1. Comparison of forms and conventions with general theory and real media products

2. General Theory Comparison When comparing my music video with real media products, I can look at general theory.1)Lyrics establish a general feeling/mood/sense of subject rather than a meaning. Meaning is presented more through visuals. 2)Tempo of music drives the editing. 3)Genre might be reflected in types of mise-en-scene, themes, performance, camera and editing styles. 4)Camerawork impacts meaning.Movement, angle and shot distance all play a part in the representation of the artist/band (close-ups dominate). 5)Editing is done in fast cuts, rendering many of the images impossible to grasp on first viewing, so ensuring multiple viewing. 6)Digital effects often enhance editing, which manipulates the original images to offer different kinds of pleasure for the audience. 7) Intertextuality is often present. Intertextuality is the shaping of a texts’ meanings by other texts. Not all audiences will spot a reference to another text, which would not significantly detract from their pleasure in the text itself, but greater pleasure might be derived by those who recognise the reference and gain a sense of fulfilment by this. It also increases the audience’s engagement with, and attentiveness to the product. Many music videos draw upon cinema. 8)Exhibitionism is the psychological need and pattern of behaviour involving the exposure of parts of the body to another person with a tendency toward an extravagant, usually at least partially sexually inspired behaviour to attract the attention of another in an open display. The apparently more powerful independent female artists of recent years have added to the complexity of the politics of looking and gender/cultural debates, by being at once sexually provocative and apparently in control of, and inviting, a sexualized gaze.

3. 1)Lyrics establish a general feeling/mood/sense of subject rather than a meaning. Meaning is presented more through visuals. “We used to get on fineOnce upon a time,Yeah we were alright, but you were mean.Now we don't talk and it's a shame,I guess I only have myself to blame,Cos girl you meant so much to me.And if I ever see yoooou again,I know a songI can singIf I ever see you again,I know a song, I know a songI can sing.” Above are the opening lyrics to my chosen song for my media product. Without the visuals, it is already apparent that the song is one in which has emotion (hurt, sadness, love, reminiscence)The lyrics have therefore conformed to the general theory by establishing a general mood. The emotion behind the lyrics thus had to be represented through visuals. My group and I conveyed this emotion through our choices of camera angles and edits. Many of the camera angles we used in our music video were from a birds eye view. We felt that this camera angle was the best way to portray hurt and sorrow as there is a sense of ‘looking down’

4. 2)Tempo of music drives the editing. Looking back at the music video, it is evident that the editing of the video reflects the tempo of the music.The tempo of the music is slow and supple, thus the editing had to be sure to reproduce this mood.I believe my media product successfully replicates this mood <Click image to view video

5. 3)Genre might be reflected in types of mise-en-scene, themes, performance, camera and editing styles. (and 4,5,6) We have already established that the lyrics produce a general mood. This mood then had to be represented via visuals. MISE-EN-SCENE As we decided to create a follow up video to Plan B’s previous music video’s, it was important to produce a similar mise-en-scene to previous products. We therefore had to research in to Plan B’s preceding videos to establish the mise-en-scene we would need for our own media product.We found that we needed to include: a prison cell (urban iconography), Plan B on stage (in a suit). By researching the conventions associated with Plan B’s videos, we were able to produce a media product that successfully used forms of real media products. CAMERA ANGLES/EDITS In order to reflect our chosen genre through camera angles and edits, we had to chose angles and edits that portrayed the feelings of hurt, love , devotion and reminiscence.This is evident through our choice of slow pace edits, flashbacks, birds-eye-view shots, tilt shots and extreme close ups.

6. 7) Intertextuality is often present. Intertextuality is the shaping of a texts’ meanings by other texts. Intertextuality- The shaping of texts' meanings by other texts. It can include an author’s borrowing and transformation of a prior text or to a reader’s referencing of one text in reading another. Not all audiences will spot a reference to another text, which would not significantly detract from their pleasure in the text itself, but greater pleasure might be derived by those who recognise the reference and gain a sense of fulfilment by this. It also increases the audience’s engagement with, and attentiveness to the product. Many music videos draw upon cinema.

7. Similarities To Plan B’s Videos Finally, I decided to analyse and compare the use of forms and conventions, by using images from my own media product and images from previous Plan B videos to establish the similarities. Vs. Both in the video ‘Plan B- She said’ and my own media product, there is the use of an attractive female playing the part of Plan B’s ‘Ex-girlfriend’

8. Similarities To Plan B’s Videos Vs. Both in the video ‘Plan B- Stay Too Long’ and my own media product, Plan B is depicted on stage, singing and in a dark tailored suit.

9. Similarities To Plan B’s Videos Vs. Both in the video ‘Plan B- Stay Too Long’ and my own media product, there is the implication of females being sexual objects. This refers back to point 8 on general theory, which states ‘8)Exhibitionism is the psychological need and pattern of behaviour involving the exposure of parts of the body to another person with a tendency toward an extravagant, usually at least partially sexually inspired behaviour to attract the attention of another in an open display. The apparently more powerful independent female artists of recent years have added to the complexity of the politics of looking and gender/cultural debates, by being at once sexually provocative and apparently in control of, and inviting, a sexualized gaze.’

10. Similarities To Plan B’s Videos Vs. Both in the video ‘Plan B- Prayin’ and my own media product, Plan B is shown walking with a police officer. This has connotations of law and order. It can also be associated with urban delinquency.

11. Similarities To Plan B’s Videos Vs. Both in the video ‘Plan B- Prayin’ and my own media product, Plan B is shown looking reminiscent and hopeful. He is also depicted in grey and white prison clothing. Furthermore, the lighting in both scenes is dim, reflecting the dull mood.

12. Similarities To Plan B’s Videos Vs. Both in the video ‘Plan B- Love Goes down’ and my own media product, Plan B reflects on his ex-girlfriend by looking at an image of her.