Evaluation Question 1

EVALUATION TASK 1:In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms

and conventions of real media products?

Media Forms and ConventionsWhen evaluating the ways of how our product uses, develops or challenges forms andconventions of real media products, I researched the basic definitions of the question.

MEDIA FORMS:A media form is the overall shape of a media product, consisting of the means of communication, such as a music video or a magazine or a comic book. The media form will typically determine the media used, for example, a music video is made in video or film, examining the length of the product and the content contained. Similarly, form can be looked at as the physical, visible elements of work, simply defined as the structure and language of one’s work.

MEDIA CONVENTIONS:Conventions are the established/expected features and style of a media form. Conventions can be split into two areas, for instance, technical conventions and symbolic conventions. Technical conventions relate to the style of camera, editing, lighting and sound. However, symbolic conventions relate to mise-en-scene, consisting of how costume, colour, performance, props, location/setting, makeup and arrangements are typically used within the genre. For example, the conventions of a pop video would include, high key lighting, bright colours, several close up shots of artists and more.

Camera:Firstly, the typical camera, technical conventions for our genre indie-pop fall fairly clear and simple. For instance, the primary use of lens’ vary within genres, however, the use of an 85mm wide lens with a wide aperture is moderately familiar within the genre indie-pop. For example, an 85mm lens allows the footage to be caught with the aperture lens fully open providing extreme close up shots. Similar to this, many music videos including female soloists use this particular lens to capture close details of the words as well as further information into the representation of the artist. The 85mm lens provides a shallow depth of field softening the artist’ features, making the artist more aesthetically pleasing, of quality and attractive, therefore we used this shot several times to embrace our artists confident, powerful, alternative, indie and direct image.

MY PRODUCT – PRAY

BISHOP BRIGGS - RIVERAZELIA BANKS – 121 FT. LAZY JAY

Camera:

The use of composition and structure is of importance within numerous music videos (especially female artist) and similarly within the genre indie-pop to force the representation of individuals’ images’. For instance, the use of composition and framing the subject within the shot is focused upon, such as placing the subject in the center of a still shot. Due to this, we allowed our main artist to be presented in the center of most shots to embrace her dominating, strong, assertive and indie confidence. Equally, flat, clear shots are commonly used, allowing square angle shots to be popularised within this genre. By following conventions, such as square-on shots, we wanted our audience to gain immediate direct connection between the audience and our artist. It also provides more detail from individuals body language due to the wide shots. However, by positioning our artist in the center, it also allows the audience to instantly recognise who the main artist is and gives easy structure to other outsiders within the shot, for instance, through the use of a clear, alternative pyramid structure.

MØ – WASTE OF TIME

SANTIGOLD – L. E. S ARTISTES

OFF BLOOM – LOVE TO HATE IT

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Camera:In our product, many more camera shots, movements and angles are included to used and further develop forms and conventions of real media products. For example, the genre indie-pop are fond of using and appreciating different, alternative shots, such as over the shoulder shots. Over the shoulder shots are used to typically inform engaging action and perceptive. Similar to this, ‘Lorde’’s video, ‘Team’ includes this convention. We wanted to use this shot to highlight the alternative conventions of our artists image. Similarly we incorporated this particular shot to almost use this unusual shot as a vehicle to represent our individual artist from a different perceptive, as she looks at the world.

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LORDE - TEAM

Stylised lighting and colour:Another technical convention of importance within the genre indie-pop and most female music videos is the subject of lighting and colour. As the genre indie-pop includes alternative conventions and individual styles, for example, when usually viewing a music video, individuals expect to see high saturated colours and bold, high contrast lighting styles to embrace the colourful elements within the video. However, indie-pop videos challenge this commonly used colouring in music videos, differentiating and nonconforming to typical genres. Therefore, music videos of this genre conventionally add a bleached, washed out, cool neutral look. By adding a cool, blue, subdue, icy filter it allows the audience to view our artists as strong outsiders. The corrected cold colour style also enables interesting tone and atmosphere as well as expanding upon non-naturalistic fantasies, allowing audience to see the artists in our product as rebellions, forming to escapisms. Therefore, we have used a cold, blue wash to enhance this convention.

Real products, such as ’MØ’S – Walk This Way’ and ’Lorde’s – Team’

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Sets and Locations:An expected convention of the genre indie-pop is the use of space within the setting and location of the video. Most products share appreciation in the use of urban, empty and spacious areas. Similar to this, typical conventions of this genre include low budget, abandoned, derelict scenes or alternatively scenes of interest, such as graffiti. Graffiti is used in parts of several indie-pop videos to represent a star image of an artist. For instance, we embraced the convention of graffiti and used it as a backdrop for one of our elements. By using this backdrop it immediately added a sense of rebellion, spontaneity and equally youth. As out youthful target audience are interested in hobbies such as graffiting, it instantly adds huge relations.

