Generic codes and conventions

2.  You Must – be able to explain the meaning of
the key concept genre.
 You Should – be able to identify different codes
and conventions in different genres.
 Amazing If - you can provide examples to
demonstrate the relationship between genre
and other media concepts (representation,
narrative, audience)

3. What do you think that genre means?
 Write down your definition! Use a dictionary if
possible.
 Genre is…

4.  Genre (from Latin Genus, meaning category)
is a French word that means type, kind, style
or category.
 In Media Studies terms it refers to a type of
media text with certain predictable
characteristics.

5.  How does this look like when speaking of
MUSIC?
 Provide examples of different music genres
and list some of their characteristics.
 How does this look like when speaking of FILM?
 Provide examples of different music genres
and list some of their characteristics.

6. A hybrid genre is when two genres are joined
together.
For example:
 A rom-com (romantic comedy) – romance and
comedy e.g. TheWedding Singer,TheWedding
Crashers,...
 A black comedy – horror and comedy e.g.
Shaun of the Dead, Scary Movie,...

7. How do we know which genre a film fits into?
In other words, how can we identify a genre?
 We can identify a genre by its codes and
conventions.

8.  A code is a system of symbols used to represent
something (i.e. an idea or a concept)
 The alphabet is the best known code. By
combination of letters we form words which
convey meanings.
 The colours connote meanings as well, so we
can codify them (i.e. traffic lights, white for
wedding dresses, black for funerals,…)

9.  Identify codes in this image.

10. ENVY

11. Identify codes in
this image.
What genre
does this film
belong to?

12.  A convention is the way in which something is
usually done.
 A convention is the repetition and reinforcement
of normative values based on or in accordance
with what is generally done or believed.
 For example: “women wear skirts, men wear
trousers” or “people wear black in funerals and
women wear white in weddings”

13.  Conventions are the typical characteristics
particular to a specific genre. For example
the characters, storyline, setting, music and
sound effects, etc.
 The term convention refers to the repetition
and reinforcement of normative values.

14.  The effect of any genre is only possible if there is a
previous basic knowledge and understanding of a
media product.
 It is a system where expectation and surprise are
established by involving both REPETITION and
DIFFERENCE.

15.  Identify the conventions in these film posters.

17. Identify the conventions in these film posters.

19. Identify the codes and conventions in these action-adventure film posters:

20.  Hyper masculine men
 Woman in distress
 Fighting
 Car chases
 Hero/Heroine
 Villains/Baddies
 Explosions
 Sidekicks
 Characters with special
powers
 Dangerous missions to save
the world/other people
 Weapons
 Gadgets
What are the conventions of the action-
adventure genre?

21. Match the key words with the definitions by
drawing a line connecting them.
 Genre
 Codes
 Conventions

22.  Genre
 Codes
 Conventions
The repetition and
reinforcement of
normative values.
A system of symbols
used to represent
something.
A certain type or
kind, style or
category.

23.  Genre
 Codes
 Conventions
The repetition and
reinforcement of
normative values.
A system of symbols
used to represent
something.
A certain type or
kind, style or
category.

24.  Genre
 Codes
 Conventions
The repetition and
reinforcement of
normative values.
A system of symbols
used to represent
something.
A certain type or
kind, style or
category.

25.  Genre
 Codes
 Conventions
The repetition and
reinforcement of
normative values.
A system of symbols
used to represent
something.
A certain type or
kind, style or
category.

26. All genres are defined by a series of codes and
conventions.
Codes are a system of symbols used to communicate
a message or idea.
Conventions typical characteristics particular to a
specific genre.
Lets have a look at how does this work on magazine
covers.

27.  List as many science fiction film conventions as
you can think of.
 List as many thriller film conventions as you can
think of.

28.  Search for three film posters of your favourite genre.
 Differentiate between codes and conventions in
those posters
 List as many codes and conventions as you can think
of.

29. Background
CONVENTION:
Forest, haze,
dark colours
representing the
wild, the
unknown,
mystery,
bleakness
and danger.
CODE: Rubik’s
cube reference,
representing an
enigma (such as
a puzzle or a
riddle)
CODE: Mystery,
enigma (“You
think you
know…”)Thriller
and suspense.
CONVENTION:
Haunted house
horror
sub-genre
CONVENTION:
Premiered on
Friday 13th,
date associated
with horror
films
CODE: Dark
colour (black
and white)
connoting ideas
of cold and
death.

30.  Search for three magazine covers of three different
genres.
 Differentiate between codes and conventions in those
magazine covers.
 List as many codes and conventions as you can think of.

31. CODE:
Colour pink.
Conventionally is
a colour
associated with
femininity. Here is
used to represent
femininity and
appeal to a female
target audience. It
also matches the
soft lip tone of the
model in the
image.
CONVENTION:
The model in the
cover is a well
known actress. She
appeals to a female
target audience and
portraits the main
contents of this
magazine genre:
fashion, beauty and
celebrity.
CONVENTION:
The size of the
masthead is the
biggest text in the
cover.This is
because the
masthead is the
name/title of the
magazine.
CONVENTION:
The model’s face
is in front of the
masthead, while
this is still easily
legible

32.  Why do you think the action-adventure or
horror genres are so popular? Why do people
like to watch action-adventure and horror
films?
 Explain your answer in 100 words.

33.  Choose three different music videos of the
same genre.
 Analyse the codes and conventions in those
cases of study.
 The more exhaustive your analysis is, the
higher your grade will be!

34. Effort Level: Description:
1 Excellent – all work completed, with great detail,
description.
2 Good – most work completed but more detail required.
3 Satisfactory – some work completed.
4 Unsatisfactory – some work incomplete.
5 Poor – most work incomplete.

35. Progress Bar:
Circle your effort level for today’s lesson.
1 2 3 4 5
Progress Bar:
• Circle your effort level for today’s lesson.
1 2 3 4 5
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