Integrated School

Senior High School

M
I
L

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 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

MEDIA LANGUAGE
CODES AND CONVENTIONS
UNDERSTANDING MEDIA TEXTS

Content Standards:The learners understand media and information codes,

conventions, and messages in relation to consumers, producers, and other
stakeholders.

Performance Standards:The learners shall be able to examine and identify

pertinent media and information codes, conventions and messages given
a visual resource.

Learning Competencies

•Evaluates everyday media and information presentations regarding codes, convention,

and message; and how they affect the audience, producers, and other stake holders.
MIL11/12MILA-IIIf-15

• Produces and assesses the codes, conventions, and messages of a group presentation.
MIL11/12MILA-IIIf-16

Specific Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the learners must be able to:

• Identify codes, convention, and message and how they affect the audience, producers,
and other stake holders.

• Reflect on how important information can be conveyed to create the desired impression.

• Understand how media texts are presented and interpreted based on various codes and
conventions

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

As media and information literate individuals, we must clearly understand media and
information codes and conventions. We need to see past just the image and truly understand the
message that a media text and media professionals are communicating.

“Media affect us not only through the information that they deliver but also through their language, codes,
and conventions.” (Marshall McLuhan

TESTER: Choose 1 printed advertisement on any printed materials (newspaper, magazine,

brochures, etc). Afterwards, answer the following questions. (5items, 2pts each)
ADVERTISEMENT: ________ _________

1. What made you choose the advertisement?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you think the advertisement is effective? Why or why not?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the most striking part of the advertisement?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the message of the advertisement? Why do you think so?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
5. If you were to recreate the advertisement, what would you change and why?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTION

"Codes and conventions are the "grammar" of media languages that
enables us to understand how media and information works, how they convey
meaning, and why they do what they do" (Alagaran, 2017).

Media and information use “texts” to tell stories. In order to communicate,

media and information uses a language or a combination of language, media
language.
Media language is an umbrella term that covers all media codes and conventions. These codes and
conventions function like building blocks of all the media around us.

Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something.

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

Codes or Media Codes are systems of signs which create meaning. There are various types of
codes in media.

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

SYMBOLIC CODES
These are codes that are used to convey a symbolic meaning. Symbolic codes in media
include setting, mise en scene, acting and color/color palette.

SETTING MISE EN SCENE ACTING COLOR

 time and place of  French term that  Facial expression  highly cultural
the narrative means „everything  Body Language  Aspect like:
 setting of the within the frame‟  Vocal qualities Dominant color,
whole story or just a  Includes: Set  Movement Contrasting foils,
specific scene Design, Costume,  Body contact Color symbolism
 can even be a Props, Staging and
created Composition
atmosphere or
frame of mind

TECHNICAL CODES
Technical codes in media include:
Camerawork (angles and shot types),Editing, Audio and Lighting.
A. Camerawork

Camera angles and movements combine to create a sequence of images, just as

words, word order and punctuation combine to make the meaning of a sentence. You need a
straightforward set of key terms to describe them.

Describing Shots

When describing camera angles, or creating them yourself, you have to think about
three important factors:

a.) The FRAMING or the LENGTH of shot;

b.) The ANGLE of the shot;

c.)If there is any MOVEMENT involved

Camera Angle is based on how the camera is positioned in reference to the subject.
Example, when we say high angle shot, the shot is take from an area higher than the subject.

Camera shot framing is the art and science of placing subjects in your shots. Camera shots
are all about composition.Framing your shot is an important aspect in how you, as a filmmaker,
tell your story to the audience.

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

The Basic Framing Shots for Filmmaking

Wide/Long Shot  establishes the environment around a specific character or object

 reveals to the audience where that character or object is positioned
Wide (landscape) in reference to the background
Long (portrait)

Medium Shot (MED)  waist up

 useful when more than one subject is in frame
 allows the audience to be a little closer to the subject while still
seeing the setting

Medium Close-Up  framed from the chest up

(MCU)  allows the audience to clearly see facial gestures and emotions
without getting too close and personal to the subject

Close-Up (CU)  emphasizes a subject‟s emotion or reaction

 very little visual of the surrounding environment
 focus solely on the subject

Extreme Close-Up  commonly used to place an emphasis on a specific object or

(ECU) element
 feature a specific object or element for only a short period of time
on screen
 attention solely on the specific object or element featured
Extreme long/wide  Establishing shot
Shot (ELS/EWS)  character doesn‟t necessarily have to be in this shot
 Shows where the scene is taking place

