Codes, Conventions, and Media Law

This flashcard set covers the vocabulary for media codes, conventions, camera shots, and intellectual property rights as discussed in Lessons 3 and 4.

Media Language

Technical and symbolic ingredients used to communicate ideas and knowledge.

Codes

Systems of signs used to create meaning.

Conventions

Accepted ways of using media codes that are familiar to audiences.

Symbolic Codes

Codes that show what is beneath the surface of what we see, such as setting, acting, and color.

Setting

The time and place of the narrative, used to create an atmosphere or a specific frame of mind.

Acting

How actors use facial expressions, body language, and vocal qualities to develop characters and create tension.

Color

Used to convey specific emotions or status, such as red for passion or blue for calm.

Technical Codes

Codes that involve how equipment is used to tell a story, including camerawork, lighting, and audio.

Camerawork

How the camera is positioned and moved.

Lighting

The manipulation of natural or artificial light to highlight specific elements.

Audio

The use of dialogue, sound effects, and music.

Mise en Scene

A French term meaning "everything within the frame," including costumes, props, and lighting.

Written Codes

Formal written language used in media, such as headlines, captions, and textual layout.

Extreme Long Shot

A shot where the character is barely visible against a vast landscape.

Long Shot

Shows the entire body and the environment; often used to convey emotion through posture.

Mid Shot

Shows the subject from the waist up, allowing the audience to see both facial expressions and body language.

Close Up

A shot that focuses specifically on the head and neck.

Extreme Close Up

Reveals tiny details, such as a character’s eye twitching.

High-Angle Shot

A shot positioned above the subject to make them appear small or vulnerable.

Story Conventions

Focus on narrative structures like cause-and-effect, character construction, and point of view.

Form Conventions

Structural features of media presentation, such as opening credits or the layout of a magazine.

Genre Conventions

Common tropes or settings that identify a category, such as a hospital in a medical drama.

Intellectual Property (IP)

Creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, and designs.

RA 8293

The specific law that protects Intellectual Property in the Philippines.

Copyright

Protection for original literary and artistic works that generally lasts for the lifetime of the creator plus $50$ years.

Trademark

A sign or logo used by businesses to distinguish products from competitors; must be renewed periodically.

Patent

Exclusive rights to a technical process or mechanical invention that lasts for $20$ years.

Industrial Design

Protects the unique visual appearance or aesthetic shape of a product.

Trade Secret

Protection for confidential "know-how" or formulas through Non-disclosure Agreements (NDAs).

Fair Use

A legal defense allowing the use of copyrighted material without permission for transformative purposes like criticism, teaching, or parody.

Phishing

Fraudulent emails used to steal private data, such as requests to verify a password.

Hacking

The unauthorized access to private information.