Codes & conventions of real media products (Question 1)

Zia Martinez

Print AdvertWhen picking our broadcast channel for our advertisement, we

chose Channel 4. As part of our research, we looked at many different print ads that Channel 4 had advertised. We strived to conform, develop and challenge it’s codes and conventions.

Print Advert

My print ad.

Channel 4 print ad.

One main codes and conventions of a print advert is one image that dominates the screen. We have developed this codes and conventions by ensuring that our image does relate to theme of the documentary and that the image is high quality. We did this by using technology such as DSLR camera and Photoshop to edit. The image then informs the audience to what the documentary is about without even looking at the texts, therefore it is significant to have one dominant image that draws the audience in.

Another codes and conventions is that the print advert is landscape. After researching Channel 4 print advert, we found that most print adverts were landscape, therefore we decided to also apply this as part of developing our print advert. We didn’t challenge this code and convention as we feel that we didn’t need to.

Another codes and convention is the Channel 4 logo placed on the middle right corner. We decided to conform to this code and convention as it would make our print advert to look professional and looks like it belongs to Channel 4. We also develop this by ensuring the size of the logo is relatively the same as other Channel 4 print advert. Having said that we also challenge this code and convention as we made our channel 4 logo to have a different colour as other Channel 4 logo. This is because we wanted to carry out a colour scheme within our print advert, which is again a main codes and conventions.

Print advert

Another code and convention is the information on the bottom left corner – this indicates audience about the documentary and information about airing date and time. We have developed this by ensuring that the texts within our print advert does relate to our documentary.

Another code and convention is the font style. We challenge this code and convention as we couldn’t download the Channel 4 font, therefore we found a font that is similar to the Channel 4 font (Verdana). We have also used the same colour for our text on all of the information that is displayed, this then also develops the colour scheme within this print advert.

Channel 4 print ad.Our print advert

Print advert

Basic / minimal information – to influence audience to watch the documentary so that they can gain more information / knowledge. We have develop this code and convention by ensuring that limited information about our documentary is displayed.

The boarders for the text is also a codes and convention; this enables the texts to stand out and make it easier to read for the audience. We develop this code and convention by ensuring that the with and length of the boarders does relate to the text; not too big nor too small. We also decided to leave a space before putting in the boarders as other Channel 4 adverts does so. However, we have challenge this codes and convention as our boarders are different colour to other Channel 4 advert; we ensured that we develop our colour schemes and ensure that the boarder and the Channel 4 logo are identical colour.

Print Advert

My print ad.Channel 4 print ad.

Another form of codes and convention that we have develop for our print advert is the title of documentary is one size font bigger that the other texts. This enables the title to stand out and grabs the audience attention. This also breaks away from the rest of information and let the audience know that this is the title of the documentary.

Radio Advert• A radio advert can range from 15 seconds to 60 seconds. However the average time for a radio advert is around 40 seconds. Therefore we have decided to conform this codes and convention and apply it to ours. Our radio advert is 29 seconds long. This is essential as having a very long or very short radio advert will either bore the audience or leave them not knowing the full details.

Examples of radio adverts. – click on the “speaker” icon.

Warburtons-

Toby carvery -

Doctor Who -

•Radio advert will contain information about the documentary to the audience. We have develop this codes and conventions and ensured that our radio advert does contain information that does relate to our documentary. We included information such as scheduling.

•Often contains music bed or “jingle” to make the advert memorable with a voice over on top. We have too conform this code and convention and ensured that we have included a memorable music. Having said that we did not include a jingle, instead we have included a song that we have used on our documentary. We did this to challenge this code and convention and to also imply a sense of continuity through the use of sounds within the whole products.

Radio advert

•Language used will be tailored to demographic. We ensured that the voice over for our radio trailer is understandable. We have chosen a woman’s voice is from the same city / country as the audience we are broadcasting the radio advert too as we wanted our audience to be able to understand the trailer.

