The media product uses, develops, and challenges conventions of real R&B media products. To use conventions, the main artist's fashion and performance scenes conform to typical R&B styles. The music video also uses common techniques like close-ups and varied shots. However, conventions are also developed, like adding bold colors to performance scenes or including black and white scenes. Stereotypes are challenged by having both male and female main characters and avoiding criminal themes. The digipak similarly merges R&B and other genres to challenge stereotypes through its design.

1. Evaluation
Q1
In what way does your media
product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media
products?

2. USING FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF
REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS

3. To decide on the fashion of my main artist, I had to first look at the typical
conventions of R&B artists that are already around. I decided to look at the work of a
few different artists, including Conor Maynard, Justin Bieber and Chris Brown – all
young, stylish R&B artists. When analysing these, I found out the typical conventions
of fashion were the use of hoodies, jeans, polo shirts and trainers.

4. I then decided that my main artist would conform to these for his individual
performance scenes, in which I had him wear a hoodie, jeans and trainers. This would
represent him as a young and stylish artist, and because he is shown wearing the typical
clothing of my target audience, they are more likely to look up for him as inspiration or
be more likely to have interest in my music video.

5. This links to the uses and gratification theory in
which my audience would recognise from my
main artist as they would see he fits into the
conventions of an R&B artist and fits in with
my target audience, so they are more likely to
enjoy listening or watching him.

6. I also found from my research that R&B music
videos used the main artists for performance
scenes and as well as a character within the
narrative too.

7. I then decided to use this convention of real music videos
in my own by having a distinct performance setting for my
main artist, but also having him play a part in the main
narrative. This was helpful for my music video because my
main artist is the same age as the target audience, so
watching my main artist within the story would help the
audience recognise that my storyline is normal and are
more likely to be interested in what goes on.

8. R&B music videos also use specific filming
and editing techniques, such as close-ups
of the main artist, a variety of shots with
interesting transitions and following
Andrew Goodwin’s theory that visuals and
sound works together. I used the
technique of shooting lots of close ups of
my main artist for the purpose of making
him aware to my audience and promoting
him as a music artist too. I chose to use
the variety of shots idea with interesting
transitions from the many music videos I
analysed at the beginning of the course. I
found out that a variety of shots made
sure the music video wasn’t boring and it
Andrew Goodwin’s theory was important in kept the audience keen to carry on
connecting the audience with my narrative as watching, and these variety of shots were
it allowed them to understand the tempo of edited so that there were different
the song and the mood of the narrative. transitions. The reason for this again to
keep the music video interesting and
appealing for the audience and to
separate certain scenes from each other.

9. On my Digipak, I used the conventions of using a close-up of the artist on the front
cover to immediately show the audience who the artist is. This still is taken from my
music video too which shows continuity and allows audience to distinguish
between the two. I also included the convention of having an ongoing theme
throughout which I decided to be the convict theme and colours of black, white and
red. This links to the R&B genre I had chosen and it was important I used a colours
and theme so that audiences immediately recognised the genre without reading it.

10. I have used many conventions from real life
media products for all of my designs for the
purpose of it conforming and fitting in with the
market I am distributing it too. Also, it gives me
confidence that my music video is going to be
successful if I am following conventions of
products and artists that my target audience also
like and are appealed to.

11. DEVELOPING FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS

12. To develop the fashion of I used in my music
video, in the editing process I played around
with colour to make my main artist’s clothing
brighter and bolder to make his fashion stand
out more. I also made the colouring very
different from other scenes so the
performance scenes stood out from others to
show how they are completely different
settings. This aesthetic appeal to the audience
allows them to be more interested in these
scenes, which is clever because the scenes in
which my main artist actually sings them are
the most important lyrics. For example, there
are lots of scenes where he sings the
chorus, which is important to shaping the
narrative and giving understanding for the
story I have chosen, so having these lyrics in a
setting that is bold makes the audience more
likely to pay attention.

13. I developed the variety of scenes by including different types of
editing, including the main part where I switched the scenes up by adding
black and white editing. The purpose of me doing this is so that the
audience recognise these scenes are from the past, and to give the
impression the characters are moving on. This changes the editing and the
presentation of the scenes and shows I have taken care in effects and
transitions to make them more appealing to the audience.

