Q1 draft

1. Q1) in what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms
and conventions of real media products?
One of myproductiontaskswasto create a musicvideo.The musicvideothatIproducedwasbased
on the indie-popsongWingsbyindie artist Birdy.Thisspecificmediaproductbothdevelopsand
challengesformsandconventionsof real mediaproductsinvariousways.Firstly,the social
demographicof indie-popmusicvideosismostlyaimedtowards 15-21 yearolds.My musicvideo
developsthisconventionbecause of the narrative whichexpressesamessage of youthandfreedom
inwhichthisage range is typicallyknownfor.Furthermore becausethe conventionalage range
consistof teensandyoungadults,typicallythe audience foranindie-popmusicvideoattendHigher
educationorUniversity.Myownmusicvideoisaimedtowardsthe exactsame range of audience,
howeveritismore focusedandaimedtowardsteensthatattendsecondaryschool asitinvolvesa
more funand lessmature,adolescentvibe thatfitsperfectlywiththatcertainage group. I decided
to developmymusicvideointothe same formof the typical conventionsincludingthe age range
that are involvedintypical indiepopmusicvideosbecause the agesof 15-21 year oldscan connect
withthe indie genre due tobeingaveryindependentage.Furthermore,the indie-popgenre isall
about“independentfreedom”whichmenandwomenof thisage strive toachieve.Thisaudience
wouldalsobe able to fitintothe D social grade as theymay have part-time orfull-timejobs.This
leadsthe audience inbeingable toaffordhigh-streetclothingandwill typicallywearitemsof
clothingwithbrandssuchas Topshopand RiverIsland.Typically,the audience of indiepopmusic
videosvariesbetweenboth malesandfemales,howeverisgenerallymore male.However,Ibelieve
that my ownmusicvideochallengesthisconventionof the audience beingmore male asIwould
agree that my videoisaimedtowardsmore females.Thisisdue tothe childrenactorsinvolvedinthe
videothatmakesitlessmale orientated.
In existingindiepopmusicvideos,the representationof artistsare typicallyseenfirstlyastalented
musiciansandthat theycan be stereotypedtobe heavydrinkersanddrugtakers.Thispoint
evidentlyjuxtaposesfromthe representationof myartistinmy ownmusicvideo.Thisisbecause
instead,Natalie andthe kidsare presentedasyoungandinnocent.Ilikedthe ideaof challengingthe
indie popgenre normsasit will enable awiderrange of audience thatthe videocanbe aimed
towardsand more people willbe able toenjoyit.Zoe andAubreyare conveyedasinnocentintheir
youthas theyact like typical childreninthe videosuchasdrawingpicturesof eachother and
drawingontheirfaces.Also, inexistingindiepopmusicvideos,typical conventionsof the
representationof musiciansinthisgenre canbe seenasrole modelsasthe songsthat are created
are extremelycreativeandpoeticwhenitcomestosongwriting.Thiscan be seeninmyown music
video,asthe audience isable tosee Natalie asthe artistthroughthe use of close upshots whilstshe
islipsyncingto the song.Thisallowsthe audience tosee herasa respectable andtalentedartistas
hersong isnot onlymeaningful,butitcan alsoamaze heraudience due tohertalentat such a young
age.The audience isable tosee thatshe is youngbecause she presentsherself asquite younginthe
videoasshe wearsminimal amountof make-upandherclothesare notveryexposingorcan be
seenassexualised.
Live performance isalsoanothertypical conventionseeninindiepopmusicvideos.Thiswaythe
mainfocusis on themas performersdoingwhattheylove todo.Italsokeepsthe focusonthe actual
musicitself andthe talentthatthe artistshave.Thisis anotheraspectthat myown videochallenges,
because eventhoughNatalielipsyncstothe songthat givessome sortof performance toallow her
to be a focus,the videoincludesotherfocusesonotheractorsincludingthe childrenas ithasmore
of a narrative structure.Thisfurtherdemonstrateshow muchthe artistcan be seenasa role model

2. as not onlydoesshe wantcreditforher ownworkby appearingonthe video,butalsoto
demonstrate toheraudience thatthere isalsoa deepmeaningbehindhersongs.
A narrative videoisusedtotell astory throughoutthe videobyusingasequence of imagesand
videosthatrelate tothe song.This isdone issuch a way that itmakessense tothe audience sothat
theycan followandlinkitto the lyrics.However,typical indiepopmusicvideosdonotinclude a
clearnarrative structure as again,theywantthe mainfocusto be on the artist.As for myownvideo,
thisfurtherchallengesthe typicalconventionasitincludesamainnarrative structure of twoyoung
girlswhoappearto be bestfriendsandare embracingtheiryouth.Ipreferredtohave anarrative
structure to my musicvideobecause inmyopinion,itholdspeople’sattentionbetterincomparison
to a live performance aswhatyouare seeingisconstantlychangingandkeepspeopleentertainedat
all times.Evenpeople whoaren’tnecessarilyafanof the artistmay still enjoythe video,sothis
methodoftenhelpsthe artistgainsuccessandstatus.