Name: Sadie Hanrahan

Digital Media: Media and Audiences

Using Codes in Media

Symbolic Codes
Codes Description Example
Setting The setting is important as it in ‘The Maze runner’ there is practically
establishes where the character is and only one setting through the film. The film
what they must face within their is set in the glade, this shows how the
environment. It can help to show a characters will have to face the maze which
scene or an event. It can also establish is the main thing in their environment.
the year of the setting. They have been trapped for years
surrounded by a maze, so the setting
establishes how they are going to have to
explore the maze to get out.

Mise en Scene How everything on the screen helps to An example of mise en scene is this scene
tell the story. Everything on in the from ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective
frames such as the costumes, props Agency.’ Everything shown in these scenes
and the staging and compositions all is a part of the story. The characters shown
help to tell the story. Everything in the are all plot relevant, it shows the main
frame has been selected as it has characters and the main villain. Everything
meaning within the show. the characters are wearing are plot
relevant, for example the jacket the man in
the middle is wearing shows how he’s
clinging onto who he used to be. The
setting behind him is relevant as they are
aiming to get past him to machine which is
behind him as it’s what the story focal on
at this point. Even the righting on the wall
is important in the story as the language is
seen in other aspects of the show. Even the
location is very plot relevant.
Name: Sadie Hanrahan
Acting Acting is to do with the different An example of acting is Thomas Brodie
methods actors use to convey a story. Sangster in ‘the death cure’. He uses his
These can be things such as the movement and body language alongside
characters, movement, body his facial expressions to convey his
language, facial expressions and how characters decaying conditions. He was
the characters interact with other able to portray newts’ desperation whilst
characters and objects. showing how he’s becoming taken over by
the illness.

Colours Colours can be used as a code to an example of colours used in media is the
represent different feelings or even contrasting colours of Crowley and
aspects of the media. For example, Aziraphale in ‘good omens. These two
colours can act as symbolism and characters have opposite colour pallets,
representation. Contrasting characters which symbolises how they come from
might have contrasting colour pallets, different sides. Where Crowley has a red
colours can establish the type of and black colour scheme because he’s a
character, for example using dominant demon, Aziraphale has a much lighter
colours. colour scheme consisting of cream and
blue showing how he’s an angel.
Name: Sadie Hanrahan
Technical Codes
Codes Description Example
Camerawork Camera work is the way a camera is an example of camerawork is the
positioned in a scene and how the positions and angles in ‘moon knight.’
scene filmed. The way the camera is There are many scenes where steven is
operated can create different effects. talking to mark, to make it appear they
Some camera work techniques can be are talking to each other the camera is
things such as the movement, often positioned to show both the
framing, exposure and the lens choice reflection in the mirror of mark and
for the camera. Another effect is steven stood Infront of it. This helps to
single take scenes where it makes it create a smooth look for when they
appear the viewer is in the scene, and edit together the separate clips of
it helps create a smooth look to the Oscar Isaac.
product.

Editing Editing is taking original media such as In ‘moon knight ‘there’s a lot of
images or footage and changing it to different methods of editing, one
better represent the media. Editing example is where they edit clips to
could be things such as graphic edits make it look like a lot of time has
where graphics are placed onto the passed, to do this they make it so
screen. Rhythmic edits are controlling steven blacks out and then it cuts back
the pace of the film, this could be to him waking up immediately after.
done by adding a lot of short clips This makes it seem almost like not a lot
together to make it seem fast. of time has passed, but something has
Temporal edits are where scenes are obviously happened. For example,
adjusted to reflect the time taken by when he wakes up with a gun or
the film. Spatial edits are when scenes covered in blood.
are edited to reflect the area taken
up. For example, if the scene is
cramped, the scene could be zoomed
in.

Audio Audio is the sound which is used in an example of audio is the use of
media. This could be sound effects, diegetic sound in ’arcane’. There is a
music or dialogue. In media sound scene in arcane where imagine
could also be either diegetic or non- dragons, the band who sing the theme
diegetic. Diegetic sound is when the song, perform the song within the
source of the sound is on the screen. show whilst its playing over a scene of
Whereas non-diegetic sound is where vi walking in the undercity.
the sound appears of screen, which
means the characters cannot hear it.
Name: Sadie Hanrahan
Lighting The lighting in a scene is important as In the film ‘Chicago’ they use a lot of
it can reflect the mood of a scene. The artificial coloured lights to reflect the
lighting can be manipulated either mood of a scene. For example, at the
using natural or artificial light to help start of the film they use purple lighting
fit the scene. Lighting can be changed when Velma Kelly is performing all that
through the quality, colour, direction jazz, which can reflect the mystery and
and the source if it. lust of the performance. Later in the
film they use red lighting for the cell
block tango, which can reflets the
mood of the song as the women are
talking about how they killed their
victims.

Written Codes
Codes Description Example
Printed Printed language is any words which are An example of printed language is the use of
Language put into media, for example in a scene. If the phrase ‘bad wolf’ in ‘Doctor who’. Over
there are words placed into a film, they the seasons the phrase bad wolf is placed
will be important as they have relevance around in different places, this phrase is
to the plot, as they were placed there for communicating information about rose Tyler
a reason. Printed language can be used to and where she ends up in future seasons.
communicate information about a
theme, character or an issue in the
product. Written code could be either
technical or symbolic.

Spoken Spoken language is the words said in film An example of spoken language is the way
Language for example. It’s the way people speak in hades talks to Zagreus in the game ‘Hades.’ By
a scene; people can take different things the way hades talks it’s obvious he has some
from the way people speak and how they distain towards his son, it can help to
speak. The tone used can change the understand his intentions, it makes it obvious
meaning of spoken words. Spoken he doesn’t want to let Zagreus beat him. It
language can help the audience also helps understand his background, he has
understand a character’s background or some hatred for his family as he was sent to
intentions. control the underworld and was practically
cast away from Olympus.