MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

MEDIA LANGUAGE
CODES AND CONVENTIONS
UNDERSTANDING MEDIA TEXTS

Content Standards: The learners understand media and information

codes, conventions, and messages in relation to consumers,
producers, and other stakeholders.

Performance Standards: The learners shall be able to examine and

identify pertinent media and
information codes, conventions and messages given a visual resource.

Learning Competencies
•Evaluates everyday media and information presentations regarding codes, convention,
and message; and how they affect the audience, producers, and other stake holders.
MIL11/12MILA-IIIf-15
• Produces and assesses the codes, conventions, and messages of a group presentation.
MIL11/12MILA-IIIf-16

Specific Learning Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the learners must be able to:
• Identify codes, convention, and message and how they affect the audience, producers,
and other stake holders.
• Reflect on how important information can be conveyed to create the desired impression.
• Understand how media texts are presented and interpreted based on various codes and
conventions
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

As media and information literate individuals, we must clearly understand media and
information codes and conventions. We need to see past just the image and truly
understand the message that a media text and media professionals are communicating.

“Media affect us not only through the information that they deliver but also through their
language, codes, and conventions.” (Marshall McLuhan

TESTER: Choose 1 printed advertisement on any printed materials (newspaper,

magazine, brochures, etc). Afterwards, answer the following questions. (5items,
2pts each)

ADVERTISEMENT: _________________

1. What made you choose the advertisement?

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2. Do you think the advertisement is effective? Why or why not?
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3. What is the most striking part of the advertisement?
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4. What is the message of the advertisement? Why do you think so?
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5. If you were to recreate the advertisement, what would you change and why?
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MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTION

"Codes and conventions are the "grammar" of media languages
that enables us to understand how media and information works, how they
convey meaning, and why they do what they do" (Alagaran, 2017).

Media and information use “texts” to tell stories. In order to

communicate, media and information uses a language or a combination
of language, media language.
Media language is an umbrella term that covers all media codes and conventions.
These codes and conventions function like building blocks of all the media around us.
Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something
Codes or Media Codes are systems of signs which create meaning. There are various
types pf codes in media.
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Photos: Teachers pay teachers.com

SYMBOLIC CODES
These are codes that are used to convey a symbolic meaning. Symbolic codes in
media include setting, mise en scene, acting and color/color palette.
SETTING MISE EN SCENE ACTING COLOR
 time and place  French term that  Facial expression  highly cultural
of the narrative means  Body Language  Aspect like:
 setting of the ‘everything  Vocal qualities Dominant color,
whole story or just within the frame’  Movement Contrasting foils,
a specific scene  Includes: Set  Body contact Color symbolism
 can even be a Design,
created Costume, Props,
atmosphere or Staging and
frame of mind Composition
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

TECHNICAL CODES
Technical codes in media include:
Camerawork (angles and shot types), Editing, Audio and Lighting.
A. Camerawork
Camera angles and movements combine to create a sequence of images, just as
words, word order and punctuation combine to make the meaning of a sentence. You
need a straightforward set of key terms to describe them.

Describing Shots
When describing camera angles, or creating them yourself, you have to think about
three important factors:
a.) The FRAMING or the LENGTH of shot;
b.) The ANGLE of the shot;
c.)If there is any MOVEMENT involved

Camera Angle is based on how the camera is positioned in reference to the subject.
Example, when we say high angle shot, the shot is take from an area higher than the subject.

Camera shot framing is the art and science of placing subjects in your shots. Camera
shots are all about composition. Framing your shot is an important aspect in how you, as a
filmmaker, tell your story to the audience.

The Basic Framing Shots for Film making

Wide/Long Shot  establishes the environment around a specific character or object
Wide (landscape)  reveals to the audience where that character or object is
Long (portrait) positioned in reference to the background

Medium Shot (MED)  waist up

 useful when more than one subject is in frame
 allows the audience to be a little closer to the subject while still
seeing the setting

Medium Close-Up  framed from the chest up

(MCU)  allows the audience to clearly see facial gestures and emotions
without getting too close and personal to the subject

Close-Up (CU)  emphasizes a subject’s emotion or reaction

 very little visual of the surrounding environment
 focus solely on the subject

Extreme Close-Up  commonly used to place an emphasis on a specific object or

(ECU) element
 feature a specific object or element for only a short period of time
on screen
 attention solely on the specific object or element featured
Extreme long/wide  Establishing shot
Shot (ELS/EWS)  character doesn’t necessarily have to be in this shot
 Shows where the scene is taking place
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Camera Angles Camera Movement

FILM TERMS
a) Frame: a single still picture or image
b) Shot: the images that are filmed from the time the camera starts to the time it stops,
with no cuts
c) Sequence: a series of shots on the same subject
d) Cut: stop one shot / abruptly start second; creates the impression of different places,
same time
e) Fade out/in: go to black / go from black to picture; suggests passage of time,
change of place
f) Pan: camera moves from left-to-right or right-to-left across scene from one subject
to another – can be used to create suspense
g) Zoom: camera moves in (tight) or out (wide)
h) Tilt: camera moves vertically, up or down
- Adapted from Mass Media and Popular Culture Resource Binder. Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Company Canada

B. Editing – the process of choosing, manipulating and arranging images and sound.
C. Audio – the expressive or naturalistic use of sound. The three aspects of audio are: dialogue,
sound effects, music and silence.
D. Lighting – the manipulation of natural or artificial light to selectively highlight specific elements
of the scene. Elements of lighting include: Quality, Direction, Source, Color

WRITTEN CODES
Written codes are the formal written language used in a media product. This
includes printed language which is text you can see within the frame and how it is presented,
and also spoken language, which includes dialogue and song lyrics.
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

CONVENTIONS
Conventions are accepted ways of using media codes. Conventions are closely
connected to the audience expectations of a media product. Different types of conventions
include form conventions, story conventions and genre conventions.