•The mode of address is directly to the audience. We have develop this codes and convention by including vox pops of audience. This enables the audience to know that it is aimed for the public. We also ensured that vox pops that we used ranges from male and female so that both gender will receive the mode of address.

•The voice over will normally be upbeat and lively to attract attention and typical uses of English accent and will speak very clearly for audibility. We have ensured that we conform to this code and convention by using a woman’s voice for our voice over. We also made sure that the information she is delivering is in English language.

•Will be information dense. We have challenge this code and convention by does including many information to our radio advert, but not too dense. We did this as we wanted our audience to keep wanting more, therefore increases the chance of them wanting to watch the documentary. The information we included were vox pops opinions, scheduling and the title of the documentary.

Radio trailer

•The voice over often contains a woman’s voice. W have decided to develop this code and convention and used a woman’s voice. We did this as the theme of the documentary does present a more feminine touch to it, therefore we thought a woman’s voice would be necessary.

•Will contain slogan of the documentary. We conformed to this code and convention and included our own slogan, which is also used for our print advert (Rise and Shine). Including a slogan will enable the audience to remember the documentary, therefore increases the chance of watching it.

•Normally contains vox pops. We conformed to this code and convention by including three vpx pops from our interview. Not only does it give a little preview of what the documentary have to offer, but also enables the audience to know other people’s views and opinions.

•Normally has uses of persuasive language. i.e. repetition, rhetorical question, alliteration etc. We have decided to conform to this code and convention and added in a rhetorical question (Breakfast. One of the stapes of Britain, but what makes it so special? ) . We did this to gain audience attention and draw them in. This also allows the audience to use their cognitive thinking and answer the question.

Documentary •Opening sequence –we have ensured that we conform to this code and convention as we wanted to grab our audience in at the very beginning. It is significant for the audience to be engaged at the very start as if they didn’t fin the opening sequence entertaining, then they wouldn’t want to watch the rest of the documentary. Our opening sequence is a reconstruction, in which some mix documentary also uses. We develop this be ensuring the our opening sequence does relate to theme of our documentary.

•Opening title – to indicate the title of the documentary and to inform the audience what the documentary will be addressing. We decided to conform to this code and convention as it is important for the audience to know what the title is. We also developed this as we ensured that title style does relate to them of our documentary. We did this through Adobe Photoshop and made the title to look like en English breakfast.

Documentary. •Introduction – We have decided to develop this code and convention by including the history of breakfast for our introduction. Not only does it introduces it to the theme of the documentary but it also gives out useful information. We also back this up by cutaways of breakfast examples that were consumed on the olden days of breakfast.

• Montage – We have decided to develop this code and convention by portraying many different types of breakfast montage and places where they can be bought. We did this to show interest to the theme. This also draws attention and to entertain audience.

Documentary

• Interviews – We have decide to conform to this codes and conventions as it is the most significant code and convention on mix documentaries and without interviews, our documentary would not be a mix documentary. We have develop this by ensuring that our interviewee are either experts such as chefs and staffs from cafés and restaurant that sells breakfast, or parents and other member of the public in order to gain more diversed argument and opinions.

• Narrative structure – We conformed to this code and convention as we wanted our documentary to flow and make sense. We also wanted it to be informative and full off opinions. Persuasive argument is used throughout to enable the audience to understand views and opinions. This also used to keep audience entertained. Narrative structure can be used within the interviews. • Statistics – this is also a code and convention that we have conformed to. Statistics are used

to back up the information that is being distributed. We have developed this code and convention by ensuring the statistics that we used were up to date, correct and does relate to the theme of our documentary.

Documentary

• Actuality – This code and convention is significant as it allows the audience to know that this documentary does reflect a true representation, therefore we decided that this code and convention is something we will conform to. We developed actuality by recording footage from HD Sony video camera ourselves thus creating the impression that the documentary is valid.

