Welcome to Choice of Media Language!
Ever wondered why a horror movie uses dark shadows, or why a YouTuber looks directly into the lens while talking? In this chapter, we are going to look at the choices media producers make. Think of it like being a detective: every color, camera angle, and word is a clue telling us how we should feel and what we should think. Don't worry if this seems a bit deep at first—once you see how it works, you’ll never look at a screen the same way again!
1. The Three Big Choices: Select, Combine, Exclude
Producers don't just point a camera and hope for the best. They follow three main steps to build their message:
Selection: This is what the producer chooses to put in.
Example: Choosing a specific "heroic" photo of a politician for a front-page news story.
Combination: This is how they put those elements together.
Example: Putting upbeat music over a fast-paced montage of a city makes it look exciting and fun.
Exclusion: This is what they choose to leave out. This is just as important as what is kept in!
Example: A documentary about a celebrity might leave out all the times they were rude to staff to make them look more likeable.
The Sandwich Analogy
Imagine you are making a sandwich for a friend you want to impress.
1. You select the best sourdough bread.
2. You combine it with fancy cheese and ham.
3. You exclude the crusts because they look messy.
The result isn't "just a sandwich"—it's a constructed message saying, "I am a great cook and I care about you!" Media products work exactly the same way.
Quick Review:
• Selection: Picking the bits.
• Combination: Putting the bits together.
• Exclusion: Leaving the boring/bad bits out.
Key Takeaway: Media language isn't accidental. It is a series of deliberate choices used to influence the audience's meaning.
2. The "Rules" of Media Language
Just like English has rules for grammar, media language has "rules" for how signs are used. Producers follow (or sometimes break) these rules to make sure the audience understands the message.
Signs and Codes: A "sign" is anything that communicates a meaning. For example, a red rose is a sign for romance.
Assembling the Message: Producers "assemble" these signs into codes that we recognize. If you see a character wearing a white lab coat (sign) in a room full of test tubes (sign), the "rules" of media language tell you that this person is a scientist.
Did you know?
The way signs are put together is called construction. Media isn't a "window on the world"—it is a constructed version of reality. It’s like a LEGO set; someone had to choose the pieces and build the model!
Key Takeaway: We understand media because we recognize the "rules" and "codes" producers use to build their versions of reality.
3. Points of View and Values
By choosing certain elements, producers can represent the world in ways that convey specific messages and values. They can literally choose a "point of view" for the audience.
Constructing Points of View:
• Low Angle Shot: Selecting a camera angle looking up at someone makes them look powerful or scary.
• High Angle Shot: Selecting an angle looking down makes them look weak or vulnerable.
Conveying Values:
If an advert for a car only shows it driving through beautiful, empty nature, the producer is selecting "freedom" and "beauty" as values to associate with that car. They exclude the reality of traffic jams and pollution!
Key Takeaway: Choices in media language are used to tell us who the "good guys" and "bad guys" are, and what things are important in life.
4. Register and Modes of Address
This is all about how the media product "speaks" to you. It’s the "tone of voice" of the product.
Register
The register is the level of formality.
• Formal Register: A news reader using serious language and complex words.
• Informal Register: A gaming magazine using slang and "matey" language.
Modes of Address
This is how the product acknowledges the audience.
Direct Address: The media product speaks directly to you.
Example: A presenter looking right into the camera or an advert saying "YOU need this." It makes you feel involved and important.
Indirect Address: The media product acts like you aren't there.
Example: Characters in a TV drama talking to each other, never looking at the camera. We feel like we are "looking in" on their lives.
Common Mistake to Avoid:
Students often think Direct Address is only about speaking. Remember, eye contact with the camera is a form of direct address too!
Key Takeaway: Mode of address determines the relationship between the product and the audience—either making us feel like a friend (direct) or an invisible observer (indirect).
Summary Checklist: Choice of Media Language
To master this section, ask yourself these questions when looking at any media product:
1. What has been selected and what has been excluded? (The "Sandwich Method").
2. How does the combination of shots/sounds/words create a specific narrative?
3. Is the reality being shown a "window" or a "construction"? (Hint: It's always a construction!).
4. Does the product use direct or indirect address to talk to me?
5. What values or points of view am I being encouraged to accept?