The symbolic code

Codes are said as being systems of signs, which create meaning. Codes can be divided into two categories which are technical and symbolic.
Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell a story. A good example of this within a film is the camera work.
Symbolic codes show what is beneath the surface of what we see. For example the actions of a character, which show you what the character is feeling and how they are being presented.
Some of the codes fit into both categories. For example the music in a film can be both technical and symbolic.
Symbolic codes are important within film because it allows the audience to have their own interpretation of what is happening on screen. Different editing techniques can be used in the film and it can left up to the audience to interpret what the editing is telling them and what the director is trying to portray. This can be important in a film as the audiences tend to like different interpretations of things, and the use of the symbolic code in film can be very effective.
The symbolic code links with the idea of "film conventions." These are generally accepted ways of doing things, and in the case of films they are typical rules and things that must be included to make a good movie. This includes a good soundtrack, a strong story and realistic characters. In some ways the symbolic code is very different from the "film conventions," as the aim of the symbolic code is to allow a lot of different interpretations and to make the film somewhat more confusing, as a pose to solid film conventions which aim to make the film as structured and simple as possible.