Different genres of film and their codes and conventions.

Before we watch a film, we think of the genre of film we are watching and think what the film may include.
Conventions is basically this, the things people expect to find in a film which is under a certain genre. For example, Action films include guns, violence, explosions, spys, car chases etc.
Here are some genres of film and what conventions come under that genre.

                                                                                     Horror

                                   -Blood & Gore                  -Brutal weapon

                                  -Death                               -Violence

                                  -Evil                                  -Lunatics and other vile characters

                                 - Murder                             -CGI

                                -Establishing shot             -Danger

                               -Fear                                 -Extreme close up

                               -tilt/pan camera angle     -Old fashioned clothing (in some cases)

                                -High/Low angle



 Victim of a torture contraption in the film SAW IV
                                                                                         Screenshot from the western True Grit.
Western

-Cowboys                          -Gunfights

-Indians                              -Smoking

-Desert Mise-En-Scene     - Weapons

-Horses                              -Train Robberys

-Gunfights                         -Old American dialect

-Duels                                -Slow motion as revolvers are drawn

-Tobacco                           -Rodeo

-Saloons                            -Card games

-Bar brawls                        -Tumbleweeed

                                                                                                         Codes

Codes and conventions are very different from each other. Conventions are factors of a film which are expected to be in a certain film, by the audience. Such as the examples above. Whereas codes are the ways and methods that emotions and feelings are presented in films and productions. For example when you watch a horror film, and a character's arm has been decapitated, at that moment the audience feel queazy and horrified. This feeling is usually portrayed by the sounds and images which the audience views. such as screaming/shouting when the arm is torn off and the image of the arm being torn off both link together to make the feeling almost exaggerated. 

Here are some more examples of codes from different film genres:

 

 Action Genre

Image: Person being shot in the chest.

Code: The feeling portrayed when the person is shot is amplified my the sound of the gunshot, the image of the victim crippling up and falling on the ground as blood is ejected from his body This makes the audience feel sympathy but also adrenaline fuelled as they feel as if they were there in person, or they pulled the trigger themselves. 

Romance

Image: Couple on a bridge over a lake in the winter

Code: The audience feel happy for the couple as they walk towards each other. As the characters exchange emotions by a kiss, the audience feel all gooey inside. some may even feel regret as this certain scene in the film may mirror a relationship that a person i the audience may have had. 

 

Adventure

Image: Man running away from an avalanche.

Code: The audience feel as if they ate there in the moment. They find themselves holding their breath as the characters is running down the hill away from the snow. When the man trips and rolls down the hill, the audience feel shocked and worried for him, almost as if they are related to that character in some way.