The document discusses a coursework assignment to evaluate a music production in relation to genre concepts. Specifically, it summarizes the author's creation of a CD cover called "DiscoLights" by "Hungarian Mansion Dealers", intended to represent a dance music genre. The summary explores various genre theories and how they are represented through technical elements, iconography, mise-en-scene, and characters on the CD cover. Repetition of dance music conventions and stereotypes are used to appeal to the target audience, according to the theories of Neale and others.

1. Brandon Fry
Exam preparation: Select one production and evaluate
it in relation to the genre concept
My coursework consists of Ancillary task 1 which I chose to base around music genre. I have
created a CD label with my front cover being called ‘DiscoLights’ By ‘Hungarian Mansion
Dealers’. Hungarian Mansion Dealers genre in the music industry is a very stereotypical
dance genre with many conventions of dance music being portrayed. Within my CD cover
different theories have been explored in the concept of genre.
Firstly one of Lacey’s repertoires of elements is the technical and audio codes. My Ancillary
consists of one colour background which is black with grey text used on top of it.
Furthermore the font is very big and bold and stands out very centrally and eye catching.
The lexis chosen is quite minimum and very simple and specific to the artist name and
album name. This all links into Chandler’s theory conveniently as the theme of the dance
genre is used quite stereotypically. Also the style and format of the text and the background
is an example of Neale’s theory of repetition and difference. This is because it is a repetition
of the stereotype of the dance genre with the content of the text being similar to many
dance albums. However to make my cover unique and not a copy, from the theory
difference is used to present the layout and the format of the text is unique as it overlaps
itself within the bold grey text. In regards to the audience, the CD may not appeal to them
as eye catching or bright like a stereotypical pop CD. However as it is a dance CD, generally I
chose to stick the stereotype which will appeal to a dance genre audience in specific ways.
The dance genre audience will understand why that format and style has been chosen. And
this is because of how the stereotype has generally shown itself over the years. However
this links into Neale’s mental machinery because in the industry it is being sold in the
audience will recognise the work as a dance music CD and it will appeal to them specifically.
Additionally in ancillary 2 the use of reviews are used to promote what other people think of
the album which is a stereotypical feature.
Secondly in Lacey’s repertoire of elements, iconography is explored. Iconography looks into
the props used within the piece of work. However in my piece of work no props are used
throughout. This is because stereotypically dance genre work does not necessarily have to
use them. Judging the stereotype many covers such as mine only present text and no
symbolic codes can be explored because of this. This can be seen as repetition as many
other cd’s use this technique and also the audience will recognise the reasons for this. In
ancillary 2 the use of repetition is used such as the promotion of where it is available to
download which is a persuasive and helpful feature.

2. Brandon Fry
Lacey’s repertoire of elements also consists of the mise en scene including the setting.
However the mise en scene is hard to describe as a stereotypical dance cd cover, there is no
setting as it is just a black background with text on it. Also the mise en scene consists of
costume but again no costume can be applied as there are no characters. Repetition from
Neale can be applied because not all dance genre pieces contain a character or people on
their work. Similarly mine does not consists of a location or any characters. Again the dance
audience will stereotypically judge the album work in comparism to other dance genre
pieces of work and see that not all show a character or a location. So Neale’s mental
machinery is applied as in this specific industry the audience will understand that this is
normal.
The last part of Lacey’s repertoire of elements is the characters included. However with my
dance cd there are no characters involved. Ideas involved around this could be to represent
the darkness of a night club, and not many of the DJ’s creating the music are to be seen.
However again repetition is involved as it is stereotypical that not all dance album covers
involve a character and that they are not always necessary. Neale’s mental machinery
comes into the work with the idea that once again the audience who like dance genre will
understand the ideas behind there being no characters.