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Codes and Conventions of Narrative Film

All films and television programs are constructed. During the production process, decisions are made about how parts of the narrative - places, people and events - will be represented. When audiences watch films, they are often so absorbed in the narrative, that they don't think about how the text has been constructed.

Film and television programs are constructed using a complex series of codes and conventions. By understanding these codes and conventions, we can explain how filmic representations have been constructed.

• Camera Techniques
- shot size (extreme long shot, long shot, mid shot, close up, extreme close up)
- camera angle (overshot, high angle, eye level, low angle, undershot)
- camera movement (tracking, pan, tilt, crane, handheld, steadicam, zoom, dolly)
- focus (deep focus, narrow depth of field)

• Lighting
- key light
- fill light
- back light
- high key
- low key

• Visual Composition and Mise-en-scene
- costumes
- colour
- make up

• Acting
- body language
- tone of voice

• Sound
- dialogue
- music
- sound effects

• Editing
- cut
- cross dissolve
- fade in
- fade out

• Written Language
- titles
- text
- credits
- subtitles

Conventions

Title sequence
Closing credits
Genre