Codes and conventions in media

1. CODES AND
CONVENTIONS.
BY Amna Afzal

2. WHAT ARE CODES AND CONVENTIONS?
• What are codes? Codes are a system of signs which create a meaning, these codes
can be divided into two categories, which are symbolic and technical.
• The technical codes are the ways in which the equipment is used in media to tell a
story, for example the camera work in a film.
• Symbolic codes can show what is beneath the surface of what the audience see, for
example a characters actions show the audience how the character is feeling which
engages the audience to them.
• Some codes are able to fit into both categories, for example music is bith technical
and symbolic.

3. CONVENTIONS
• Conventions are the general accepted ways of doing something, it’s a way in which
something is usually done, conventions are genre specific.
• How do codes and conventions apply in media studies? Codes and conventions are
used together in any study of genre it is not enough to discuss a technical code
used such as camera work, without saying how it is conventionally used in a genre.
• An example would be the technical code for lighting is used in some way or another
in films genre. It is a convention of the horror genre that side and back lighting is
used to create mystery and tension.

4. DIFFERENT TYPES OF HORROR
• Saw i-s a good example of gory and torture horror genre film, it involves loads of
explicit images and people torturing themselves with sharp objects in order to
escape which makes the audience scared and jumpy.
• The exorcist - this involves religious and satanic possessions.
• Friday 13th – which is a slasher and psychological type of horror.
• There are plenty of codes and conventions for horror involving characters props, sub
genres, sound and music, the villain and killer, the location and setting is a main key
in horror as that is what sets the mood.
• Examples on next slide.

5. • The characters – they tend to be ether in a group of teenagers , the villain or killer, children
and parents
• The props in horror movies is what makes the movie a horror as that is a main key theme as
to what they use to scare the audience they mainly use weapons such as: knife, gun,
machete, chainsaw, and axe these are mainly used for murders or to inflict pain upon a
person. This allows the character have a slow and gruesome death this creates certain moods
on the audience and adrenaline.
• The villain or killer - which can be a psychopath, this can involve an evil ghost or spirit a
mental patient, and masked murderers, killers in the genre of horror are usually male.
• Sub genre – could be religious related, monster, sci-fi, teen slasher or involving vampires.
• Sound and music – this involves use of non diegetic and diegetic music in order to create an
atmosphere to the audience as well as tension and suspense setting certain moods on the
audience.
• Victims in a a group a certain character can be targeted for example a female character as
they are seen as sexual objects, a psychopath or killer would b interested if a male as they
get thrill out of inflicting pain upon them, or this female can be known as a “slut” so she is
the first one to be punished and murdered.

6. CODES AND CONVENTIONS FOR
COMEDY
• The settings can be based on the comedy type, we can get a parody of horror and
comedy so this can be either in the woods or an isolated or dark place. However
comedy is most commonly used in light and bright places in cities and well
populated areas.
• Teen comedy – this is mainly based in a school or a setting in a small town.
• -Technical codes such as there are many high shot angles as the cameras are placed
very naturally to create a calm atmosphere whilst it goes along side the characters,
editing sounds and adding non diegetic sounds to create humour and effect for the
audience and a lot of medium shot angles in order to catch the characters facial
expressions again increasing the humour

7. • -Iconography, which involves the light which is often shot during the day time and is
bright, the colours are cheerful and happy colours such as yellow and blue are used,
props such as golf courses, super markets, beaches and football places add effect on
humour.
-Characters such as stupid people, socially awkward and a smart person, sarcastic
people who are normal regular people in which accidents may happen to them.
-Theme types such as Parody, Romantic comedy, Anarchic Comedy, Gross-outs and
screwball comedy.

8. HOW THIS HAS HELPED
• This has helped the group to understand the codes and conventions we need to
consider when creating our final product, I have chosen to look at the codes and
conventions of comedy and horror as these are the two main genres that are being
focused on in our final product.
• I am now able to identify what needs too be used in our final product when creating
our film as this has helped us, I feel more comfortable in the setting and scene of
where the film needs to be filmed and how. Also using certain characters to make
the atmosphere and set certain moods.