Evaluation Question 1: In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms And Conventions Of Real Media Products?

Evaluation Question 1: In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms And Conventions Of Real Media Products?

SECTION 1 MUSIC VIDEO

Genre Characteristics In Aspects Of Mise En SceneGoodwin has a theory about genre characteristics and that music videos create these characteristics which audiences relate to. The genre of my production is pop/indie/alternative.The locations used are not generic. However, I used the locations to highlight the isolation of the driver. A convention of literature and film is that specific locations reflect inner turmoil of a character. An example if from the film The Piano. The character is helpless and with then location used, reinforces the sense of misery and isolation.The costume that the two characters wear in my music video are high street fashion which is a genre characteristic because it is predominantly teenage/young adult dominated so wearing similar trends and fashions will help boost likeability.There were many props and objects used to keep the audience interpreting what they think the message of the music video is. The use of the ambulance and the males car gives the audience a chance to interpret the video.There was ambient lighting used in this music video as the shots are all in exterior locations in order to inject the mise-en-scene with reality. For example a busy road, ambulance sirens, the odd hitchhiker are familiar to a British audience. These are characteristics as the music made is pure, so the music video also will be pure, without artificial lighting.We used the convention of story telling i.e. a concept music video which amplifies aspects of the lyrics (Goodwin) for example in my production the lyric betrayed is heard near the end when the girl is holding up the placard with the word betrayal written on it. The length of the music video is as long as the track and with innovative story telling about guilt and remorse (an emotion audiences will and identify with will strongly promote the artist).

The Piano He chopped it off scene

Narrative StructureMy production Summer Song has a story line which is punctuated with flashbacks to provide the part of story of why this girl is always in his head. The themes of this is betrayal. The use of mystery with that haunting of her presence is used to intensify the drama of the story. One could say that the use of flashbacks tends to inject a film with binary opposites with contrasting representations of the past and real time. The way in which the flashbacks were used made it clear to the audience that this was the case. This was done through the use if dip to whites in between flashbacks and then the flashbacks were all in black and white so it is using conventions of real media products. This can also be seen as a binary opposite according to strauss because there is a clear distinction between the past contrasted to the present. This is also suggesting illusion because of the mystery involved with the narrative. Flashbacks were used to reinforce the theme of betrayal; the notion that the driver of the car is haunted by guilt. Complex narratives with quick cuts from one reality to another is a convention of music videos, for example in Long Road To Ruin by Foo Fighters shows flashbacks used explicitly to show themes of love and loss.

RepresentationFeminists believe we are living in male patriarchy and women are oppressed by this. It can be interpreted that male dominance is asserted as even though the female is in his mind, in reality, he has attacked her, whether it be intentional or not as is the dominant character in this reality. However, the use of the female dominating the music video can suggest that hegemony (Gramsci) is being slowly overcome so this could be another interpretation with a message to hegemony which is being challenged and reinforced. It can be interpreted in both ways.Goodwins notion of looking is a theory which suggests that the male gender looks upon females in a sexual way. The use of voyeurism is a convention use in many music genres in a contemporary society so it is also used in my production. There was emphasis put on the red lips because it is eye catching to male and it allows access for males to stare at the females face. The idea was seen in a music video by EchoSmith called Come Together where the female (a similar age to the female in my music video) wore red lip stick which stood out.The audiences can relate to the texts according to Lacan. Due to this, they can identify with representations of aspects of themselves with the lyrics and artists. With specific groups this is important because it gives a sense of belonging and having a collective identity. The target audience for my production is teenagers and young adults so they will be able to relate to the actors as theyre of a similar age so the costume and issues they face can have connections. This can enforce the audience to interact more within the music video and show emotions upon it, showing they have identified themselves with it.

RepresentationMulveys theory of the gaze can apply in my production because it has regards to the objectification of women and shows voyeuristic treatment with the use of the lip stick on the females face to grab male attention such as the image of Rihanna (right). Instead, my music video challenges the costume and over all provocative representations as women as sexual objects in music videos. My music video represents the female as an ordinary girl who the audience can identify with. Thus she is more like the representation of Sinead OConnor in Nothing Compares To You though here the artist is represented as androgynous whilst my representation is more feminine but nonetheless powerful.Unstable relationships are a contemporary issue with many divorces and break ups increasing. This could be an interpretation of my music video which can relate to Eminem ft. Rihanna Love The Way You Lie which provides a violent and unstable relationship where audiences are able to again, identify themselves with the text.

