1. Music Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HvrxyKP666s
A2 Media
Evaluation
Shakel Kalam
Candidate Number: 2315
2. Question 1
IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA
PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR
CHALLENGE FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS?
3. SUMMARY
Throughout this presentation I will be discussing these points in further detail.
1. Discuss whether we have
challenged the forms and
conventions of real media products
2. Analysis and comparison of camera
shots, locations and appearance of my
artist and recognised signed artists
4. For my group and I to start creating our own media products, firstly we had to take a
look at existing media products that have been released already. We had to analyse
existing music videos, magazine adverts/covers and CD front and back covers. We
looked at artists from both the UK and the USA and was able to understand the
conventions included within the music video.
For the media products, we had to analyse camera angles and shots, Mise en Scene
(locations, clothing, lighting, props, body language) editing, and they type of music
video (narrative or performance)
We analysed the media products of the rap/hiphop genre as they relate to the music
genre of my artist.
5. Before my group and I could start filming we had to gather a lot of information by
doing a lot of research mainly to understand and get in the mind set of a rap/hiphop
music video in order for our creativity to work aligned with the conventions of a
rap/hiphop music video.
While doing this we looked at a number of music videos relating to my genre in order
to gain a insight into what makes a successful and professional rap/hiphop music
video. As you will see through the next few slides we used different types of camera
shots, editing and other things in order to make sure that my music video is similar to
a professional and effective music video.
6. Camera Shots
WA – Getting There K – Koke – I'm Back
During the research and planning of my music video we looked for a number of different UK and USA hip-hop and rap artists that relate to
my artists. Some of the artists I found were K-Koke (UK), Eminem (USA), TI (USA), Chipmunk (UK), Wretch 32 (UK) and Squeeks (UK).
Above I have shown a screenshots of two different videos, one of the is my artists music video and the other is K-Koke’s music video called
“I'm Back”. I noticed in the video that both the clips were in the shot in the same location and it is a similar kind of shot. In both the shots
the artists are saying their lyrics as they walk across the bridge
7. WA – Getting There Squeeks – Riding In My Car
When analysing the “Riding In My Car” music video, I found it interesting how he was relating the visuals back to the name of the song by
including shots of his surroundings while driving around in the car, so we decided to try and do something similar to that within my own
music video. In our music video as the name of the song is called “Getting There” we decided to start off the video of a car going onto a
bridge in Central London close by to London Bridge with lots of bright lights and big buildings. This worked effectively as it is symbolising
that he is trying to make it to stardom as you can associate big buildings and bright lights to rich people and also the surrounding area is
also known to be very wealthy and is a very known place.
8. Squeeks – How You Living
K-Koke – Deep In The Struggle
Eminem – The Way I Am
WA – Getting There
In the above screenshots you can see close up shots of the artists. Close ups are
one of the most common camera shots within music videos, especially within the
rap genre as is it used to show the emotions of the artists through the facial
expressions. You mainly see the when the artist is rapping about topics that are
emotional for them and in most cases the target audience can relate to the music.
We used this in our music video in order to display the emotion and anger of our
artist for specific lyrics that he raps. This helps the audience understand what he is
trying to portray to them not only through the lyrics but also through the visuals.
9. Another convention of this genre, is shown through the camera shot. This is
where the artist is overlooking or standing in front of some sort of scenery
or landscape. These shots usually consist of medium shots. This can show
that the artist has dominance over the background shown or making it to
the area shown behind them, for example my artists song is called “Getting
There” and shown below in a screenshot of him in front of big buildings
with bright lights in the centre of the city.
Eminem – Not
Afraid
Chipmunk -
Superstar
WA – Getting
There
Squeeks -
Changes
10. WA – Getting There
K-Koke – Turn Back
Rick Ross – Diced Pineapples
In almost all music videos there are establishing shots to
show the surroundings of the artist. They either show
where the artists has come from or where they are looking
to make it to. We have used this in our music video in
order for the audience to see what our artist is trying to say
when he says “Getting There”. As bright lights and big
buildings associate with stardom, we used this to show that
he is trying to gain recognition and make it to fame.
11. Editing
While analysing the several music videos I saw that the rap/hiphop genre used specific
edits for different periods of time. In the videos I analysed I noticed that in some parts
of the video a lot of the footage is sped up in which the clip moves a lot faster than
usual.
I have shown some screenshots above where we have used this type of edit in our
music video. In the next slide I have included examples of this edit in professional music
videos.
12. Squeeks – Big Squeeko K-Koke – Note to God Eminem – Cleanin Out My Closet
Wretch 32 ft Giggs – Cool Nuh Kanye West & Jay Z – Ni**as in Paris WA – Grind Hard
13. While examining the music videos we also picked up the blur edit in a number of the
music videos we looked at, for example in the screenshots shown above, this stops the
clips from jumping too much and creates a smooth transition between clips in order to
make the music video look more professional. This has been used in a number of
professional music videos which I have shown on the next slide
15. Props
WA – Getting There K-Koke – Im Back
Squeeks – Usual Suspects Cash – Stay Schemin
In most music videos within the rap/hiphop genre there are always props involved
within the videos to either show the wealth of the artist or in order to relate the lyrics
of the song to the visuals of the video. In our music video we used a car as a prop as we
where matching one of the lyrics to a visual of a car. I have also noticed this in a
numerous amount of music videos within the same genre as ours.
16. Body Language
Cash – Stay Schemin
WA – Getting There
Squeeks – Big Squeeko
K Koke – Only One
In my music video we also made sure my artist included a lot of body language that relates to the lyrics as that is a convention that we
have seen in a numerous amount of professional music videos. They usually are either a gang sign, a gun sign or swearing, whereas in
our music video we have not related it to any of the above. We made our artist relate his hand gestures to the lyrics as he says them.
17. Clothing
Clothing is important in every genre of music as it defines who the
artist is as the majority of people judge people by what they
wear, and so in the rap/hiphop genre it is conventional to wear
hoodies, baseball caps, known designer branded clothing, dark
coloured clothing etc.
We made sure our artist and any extras used in the videos attire
matched the conventions of a professional rap/hiphop music
video.
18. Lighting
This is a screenshot from “K Koke – I'm Back”, this music video was
filmed at night, but with some additional lighting and the quality
of the video is still very good. It also helps contrast the colours
used within the video, also in the rap/hiphop genre most music
videos have very dark lighting as most of the lyrics are deep and
emotional so in most cases dark lighting is used to set a gloomy
mood.
For our music video we decided to record the footage at night
time as this is the time where the location we chose looks at its
best as there are a lot of big buildings and a lot of bright lights.
Also due to there being good lighting at the location as there were
street lights the quality of the video was better than expected
19. Location
These are screenshots of the locations
used in our music video which are in
Central London near London Bridge. Due
to the location having a lot of bright
lights not only helped the lighting as this
artificial lighting helps grab the
audiences attention but it also helped
link the lyrics with the visuals as my
artist is talking about making it to
mainstream music and has visuals of
very recognised wealthy areas of London
in the background. The idea of Central
London gives an insight to a wishful
lifestyle as it is an upper class area
20. Narrative or Performance
Our music video was a performance as there was not set story throughout the video, there where just various clips assembled
together to create the music video. There was a meaning behind the music video, however it was not shown through narrative.
There were just lyrics with visuals to match them as we felt a performance would suit the song itself better as the visuals did not
really hold any narrative theme to them.
Music videos have two different aspects which are Narratives and Performances, the difference between them is that :
A Narrative is a story with a series of events
&
A Performance has no story, just a series of events