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MIL - Module 5 Reviewer

The document discusses codes, conventions, and language used in media. It defines key terms like language, media language, and messages. It also describes three types of media codes: symbolic codes, technical codes, and written codes. Each code type has examples to illustrate conventions used in different media.

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mallarijianna
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60 views4 pages

MIL - Module 5 Reviewer

The document discusses codes, conventions, and language used in media. It defines key terms like language, media language, and messages. It also describes three types of media codes: symbolic codes, technical codes, and written codes. Each code type has examples to illustrate conventions used in different media.

Uploaded by

mallarijianna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Codes, Conventions, and Language of Media

Today, media has become very powerful and influential. As a learner, it is not enough that you

can read the information given to you. It is also important to understand media and

information codes and conventions to help you better understand the message that media

professionals are communicating. According to Ute Schaeffer as cited by (Sylvia Braesel,

Media and Information Literacy A Practical Guidebook for Trainers, 2018) “People need to be

media literate. This involves knowing where to find relevant information, how media shape

popular culture and opinion and influence personal choices, and how to navigate the Internet and

ensure personal privacy in the cyber world.”

The information that you get looking at the symbol is actually the message of the symbol

itself. Understanding the language of media is a skill that you must acquire. Remember the

following terms:

 Language pertains to the technical and symbolic ingredients or codes and conventions

that media and information professionals may select and use in an effort to communicate

ideas, information, and knowledge.

 Media language is the codes, conventions, formats, symbols, and narrative structure that

indicate the meaning of media messages to an audience.

 Messages are the information sent from a source to a receiver.

The elements that helped you identify what kind of movie each picture shows are the codes and

conventions of media. Media codes and conventions are like the building blocks of all the

media around us which generally have an agreed meaning, or connotation to their audience

(Young, 2017).

There are three (3) types of media codes:


 symbolic codes

 technical codes

 written codes.

1. Symbolic codes are social in nature. Such codes exist beyond the media products themselves

but can be interpreted in similar ways in the everyday life of the viewer (Young, 2017).

Example : ( +, the cross which means Christianity).

 Mise en scene is a French term meaning ‘everything within a frame’. Costume and props are

included in the analysis in the frame (Young, 2017).

 Acting is how an actor portrays a character that will lead to character development and

tension-making through facial expression, body language, and vocal qualities

(Young,2017).

 Color is used to connect connotation to specific scenes, characters, or objects.

Red, for instance, is typically seen as a color of passion, danger, romance, or violence.

Green relates to nature or sickness.

Blue with calm or depression.

Purple is seen to relate to royalty (Young, R. 2017).

2. Technical codes. According to Arniel Ping technical codes are all the ways in which

equipment is used to tell a story in a media text like camera techniques, framing, lighting, etc.

(Ping, 2016).

 Camerawork refers to how the camera is handled, positioned, and moved for

specific effects like a high-angle camera shot to create a feeling of power in a photograph.
 Lighting According to Robert young lighting is the manipulation o natural or artificial

light to selectively highlight specific elements of the scene (Young, 2017)

 Audio is the expressive or naturalistic use of the sound. It includes dialogue, sound

effects and music. According to Chris 14 Constantine (Constantine, 2010) music often

define a scene. An example is the use of ominous music to communicate danger in films.

3. Written Codes are the formal written language style and textual layout like headlines,

captions, speech bubbles, etc. (frezi.com, Young. R. 2017).

According to Robert Young, conventions are the accepted ways of using media codes.

There are three different types of conventions:

 Form Conventions

 Story Conventions

 Genre Convention (Young, R. 2017).

1. Form Conventions are the expected ways on how media codes are arranged. In

newspapers for example, the most important news will be at the front page while sports news is

found at the back page. Newspapers also contain masthead.

2. Story Conventions are common narrative structures and understandings in story telling

media products like cause and effect, character construction and point of view.

3. Genre Conventions are the common use of tropes, characters, settings, or themes in a

particular type of medium. They can be formal or thematic.

Camera Technique

Camera Angle Camera Shot

 Eye-level Low angle Extreme close up Close up


 High angle Hip level Medium shot Full shot

 Knee level Ground level Wide shot Extreme wide shot

 Shoulder level Dutch angle Cowboy shot Reaction Shot

 Overhead Aerial Establishing Shot Over the shoulder shot

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