Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division Office I Pangasinan
BAYAMBANG NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Bayambang, Pangasinan

Media and Information

LESSON QUARTER

7 Languages 1
INTRODUCTION

Great day to you dear learner! In this module you will learn how audiences interpret the meaning of media messages through the presence
of genres, codes, and conventions. The knowledge that you can get from this topic will help you to understand better the messages given
to you and at the same time will equip you to convey your message in different ways to achieve your desired outcome.

YOUR TARGETS

Learning Competency:
Present an issue in varied ways to disseminate information using the codes and convention and language of media.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

1. Define codes, conventions, and language of media;
2. Identify the codes and conventions presented in a medium; and
3. Use the codes and conventions of media in presenting an issue.

DO THIS

Activity #1: Look Around Me

Direction: Compose a group comprising of maximum of five members each. Your task is to give most commonly used signs and symbols
and most commonly misunderstood signs and symbols in your community by providing picture or illustration of it. Then answer the
following questions:
1. Why are these symbols commonly used?
2. Why are these symbols commonly misunderstood?
3. How were you helped by the sign, symbol, signage that you followed?
4. How were you misled by the signs, symbols, signage that you followed?

LESSON PROPER

Today, media has become very powerful and influential. As a learner, it is not enough that you can read the information given to
you. It is also important to understand media and information codes and conventions to help you better understand the message that
media professionals are communicating.

Are you familiar of this logo / symbol?

Answer the following questions:

1. What information do you get from the symbol?

2. How is the symbol presented in terms of color, fonts, and design?
3. What if the color is changed into black, how would that affect the information that the symbol is communicating?

The information that you get looking at the symbol is actually the message of the symbol itself. Understanding the language of media is a
skill that you must acquire.

Learning Guide in Media and Information Literacy Lesson #7 Page 1 of 6

Remember the following terms:

 Codes refers to systems of signs, which create meaning

 Conventions refers to a standard or norm that acts as a rule governing behavior (generally accepted ways of doing something)
 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.
 Semiotics on the other hand, is the relationship between signs, and object, and a meaning.
 The sign represents the object, or referent, in the mind of an interpreter.
 “Interpretant” refers to a sign that serves as the representation of an object
 Sign can be verbal (words) or nonverbal

Study the cover pictures of the different movie genres.

*** Genre is a French word which means “Kind” or “Class”. The original Latin word is “genus” and mean class of things that can be broken
down into subcategories. It tends to be understood to constitute particular conventions of contents and following a distinctive style in terms
of form and presentation. (Example: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Action, etc.)

Answer the following questions:

1. What kind of movie does each picture show?
2. What are the elements that helped you identify its kind?

The elements that helped you identify what kind of movie each picture shows are the codes and conventions of media. Media codes and
conventions are like the building blocks of all the media around us which generally have an agreed meaning, or connotation to their
audience (Young, 2017). There are three (3) types of media codes: symbolic codes, technical codes, and written codes.

1. SYMBOLIC CODES are social in nature. These include the language or iconic symbols that are easily understood.

Example: This means Christianity

These also include setting, mise en scene, acting and color.

Setting is the time and place of the narrative. When

discussing setting, you can describe the setting of the whole
story or just a specific scene. A setting can be as big as the
outback or space, or as small as a specific room. Setting can
even be a created atmosphere or frame of mind.

Photo Credit:: https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2016/jun/10/the-conjuring-2-20160610/

Mise en scene is a French term that means ‘everything within the frame. In
media terms it has become to mean the description of all the objects within
a frame of the media product and how they have been arranged. An
analysis of mise en scene includes:

 Set Design
 Costume
 Props
 Staging and Composition

Photo Credit:: https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/mr-bean-drives-from-the-roof-again-1911872

Learning Guide in Media and Information Literacy Lesson #7 Page 2 of 6

 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, movement,
body contract (Young, 2017).

Photo Credit:: https://telecoms.com/475799/surely-verizon-wont-buy-twitter-too/shocked-man-covering-his-mouth-with-hands/

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).

Photo Credit:: https://www.insider.com/maleficent-mistress-of-evil-movie-review-2019-10

2. TECHNICAL CODES are ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text. These are also the codes that are created
by the technology of the medium.
Examples of Technical Codes:
 Ominous music to communicate danger in a feature film;
 High-angle camera shots to create a feeling of power in a photograph;
 Camera techniques, framing, depth of fields, lighting and exposure
 Lay outing, cropping, and applying lettering fonts and styles

Camerawork refers to how the camera is operated, positioned and moved for specific effects. Some aspects of camerawork includes
positioning, movement, framing, exposure, lens choice.

CAMERA TECHNIQUES

CAMERA TOOLS AND MECHANISM

BASIC CAMERA MOVEMENTS

CAMERA TECHNIQUES

Extreme Wide Shot Shot of, e.g. a large crow or a view of scenery as far horizon.

Learning Guide in Media and Information Literacy Lesson #7 Page 3 of 6

Wide Shot A view of situation or setting from a distance

Medium Shot Shows a subject down to his or her waist with a space above to his
or her head.

Medium Close- up Shows a subject down to his or her chest with a space above to
his or her head.

Close- up A full screen shot of a subject face

Two Shot A two shot is a type of shot in which the frame encompasses two
people. The subjects do not have to be next to each other, and
there are many common two shots which have one subject in the
foreground and the other subject in the background.

Cut Away The interruption of a continuous shot by inserting a shot of

something else. Usually, you then cut back to the first shot. These
can be done within the same scene, cuts to other scenes, or even
as one continuous shot as the camera pans across to something
else.

Over the Shoulder The Over the shoulder shot is a camera angle used in film and
television, where the camera is placed above the back of the
shoulder and head of a subject. This shot is most commonly used
to present conversational back and forth between two subjects.

