Task 2 - Codes and Conventions

Codes

Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two categories – technical and symbolic.
Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in an advert, for example the camera work in a film. Technical codes include camera angle, shot, iconography, editing, lighting, sound, music, computer graphics and special effects (SFX)
Symbolic codes include the language, dress, and actions of characters. Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example, a character's actions show you how the character is feeling.
Iconography is an important aspect of genre. It refers to the traditional or conventional images or symbols associated with a subject.
Some codes fit both categories – music for example, is both technical and symbolic.

Conventions

Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something.
There are general conventions in any medium, such as the use of interviewee quotes in a print article, but conventions are also genre specific. TV adverts are almost all the same length and end with the brand’s logo being featured.

x