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

2. As a group, we created a music video for
Weezer’s ‘Undone – The Sweater Song’ as
well as a digi-pack design and magazine
advert for the album. Mostly we have tried
to stick to the conventions of the
alternative rock genre and more
specifically the original band themselves.

3. Andrew Goodwin, author and media
theorist, identified key elements of music
videos within his book: Dancing in the
Distraction Factory. One of these key elements
was sticking to the characteristics of the genre.
We have achieved this by including shots of
the band performing (characteristic of music
videos within the alternative-rock genre) as
well as a narrative – which our audience said
was preferable in our survey. We have also
kept to the characteristics of the ‘alternative-
rock’ music genre by carefully focussing on the
mise-en-scene of the video. All the clothes
chosen were selected because they fitted in
with the alternative and geeky look that
Weezer have as well as many other bands of
the same genre (Pavement/Radiohead/etc.)

5. In addition to this, the setting of the studio fits
within the genre conventions of an alternative
rock band and also almost references the
original video – as this was all completely set in
a studio.

6. We also stuck to the music genre conventions in relation
to the kinds of edits that we decided to use, such as the
split screen (much like that of Weezer’s video for ‘The
Good Life’) and the slow motion/fast motion split screen
which was inspired by the music video for Radiohead’s
Street Spirit (Fade Out) directed by Jonathan Glazer.
This use of intertextuality also adheres to Goodwin’s
conventions of music videos.
The Good Life
Weezer

7. Another convention of music videos that Goodwin identifies is a relationship
between the lyrics and the visuals. In our music video, we took the lyrics ‘If
you want to destroy my sweater, pull this string as I walk away’ and
displayed them quite literally; the main character having to follow the string
of his ‘unravelling sweater’. We agreed within our group that despite us
thinking that imagery of the unravelling sweater within the lyrics was an
extended metaphor for a relationship falling apart, we thought it we didn’t
want to show this explicitly. By keeping the metaphor literal within the music
video we have also adhered to the upbeat and light hearted feel of Weezer’s
other music videos.

8. As well as this, at the moment when the main character goes
to use the public phone, the sample of a girl talking comes in;
illustrating to the audience that he is going to phone a girl that
he is most likely romantically involved with. However he
cannot find her number in his pocket, and it is at this point that
the second verse comes in with the lyrics ‘Oh no, it go, it
gone, bye bye’ and an image of the phone number is overlaid
on top of the original shot, conveying to the audience clearly
that he has lost the phone number, which we assume is of
some significance, as well as the lyrics having a second
meaning of the breaking down relationship (which may be
between the main character and the girl he is trying to phone).

9. The way that we have used close-ups of the band
performing also follows the conventions of existing music
videos. This establishes the band’s celebrity status and
reinforces their overall ‘brand’.

10. Goodwin also talks about the notion of ‘looking’ – to reflect the
pleasure we get from watching the performer for our own
entertainment. Related to voyeurism, the audience are given
satisfaction by watching the music video. This is intensified by
related objects placed within the music video such as
mirrors, telescopes, screens within screens etc. We have not really
followed this convention with our music video, however our use of
split screen could act as ‘screens within screens’ and therefore
reinforce this idea.

11. Our digi-pack follows
most of the conventions
of existing media
products as we wanted it
to appear as authentic as
possible.

12. The way the track listing for the main CD is located on the back
follows the conventions of most existing CD boxes. Because of
The way that the name of the band is this, the tracks included will be easily found buy the customer
present on the spines of the digi-pack and they will be able to quickly decide if they wish to purchase
follows the conventions of existing the album. We have slightly strayed from conventions by
media texts and is useful to the including the second CD’s track listing and the information about
consumer so that when it is stacked on the documentary on the inside flaps of the digi-pack, however by
a shelf, it is still clear what CD it is. doing this we have avoided the back of the pack looking
cluttered and clumsy – giving an overall better look.
When designing the
CD’s, we based the
designs of the
documentary and bonus
disc on existing Weezer
CD’s. By using the same
layout of text, we have
stuck to the conventions of
the band (as most of their
We have also followed CD’s are laid out in a
conventions by including a similar way).
barcode and logos of the producer By including a red sticker on the front of the
and the record label. In addition to pack, it is clear to the consumer that there is
this, we have added the website of something different about the album. Red
the band (www.weeezer.com) at has connotations of alarm and important
the bottom of the back of the We have included a band list and a list
messages so the consumer will want to read
pack, which follows the of everyone who would have been
it to see what is so special about the
conventions of modern digi-packs involved in the making of the
album, finding out that it is a deluxe edition
(as most bands and artists will album, e.g, producer, engineer, artist,
album, including 14 bonus tracks as well as
have a website to promote on the back cover. This, again, makes
a documentary. This will encourage the
themselves). the pack more authentic overall.
audience to buy the album.

13. By keeping the main colour of the packaging blue, we are also
referencing the original album deemed ‘the blue album’. In
addition, the way we have featured the band on the front cover
follows the conventions of many CD cases, and the awkwardness of
the band’s stance specifically follows those of Weezer themselves.
As well as this, the way that we have included a television screen on
the front cover mirrors the ‘homely’ feel of the cover of Maladroit
(another of weezer’s albums) as well as almost using Andrew
Goodwin’s ‘notion of looking’. The audience is looking at the band on
a television screen – enhancing their celebrity status.

14. When creating our advert, we wanted to keep it as simple as
possible. Looking at existing adverts, they mostly included the album
artwork, the title of the album, its release date and a little information.
We have tried to emulate this within our own magazine.

15. The way that we have used a simple background mirrors
Weezer’s use of colour within their albums (red, green and
blue). We have kept to the conventions of existing media
products by including an image of the album artwork – this
way that album is easily identifiable to consumers.
We have also included a rating on our advert. By doing this, it
gives the consumer confidence that the album will be worth
purchasing. In addition to this, the rating is given by Q
magazine – a magazine that focuses on this kind of music and
one that the audience will be familiar with. This is an example
of the Two Step Flow Model, because Q have influence over
their audience, the consumers of the magazine will follow the
opinion of Q that the album is *****.