Still Image Video Codes and

ConventionsSong: The funeral – Band Of Horses

Photographer: Mary Ellen Mark

+ = My Still Image Video

The music

I chosen this song because….....I like it.The song has a lot of power and emotion in it which would be really easy to convey this using still images.

The Hermeneutic Code (ENIGMA CODE) and The Proairetic Code (ACTION CODE)

These two codes work together to develop the video and makes the audience want to keep watching.

The images in my video holds a lot of enigma and action codes within them. No explanation is given as each image appears which creates a mystery for the viewer to solve. The viewer would wonder why the subjects in the image have that expression and why are they positioned in a certain way in the composition….

My choice in black and white photos filters out the colours which are the distractions to the main subject. This way we can focus mainly on the subjects expressions and positioning. It also makes the photos more dramatic, powerful and emotional looking.

The Semantic Code (SEMANTIC or LINGUISTIC

CODE)The song I chose matches with images really well I think………….The song itself is pretty emotional and powerful which links to the images. The images also convey a lot of emotion, so I thought that the combination of the song and images would fit.

The semantic codes in the images would be the expressions, positioning, setting and props of the subjects. This gives the viewers a hint of the mood I am trying to show in the video.

Another reason for why I chose black and white photography is because it symbolises ‘documentary’, the images will have more realism added to it which expresses the emotions of the photos even more.

The Symbolic Code (SYMBOLISM)

Each image is symbolic to whichever social issue the photographer has aimed to show.

For example this image we can immediately tell that the image connotes loneliness. The composition we only see the main subject in a really empty background, and the use of the doll as the prop allows for the photographer to convey loneliness.

The lyrics of the song are depressing, the word funeral is not really a positive thing, which links to the depression of these images.

The Cultural Code (CULTURAL or REFERENTAL CODE)

Most of the images connotes 1 of the following social issues: homelessness, loneliness, drug addiction, and prostitution. The images holds the truth of the social issues around the world which increases the power of the emotions conveyed within the images.

My chosen band and photographer are both from America, which again links to each other.

How the video conveys my personality?

• I thought carefully on what song and which artist to work with which shows that I am not lazy.

• Though some of the quality of the images might show I am lazy…

• Though the length of the video shows that I am not lazy…• The fact that my video can show these different points

suggests I am indecisive.