Codes and Conventions
Codes and conventions are the predictable and familiar forms and techniques used by media in order to communicate certain ideas or convey a desired impression. There are signs systems and their conventions or rules and the reading of signs is therefore essential in analysis and this way of interpreting signs is called semiotics, and is applied to reading visual imagery. Additionally, signs can offer denotations and connotations to the audience. On the other hand, conventions generally establish ways of doing something. They are an unspoken rule that we have learnt to accept and identify. Conventions become so familiar and natural that they become something that we, as audiences, expect to see. They can be used, supported or reiterated, as well as subverted. Different conventions can be applied to different media concepts such as narrative and genre. Both codes and conventions are used to create meaning and as a method of communication. They make it easier to create a product for a specific genre as you only need to repeat the conventions. This is very useful for producers as they can easily target their audience. It can be safer to stick to conventions rather than challenge them.
Types of codes
Codes are used as signs to depict meaning, and are divided into three categories. First there are technical codes, which includes the camera angles, sound and lighting, the framing, juxtaposition and composition and the depth of field. Secondly, there are symbolic codes, which include the mise-en-scene (clothing, body language, actions of characters and locations). Lastly, there are written codes which includes the headlines, captions, style of font and graphic design.
Keith Negus
Negus states that there are many features needed in a music video in order to match the generic conventions. He identifies two distinct ways of thinking about potential artists from within the music industry. These ideologies shape the way in which the artists' images and careers are developed, and he way that they are marketed towards specific target audiences. These are the organic ideology of creativity and the synthetic ideology of creativity.
Organic artists develop careers initially independently of the music industry, they tend to write and play most of the instruments on their songs and they develop through playing live venues before singing with a record label. In addition, they have more freedom initially to choose their image and songs for release and they may start their career independently. They take a 'naturalistic' approach to artists whereby the image of the artist is 'enhanced' by the record company and the artist is given time to evolve and progress through their career.
However, synthetic artists are manufactured by the record labels and TV demands, they generally have an image that is directed towards a tailor-made audience, and they begin their career recording songs either written for them or chosen by record companies, with limited freedom of choice.
Andrew Goodwin
Goodwin states that in a typical music video, there are certain conventions that are met. This includes a relationship between the lyrics and visuals, music videos usually cut to the beat of the song, particular genres may have their own video style and iconography music videos have close ups of the main artist, the artist develops their own iconography in and out of their videos, the camera is used to reflect a male point of view through the male gaze to sell women sexually, music videos pay a reference to other films, such as Bad Blood by Taylor Swift, compared to Charles Angels, most music videos follow a pattern of having a narrative and performance elements combined, the narrative follows the verse, and the chorus matches the lip-syncing.
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