First Evaluation

1. Evaluation: Developing
& Challenging &
Conventions

2. Introduction
The set topic in which we had to study was music video
promotions. The three media texts we created were
a music video, digipak and magazine advertisement.
In order to create all 3 of these, research had to be
taken place and we had to research pre existing
products within out music genre. With this
knowledge, we have had to develop or challenge
different conventions within this music genre with the
three music promotional materials.

3. MUSIC VIDEO
(Main Task)

4. Sven E Carlsson
❧ Sven E Carlsson believes that music videos
can be catagorised into two different types,
performance and narrative. Performance
being that the audience can see the artist
singing and dancing in the music video.
Narrative being that the music video simply
tells a story, including a clear structure to the
music video itself.

5. Performance
❧ We have incorporated and conformed to Carlsson’s
performance theory. We have not conformed to it in the
sense that the performer has been made a commercial
exhibitionist where the performer is promoting an item,
making fans aspire to be like them. We have conformed to
his theory making the music video an electric shaman.
This means that the performer is invisible and their voice
anchors the visuals. The dancers are the focus supporting
the lyrics and message behind the song they are dancing
to. The song has a journey to it and the visuals reflect the
vocals.

6. Narrative
❧ We have incorporated and conformed to Carlsson’s
narrative theory. We have conformed to it in the sense
that the narrative of the music video tells a story and has a
clear structure to the music video itself. It also has a focus
on there being disruption and the equilibrium faced by the
two dancers in our music video. The narrative of the music
video is a reflection of the song lyrics. Our dancers have
choreographed a routine that reflects the song and
meaning of the song and there is a clear structure to the
narrative and relationship between them.

7. Michael Shore
Michael Shore believes that music videos are only aimed at
particular audiences. For example, the adolescent males theory.
Shore believes that music videos often used recycled images
and styles that simply appears to adolescent males and their
fantasies of speed, power, girls and wealth.
Occasionally, Shore believes that this can lead to the music
videos becoming soft-core pornography with stereotypical
representation.
Our music video does not conform to any of these conventions

8. Andrew Goodwin
Andrew Goodwin has a few theories with music videos. These
include genre characteristics, record label control, star
image. He also believes that they can be: illustrative, amplified
or disjuncture. Genre characteristics being that all genres
have certain conventions that all music videos must follow in
order to be identified by an audience. Record Label being that
the record label have full creative control over an artist and will
constantly have demands over their image. Star image being
that once the artist has their own representation, their music
promotional material will then help promote them as the main
selling point.

9. Andrew Goodwin
❧ Our music video does not conform to the genre
characteristics theory as our music video doesn’t follow
a certain convention that can be identified by the audience.
For example, a typical girl band doing a dance routine. We
also do not conform to the record label theory as this is a
stand alone music video and we have not considered what
a record label's influence may have on our product. We
also do not conform to the star image theory as with one
music video, we are unable to show the likes of meta
narrative (showing the development of the music artists
over time).

10. Sven E Carlsson - Performance and Narrative
Conventions
Camera Shot Types & Movements
In our music video we used various camera shot types and
movements that conformed to both the performance and
narrative conventions. We conform to the convention of
electric shaman where the performer is invisible and their
voice anchors the visuals. An example of where we have
used this is with the extreme close ups of our dancers
eyes. They look in pain and reflect the pain of the singer's
voice and emotion in which he is feeling at that moment in
time.

11. Sven E Carlsson - Performance and Narrative
Conventions
Editing
In our music video we used various cuts that conformed to both
the performance and narrative conventions. The use of editing
has allowed us to let the music video tell a story and show a
clear difference between disruption and equilibrium. There is a
clear structure of the music video also which the editing allows
us to conform to this convention. For example, in the beginning
of the music video the cuts are not as harsh and have a lot of
smooth transitions. Towards the end of the music video, the
cuts become harsher and quick paced. This reflects the overall
mood of the piece, lyrics and emotions the artist is experiencing
at this moment in time.

12. Sven E Carlsson - Performance and Narrative
Conventions
Mise-En-Scene
In our music video we used various Mise-En-Scene that
conformed to both the performance and narrative
conventions. The setting and costume/props are extremely
minimalistic. We have decided to do this so that the the
audience focus on the dancer's story and the artist's voice
which conforms to the electronic shaman convention. We
have used the use of facial expressions and body language
to reflect the emotions in which the artists is feeling.
Emotions such as pain, reflection and happiness are
explored throughout the music video, again, conforming to
the electronic shaman convention.

