St.

Mary’s College of Baliuag

Baliuag, Bulacan
SY 2021-2022
ISO 9001:2015 Certified
Certificate No. 01 100 1534708
PAASCU Level III Accredited

Subject: Media and Information Literacy Grade Level: 12

Module No.: 5 Topic: Media and Information Languages

I. INTRODUCTION
“Language is a source of Misunderstanding”. McLuhan, M. (1964).
Sometimes what we mean does not always have the same meaning for others. People
think differently and it can’t be helped if one thing has a different meaning for others. As a
country with different dialects, multiple languages can be hard to use.

This module will help you to identify what is media and information languages.
Specifically, this will cover the following topics: Genre, Codes and their Type, and
Conventions.

II. THIS LESSON WAS MADE FOR YOU TO:

1. define genres, codes, and conventions;
2. present an issue in varied ways to disseminate information using the codes, convention,
and language of media; and
3. create a short video clip and apply the different types of code.

III. DISCUSSION:
A. Presentation of the Lesson:
1. Media Languages

Image Source: Media Power on Society –

Celebrity Influence on Youth Culture | Year
11 - Language and Literature
(wordpress.com)

Media Languages refer to the codes, conventions, formats, symbols, and

narrative structures that indicate the meaning of media messages to an audience.

• Genre
✓ Media products can be classified or genre.
✓ The word 'genre' comes from the French word meaning 'type' or 'class'.
✓ Media genres appear within a medium (film, television) such as the "horror"
film or the television "situation comedy".
✓ A genre can be recognized by its common set of distinguishing features.
These features associated with a genre's style and content may be, for
example, a particular setting, character types, technical codes (lighting or
music). You may also find that some media texts blur genre boundaries.
✓ Audiences recognize these features and therefore expect certain things.
For example, at the end of a romantic comedy film, the two lead characters

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 will realize they are in love. Audiences may even select a text based on its
genre.

• Codes
✓ Codes are systems of signs, which create meaning.
✓ Codes can be divided into two categories – technical and symbolic.

TYPES OF CODES
✓ Symbolic Code – show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For
example, a character's actions show you how the character is feeling.
Example:
▪ What does a Red Rose symbolize? – A Red Rose may convey
Romance or Love.
▪ What does a Clench Fist symbolize? – A clenched fist may convey
Anger.
▪ What do the Traffic Lights symbolize? – Red means Stop, Green is Go,
and Yellow means ready.

✓ Written Code – use of language style and textual layout (headlines, captions,
speech bubbles, language style, etc. ).

✓ Technical Code – are all how equipment is used to tell the story in a media
text, for example, the camera work in a film.

Different Camera Shots:

✓ Extreme Long Shot - Also called extreme wide shots such as a large
crowd scene or a view of the scenery as far as the horizon.
✓ Long Shot - a view of a situation or set from a distance.
✓ Medium Long Shot - shows a group of people in interaction with each
other, for example, a fight scene with part of their surroundings in the
picture.
✓ Full Shot - a view of a figure’s entire body to show action and/or a
constellation group of characters.
✓ Medium Close Shot - shows a subject down to his/her chest/waist.
✓ Close Up Shot - a full-screen shot of a subject’s face showing the finest
nuances of expression.
✓ Extreme Close Up Shot - a shot of a hand, eye, mouth, or any object in
detail.

Point of view

✓ Establishing Shot - often used at the beginning of a scene to indicate the

location or setting, it is usually a long shot taken from a neutral position.
✓ Point-of-View Shot - Shows a scene from the perspective of a character
or one person. Most newsreel footage is shown from the perspective of the
newscaster.
✓ Over-the-Shoulder Shot - Often used in dialogue scenes, a frontal view
of a dialogue partner from the perspective of someone standing behind and
slightly to the side of the other partner, so that parts of both can be seen.
✓ Reaction Shot - Short shot of a character’s response to an action.
✓ Insert Shot - A detail shot that quickly gives visual information necessary
to understand the meaning of a scene.
✓ Reverse-Angle Shot - a shot from the opposite perspective.
✓ Hand-held Camera Shot - The camera is not mounted on a tripod and
instead is held by the cameraperson, resulting in less stable shots.

