Evaluation - Question 1

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

2. Camera movements
Follow Shot
In comparison to an existing video by Ben Howard a conventional camera movement which was used throughout was
a follow shot. The follow shot simply means that the camera follows the subject who is performing the action, as in
Ben Howards video for Keep Your Head Up the action performed is walking which I have also used as a follow shot in
my video. The following distance is usually kept more or less consistent throughout the follow shots which I have used
in my video, when researching and planning I found that this was a typical feature. I achieved the follow shot
movement by a Steadicam as I found it was the most practical option for the movement that I wanted to attain rather
than dollying or tracking. Hand-held follow shots are easily achievable and I found it to be useful in many situations
when creating my video, for example when I had to follow the action when the actor was walking on uneven ground. I
found that it was difficult to use a dolly as the end footage looked bumpy and did not look very professional to
include in the video, unlike in comparison to the Steadicam footage.

3. Tracking shot
Tracking is often defined as movement parallel to the action, or at least at a constant distance, such as the camera
which travels alongside the moving image. In my video I have used a tracking shot to track the movement of the
actors feet walking across the ground, this is a similar shot to Ben Howard Keep Your Head Up. Tracking shots are
used across every genre of music in their music video and I found that they were extremely common in
singer/songwriter videos. Not only have I used the tracking shot to track the actors feet to make it similar to a
professional existing video, I have also used a tracking shot following the actors walk across various locations. To film
the tracking shot footage I used a hand-held camera to create verisimilitude for the viewers who are watching the
video. I did this because of the songs name as well as my intended narrative. The song is called Depth Over Distance
which when doing my lyric analysis I came up with the narrative of two people who were separated are now walking
numerous of distances to be together, this is where I thought that a tracking shot would reinforce the narrative.

4. Different tracking shots used in my video.

5. Other singer/songwriter artists that use tracking in their music videos.

6. Camera tilt
A tilt is a vertical camera movement in which the camera points up or down from a stationary location/position. The tilt I used
within my music video focuses on a tree which has different footage cut into the middle of the still image before we see the tilt.
The camera focuses on the tree then there is a cut to birds flying in the sky after showing the birds flying which represents
freedom, relating to the genre of music as singer/songwriters have the freedom to express their thoughts and emotions within
their song lyrics. The video cuts back to the tree to which it tilts up capturing the whole tree and gets the background of the sky
in which was just shown. In comparison to other videos within this genre, abstract imagery is most commonly used to show a tilt.
The kind of abstract imagery used can be nature such as woods to capture the sunlight breaking through the tree branches. I
made a conscious decision to have the footage of the birds flying edited into the video between the still image and the tilt, as
mentioned the birds flying represents freedom and the tree represents their home and where they live. As my intended narrative
was for two people to find their home together by travelling distances after been separated, the abstract imagery of the tree
with the water behind and the birds flying fitted in with the narrative.
Camera movements

8. The editing sequence of
the tilt, showing the tree
at eye level, following
birds flying in the sky
and ending with the tilt
up the tree.

9. Pan
A pan is a horizontal camera movement in which the camera moves left and right about a central axis. This is a swivelling
movement, i.e. mounted in a fixed location on a tripod or shoulder, rather than a dolly-like movement in which the entire
mounting system moves. To create a smooth pan I decided to practice the movement first. I found that I would need to
move or stretch my body during the move to get the footage I wanted, to do this I positioned myself therefore it helped me
to end up in the more comfortable position.
Camera movements

10. Camera angles
Eye-Level
This is the most common view, being the real-world angle that
we are all used to. It shows subjects as we would expect to see
them in real life. It is a fairly neutral shot.
High Angle
A high angle shows the subject from above, i.e. the camera is angled down
towards the subject. This has the effect of diminishing the subject, making
them appear less powerful, less significant or even submissive.
Low Angle
This shows the subject from below, giving them the impression
of being more powerful or dominant.

11. Extreme Wide Shot
In the extreme wide shot, the view is so far from the subject that
s/he isn't even visible. The point of this shot is to show the
subject's surroundings. The EWS is often used as an "establishing
shot" which is the first shot of a new scene, designed to show the
audience where the action is taking place. It is also useful in
scenes where the action is very spread out. The EWS is also
known as an extra long shot or extreme long shot (acronym XLS).
Throughout my video I have used an extreme wide shot to show
the audience that there is a new scene where the footage filming
has taken place, such as the Riverbank, the park and the various
streets which i have used.
Shot types

13. Very wide shot
The very wide shot is much closer to the subject than an
extreme wide shot, but still much further away than a wide
shot. The subject is visible here but only just. The emphasis
is very much on placing the person in their environment.
This often works as an establishing shot, in which the
audience is shown the whole setting so they can orient
themselves.
The VWS also allows plenty of room for action to take place,
or for multiple subjects to appear on screen. I have used the
very wide shot, to show the viewers where the actor is just
like the extreme wide shot.

