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MEDIA, AND INFORMATION LITERACY
WOKSHEET NO. 7
MEDIA AND INFORMATION LANGAUGES (PART 1)
GENRE, CODES, AND CONVENTIONS
Activity 1:
Movie Title Description
Harry Potter film series Harry Potter is a British film series based on the Harry Potter novels by author J. K.
Rowling. The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of eight fantasy films,
beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) and culminating with
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). The series was mainly produced
by David Heyman and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as the
three leading characters: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Four
directors worked on the series: Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and
David Yates. All eight movies had their screenplays written by Steve Kloves, with the
exception of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007), written by Michael
Goldenberg. Production took over ten years to complete, with the main story arc
following Harry Potter's quest to overcome his arch-enemy Lord Voldemort.
Titanic
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romantic disaster movie. It was directed, written,
and co-produced by James Cameron. The movie is about the 1912 sinking of the RMS
Titanic. It stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. The two play characters who are
of different social classes. They fall in love after meeting aboard the ship, but it was
not good for a rich girl to fall in love with a poor boy in 1912. Titanic runned for 200
days in cinemas. Production of the movie began in 1995. Cameron
recorded footage of the real Titanic wreck. At the time when the movie was released,
it was the most expensive movie ever made. It had a budget of $200 million.
The Impossible The Impossible is a 2012 English-language Spanish disaster drama film directed by J.
A. Bayona and written by Sergio G. Sánchez. It is based on the experience of María
Belón and her family in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It features an international
cast including Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland.
Maze Runner Maze Runner is a North American film trilogy, consisting of science-
fiction dystopian action adventure films based on The Maze Runner novels by the
North American author James Dashner. Produced by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and
distributed by 20th Century Fox, the films star Dylan O'Brien, Kaya
Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, Dexter Darden, and Patricia
Clarkson. Wes Ball directed all three films: The Maze Runner (2014), Maze Runner:
The Scorch Trials (2015), and Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018).
The Avengers
The Avengers (also known as Avengers Assemble in the UK and Ireland) is a 2012
superhero film directed by Joss Whedon and the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic
Universe, based on the superhero team the Avengers created by Stan Lee and Jack
Kirby. The film is a crossover of all the films independently produced by Marvel
Studios set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, namely Iron Man (2008), The
Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011) and Captain America: The First
Avenger (2011). In the film, S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury assembles Iron Man,
Captain America, the Hulk, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye to battle Thor’s adoptive
brother Loki, who attempts to subjugate humanity by leading an invasion by the
extraterrestrial race known as the Chitauri.
Guide Questions:
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1. What is your movie genre is most apparent in your list?
The movie genre that is most apparent in my list is science fiction. I am very interested watching movies under
this genre because it amazes me of how the movie features a creative and imaginative flow of story and the outstanding
application of camera techniques and editing skills displayed by the film crew members.
2. How do you tell genres apart?
To identify the genres of certain movies, you should consider the four elements of the movie like the character,
story, plot, and the setting. There is so called equation in remembering the genre which is: Story + Plot + Character +
Setting = Genre.
3. Can a movie fall under two different genres?
Yes, because some of movies do not fit into one genre classification so in order to match the themes and
storyline the movie needed to come up with another genre. This is the reason why movies can fall under two genres.
Activity 2:
Guide Questions:
1. What were the codes and conventions used in this movie poster to suggest the genre
of the film?
The movie poster employed the technical codes using wide shot and also symbolic
codes like blood scattered on the woman’s body and clothes which pertain that the
movie is full of terror, the way she crawled means that she is not an ordinary person but
a kind of monster and last symbolism is the cross sign at the upper part of the poster
that means that there is some religious belief connected to the flow of story.
2. What written codes are in this poster? How do they relate to the possible story?
The written codes in the movie poster are the dim light as the background the smoke. In
relation with the story, the codes want to show signs of horror.
Guide Questions:
1. What were the codes and conventions used in this movie poster to suggest the
genre of the film?
The movie poster used technical codes through medium shot to show the
partnership of the two main characters and also symbolic code like the guns which
means that movie will be an action one.
2. What written codes are in this poster? How do they relate to the possible story?
The written code is the yellow background which pertains that movie will be a
comedy.
Guide Questions:
1. What were the codes and conventions used in this movie
poster to suggest the genre of the film?
The movie poster displayed technical codes by close up
shot with low angle that will highlight the emotions which
the character wants to express as he suffered too many
obstacles.
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2. What codes were used to compliment the brilliant acting of this actor?
The close up, low angle shot made the acting of the man to be exceptional and the angle may only pertain
that someone very dear to him is in the brink of death.
Activity 3: Performance Task (TV Commercial Analysis)
Choose a commercial that is currently being advertised on tv. (Identify what product is being represented.)
Coca-Cola Christmas 2020 – Coca-Cola bottled soft drink
Write down what type of codes were present in the commercial.
The type of codes presented in the commercial are technical and symbolic code.
How were the codes used in constructing the message of this tv ad?
Technical codes used in the commercial were the different camera techniques. All of the techniques such as
basic, advance camera shot and even camera angles are used in the commercial. In the beginning of the
advertisement, the basic camera technique being used is wide shot then it shifted to medium shot to capture
the action of the man before leaving his family and then the camera changes to medium close shot to show the
relationship between the father and daughter. The following scenes mostly used wide and close-up shots to
show the flow of the story. During the journey of the man, there are times that different camera angles are
being used such as low angle, high angle and bird’s eye view.
Symbolic code used in the commercial was the daughter’s letter that created the sequence of events for the
father to reach the North Pole and later on the letter’s wish was to bring him back to his daughter.
What genre is thus tv ad? What made you think so?
The style of genre of this T.V ad is realist. Realist advertisement focus on everyday thoughts, facts, and concerns
of society. Just like Coca-Cola Christmas 2020 commercial, it talks about how children wish something on
Christmas occasions, this kind of scenario is very common in the culture of people. Even though the commercial
includes a fictional figure which is Santa Claus, still the flow of story is very realistic.
Do you think this ad would go viral? Why?
Yes, this advertisement is already viral in different platforms like Facebook and YouTube for the reason that the
commercial is very timely, tearjerker and it teaches us a very important lesson that everybody can relate on this
Christmas.
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Parent’s Signature
