This document summarizes how the media product challenges conventions of the pop genre in several ways. It uses a slower pace and longer shots to fit the somber tone of the song, whereas pop videos typically have quick cuts and pacing. It also uses black and white cinematography in the beginning to convey darker moods, rather than the bright colors typical of pop. The lyrics also discuss struggles with addiction rather than typical pop themes of love and relationships. Overall, the media product draws from conventions like close-ups but adapts them to tell a more narrative-based story confronting issues rather than focusing solely on upbeat themes.

1. Evaluation One
In what ways does your media product use develop or challenge forms or
conventions of real media products.

2. Codes & Conventions Of The Pop Genre
 Songs often based on love/relationships.
 Popular genre for radio stations.
 Often promoted/advertised through TV, Social Media & Radio.
 Genre of music often shown through mise en scene.
The Music Videos;
 A lot of close ups on the stars face.
 Focus on the main singers.
 Performative and narration within the video.
 Storylines to accompany performative aspects.

3. Lyrics
 The song we chose does completely
conform to norms of the pop genre. Most
pop songs talk about love/relationships
whereas our song talks more of the
individuals struggles in life which is why we
followed accordingly with the idea of our
video.
 Though it does reference to alcohol a
popular theme in pop music. Our pop song
is a more narrative based one whereas the
majority of other pop songs the lyrics are
more general and it is more focussed on
the beat of the song.

4. Mise En Scene
 Given both character are meant to be struggling with some problem in their lives we had to
incorporate props to show this like the alcohol and the bills. They are to fit the lyrics of the song in
which it talks about paying bills and getting drunk. Many pop songs include alcohol but in a party
situation in which our song challenges that because its talking about addiction and bad situations.
 Ryan’s outfit consists of designer clothes to show he is materialistic and ends up in debt spending
his money on the wrong things. Where as Molly’s outfit is a tracksuit which suggests she doesn't care
about her appearance (being an alcoholic) and that she spends all her money on alcohol leaving
none for clothes. This is often a norm in videos when showing struggling people and it is highly
common for stars to be wearing designer clothes often times from product placement.

5. Mise En Scene
 Due to the somber mood of our song we decided to put a black and white
filter over the footage to translate with the mood of everything being dark
and bleak. However this is only throughout the first portion of our music video
to reflect the struggle of our characters throughout this time it intercuts to
Kalum playing guitar on stage suggesting this is a better place in which they
all end up at in the end.
 The final stage scene has high key lighting and is in colour to represent it as a
better/happy place that they finally go to get away from their lives.
 It is common to represent bad situations/ sad moments in black and white for
a video as it reflects the mood further as well as high key bright colourful
lighting for a better happier place.

6. Camera Work/ Cinematography
 The camera work/ cinematography is what shapes the music it
sets the tone for the entire video and portrays what the director
wants in the way they want.
 We decided to record our music video on a DSLR camera purely
for the purpose that it serves a better picture quality than a
iPhone which we had used for our thriller the year before and
struggled with.
 To achieve the basic static shots we used a tripod to prevent the
shakiness holding that would occur from just holding the
camera. For some of the more advanced shots we used a ‘make
shift dolly’ (top right) from a cart we found to achieve the final
shot of our music video as well as some of the tracking shots on
stage.
 We used these extras to help achieve the shots shown in
mainstream pop music videos and give it more of a professional
look.

7. Camera Work/ Cinematography
 Playing upon the popular convention of the pop genre to include lots of close ups we
followed suit by also doing so. This is to almost ‘show off’ the main stars given they’re
the ones that sing/perform the song they should be given the most screen time out of
anything and emphasis on the face is highly favourable.
 We also included a variety of shots to keep it interesting and further elaborate the
narrative, these included long shots, wide angle shot, tracking shots, pans etc. some of
which were achieved with the camera equipment (tripod, dolly etc.)

8. Intertextual References
 To create a successful music video we knew would resonate with our audience we drew upon ideas
already preconceived from older music videos.
 For example, one music video we drew inspiration from was Ed Sheeran’s ‘A Team’. The protagonist in
this video is also a struggling women dealing with moral/life issues for molly’s character we styled her in
the same way in terms of costume. Additionally we were inspired by the black and white effect
throughout the video which translated into ours and of the location of her being in a wide open field
suggesting vulnerability.

9.  Furthermore we came up with the idea with inspiration from John Newman’s ‘Love Me Again’ for
the stage scene section of our music video.
 We liked the idea that in his music video its not as if he’s a big time artist, he is singing on a run
down small stage to only a few people. We decided on the same idea but in ours we perform to
no one. Its almost ironic as throughout ours the crowd cant be seem yet it seems as though
they’re performing to one but in the final shot when the camera pans out you see there was
never anyone watching. This is the idea that the stage scene is almost a make believe ‘happy
place’ for the struggling women and man.

10. Editing
 To fit the tone of our slow paced song we had to used longer uncut shots to fit
the timing better.
 Due to the somber mood of our song we decided to put a black and white
filter over the footage to translate with the mood of everything being dark
and bleak.
 The editing is also focussed around the narrative, we had to edit in a way that
continued the story line whilst showing an array of different shots.
 Often in pop videos it is fast paced quick cutting editing whereas ours
challenges the norm by doing the opposite.

11. Our Magazine Advert
 For our magazine advert we used close ups of all 3 stars from
the music video and incorporated it with a black and white
effect, which we also used within our music video, for
cohesion. We were also sure to put our social media links and
website address as well as links to buy concert tickets to
promote our band across all media platforms, as now that’s
how songs are mainly promoted/advertised through hear say/
social media. We also decided to include star-ratings from
music magazines/ organisations to show the song has been
recognised and accepted by these organisations as being a
‘good’ ‘5 star’ song which resonates which our audience and
promotes a good image for our band.

12. Our Digipak
 Like our magazine advert, within our digipak we
also used close ups of all 3 stars as well as a couple
of collective photos as a group as they represent
the band/single.
 As you can see most artists do include close ups of
their faces on their digipaks as a way to promote
themselves which is why we have replicated that
and carried it over into our digipak design.