Evaluation - Question 1

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

The advanced brief was to successfully create a music video. In order for me to have successfully realised my music video media products using conventions typically associated with the genre - Rap. It was necessary for me to conduct research to understand what is associated with the genres. Because the artist I had chosen had a relatively undiscovered sound I had to conduct research into the roots of the music. The first thing to do when developing my own media product was to do research in existing texts in the chosen area in media, my genre being, rap. Whilst looking at current music videos I realised there is two types of video, one being performance and the other narrative. Performance can be anything from punk rockers hammering it out on a stage (Evile –Thrasher) to Garry Barlow’s smiley, happy shiny suit, prancing about like a numpy (Take That –Shine.) Narrative when the artist gets deep in touch with their songs, where there is usually a relationship from their song lyrics to the visual – even though this is usually only slight. For example Clock Opera’s once and for all is about an elderly gentleman who loves a women from a distance and the day he decides to return a handkerchief to find she has pasted away, really makes the lyrics, don’t be afraid and get in the way really stands out. Throughout this video there is little rhythmic editing and no performance at all. After doing research into the existing conventions of my genre – (Kid Cudi –King Wizard, Tyler The Creator – Yonkers and Frank Ocean –Novacane) I found there was little editing which was strange, as normal conventions would state there is to be editing throughout.

My music video as you can see has lots of edits, I decided to do this as some verbal feedback suggested from my target audience that there should be editing in order to keep the audience interested.







I had to carefully select my locations as I felt I should base locations as the roots of rap history which stereotypically comes from urban working class black youth's, who communicated there frustration through alienation. Therefore I chose to use locations like one below, to connote the roots of the music and where it comes from; and also to use conventions of traditional rap music videos.
Luckily at college we have a green room that I was able to use during the filiming out my video and out on our college balcony helped make a good shot, we shot for about 20 mins   worked well especially for iconographic shots and emphasising the genre with the historical element. The other factors I had to consider was what camera angles and movements i wanted to use, i found a varied amount of angles and shots worked best hence why i used: high angles, low angles, camera pan, tilt and track, not only showing an ability in my camera but showing a demonstration I can recgonise exsisting conventions and how i can impliment them into my own work. I feel i have used the following angle succesfully except the birds eye view, i have made them part of my work as exsisting conventions state in order for me to create a successful product I must incorporate these into my work throughout the piece, this will enable me to development a successful product.

the framing heights above have been crucial in order to make a music video that flows, from shot to shot without emphasizing the editing. So i decided to use a medium shot for the majority of my product, this allowed it to flow from shot to shot. When my artist is in the car i decided to use a medium close up, i felt this varied the shots slightly without damaging the fluidity of the video, much like the long shot I used when in the alley with the graffiti. 

Unlike many other music videos i have used a varied types of edits on my video, i have switched between a black and white edit to full colour to gain the audiences attentions and also to further reinforce the colour.

The second part of the task was to create 2 ancillary texts, I chose the CD Digipak and the magazine advert, the digipak has many conventions that existing pieces have. To start with my front cover:

My front cover can be broken down to the main image and the title:

Main image

this image has the artist which is a convention of most album, not always tho, some have simple logo or easily recogniseable symbols or other features to identify the artist.

The title

This title has a graffiti look that is linked to rap music, this is conventional of rap, as graffiti and negative youth activity are closely linked by the media to rap music.

As you can see these existing album covers have a theme running throughout - a graffiti style heading i have used this title, for the reasons: it is a convention of my chosen genre,  the image clearly shows a graffiti display on the wall, this location was selected due to its strong connection 

The advert

Also In my magazine advert I have used a colour scheme that ties in the artist clothes, the purple and black colour scheme, like many music magazine advert, they have explained they are part of globalization and web 2.0 and also miniaturization as the advert clearly shows it is available on iTunes, the market leader in digital music sales. Also i have used a colour scheme that matches the artists outfit, this give fuidity and conventional factors to the piece, this allows it to look more 'professional.' As a advert it has to be advertising something, this is the album that is for sale on iTunes.