kezies media blog

What are the Codes and Conventions?

Remember, codes and conventions are the defending features of a Genre- they are what makes a media text what it is. With moving image texts (Tv shows and films) Codes and Conventions can be elements of:

Mise-en-scene
Everything in the scene/frame props, costumes, setting, lighting, performance, facial expression and make up.
Narrative/Structure-Story
Setting
Character
Theme- Ideas/Morals explored
Sound- Diegetic,in the world of the show.Non Diegetic, not in the world of the show.
Cinematography- Camerawork.

Textual Analysis
Textual Analysis is the process of breaking down a text into its various elements and studying them to analyse how meaning is created. When analysing moving image media (such as film or television) we must examine the following areas:

-Camerawork (shots,angles,movements)
-Editing (how shots have been put together)
-Sound (both diegetic and non diegect)
-Special Effects (if there are any)
-Mise-en-scene (costume,make up, facial expression,props, setting, performance)

-Wide Shot/ Establishing Short
-Long Shot
-3/4 Shot
-Mid Shot
-Medium Close up
-Close Up
-Big Close up
-Extreme Close up

Low-
-Camera looking up at subject,making it look bigger.
Canted-
-Camera is tilted to make subject look slanted.
High-
-Cameras looking down on subject making it look smaller.
Worms eye-
-Extreme low angle, camera very low looking up
Eye level
-Camera is pointed directly at subject
Birds eye/Aerial
-extreme high angle,looking straight down.
Point of view shot
-Camera shoots from a character point of view.
Over the shoulder shot
-Camera shoot over a character shoulder.
Top
Crab
-The camera move sideways,like a crab does.
Pan
-The camera stays in the same spot but pivots left or right.
Side
Tilt
-The camera stays in the same spot but tilts up or down.
Dolly
- Also known as tracking, the camera moves backwards or forwards.