b322 - Q1, - lesson 3

1. Question 1: Conventions
L/O: to review act/adv codes and conventions and be able to give
examples of some in a group
identify and explain genre conventions in a clip/film example

2. Act/Adv s__________
• There are many different _________ of act/adv genres which all have their
own set of codes and conventions, these are called s_________.
• Name the act/adv subgenres you were introduced to:
• S__________ (ie. __________)
• D__________ (ie. __________)
• F_________ (ie. __________)
• Q_______ (ie. __________)
• T_________ (ie. __________)
• H__________ (ie. __________)
film example bank (i.e.)
Gladiator
The Day After Tomorrow
Avatar
The Fugitive
The Pirates of the Caribbean
Indiana Jones

3. Act/Adv subgenres
• There are many different types/categories of act/adv genres which all have
their own set of codes and conventions, these are called subgenres.
• Name the act/adv subgenres you were introduced to:
• Swashbuckler (ie. The Pirates of the Carribbean)
• Disaster (ie. The Day after Tomorrow)
• Fantasy (ie. Avatar)
• Quest (ie. Indiana Jones)
• Thriller (ie. The Fugitive)
• Historical (ie. Gladiator)

4. Codes and conventions
• What are codes?
• Codes are systems of ________, which create __________. Codes can be divided into two categories:
technical and symbolic.
• Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the ________ in a media text, for example
the camera work in a film. (AKA as media l____________)
• Symbolic codes show what is ___________ the surface of what we see. For example, a character's actions
show you how the character is ___________.
• Some codes fit both categories – music for example, is both technical and symbolic.
• What are conventions?
• Conventions are the generally a__________ ways of doing something. There are general conventions in any
medium, such as the use of interviewee quotes in a print article, but conventions are also ________ specific.
• How codes and conventions apply in media studies
• Codes and conventions are used t____________ 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.
• For example, the technical code of lighting is used in some way in all film genres. It is a convention of the
horror genre that side and back lighting is used to create mystery and suspense – an integral part of any
horror movie.

5. Codes and conventions
• What are codes?
• Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two categories: technical and
symbolic.
• Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, for example the
camera work in a film. (AKA as media language)
• Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example, a character's actions show
you how the character is feeling.
• Some codes fit both categories – music for example, is both technical and symbolic.
• What are conventions?
• Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something. There are general conventions in any
medium, such as the use of interviewee quotes in a print article, but conventions are also genre specific.
• How 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.
• For example, the technical code of lighting is used in some way in all film genres. It is a convention of the
horror genre that side and back lighting is used to create mystery and suspense – an integral part of any
horror movie.

6. Narrative conventions
• Narrative = characters and events
• Narrative convention of disaster films = characters dealing with an
oncoming or existing disaster and the aftermath

7. Task
• Objective: to think of examples of conventions in act/adv films and then teach
and/or learn further conventions
• Film examples:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku_IseK3xTc The Day After Tomorrow
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kw1UVovByw Skyfall
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-b7B8tOAQU Gladiator
• 3 mins in table groups to write down conventions together
• Then sit in 12 ‘partners’ around the room
• Like ‘speed dating’, each pair will exchange their best tip, you will rotate 3-4
times.

8. Fact sharing
Sami
Alex
James
Jack C
Emmanuel Sam Lewis Jordan
Zain
Kavinash
Michael
Liam
Husnain
Jack M
Kieron
Mikael Karl
Kane Cameron Thomas
Niko
Jaguar
Alfie
Quinn

9. Homework