1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

The brief we were given for the advanced portfolio was to create a music video and supporting ancillary tasks which were a digipak and an advert to support the digipak. In order for us to have successfully created our music video and ancillary tasks we had use real media products; using conventions typically associated with the genres of rock and pop. It was necessary for us to conduct research to understand what is associated with each of the genres. By doing this we could conform to the codes and conventions of rock and pop within our piece, this helped us to gain a better understanding of the relevant genres before we started the production.

Genre

When choosing our genre we put a lot of thought into thinking about what we could create and what the audience would want to see. We chose rock music as it’s a genre that we both enjoy and had an interest in. Listening to bands such as All Time Low, You Me at Six and Imagine Dragons. The conventions of rock music videos are dark Colours, such as Black, Greys etc., smart casual clothing, Skulls or something that relates to death, A performance element, Guitars, Drums, some narrative formed in the videos, Guitar Riffs and Drum solos also song meanings also try to convey a message to the audience.

Conventions

Within our music video we tried to stick to these conventions. We did this with the mise-en-scene elements.

We also followed the conventions by splitting the video up into a big portion of performance with a narrative story woven into it, injecting the message of the song (hypodermic needle).

Within the performance element there was a lot of focus playing the instruments, our band members had a drum kit, bass and electric guitar as well as mic stand for the singer. Therefore this is also playing to the conventions as these are items which would typically be found within the rock genre.

However one convention we didn’t conform to was the convention of using skulls or something dark with a link to death. We didn’t feel that the song was a heavy rock song and nor did it convey a deathly message. Instead the song is about a relationship therefore we focused more on love, with the element of being cheated on. Thus we didn’t comply with this convention as to us it didn’t fit in within our song, our song was more upbeat and positive.

Mise–en-Scene

Costumes – The general conventions for costumes of the band in rock music videos tend to be smart casual clothing i.e. jeans and a shirt. That also tend to be in dark colours i.e. blacks, deep blues. The conventions for characters within the narrative are more casual to represent the fact that they are normal everyday people. When it came to dressing our characters we wanted to make them seem like everyday people so that the audience can relate to the characters in the scenario. They were in jeans and a hoodie, where as the female was in leggings and a shirt. Also in dark clothing i.e. a dark green shirt. When it came to dressing the band members they were in more smart casual clothing, they all wore jeans however one wore a dark blue shirt and the other two members wore dark coloured t-shirts.

Mise En Scene

Hair and Make-up - We styled the bands hair so that it was scruffy to make them seem rough. This showed they aren’t as styles as a boyband who look ‘perfect’, by being more scruffy it may help the audience to relate. For the make-up the didn’t wear any for both the performance and the narrative as it gives the sense of realism. However for the female protagonist we used generic everyday make up that a typical teenage girl would have i.e. foundation, mascara and lip gloss. By doing this it reinforces the stereotype of a teenage girl but also it is aimed at teens therefore some girls may be able to relate to the character.

Mise En Scene

Setting – The settings of typical rock music videos tend to be on or near a stage due to the fact that the band perform the songs. However for the narrative part it is often somewhere that everyday people would tend to socialise i.e. houses, parks. Therefore in our music video the performance element was filmed on the school stage as it fir the convention in most rock videos proving that the band were in fact a band that could play and perform their own music. For the narrative we used a house as the key setting for a date and then a park for the part in which they protagonist gets caught out. This is also related to the fact it would be an element that related to our target audience – who are young adults.

Mise–en-Scene

Props – Typical props in rock music videos tend to be the instruments and on stage equipment i.e. amps. However for the narrative element to the video the majority of the props tend to be everyday items this could be a car or a mobile phone, if it complies to the narrative. Therefore in our main props performance the props we had were the instruments – we used a guitar, bass guitar, drums, and a mic with a stand. This tells the audience that they are a rock band. Also in the background we had a few platforms to add levels into the performance shots. The other props we used we mostly in the narrative such as, the restaurant table, candles and wine glasses for the date seen to comply with verisimilitude. Also we used a phone to show how he was being blown off by the female protagonist.

Mise En Scene

Lighting – Generally for rock music videos the lighting for the performance tends to be quite dark to give off a moody atmosphere. However in our video for the performance element it isn’t as dark as maybe it could’ve been, we used a spotlight to give it the feeling of being at a concert with the bright lights. Our aim was to make the viewer feel as if they were watching the band at a concert therefore it goes against this convention of the lighting is high key as opposed to being dark.

However for the date scene we used low key lighting to give of a romantic atmosphere, to show this further we also used candles to add to this effect.

For the outside scenes we used the natural lighting which was quite dull due to the winter weather however we found this this played with us as it gave that dingy amosphere to the clips which complied with the narrative i.e. being cheated on.

Editing: Editing of rock music videos play very much to the beat. Often there are fast cuts on the beat. Not many effects are used in rock music videos, typically there may be a fade but nothing obvious as you would maybe see in a pop video.

