This document discusses key concepts in media language including codes, signs, and semiotics. It defines media language as referring to what audiences expect to see in a media text and how they make meaning. It then outlines some of the main technical elements that make up a media text, including mise-en-scene, camera, sounds, and editing. It explains semiotics as the study of signs, and discusses the theories of Saussure on the signifier and signified, and Peirce's categorization of signs into symbols, icons, and indexes. Finally, it mentions Barthes' work in applying semiotic concepts to culture and ideology.

1. Media Language
Question 1B
“Medialanguage referstowhatwe expecttosee andhow tare audiencesknowledgeabletothis”.
 The mediaspecificlanguageswill oftenbe closelyconnectedtoothermediaconceptssuch
as genre or narrative andcandidatesare at libertytomake such connectionstoa greateror
lesserextentintheiranswers.
MediaLanguage – technical elements
 Mise-en-scene
 Camera
 Sounds
 Editing
In mediathe word‘text’isusedtodescribe amediaproductsuch as televisionprogrammes,
photographs,adverts,film,newspaperadverts,radioprogrammes,webpagesetc.
One of the keystounderstandingthe meaningintextsisthe use of codes
Codes– Rulesorconventionsbywhichsignsare puttogethertocreate meaning.
Mise-en-scene
Everythingthatappearsbefore the cameraandits arrangement
Setting
Performance
Costume
Colour
Props
Lighting
Composition/framing/blocking
Camera
Framing:definesthe positionfromwhichthe image wascreated.
Angle:The angle of visionreferstothe camerasangle inrelationtothe vertical.
Type:Thisrefersto the shottype
Movement:Thisreferstothe movementof the camera.
Sound
To tell the audience howtoreactat differentpointsinafilmortelevisionprogramme.
Distinctive sounddevicesare usedforparticulargenre.Itisan important device inestablishingthe
genre foran audience andgettingtheminthe moodfor watchingsomething.

2. Edit
Referstothe joinbetweenshots.
The purpose of conventional editingistomake the joinas smoothas possible-invisible.
The needfornarrative flow,totell a story,ledtothe developmentof the continuitysystemof
editing.
Semiotics: The study of signs
SwisslinguistFerdinandde Saussure (1857-1913)
Signifier + Signified = Sign
The for whichthe signtakes The concept itrepresents
‘Open’Sign The shopisopen
But inorder to workthere mustbe a sharedreference orexperience.
CharlesPeirce (1839-1914) createda categorisationof signs.
 Symbol (Triangle) – a signthat representsanobjectorconcept
solelybythe agreementof the peoplewhouse it.Therefore,
symbolicsignshave noobviousconnectionbetweenthe signand
the object.
 Iconic (rocks) - alwaysresemble whattheysignify.There isa
physical similaritybetweenaphotographora gooddrawingof a
dog andmost people’sexperience of these animals.
 Index(all) – lie betweensymbolicandiconicsigns.Indexical signshave some sortof direct
connectionwithwhatisbeing‘signified’.Forexample,smokeisoftenusedasanindexical
for fire anda tear runningdowna cheekcan be a signfor sorrow.
Roland Barthes (1913 – 1980), appliedabstractideastodailylife andculture.
Bartheslookedathowsignstake on the dominantvalue systemof aparticularsocietyandmake
theirvaluesseemnatural.The dominant valuesystemof asocietyisknownas ideology,awayof
lookingatthingssharedbythe majorityof thatsociety.

3. Barthes showedthat
Saussure’ssign can become a
signifiertocreate,notonlya connotation,buta myth.
We are aware as a society thatwe understandthe meaningsbehindsymbolsalmostun-consciously.
Rememberifyou are doing a musicvideo,include the 4 technical elements.