A2 Media Evaluation

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

2. Reflection
In order to establish the conventions of the pop genre which I had
used or challenged in my video, I must reflect on the research I
had previously done which helped me make overall decisions. I
used research of music video conventions from a theorist called
Andrew Goodwin and analysed music videos whilst linking his
theory to them. This enabled me to understand how many music
videos had different specific conventions depending on their genre
and also helped me to begin thinking of some of the conventions
which I could include in my own music video. In addition to this, it
also enabled me to consider what is considered before creating a
music video and the audience’s expectations depending on the
genre of music they are listening to as well as how many different
artists use the conventions in different forms in order to target
their audience’s and display their individual styles.

3. Other research
As well as researching the Andrew Goodwin theory, I also
did some research for the pop genre conventions and its
historical background which allowed me to have a more
clear understanding of the expectations and its
development over the years, thus helping me make
creative decisions for my music video which would link to
this genre. In addition to this, I also did some research
on the artist who’s song I was using. I began looking at
my artist’s previous music videos as well as album and
single covers. After watching her music videos, I was able
to see how my own previous pop genre and theorist
research conformed and were applied to her products,
thus establishing her style and influencing me to create
links from my music video to her style since I would be
using her song.
Looking back on the research I had done, I can see its
influence on my product due to my use and development
of both the music video and artist’s conventions.

4. Colbie Caillat conventions
Conventions used Conventions challenged
•Performance element - Andrew Goodwin identifies this feature,
and all of Colbie Caillat’s music video include her miming to the
lyrics, thus allowing her audience to focus on her lyrics whilst also
showing them her visual style.
•Close-ups - Goodwin states that there are a lot of close-ups of the
artist in music videos in order for them to show their audience their
visual style. This is featured in Colbie Caillat’s music videos which
conforms to the pop genre conventions.
•Intertextual reference (We both know) - Colbie Caillat has used
intertextual reference in one of her videos, thus conforming to
Goodwin’s theory.
•Dancing – Meeting Goodwin’s theory and the pop genre
conventions, Colbie has used dancing in her videos in order to show
the convention of happiness and having fun.
•Mise-en-scene – Pop music conventions state that the imagery is
usually expected to be themed with bright and bold colours in order
to associate with a positive vibe. Colbie Caillat uses this convention
in all her music videos due to the fact that all of them are themed
with bright colours, thus signifying happiness.
•Close-ups – Although, Colbie has used a lot of close-ups, she has also
used a various amount of mid-shots and long shots of the setting and
locations as well as cross-cutting to the intertextual reference.
•Dancing – Although, dance is used, Colbie Caillat has developed it in
one of her music videos in order to use it as a symbolic gesture or an
atmospheric feeling, thus challenging the conventions of it being used to
show a person being content with life.
•Voyeuristic Treatment of the female body – Due to Colbie Caillat’s
songs being more romantic than wild, this convention would not link
appropriately, therefore she does not conform to it at all.
•Links between visuals, music and lyrics - Colbie Caillat uses very
slight links between the visuals and lyrics through small hand gestures.
However, they are not significant enough and the focus of her videos
seem to be more on the performance element, thus showing her
challenging this convention.
•Narrative – Although some of her videos include a mini narrative
which is usually about a relationship, thus conforming to the pop music
conventions, the majority of her videos do not include a narrative since
they focus on the performance element of the video.

5. My Music Video conventions
Conventions used Conventions challenged
•Mise-en-scene
•Link between the visuals, music and lyrics
•Close-ups
•Voyeuristic treatment of the female body
•Performance element
•Dancing
•Narrative
•Close-ups
My music video contained more challenged conventions due to the fact that I wanted to create a more visually
interesting product linking to the song’s lyrics whilst also containing a moral message. However, due to my overall
narrative linking to the same moral message contained in the lyrics and my conventional uses of mise-en-scene etc,
my product was conventional to the pop genre.

