evaluation: developing & challenging & conventions

Evaluation: Developing & Challenging & Conventions

IntroductionThe set topic in which we had to study was music

video promotions. The three media texts we created were a music video, digipak and magazine advertisement. In order to create all 3 of these, research had to be taken place and we had to research pre existing products within out music genre. With this knowledge, we have had to develop or challenge different conventions within this music genre with the three music promotional materials.

MUSIC VIDEO (Main Task)

Sven E Carlsson

❧ Sven E Carlsson believes that music videos can be catagorised into two different types, performance and narrative. Performance being that the audience can see the artist singing and dancing in the music video. Narrative being that the music video simply tells a story, including a clear structure to the music video itself.

Performance❧ We have incorporated and conformed to Carlsson’s

performance theory. We have not conformed to it in the sense that the performer has been made a commercial exhibitionist where the performer is promoting an item, making fans aspire to be like them. We have conformed to his theory making the music video an electric shaman. This means that the performer is invisible and their voice anchors the visuals. The dancers are the focus supporting the lyrics and message behind the song they are dancing to. The song has a journey to it and the visuals reflect the vocals.

Narrative❧ We have incorporated and conformed to Carlsson’s

narrative theory. We have conformed to it in the sense that the narrative of the music video tells a story and has a clear structure to the music video itself. It also has a focus on there being disruption and the equilibrium faced by the two dancers in our music video. The narrative of the music video is a reflection of the song lyrics. Our dancers have choreographed a routine that reflects the song and meaning of the song and there is a clear structure to the narrative and relationship between them.

Michael ShoreMichael Shore believes that music videos are only aimed at particular audiences. For example, the adolescent males theory. Shore believes that music videos often used recycled images and styles that simply appears to adolescent males and their fantasies of speed, power, girls and wealth.Occasionally, Shore believes that this can lead to the music videos becoming soft-core pornography with stereotypical representation. Our music video does not conform to any of these conventions

Andrew GoodwinAndrew Goodwin has a few theories with music videos.

These include genre characteristics, record label control, star image. He also believes that they can be: illustrative, amplified or disjuncture. Genre characteristics being that all genres have certain conventions that all music videos must follow in order to be identified by an audience. Record Label being that the record label have full creative control over an artist and will constantly have demands over their image. Star image being that once the artist has their own representation, their music promotional material will then help promote them as the main selling point.

Andrew Goodwin❧ Our music video does not conform to the genre

characteristics theory as our music video doesn’t follow a certain convention that can be identified by the audience. For example, a typical girl band doing a dance routine. We also do not conform to the record label theory as this is a stand alone music video and we have not considered what a record label's influence may have on our product. We also do not conform to the star image theory as with one music video, we are unable to show the likes of meta narrative (showing the development of the music artists over time).

Sven E Carlsson - Performance and Narrative Conventions

Camera Shot Types & Movements

In our music video we used various camera shot types and movements that conformed to both the performance and narrative conventions. We conform to the convention of electric shaman where the performer is invisible and their voice anchors the visuals. An example of where we have used this is with the extreme close ups of our dancers eyes. They look in pain and reflect the pain of the singer's voice and emotion in which he is feeling at that moment in time.


Editing

In our music video we used various cuts that conformed to both the performance and narrative conventions. The use of editing has allowed us to let the music video tell a story and show a clear difference between disruption and equilibrium. There is a clear structure of the music video also which the editing allows us to conform to this convention. For example, in the beginning of the music video the cuts are not as harsh and have a lot of smooth transitions. Towards the end of the music video, the cuts become harsher and quick paced. This reflects the overall mood of the piece, lyrics and emotions the artist is experiencing at this moment in time.


Mise-En-Scene

In our music video we used various Mise-En-Scene that conformed to both the performance and narrative conventions. The setting and costume/props are extremely minimalistic. We have decided to do this so that the the audience focus on the dancer's story and the artist's voice which conforms to the electronic shaman convention. We have used the use of facial expressions and body language to reflect the emotions in which the artists is feeling. Emotions such as pain, reflection and happiness are explored throughout the music video, again, conforming to the electronic shaman convention.


