MEDIA CODES and

CONVENTIONS
• Conventions are rules or generally
accepted ways of constructing
form and informing meaning in
media.
• Code is a communication system
which contains elements that
have a set of agreed rules and
can be decoded to elicit
meanings.
TYPES OF MEDIA CODES
• 1. Technical codes use equipment to
convey a story and employ techniques
using camera, framing, lighting, layout,
lines, angle and shapes.
• 2. Symbolic codes pertain to objects,
body language, setting, clothing, and
color.
• 3. Written or audio-visual codes use
captions, font style, headlines, speech
bubbles and style of language
(formal/informal. Upper/lower case)
 Media
Language
• Media languages: This is
how media communicates
to the audience. There are
different types of media
languages which include
written, verbal, non-verbal,
visual and aural.
1. Written Language
• In print-based media, also in text such as
captions for photographs. The language
chosen generates meaning. Captions allow
the publication to present a story in a
particular way.
2. Verbal Language
• In media areas such as television, radio and
film. How the language is delivered and its
context used are important factors in the way
meaning is generated for the audience.
3. Non – Verbal Language
• This is in terms of body language: gestures and
actions. The meaning received by the audience is
seen through how the actor uses their body.

4. Visual Language
• Television and film. What is on the screen has been
chosen specifically to generate a series of effects
and meanings (semiotics). Specific camera angles
and movement are chosen to tell the story and
meaning of that scene.
5. Aural Language
• Diegetic/non-diegetic sound. Sound can help
create a scene and construct the environment,
atmosphere and mood. The aural language of a
media text can also help us to define the genre of
a piece.

• Semiotics
• The study of signs and symbols, discusses the
literal and potential meanings. There are two
identified orders of signification, denotation and
connotation.
• Denotation
• The literal or obvious meaning –
description of what is physically seen or
heard.

• Connotation
• The potential or suggested meaning –
for example a cross
(Christianity/maths/crucifix).
• Codes and conventions: A way of
constructing meaning in media
texts to communicate ideas and
impressions for an audience.
1. Technical codes - how
technology is used to create
meaning
• 2. Symbolic codes - mise-en-
scene - the arrangement of
scenery and stage properties

3. Written codes – words, texts

or conversation
 THEORIST
• Roland Barthes:
Semiotics
• It’s the study of signs, or
of the social production
of meaning by sign
systems, of how things
come to have
significance by meaning.
 THEORIST
• Barthes was a
French linguist
who pioneered
semiotic
analyses of
cultural and
media forms.
• First, a sign has physical form (words
either in a form of marks on paper or
sounds in the air; a fingerprint or
photo). This is called the signifier.
• A sign must be understood as
referring to something other than
itself. This is called the signified and
is a concept.
 Print Media
• You have been given a category of print media
• List what the items in front of you have in common
CD COVERS MAGAZINES FILM POSTERS
 CD Conventions
Spine Artist name
Track name Font reflects artist/group name

Barcode

Record Label Copyright Images Album title

information
Time to Uncover
the CD Album
Direct Address - Where the
individual in the cover makes
direct eye contact with the reader
to achieve intimacy
Cover Lines - Listings that appears
around the main image and tells the
reader what’s inside the magazine.
Anchorage Text - Explains the relevance of
the image

Slogan – A summary of the magazine. Often

boasting statement claiming the magazine is
special or unique.

A life full of best

Stories
Only the Best
 Skyline Text
Positioning Statement

Masthead

Website Date

Cover Line
Anchorage
text
Buzz words
Cover Lines
Key Signifier (image) /
Direct Address

Main Cover Lines Puff/Covermount

Use of two or
three colours

Barcode Magazine Conventions

 Film Poster Conventions

• Persuasive Film Poster - able to

cause people to do or believe
something, to buy or to want
something
• 1. Title – it is displayed in a large
and eye-catching font
 Film Poster Conventions

• 2. Main Image – the main aspect

of the film poster, this is what the
viewers looks first at, to identify
the genre and the actors. It is the
largest image of the
protagonist/antagonist in the film.
3. Secondary Image – the
secondary characters
4. Background image – an image
that could depict the setting
(place) maybe in a symbol or
sign
5. Prop – things used to portray
something about the film
6. Typography - refers to the art of
using words to entice or attract
audience’s attention. Study of the
design of typefaces, and the way in
which the type is laid out on a page to
best achieve the desired visual effect
and to best convey the meaning of the
reading matter.
7. Title of Other film that the company
has made – From the creator of “Shrek”
8. Rating – a phrase or statement
that tells something about the
film that is of good quality and
uniqueness from the critiques.
“The best movie ever for 2016…”
9. Quote – A line from the
dialogue of the characters in the
film. “ ’Til death do us part. . .”
10. Tagline – The idea behind
the concept is to create a
memorable dramatic phrase that
will sum up
the tone and premise of
an audio/visual product, “The End
Begins”, “Nothing Stands Still”
11. Color Scheme – classy,
simple, vivid,
12. Release Date – this is
very important as it’s the
thing people will look for if
they are interested in the
campaign.
13. Legal Information - this doesn’t
really have any impact on the amount
of people wanting to seethe film or
on advertising therefore it is kept
small and discrete but it is there if
people did want to read it.
14. Credit Block – list of production
staff from the directors to the utilities
 Film Poster Conventions Title of Other film that the
company has made
Persuasive copy
Tag line

Main
Images Background
Images

Prop

Title
Name of Actors
Credit Block
Legal Information
www.beginagainstreming.com Website
Release date
Time to uncover the Film Poster