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

2. Our Task
For our A2 Media Studies we had the task of
creating a Music Video along with two
ancillary tasks (Digipak and Poster/Magazine
Advert). We chose to create a music video
from the ‘Pop’ genre and made sure our
ancillary tasks fitted the conventions.
Generally I feel our music video and
ancillary tasks used and developed the
conventions from the ‘Pop’ genre, however
throughout this PowerPoint I have carefully
analysed each section of the music video to
conclude how my media products use,
develop or challenge forms and conventions
of real media products.
Amelia O’Callaghan

3. Our Record Label
Within our genre of ‘Pop’ we researched what the most
popular record labels were, (below are the logos of these
companies) we found that the one used by Little Mix, the
group whose song we have chosen, was called ‘Syco Music’.
We thought that this company would be appropriate as it
worked mainly with artists from the ‘Pop’ genre. Therefore I
feel we have use conventions of real media products as many
famous ‘Pop’ groups have a known record label.
Amelia O’Callaghan

4. Narrative
When researching ‘Pop’ genre music videos we looked at the types of
narrative that were used, we discovered that many didn’t include
narratives, such as Sugarbabes ‘Push The Button’, Stooshe ‘Love Me’,
and even our chosen song Little Mix ‘Wings’. We did however choose to
include a narrative within our media product as there are music videos
such as Taylor Swift ‘I Knew You Were Trouble’ and Carly Rae Jepson
‘Call Me Maybe’ that include them within theirs.
A clip of narrative from our music A clip of narrative from Taylor
video Swift: 'I Knew You Were Trouble’
music video.
Amelia O’Callaghan

5. Narrative
After deciding to add a narrative we decided what we wanted
the storyline to be. This is where I feel we developed forms
and conventions of real media products as we not only included
a narrative but developed it in order to fit our song lyrics. This
also supports the theory of Andrew Goodwin that ‘Music videos
are simply an extension of the lyrics’.
The storyline we chose was of a young girl getting bullied.
Above is a animated storyboard I created to help get an idea of
the characters relationships. Amelia O’Callaghan

6. Narrative
The majority of narratives within the ‘Pop’ genre include the artists
themselves, however we went against this as we felt by presenting the song
to be aimed at younger girls and applying this in our music video we will be
able to able to create a rapport with the audience.
A clip of narrative from our music
video
A clip of narrative from The Saturdays:
‘What About Us’ music video.
Amelia O’Callaghan

7. Costume
When it comes to the costume I feel this is where both our music video and
ancillary pieces challenged the traditional forms and conventions of real media
products. Whilst researching the ‘Pop’ genre we became aware that the clothes
worn tended to be revealing and provocative. We had already decided that we
wanted to aim our song at young girls an therefore we have challenged the
stereotypical outfits of pop and gone for outfits that would be considered
suitable for young girls to follow after. Here and on the next slide you can see
the comparisons between real media products costumes and our own.
The Saturday’s ‘What About Us?’ Music Video Our Music Video
Crop tops (lots of Fashionable tops,
flesh on show) yet not revealing.
Trousers
Accessories (hat, Short Jewellery
necklace, bracelets shorts/skirts
etc.) Amelia O’Callaghan

8. Costume
A picture used in Pixie Lott's Digipak A picture used in our Digipak
Hair style looks dyed Lipstick
and have extensions Hair style is apparent
natural and but
achievable for generally
an audience a natural
Lots of (rather than look.
make up extensions)
applied
Fashionable
clothes, yet
not
provocative
Male Gaze – Although wearing a skirt, leggings
cleavage visible Lots of flesh on are also worn – not as much flesh
show revealed.
Amelia O’Callaghan

9. Location
Throughout our performance shots of our music video we kept them to studio
shots. I think that this both uses forms and conventions of real media product
but also goes against them as the ‘Pop’ genre does include shots of artists
singing outside of the studio, for example ‘The Saturdays – What About Us?’.
Below are the shots of our performance shots along with some professional
media products.
The Saturday’s ‘What About Us?’ –
Performance Shots Outside of Studio
Our
Performance
Cheryl Cole ‘Fight For This Love’ – Shots in the
Performance Shots in a Studio Studio
Amelia O’Callaghan

10. Location
For our narrative shots we used the school location as it fitted with our
narrative. I believe this does conform to the genre as most narrative are
filmed in cohesion with their location. Below are the print screens of our
narrative shots along with some professional media products.
Lady Gaga ‘’Bad Romance – Narrative
Shot
Our Performance
Shots in the
Taylor Swift – ‘I Knew You Were Studio
Trouble’ – Narrative Shot
Amelia O’Callaghan

11. Shot Types and Camera Movements
Shot types that are used within the ‘Pop’ genre can vary from long shots to
extreme close ups. We wanted to use a variety of shots in our own music video
which I feel use the conventions of real media products but also develops them.
For example when researching we found the music video ‘Jar of Hearts’ by
Christina Perri that has a camera movement on a narrative section. We decided
to use this and progress it by making the camera move along the group whilst
we were singing. Although I cannot show the movement the arrows represent
the movement of the camera:
‘Jar of Hearts’ by Christina Perri Our Music Video
Amelia O’Callaghan

12. Shot Types and Camera Movements
We also used shot types such as close ups, extreme close ups and mid shots,
the use the conventions of a real media product as they are commonly seen and
used within music video’s of the ‘Pop’ genre. Here are some screen shots
comparing shot types of real media products and our music video.
‘Do It Like A Dude’ – Jessie J Our Music Video
Extreme Close Up
‘Die Young’ – Ke$ha
Mid Shot
‘Fight For This Love’ – Cheryl Cole
Close Up
Amelia O’Callaghan

13. Poster
The poster we
created stays very
much true to the We have kept
conventions of ‘Pop’ the ongoing
magazine advert. theme of pink
The colours, fonts present and the
and pictures are all picture clearly
very stereotypical shows a young
of Pop and I think group.
help to represent
our new group.
Our poster
We have used a contains the
gradient key ingredients
background for of a advert
the poster which right down to
again continues the critic
onto the reviews which
Digipak, creating I believe gives
a sense of it a
continuity professional
throughout our feel.
ancillary tasks.
Amelia O’Callaghan

14. Poster Advertising:
Poster Advertising:
The Saturdays
Poster Rihanna
Here you can see the
comparisons between
our Poster and real
media products…
Our Final Poster
The name of the
group centred at
the top.
Mentions new
album Large picture
of the artists
Image of the
digipak cover

15. We chose a
Digipak
colour theme We added a competition to our Digipak as
for our many Pop artists try to connect with their
Digipak which young fans by encouraging them to visit the
was pink as we website and buy ‘fan’ merchandise.
felt this was
appropriate
for our target
audience of
girls aged 11
-16 years old.
Here are some
images of
what ‘Pop’
Digipak/CD
covers look
like and how
ours compare.
The pictures we used were very friendly looking and we
feel due to the costume and general look of the album will
appeal to our target audience of 11-16 year old girls. Amelia O’Callaghan

16. Digipak
I believe that our Digipak uses the forms and conventions of real media products
extremely well and the result of this is a professional looking Digipak. We did lots of
research before creating the Digipak and I feel that this has paid off.
Through the research of ‘Pop’ Digipak’s I found that they had a ‘fun’ appeal to them and
also included lots of photos of the artist. I have briefly analysed he images below as the
do include features that we used in our Digipak.
Mariah Carey CD Cover Little Mix CD Cover
Bright Colours
Used
Our Digipak
All Smiling
Name clearly
shown
Amelia O’Callaghan