Terminology

CODES AND CONVENTIONS. 

http://media-studies.tki.org.nz/Teaching-media-studies/Media-concepts/Codes-and-conventions

Codes-  Codes are a system of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided up into two categories-technological and symbolic. 

Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, for example, camera work in film.

symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example how the character is feeling and the reasoning behind their actions.

Some fit into both categories, such as music and dietetic sound. 

Conventions are what we expect to see in the particular genre. For example,  in a western, audiences expect to see a lot of dust and horses and saloon, where as in a horror genre, the audience expect to see  a lot of blood and gore and jump scares. 

Here are some examples of conventions in certain genres : 

http://www.slideshare.net/jadelhage/genre-research-41797210?qid=818fcc5f-7b1c-45cc-b360-ad62e0f22ce7&v=qf1&b=&from_search=4

 

 These are some of the normal conventions in the comedy genre. The PowerPoint also touches on a sub- genre of comedy which is also known for having set conventions. Urban comedy and normal comedic films may differ in a lot of things. For example, Urban comedies are usually set in very poor urban areas like films such as " attack on the block" or "anuvahood", but the content is usually similar with slapstick violence and over the top characters.  The difference between the two is that normal comedic films usually are set in places that would con notate happiness such as pars or wealthy places, to give the audience connotations of happiness to help the humor of the film work.