• Archive footage – we have also decided to conform to this code and convention as archive footage is popular to other mix documentaries. We develop this by using achieve materials such as commercials that does relate to the theme of our documentary. Archive footage also creates similarities between our work and other professional work. We decided o use Weetabix advert as it was fun, eye catching, interesting and relates to the theme of our documentary.

Documentary

•Graphics - such as still title and the main title. We decided to conform to this codes and convention as this provides information for the audience i.e. the interviewee’s name and occupation. We then develop this by ensuring we have used the font that were favoured by our audience form the audience research questionnaire and that the style of these graphics are the same as the main title. We did this to highlight the continuity of our product.

•Sound (diegetic and non diegetic sound) – we have decided to add sounds for our documentary as it is the main code and convention for a mix documentary. Without sound, the whole product would not be successful as it will be either really boring, or no information will be distributed. Diegetic sounds were used such as interviews and vox pops. Non diegetic sounds were also used such as background music.

•Diegetic sound – voice over / voice of God – this was used when footage is shown. Voice over is used to back up the footage that is being shown on the screen with related information, therefore it was essential to conform to this code and convention. We develop this by ensuring that the sounds does match and does relate to the theme and concept of the documentary.

Documentary • Vox pops – this is done to add interest of the documentary and to also portray different views

and opinions of the public. We develop this by ensuring that the frame that we sued were rule of thirds, the interviewee is faced on the opposite direction as the camera and that the information that they are saying does relate to them of the documentary. We also decided to develop this code and convention by ensuring that we include a mix gender for the vox pops to increase the levels of actuality and generalisation

• Cross fade transition – we decided to conform to this as this to adds creativity within the documentary. This also enables to attract the audience in and make the documentary more interesting.

• Close up shot – this code and convention allows to draws focus on the subject. It highlights and express its importance. We develop this code and convention by ensuring that the image that we used close up shot is something meaningful and does relate to the theme of the documentary.

Documentary

Long shot- this code and convention is used to add creativity within the documentary. We conformed to this code and convention as we believe that this attracts the audience and makes the documentary more interesting.

Medium shot – this is normally associates with interviews as it enables the audience to see detail of mise on scene. We develop this by ensuring that we do stick the rule of third. We decided to conform to this code and convention as this is used often on other mix documentaries and without it, our documentary would be plain and boring and the audience will not be engaged nor entertained.

Over the shoulder shots – this code and convention adds interest to the topic. We have challenge this code and convention as we didn't not use any over the shoulder shots as we didn’t feel that it was necessary to.

Panning shot – this code and convention creates a sense of direction. It also adds creativity within the documentary. Therefore we have decided to conform to this. Using panning shot also increases the creativity levels of the documentary and also keeps the audience entertained.

Documentary

Rule of thirds – this code and convention is normally associated with interview, keeping the interviewee on either the left or right hand size of the space. We decided to conform to this code and convention as we wanted our interviews to look professional. We also wanted to this as we wanted to highlight the importance of mise en scene.

Establishing shot – this code and convention informs audience information without relying on the voice over. This enhance the actuality within the documentary as what is being shown is actually real. Therefore we have decided that it would be necessary to conform to this code and convention. We also develop this by using different camera techniques such as close up, medium close up or long shot.

Documentary

Mise en scene – this code and convention expresses the topic of the documentary at every angle. This is particularly significant during interviews so the documentary flows correctly. We have develop this code and convention as we wanted our documentary to look professional and we also wanted to highlight the theme of the documentary.

High and low angle shot – this code and convention adds interest and creativity towards the documentary. This also highlight the subject’s importance. We have develop this by using more camera techniques such as middle close up or long shot.

Cutaways – this code and convention backs up what is being shown or said within the screen. This enhances actuality as cutaways shows that what is being said within the voice over is actually real. We have develop this code and convention by ensuring that our cutaways does relate to theme of the documentary.