14. Wide shot
In the wide shot, the subject takes up the full frame. The
subject doesn't take up the whole width and height of the
frame, since this is as close as I can get without losing any
part of my actor in the frame. The small amount of room
above and below the subject can be thought of as safety
room as I didn’t want to be cutting the top of the head off
when filming. It would also look uncomfortable if the feet
and head were exactly at the top and bottom of frame.

15. Mid shot
The mid shot shows some part of the subject in more
detail, whilst still showing enough for the audience to
feel as if they were looking at the whole subject. In fact,
this is an approximation of how you would see a person
"in the flesh" if you were having a casual conversation.
You wouldn't be paying any attention to their lower
body, so that part of the picture is unnecessary. The MS
is appropriate when the subject is speaking without too
much emotion or intense concentration. It also works
well when the intent is to deliver information, which is
why it is frequently used by television news presenters.
You will often see a story begin with a MS of the
reporter (providing information), followed by closer
shots of interview subjects (providing reactions and
emotion). As well as being a comfortable, emotionally
neutral shot, the mid shot allows room for hand
gestures and a bit of movement. Using the mid shot in
my video I was able to capture the actors emotions and
body position which emphasised their emotional links
towards the song contributing to my narrative.
Medium close-up
The medium close-
up is half way
between a mid shot
and a close up. This
shot shows the face
more clearly,
without getting
uncomfortably close.

16. Close-up
In the close-up shot, a certain feature or part of the subject takes up most of the frame. A close up of a person
usually means a close up of their face (unless specified otherwise).
Close-ups are obviously useful for showing detail and can also be used as a cut-in. A close-up of a person emphasises
their emotional state. Whereas a mid-shot or wide-shot is more appropriate for delivering facts and general
information, a close-up exaggerates facial expressions which convey emotion. The viewer is drawn into the subject's
personal space and shares their feelings. Using a close-up in my video helps the viewer to associate the lyrics with
the narrative, as a close-up emphasises feelings and emotions of the actor.

17. Extreme close-up
The ECU gets right in and shows extreme detail. There would normally
need to be a specific reason to get this close. It is too close to show
general reactions or emotion except in very dramatic scenes. Using an
extreme close-up in my video helped to support my narrative, as the
males identity is unknown until the end. Extreme close-ups were used
towards the end to reveal the males identity bit by bit as earlier in the
video it only showed parts of him and not his entire face. I have also
done this towards the end with the female as a juxtaposition to
complete my narrative and allow the audience to know what is
happening.

18. Point of view
This shot shows a view from the subject's perspective. It is usually edited in such a way that
it is obvious whose POV it is. In my video I have used a point of view perspective at the
beginning of my video as a puddle reflection. The reflection of the female is seen rippling in
the puddle which connotes mystery, it also fits in with the start of the song as it is just purely
music and no singing.

19. Weather shot
In this type of shot the subject is the weather. The sky takes up
at least 2/3 of the frame. This type of shot is common in
television programs where the weather is of particular interest,
e.g. sports shows. Although the usual purpose of this shot is to
show the weather, it is also useful as an establishing shot, for
setting the general mood or for overlaying graphics.
A weather shot doesn't have to show the sky. Other shots often
used to illustrate weather include: puddles, drain spouts or any
example of rainwater flow, trees or anything else blowing in the
wind, people sunbathing, snowmen, snowball fights, snow
sledding, etc. However in my video I have shown a puddle
which connotes wet weather, as well as in some of the shots it
is raining. Furthermore, I have included imagery of water such
as the sea to emphasise the wet weather. To show that the
weather is dull and wet I captured the wind blowing trees next
to the river, which again shows that it is bad weather. All the
imagery that I have filmed which show wet dull weather help
to create the theme for the video as most of my footage is dull
and colourless.

21. Mise-en-scene
Mise en scène encompasses the most recognisable attributes
of a film - the setting and the actors; it includes costumes and
make-up, props, and all the other natural and artificial details
that characterise the spaces filmed. The term is borrowed from
a French theatrical expression, meaning roughly “put into the
scene”. In other words, mise-en-scène describes the stuff in
the frame and the way it is shown and arranged.

22. Mise-en-scene
Setting
Setting creates both a sense of place and a mood
and it may also reflect a character’s emotional
state of mind. It can be entirely fabricated within
a studio either as an authentic re-construction of
reality or as a whimsical fiction, but it may also
be found and filmed on-location. In my video I
have used various settings which are all outdoor.
I have used outdoor settings to create continuity
but to relate to my song as the characters have
to travel over distance. The settings which I
filmed at were open outdoor spaces like on the
riverbank and at a park, as well as down a street
and down the subway. Having various of
locations that I repeatedly used throughout
creates interest and doesn’t make the video look
boring. Even though I have used a setting more
than once I have tried not to put the same
setting next to each other, therefore when
editing this was something that I was aware of
and knew not to do.

