MILseries: Ep04 Media & Information Languages

Summary

In this episode of the MIL (Media and Information Literacy) series, the speaker explores the concept of media and information languages. They explain how information can be conveyed not only through words but also through images, symbols, codes, and technical aspects like camera angles and sound. The video dives into the types of media codes—symbolic, written, and technical—and their impact on communication. Additionally, the speaker discusses media conventions and the role of audiences and producers in shaping media messages. The episode encourages viewers to critically analyze media content rather than passively consume it.

Takeaways

• 🎬 Media language refers to the codes, conventions, symbols, and narrative structures that communicate meaning in media content.
• 🖼️ Information can be conveyed not only through words but also through images, videos, and symbols.
• 📝 Symbolic codes use symbols or semiotics (e.g., colors, objects) to convey underlying meanings, like a red rose symbolizing love.
• 📚 Written codes involve the use of language, style, and layout to communicate meaning, like headlines and captions in newspapers.
• 📷 Technical codes use equipment like cameras, lighting, and sound to tell stories, such as different camera shots and angles in films.
• 🔄 Codes are categorized into three types: symbolic (using symbols), written (using text), and technical (using equipment).
• 🎞️ Conventions refer to norms or standards in media, such as having a title at the beginning of a film and credits at the end.
• 📜 Story conventions involve common narrative structures like setting, conflict, and resolution, which guide storytelling.
• 📺 Genre conventions are tropes and themes that audiences expect from specific genres, like blood in horror movies.
• 👥 The audience is the group of people who consume media content, while producers are those who create it, including directors, writers, and editors.

Q & A

What is 'media language' as described in the script?

Media language refers to the codes, conventions, formats, symbols, and narrative structures that communicate meaning to an audience through different forms of media.

What are the three types of codes used in media?

The three types of codes used in media are symbolic codes, technical codes, and written codes.

Can you explain symbolic codes in media?

Symbolic codes involve the use of symbols or objects to convey meaning. For example, a red rose might symbolize love or romance, and colors like red, yellow, and green may have different meanings in different contexts.

What is the role of technical codes in media?

Technical codes are used to tell a story through the use of equipment, such as cameras, lighting, sound, and editing. For example, camera angles and shots like close-ups or extreme long shots help convey emotions or settings.

How are written codes used in media?

Written codes involve the use of language, textual layouts, headlines, captions, and speech bubbles to convey messages. For example, headlines in newspapers emphasize important information with larger font sizes.

What are the different camera shots mentioned in the script?

The script mentions several camera shots, including extreme long shots, full shots, close-ups, extreme close-ups, and over-the-shoulder shots. Each shot serves to emphasize different elements of the scene, such as the setting or a character's emotions.

What are conventions in media, and what are the three types?

Conventions are standard or accepted ways of doing things in media. The three types are form conventions, story conventions, and genre conventions.

What are story conventions?

Story conventions refer to common narrative structures and elements in storytelling, such as settings, conflicts, and resolutions that are typical in many stories.

What are genre conventions in media?

Genre conventions are specific elements like tropes, characters, settings, or themes that are typically associated with a particular genre, such as horror or romance.

Who are the 'audience' and 'producers' in media, according to the script?

The audience refers to the group of people who consume media content, while producers are those involved in creating the content, such as directors, writers, and editors.