Research : Codes and Conventions Of Horror Films

What are codes?

A system of signs which can be decoded to create meaning.

In media texts, we look at a range of different signs that can be loosely grouped into the following:

• technical codes is how the camera is positioned to impact on your viewing experiences - camera angles, framing, typography etc

• symbolic codes is what we believe because of what happens in the scene - if someone smiles you would think they are happy

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.