Technical Codes

Technical codes are the codes that deal with how a media product is made and presented — the technical choices behind it rather than the story or message itself. They belong to a particular type of media, so the technical codes in a film are not the same as those in a website or a magazine.

Technical codes in film and television

In film and television, technical codes include transitions (how one shot is joined to the next) and sound (music, dialogue, sound effects and silence). Detailed camera techniques and lighting are covered separately, so those are not the technical codes to name here.

Movement is another technical choice. Movement can pull the audience's eye towards something important, show action happening, or change the pace of a sequence — a section that moves quickly feels more urgent than one that barely moves at all. Movement and a transition are not the same thing: movement happens within a shot, while a transition is an edit that joins two shots together.

Choosing technical codes

Technical codes can create real impact, but they only work when they suit the product's audience, purpose and context. A fast, busy sequence might suit an action film made for teenagers, while a slow, steady one might suit a calm nature documentary made for a family audience.

Other product types have their own technical codes: a website's might include animation and the way interactive features respond when the user clicks, while a magazine's include the way the pages are laid out to lead your eye through an article.

For example, in a school-based drama, one pupil sprints down a corridor while everyone else stands still. The movement pulls your eye to the running pupil, shows that something urgent is happening and speeds up the pace of the scene, while the stillness around it makes the rush stand out. Say what the code does (the pupil moves while the rest of the scene is still), then explain the effect on the audience (it makes them feel hurried and anxious).