Media and Information Languages

1. Media and
Information
Languages
Jenkin Kay A. Alimajen
T-II, A. S. Bernardo National High School

2. Media Languages
- are codes, conventions, formats,
symbols and narrative structures
that indicate the meaning of
media messages to an audience.

3. Codes
- are systems of signs that when
put together create meaning
* Semiotics - study of signs

4. Types of Codes:
SYMBOLIC CODES
WRITTEN CODES
TECHNICAL CODES

5. SYMBOLIC CODES
- show what is beneath the surface
of what we see (objects, setting,
body language, clothing, color,
etc.) or iconic symbols that are
easily understood.

6. What does a Red Rose
symbolizes?
A red rose
may convey
Romance or
Love.

7. What does a Clenched Fist
symbolizes?
A clenched
fist may
convey
Bravery.

8. What does the colors in a
Traffic Light symbolize?
Red – Stop
Green - Go
Yellow – Slow down

9. Types of Codes:
SYMBOLIC CODES
WRITTEN CODES
TECHNICAL CODES

10. WRITTEN CODES
- use of language style and textual
layout (headlines, captions,
speech bubbles, language style,
etc.)

11. Headlines

12. Captions

13. Speech Bubbles

14. Types of Codes:
SYMBOLIC CODES
WRITTEN CODES
TECHNICAL CODES

15. TECHNICAL CODES
- Are ways in which equipment is used to
tell the story.
- This includes sound, camera angles,
types of shots and lighting as well as
camera techniques, framing, depth of
field, lighting, exposure and juxtaposition.

16. Camera Shots & Angles
Basic Camera Shots:
• Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)
• Very Wide Shot (VWS)
• Wide Shot (WS)
• Mid Shot (MS)
• Medium Close Up (MCU)
• Close Up (CU)
• Extreme Close Up (ECU)
Advance Camera Shots:
• Cut-in
• Cutaway
• Two-shot
• Over-the-Shoulder Shot
• Noddy Shot
• Point of View
• Weather shot

17. Basic Camera Shots
EXTREME WIDE SHOT
- The view is so far from
the subject that he
isn’t even visible. Often
used as an establishing
shot.

18. Basic Camera Shots
VERY WIDE SHOT
- The subject is visible
(barely), but the
emphasis is still on
placing him in his
environment.

19. Basic Camera Shots
WIDE SHOT
- The subject takes up
the full frame, or at
least as much as
comfortably possible.

20. Basic Camera Shots
MID SHOT
- Shows some part of
the subject in more
detail while still giving
an impression of the
whole subject.

21. Basic Camera Shots
MEDIUM CLOSE UP
- Halfway between
Mid Shot and Close
Up.

22. Basic Camera Shots
CLOSE UP
- A certain feature or
part of the subject
takes up the whole
frame.

23. Basic Camera Shots
EXTREME CLOSE UP
- The ECU gets right in
and shows extreme
detail.
Variation: Choker

24. Advance Camera Shots
CUT-IN
- Shows some (other)
part of the subject in
detail.

25. Advance Camera Shots
CUTAWAY
- A shot of something
other than the
subject.

26. Advance Camera Shots
TWO-SHOT
- A shot of two people,
framed similarly to a
mid shot.

27. Advance Camera Shots
OVER-THE-SHOULDER
- Looking from behind
a person at the
subject.

28. Advance Camera Shots
NODDY SHOT
- Usually refers to a
shot of the
interviewer listening
and reacting to the
subject.

29. Advance Camera Shots
POINT OF VIEW
- Shows a view from
the subject’s
perspective.

30. Advance Camera Shots
WEATHER SHOT
- The subject is the
weather. Can be
used for other
purposes, e.g.
background for
graphics.

31. Camera Angles
• Bird’s-Eye View/Overhead
• High Angle
• Eye Level
• Dutch/Canted/Tilted Angle
• Low Angle
• Worm’s Eye View

32. Camera Angles
BIRD’S-EYE VIEW/
OVERHEAD
-This shows a scene
from directly
overhead, a very
unnatural and strange
angle.

33. Camera Angles
HIGH ANGLE
-Not so extreme as a
bird's eye view. The
camera is elevated
above the action
using a crane to give a
general overview.

34. Camera Angles
EYE LEVEL
-A fairly neutral shot; the
camera is positioned as
though it is a human
actually observing a
scene, so that e.g. actors'
heads are on a level with
the focus.

35. Camera Angles
LOW ANGLE
-This increases height and
gives a sense of speeded
motion. Low angles help
give a sense of confusion
to a viewer, of
powerlessness within the
action of a scene.

36. Camera Angles
WORM’S-EYE VIEW
-A worm's-eye view is
a view of an object
from below, as though
the observer were
a worm.

37. Camera Angles
DUTCH/CANTED ANGLE
-Sometimes the
camera is tilted (i.e. is
not placed horizontal
to floor level), to
suggest imbalance,
transition and instability.

38. Camera Movements
• Pan Shot
• Tilt Shot
• Tracking Shot
• Zoom
• Dolly
• Pedestal

39. Camera Movements
PAN
-Moving the camera
lens to one side or
another. Look to your
left, then look to your
right — that’s panning.

40. Camera Movements
TILT
-Moving the camera’s
lens up or down while
keeping its horizontal
axis constant. Nod your
head up and down –
this is tilting.

41. Camera Movements
ZOOM
-It involves changing
the focal length of the
lens to make the
subject appear closer
or further away in the
frame.

42. Camera Movements
DOLLY
-This is a motion towards
or motion from. The name
comes from the old “dolly
tracks” that used to be
laid down for the heavy
camera to move along

43. Camera Movements
TRUCK
-Trucking is like dollying, but it
involves motion left or right.
Truck left means “move the
camera physically to the left
while maintaining its
perpendicular relationship.”

44. Camera Movements
PEDESTAL
- Moving the camera
up or down without
changing its vertical or
horizontal axis.