Definition of codes and conventions

Codes - codes are the way something in a film makes you feel. There are 2 types of code, symbolic codes are the way a chaacters actions make the audience feel, e.g. If the character is walking slow and trying to be quiet we understand that she is scared and the audience also feel scared. There are technical codes which are the way which equiptment is used, like camera work for example if a camera is hidden in a bush looking at the main character the audience will feel tension. A code is almost never broken.

Conventions - conventions are things that you expect to see in a type of film, in an action adventure film you expect to see car chases and gun fights. Conventions arent alway what things are done but also the way things are done, in a western film the gun fights are often shot from a low angle. Conventions are sometimes broken or mixed which creates sub genres ans mixed genres.

Definition of Genre

Genre is the style that something is in, for example james bond is an action adventure film, it is this because of what it contains, chases, guns and fights. Genre isnt all about whats in the media text but the way it is put together.

Codes and Conventions

Conventions are thing in a genre that you expect to see.

Codes are how certain things can make the audience feel/think.

Western

Conventions -

Guns

Cowboys

Tumbleweed

Saloon

Sheriff

Horses

Ten Gallon Hat

Codes -

The camera that looks all the way down the town to see one person (cowboy) standing at the end this shows the audience that the place is lonely.

The rolling tumbleweed and sand clouds also show the audience that it is an empty land.

Horror

Conventions -

Blood

Gore

Knives

Masks
Screaming Girls

Groups of teens

Codes -

the use of darkness usually builds suspence, most of the time you will hear footsteps in the dark and then see mabye only the weapon.

Sci-Fi

Conventions -

Aliens

Space

Rockets

Lasers

Unknown worlds

unexpected heroes

Codes -

The characters usually start out as 'ordinary' people and we get attatched to the characters, this makes the audience more interested in the film because they dont want to see there favorite killed/lost.

Media definitions.

Media - Media can be anything from a newspaper to a radio program or even a billboard, media is anything that can communicate to a mass audience.

Modern Media - modern media (new media) is any form of media that is new to the time it is in, e.g. notifications on an iPhone app is a form of new media for this period of time.

Mass Media - this is a type of media that reaches the largest audience, a popular radio or television show is mass media because many people hear/see it.

Mediated - this is the term that describes when an action or event has been or is being re-interpreted from someone else's point of view.