility.

• Reflects South Korea’s real estate obsession, and social stratification, while also challenging the idea of wealth = virtue.

Audience engagement across contexts

• Western audiences: Read as a universal critique of capitalism and class inequality.

• Korean audiences: More attuned to local references (e.g., ram-don, basement dwellers, job precarity).

• Younger global audiences relate to themes of hopelessness, family loyalty, and economic entrapment.

• Film festivals and streaming platforms like Netflix enabled broader access, changing how global audiences engage with foreign-language films.