Media Codes & Conventions
Conventions - what you would expect to find within a genre ie soap opera's -cliffhangers.
Codes - How camera, sounds, mise-en-scene editing and special effects are used to communicate, manipulate and engage the audience and also to make the audience think, feel and expect certain things.
Western
The conventions you would expect to find within a western is obvious your typical hero/villain characters, cowboys, guns, deserts, tumbleweeds and the list goes on. These conventions are used for a specific reason, they are used so you automaticly realise what the genre of the film is whilst watching it in this case a western.
Camera Shots
Conventions - what you would expect to find within a genre ie soap opera's -cliffhangers.
Codes - How camera, sounds, mise-en-scene editing and special effects are used to communicate, manipulate and engage the audience and also to make the audience think, feel and expect certain things.
Western
The conventions you would expect to find within a western is obvious your typical hero/villain characters, cowboys, guns, deserts, tumbleweeds and the list goes on. These conventions are used for a specific reason, they are used so you automaticly realise what the genre of the film is whilst watching it in this case a western.
Camera Shots
The conventional camera shots within a western include:
- Extreme close ups on eyes guns hands etc to create tension and to show important
objects which may play an important part later on in the scene
- Close ups' are used to show expressions or reactions of the characters which takes us into the mind of the character. Also it involves the audience within the scene and they therefore
feel more involved with the film and its action.
- Westerns contain a lot of tracking shots in which they track the characters riding on horses to create excitement and adrenaline for the audience on wondering where they are going.
- The uses of extreme long shots are used to set the scene for the audience and to show the surroundings ie in a battle scene which helps to create tension as they can see what is happening on both behalf's.
Sound
The use of sound plays a important part in the conventions of a western. The exaggerated sound effects of the gun shots etc creates tension and excitement for the audience ie during a fight scene as there might be a lot of action happening but as soon as you here a gun shot the audience automatically know something bad has happened. The main soundtrack is normally an old-fashioned sound track to suit the western scenes, this is normally played during a fight scene or whilst galloping on the horses to create excitement for the audience.
Sound
The use of sound plays a important part in the conventions of a western. The exaggerated sound effects of the gun shots etc creates tension and excitement for the audience ie during a fight scene as there might be a lot of action happening but as soon as you here a gun shot the audience automatically know something bad has happened. The main soundtrack is normally an old-fashioned sound track to suit the western scenes, this is normally played during a fight scene or whilst galloping on the horses to create excitement for the audience.
Mise-en-scene
The conventions of mise-en-scene are shown clearly throughout the western genre, for example you can also tell clearly character from character by the way they are dressed etc. For example the sterotypicial hero within western classical is normally dressed in light tan work clothes cleanly shaven, masculine, which connotes your typical hero where as a villain is normally unshaven, dirty looking, dark clothes which gives the impression of an evil character. The use of the dark colours and being unshaven gives a sense of evil and unclean character to the audience which gives the audience an opinion on the character immediately.
The use of props within in a western plays a important part in creating the scene, for example the conventional props used within western are, guns, whips, ropes etc. The use of guns within certain scenes inwesterns automatically creates tension as the audience wonder what the gun is going to be used for
- Close up's are used in horror to show emotion/fear on a characters face and to bring attention to a certain aspect/object of the scene ie a knife used in a killing.
etc.
The lighting in a western is bright/tanned to exaggerate the heat of the desert to the audience it also helps to emphasise certain aspects of the scenes. Also the use of bright lights/natural lighting creates a sense authenticity and realism within scenes. Also "Frontal lighting" illuminates a subject's front, while "side lighting" enhances profiles. "Underlighting" when positioned below an actor's face is least attractive for an actor/actress, while "top lighting" emphasizes hes/her beauty. "Underlighting" gives villains a sinister appearance, and adds suspense for the audience.
The conventional setting of a western is normally an old town or the desert, the use of the browns/oranges on set exaggurates the climate, when seeing a set like this you automaticly think western as no other genre has this kind of setting.
The conventional setting of a western is normally an old town or the desert, the use of the browns/oranges on set exaggurates the climate, when seeing a set like this you automaticly think western as no other genre has this kind of setting.
Horror
Conventions of a horror
- Gore
- Death
- Blood
- Weapons
- Victims
- Hero's/Villains
- Isolated settings
- Dark
Camera Shots
- Close up's are used in horror to show emotion/fear on a characters face and to bring attention to a certain aspect/object of the scene ie a knife used in a killing.
- Extreme long shot's are used to establish the scene ie to show a haunted mansion
- Long shot's are used to show a character and its surroundings at the same time may be used during a chase to show the character and what it is being chased by.
- Dutch tilt is a popular angle to use in horror as it creates disorientation for the audience, also hand-held is another popular movement, it creates a jerky hand held movement which creates tension for the audience and involves them almost in the action as if its from their eyes.
- High/low angle shots to give a sense of superiority.
- High/low angle shots to give a sense of superiority.
Sound
Sound effects are used frequently in the horror genre to create fear and tension for the audience for example the use of a scream at the end of a corridor would leave the audience in fear but intrigued as to what is at the end of the corridor. Soundtracks are also used frequently during a horror from a twinkle of a music box to a screeching, this helps to set the scene but also to create tension for the audience, without sound effects or a soundtrack horror's wouldnt have the same effect on the audience as it does with. The soundtrack also helps to signal a climax within the scene.
Mise-en-scene
In terms of costumes conventional horror costumes they differ depending on the horror. For example in 'The Grudge' the 'hero' and 'villains' wear casual clothes bit with difference of colour to contrast eachothers characters where as in a horror like 'Nightmare On Elm Street' the villain wears a costume to emphasise hes characters evilness, so in terms of costume there isn't really any conventions expected except for abit of blood splater on the clothes. Another way you can tell who is the villain is the villain often has a trademark characteristic in the way he/she kills, for example the people he/she kills or the weapon he uses to kill them.
