1. Deconstructing Media

2. Genre
Media products can usually be classified into categories or genre (type).
Media genres appear within a medium (film, television, etc.), such as the "horror" film.
A genre can be recognized by its common set of key features.
For example: these features may be a certain setting, character types, certain lighting or music, etc.

3. Audiences recognize these features and therefore expect certain things.
For example, at the end of a romantic comedy film the two lead characters will realize they are in love. Audiences may even select a text on the basis of its genre.

4. This “common set of key features” are called… CODES AND CONVENTIONS!!
Definition:
Codes and conventions are the predictable and familiar forms and techniques used by the media to communicate certain ideas or to convey a desired impression.

5. Media Conventions For Example
A TV news anchor usually sits behind a news desk and looks directly at the camera.

6. Media Conventions and Techniques
Each medium has its own set of conventions. 
Radio, television, magazines, and the internet all have a different look, a different method of communicating, a different purpose, and different codes and conventions. 
Within a specific medium, you may also find specific codes and conventions. 
Television is a perfect example. Television shows may by categorized according to genre (examples: soap operas, talk shows, police dramas, sitcoms, etc.) 

7. Think you can spot them?
Let’s see you can connect the genre with the correct set of codes/conventions…

8. In a television show, the camera moves in slow for a close up, on a man and a woman, lighting is dim, and the music is soft and slow. What is the scene about?

10. What is the usual setting for a TV family sitcom?

12. In the music industry, how do you distinguish a hard core punk fan from a hard core rap fan?

13. Take a wild guess…

14. These are all codes: things we just seem to understand without being aware that they have been taught to us.
Various CONVENTIONS and TECHNIQUES are used to convey these codes and to communicate the message…

15. You need to be familiar with different kinds of conventions and techniques you might find in a media text…
Examples:
Colours  shade, brightness, variety, symbolism, tone, cool/warm, contrasting colours, shadows, etc.
Positioning  positioning of text vs. image, position of characters within an image, what is centered, etc.
Text (writing)  font, bold, italics, caps, big lettering, small lettering, brightly coloured, centered, etc.
Sub-Text  Message that goes beyond the surface meaning of the ad

16. Examples (continued)…
Plot  The event being shown in the ad and the events you imagine have just occurred or will occur after
Images  details within the image, positioning of the image, colours, etc.
Audio  music, tone of voice, volume of voice, etc.
Other details/visuals  borders, camera angles, etc.
Any others you can think of?

17. And the list goes on…
The number and variety of codes, conventions and techniques is endless, and they can be quite different depending on what type of media text you are looking at
Example: a print ad would use very different techniques than a radio commercial.
So how do I know what to look for???.....

18. ANALYZE!!!
When you read/look at a media text, in order to find the conventions, you MUST pay attention to DETAIL.
Look at every aspect of the media text.