evaluation question 1

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

2. The development of my media products was in the genre of indie-rock, as I used the song "Late"
by the Jungle Doctors. Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United
Kingdom in the 1980s, the majority of bands are small, independent groups who originally started
out on the local scenes. Example of real indie rock bands that have become successful in
mainstream global music are bands such as, Circa Waves, Arctic Monkeys and Catfish and the
Bottlemen. These bands have created their own style in terms of lyrics and sound but stay true to
the indie rock genre.
Arctic Monkeys Catfish and the Bottlemen Circa Waves

3. There are many conventions specifically associated with the indie genre. A key one of
these is image, with the majority of videos and posters all revolve around the band. To
further this, the main image of the indie rock genre is to get across that the band are
real and are passionate about the music more than the industry and the glamor that
surround the majority of the music industry. This leads to a large focus on the
instruments and the band performing.
In order to show the deeper meaning of the music that the artists have created there
is a large use of close ups, especially of the artist or the instrument; usually guitars,
bass, drums or the mic and in order to show the 'togetherness' of the band a music
video will usually open with a group shot of the whole band. On top of this some indie
rock videos will have a narrative involving the band or some band members to further
support this. In terms of costume it usually involves tight jeans and lose tops or
jackets, all of which I conformed too.

4. Another key element of the indie-rock genre is narrative, but unlike other genres
such as pop or R&B the narrative is used to support the lyrics and to attempt to
increase the emotional value of the video. It is rare that a indie-rock video will
only consist of narrative, but instead it is usually between shots of the band
playing. This is unlike other genres who have scripted dance routines, such as pop
videos, who use the video to attract the audience based on the visuals, whereas
the indie-rock genre uses the narrative to back up the lyrics or the performance
shots. It creates a feeling that the video is representing the band, that they are
real and not interested in the money and fame aspects of other genres.
Furthermore the use of editing in the indie-rock genre is used to put further
emphasis on the band. With cuts usually happening on the beat, trying not to distort
the visuals from the music. There is usually two types of editing used, either fast
paced cutting based on the fast drum beat or guitars, or there is long drawn out shots
for the slower, lyric based parts of the song. As this puts emphasis on the band and
the music itself, instead of distracting audiences with elaborate visuals. With editing
techniques such as blurring and fading to give the appearance that the band is
performing live.

5. Narrative is a key aspect of the majority of indie-rock videos. However not all videos use them,
some videos show the band as a who they are. These videos usually consist of the band messing
around while on tour but can also be used to introduce a new band, in attempt to get in to the
scene. I used this style as I thought it would show the band off, especially as an unsigned artist
using this style of video can help create an audience who relates to the band or what they’re like.
I took inspiration from videos that used this style, such as
Circa Waves’ video for ‘fossils’. Which shows the band on
tour, this gives an insight into what the band is like and
helps create a feeling of togetherness with the audience.
Also from the Foo Fighters’ ‘Cant Stop’ although this is
more of a rock genre and the band are international
artists, the core convention of showing the band as real
people who enjoy playing music is a key element through
out the video. Moreover another song I took inspiration
from was ‘Stressed Out’ by Twenty One Pilots. All these
videos use a mixture of both the band being themselves
and the use of performance shots in between.

6. For my video I decided to show the band as who they are instead of having a narrative to
add to the song. Right at the beginning of the song we get a group shot of the band
messing around in London, and then cutting to a more serious “welcome” shot of each of
the members looking right at the camera. This starts the video off by showing who each
of the members are, and what role they have in the band in terms of performance.
This conforms to the convention of the indie-rock genre to show the band off for who the
are instead of presenting fake version of themselves for the screen. I used these mid
shots of the members as individuals to try and allow for the audience to create a
connection with the band members as individuals. This is something I tried to keep
throughout the video, a sense of feeling and the song meaning more to the band. This is
a key genre convention of having strong images of the band to support the group.
Furthermore to try and create a sense of intimacy between the audience and the lead
singer I used lots of close ups of the lead singer throughout the video whereas for the
other members I only used upper body shots at the start of the video. I think that using
this specific style and shots meant that people can relate to the lead singer but can see
the passion for the music being played by other members.

