Digital Media: Media and Audiences

Codes and Conventions

Using Codes in Media

For each of the following Media Codes, Explain, in your own words what it means and why it is
important in media. Then describe an example from media that you are familiar with

Symbolic Codes
Codes Description Example
Setting The location of something, In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the
where the narrative takes Sawyer family house is in a completely
place rural area, showing that there is no help
for miles.

Mise en Scene Everything that is in In The Miseducation of Cameron Post, the

frame/onscreen three friends are sat together after
escaping God’s Promise

Acting The performance of In Black Swan, there is the use of

characters done by actors proxemics and facial expressions to show
the dynamic between Nina and her
manipulative director.

Colours Symbolises a broader Contrasting colours can suggest opposing

concept or idea sides, like in Star Wars.
Technical Codes
Codes Description Example
Camerawork The movement or angle In They/Them, the low angle of Owen
of the camera can Whistler establishes him as powerful and in
establish character, charge.
location or setting

Editing The amount of cuts made In Pan’s Labyrinth, the minimal cuts during
can determine how fast the fight between Vidal and the Partisans
or slow the pace of a shows the natural pace of the conflict.
scene is

Audio Diegetic or non-diegetic In Jaws, the non-diegetic leitmotif plays

audio can add to the every time the shark approaches, letting the
narrative, like narration audience know what to expect.
or a piece of theme
music (leitmotif)

Lighting High key or low key In Wentworth Prison S7 E9, the low key
lighting can affect the lighting creates a sense of doom, with the
mood of a scene and its strip light over Boomer showing her as the
intensity. hero for fighting back.
Written Codes
Codes Description Example
Printed Language Printed language can In The Grand Budapest Hotel, there is
either be used as a prop, written text for each chapter, part or
or as a chapter/title “checkpoint” throughout the film.
heading for various
points throughout a
piece of media

Spoken Language Dialogue is incredibly In The Shining, the line “Here’s Johnny!” is
important, as it is how one of the more iconic lines of the film,
the story progresses. which further establishes the mental
decline of the main antagonist.