Form conventions
 the certain ways we expect types of media’s codes to be arranged
 Examples:
- the audience expects to have a title of the film at the beginning, and then credits at
the end.
-Video games usually start with a tutorial to explain the mechanics of how the game
works.

Story Conventions
 Story conventions are common narrative structures and understandings that are
common in story telling media products. Examples of story conventions include: Narrative
structures, Cause and effect, Character construction, Point of View

Genre Conventions
 Genre conventions point to the common use of tropes, characters, settings or themes in
a particular type of medium. Genre conventions are closely linked with audience
expectations. Genre conventions can be formal or thematic.

ADDITIONAL TERMS TO REMEMBER:

 Messages - the information sent from a source to a receiver.
 Audience - the group of consumers for whom a media message was constructed as well
as
 anyone else who is exposed to the message.
 Producers - People engaged in the process of creating and putting together media
content to make a finished media product.
 Other stakeholders - Libraries, archives, museums, internet and other relevant
information providers.
 Semiotics is the study of signs and their meaning in society. A sign is something which
can stand for something else – in other words, a sign is anything that can
convey meaning.
Understanding Media Text
Media texts can be understood to include any work, object, or event that
communicates meaning to an audience. Most media texts use words, graphics, sounds,
and/or images, in print, oral, visual, or electronic form, to communicate information and
ideas to their audience.
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

 Print – newspapers/magazines (music, lifestyle, women, men, teenage), flyer/print

based advertising, billboard advertising, advertising within other texts, weekend
supplements
 Broadcast – film, TV, advertising
 E-media – social networking sites, newspaper/current affairs sites,
e-mail/communication, web series
 Social networking – Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Youtube, etc.
 Television

Media text provide a baseline to make dissemination more accurate and more efficient
and much faster to keep up with the trend. It is also important in data gathering and
preserving / documenting written oral works, and language translation.

,MUDDIEST PART: How’s it going? I hope you were able to pick something up on
this module. On this part, share what topic seems the most unclear or
‘muddiest.” Explain what makes it unclear or what do you want to be explained
more.

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References:
Aboga, F. and Agapay, R., (Second printing, 1st edition. Media and Information Literacy:
Transforming Society Through Student Empowerment, TechFactors Inc., 2018

Alagaran, J.R, II. (2017). Media and information literacy: Empower the discerning audiences.
Quezon
City: Abiva Publishing House.

Cantor, O.L. Media and Information Literacy. Quezon City: Vibal Group, Inc.,2016

Magpile. C. Media and Information Literacy: Enhancing Education through Effective

Communication. Quezon City:The Inteligente Publishing, Inc.,2016

Media and Information Literacy Curriculum Guide. Retrieved from:

http://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SHS-Core_Media-and-Information
-Literacy-CG.pdf

Media and Information Literacy for Teachers. Module 4: Languages in Media and
Information.Retrieved from:
http://unesco.mil-for-teachers.unaoc.org/modules/module-4/unit-4/
Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/6118922/MEDIA
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Media and Information Literacy

Governor Pack Road, Baguio City, Philippines
2600
Tel. Nos.: (+6374) 442-3316, 442-8220; 444-2786;
442-2564; 442-8219; 442-8256; Fax No.: 442-6268 Grade Level/Section:
Email: email@uc-bcf.edu.ph; Website: www.uc-bcf.edu.ph

MODULE 3 – Media
Subject Teacher:
Language

Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: ___________________

Section: _____________________________________________________ Score: __________________

ACTIVITY 1: Multiple Choice. Read each test item carefully. Write the letter corresponding to
your answer before each number. (10 items, 1 point each)

1. These are system of signs which create meaning to the receiver.

A. Codes C. Language
B. Convention D. Message

2. It is a code used to tell the story

A. Media C. Technical
B. Symbolic D. Written

3. Body language, clothing, colors are examples of what code?

A. Media C. Technical
B. Symbolic D. Written

4. Information or data are stored. What do media practitioners use as communication

channels through which they disseminate them?
A. Codes C. Language
B. Convention D. Media

5. In movies, what colors are usually used to symbolize evil?

A. Black and Blue C. Black and Red
B. Black and Gray D. Black and White

6. Sounds and lighting are examples of what kind of code?

A. Media C. Technical
B. Symbolic D. Written

7. Sound is one of the most commonly used codes in media. When a movie scene
has a sound of a wind, what does it signify?
A. Something awful will happen
B. Something memorable will happen
C. Something terrifying will happen
D. Something unpredictable will happen

8. In a newspaper, the most important news is written with different fonts. Where
is this news usually placed?
A. Back page C. Entertainment page
B. Center page D. Front page

9. In a fantasy film, one would expect to see magic wands, demons, colorful
settings, basically things that are fictional and unreal in our world. What is this
widely recognized way of doing things which has to do with content, style and
form?
A. Codes C. Genre
B. Convention D. Symbols

10. Camera shots are used differently to capture the message that the
photographer wants to tell the audience. When he wants to give the audience a
 MEDIA LANGUAGE, CODES AND CONVENTIONS

bit of context or location of the subject, what kind of shot will he apply?
A. Close-up shot C. Over the Shoulder shot
B. Medium or Long shot D. Unusual/ Alternative shot

ACTIVITY 2: Application
Direction: Identify and choose 2 commercials on television. Compare the technical codes,
written codes, audio codes and symbolic codes using the table below. (1item, 10pts)

CODES COMMERCIAL A (IDENTIFY) COMMERCIAL B (IDENTIFY)

Technical

Written

Audio

Symbolic