Reading an image - media codes

1) Analyse this RBK 50 Cent advert using the media codes you learned in the lesson: Technical, Written or verbal, Symbolic or non-verbal, Narrative. Write a paragraph for each one exploring the way meanings are created using those media codes.

Technical codes

The use of low key lighting makes 50 cent appear more serious showing that he means what he said in the quote and that he truly believes in what the ad is promoting. Furthermore the use of a close up shot further pushes this idea as we can see the serious look on his face. The ad being split in two shows the audience that he has two sides to him which could represent his present and his past. The sentence "i am what i am" going across the middle of the two shows that despite how he might have changed he accepts who he was in the past.

Written or verbal codes 

The slogan "i am what i am" shows the audience that he believes that everything that has happened in his life has made him who he is today. Furthermore the anchorage text "where I am from..." shows his belief that people should make the most of the present as they don't know what might happen to them in the future. The brands logo being small and out of the way shows that despite them endorsing it they want you to focus on the message given by 50 cent and not on the brand.

Symbolic or non-verbal codes

The font being used has connotations of gangsters as it is often used in media about them meaning that it might have been used to show 50 cent's past connection to gangs. The page with the fingerprints on the right side of the screen has connotations of crime and police as they take the fingerprints of a criminal which links to the anchorage text saying "tomorrow is not promised" making the reader think that in the past he might have gotten involved with the police and thought that he might not have a tomorrow.

Narrative codes

The filled in o's and 0 in the anchorage text create an enigma code which makes the audience wonder what it could possibly be about and if it might be related to bullet holes as throughout his life he has been shot at multiple times

2)Analyse a print advert of your choice using the same media codes: Technical, Written or verbal, Symbolic or non-verbal, Narrative.

Technical codes

High key lighting is used in order to make the fake sushi appear more realistic to help depict their message that all the plastic in the ocean is not only affecting fish but due to that its also affecting humans as they are also ingesting plastic by eating the fish with microplastics inside of them

Written or verbal codes 

The slogan "what goes in the ocean goes in you" is written in bold bright blue letters with a clear font making it legible for everyone, this has been done in order to spread awareness to as many people as possible by making the slogan eye catching drawing people to the advert so that they can read the anchorage text which gives more information about the cause they are trying to promote. The anchorage text is in a darker colour in order to make sure that people focus on the slogan first before reading more about the cause, this could have been done in order to make sure people know what the issue is without having to read about all of the technical information about what is going on in the oceans.

Symbolic or non-verbal codes

The plastic in the shape of sushi helps link the idea that if fish eat plastic that same plastic will end up inside humans who eat it, this is because sushi is a popular fish dish that many people across the world eat. The font used is clear and easy to read which is intentional as they want to spread their message to as many people as possible. Furthermore the font also helps the idea that this is something important that needs to be taken seriously as the font is one that can often be found in important documents.

Narrative codes

The chopsticks laying next to the plastic "sushi" pushes the idea that despite it being made of plastic someone is still going to eat it which mirrors how people in the real world unknowingly eat microplastics all the time due to it being eaten by fish and since the plastics cant be digested they stay inside the fish after being broken down into smaller pieces which are then ingested by humans.