Film Codes and Conventions

Media products are designed to…

convey a point of view or specific meaning.

What is are codes and conventions?

Media codes and conventions are the building blocks of media, they generally have an agreed meaning or connotation to their audience which creators use to convey a point of view.

What are the types of code?

symbolic, written and technical

Codes have a range of different meanings dependant on…

audience and the purpose of the text, genre, society or situation they are being used in.

What are symbolic codes?

Symbolic codes have meanings that exist outside the world of the media product, and are understood in similar ways in the real life of the audience.

List some symbolic codes

setting, mise-en-scène, acting, colour

List some technical codes

camerawork, editing, audio, lighting

List some written codes

printed language and spoken language

List some conventions

form conventions, story conventions, genre conventions

Describe the CAMELS technique camera techniques

Framing size, angle, movement, etc, handheld, steadicam.

Describe the CAMELS technique acting

Facial expressions, body language, vocal qualities, movement and body contact.

Describe the CAMELS technique mise-en-scène

All the elements within the frame that can be manipulated: costume, colour, set design, location, staging and compostition.

Describe the CAMELS technique editing

The way shots are connected: extended (long) takes, rapid cuts, montages, juxtapositions

List some terms associated with the CAMELS technique lighting

Shadows, highlights, contrast

Describe the CAMELS technique sound

Diegetic/non-diegetic sound, score, sound effects

What are the effects of the camera element in fiilm?

Camera can have a significant emotional (prompt an emotional reaction through placement eg. close-up on characters face creates empathy) or cognitive effect (making you see something you might ordinarily miss eg. through an extreme close-up) on an audience.

What is setting?

Setting is the time and place of a narrative, which can include a created atmosphere or frame of mind.

What are the different aspects of colour to look for in a media product?

dominant colour, contrasting colour and colour symbolism

Describe technical codes

codes that are specific to a media form and do not live outside of them

What are the aspects of camerawork?

positioning, movement, framing and exposure

Define editing

the process of choosing, manipulating and arranging images and sound

What are the four main reasons for editing?

graphic edits, rhythmic edits, spatial edits and temporal edits

Define audio

the expressive or naturalistic use of sound (diegetic or non-diegetic)

What are three aspects of audio?

dialogue, sound effects and music

Define lighting

the manipulation of natural or artificial light to selectively highlight specific elements of the scene

What are some elements of lighting

quality, direction, source and colour

Define written codes

the formal written language used in a media product

Define printed language

text you can see within the frame and how it is presented

Describe spoken language

includes dialogue and song lyrics