Media and Information Literacy

Media and
Information
Literacy
CODES,
CONVENTIONS, AND
LANGUAGE OF MEDIA
Activity: LOOK AROUND ME!
Draw at least two (2) most

commonly used signs and
symbols in the community
Are you familiar with this?
What information did you get from the
symbol?
How is the symbol presented in terms of color,

fonts, and designs?
What if the color is changed into black, how

would that affect the information that the
symbol is communicating?
Language
Pertains to the technical and symbolic ingredients
or codes and conventions that media and information
professionals may select and use in an effort to
communicate ideas, information and knowledge.
Media Language
are the codes, conventions, formats, symbols and
narrative structure that indicate the meaning of media
messages to an audience.
Messages
are the information sent from a
source to a receiver.
Types of Media Codes
Symbolic codes
These 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. Symbolic codes in media
include setting, mise en scene, acting and color.
Symbolic codes
1. Setting is the time and place of the narrative. It can be the setting of the whole story or just a
specific scene. This will create atmosphere or build a frame of mind (Young, 2017).
2. Mise en scene is a French term meaning ‘everything within a frame’. Costume and props are
included in the analysis in the frame (Young, 2017).
3. Acting is how an actor portray a character that will lead to character development and tension
making through facial expression, body language and vocal qualities (Young, 2017).
4. Color is used to connect connotation to specific scenes, characters or object. Red, for instance,
is typically seen as a color of passion, danger, romance, or violence. Green is connected with
nature or sickness, blue with calm or depression. Purple is seen to be connected with royalty
(Young, R. 2017).
Technical codes
include sound, camera angles, types of shots and lightning. They
may include, for example, ominous music to communicate danger
in a feature film, or high-angle camera shots to create a feeling of
power in a photograph. Technical codes in media may include
Camerawork, Editing, Audio and Lightning. The actor portrays a
character through: Facial expression, Movement and Body contact.
Technical codes
1. Camerawork refers to how the camera is handled, positioned and moved for specific
effects like a high-angle camera shot to create a feeling of power in a photograph.
2. Lighting. According to Robert Young lighting is the manipulation of natural or artificial
light to selectively highlight specific elements of the scene( Young, 2017).
3. Audio is the expressive or naturalistic use of sound. It includes dialogue, sound effects
and music. According to Chris Constantine(Constantine, 2010) music often defines a scene.
An example is the use of ominous music to communicate danger in films.
4. Editing is the process of choosing, manipulating and arranging images and sound.
CAMERA
ANGLES
CAMERA
FOCUS
Photo Caption
also known as cut lines, are a few lines
of text used to explain or elaborate on
published photographs.
Comic Strips
is a sequence of drawings arranged in
interrelated panels to display brief humor
or form a narrative, often serialized, with
text in balloons and captions.
Camera Shot Framing
is the art and science of placing subjects in your shots.
Camera shots are all about composition. Rather than
pointing the camera at the subject, you need to compose
an image. For filmmakers and videographers, a major
consideration for framing is the number of subjects you
feature in our shots, and their physical relationship to
each other and the camera.
Written codes
it is use of language style and textual layout
(headlines, captions, speech bubbles,
language style, etc.)
Written codes
The study of written codes includes:
- Headlines / Titles – It is the text indicating the nature of the article below it.
- Typeface/Font
- Slogans / Taglines
- Captions (print) or inter-titles (moving image)
- Style
- Choice of words
- Emphasis of words.
The use of language style and textual layout also
express meaning. In newspapers for instance, the layout
speaks about the degree of importance of a news story
with respect to other news stories. Typically, newspaper
editors follow the inverted “S” of news layout because the
mode by which people read would be from left to right
and from the upper fold of the newspaper down to the
lower fold. Captions, titles, slogans, taglines, and some
other language elements are also utilizing in a way
suggest a particular meaning.
1. What type
of fonts or
typefaces are
used in each
picture?
2. What
message does
the style of
font signify?
Conventions
are accepted ways of using media
codes. Conventions are closely
connected to the audience
expectations of a media product.
Types of Conventions
Form conventions
are the certain ways we expect types of media codes to be
arranged. For instance, an audience expects to have a title of the
film at the beginning, and then credits at the end. Newspapers will
have the headline or the most important news on the front page
and sports news on the back page. Video games usually start with
a tutorial to explain the mechanics of how the game works.
Story conventions
are common narrative structures and
understandings that are common in story telling
media products. Examples of story conventions
include: Narrative structures, Cause and effect,
Character construction, and Point of View.
Genre conventions
point to the common use of images, characters,
settings or themes in a particular type of
medium. Genre conventions are closely linked
with audience expectations. Genre conventions
can be formal or thematic.
Types of Signs
Regulatory Signs
signs that inform road users of traffic
laws and regulations which, if
disregarded, will constitute an offense.
Types of Signs
Regulatory Signs
1. Priority Signs, like Stop sign, Give way sign, Left turner must give
way
2. Direction Signs
3. Prohibitive / Restriction Signs
4. Speed Signs
5. Parking Signs
6. Miscellaneous Signs
Types of Signs
Warning Signs
Signs used to warn motorists of potentially
hazardous conditions on or adjacent to the road. It
advises motorists of road conditions that require
caution and may call for a reduction in speed, in
the interest of safety and that of other road users.
Types of Signs
Warning Signs
1. Horizontal signs
2. Intersection signs
3. Advance Warning/ Traffic Control Device Signs
4. Road Width Signs
5. Road Obstacle Signs
6. Pedestrian School Signs
Study the cover pictures of the different movie
genres. Answer the following questions:
1. What kind of movie does each picture show?

2. What are the elements that helped you identify its kind?
Activity 4:
Inform Me Instruction: Search for videos tackling infomercial selling the
Philippines as tourist destination. Below are guide questions and write your
answer in a short bond paper.
1. What are the codes and conventions used in advertising that are applied in this
short infomercial?
2. How does it represent the Philippines, the “product” it is trying to sell?
3. What create tools were used?
4. How did everything blend?
5. Was it successful in selling the “product”?
6. Did the media creators introduce innovations to the established codes and
conventions of advertising?
Activity: INFORM ME
DIRECTIONS: You will be given a scenario. Based on that
scenario, you will think of a way to cover the incident. You will
choose either to make a storyboard, a photo story, or a written blog to
inform people in your community of the said incident to make them
aware of the rules and regulations of the lockdown and the possible
consequences once they violate such rules. Remember to use the
codes and conventions for the development of your output. Rubrics
are provided for you to be guided on what to do.
SCENARIO: President Rodrigo R. Duterte put the main Island of
Luzon on lockdown on March 16, 2020 due to the health risks of
COVID 19. Most of the residents stayed at home while few others
went out. Police are starting to arrest hundreds of people for violating
curfew, “social distancing”, and quarantine regulations.
Guide Questions:
1. What will you do to make your report not boring? 2. Would you
exaggerate some elements in your report to make it interesting? Why?

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Media and

Draw at least two (2) most

How is the symbol presented in terms of color,

What if the color is changed into black, how

1. What kind of movie does each picture show?

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