Codes and Conventions

Codes and Conventions are familiar, predictable forms and techniques used by the media to create a desired impression on people.


Soaps for example cover issues That come up in exaggerated everyday life,this will make the soap more successful in terms of viewers because the audiences can then therefore relate to the issues. The issues could be, relationships, crime, violence and drugs etc.






Horror always has obvious codes and conventions such as bad weather, building relationships, blood and gore, attractive girl, strong/smart main characters, scary theme music, villain/scary character and weapons. The victims in horror are usually young teenagers.

At the start of most horrors it introduces you to the villain by killing off a character which normally starts the problem and the fear within the movie because although it often happens in horrors it catches you by surprise and puts you on edge because your in the drama from the beginning. the first scene within the film often uses miss en scene that is going to feature throughout the film.

low key lighting in sets and eary atmospheres create tension with the audience. Horrors often use quite distorted sounds followed by loud sounds (sting) which is used to make an audience "jump". low angles in horror films make the villain look Superior and stronger to the victim but it can also be used on people such as the "hero" or someone that stands up to the villain these are used to show the audience who is the stronger person in the scene. "POV" or point of view shots are used to show us what the monsters or killers are seeing when creeping up behind a victim or watching the victim, however it is also used just before a murder from the "victims eyes".

Tracking shots are used to show chase scenes and fast paced scenes alike, these shots are used to intensify fast paced scenes so that you feel involved like you are moving with the characters.

In the Scream 4 introduction it starts off with a phone call , the camera focus's on the phone to show that this is significant, the voice on the phone is deep and intimidating but the female character on the other end presumes that it is a prank call or wrong number so she hangs up, although the character didn't care about the phone call it still gives the audience the impression it had meaning, then there is another female character, which is stereotypical of horrors because two females are usually weak and vulnerable characters, one character builds suspense by revealing she is being stalked on Facebook which adds to the sense that all is not okay, The phone rings again for dramatic effect and the audience already suspects who is going to be on the other end of the line. The female character answers the phone with confidence and anger at the start, which is when the intimidating character on the phone progress's to anger with tense music in the background this puts the audience on the edge of they're seat. The two female (teenagers) become scared and freaked out by the phone call as a close up on one if the females face's show, the phone rings again with a sting in the background and a close up of the phone to show this scene is approaching a climax and intensifying , you then find out the stalker on Facebook and the intimidating character are on the phone which therefore makes the characters feel unnerved , the characters scream at the same time which makes the audience feel as scared as them and then the door knocks with a POV slowly zooming in, by this point you know the characters and fear for they're lives, this is a stereotypical horror introduction.

Romantic comedy is another example , the codes and conventions include things such as girl meets boy, centred around female character, awkward moments as characters get to know one another for comic affect, set in an urban city environment, ending with a wedding.