2. Key terms
• Media Language
• Media forms
• Genre
• Genre evolution
• Genre theory = Neale
• Subgenre
• Codes and Conventions
• Technology
• Contexts
• Hybridity
3. MEDIA LANGUAGE
How the media through their forms, codes and conventions communicate meanings The various forms of
media language used to create and communicate meanings in media products
KEY TERMS WITH MEDIA LANGUAGE:
.
4. MEDIA LANGUAGE: GENRE
• GENRE SIMPLY MEANS = STYLE OR CATEGORY
• There are many ways to categorise media products
5. How can we ‘categorise’ media forms?
MEDIA
.
.
..
.
.
6. How can we ‘categorise’ media forms?
MEDIA
MUSIC
VIDEO
NEWSPAPER
RADIOADVERTISING
ONLINE
MAGAZINE
TV
10. Is there only 1 way to categorise media
forms?
MUSIC VIDEOS
Dance
Hip hop
Rock
Pop
Country
Rap
Metal
Indie
11. Is there only 1 way to categorise media
forms?
MUSIC VIDEOS MUSIC VIDEOS (type)
Performance
Narrative
Conceptual
MUSIC VIDEOS (style)
Special effects
Animation
Production value
MUSIC VIDEOS (music)
Dance
Hip hop
Rock
Pop
Country
Rap
Metal
Indie
23. GENRE CODES AND CONVENTIONS
• the codes and conventions of media language, how they develop and
become established as ‘styles’ or genres (which are common across
different media products) and how they may also vary over time
24.
25.
26.
27. What are codes?
A system of signs which can be decoded to create meaning.
In media texts, we look at a range of different signs that can be loosely
grouped into the following:
• technical codes - all to do with the way a text is technically constructed -
camera angles, framing, typography etc
• verbal codes - everything to do with language -either written or spoken
• symbolic codes - codes that can be decoded on a mainly connotational
level - all the things which draw upon our experience and understanding of
other media texts, our cultural frame of reference.
28. What are conventions?
The widely recognised way of doing something - this has
to do with content, style and form
eg the conventions of a music video might include:
• they are the same length as the song (somewhere
around 4 minutes, say)
• they present the band, who look as though they are
singing
• they have lots of fast edits
29. What’s the difference?
• Codes might be individual to the media text you are analysing
Eg: The music video might use a tracking shot that is significant,
however, this might not be a convention for the genre.
• Conventions are something that they ALL share within that genre or
platform
30. What are technical conventions?
Codes and conventions are used
together.
For example, the technical code
of lighting is used in some way in
all film genres.
It is a convention of the horror
genre that side and back lighting
is used to create mystery and
suspense – an integral part of any
horror movie.
31. Hybridity in music videos
• Write down what you expect the very 1st music video to
look like/include
32. Hybridity in music videos
• Now let’s take a look at the very first music video (1981)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8r-tXRLazs
33. Hybridity in music videos
• Did it meet your expectations?
• Now look at the next video…..
35. Hybridity
• Is Taylor’s ‘Shake it off’ similar to that of ‘Video killed the Radio Star’?
• Why/why not?
• Therefore, what inevitably happens in media forms?
38. Hybridity = bricolage
Documentary + game show + sit com + chat show = reality TV
Bricolage = the bi product / a mixture or hybrid of other genres to make
a new media form (which will have it’s own conventions)
39. Contexts
SOCIAL: how media products reflect society in which they are produced and
that of their target audience
CULTURAL: how media products reflect arts and culture, including popular
culture, of their time
HISTORICAL: how media products reflect historical events and social changes
ECONOMIC: how media products reflect political viewpoints, messages,
values and beliefs
40. Music video conventions task
Consider the following when looking at music videos……
Genre = what is the genre? How do you know?
Genre conventions = does it reinforce or challenge conventions? How? Why?
Media Language elements (technical codes) = denotation/connotation? How does
camera/mes/editing create meaning?
Technology = what role does technology play?
Contexts = consider social/cultural/economic/historical factors that play a part in music videos
Genre evolution = how has it changed or time? how? Why? Compare to historical products?
Genre theory = Neale = (do you agree/disagree?)
Hybridity = how is there hybridity in the product? Why?