14. Also, another way I have done this is by
including the strobe effects on scenes that the
camera tilts upwards from characters
shoes, and also the echoing effect for the main
artist on the lines ‘can’t control’. This specific
scene was influenced from the music video
‘Outta My Mind’ by B.O.B and Nicki Minaj, in
which a blurred effect is used to create the
‘insane’ effect. To develop this to make it my
own, I changed the effect and had lots of
different angles and scenes that I put together
in a fast montage.

15. For my Digipak, I also developed the
conventions of the inside panel by including a
thank-you speech behind the image of the
artist that made it more personal. Usually, the
inside panel just features an image of the artist
with some promotional information about
their website or label, but I decided I wanted
to make it more personal with the audience
and have a dedicate it to the artists thank-you.
As this is a debut album that I am creating, it
would work well that my main artist would
thank everyone for the production of it and it
makes my Digipak more realistic.

16. CHALLENGING FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS

17. One of the many conventions and theories that I challenged
in my music video was Propp’s character theory. I decided
that I didn’t want to include stereotypical characters that
conformed to the prejudices of society – e.g. women as
weak, men as heroes, different raced people as villains, etc.
The purpose of this is because my original thoughts of my
music video is to be inspiring to 13-20 year olds (my target
audience) and I don’t think the introduction of stereotypes is
a positive nor inspiring theme to include.

18. Music videos that include conventions of
typical R&B music videos are shown here in
some stills:
sexualised women, gangsters, criminal
ideology, bad messages

19. Therefore, I decide to go against these usual
conventions to promote a much more positive
message by including both a male and female
as my characters, including a sport theme, as
well as some deeper meanings of spirituality
and belief.
The reason for having a male and female
character is partly to introduce the uses and
gratification theory in a way that both male
and female audience members will be inspired
and interested into watching someone of their
gender playing a main role. This also promotes
equality and stays away from stereotypes
breaking apart the genders.

20. I also decided at the beginning of my
course to remain away from the
Hypodermic Syringe Model and make sure
that everything I plan isn’t necessarily to
force certain opinions or information onto
the audience, as I wanted their
interpretations to be completely their
own.
An example of how I avoided this was
through the guardian angel theme that
revolves around my main artist. Even
though this was something I had planned
and is a deeper meaning to the
song, some audience members might not
interpret it that way and can believe Ted’s
appearance and narrative to be something
different – e.g. a conscience, a holy figure
or even something completely different. I
didn’t want to force my audience into
thinking that everyone has a guardian
angel or spirit that protects them when
they need help, as this would conform to
the Hypodermic Syringe Model.

21. For my Digipak, instead of the entire task being urbanised and conforming entirely to
the R&B genre, I decided I would only keep the background and font design with this
meaning. I didn’t want my entire Digipak to have a convict or criminal activity theme
(graffiti font) as this would go against everything I have discussed previously about
promoting positive messages. Therefore, I have merged conventions of a typical R&B
digipak with conventions from other genre’s such as pop. The way I did this was by
keeping the other font very plain and delicate compared to the title font, brightening
colours and having a thank-you speech written on the inside panel – untypical of the
R&B genre. The reason I did this is so audience members aren’t caught up in the bad
messages of graffiti and to show that the R&B genre isn’t really about the stereotypes
that society has labelled it with.

22. My poster also challenges typical conventions
of an R&B album poster as they normally just
feature an enlarged image of the album cover
itself. It thought that this idea was actually
quite boring for my target audience, and
remembering that some of them are only 13
years of age, I have to make sure the design is
appealing to them. I did this by including a
larger still taken from the music video of my
main artist that doesn’t reveal his face
entirely, yet still fits the conventions of the
R&B clothing I discussed before. I then was
able to add the image of the front cover so the
audience can determine what the album looks
like when purchasing it. I also made sure the
text was suitable to intrigue my target
audience and make sure that when they are
reading it they are persuaded to buy the
album. Similarly, at the bottom I included
images and text of where it is out and able to
be bought from, as well as some information
about the institution that was included on the
CD design too.