Monday 20th December - Evaluation Question 1

Evaluation - Question 1

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

Camerawork:

Our media product has utilised, adapted and challenged ideas, concepts and shots from existing music videos and our own ideas, therefore incorporating the correct overall feel and image for a pop music video. We have filmed a range of shots, whilst filming, so that at the post production stage we would have enough material, in case there were “blanks” in the video. We executed various shot types and angles (like close up, long shot, mid shot, tracking shot, zoom shot) to portray the artist in different ways depending on the section of the narrative. We also used fast cuts to make sure the shots were transitioned, in sync with the different pace sections of the song. This hopefully makes the music video shots and narrative fit perfectly to the song in terms of lyrics, pace and shot composition, therefore hopefully increasing the audience interaction and engagement with the music video, thus increasing audience enjoyment. Rapid shot changes and unusual angels will appeal to a younger audience and keep them engaged.

Cheryl Cole - The Flood Music Video

(Above is Cheryl Cole's (Pop Artist) music video to her second single "The Flood". This music video has fast pace cuts and beats to the music like in our video. Also voyeurism is evident in this video through the use of camera and close ups of the pop star.)

We have tried to maintain consistent themes and “personality” throughout all our media products. This has hopefully been achieved by the similar graphology of the CD cover, pack and website. The track titles also link to the narrative of the video, which creates the relationship between the first single music video and the overall theme of her album, therefore reinforcing this maintained “star image”. Richard Dyer noted: a star is an image constructed from a range of materials”, we had followed this carefully to ensure that these elements completed whilst producing our products. The “songs” and “record covers” ideas of his theory have been followed in our production, however due to our media a2 production specification it wasn’t possible to do “live productions” and “media coverage”. Due to our artists certain image it would be planned to be followed and maintained throughout her album promotion and tours. We devised a definite image for our artist/star and this is carefully promoted throughout our work because of the reinforced cohesion.

(above are examples of Ellie Goulding’s pop artist image and how it’s maintained throughout her media products, reinforcing Dyer’s theory. (l-r) Tour photograph, Still shot of “Guns and Horses” music video and album artwork for her single “The Writer)

We tried to increase the voyeurism is our music video by the choice of costume, shot angle and Sophie’s acting. I think this was quite successful because the voyeurism was still evident in the vulnerable character sections, just because of what she was wearing and the setting of the bedroom and garden bench. The transition shots where the character changes metaphorically and physically from her innocent personality include close ups and mirror shots which include Sophie’s back and close ups of her face, applying makeup. This can relate due to the typical female teenager, but also will hopefully stereotypically appeal to a male audience due to the voyeuristic shot types, this is again reinforced later in the video with the mannequin scenes, where the character has a bare upper chest and shoulders and the wall shots where the corset is enhancing her chest. Also the naked mannequin reinforced some voyeurism in these shots due to its female sex appeal.

These images also appeal to a female audience due to the personal memories and perhaps past experience which this character could represent them, therefore they know and can feels similar emotions, therefore staying engaged with the video and performance.

(above are images and screen shots of our music video and are examples of the conventions adopted in our video)

Black and White - Inspiration and Justification

This decision, made quite early in our planning preparation, was (personally and individually) inspired by two videos. Both of these videos reinforce how important and effective black and white videos can be, especially when linked with a powerful narrative, which both of these videos include. Also in Beyonce's "If I Were a Boy" director Jake Nava has also filmed a section of "pre-song material". We also decided to have this in our music video, not only to reinforce the storyline but also it gives the audience an opportunity to get to know the character(s) involved in the narrative, therefore hopefully increasing their audience engagement, understanding and involvement.

Beyonce - "If I Were a Boy"



Pixe Lott - "Cry Me Out"

These two videos show very powerful and emotive storylines within the tracks, which was our main aim from the start of our planning. Therefore these two videos are similar to ours, in terms of the colour choice and narrative performance/direction.