Codes and Conventions

Codes are generally signs that have a meaning to convey. Codes can be divided generally into two categories which are technical and symbolic:

•  Technical codes are for example, the camera work used to make the film. The features and equipment that are used to tell the story, but this could be from anything from a film to a piece of media text. Technical codes could include camera techniques, framing, depth of field, lighting and exposure.

• Symbolic codes are the things which tell us the meaning behind what we are looking at, the "secret messages". This could be as simple as the characters actions or expressions that show what the character is thinking or feeling. Symbolic codes can be the setting, objects, clothing and colour.

Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something, and in the case of media texts, they are the accepted patterns of code that communicate a certain message. When looking at conventions in the genre of the film we can see that the conventions in each type of film are quite specific, for example in Romantic films, there would be a lot of close ups to show the expressions of the characters and the sounds included could be melodic music, or laughter of the couple. Both of these things are conventions.
 
Codes and Conventions are vital in the opening of a film, because the opening of the film is the part that draws the audience in, and interests them in the movie. This is also the part where you find out about certain main characters and you begin to discover the plot of the movie, if the movie does not grasp the audience's interest within the opening then the film would have been a waste of time. Codes and Conventions will help with this because they will help the audience to understand the plotline and what type of characters they will be.

These area few codes and conventions explained for a magazine cover.