This document summarizes the codes and conventions used in a still image video project. It uses black and white photos by Mary Ellen Mark set to the song "The Funeral" by Band of Horses. The Hermeneutic and Proairetic codes create mystery and action to engage viewers. The Semantic code conveys emotion through the photos' expressions, positions, settings and props matching the emotional song. Symbolic codes make each photo symbolic of social issues like loneliness. The Cultural code captures real social issues through the American photographer and band's truthful depictions of homelessness, loneliness, and addiction.

1. Still Image Video Codes
and Conventions
Photographer: Mary
Ellen Mark
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Song: The funeral –
Band Of Horses
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My Still Image
Video

2. The music
I chosen this song because….....I like it.
The song has a lot of power and emotion in it
which would be really easy to convey this using
still images.

3. The Hermeneutic Code (ENIGMA CODE)
and
The Proairetic Code (ACTION CODE)
These two codes work together to develop the video and makes the
audience want to keep watching.
The images in my video holds a lot of enigma and action codes
within them. No explanation is given as each image appears which
creates a mystery for the viewer to solve. The viewer would
wonder why the subjects in the image have that expression and why
are they positioned in a certain way in the composition….
My choice in black and white photos filters out the colours which
are the distractions to the main subject. This way we can focus
mainly on the subjects expressions and positioning. It also makes
the photos more dramatic, powerful and emotional looking.

4. The Semantic Code (SEMANTIC
or LINGUISTIC CODE)
The song I chose matches with images really well I think………….The song itself is
pretty emotional and powerful which links to the images. The images also convey a
lot of emotion, so I thought that the combination of the song and images would fit.
The semantic codes in the images would be the expressions, positioning, setting and
props of the subjects. This gives the viewers a hint of the mood I am trying to show
in the video.
Another reason for why I chose black and white photography is because it
symbolises ‘documentary’, the images will have more realism added to it which
expresses the emotions of the photos even more.

5. The Symbolic Code
(SYMBOLISM)
Each image is symbolic to whichever social issue the
photographer has aimed to show.
For example this image we can
immediately tell that the image
connotes loneliness. The composition
we only see the main subject in a
really empty background, and the use
of the doll as the prop allows for the
photographer to convey loneliness.

6. The Cultural Code (CULTURAL or
REFERENTAL CODE)
Most of the images connotes 1 of the following social issues:
homelessness, loneliness, drug addiction, and prostitution. The
images holds the truth of the social issues around the world which
increases the power of the emotions conveyed within the images.
My chosen band and photographer are both from America, which
again links to each other.

7. How the video conveys my
personality?
• I thought carefully on what song and which artist to work with
which shows that I am not lazy.
• Though some of the quality of the images might show I am lazy…
• Though the length of the video shows that I am not lazy…
• The fact that my video can show these different points
suggests I am indecisive.