Digital Media: Media and Audiences

Using Codes and Conventions

Media Conventions
There are three types of Media Conventions. Describe each type and provide an example
that demonstrates its use.

Form Conventions: Form conventions are the certain ways we expect types of media's codes to be
arranged. For instance an audience expects to have a title of the film at the beginning, and then
credits at the end.

Story Conventions: Story conventions are common narrative structures and understandings that
are common in story telling media products. Story conventions include narrative structures, cause
and effect, character construction and point a 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.

Using Media Codes and Conventions

For each of the following images, use callout boxes to identify the Codes and Conventions used. Be
specific in stating which Code/Convention you are referencing with each callout.

1. Television Poster

Pri nted language code: i n

Symbol ic codes: colours
the ba ckground letters
a re da rkened and the use
a re wri tten a lmost l ike
of vi gnette around the
ca rvi ngs. s i des of the poster which
a dds to the genre being
Form convention: The s tars SI-FI
of the s how are a ppearing
on the poster making them a
The l ighting seems to be
focus . da rk a nd at night which can
crea te a s ense of mystery
a nd a dd to the genre of the
s how.
Technical code: Ma in
cha ra cters are facing the
ca mera a nd the main
s ta rs a re shown in front
a nd more s trongly.

Form convention: The

ti tl e is at the centre of
the poster.

Form convention: Release

da te a t the bottom corner of
the poster
 2. Movie Poster
Form convention:
The ti tle of the film
Genre convention: i s i n the centre of
s ymbol of a dinosaur i s
the movi e poster.
us ed behind the title
s uggests it a science
fi cti on genre

Symbol ic code: i n this poster

da rk col ours a re used apart
from the ti ny bit of light at the
end of the ti tle. This could be
s een to reflect the l ast few Form convention: Ta gline i n
s cenes of this movie in which the centre of the centre of the
i s filmed a t night a nd it is pos te.Gives an understanding
of wha t the movie is a bout.
ra i ning.

Form convention:
Rel ease date i s
cl ea rly s tated a t the
bottom of the
pos ter i n the centre.

3. Magazine Cover

Form conventions: master Form convention: Na mes

hea ding is a t the top of the page of the model of bike is
whi ch is most likely the magazine pres ented next to i ts
compa ny. i ma ge.

Genre convention: front

Form convention: cover fea tures a number of
typi ca l layout of a motor bi kes therefore the
ma ga zine with the genre would be tra nsport or
ma s ter headline a t
motorbi kes.
the top of the page
a nd a large image i n
the centre of the
ma ga zine.

Genre convention:
contents of what is
Symbol ic code: Background
col our is red a nd yellow in the magazine
commonly connected with fire are provided
a nd a ction making the magazine below.
more a ppealing to read a nd l ess
bori ng.