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 Camera Angles

✓ Aerial Shot - Overhead Shot - Also called Bird’s Eye Shot - Long or an
extreme long shot of the ground from the air.
✓ High-Angle Shot - Shows people or objects from above higher than eye
level.
✓ Low-Angle Shot - Below Shot - Shows people or objects from below, lower
than eye level.
✓ Eye-Level Shot - Straight-on Angle - Views a subject from the level of a
person’s eye.

For a sample of different Camera Angles, you may visit the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD63b6Z-Tr0 entitled Camera Angles by
Zach King.
Camera Movements

✓ Pan Shot - The camera pans (moves horizontally) from left to right or vice
versa across the picture.
✓ Tilt Shot - The camera tilts up (moves upwards) or tilts down (moves
downwards) around a vertical line.
✓ Tracking Shot - The camera follows along next to or behind a moving
object or person.
✓ Zoom - The stationary camera approaches a subject by “zooming in” or
moves farther away by “zooming out”.

For a sample of different Camera Movements, you may visit the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9APrV5cYnE entitled Camera
Movement – Storytelling with Cinematography by DSLRGuide.

• Convention
✓ 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.

For a sample of Convention in a Film, you may visit the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuxNcpC9a0A&list=PLvqJQQNqUbBSD9TL
TO7EcEGP1KvRWbGDh&index=3 entitled Conventions and Iconography in
Action Films by Skyline Productions.

Codes and conventions are used together in any study of the 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 backlighting are used to create
mystery and suspense – an integral part of any horror movie.

B. Try your new skills!

Direction: In 3-5 sentences, answer the following questions:

1. What is the importance of Language to the people?

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2. What do you think is the hidden message for this poster? Explain your answer.

Image Source: Winnie the Pooh | Movie

fanart | fanart.tv

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C. Lesson Links
Direction: In 3 – 5 sentences, answer the following questions:

1. How do understanding of the technical and symbolic codes contribute to media and
information literacy?
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2. In your opinion, is there a need for media producers to convene and discuss ways to
improve their craft? Explain your answer.
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3. Base on Proverb 18:15: “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears
of the wise seek it out.”, how do you interpret the message of different movies
released?
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 4. Why do we have to be discerning in all we do?
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IV. SUMMARY:
• Symbolic Codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see (objects, setting, body
language, clothing, color, etc. ) or iconic symbols that are easily understood.
• Written Codes use of language style and textual layout (headlines, captions, speech
bubbles, language style, etc. )
• Technical Codes are ways in which equipment is used to tell the story. This includes
sound, camera angles, types of shots, and lighting as well as camera techniques, framing,
depth of field, lighting, exposure, and juxtaposition.
• Conventions refer to a standard or norm that acts as a rule governing the behavior - Are
generally established and accepted ways of doing something.

V. GAIN YOUR POINTS HERE!

A. IT’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE! (Hands-on Activity #2 – 20pts.)
Direction:
• From the different Technical Codes, choose at least 7 from Camera shots, Point of
View, Camera Angle, or Camera Movements.
• Be the Model of your Transfer Task and be creative with every shot.
• From the output, create a short video clip of your shots.
• Include the following details: name of technical code, audio, your name, and credits
for audio/movie used in the presentation.
• Upload your output in your Aralinks account.

Criteria for rating the Video Clip:

Content (technical code) –10 pts.
Presentation (Quality of video) – 5pts.
Credits/Originality – 5pts.
Total – 20pts.
VI. REFERENCES
Ping, A. (2017). Media and Information Literacy – All Topics and contents in PowerPoint.
Retrieved from Arniel Ping presentations | SlideShare

Mananguit, I. (2018). Media and Information Languages (Lec). Retrieved from Media and
Information Languages (Lecture) (illeniamananguit.blogspot.com)

Oxillo, M.J. (2017). Media and Information Languages – Media and Information Literacy
(MIL). Retrieved from Media and Information Languages - Media and Information
Literacy (MIL) (slideshare.net)

Media Studies. (n.d.). Codes and Conventions. Retrieved from Codes and conventions /
Media concepts / Teaching media studies / Home - Media Studies Private Community
(tki.org.nz)