This document analyzes 9 shots from various music videos and evaluates how they demonstrate conventions used in pop ballad music videos. It summarizes the techniques shown in each shot, such as linking lyrics to visuals, representing the artist, reflecting the sad genre, using editing techniques like fades, employing camera angles, utilizing dark lighting, implementing mise en scene with meaningful props, including outdoor isolated locations, and using close-ups of the artist singing. The document concludes that these techniques were considered when making the author's own music video to make it seem realistic and reflective of other pop ballad music videos.

1. Evaluation 1
9 Frame Grid from other videos

3. Shot 1 – A shot that shows a link between
lyrics and visuals
This is a shot from Sam Smith’s video for
“Writing’s on the wall” for the James
Bond film Spectre. The video includes
shots from the film, and this is one that
demonstrates a link between lyrics and
visuals, as when Smith sings “the writing’s
on the wall”, we see this shot of Bond’s
name written on the wall. We therefore
made sure to include links like this in our
own video to make it seem more realistic.

4. Shot 2 – A shot that shows how a company
would want the artist to be represented
This is a shot from Adele’s video
“Hello” that shows how a company
would want their artist to be
represented as it shows her with her
makeup done, false eyelashes on, and
her hair curled nicely, which portrays
her as glamourous yet relatable. This
is similar to our video as our artist
also curled her hair and put makeup
on to get the same effect.

5. Shot 3 - A shot that shows how the video uses
genre
This is a shot that shows how the
video uses genre as many pop ballads
are sad songs about break-ups, like
Adele’s “Hello”. In this shot she is
seen reflecting this due to her crying
about the break-up she went through.
We also did something similar in our
video where we did an aerial shot of
her crying to get the same effect.

6. Shot 4 – A shot that shows the use of editing
This is a shot from Paramore’s video
“The Only Exception”, which shows
the use of editing as it demonstrates
how the video fades to black at the
end. We also used a fade in our video
as we felt that it was effective and
reflective of other videos like this
one.

7. Shot 5 – A shot that shows the use of camera
This is another shot from Paramore’s
video, and shows the use of a point of
view/over the shoulder shot as she is
‘speed dating’ in the video, demonstrating
the videos use of camera, as it captures
the artist’s point of view to better relate
to the audience. We also chose to use a
similar shot in our own video to get a
similar effect.

8. Shot 6 – A shot that shows the use of lighting
This is another shot from Sam Smith’s
video, and demonstrates the use of
dark lighting in pop ballads. Since
they are usually about sad topics, dark
lighting is often used to reflect this, as
seen in this shot. We also chose to use
dark lighting to try to reflect the sad
mood.

9. Shot 7 – A shot that shows the use of Mise En
Scene
This is another shot from the Paramore
video, which demonstrates the use of
mise en scene. Pop ballads tend to have
only a few props, but each is significant.
Here the artist leaves a note saying that
she’s sorry, but at the end of the video
screws it up as she changes her mind. We
did something similar in our video, as our
artist gets both a note and a rose that she
burns.

10. Shot 8 – A shot that is similar to other videos
From Adele’s video, this is a shot that
shows similarity to other videos as it
is an outside location, which is very
common in pop ballads. The locations
are also usually isolated, like here in
the forest. We put an outside, isolated
location in our video as well to reflect
this convention.

11. Shot 9 – A shot that is similar to other videos
This is also a shot that is similar to
other videos as it is a close up of the
artist singing. Sam Smith is seen lip
syncing, and close ups to see this is
another convention of music videos.
We used many close ups like this in
our own video to convey this
convention.