2. Codes and Convention of a Promotional Film Material
What are codes?
Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two
categories – technical and symbolic.
Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media
text, for example the camera works in a film.
Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example, a
character's actions show you how the character is feeling.
Some codes fit both categories – music for example, is both technical and symbolic.
What are conventions?
Conventions are the generally 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 any study of genre – 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 lighting is used in some way in all film genres. It is a
convention of the horror genre that side and back lighting is used to create mystery and
suspense – an integral part of any horror movie.
http://media-studies.tki.org.nz/Teaching-media-studies/Media-concepts/Codes-and-
conventions
3. FILM PRODUCTION LOGOS.
Film production logos are often shown at the beginning of
trailers however they can sometimes be shown at the
end. This informs the audience/viewers who distributed or
produced the film/trailer they are about to watch. For
viewers who love films from particular distributors or
production companies can decide to watch the trailer
solely based on that reason alone. I can testify to this as
movies by a certain distributor, actor or director appeal to
me and I am drawn to watch movies from these groups.
4. FILM TITLES.
It is fundamental that film titles are made clear for
each trailer so it has become a typical convention
overtime. It is often shown at the end of the trailer
to propel a adhesive effect meaning it will be
more memorable for the audience. It is
responsible for informing the audience of the
product they are viewing presently. Film titles are
altered in ways that are eye-catching, by using
unique fonts and designs that differ from other
distributed trailers/movies.
5. SOCIAL MEDIA.
Online promotions of film production evolved. The
use of social media to promote. A recent rise in the
use of social media such as Twitter, YouTube and
Instagram has further helped the film industries
who use such platforms as a way of informing
people of upcoming movies. Films productions can
now make use of Twitter hash-tags or create
accounts on Facebook or Instagram to enable
people to look further into their films which is
essentially more effective as it then reaches a
global scale meaning a wider audience for that
particular film. Social media is effective because it
gives the opportunity for fans and audiences to
share information and to share their thoughts about
the film and it also gives people to chance to
interact directly with the actors in the movie.
6. BBFC AGE RATING.
BBFC aims to provide guidance on the
suitability of what age bracket can watch
a particular film. The decision on what
age is suitable to watch a particular
movie usually lies within the intended
target audience. The ratings will usually
reflect the contents of the film.
7. SOUND, MUSIC AND VOICEOVERS.
Sound (Music) is an important feature that can
sometimes determine the success of a trailer. It is
vital to utilize sound that reflect the genre of your
narrative for example hypothetically hearing a Sam
Smith song in a horror movie will completely
misguide the audience of the genre of the movie.
Voiceover narration can be equally important to a
trailer as it can provide guidance for the audience
in understanding the plot and characters of a movie
more. An example of a voice over is The
Shawshank Redemption (Morgan Freeman) uses
this method to give more information about the
movie. A voice over can either be external meaning
it is added on top of footage or it can be sections of
dialogue from the actual film.
8. CHARACTER INTRODUCTIONS.
Leonardo Dicaprio as
Gatsby in “The Great
Gatsby”
Michael Ealy as “Beau Willie”
in “For Colored Girls”
For some movies, the focal selling point may
be the actors that are playing a character.
Famous and widely known actors may attract
audiences who are familiar with their work e.g.
or example, I am a staunch fan of Leonardo
Dicaprio and Michael Ealy and will watch any
movie they feature they in, I may not enjoy the
movie but having them feature in a movie will
have me more likely go and watch their movies
in the cinemas.
Characters have the capability of engaging
audience’s emotions emotionally. This way the
audience are more likely a enjoy the film.
9. THE DURATION.
Some trailers often have more than one trailer made however
there is always an official trailer which often lasts between 1min
30secs and 2mins. There are also teasers which can
sometimes last for 20 seconds or 30 seconds! The title of the
film may not be shown either. This makes the audience eager
awaiting the full trailer to be releases.
10. RELEASE DATES.
Similarly to film titles, release dates are usually shown
at the end. This is a way for attracting the audience’s
attention. The release date is revealed some time prior
to when the movie is released in the cinemas. This is
done to ensure as many people as many people have
seen it before it is released to the general public.
11. CODES & CONVENTIONS OF A THRILLER.
Montage of shots
Quick cuts to
create suspense
Battle of good and evil
between characters usually
between protagonists and
antagonists
Actions interrupted
with titling or credits
on the screen
Titles shown mainly
at the end
It aims to create
suspense and
excitement for its
audience
Violence is often central
to thrillers.
The hero is often an outsider
and isolated but brings morality
into the narrative
Low key Lighting
High pitched sound
to create tension
