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

GenreGenre is defined as “types” or “formats and formulas”

(Williams 2003). When creating a text media producers use

genre to ensure the product sells so that the industry can earn

a profit. This is likely to happen when using a genre because

it means the audience can recognise what type of product it

is, fitting it into a certain category. This genre structure

enables media producers to understand what is popular and

so have a target market, meaning they can identify a specific

group of people who will like their product and go and see it.

This therefore reduces the possibility of risks within

production and shows genre to be beneficial. However, media

producers can feel restricted when relying on a genre as

sticking to certain categories can suppress creativity. A

“format and formula” can determine a secure audience as the

product meets their expectations for a particular genre but by

having no originality it cannot be unique against its

My Products

My main product is a music video for the song “Enough” by

the American Indie band “Dinner and a Suit”.

The second product I produced is a Digipak displaying the

different aspects of the physical album in which the song is

on.

The final product is a magazine advert which promotes the

album.

All of these products have the same theme connecting them

and therefore the genre should be distinct and recognisable

General Music Video

ConventionsIn terms of cinematography music videos include many long shots, close-ups and medium shots. This is to create emphasis on the artist, locationand emotions. The movement of the camera is used to follow and trace theartist or the narrative of the music video. Camera movements include tilts,pans, tracking and crane shots. These movements add variety keeping theaudience enticed but also help create atmosphere for example, gloomy orupbeat.

The mise-en-scene refers to the arrangement of performers and props inthe scene/frame for the production of a music video. An example is “YouBelong With Me” by Taylor Swift; the mise-en-scene involves her dancingaround her teenage bedroom energetically in different costumes.

Within the topic of editing jump cuts are usually the predominant editingtechnique used in music videos because it allows sudden changes fromscene to scene and within the narration. This type of editing is used heavilyin the Taylor Swift video because the changing of costumes is synchronisedto the beat of the music. Transitions such as fade and dissolve are alsocommonly used in general music videos.

Music videos usually have the soundtrack running throughout theproduction and vocals are prominent. Sound is of course vital in anymusic video.

Conventions of the Indie

Genre

Setting

Mise-en-scene

Editing

Sound

Performance

Narrative

Cinematography

Existing

examples/Re

al media

texts.

Relate to my

own media

products.

Setting

Setting: indie music videos are known to be quite low budget.

This is appropriate for us because we don’t have access to

high quality equipment. The settings of an indie music video

are commonly studios, cities and parks.

Setting: Existing ExamplesEllie Goulding – Your Song

Ellie Goulding - Your Song Music Video

I have compared my group’s music video with

that of Ellie Goulding’s “Your Song” music

video. The images on the left are shots from

the exiting product’s video and those on the

left are from our original music video. I have

identified shots in both of them that are very

similar in terms of setting and framing set-up.

The top left and right images both include a

medium shot of the artist walking towards the

camera. The female is located in a field and

the male, walking down a road. Even though

the location differs it is clear to see that they

are both outside. Seeing as the indie genre

tends to be low budget this setting is

obviously very convenient for a music video.

Ellie Goulding has a high status in the music

industry now yet we still see the simple

aspects to the setting in her music video. My

group chose to use this form rather than

challenge it because if its ease and obvious

success.

The next set of images show both artists

singing into a microphone which suggests

they are performing in a studio. The likeness

of the framing is also matched because both

artists are facing left in a close-up shot. This

setting lets the audience know that the artist

in the video is professional and the close-up

shots ensure that the audience knows who

the star is. Finally, the setting of the final two

images is again clearly connected to nature.

Both artists have their backs to the camera

and seem to be observing the view. I think

that fact that we have such similar settings to

Mise-en-scene

As well as general music video conventions mise-en-scene is

also a very important factor in the indie genre. It helps portray

the narrative so that the audience can understand what is

going on. Indie artists often have a retro look which can be

created through their costume and make-up. There could be

additional actors in the video who ae the main characters in

the narrative but aren’t connected to the band or artist off set.

Props are also a key element to ensue a music video looks

realistic. For an indie band the key props would include

instruments (e.g. drum kit, guitar etc.) which shows that the

artist is actually the one with the musical ability and not it’s not

just an actor standing in pace, this is an impressive element.

Mise-en-scene: Existing

ExamplesThe Lumineers – Ho HeyThe Lumineers - Ho Hey Music Video

For the Mise-end-scene I have made

comparisons with the Lumineers’ Ho

Hey music video. This band is also of

the indie genre but are not as high

profile of Ellie Goulding. As mentioned

previously props such a photographs

and instruments are frequently seen

within this genre as it helps create a

sense of realism. The photograph

present in the image on the left is

framed and of the actual artist yet the

photo present on the right is part of the

narrative. This is therefore a

convention we have again developed.

Instead of promoting the artist with the

use of a prop we have promoted the

storyline and so the emotiveness of

the music video. The way it has been

present also differs, as the left picture

is in a frame, hung up on a wall yet the

right picture is a just printed and was

initially folded up. This perhaps

emphasises that the mise-en-scene of

a music video can be high quality or

low quality but still have the intended

effect. The bottom two images are of

the live bands. The instruments are

present in both shots however they

vary. The Lumineers have a guitar, a

tambourine and a ukulele yet our band

have also a key board and the drums.

