Media and

Information
Language
 What is
Language?
Language
Language is considered to be one important
medium to communicate. As a medium of
communication, language is defined as a “system
of arbitrary, vocal symbols that permit all people
in a given culture, or other people who have
learned the system of that culture, to communicate
or to interact” (Finocchioro, in Jiang, 2010).
Media Language
Media language denotes how media producers
make meaning about a certain medium
(advertisement, TV show, film, etc.) they are
producing and how they transfer that meaning
to their target audience. It allows the audience
to convey the meaning of the text through its
signs and symbols.
Different meaning systems:
Denotative meaning is the literal meaning
of the media text.
Connotative meaning refers to the various
interpretations that the text suggests to the
audience which are often associated with
their culture, values, beliefs, etc.
 Activity 7: Give the denotative meaning and
connotative meaning of the following images:
Media Codes and Conventions
Media codes commonly have an
established meaning, denotation or
connotation, to the target audience.
Meanwhile, conventions refer to the
possible methods in which codes are
organized in a product.
Types of Media Codes
There are three types of media codes:
•symbolic codes
•technical codes
• written codes
Symbolic codes
Symbolic codes are audience-based. The meaning
of the product is not based on the product itself
but on the interpretation of the audience. For
example, a film with a scene waving a white flag
symbolizes “retreat” or “surrender”. In reality,
the audience who sees someone waving a white
flag may interpret it the same way.
Setting refers to the time and place of the
narrative or a specific scene. A setting can be
as big as the outback or space, or as small as a
specific room. Setting can even be a created
atmosphere or frame of mind.
Mise en scene is a French term that means
“everything within the frame”. In media
terms, it has become to mean the description
of all the objects within a frame of the media
product and how they have been arranged. It
describes all the features (set design, costume,
props, staging) within a frame of media
products.
Acting refers to the portrayal of the actors
in creating media products.
The actor portrays a character through:
✓ Facial expression
✓ Body Language
✓ Vocal qualities
✓ Movement
✓ Body contact
Color considerations are highly
connotative when it comes to
interpretations. It is also usually associated
with cultural aspects.
The different aspects to consider are:
✓ Dominant color
✓ Contrasting foils
✓ Color symbolism
Technical codes
Technical codes refer to codes specific to a
media form alone. The knowledge and
connotations of different camera angles and
shots make sense when looking at films and
photographs but mean nothing outside
those forms.
Camerawork
refers to the process of operating, positioning, and moving the
camera. for specific effects. Aspects of camerawork include:
➢ Positioning
➢ Movement
➢ Framing
➢ Exposure
➢ Lens choice
Editing
-is the process of choosing, manipulating and
arranging images and sound. Editing is generally
done for four different reasons:
➢ Graphic edits
➢ Rhythmic edits
➢ Spatial edits
➢ Temporal edits
Audio
-is the expressive or naturalistic use of sound.
Audio can be diegetic or non diegetic. The
three aspects of audio are:
➢ Dialogue
➢ Sound effects
➢ Music
Lighting
is the manipulation of natural or artificial light to
selectively highlight specific elements of the scene.
Elements of lighting includes:
➢ Quality
➢ Direction
➢ Source
➢ Colour
Written codes
It is the formal written language used in
creating a media product. Written codes
can be used to advance a narrative,
communicate information about a
character or issues and themes in the
media product.
Printed language is a text you
can see within the frame and
how it is presented.
Spoken language, which includes
dialogue and song lyrics.
Types of Conventions
• Form conventions

• Story conventions

• Genre conventions
Form Conventions

Are the certain ways/ 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

are common narrative structures and

understandings e common in story telling
media products.
Examples of story conventions include:

➢ Narrative structures

➢ Cause and effect

➢ Character construction

➢ Point of View
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.