6. Why did I use these conventions?
• Mise-en-scene – The mise-en-scene used in my music video was simplistic and neutral in order to maintain the representation of
the girl’s simplicity. I used colours in specific moments during the video in order to create a specific representation. For example, at
the very beginning of the video, the girl was wearing white, thus presenting her innocence and shyness. However, by the end of the
video she is seen wearing bolder colours such as blue which, therefore showing the audience how she is increasing in self-
confidence. As for other characters within my video, I chose to have them in dark colours in order to create an obvious
representation of their negativity and show a clear sign of their purpose in the narrative. In addition to this, the lighting created an
atmospheric feeling. For example, the darker lighting coming from the lamp in the bedroom was used in order to show the girl at
her weakest point, whereas by the end of the video she is surrounded by bright lighting as well as bold colours such as green which
connote the girl’s freedom and happiness increasing. The mise-en-scene I used in my music video was symbolic and suited the
songs, thus conforming to the genre stereotypes.
• Links between the visuals, music and lyrics – During my pre-production decisions, I decided I wanted to create a music
video with the most significant theme being that of bullying. I had also decided that I wanted the moral message for my audience to
be to have self-confidence. In order to spread that message, I wanted to use a song which I would be able to easily link to the visuals
in my video. The song ‘Try’ allowed me to create those links and also conform to the pop genre conventions. In addition to this, the
slow music enabled me to create a link between the visuals and the music as well as the lyrics, thus creating an atmospheric setting
in sections of the video by slowing down the footage in order to match to the music and create a feeling of sympathy from the
audience. Although, I was conforming to the pop genre conventions, I was not conforming to Colbie Caillat’s conventions due to the
fact that she focuses on the performance element in her videos. However, I did create a link between my music video, digipak and
one of her own music videos since I used a similar effect, therefore showing a similar target audience as well as a link to her as an
artist.
• Close-ups – Although, I only used a few close-ups due to my focus on the narrative, I conformed to the pop genre conventions due
to their inclusions. I also was able to show the girl’s significance and create a feeling of sympathy for her through these.

7. How and why did I challenge these conventions?
• Voyeuristic treatment of the female body – This is a feature which I did not conform to due to it
not linking with the themes of my product. Since my song included a slow and soft rhythm which spoke
about self-confidence, this convention would not have been deemed appropriate as it would have been if
it had been linked to a song with an upbeat sound. In addition to this, this convention simply did not fit
into any of my ideas since I wanted to create a theme of bullying.
• Performance element – This is another feature which I did not conform to. Although, this is the most
popular convention within the pop genre, I decided to challenge it by focusing on the narrative and the
characters instead due to the fact that I wanted my audience to understand the moral message of my
video. I therefore, did not believe that a performance element would link well since it would drift their
focus away from the narrative and the lyrics.
• Dancing – Dancing is usually a feature included in music videos in order to show a positive vibe.
However, I did not include this feature since my narrative only presented positivity at the end, thus
signifying that this convention would not have linked correctly. In addition to this, it would have also
linked back to a sense of a performance element which I had already decided during pre-production that I
did not want to include.
• Narrative – This is a convention which I developed within my music video. In the pop genre, if a
narrative is used in a music video, it is usually based around love. However, I developed this convention
by creating a narrative based on the themes of bullying, friendship, heartache and family.
• Close-ups – Although, I used close-ups in my product, I also challenged this convention by including
various extreme-close-ups of the girl’s eyes. I did this in order to connote the vulnerability of the girl
throughout the video.