Another difference is that the main

artist isn’t playing an instrument in our

music video. This is a convention we

EditingEditing is what makes the music video complete. So much can be done in editing that the whole image of a media text can be changed entirely and this is why is it useful when trying to aim for a particular genre such as indie. Within this genre a common feature in editing is effects being inserted over the top of footage to create an old and worn out atmosphere, for example, if a flash back was taking place, this would help identify it for the audience ensuring the narrative runs smoothly. A black and white effect is collective for many music videos as it can create atmosphere easily, showing something to be old or sad. Fast and slow cuts reflect the pace of the song and can either make something upbeat or gentile. The indie genre often uses slow cuts and many transitions between shots meaning the audience are less likely to be disorientated. (however… jump cuts in augment – subvert).

Editing: Existing ExamplesThe Kooks - Naive

The Kooks - Naive Music Video

Editing techniques are used in post-production to

enhance the atmosphere of the entire music

video. It can do this through cuts or through visual

effects. The tops images are both scenes that

have a visual effect. The one of the left is from the

Kooks’ music video and a filter of red colour has

been placed over the top of the original scene.

The setting of this particular video is in a night

club and therefore this addition of colour lets the

audience believe this is real. It also adds a bit of

variety to make the video interesting and

mysterious. My group used a visual effect but not

for the majority of the music video, only for one

scene. This is a convention we developed. Indie

genres often have narrative and our music video

had a narrative that involved flashbacks

intertwined with the present, we used the “dessert

gale” effect not only to create a tense atmosphere

but to also signify when a flashback was occurring

in order to make this clear for the audience to

follow. The bottom two images are examples of

different types of editing in terms of speed. The

Kooks made the beginning of their music video

slow motion to elongate the emotion, My group did

something different. We added jump cuts to our

scene in order to speed the narrative up and

create a hectic atmosphere. The techniques used

here were the opposite of each other meaning this

particular convention was challenged however I

PerformanceIt is very common for the indie genre to include a live

performance in a music video as it is a way to focus on the

main artist, showing the audience that they are doing what

they really enjoy. It is very typical of the indie genre to focus on

the actual talents of the artist and the different types of shots

used would help promote the star and provide a status.

However in recent years it has been a really popular technique

to include a main narrative in-between the performance to help

creating meaning to the lyrics of the song. It means the

audience can relate to the lyrics and become engaged in the

story-line. The narrative can also help create repeatability as

an audience may want to re-watch what happens if it is

emotional and enticing.

We followed the conventions

of including a live performance

and a narrative because every

single example we have

looked at so far in this

presentation has a included

these elements. We decided

not to challenge these aspects

as we know it is what makes

the indie genre noticeable and

therefor successful.

Cinematography

The most typical camera shots used in the indie genre for a

music video would be close-up shots and medium shots. The

different techniques used in cinematography, for example,

movement, angles and shots, helps to introduce and promote

the star. Close-up shots highlight the artist’s talents when they

are singing and it also shows passion and emotion. Even

though the indie genre means keeping to certain conventions it

doesn’t mean that creativity suffers. It is through the different

techniques that creativity flourishes as it adds diversity and

exclusivity.

Cinematography: Existing

ExamplesKodaline - PerfectWorldKodaline - Perfect World Music Video

In terms of cinematography I could

have chosen many example to

compare our music video to but I

chose Kodaline because the

movements of the camera featured

in ours a lot.

The first two top images of that

stars in both music videos. They

are both being filmed using a

tracking shot, circling around the

artists’ head in a medium-close-up.

When shooting this scene it was

not planned for our music video

and was very spontaneous but that

fact that the Indie band Kodaline

has used the exact same shot

interested me. It shows that

actually within our genre many of

the cinematography decisions are

generic andare used often. I

thought this shot did add variety

though and broke up the ordinary

long cuts. Another similarity was

the panning shot used to show

more of the narrative. I don’t think

we pushed boundaries here in

terms of originality but I don not

The DigipakI have matched our digipack/album cover to one of The Cure’s album covers. The Cure is an Indie band as well as Dinner and a

Suit and so comparisons can be made between them:

• The first similarity is the effect of the image on the front cover of the album. Both are predominantly black and white but The

Cure have a pop of blue for the title. I think they choice of colour scheme helps enhance the overall atmosphere because both

images portray mysteriousness and a seriousness.

• Rather than block black and white colour like the cure have done , we developed this and decided to have a snow effect over

the image. This was so that the audience felt slightly disorientated and were therefore attracted to the product because it

intrigues them.

• A difference between the two digipak covers is the framing of the artist. The artist on the right is in a medium-close up shot

revealing his expression clearly whilst the artist on the right is in a medium shot which may be perceived as less intimate by the

audience. I don’t think this is a bad aspect however because it means that there is breathing space, as more of the

surroundings are showing.

The Magazine Advert

Coldplay’s magazine advert has the album cover for their new CD right in the middle of the page which is the

same as ours yet ours is positioned to the right. This design has challenged the convention of the image being

right in the centre of because we have added a shadow effect. This shadow effect gives the Album presence,

it is as if it has authority and power where the sun is shining in front of it therefore standing out. An aspect

which is the same though is the large, bold title at the top of the adverts. They cannot be missed and are

clearly presented. Finally these magazine adverts are promoting different messages, Coldplay are promoting

their new tour and Dinner and a Suit are promoting their new album. From the research I have done

previously in this blog I found that the majority of magazine adverts promoted one of the two and that it was

fairly even. The fact that we had designed a digipak meant that it made sense to go with the form of promoting

the release of the album rather than the band’s fake tour.