Mise-En-Scene

In our music video we used explored with the use of lighting and colours. The colours of the costumes are black and white which contrast one another and conform to the narrative of the story. The female dancer is in white to reflect her vulnerability and the male dancer is in black to reflect his power, dominance and a darker character. We also experimented with the use of lighting. We used a lot of low key lighting and lowered the saturation in the post production process so the images and vocals are married nicely together. We also used the use black and white in the post production process to show the difference between the dark memories and the happier memories. This also conformed to a clear structure to the narrative and a clear difference between disruption and equilibrium


Visual Effects/Special Effects

In our music video we used various visual effects/special effects that conformed to both the performance and narrative conventions. The use of visual and special effects was used throughout the music video. The recurring effects were the use of black and white and colour with a low saturation. This has been included in the previous slide. We have used the most visual effects towards the end of the music video as it reflects the lyrics and emotional build up that has happened throughout the narrative of the music video.

ConclusionOur music videos is quite similar to the likes of

the artists Sia and Ed Sheeran. The music videos in particular are Elastic Heart, Chandelier and Thinking Out Loud. Our music video develops the conventions above and goes into more detail having more than just actions reflecting the narrative and performance. Specifically electric shaman, disruption and equilibrium.

DIGIPAK AND MAGAZINE

ADVERTISEMENT(Ancillary Task)

Artist Name/Album Name, Track List and Promotion of Album

For the artist's name, album name, track list and promotion of album on both the digipak and magazine advertisement, we used 3 different types of typography. The artist's name has their own typography so the audience can instantly associate that font with the artist’s branding. The headings and large fonts were used with another style of typography. This way fans and audiences will be able to associate the typography and house style with the release of the artist’s album. The last font style used is a clear and basic form of typography used for the likes of anchorange and smaller details so it’s easy for the fans/audiences to read.

Main ImagesThe main images in both the digipak and magazine

advertisement have been edited in a way in which the saturation of the image is lower. This reflects the poses the models are doing and the overall house style of all 3 of our music promotional videos. All main images have been cropped to the shape and outline of the bodies of the models. We have also added a smooth edge around them also to make the images blend with the background and show a softer side to the dark connotation of the image. It also compliments the lower saturation of the images. The images tell a story as well. The images show a journey from the front cover to the inside cover to the cd to the back cover. The audience will be able to match these images with the journey of the music videos.

Colour SchemeThe colour scheme throughout the digipak and magazine

advertisement use very monotonal and neutral. The main colours used are black and white. This is developed through all three of the music promotional materials. The black and white’s raw connotation is the use of good and evil. It can also have a connotation of love and hate, strong and weak etc. All of these themes are explored in the poses of the models and the choreography of the dancers in the music video. The colour scheme also shows formality and sophistication to the fans and target audience. The colour scheme is suitable for our target audience and fits with the overall house style and message of the promotional materials.

Type of Language UsedThe language used in the digipak and magazine advertisement is minimal. This decision has been made due to our target audience typically focussing on visuals rather than texts. The large amount of text use is for legal reasoning, hence it being smaller and not the main focus for the fans and audiences. The text that is used in the magazine advertisement is very minimal and is short and snappy. It’s large and catches the audience's attention. The words, ‘Number 1 Single’ are large and stand out. This also reflects the message the artist is giving out, they are selling number 1’s and are extremely successful.

ConclusionI would compare our digipak to Sia’s 1000 forms of fear

and Ed Sheeran’s ‘+’ album. I believe these are similar due to the fact they rely heavily on visuals rather than texts. They have a consistent house style throughout and their albums reflect and connect with all 3 music promotional materials we have studied. I believe we haven’t challenged the genre in which our music promotional videos lie within, but we have developed them as we have showed an emotional journey through the use of images in the digipak that reflect the music video perfectly. It’s something that fans will be able to decode and relate to.

evaluation: developing & challenging & conventions

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