Media language comprises all those elements which work together in order to create meaning. Unlike in the case of literary language, text is only one element in media language (still images and colour schemes are some other elements of printed media language which create additional meanings to the text, and add denotations and connotations to it, as much as sounds and motion images are elements of audiovisual media language). The way all these elements are organised determines the representations created, and therefore its meaning.
Depending on the nature of the media text (printed media or audiovisual media), these elements in media language will be different. Below you can find two presentations on the elements of both printed media language and audiovisual media language as well as a revision booklet on the last, which will be useful for your media coursework production and exam revision.
The concepts of GENRE and NARRATIVE have been allocated in different sections, due to their extension and complexity, although they should be considered elements of media language.
AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA LANGUAGE
Camera shots
Audio-visual media language 1_Camera shots_Task
L.O.: To understand how camera shots are used in order to tell a story.
Task: Complete the task set in the attached worksheet on a PowerPoint presentation.
Camera angles and movements
Audio-visual media language 2_Camera angles and movements_Task
L.O.: To understand how camera angles and camera movements are used in order to create a dramatic effect.
Task: Following with the Power Point presentation that you started in the previous lesson, add one slide for each of these camera angles and camera movements, adding the definition (written) and an example taken from a film, advert or music video.
Extension task: Choose one TV advert or music video that you can find online and analyse five camera angles and movements, naming them and explaining their dramatic effect (What is the meaning that they convey and how do they work in the narrative of the advert? Or, in other words, why has the director chosen that angle or movement to represent that specific action?)
Sound
There are two main types of sound used on audio-visual media language:
Diegetic sound – Sound that is produced by the characters’ actions and therefore can be heard by the characters within a scene. This is sound that is part of the imaginary world of the story.
Non-diegetic sound – Sound that is added for dramatic purpose and just the audience can hear. This includes a musical soundtrack or an omniscient narrator’s voiceover (however this excludes a narration by a character within the story, which would be referred to as an internal monologue and therefore being diegetic). In a nutshell, non-diegetic sound would be those sounds that the characters cannot hear and is not part of the imaginary world of the story.
You can find here an example of diegetic and non-diegetic sound turned into a gag in the cartoon comedy series Family Guy:
Editing
Editing refers to the stage in the film-making process in which sound and images are organised into an overall narrative. All the camera shots and sound is put together in order to make sense and tell a story.
Audio-visual media language 3_Editing_Task
L.O.: To understand how the different elements and techniques of audiovisual editing are used to construct a narrative.
Task: Following with the Power Point presentation that you started in the previous lessons, and using the worksheet attached, add one slide for each of these aspects of editing, adding the definition (written) and an example taken from a film, advert or music video.
Extension task: Choose one TV advert or music video that you can find online and analyse five different examples of editing techniques, naming them and explaining their dramatic effect (What is the meaning that they convey and how do they work in the narrative of the film, advert or music video?)
Mise-en-scene
Audio-visual media language 4_Mise-en-scene_Task
L.O.: To understand the different aspects of mise-en-scene in audio-visual media language.
Task: Following with the Power Point presentation that you started in the previous lesson, add one slide for each of these aspects of mise-en-scene, adding the definition (written) and an example taken from a film, TV advert or music video, explaining how does it help to identify narrative or generic conventions of that specific audio visual media text.
AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA LANGUAGE revision booklet (view online/download)
https://issuu.com/windsorgirlsmedia/docs/audiovisual_media_language_revision_55e38dc8176f1e
GRAPHIC MEDIA LANGUAGE
Font types
GCSE OCR Media Studies (specification code: J200) 