Code: a system of signs that can be decoded to create meaning
Technical codes - the way the text is technically constructed e.g. Camera angles, framing, typography etc.
Verbal codes - everything to do with the written or spoken language
Symbolic codes - codes decoded on a connotation level. Usually drawn from experience and understanding other media texts. Can create an emotion within the audience e.g. Pathetic fallacy of rain in movie refers to a sad emotion.
Convention: the criteria that needs to be met within a certain genre e.g. Unicorns and demons in a fantasy film.
Codes and conventions in media separated into 3 categories:
- Technical (camera angles, movements and shots)
- Symbolic (clothing, colours)
- Written and audio (music)
Contextual analysis - establishing a mythology of analysing
Medium : print, television, radio, film, Internet
Purpose : to inform, entertain, persuade, educate, gain profit
Form : drama, light entertainment, above or below the line advertising, newspaper
Genre : Sci-fi, soap opera, documentary, game show, broadsheet
Tone : serious, comic, ironic, formal, informal, objective, personal, scientific
Style : realistic, expressionist, conventional, unconventional, traditional, modern
Other categories : nationality, target audience, director, star, public sector
Production : anything involved in the making of the media text
Coronation street: 2012-02-10: Episode 1
Medium : television
Purpose : to entertain
Form : drama, gossip
Genre : soap opera
Tone : slightly comical, serious, personal
Style : conventional
Other categories : northern stereotypes, tea for everyone. Negative stereotype of underage pregnancies as well as underage couples facing a lot of trouble when trying to raise a child on their own. Typical attitude of children being negative to their step parents. Clothing of the older people are more bleak in colour and typical "old people" clothes, compared to the teens who are more in style with more vibrant colours. target audience: typically people aged 30+.
Plot
In this scene, it is revealed that a young couple are having trouble balancing bringing up a child as well as paying the bills. the child won't stop crying leaving the mother helpless and the father is working long hours to try and pay for overdue bills. The mother then has to go to the bank to pay for the bills, but leaves the baby in the house, alone.
Furthermore, a man and a woman are in a relationship when it is revealed that she has to go to London in order to pursue her career in the arts. This puts a strain on their relationship and results in the man feeling very depressed due to the potential of a break up occurring in the future. The dynamic changes when it is arranged that he will move with her to London so that they can still be together, however this isn't exactly a solution. She confesses that she has applied to be on a televised dating show which ail gain her "great exposure" which causes the couple to break up for real.
Moreover, there are three story lines theta aren't fully developed in the scene. Firstly, a little boy, his dad and his step-mum are spending the day together, however the little boy acts very coldly towards her and it is revealed that some sort of intervention is needed to be put in place. Additionally, a seemingly 'uptight' woman and a willing to do anything to please his girlfriend man are discussing how they are going to spend her birthday, discussing how they are taking her out for a spa and beauty treatments. In addition, , we meet another couple with a child who are discussing a promotion that the father has got.
Finally, there is a lot of conflict of interest shown with a son and mother who are both older. It is revealed that they are not happy about the fact that the mother has invested in a business opportunity as they feel that it is a shameful thing to be investing into.
Stereotypes
There are a mixture of negative and positive stereotypes that are addressed within this episode. Firstly there is the stereotype that couples who are very young and have children will struggle. This is a widely accepted stereotype as you are less likely to have a stable job and support from others as a couple who are young with a child. There is also the stereotypical behaviour of the woman staying at home to look after this child whilst the man is out working to bring in the money to pay the bills. Additionally there is the stereotype that the baby cries all of the time and the mother, being a young parent, doesn't know what to do or how to handle it.
Additionally there is the stereotype that in the North, all problems can be fixed with a cup of tea. Tea is used with there is a situation where a couple aren't sure what they're going to do seeing as they aren't comfortable with their current living conditions. This is something that depicts British culture as a whole as well as Northern culture seeing as tea is widely known to be the comfort drink in tough times in England.
Furthermore, there is the stereotypical behaviour of being ill-mannered towards step parents. This behaviour is expressed by a child towards his step mother. It is a common belief seeing as children to step parents usually act out due to not being comfortable with the fact that they now consider themselves to be part of a "broken" family. This negative stereotype isn't the case for all children of step parents however it is a typical attitude that can be seen from this type of situation.
Moreover, the choice of clothing by the director is very stereotypical in some aspects. To exemplify this, analysing this episode from a mise-en-scène point of view, the characters that are older are typically dressed in bleak colours with very simple fashions and aren't complying to the more up to date fashion trends. The younger characters however are more fashionable and are wearing more vibrant colours with more current trends. This gives off the impression that the director wanted the audience to feel that the show is authentic and a depiction of what real life people that fall into this category would look like.
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