Media Codes

Media codes are a bit like the building blocks of a media product. Each code generally has an agreed upon meaning to the audience. The technical term for this is connotation.

Each different media product will have standard ways of using codes to create the product. These are called conventions. Conventions are understood by audiences instinctively through seeing many examples of the media products.

Try this useful link for more information about media codes.

Symbolic codes

These types of codes exist in real life and are used by the media product to convey meaning by leveraging something that is widely understood by people through social norms. Some examples are:

Symbolic codes can be conveyed through:

• Setting
• Mise en scene - this phrase means "everything in the picture"
• Acting
• Colour

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Technical codes

Technical codes are codes specific to a media product. For instance, in film and photography, there are technical codes surrounding camerawork, editing, audio and lighting. In a website, there are technical codes about page composition, responsive design, and navigation. In video games, there are technical codes about gameplay, user interface, loading and saving.

• Camerawork involves position, movement, lens choice and framing.
• Audio involves diegetic sound e.g. dialogue, sound effects and non-diegetic sounds e.g. music.
• Editing can be seen in film, TV, animation and video games. It involves how the scenes are stitched together and can be used for rhythm, to show time passing or to juxtapose symbolism.
• The type, colour, direction of lighting can convey meaning.

Written codes

Written codes are the language used in the media product. It can include:

• Printed language - text you can see and read plus how it is presented.
• Spoken language - words used in dialogue or in song lyrics.