8. Conventions of a Digipak
• Relevance to the genre – This convention is the most important, due to the fact that the digipak is
needed to link and represent its genre of music in order to target the correct audience.
• Colour scheme – The colours on a digipak allow the audience to have a clear connotation to the
album’s genre of music, creates a link to the artist and also reflects the mood created from the music. For
example, the pop genre’s digipak is stereotypically expected to include bright colours since it conforms to
their usual convention of happiness.
• Eye-catching images – The images on a digipak are the main feature and are used in order for the
audience to make a connection to the songs, music and artist. They must always be relevant to the
product in order to promote the album. For example, digipaks in the pop genre always include an image
of the artist, thus showing their audience their visual style, whilst also giving an insight on the music by
connoting the mood of the album from their presentation in the image as well as being relevant to the
product due to their appearance in the music video.
• Artist/Album name on front cover – The name of both the artist and album is stereotypically
expected on every digipak cover in order to give the audience the album’s important information quickly
and therefore enable them to easily recognise their favourite artists.
• Tracklist, record label, barcode etc. – Information such as the tracklist and a record label are
featured on a digipak in order to give the audience a view and extra information on the artist and the
album.
• Reviews and acknowledgements – Reviews will encourage the audience to buy the album due to
seeing its success, thus convincing them of its popularity and acknowledgements are usually included in
order for the album to look a little more professional with the artist’s spoken word in text form.

9. Conventions of a Magazine Advert
• Reviews on album - The reviews in a magazine advert display the success of an
album and artist and also generate curiosity since the album would be connoted to be
on high demand, thus encouraging them to buy it.
• Images – The images usually always include the artist, thus allowing for there to be a
connection and also enabling the audience to see the artist’s visual style which in turn
could connote their genre of music. In addition to this, magazine adverts could also
include an image of the album cover which allows for a promotion of the artist’s music.
• Social media – It is conventional in modern society that the artist’s social media such
as their twitter, instagram and facebook is featured in the advert in order for their
audience to keep track of any new music or other forms of musical activity such as
tours that they would be interested in.
• Information – The information which is conventional to appear in an advert
includes the album’s release date, reviews, album availability, song title, album name
and artist name. In addition to this, it could also include a QR code in the terminal
area.
• Colour scheme – The colours of the advert allow the audience to create a clear
connection between the product and the artist. In addition to this, it also sets a
consistent theme and allows the artist to display their style as well as the music’s
themes.

10. Colbie Caillat’s print media conventions
Colbie Caillat has unfortunately never had a magazine advert advertising her albums or singles.
However, her own ancillary conventions can be seen through her album and single covers.
Conventions used Conventions challenged
•Relevance to the genre – Colbie Caillat has stuck to a particular style
in her ancillary products which easily conform to the pop genre
conventions.
•Main image – As shown, every single cover features an image of the
artist, thus allowing her to display her visual style which also allows her
audience to identify her and her music.
•Artist/Album name on the front cover – Since Caillat uses the same
font for her name it displays how her femininity and elegance is consistent
and also allows her audience to identify it.
•Colour scheme – The consistent theme of bright colours including
white and yellow signifies the style of her music and also enables to target
her audience by connoting themes such as happiness, friendship and love.
•Stickers – The artist has included stickers on some of the covers of her
albums in order to include information on the album whilst decreasing
the chances of the product looking messy.
•Links between visuals and lyrics – The artist uses a Goodwin
convention by linking some of the titles to the visuals in her cover. For
example, in her album titled “Christmas in the Sand” she is seen sat on
the sand with a snowman made from sand next to her.
•Reviews – Colbie Caillat’s ancillary products do
not feature any reviews. This could be due to the
fact that she has only added extra information on a
sticker rather than the album itself in order to
maintain it from appearing cluttered and messy.
•Acknowledgements – The acknowledgements
which are usually featured in a digipak, are
challenged by Colbie Caillat possibly due to activity
and her acknowledgements being shown on social
media.

11. Digipak conventions I used and challenged
Conventions used Conventions challenged
•Relevance to the genre
• Colour scheme
•Eye-catching images
•Links between visuals and lyrics
•Reviews and stickers
•Acknowledgments
Before creating my own product, I did some research on different CD
covers and magazine adverts in my music genre in order to identify its
conventions and gather ideas of my own which would conform to them.