7. One convention of using this style of indie-rock video is that the band knows that they are being
filmed. Therefore they look straight at the camera, and at times attempt to connect with the
audience directly. I decided that this style of video was best for showing the unsigned band off as
it creates a sense of innocence and childish behavior. This style of narrative compared to a more
serious narrative of some other genres such as pop or R&B, where the videos are trying to show
off who is better in the industry. For example Drake’s video for ‘started at the bottom’.
This allowed me to use a hand held camera that shows the band filming themselves, instead of
having them filmed by other people in a documentary style. This isn't a common convention of
the indie rock genre, with most videos consisting of the band playing around but they're not the
people filming one another.
I took inspiration for this idea from pop video of Justin Beiber’s ‘beauty and a beat’ video where
he is filming himself. This helps to create a closer bond between the band and audience as it
removes the feeling that the video has been edited or constructed in a certain way, and that it
shows the raw band.

8. One video which consists of only
band performance shots is ‘T-
Shirt Weather’ by Circa Waves.
This draws the audience towards
the music as there is no narrative
to distract the audience away
from the musical intensions of the
lyrics and song. I considered
making a video like this however I
didn't’t believe that I would be
able to create an entertaining
video that lasts for nearly 4
minutes purely based on band
shots. Also after getting audience
feedback I decided that the song I
used, wouldn't’t suit this style of
video, and needed some type of
narrative or visuals.

9. As the Jungle Doctors are a young unsigned band the conventions of the indie-rock genre are
slightly different to those of full signed artists. This led to me researching artists like the Jungle
Doctors, in terms of music and video style.
Another local unsigned band are the Crystal Whites,
who are also a young unsigned group who produce
similar style of music. This meant that they have faced
similar issues such as budget and equipment. This
allowed me to get insight in to what its like for another
local unsigned group in similar situation.
As the Jungle Doctors have produced 3 EPs
already, I decided to research the videos that they
produced already. This allowed me to get clear
insight into the style and the type of video that
they are attempting to produce. Furthermore it
also allowed me to see what type of videos they
are more inclined to produce, either narrative or
performance. This allowed me to create some
synergy not only wit my own products and texts
but those that they had already created.

10. The video that the Jungle Doctors produced that gave me the key ideas, in terms of their style
and approach to videos was, the video for ‘Falling’. The whole video is filmed in a small recoding
booth, consisting of just performance shots, with lots of close ups of instruments and the band
members in action. I attempted this style originally for my video, by recording in a small studio
with the my 4 members playing in the tight space. However after getting audience feedback on
the footage taken I decided that the lighting and the shots weren’t up to standard that they
needed to be. Although the recording studio is an ideal setting for a indie video as it keeps the
feeling of the video authentic and real, the footage wasn’t up to the level that it needed to be.
This led me to film all the performance based shots against a black backdrop.

11. Based on this I had to adapt my idea and break some
indie-rock conventions, instead of staying in the
recording studio I decided to film the performance
shots on a black backdrop, with key and side lighting,
with an orange filter. This created a sense of warmth
on the face of the lead singer, as well as making the
band members stand out more. I used this style of
lighting in order to make the singer stand out more,
by not using a back light I meant that his shoulders
blended with the background so that only his face
stood out against the backdrop. This is similar to style
used by You Me At Six in ‘Live a Lie’
Live performances in front of crowds is a key convention in
many indie-rock genres. However this wasn’t possible for
me to do, as it would require setting up a gig as well as
organizing the shoot. Therefore I resulted in smaller
“recording” style shots for performance based shots. I used
lighting in order to help this convention. For example I used
key and side lighting on the lead singer. This idea of using
an orange filter lighting comes from the Circa Wave’s video
for ‘T-shirt Weather’ where the use of lighting is a key
aspect of the video.