13. Sven E Carlsson - Performance and Narrative
Conventions
Mise-En-Scene
In our music video we used explored with the use of lighting and colours.
The colours of the costumes are black and white which contrast one
another and conform to the narrative of the story. The female dancer is
in white to reflect her vulnerability and the male dancer is in black to
reflect his power, dominance and a darker character. We also
experimented with the use of lighting. We used a lot of low key lighting
and lowered the saturation in the post production process so the
images and vocals are married nicely together. We also used the use
black and white in the post production process to show the difference
between the dark memories and the happier memories. This also
conformed to a clear structure to the narrative and a clear difference
between disruption and equilibrium

14. Sven E Carlsson - Performance and Narrative
Conventions
Visual Effects/Special Effects
In our music video we used various visual effects/special
effects that conformed to both the performance and narrative
conventions. The use of visual and special effects was used
throughout the music video. The recurring effects were the
use of black and white and colour with a low saturation. This
has been included in the previous slide. We have used the
most visual effects towards the end of the music video as it
reflects the lyrics and emotional build up that has happened
throughout the narrative of the music video.

15. Conclusion
Our music videos is quite similar to the likes of the
artists Sia and Ed Sheeran. The music videos in
particular are Elastic Heart, Chandelier and Thinking
Out Loud. Our music video develops the conventions
above and goes into more detail having more than
just actions reflecting the narrative and performance.
Specifically electric shaman, disruption and
equilibrium.

16. DIGIPAK AND
MAGAZINE
ADVERTISEMENT
(Ancillary Task)

17. Artist Name/Album Name, Track List
and Promotion of Album
For the artist's name, album name, track list and promotion of
album on both the digipak and magazine advertisement, we
used 3 different types of typography. The artist's name has
their own typography so the audience can instantly associate
that font with the artist’s branding. The headings and large
fonts were used with another style of typography. This way
fans and audiences will be able to associate the typography
and house style with the release of the artist’s album. The
last font style used is a clear and basic form of typography
used for the likes of anchorange and smaller details so it’s
easy for the fans/audiences to read.

18. Main Images
The main images in both the digipak and magazine advertisement
have been edited in a way in which the saturation of the image is
lower. This reflects the poses the models are doing and the
overall house style of all 3 of our music promotional videos. All
main images have been cropped to the shape and outline of the
bodies of the models. We have also added a smooth edge around
them also to make the images blend with the background and
show a softer side to the dark connotation of the image. It also
compliments the lower saturation of the images. The images tell a
story as well. The images show a journey from the front cover to
the inside cover to the cd to the back cover. The audience will be
able to match these images with the journey of the music videos.

19. Colour Scheme
The colour scheme throughout the digipak and magazine
advertisement use very monotonal and neutral. The main
colours used are black and white. This is developed through all
three of the music promotional materials. The black and white’s
raw connotation is the use of good and evil. It can also have a
connotation of love and hate, strong and weak etc. All of these
themes are explored in the poses of the models and the
choreography of the dancers in the music video. The colour
scheme also shows formality and sophistication to the fans and
target audience. The colour scheme is suitable for our target
audience and fits with the overall house style and message of the
promotional materials.

20. Type of Language Used
The language used in the digipak and magazine
advertisement is minimal. This decision has been made due
to our target audience typically focussing on visuals rather
than texts. The large amount of text use is for legal
reasoning, hence it being smaller and not the main focus for
the fans and audiences. The text that is used in the
magazine advertisement is very minimal and is short and
snappy. It’s large and catches the audience's attention. The
words, ‘Number 1 Single’ are large and stand out. This also
reflects the message the artist is giving out, they are selling
number 1’s and are extremely successful.

21. Conclusion
I would compare our digipak to Sia’s 1000 forms of fear and Ed
Sheeran’s ‘+’ album. I believe these are similar due to the
fact they rely heavily on visuals rather than texts. They have
a consistent house style throughout and their albums reflect
and connect with all 3 music promotional materials we have
studied. I believe we haven’t challenged the genre in which
our music promotional videos lie within, but we have
developed them as we have showed an emotional journey
through the use of images in the digipak that reflect the
music video perfectly. It’s something that fans will be able to
decode and relate to.