Conventional props include knifes, some sort of torturing objects, dead bodies etc. The use of props such as knifes and dead bodies creates immediate tension for the audience as they wonder why the bodies have been killed and what the knife is going to be used for next, even such simple props such as a knife plays such a big role in the horror genre.
The lighthing in a horror is normally low-key to create shadows and suggest danger and also to create a eerie sense within the scenes, this creates a spooky atomsphere in which you then expect something to happen, the use of flashing white lights is used often to create a eerie effect on the scene which then creates tension for the audience as they are wondering what happens next.
In terms of set the sterotypical sets in horror they normally consists of haunted mansions or a dark graveyard, when the audience see sets such as these they automaticly think horror and danger.
Action Adventure
Conventions
Camera Shots
The conventional camera work in a action adventure is used to create suspence/urgancy. For example tracking is used in chase scenes, this creates suspence and tension for the audience as they want to know what it going to happen and where they are going. The use of high/low angle shots are used to give a sense of superiority over another character. Finally the use of close-up's are used to show expression/emotion of a character which helps the audience to empathise with them, and may be used to exaggurate something important to the audience.
Sound
The use of conventional fast tempo sound tracks within action adventure exaggurates suspense/excitement for the audience, without a soundtrack for a battle or chase scene it wouldnt have the same effect as it does on the audience with it, it also helps to signal a climax within the scene. The use of sound effects such as a clang of swords or a gunshot helps create suspense in the scene as it exaggurates what is happening within the scene, they also help to signal something has happend within a scene that the audience may not have realised.
Mise-en-scene
Within action adventure the lighting is low-key to create shadows and suggest danger, it also helps to create an eerie atmosphere which helps to create tension for the audience and leaves them wondering what is going to happen next, also the use of natrualistic lighting helps to make the scene look more realistic which creates more suspense for the audience. The setting of action adventure is normally trapping/exotic of some sort where the characters have to contend with extremes of climate, as well as evil forces or a country unknown to them, this helps you to sympathise with the characters as they have no idea where they are but have to contend with villains as well, its normally dull/dark and unusual to set a scene up for action.
Once again the costume differs depending on what type of action adventure it is, for example 'Indianna Jones' wears light tanned work like clothes which contrasts with the villains dark constumes, this helps you to tell the difference between the two and the costume reflects their being ie the dark clothing connotes evil/dark which automaticly makes you think villain. Were as in a film such as 'Spiderman' they wear actual costumes which you can automaticly tell the difference between good in evil due to the colour and shape of their costumes.
Props used within the action adventure are simple but effective, the most common is a gun, when the audience see this gun they automaticly know action is about to happen which creates tension for them as they are wondering what and why it is happening.
Conventional props include knifes, some sort of torturing objects, dead bodies etc. The use of props such as knifes and dead bodies creates immediate tension for the audience as they wonder why the bodies have been killed and what the knife is going to be used for next, even such simple props such as a knife plays such a big role in the horror genre.
The lighthing in a horror is normally low-key to create shadows and suggest danger and also to create a eerie sense within the scenes, this creates a spooky atomsphere in which you then expect something to happen, the use of flashing white lights is used often to create a eerie effect on the scene which then creates tension for the audience as they are wondering what happens next.
In terms of set the sterotypical sets in horror they normally consists of haunted mansions or a dark graveyard, when the audience see sets such as these they automaticly think horror and danger.
Action Adventure
Conventions
- Hero, Heroine, Villain
- Someone in danger
- Action/Violence
- Suspense
Camera Shots
The conventional camera work in a action adventure is used to create suspence/urgancy. For example tracking is used in chase scenes, this creates suspence and tension for the audience as they want to know what it going to happen and where they are going. The use of high/low angle shots are used to give a sense of superiority over another character. Finally the use of close-up's are used to show expression/emotion of a character which helps the audience to empathise with them, and may be used to exaggurate something important to the audience.
Sound
The use of conventional fast tempo sound tracks within action adventure exaggurates suspense/excitement for the audience, without a soundtrack for a battle or chase scene it wouldnt have the same effect as it does on the audience with it, it also helps to signal a climax within the scene. The use of sound effects such as a clang of swords or a gunshot helps create suspense in the scene as it exaggurates what is happening within the scene, they also help to signal something has happend within a scene that the audience may not have realised.
Mise-en-scene
Within action adventure the lighting is low-key to create shadows and suggest danger, it also helps to create an eerie atmosphere which helps to create tension for the audience and leaves them wondering what is going to happen next, also the use of natrualistic lighting helps to make the scene look more realistic which creates more suspense for the audience. The setting of action adventure is normally trapping/exotic of some sort where the characters have to contend with extremes of climate, as well as evil forces or a country unknown to them, this helps you to sympathise with the characters as they have no idea where they are but have to contend with villains as well, its normally dull/dark and unusual to set a scene up for action.
Once again the costume differs depending on what type of action adventure it is, for example 'Indianna Jones' wears light tanned work like clothes which contrasts with the villains dark constumes, this helps you to tell the difference between the two and the costume reflects their being ie the dark clothing connotes evil/dark which automaticly makes you think villain. Were as in a film such as 'Spiderman' they wear actual costumes which you can automaticly tell the difference between good in evil due to the colour and shape of their costumes.
Props used within the action adventure are simple but effective, the most common is a gun, when the audience see this gun they automaticly know action is about to happen which creates tension for them as they are wondering what and why it is happening.
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