Point of View Also known as POV shot, is an angle that shows what a character
is looking at. Typically POV shots are placed in between a shot of
a character looking at something and a shot showing the
character's reaction.

Selective Focus Using a shallow depth of field, the subject can be rendered in
sharp focus with the rest of the image blurring into the image
foreground and background. This technique isolates the subject
within the image, drawing the eye of the viewer to the exact point
which the photographer wishes to be observed.

Eye-Level It refers to the level of camera where it is placed at the same

height as the eyes of the characters in your frame. It also
simulates standard human vision and thus present visual
information through a familiar viewpoint.

Learning Guide in Media and Information Literacy Lesson #7 Page 4 of 6

Low Angle It is a shot from a camera angle positioned anywhere below the
eye line, pointing upward.

High Angle It is a cinematic technique where the camera looks down on the
subject from a high angle and the point of focus often gets
"swallowed up". High-angle shots can make the subject seem
vulnerable or powerless when applied with the correct mood,
setting, and effects.

Bird's Eye View A shot in which the camera shoots a scene from directly overhead.
It usually has an extreme long shot, to establish setting. We use
this angle to look down at the scene from a higher point.

Worm’s Eye View A shot that is looking up from the ground, and is meant to give the
viewer the feeling that they are looking up at the character from
way below and it is meant to show the view that a child or a pet
would have.

Lighting. According to Robert Young lighting is the manipulation of natural or artificial light to selectively highlight specific elements of the
scene (Young, 2017).

Photo Credit: https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/film-lighting-techniques/

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.

3. WRITTEN CODES are the formal written language used in a media product. These include language style and textual layout like
headlines, captions, speech bubbles, etc. (Frezi.com, Young, R. 2017)

Photo Credit: https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to- Photo Credit: https://www.interaksyon.com/trends-

create-speech-bubbles-and-comic-effects-in-adobe- spotlights/2018/12/19/140858/catriona-gray-newspaper-
illustrator--cms-24764 media-australia-miss-universe/

1. What type of fonts or typefaces is used in each picture?

2. What message does the style of font signify?

The simple use of different fonts or typefaces indicates different meaning.

According to Robert Young, CONVENTIONS are the generally accepted ways of using media codes. Codes that are used by, and
understood by members of a particular culture.
Learning Guide in Media and Information Literacy Lesson #7 Page 5 of 6
There are three different types of conventions: form conventions, story conventions and genre convention (Young, R. 2017).

1. Form conventions are the expected ways on how media codes are arranged. In newspapers for example, the most important news will
be at the front page while sports news is found at the back page. Newspapers also contain masthead.
2. Story conventions are common narrative structures and understandings in story telling media products like cause and effect, character
construction and point of view.
3. Genre conventions are the common use of tropes, characters, settings or themes in a particular type of medium. They can be formal or
thematic.

You are now familiar with the different codes and conventions used by media professionals to deliver the message that they want their
audience to receive. Your understanding of the technical, symbolic and written codes will make you media and information literate.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED?

Activity #2: Complete Me

Direction: Complete the following statements about what you have learned about the lesson Genre which means class of things that can
be broken down into subcategories. It tends to be understood to constitute particular conventions of contents and following a distinctive
style in terms of form and presentation.
1. Codes refers _______________________________________
2. The three types of codes are: __________________________
3. Conventions refers __________________________________
4. Language pertains __________________________________
5. Media language are _________________________________

PERFORMANCE TASK

ACTIVITY # 3: INFOMERCIAL MAKING

Direction: You are challenged to produce an INFOMERCIAL (information commercial) that highlights or tackled the following
issues but not limited to: a) child trafficking, b) climate change, c) death penalty, d) war against drugs and e) teenage
pregnancy. As a producer, you are expected to apply the necessary guidelines on codes and conventions in creating this kind
of media product. Your infomercial must have minimum of forty (40) seconds long but not exceed five minutes and must
present the meaning of the issue that you choose and the possible solutions of it.

SUMMARY

In this module you have learned that meanings are produced through the use of codes and conventions and that media carry
these meanings along with the messages or information they relay. All the codes, conventions, and languages are tools for understanding
and interpreting media contents or messages, tools that are essential in creating a sound and valid content analysis. With nu merous
information that is available today, being able to sensibly understand media content would provide media consumers more effective ways
of selecting and utilizing information.

As stated by Marshall McLuhan in 1964 in his famous quote “The Medium is the Message„, the medium has an effect on how
messages are received, the users’/audiences’ own background/experience may have also affect the interpretation of messages. An
important first step in becoming media and information literate is to understand how information, ideas and meaning are communicated
through and by various media and other information providers. Each medium has its own ‘language’ or ‘grammar’ that works to convey
meaning in a unique way. ‘Language’ in this sense means 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.

REFERENCES
Media and Information Literacy by Boots C. Liquigan, Diwa
Media and Information Literacy Curriculum Guide by DepEd
Media and Information Literacy Senior High School Alternative Delivery Mode by DepEd
https://www.google.com/images
Media and Information Literacy by QuexBook
http://media-studies.tki.org.nz/Teaching-media-studies/Media-concepts/Codes-and-conventions#tkibar-genre-0
http://www.thewildclassroom.com/wildfilmschool/gettingstarted/camerashots.html
http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/
https://www.youtube.com/user/DSLRguide
https://www.youtube.com/user/KingFilmSchool
http://digitalwriting101.net/content/excerpt-camera-angles-and-shooting-tips-for-digital-storytelling/
https://media.codes/media-codes-and-conventions-c03423c06aa8
https://www.tes.com/lessons/YRVz4Xg3TxrJSQ/camera-movement

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