Media Studies (9257) | Codes, Conventions and Genres

Welcome to Media Language: Codes, Conventions and Genres!

Hello! This chapter is where we learn the "secret language" of the media. Think of media products—like films, magazines, or advertisements—as complex messages. To understand them fully, we need to know the 'grammar' and 'vocabulary' they use.

This section, Codes, Conventions and Genres, is crucial because it gives you the tools to analyze *how* and *why* media producers make specific choices to communicate specific meanings. Don't worry if these terms seem tricky; we'll break them down using clear examples you already know!

Quick Review: Why do we study Media Language?

• To understand how media products communicate meanings (3.5.1).
• To apply this knowledge when analyzing, evaluating, and creating your own media products.

1. Codes and Conventions: The Rules of Media Language (3.5.1.2)

Every media product—from a newspaper article to a blockbuster film—operates under a set of rules. We call these rules **codes** and **conventions**. When a producer selects and combines specific signs, they are creating meaning that audiences (like you) unconsciously understand.

What is a Code?

A **Code** is essentially a sign or a system of signs that carry meaning. They are the individual building blocks (the vocabulary).

Analogy: If you see the colour red, that is a code.

What is a Convention?

A **Convention** is the accepted, common, and expected way that codes are used. They are the 'rules' of the media language.

Conventions become established through repetition—if we see the same thing in the same context often enough, we expect it.

Analogy: If you see the colour red on a stop sign, the convention is that red means "stop" or "danger."

Key Takeaway:

Codes are the signs; Conventions are the expectations about how those signs will be used. They work together to make media messages clear.

---

2. Deconstructing the Codes (The Building Blocks)

Media codes are generally split into three main categories: Technical, Symbolic, and Verbal/Non-Verbal. You need to know these specific types and be able to identify them in your Selected Media Products (SMPs).

Classification of Media Codes

Verbal and Non-Verbal Codes

• Verbal Codes: Written language, dialogue, voiceovers, lyrics, or captions.
• Non-Verbal Codes: Body language, facial expressions, gestures, and the actions of characters.

Technical Codes

These are the elements created by the equipment (camera, lighting, sound gear) or during post-production.

• Shot Types: Specific camera framing (e.g., a close-up conveys intimacy or emotion; a long shot establishes the setting).
• Composition: How the visual elements are arranged within the frame (e.g., using the rule of thirds, or placing the main character in the center to show power).
• Video and Photographic Codes: Includes elements like lighting, colour correction, and depth of field.
• Digital and Post-production Codes, CGI: Effects added after filming, such as computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create unreal environments or special effects (like explosions or fantastical creatures).

Symbolic Codes

These codes refer to what things *mean* culturally or contextually.

• Mise-en-scène (Pronounced: "meez-ahn-sen"): Literally meaning "everything within the frame." This is a huge concept encompassing costumes, props, setting, lighting, and staging.
  • Example: A character wearing all black (costume) standing in a dimly lit, old mansion (setting) immediately symbolises themes of mystery, villainy, or tragedy.
• Design, Layout, and Typography: Crucial for print media (magazines, adverts) and websites.
  • Example: A serious news site uses a clean, simple font (typography) and a grid layout (design) to suggest authority and professionalism.

Sound Codes

Sound is key to atmosphere and meaning. We divide sound into two categories based on where the sound 'exists' in the world of the media product.

Memory Aid: D.I.E. = Dialogue IN the story world.

• Diegetic Sound: Sound that comes from within the narrative world of the product. The characters can hear it.
  • Examples: Dialogue, footsteps, a car engine, music playing from a radio within the scene.
• Non-Diegetic Sound: Sound that is added for the audience only. The characters cannot hear it.
  • Examples: A dramatic orchestral soundtrack, a sudden sound effect used for emphasis, or a voiceover narration (unless the character is narrating their own thoughts).

---

3. Shaping Reality and Communicating Ideology

The core purpose of codes and conventions is not just to tell a story, but to portray different aspects of reality and put over specific points of view.

Creating Stories and Points of View

Producers make conscious choices about which codes to select and deselected. This selection process inevitably shapes how we, the audience, interpret the "reality" shown.

• A news broadcast uses codes (formal clothing, professional typography, serious voiceover) to portray its story as truthful and objective.
• A fantasy film uses CGI and extreme lighting (technical codes) to create a world that is clearly very unreal, entertaining us precisely because it defies reality.

The Role of Ideology

You only need a basic understanding of this concept, so don't worry!

Ideology refers to a system of shared beliefs, values, and assumptions held by a group or society. Media products often use codes to make certain ideologies seem natural, normal, and simply "the way the world is."

For example, a traditional family sitcom might use codes (a large, comfortable house; clean lighting; happy, smiling faces) to promote the ideology that a conventional nuclear family structure is the only route to happiness. By using familiar conventions, the ideology seems very real and unquestionable.

---

4. Understanding Genre: Repetition and Variation

Genre is simply a way of categorizing media products based on shared characteristics (like themes, conventions, and codes). Think of it as a set of expectations.

The Principles of Genre: Repetition and Variation

Genre is dynamic—it is always changing, but it must strike a balance between predictability and novelty.

1. Repetition: This means consistently using the same conventions associated with the genre. Repetition reassures the audience that they are watching the type of product they expected (e.g., we expect a mystery plot in a detective show).
2. Variation: This means introducing slight changes or updates to the established conventions. Variation prevents the genre from becoming boring or outdated (e.g., a Western film set on Mars instead of the traditional American frontier).

Did you know? This balance of repetition and variation is vital for commercial success. Audiences like comfort (repetition), but they also like to be surprised (variation)!

Why Genres Appeal (Producers and Audiences)

Genres appeal to both sides of the media equation for different, often interconnected, reasons:

• Appeal to Producers (Economic Reasons):
  • Genres provide a formula for success. If a horror film made money last year, producers assume another horror film will also be profitable (low risk).
  • They make marketing easier, as the target audience is clearly defined.
• Appeal to Audiences (Cultural and Audience-led Reasons):
  • Familiarity: Audiences enjoy the comfort and predictability of knowing what they are going to get.
  • Identity: Liking a certain genre (e.g., Sci-Fi or Documentary) can become part of an audience member's cultural identity.
  • Mood: Audiences choose genres based on their emotional needs (e.g., comedy for a laugh, thriller for excitement).

---

5. Advanced Genre Concepts

Hybrids

A **Hybrid** is a media product that mixes the codes and conventions of two or more established genres. This is a common form of variation used to keep genres fresh and appeal to a broader audience.

• Example 1: A 'Rom-Com' (Romantic Comedy) is a hybrid combining the conventions of romance (relationship struggle, 'meet cute') and comedy (slapstick, witty dialogue).
• Example 2: 'Sci-Fi Western', combining the settings and morality of the Western genre with the futuristic technology of Sci-Fi.

Intertextuality

**Intertextuality** is when a media product makes a reference to, or relies on, the audience having knowledge of, another media product. It is a highly effective way for producers to target specific, knowledgeable audiences and is often used in advertising or comedy.

• Example 1: A TV advertisement that directly copies the famous shower scene music from the film Psycho (1960) is using intertextuality. The audience immediately understands the reference to fear and suspense.
• Example 2: A magazine cover that uses the iconic font and layout of a classic film poster.

You've finished the Codes, Conventions, and Genres section! Remember, practicing your analysis skills on your SMPs (Selected Media Products) is the best way to master this content. Keep identifying those codes!