FORMS AND CONVENTIONS

How did your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

This is a Medium shot of Hollie waiting to board a train, the shot is in colour although the edges have been darkened to create a gloomy upsetting look. This is because she’s about to leave Ed. This is then the train leaving, this is in black and white connoting that the sadness of the break up was a feature of there past, as black and white conventionally connotes the past.This therefore develops Todorovs theory of equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium, through a very visual way, as the changes in colour represent the changes of state.

The gentlemen sign, suggests that there is no need for a male input, as it is in the distance, and behind the girl, suggesting that she has moved on from Ed and is happy to be on here own. This is quite un-stereotypical as in society it is seen that there needs to be a male and female influence

We have challenged that conventional male gaze and suggested that the male is the object of the female gaze, ready to be objectified at the female’s will. The female exhibits strength at being able to leave the ‘gentleman’ behind at her will. However, the featuring of the sign, even in a shot without Ed, connotes the stereotypical heterosexual love story throughout.

This shot of the powder paint been thrown at some girls, by boys, represents the two sides of the relationship. Linking to the binary oppositions of female/evil Vs. male/good. This is evident in this shot as the females are being covered in powder paint represents female’s punishments for her actions which links to the suggestion of Hollie cheating in earlier shots.

In this shot the surface details of costume and location are realistic. Also the symbolic code of black and white connoting the past is realistic of form. However, the black and white theme isn’t consistent thought-out the video and therefore we have challenged the realism of form through rewinds and montages. Therefore the video is more realistic in terms of narrative content rather then form. We have challenged this convention but we have also stuck with it as it is common for music videos to break conventions of realism as they’re often more abstract. Originally we created our video with a strict narrative in mind and as soon we moved away from this and made it more abstract with the use of montages and colouring effects , the video became much better.

The first shot here, is darker and almost all the colour has been extracted and sepia has been added, this is to create an upset feeling, as the two characters are arguing. Whereas the second shot of them on the bench has had very little colour correction, so that it looks natural and the can tell that he couple are getting along. The fact that the first shot is very dark, connotes that they are effect everything around them as well, whereas the second shot the background is much more colourful, suggesting that when they are happy they have a positive effect on their surroundings.

This therefore develops the convention that the use of colour, highlights feelings and moods with in the film, through form.

This shot links well with in the lyrics of the song. “Trace the distance from me to you”. As we have the couple’s hand separating connoting difficult times with in there relationship.

This links to Andrew Goodwin’s music video theory as we have used visual links to the lyrics. Narrative and performance work together to keep the audience interested.

We chose to use the lead singer of the band for the narrative, to create an authentic and realistic feel with in the video. Also creating a link from the performance to narrative.

Andrew Goodwin’s theory says that a ‘Star Image’ is needed. The start image gives an original and unique look.