These two are more similar than Rihannas representation

Recurring MotifsMy music video production has recurring and distinctive visual signifiers (Goodwin). And example of this is the recurring images of water such as the river which is repeated, along with the puddle shot. The same costumes are worn by each character for the benefit of the fashions of my target audience, and also to have continuity which establishes a more professional finish. More recurring motifs are the use of the shots where it seems that the female is in the males head, and the repeat shots of the sirens increases the impact from the narrative. The use of the girl with the placard which is accusing the driver, thus playing on his guilt.

Intertextual ReferencesKatie Wales suggests that genre is an intertextual concept so references to texts which inspired my ideas are important. This can be seen in the music video Africa Shox by Left Field which was the first case study I did. I was inspired by this music video as I wanted to have aspects of the male being confused and dazed, also the male being blamed or vulnerable in the music video.John Hartley says we need to understand genre as a property of relations between texts in his theory which is saying that intertextuality is important and must be understood as it is what a genre is. Eminem ft. Rihanna love the way you lie has aspects in the representation to suggest intertextual references between this and my music video. Voyeurism is a factor in both which is one of Goodwins theories and the male is seen to be the dominant one, however, the aftermath can change this interpretation.Tony Thwaites et al says each text is influenced by the generic rules in the way it is put together and are reinforced again backing up the use of intertextuality as a vital part of a genre of music. Another music video which has intertextual references are Foo Fighters long road to ruin with the use of narrative as they are using flashbacks in significance parts of their memories which are relating closely to the narrative.Katy Perry the one that got away shows the use of binary opposites (Strauss) from old to young which connotes the differences between them for an effective music video, contrasting to the lyrics (another one of Goodwins theories lyrics to visuals). In my music video, the male seems to be in the present time, whereas the female is seen to be in the past with the use of flashbacks which shows the use of binary opposites explicitly.

SECTION 2 PRINT PRODUCTIONS

Digipak LayoutFor my digipak, I chose to use the generic conventions of the CD layout by using the classic 4 panel case, so the audiences are able identify themselves with the product in question. I opted to use similar images from which were used in my music video so that there was a clear message being sent out to the audiences. Another reason I used 4 panels is because the band are here to be promoted as theyre currently unsigned so using the classic case, it allows them to be more mainstream in contemporary societies. For my first panel, I decided to keep with the same themes of the female being vulnerable and taking a shot from my music video with the placard, I replaced the betrayal sign with the name of the band and album Scarlett Parade. The reason I have made Scarlett Parade the album name is because using the band name in debut albums is commonly used. Examples come from various artists such as Taylor Swift and The Beatles. The use of the red colour of the females hair suggests the scarlet type colour and also using green makes the black and white image have more of an attraction to it, rather than have it plain.My second and third panels are the same image which has been flipped to have the shots synchronised and links to the narrative of the male feeling isolated. This is using conventions in a digipak so the middle two panels relate to one anotherMy fourth panel is similar to my front panel as the shot is in black and white, again with the scarlet red on the females hair. The track list has been done as research shows that some modern albums use this technique and the barcode and production company has been placed at the bottom of the panel because its mainly placed there in the corner. An example is of Ed Sheerans digipak which uses the standard 4 panel layout and uses colour alterations.

Digipak screenshots

Panel 2Panel 3Panel 1Panel 4

Magazine AdvertI have used the conventional layout of my magazine advert for the marketing release of a new album. The title of the band Scarlett Parade is in a clear, white font and in capitals which is a commonly used in posters to market albums. This is so the audiences can quickly identify themselves with the band so they know who they are looking at. It will be the first piece of text they look at because its the only white text and it fills the top of the poster. Putting a release date is another convention used so that interested demographic know when they are able to purchase this album which will increase the knowledge of people so they dont miss out. Ratings and reviews are essential in a poster in order for audiences to do a little research on who has reviewed which can encourage more sales and a bigger hype overall for the album. Adding in social media at the bottom such as Facebook and Twitter is another method of promotion which is free to obtain. Many younger generations are using social media in one way or another so it is essential that these are added to the poster in order to gain a greater fan base and interact personally to the interested audiences. An example and reference to a magazine advert is the Arctic Monkeys. They use a white font at the top of the magazine advertisement. All the information provided on this has all the essentials for audiences to recognise and buy the product, which mine also has, thus using the conventions of a magazine advert to advertise my product.