The editing of our video has a lot of cuts in, which we tried to get the cuts to comply to the beat. We were successful in doing so however not all the cuts happen on the beat which we could improve therefore it doesn’t fully comply to this convention.

In terms of effects, we included a fade in right at the end to add to the suspense of who the female protagonist picks. Other than that we wanted to stick with the convention and didn’t want to make the video feel too much like a pop video.

Mise–en-Scene

Camera Shots

Rock music videos use a variety of shots however the shot used most often is close ups, this is because it shows the audience that the band can play their own instruments. That they are able to perform their own music which tells the audience what kind of band they are.

In our videos we opened with a long shot to establish the band were performing on a stage. From here it cuts between narrative and performance however performance shots tend to be mid, wide or close up shots. Mid shots to show the lead singer being able to play guitar and sing. Close up showing lip synching and that each member was playing their own instrument. Wide shots were used to establish the fact that they were a band, playing together.

For the narrative we used close ups to show how the characters were feeling I.e. shocked. We used a long shot to show that the female was in fact cheating on her partner and we could estimate what was going to happen.

Therefore our shots complied to this convention and it was important in connecting with the audience.

Performance/Narrative

Performance

For the performance element we used the school stage to perform on.

The majority of the video is performance, showing the band at a variety of angles. This complies with rock music as to rock bands this is an important element as it proves who they are.

To do this we made sure we used the right setting and props to give the right verisimilitude.

Narrative

We tried to convey the message of the song within the narrative I.e. being in a rough relationship and the element of deceit.

This is a typical convention of rock music videos – a lot of the time they try to convey a specific message to the audience. This can relate to the hypodermic needle theory.

By doing this we also wanted it to relate to our specific audience (teens) we used people of the age we were aiming at i.e. 17/18. But we also tried to convey the message in a place where the target audience could relate to because its somewhere they go or they’ve had it happen to them which was home or in a park.

Again by doing so I feel we followed this convention as rock music is often aimed at a specific audience.

Goodwin’s Theory

When it came to researching music videos we found Andrew Goodwin’s theory who suggested 7 key aspects that goes into a video- A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, A relationship between the music and the visuals, through beats, genre related style and iconography, multiple close ups of the artist, Voyeurism and Intertextual references to other media texts.

Goodwin’s Theory in Our Video

The fourth convention is multiple close ups of the group – we did use this convention. In our music video we have close up shots of the lead band member lip syncing which tells the audience that he feels the lyrics by singing them but it also links it to being their own song. The other band members also have close ups to show them getting into the song, which is important to show the audience as it could mean they enjoy it more. As well as the band, some of the characters in the narrative have close up shots to show their emotions to the audience, this could make the audience feel empathetic towards the narrative.

For the convention of intertextual references, we didn’t include any intertextual reference which links to another real media product. Therefore this doesn’t use or challenge this convention as it doesn’t apply. We could have added in an intertextual link so that our video complies to all 7 elements however not all music videos do include them.

The sixth convention is voyeurism in relation to females. This also uses Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory, this can be seen in Fall Out Boy’s video for Young Volcanoes in which it features a topless woman. However within our video again we didn’t include this convention. Even though one of our main protagonists was a female we didn’t portray her in a sense that she was objectified. However as she cheated on her partner she would have a negative connotation that some men have towards women and therefore it could link to the male gaze theory.

Goodwin’s Theory in our video

We have complied with some of these conventions as for relationships between lyrics and visuals we used a shot to amplify the lyrics. When the line ‘have a spoke, pour a drink’ is sung we have a shot of one of the male protagonist pouring a drink. This shows how the lyrics being amplified by the visuals. Also when the line ‘chill of your stare’ is sung we have a shot of the lead female protagonist staring into the camera which again amplifies the lyrics.

Similarly through the idea of editing through beats we did try to use this so that the video is edited by changing shots on the beat during the performance narrative however this isn’t as tight as it could be and this could use some improvements. Therefore this conforms to the theory however it also goes against the theory as a lot of the shots aren’t cut to beat as they should be.

Thirdly, for genre related iconography we have got elements of this to our music video. Within our video the characters are in dark coloured clothing and during the performance elements the band are using typical instruments i.e. an electric guitar, a drum kit and the lead singer has a mic stand. Therefore our video uses the genre related iconography as it very much relates to elements within other rock music videos.

Media Platforms for the Music Video

To present our music video we used YouTube to upload and distribute the final piece. YouTube is a popular video sharing site which generates millions of views daily, therefore the majority of recording bands and artists use YouTube to promote their own music videos. To the audience at home it is easy to both use and to access as well as it being a free website therefore making it a popular platform. As well as music videos YouTube often includes short videos as messages from the artist to the viewers which makes it a platform good to connect with fans. Therefore we have complied to this form of real media products by uploading our music video to YouTube; it means easy access to the video for the audience.

We created the video using both iMovie and Final Cut Pro. These are tools which are often used by top recording bands and artists as they are easy to use yet professional programs that creates an effective product at the end of it.