What are codes?

Codes are basically a chain of meanings creating an atmosphere. Codes are split into two parts – technical and symbolic.

Technical codes is how the equipment is used to help create effects to enhance the story in the style of media text. An example of this would be how the camera works in a film by adding effects to the film. The editing or the use of sound will be well put together on premier pro consisting (diegetic and non-diegetic) sounds

Symbolic codes highlights implicit meanings. Symbolic codes are seen from pieces of miss-en-scene. An for example the  way character's actions explicitly shows you how the character is expressing there feelings like the character's costume can be a peace of character we insinuate to help us understand what type of person the character is. Props have suggestions and connotations which can be put together by an audience.

codes fit both categories – non-diegetic like music and is both technical and symbolic.

What are conventions?

Conventions are the norm ways of 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.

How codes and conventions apply in media studies

Codes and conventions are used together in all genres of films – it is not enough to discuss a technical code used such as camera work, without saying how it is conventionally used in a genre.For example, the technical code of story is used in some way in all film genres. It is a convention of the romantic genre that there is kissing is used to create love and romance – an integral part of any romantic film
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