What are codes and conventions?
Codes- Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two categories - technical and symbolic. Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text, for example the camera work in a film. Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example, a characters actions show you how the character is feeling. What they are wearing give a sense of authority.
Conventions - conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something. There are general conventions in any medium, such as the use of interviewee quotes in a print article, but conventions are also genre specific. Codes and conventions are used together in media products - it is not enough to discuss a technical code used such as camera work, without saying it is conventionally used in genre.
Task -
Codes and Conventions for documentaries - 'Oh you Pretty Things - The Story of Music and Fashion' BBC4
A BBC series exploring the relationship between British rock and pop music and fashion. The series begins in the 1960's with the Small Faces, Cilla Black, the Beatles and the Stones.
Voice over - the voice over for Oh you Pretty Things carries on throughout the whole programme. Each episode is 60 minutes long and is narrated by Lauren Laverne.
The description reads 'Lauren Laverne narrates a series'
real Footage of Events - old and new footage of all events that had happened in the 60s and within this era, all footage is fiction in this particular documentary
Footage from the 60's of ques outside Biba clothing shop
David Bowie performance
Archive Footage - the documentary includes footage of 60s music videos, old 1960s TV show footage such as Top of the Pops and films and old photos of popular bands and clothing of the era
Archive footage of an old Top of the Pops from the 1960's, the presenter is introducing The Small Faces, a band who influenced much of the fashion senses for men in the era.
Technicality of realism - 'natural' sound and lighting, interviews and footage have no extra film or sound effects
I could tell the footage was natural with no technical lighting added, the film looks quite dull throughout some interviews as it uses lighting from the interviewee's place of being filmed, this adds an effect of being closer to the subject instead of a 'set up' interview
Interviews - throughout the whole documentary, short snippets of multiple different interviews
Interview with Suzi Quatro
Sound - 60s music is added in the background of the whole documentary, the music changes upon which 1960's artist is being shown in the footage - this gives a feel of 60s music and makes us as the audience feel as though we're back in that era. Another example of the change of sound was when a '60's medival TV show was being shown, a 'medival' like music was being played in the background..
Camera angles etc - the camera wasnt in what set place throughout, whilst interviews were being shown I could see how the camera was being held by a cameraman so that they could get footage of the interviewee moving around and showcasing pieces relevant to the show.
An interview with Cilla Black, as you can tell with the above screen caps show how the camera angle changes throughout some footage
Smartly Dressed Presenter/Appearance - the male TV presenter can be seen wearing a suit, the suit gives of a professional, respectable and smart look to the anchor. The look makes the anchor come of as trustworthy and reliable therefore we know that we can depend on what he is saying. The anchor also presents himself in a good manner, with clean hair, shaven. He sits up straight, and has a proper presence about him.
Presenters - this particular news programme had 1 main anchor, a football presenter and a weather lady
Footage - the latest and current events with appropriate footage is shown whilst being explained by the presenter. For example the 'Securing a Better Future' talk with George Osbourne.
Different Camera Angles - there are four separate cameras for the programme, the angle changes depending on what is happening, e.g if an interview is happening then the angle will switch to the camera of a wide shot of the news desk
Camera on Tripod - each camera is on a tripod so the filming is stable and not shaking over the place, this looks professional and sharp
Graphics - a TV screen which shows images and graphics like key points and statistics whilst the anchor is reading them out.
reporters - reporters will be on location to the relevant news story
Live - we know that the programme is live firstly because the presenter says 'Good afternoon and welcome to the BBC News at One' and because the news being shown is current.
Lighting - the studio lighting in bright and clear, making the presenter look more awake and the broadcast vivid.
Interviews - different interviews are shown with relevance to the news story
being told at that point in time.
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