Camera Angles Camera Movement

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

FILM TERMS
a) Frame: a single still picture or image
b) Shot: the images that are filmed from the time the camera starts to the time it stops,
with no cuts
c) Sequence: a series of shots on the same subject
d) Cut: stop one shot / abruptly start second; creates the impression of different places,
same time
e) Fade out/in: go to black / go from black to picture; suggests passage of time, change
of place
f) Pan: camera moves from left-to-right or right-to-left across scene from one subject to
another – can be used to create suspense
g) Zoom: camera moves in (tight) or out (wide)
h) Tilt: camera moves vertically, up or down

- Adapted from Mass Media and Popular Culture Resource Binder. Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Company Canada

B. Editing – the process of choosing, manipulating and arranging images and sound.
C. Audio – the expressive or naturalistic use of sound. The three aspects of audio are: dialogue,
sound effects, music and silence.
D. Lighting – the manipulation of natural or artificial light to selectively highlight specific elements of
the scene. Elements of lighting include: Quality, Direction, Source, Color

WRITTEN CODES

Written codes are the formal written language used in a media product.This
includes printed language which is text you can see within the frame and how it is presented,
and also spoken language, which includes dialogue and song lyrics.

CONVENTIONS

Conventions are accepted ways of using media codes. Conventions are closely
connected to the audience expectations of a media product. Different types of conventions
include form conventions, story conventions and genre conventions.

Form conventions
 the certain ways we expect types of media‟s codes to be arranged
 Examples:

- the audience expects to have a title of the film at the beginning, and then credits at
the end.

-Video games usually start with a tutorial to explain the mechanics of how the game
works.

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

Story Conventions
 Story conventions are common narrative structures and understandings that are common in
story telling media products. Examples of story conventions include:Narrative structures,
Cause and effect, Character construction, Point of View

Genre Conventions
 Genre conventions point to the common use of tropes, characters, settings or themes in a
particular type of medium. Genre conventions are closely linked with audience
expectations. Genre conventions can be formal or thematic.

ADDITIONAL TERMS TO REMEMBER:

 Messages - the information sent from a source to a receiver.
 Audience - the group of consumers for whom a media message was constructed as well
as
 anyone else who is exposed to the message.
 Producers - People engaged in the process of creating and putting together media
content to make a finished media product.
 Other stakeholders - Libraries, archives, museums, internet and other relevant information
providers.
 Semiotics is the study of signs and their meaning in society. A sign is something which can
stand for something else – in other words, a sign is anything that can convey meaning.
Understanding Media Text
Media texts can be understood to include any work, object, or event that communicates
meaning to an audience. Most media texts use words, graphics, sounds, and/or images, in print,
oral, visual, or electronic form, to communicate information and ideas to their audience.
 Print – newspapers/magazines (music, lifestyle, women, men, teenage), flyer/print
based advertising, billboard advertising, advertising within other texts, weekend
supplements
 Broadcast – film, TV, advertising
 E-media – social networking sites, newspaper/current affairs sites,
e-mail/communication, web series
 Social networking – Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Youtube, etc.
 Television

Media text provide a baseline to make dissemination more accurate and more efficient
and much faster to keep up with the trend. It is also important in data gathering and preserving
/ documenting written oral works, and language translation.

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

MUDDIEST PART: How‟s it going? I hope you were able to pick something up on this
module. On this part, share what topic seems the most unclear or „muddiest.”
Explain what makes it unclear or what do you want to be explained more.

_____________________________________________________________________

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References:

Aboga, F. and Agapay, R., (Second printing, 1st edition. Media and Information Literacy:
Transforming Society Through Student Empowerment, TechFactors Inc., 2018
Alagaran, J.R, II. (2017). Media and information literacy: Empower the discerning audiences.
Quezon City: Abiva Publishing House.
Cantor, O.L. Media and Information Literacy. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.,2016
Magpile. C. Media and Information Literacy: Enhancing Education through Effective
Communication. Quezon City:TheInteligente Publishing, Inc.,2016
Media and Information Literacy Curriculum Guide. Retrieved from:
http://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SHS-Core_Media-and-Informat
ion-Literacy-CG.pdf
Media and Information Literacy for Teachers. Module 4: Languages in Media and
Information.Retrieved from:
http://unesco.mil-for-teachers.unaoc.org/modules/module-4/unit-4/Retrieved from
https://www.academia.edu/6118922/MEDIA

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3

 Media and Information Literacy
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines 2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: [email protected]; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – MIL Subject Teacher:

Name: Date:
_______________________________________________ ___________________
Section: Score:
________________________________________________ __________________

ACTIVITY:Application

Direction: Identify and choose 2 commercials on television. Compare the technical codes, written
codes, audio codes and symbolic codes using the table below.
CODES COMMERCIAL A (IDENTIFY) COMMERCIAL B (IDENTIFY)

Technical

Written

Audio

Symbolic

MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY | MODULE 3