INFORMATION SHEET # 1.

5-1
TOPIC: Media and Information Languages

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Summary of learning content

At the end of this module you will be able to:

1. evaluate everyday media and information with regard to codes, convention, and messages;

in regards with audience, producers, and other stakeholders

2. produces and assess the codes, convention, and messages

Motivation:

● Analyze the quote, then share what you think about the message.
● Is it possible that a different individual derives a different meaning from the message?
Explain.

“Language may be a source of misunderstandings” by Marshall

McLuhan, 1964

Answer:

Media Language is one of the methods of

communication to the audience. It can be

codes, conventions, formats, symbols and

narrative structures that indicate the meaning of

media messages to an audience.

Different types of media languages: visual, aural, written, verbal, and non-verbal.

● Visual Language

This language communicates through visual elements like television and film based on

specific camera angles and chosen movements, to understand the meaning of the scene. It

is perceived by what our eyes see, then interpreted by our brain, and transform into

thoughts, action, and emotion.

 ● Aural Language

According to a hoary adage, “We are given two ears and one mouth so we can listen twice

as much as we talk.” Aside from oral, listening is the skill that helps to understand and

define the codes and conventions. Aural language refers to language as we hear it that helps

to construct the environment and atmosphere.

● Written Language

From the word itself, meaning it creates a symbol and format through traditional and digital

media. It creates a meaning through text that you can notice in different types of media

such as print, broadcast, and new media to present a story in an organized way.

● Verbal Language

Aside from written, the verbal language is a media language on which to understand a piece

of genre and on how to deliver the content. The important factors are used for context in

different areas such as television, radio and film directly to the audience.

● Non-Verbal Language

. Based on the thoughts, action, and emotion received by the audience it can easily

notice and define the essence of the scene.

Codes and Convention

Codes are systems of signs that when put together create meaning that are used to gather

information and communicate to audiences, producers, and other stakeholders.

Different types of codes: symbolic, written, and technical

● Symbolic Codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see (objects, setting, body

language, clothing, color, etc.) or iconic symbols that are easily understood.
 Different examples of Symbolic Codes

What does a red rose symbolize?

A red rose may convey romance or love.

What does clenched fist symbolize?

A clenched fist must convey anger

What does the colors in a traffic light symbolize?

Red – Stop

Green – Go

Yellow – Ready

● Written Codes use for language style and

textual layout (headlines, captions, speech

bubbles, language style, etc.)

● Technical Codes are ways in which equipment

is used to tell the story. This includes sound, camera angles, types of shots and lighting as well

as camera techniques, framing, depth of field, lighting, exposure and juxtaposition.

Different Camera Shots

▪ Extreme Long Shot is also called extreme wide shots

such as a large crowd scene or a view of scenery as far

as the horizon.
▪ Long shot a view of a situation or setting from a

distance.

▪ Medium Long Shot shows a group of people in

interaction with each other, for example: a fight

scene with part of their surroundings in the

picture.

▪ Full shot a view of a figure’s entire body in order to

show action and/or a constellation group of characters.

▪ Medium Close Shot a medium shot, mid shot, or waist

shot is a camera angle shot from a medium distance.

▪ Close up Shot a full screenshot of a subject’s face

showing the finest nuances of expression.

▪ Extreme Close up Shot a shot of the hand, eye, mouth, or any

object in detail.

▪ Point of View shows a scene from the perspective of a

character or one person. Most newsreel footage is shown

from the perspective of the newscaster.

▪ Over the Shoulder Shot often used in a dialogue scene, a

frontal view of a dialogue partner from the perspective of

someone standing behind and slightly to the side of the

other partner, so that parts of both can be seen.

▪ Reaction Shot is a short shot of a character’s

response to an action.

▪ Insert Shot is a detail shot which quickly gives visual

information necessary to understand the meaning of a

scene.

▪ Reverse-Angle Shot a shot from the

opposite perspective.

▪ Hand – Held Camera Shot: the camera is not mounted on a

tripod and instead is held by the cameraperson, resulting in less

stable shots.
▪ Angle shot is a long or extremely long shot of the

ground from the air.

▪ High Angle Shot shows people or objects from above

higher than eye level.

▪ Low-Angle Shot shows people or objects from below,

lower than eye level.

▪ Eye – Level Shot view a subject from the level of a

person’s eye

▪ Pan Shot the camera pans (moves horizontally) from

left to right or vice versa across the picture

▪ Tilt shot: the camera tilts up (moves upwards) or

tilts down (moves downwards) around a vertical line.

▪ Tracking Shot: the camera follows along next to

or behind a moving object or person.

 ▪ Zoom: the stationary camera approaches a subject by

“zooming in” or moves farther away by “zooming out”.

Conventions refer to a standard or norm that acts as a rule governing behavior and are generally

established and accepted ways of doing something. This is the accepted way of using codes coming

from the audience's expectation through its form, story, and genre. Conventions are used to

establish a way of representing general topics, character and more.

Media producers determine artistic policies for performing arts organizations, prepare and

present news, sports and other information, conduct interviews, introduce music, performances

and special events on radio and television. Specializations include Executive producers, film

producer, stage producer, and television producer. (Stephanie O. Busbus, 2017)

Audience is a group of consumers for whom the media message was constructed as well as anyone

else who is exposed to the message.

Producers are people engaged in the process of creating and putting together media content to

make a finished media product.

Stakeholders refers to a course of action that includes libraries, archives, museums, internet, and

individuals who are involved in and other relevant information providers.