12. How and why did I use these conventions?
• Relevance to the genre – In my digipak, I have remained focused to a
particular style which conforms to the pop genre.
• Colour scheme – The colours I have used of cream bright yellow in every
panel create a particular theme, thus signifying the overall emotions in the
album. The effects of the sparkles in four of my panels also link to Colbie Caillat
since she has used the same effect previously and connote femininity.
• Eye-catching images – The images used in my digipak conform to the pop
conventions due to the fact that the artist is featured, therefore allowing her
visual style to be shown. In addition to this, the locations and props from my
music video such as the note and the pathway being included displays a
connection between the products. This could also be supported through the
inclusion of the lyrics “You don’t have to try” from the song in my video. Finally,
the images connote femininity, thus targeting my chosen audience.
• Links between visuals and lyrics – I used this Colbie Caillat convention by
adding a heart shape in replacement of the ‘a’ in the word ‘heart’, thus creating a
link and also conforming to Andrew Goodwin’s convention.

13. How and why did I challenge these conventions?
• Reviews and stickers – I challenged these conventions by not
including them in my final product. I did this due to the fact that I
believed it would make the digipak look too crowded, thus making it
appear messy.
• Acknowledgments – I initially wanted this convention to be
included in my product. However, I ended up challenging it since the
font did not blend in correctly with the image of the panel I wanted it
included on. In addition, I began to believe that it would be more
conventional to the pop genre to include a lyric rather than an
acknowledgment off the artist since they usually acknowledge their
audience through the use of social media.

14. Magazine Advert conventions I used and challenged
Conventions used Conventions challenged
•Review
•Information
•QR code
•Images
•Colour scheme
•Social media
I used more conventions that I challenged in the magazine advert since I
wanted to be conventional to the pop genre.

15. How and why did I use these conventions?
• Reviews – I used reviews in order to conform to the magazine advert conventions and also
because of the fact that I wanted to show the success of the album to my audience. In
addition to this, I also used MTV as the reviewer due to the fact that it is a conventional
company for pop music.
• Information – I used this convention due to the fact that it is a key factor for any successful
magazine advert despite its genre since it gives the audience all the facts they need in order
to access the product I am advertising.
• QR code – I added a scannable QR code to my advert since I believed that it would make
my product a lot more interesting and allow my audience to enjoy finding my music video
whilst maintaining the conventions.
• Images – The images took up the majority of my advert, thus making it the most important
feature. I included both the artist and the character from my video in order to conform to the
pop genre conventions of the artist being featured and also to create a clear connection to my
music video. In addition to this, I also wanted it to be a remember able image in order to
create a good impression and therefore increase the chances of it being bought. I also added
the album cover in the advert in order for them to create a connection between the two
products and also to conform to the conventions.
• Colour scheme – I conform to the use of colour in order to present the themes and
emotions of the music, to present the artist’s visual style and to create a theme between all
three products.

16. How and why did I challenge or develop these
conventions?
• Social media – I challenged this convention due to the fact that I
wanted to conform to Colbie Caillat’s conventions of never
including her social media platforms in her ancillary products. In
addition to this, I also did not believe that it was a necessary
feature since it would have made my product look messy.

17. Did you conform or challenge the conventions more?
My products seemed to be a mixture of challenging and using conventions. This
was done in order for me to target my audience and link it to the pop genre
whilst also maintaining a more anti-stereotypically themed product.
Since I was working in the pop genre which has certain expectations from its
audience, I knew I needed to plan my work carefully if I were to challenge these
expectations in order to maintain their visual interest. However, whilst I was
researching the conventions I knew I wanted to create a more narrative based
music video which would not be classified as completely stereotypical.
Furthermore, I also did like some of the pop genre conventions which therefore
influenced my ideas for the ancillary products and maintained the audience’s
expectations.
Overall, I created my products by equally challenging and conforming the
conventions, thus decreasing the stereotypes whilst also not changing them
enough for the audience to lose interest or be disappointed.