23. Various settings in my video
include litter and graffiti
which were already there,
this helps to create
verisimilitude that it is not a
polished video set and adds
emphasis to the meaning of
the song.

24. Mise-en-scene
Lighting
The lighting throughout the video is very dark and dull, but this fits the song as it is slow, therefore you wouldn’t expect
bright colours like you would in a different genre of music like R&B or Pop. The rainy weather adds to the darkness of the
video as it was a wet day meaning there was not sun out and the sky was overcast by clouds. As all my footage is filmed
outside and not in the greenroom I could not control the lighting like I could if it was inside. I made the conscious decision
to film in the rain as it would fit in the overall continuity of the video footage I got prior to filming the main footage with
the actors.

25. Examples of other artists videos within in this
genre, it is common for them to be in black and
white or have a dull colour like mine. However,
if the video is filmed in a studio low key lighting
is used instead of high key lighting like in James
Bay – Hold Back The River, which is filmed in a
studio.

26. Costume
In comparison, the clothing which
artist Ben Howard is wearing in his
video for Keep Your Head Up, is
very casual like in mine. The
clothing he is seen wearing is jeans
and a t-shirt, he is not shown in any
other outfits in the video as in mine
both actors are only shown wearing
one outfit which doesn’t change.
Mise-en-scene

27. Mise-en-scene
Special effects
I have used some special effects to make my video
different and to keep it interesting between different
cuts. The special effects include transitions such as
when it is the ending of one setting and another
starts, I have used a cross dissolve. Also I have used
filters over some of the footage to add to the
narrative. At the end of my video the full males
identity is revealed, when his face is shown for the
first time I have used a filter over the top to imply
that his face is like a memory and that he is dead.

28. Codes and conventions of this genre
Music videos use similar codes and conventions that other videos within that genre use. The audience can
become familiar with that genre as the video progresses, as they get used to recognising the different
conventions within a genre. It provides a structure that the audience can understand, and also ensure the
lyrics of the song fit in with the video of how we would expect it to be. The conventions of a music video vary
depending on the genre of the music. However the general conventions include; the style, the camera,
editing techniques, the sound (non-diegetic and diegetic), mise-en-scene (props, lighting, costume, hair and
make-up, location/setting, and colours, notions of looking (stereotyping).

29. I used an extreme close up of the
actors face as it helps to build
recognition of the artists image to the
viewer. The emotions shown on
either of the artist faces linking the
music with the lyrics and what they
mean. The emotions shown by the
camera insist that the genre of the
video is not an light hearted genre
like pop. By using this camera shot
type I was following the conventions
of this type of genre.
I used a medium close up to show the
audience the artists body language and
costume. When the female is leaning
against the tree she is looking down at the
floor with a worrying look on her face this
implies that something is disturbing her
thoughts and relates to the narrative of
the video.
The wide shot and tracking shot, shows the
camera following the actor. This allows the
audience to understand the meaning of the
lyrics and focus on the song. Tracking is very
conventional in a music video of this genre.
Camera

30. I edited a shot by using a fade transition
from one scene to the other. This is to make
the audience feel as though they are feeling
what the actor is feeling.
Using the beat of the song I was able to cut to
different scenes especially at the beginning of
the song when there is no singing. Making the
cut to the beat of the song made the video
more effective and interesting. This is to keep
the audience intrigued in my video. Most
artists within any genre cut their video to the
beat of the song it is a widely known typical
convention of a music video, making it a
standard procedure when editing.
Editing
Beginning edited sequence to
the beat of the song.

31. Form of this genre
Singer/songwriters are musicians who write,
compose and sing their own musical material
including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to
contemporary popular music singers, the term
singer/songwriter describes a distinct from of
artistry, closely associated with the folk-acoustic
tradition.
Style
Singer/songwriters usually wear
simple, casual clothes in music
videos and on stage as to not
distract from the brilliance of the
song.
Album Covers are usually
very simplistic, with not
much more than the
artist’s face.

32. Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many similarities rather than differences as
to what ways my media product use, develop or challenge forms
and conventions of real media products. Firstly my music video uses
typical conventions such as; cinematography, editing and mise-en-
scene, which when researching I found were extremely important in
making a good video. Using cinematography enabled me to include
camera techniques like; angles and movements allowing me to
make a creative video that will catch attention. Editing allowed me
to cut between different footage and delete the parts which I didn’t
think were necessary for the video. Whilst I was editing I was able to
change the brightness of the footage if it was too bright to darken it
fitting in with the rest of the footage. I used special effects to put
over the top of footage of the male when his full identity is revealed
to suggest that he has died. The mise-en-scene helps to create
reality and makes the overall video more appealing, as the mise-en-
scene gives the viewer something to look at. In all, I found that I
have used many conventions that are the same as existing music
videos within this genre, therefore I do not challenge any of them.