LESSON: MEDIA AND INFORMATION

LANGUAGES

Types of Media Language

Codes
Conventions
Genre
 OBJECTIVES
• At the end of this lesson, learners will be able
to:

define and identify genres, codes, and

conventions;
explain how codes and conventions are used in
constructing media messages and,
produce and assess the codes, convention, and
messages through a music video presented.
 What is Media Language?

-it is the way in which the meaning of media text

is conveyed to the audience.
*Audience – the once that consume the media
product
*Producers –the people engaged in the process
of creating and putting together the media
content to deliver a finished media products.
 Two types of audience

1.Target Audience – it refers to the group of people

whom media text is especially addressed because of a
set of characters that they share, such as age, gender,
profession, class, and so on.

2.Active Audience –it refers to the theory that people

receive and interpret media message as if it is the light
of their own history, perspective and experiences so
that the different group of people may interpret the
same message in different ways.
 What are CODES and
CONVENTIONS?
• CODES

- Systems of signs which create meaning

• CONVENTIONS
- Generally accepted ways of doing something
 Types of Codes

CODE

Technical Symbolic Written

 Ways in which equipment used to story and tell

 Camera techniques, framing, depth of field,
lighting, and exposure.
Technical codes –ways in which equipment
is used to tell the story

a. Camerawork – it refers to how the camera is

operated, positioned and moved for specific effects.
Aspects of camerawork include positioning,
movement, framing, exposure, and lens’s choice.

b. Editing – it is the process of choosing,

manipulating and arranging images and sound.
c. Audio –is the expressive or naturalistic use of
sound. The three aspects of audio are dialogue,
sound effects, and music.

d. Lighting – is the manipulation of natural or

artificial light to selectively highlight specific
elements of the scene. Elements of lighting
include quality, direction, source, and color.
Basic Camera Shots
 TYPES OF SHOTS
• Abbreviation/ meaning/ description/ effect:

• ECU – extreme close up of eyes/face: aggression,

discomfort
CU – close up of head/reaction: intimacy
CU head and shoulders – 2–3 people
MS – medium shot: to waist, 2–3 people
MLS – medium-long shot: full-body normal view
LS – long shot: room, normal view
ELS – extreme long shot: house, establishing the setting
ES – establishing shot: city, establishing the venue
Angle Shots
 CAMERA ANGLES

• Low angle: camera looks up – subject looks large – creates an

impression of power
• Normal or straight angle: camera looks at the subject from eye-
level – subject looks equal to viewer, who feels equal to, and
may even identify with, subject
• High angle: camera looks down – subject appears small –
creates an impression of weakness

Adapted from Mass Media and Popular Culture Resource Binder.

Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Company Canada
Basic Camera Movements
Panning is when you move your camera horizontally; either left
to right or right to left, while its base is fixated on a certain point.
These types of shots are great for establishing a sense of location
within your story.
Tilting is when you move the camera vertically, up to
down or down to up, while its base is fixated to a
certain point. These shots are popular when
introducing a character
 Trucking is the you are moving the camera from left to
right instead of in and out. Again, it is best to do this using a fluid
motion track that will eliminate any jerking or friction.
 Types of Codes

CODE

Technical Symbolic Written

 Show what is beneath the surface of what we

see
 Objects, setting, body language, clothing and
color
 Symbolic Codes – shows what is beneath the
surface of what we see like objects, setting,
body language, clothing, color, or iconic symbols
that can be effortlessly understood.

a. Setting – is the time and place of the narrative.

b. Mise en scene –is the French term that means

“everything within the frame.” It includes set
design, costume, props, staging, and composition.
• c. Acting – it is the character portrayals
through facial expression, body language ,
vocal qualities, movement, and body contact.

• d. Color – it has a highly cultural connotations.

When studying the use of color in a media
product, the different aspects to be looked at
are dominant color, contrasting foils, and color
symbolism.
If given this kind of color in cinematographic. It has meaning that this film is in the past.
If switched from colored to black and white then it means throwback.
With the clothing and the sword fight, this gives us an idea that this film is a
Chinese Action Film.
Very iconic, the Flash. With the effects of speed light we will have an idea that he
was moving fast interpretation.
From the film IT, whenever a red balloon appears, it will give us an idea that
something is going to happen.
 Types of Codes

CODE

Technical Symbolic Written

 use of language style and textual lay-out

 Headlines, captions, speech bubbles,
language style
What is Conventions?
Conventions – are the generally accepted ways of doing
something. Examples of conventions are money,
blood, killing, fighting, guns, murder and bombing
depicted in action movies or time travel, space travel,
aliens, and advance technologies in sci-fi movies.
a. Form conventions – are certain ways of what we
expect for the type of media’s code to be arranged.
Ex.
1. An audience expects to have a title of the film at the
beginning and then credits at the end
2. Newspaper will have a masthead, with the most
important news on the front page and sports on the
back page
3. Video games usually start with tutorial to explain the
mechanics of how the game works
b. Story conventions – are commonly narrative
structures and understanding that are common
in storytelling media products.
Ex. narrative structures, cause and effect, and
character construction and point of view.
c. Genre conventions –point to the common use
of tropes, characters, setting, or theme in a
particular type of medium.
 What is GENRE?
 Comes from the French word meaning ‘type’
or ‘class’
 Can be recognized by its common set of
distinguishing features (codes and
conventions)
 Example features of genre are
setting, character type, or technical codes
(lighting or music)
Types of Genre
• Action and Adventure
• Comedy
• Fantasy
• Horror
• Mystery
• Drama
• Science Fiction
Activity
• Guide questions
1. What is the genre of the movie?
2. What technical codes are observed from the
video? Can you cite and explain the technical
code used?
 ENJOY
LEARNING!