Codes and Conventions

Codes and Conventions:

Codes and Conventions are the aspects that define a genre, so they would most commonly be found in
that particular genre opposed to the others. Codes and conventions create the mood of each genre and the
way the film feels to the viewer.
Action:
Action films usually involve one or more characters being forced to overcome one or more challenges to
save someone they care about or to save a country/ the world.
The Codes and Convention For Action:

Explosions- Explosions are used to show the destruction that takes place within the film, they
usually take place within a populated area to show people lives at risk, this further shows the
destruction thats caused through the film.

Fast Paced Music- Fast Paced Music is used to make the mood feel more tense, it is usually used
in the chase scenes as it makes them more tense for the viewer.

Weapons- Weapons are used to bring the action into the film, without them the film wouldn't be an
action film. The weapons that are most commonly used are guns and knives, however this depends
on the environment as they usually use it as a weapon for example if they are in a restaurant they
may use the tables and chairs. The bad guy usually has more weapons as he has gathered them to
make his plan a successes, the good guy usually has less as he is restricted to what he can use as
he is usually some form of police officer so he is restricted to what he can use, or he has a less
money than the bad guy so he cant afford the same equipment.

Fights- Like weapons, fights bring the action to the film, without fights the film would be a different
genre as it would have less of the action element in it and the film would go in a different direction
without them.

Good vs. Bad- The Good vs. Bad gives a meaning to the fighting, it helps the viewer to understand
why the characters are fighting. The bad guy looks to be winning up until the end of the film, thats
when the good guy catches up to the bad guy and ends up winning.

Motive- The motive is usually the bad guys reason for doing what it's doing, it brings a story to the
film so gives it a purpose.

Mission to Complete- The mission does what the motive does, the mission is what the protagonist
must do to stop the bad guy, it brings a story to the film.

Chases- Chases usually accompany the fast paced music, chases are used to bring give the action
a reason but they are also their to entertain the viewer as they wonder what could happen next.
Comedy:
Comedy films are films that emphasises on the aspect of humour, comedy films entertain the viewer
through the use of humour.
The Codes and Conventions For Comedy:

Jokes- Jokes are used in comedy films to make them funnier, this brings more humour to the
situations the characters are in, without jokes the film could still be a comedy dues to concept but it
helps the films if it has jokes as it make it more funny to the viewer.

Multiple Characters Types- Having different character types make their situations funnier as the
viewer is able to see different reactions, and the characters reacting to each others reactions.
Another reason for having multiple characters is so the viewer can relate to them.

Bright Lighting- Bright Lighting helps to make the mood feel light and happy so this helps light tone
of the comedy. The lighting emphasises that the film is happy and fun to the viewer.

Social Environments- Social Environments are used in Comedies because the situations the
characters go through are more believable in these environments, and they usually have bright
lighting.

Non Diegetic Sound- Non Diegetic sound is sound that has been added after the film has been
filmed, it is important as it puts more emphasis on whats happening.
Animation:
Animation films are films in which a still drawing, painting or illustration are photographed frame by
frame, each frame slightly differs, when the frames are played together it gives the illusion that they
are moving.

Childish Humour- Most animations are aimed at children so having childish humour in them helps to
hit their target audience. Most of the jokes in animation are things that would make a child laugh so
they are usually full of tongue in cheek humour.

Strange Characters- As animations arent real the creators are able to create strange looking
characters, but this also helps to get their target audience more interested.

Colourful Scenery- The Colourful Scenery helps the animation to feel more friendly. This is more
appropriate for children as they respond well to bright colours and it captures their attention, they
are also more age appropriate for children.

Good vs. Bad- Good vs. Bad give the animation a story to follow so it keeps the viewer interested in
whats happening.

Good Guy Turns Out to be Bad- This adds a twist to the story, but in usually happens in animations
as most of the characters are brought across as being good so its not expected to happen.

Musical:
A musical is a film that follows a story and characters like any other film but it breaks down with
songs in between dialog, the songs usually explain a characters motive or explain part of the story.
The Codes and Conventions For Musicals:

Song Breakdowns- Song Breakdowns are, imperative to musicals as they are what bring the music
into them, they usually happen at a key point in the story to exalting something or to introduce a
character.

Small Cast- Most musicals have a small cast due to the amount of signing, this is so they dont have
to find lots of people who can sing but it also helps the viewer so they dont have to keep track of
too many characters.

Humour- Humour helps to keep the film entertaining whilst there is no music playing, but it also
helps to bring another genre into the musical, for example The Rock Horror Picture Show is a
musical Comedy.

Musical Story Telling- Musical story telling helps to keep the film entertaining as its unique to the
genre as no other genre has music to help it tell the story, and specific characters sing specific parts
of the story as it would be related to them and it helps explain what they are doing and why.

Musical Character introductions- Musical character introductions help to introduce a character to the
viewer in a more in depth way as each character gets their own musical mood and style so it helps
to show their personally in a different light.

Sci-Fi
Sci-Fi means Science Fiction, the Sci-Fi genre is commonly classed as being in space but it also
represents things such as Superhero films.
The Codes and Conventions For Sci-Fi:

Space- Space is important to most Sci-Fi films as the genre is commonly associated with
being in space, it helps to bring a new light to science, when most people think of science
they think of space and the fictional story telling helps to show space in a more interesting
way.
Futuristic Technology- Having Futuristic Technology helps with the genre being in space but
it fits into the fiction side of the film as most as Sci-Fi films are set in the future, or another
Galaxy that has advanced technology.
Aliens (Fictional Characters)- Creatures from other planets (Aliens) they are all fictional
characters meaning there entire appearance and persona has been made up. They are
associated with the Sci-Fi genre so they are commonly used in most Sci-Fi films, they are
not always depicted as being evil, in films such as Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy
they are the allies of the main character, however in classic Sci-Fi films such as War of the
Worlds (1953), the Blob (1958) and Killer Klowns for outer space (1988) the aliens are
classed as evil creatures who want to destroy all humans and take over the world.
Super Powers- Super Powers fill in the Fiction aspect of the genre by making the characters
have super human abilities, this happens so the character can help those in need, the
characters who get the powers are usually nerds, for example Peter Parker (Spider-Man)
they get the powers and help people and be a better person, this is usually so the viewer
can relate to the character.
Good vs. Bad- The Good vs. Bad brings a story into the film so the viewer is able to
understand whats happening, it gives a reason for characters intentions and it also helps to
bring action into the film to give the viewer more entertainment.
Action- The action brings a use for the Super Powers and Futuristic Technology as the
characters use them to fight each other, and it helps to keep the viewer entertained so it's
not just story, it keeps the viewer interested and wanting to know why the fight has
happened or why it happens like it did, it gets them more intrigued into the story.
My Genre- My film opening is going to be based around the action genre, I am not going to
use everything I listed such as explosions but I will use the concept so I will have them
mentioned as I cant actually make them happen, I will have the bad guy having more
weapons in my short scene, I wont have a fight scene but I will leave it at a cliff hanger so

the idea of a fight is there, I will have the good vs. bad as I have two characters planned out,
one will be good and one will be bad, the bad guys motive will be explained through what he
says and what he does, I wont have a mission in the opening but I will try to make the
opening show one, and a chase wont happen but I will try to make one mentioned. I will do
this to try and clearly show that my opening is that of an action film, I am going to try to
make it a unique idea but clearly show that it is an action film opening.