Similarly, as our footage was filmed in an abandoned, empty, broken-into house, we used this convention for effect. We wanted our location to be mysterious to make the viewers focus more upon the performance. Similarly, we aimed for our artist to look in place and allow viewers to see her as rebellious and brave. By instantly positioning her within this location, it represents our individuals as outsiders purposely breaking rules, connoting their confidence and power.

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MØ - KAMIKAZE

The symbolic conventions generically specified within the genre indie-pop vary hugely as individuals within this genre are fond of having their own unique and differentiated look, therefore the typical conventions are largely range. Each genre embodies entirely different values, such as our artists within our video appreciate the use of being unique, stylish, independent and the desperation of standing out, respectfully not following a particular convention. However, we used and developed the expected hair styles within our video, for instance, we made our main artist purposely have a bobbled pony tail to look different and stand out. Similar to MØ’s video. As we were very inspired by researched sources, we equally made our other outsiders follow conventions, such as one maintaining plaits inspired by OffBloom and Lorde, and the other two space buns following Bishop Briggs. We wanted our video to conform to the typical conventions of this genre, however we allowed alteration as we wanted our artists to look interesting and maintain a unique style.

Costume and hair: Regarding the costume within this genre are subtly vague as individuals want to be their own person and create their own brave, confident and rebellious look. Although, through research we tried to follow the style. For instance, the use of unique patterned dresses, skirts, alternative jumpers are commonly shared. However, there is a huge range of looks within this genre. Due to this, in my product we focused upon the colour scheme between our artists, for example, the expected colours worn are typically dark colours, such as blacks, browns, navy's, although oppositely brighter, outgoing and brave colours are worn, such as metallic and strong golds. Therefore, we allowed our artists to stick between colours of blues, shades of greens, silvers, tones of whites and textual blacks. We wanted our artists to represent their individual, unique image and attitude through the use of clothing and hair and consequently kept them matching, stylish and cool.

Editing:Our product majorly consists of rhythmic editing. Rhythmic editing is of popularity within the expected, typical conventions of the genre indie-pop as it makes the audience listen to the beats and sounds of the track. Similarly, elaborate discontinuity editing is common due to the limited media form, consisting of the short duration of the track within music videos as well as the product being dominated by performance and close ups. Therefore, we need to add interesting editing visuals and further variation. We also included the patterned technique of editing on the beat. We edited on the beat to represent the unique, engaging image of our artist and to emphasise the beat of the track. We achieved typical conventions of making products look visually varied and interesting through the use of mirror editing and jump cuts. The real product ’The Way I Do’ by ‘Bishop Briggs’ inspiringly uses mirror editing for creative, interesting, alternative and unique effects. It is similarly shown when weaved between the videos rhythmic beats.

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BISHOP BRIGGS – THE WAY I DO

Website homepage: MY PRODUCT

Typical conventions regarding the website homepage for the genre indie-pop focusing upon simplicity within the product. For instance, through thorough research of inspired real products, such as ‘MØ, Charlie XCX, Sia’ and ’Lorde’ I understood and recognise the conventions for this genre follow clear, simple layout, direction and composition. For our product to be effective and represent the image of our artist efficiently, we conformed to the typical and expected representations within this genre. However, we developed this convention and weaved in creative concepts within to force our artists youthful, bright, rebellious, spontaneous image.

We succeeded towards the typical conventions, noticing a pop up automatic footage of the video appears on the homepage as soon as the website loads Therefore we incorporated this within our design. Similarly, we realised the homepage was the main focus in this genre and therefore created a GIF, similar to MØ’s real product. The use of colour is longingly considered, showing a link between all three products such as the use of the bold colour green, representing our artists brave independency and interest.

CD Digipak:

Lastly, we subtly conformed to the typical conventions of artist’s real products within the genre indie-pop. However, as each artists differs to be different in this genre, the CD Digipak are also independently creative. Although, through research we noticed simplicity is also key within this product. For example, we maintained a clear, bold structure throughout. We conformed to the convention of including only our main female artist purposefully on the front of the cover immediately allowing a recognition to our artist and meeting the brave, independent, youthful, strong, controlling, rebellious image of our artist. We also considered the colours used within the CD Digipak as well as the website as we wanted all three products to cohesively link and show a bold consistency within; therefore we used the same pattern as backgrounds for both the website and the Digipak and used the strong use of green across all the products. We equally kept the typography the same throughout all the products. Through the use of colour, composition, design and imagery we conformed to the typical conventions, although developed them when necessary within our

MY PRODUCT

products and consequently subtly challenged them.