12. A further important convention of the indie-rock genre is the use of setting. With majority of artists being proud about
where they come from and some reference places around them, making setting for the video very important. This is
especially important for an unsigned artist like The Jungle Doctors, that if their songs are heard internationally the
video can put a place reference for people to know where they come from. One influence I took for this idea of
representing where the artist comes from, is from Jamie T, especially his video for ‘sticks ‘n’ stones’
He filmed a part of his video at Wimbledon station,
where he is from, this shows that he is proud of
where he comes from and doesn't’t mind showing
it off. Unlike other genres of music who don’t
reference where they come from or just talk about
trying to “escape” the area, indie/rock genre artists
are usually proud of their area.
I used key signs that London is known
for such as the London underground
and Big Ben. This is to show that the
band is from London and are proud to
show it.
The ending of the video shows the lead
singer, Joe Tiongson, walking and singing
through winter wonderland in London This
was used to fish the video showing the band
is proud of London.

13. The setting for the parts of the
video where the band are messing
around is important to show
where they come from and who
they are. This meant I decided to
go around London and film in key
areas, such as Hyde Park, Winter
Wonderland, Southbank, London
Eye, Big Ben and Piccadilly Circus. I
used all these areas to show to
anyone who doesn’t know the
band, would know iconic areas
such as these.
This idea of showing of the city
and area where the band is from is
similar to the ‘Always Like This’
video by Bombay Bicycle Club or
the ‘Best Day of my Life’ by
American Authors. This creates a
sense of authenticity and keeps
the video as close to the true band
as possible.

14. One key Indie-rock genre conventions is the used of close ups and performance shots. For the majority of
my video I stuck to the generic conventions of the indie-rock genre. Especially in terms of performance
based shots and the close ups used. For example in my video I used lots of close ups of the guitars in order
to represent the importance of the music instead of any visuals. This is very similar to lots of different
indie-rock videos. Including that by Circa Waves, where the video shows the band playing instruments on
their own and as a collective, the use of close ups inspired out tight close ups of the guitars in my video as
it is a clear message showing the music is key.
The comparison of the video “So Long” by Circa Waves and my video “Late”. The use of close ups
of instruments is widely used throughout the indie-rock genre but I feel that in “So Long” it is use
very effectively as it just shows the bad playing and keeps the music and the group ‘real’ and
relatable which is a theme that I wanted to create in my video. It also shows the importance of the
electric guitar in the indie-rock genre.

15. Another key shot I used for performance shots was the mid shots and close ups of the lead
singer. I took inspiration from The 1975’s “Ugh!” although this is not an indie-rock video it is a
sub genre of indie-pop. The use of a close up and mid shots of the lead singer grabbing the mic
inspired me for my video. This is a convention that is found in the majority of performance
shots as it brings the audience closer to the band and shows that it is a real performance.
Furthermore a key shot found in lots of indie-rock music videos is the close up of the
drums. For example I got inspirations from The Strypes video for ‘Hometown girls’. This
gave me the idea of using the focus the foreground of the drum kit and then focus the
drummer in the background.

16. All these conventions are used for the benefit of creating a positive image for the band
to build their fan base upon. Both unsigned and signed artists have developed these
conventions for their own purposes and needs. I feel I have developed, used and
challenged some of these generic conventions for the indie-rock genre.

