Research: Analysing Codes And Conventions In Existing Teen Horror Films

What are codes?

Codes are signs that create a meaning through out the film. These codes can be divided into two categories technical and symbolic. 


Symbolic codes show what is happening under the surface of what the eye see's. This code is usually seen through aspects of Mise-En-Scene. For example, a characters clothing, can be decoded to help the audience understand what type personality and interests of this character. Certain props, lighting and makeup can have suggestions or connotations that can be de-coded by the audience. 


Technical codes is all ways that equipment is used to tell the story in media. For example camera angles, camera movements and camera shots and the use of editing in a media product. The use of non-diegetic sound and diegetic sound can also give suggestions to the audience. Some codes can fit into both categories, for example non-diegetic sound is both technical and symbolic codes.

What are conventions?

Conventions are features that are repeated or regularly found in a media product. There are general conventions in any medium, such as the use of quotes in a article, the use of no phone signal in a horror movie, the girl being vulnerable and people being in the middle of nowhere. Conventions are also genre and media type specific. 

How codes and conventions apply in media studies:

Codes and Conventions are used together to give the audience information about the character or scene without telling them in words. The code such as lighting is used differently in different film genres, for example, in horror films the lighting will be mostly dark compared to a family film the lighting will be quite bright. This is to create mystery and suspense in horror movies but in a family film, the lighting will be bight and light so that the tone is suitable for families.