Genre Codes And Conventions

Codes create meaning because they are the system of signs. They are divided into two different categories- technical and symbolic.

Symbolic codes are the underwritten message. The audiences don’t visual see the message because it’s beneath the surface of what we see. An example would be a character’s actions reflecting their feelings.

Technical codes are the many ways in which the equipment is used to tell the story. For example, the camera work in a film reflects the story because without it there wouldn’t be a story.

Conventions are the typically accepted ways of doing something. In any medium there are general conventions. For example, the use of interviewee quotes in a print article, but conventions are also genre specific.

Codes and conventions are applied in media studies through the study of any genre. They are used in conjunction. When studying codes and conventions it isn’t enough to just discuss a technical code used such as camera work for example, without saying how it is used conventionally in the genre. It would be pointless to discuss codes without discussing conventions.

For example, lighting is used as a technical code which is displayed in some form in all film genres. The convention of horror genre is that back and side lighting is displayed to create a sense of mystery and eeriness. This is an integral part of any horror movie.