17. Indie-rock conventions for digipak/posters

18. One key convention of the indie-rock genre is simplicity in terms of the
digipak. Bands like to keep the digipak simple and raw creating a greater
connection between the band and audience. I believed using a simplistic
style for the poster and especially the digipak cover was key in order to
create a indie look for the band. This meant I decided to use a simple
image of the band together and plain white text. Which is the most
simplistic style possible. Which I learnt from my research is common
theme/style in the indie-rock genre.
Inspiration for Digipak

19. For my digipak I had two main influences, both of which differed in terms of style
and image. I wanted to create a mixture of the simplistic image of the band while
create a unique style at the same time. My inspiration to use a band image comes
from The Kooks album for ‘Inside out’. I believed that this style of image is
effective for the indie-rock genre as I keeps to conventions of being raw and real.
This led me to use a band image, however I didn’t conform to this convention
100% I developed it by just having the band without instruments.
My second main inspiration for the digipak was from The 1975’s album cover for
‘1975’. I used the style of a polarised image from this as their image isn’t complete
clear. I developed this and made this a key theme throughout my print products are
ibelieve it conforms to the style of the band, the “Hipster” look is associated with this
style of photography therefore using it will connect better with the target audience.

20. A convention found in many genres not just indie-rock is the little use of
text on the digipak. Throughout music album covers are usually plain and
simple only consisting of the title of the album and the name of the band.
This is used to stop any confusion. I decided to use this convention as I
believe it is the best style for the digipak. As it keeps it looking clean and
professional.
For example in the
Catfish and the
Bottlemen’s album
there is little text and it
is kept in the top corner
creating a simplistic
style.
Furthermore another convention is the use of size
of text. By using different text sizes for the band
name and the album name is important, as it allows
the audience to see the name of the band first, and
its stands out more when on shop selves. Therefore
many album covers will use large font sizes for the
name of the band on the front cover.

21. For the inside of my album I conformed and developed different conventions of the
indie-rock genre. For example one convention of having lyric books for the songs is
found in lots of indie-rock albums as well as those in other music genres. One
example for this was from Drake. Although he isn’t apart of the indie-rock genre
this is a key convention found in all genres and his style inspired mine.
I developed Drake’s style of polarised images with the lyrics in white text over
the top, as I believe that this is a simplistic style that works well. Furthermore
the use of images that relate to him and where he's from are used which I
conformed with as well.
Both of my lyric books
are white text with
image in the
background similar to
Drake’s
Both lyric books have
the song name
followed by the lyrics
underneath

22. However I developed this convention by using different style of images on the
inside of my album. for example many albums will consist of mainly band
images or images involving instruments. Instead I decide to develop the
convention of locality and being proud of where the artist is from. This is a
common theme throughout many indie-rock videos. I decided to use images
of the local area which develops this convention.

23. Back cover
The conventions for the back cover are mainly the same between all genres of
music, consisting of the track list, the production logos and the copyright
protection. All of these I conformed to in order to create a professional look for
the band which is important especially for an unsigned group.
The
production
company logo
Copyright protection for the
songs and band name
Track list
in order
The address for the bands
website.

24. The Magazine
One key convention is
the name of the band
and album
Another common
convention is the use
of a band image
Positive reviews are
found on many adverts
to attract new
audiences.
A major convention is the links to social
media sites and the band’s website as this is
where audiences can find out more about
the band
An image of the
digipak, which they are
trying to sell and get
draw attention too.
Another convention is
the use of different
text sizes to grab
attention to important
parts of the advert
such as ‘OUT NOW’
Using the NME logo to
confirm the statement,
keeps it legitimate.
And audiences are
more likely to trust it.

25. Where would the advert feature?
I would use this magazine advert in many different music and non-music
magazines. I would mainly focus on music magazines that already attract
audiences of the indie-rock genre, such as Kerrang and NME. But to
further increase the chance of getting a larger audience I would use the
magazine online. This allows it to reach more people quicker and cheaper
which is very important for unsigned bands.
It is important to use these types of magazines as they are already associated with the
genre and larger bands that are in the indie-rock genre have feature on them. NME is
extra important for a British band as it is a British magazine and therefore has a large
audience in the UK that the band can tap in on.

26. But to increase the chance of getting a larger audience the advert would
feature online through different formats. For example at the end of the
music video the advert would appear and hold for 10 seconds, allowing
people to see that the album is out now. Furthermore through the use of
social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Furthermore the band
would use online magazines such as Complex to reach larger audiences on
the internet.