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

2. How does my music video
conform to form conventions?
Editing
I have used fast paced editing which is parallel to the fast beat of the song. The
transitions I have used also match the song, for example I have used a fade to
colour at the beginning before the beat kicks in and in the final shot I used a cross
dissolve when the tempo slows down again. In the middle section I have used
straight cuts which are sharper and fiercer to match the violent narrative.
Examples of existing products which use fast-paced editing to match the beat of
the song are: Otto Knows – Million Voices
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8jhXmfdRFY)
and Martin Garrix – Animals
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCYcHz2k5x0). As the song in my music
video is a remix, it has a similar dance beat to the ones above and I have imitated a
flicker effect they both use which also matches the beat.

3. Mise-en-scene
The lighting is reflective of the mood, for example, The house shots are darkly lit which
portrays the idea that the female protagonist is a silent victim and is abused in the dark
where the abuser is less likely to be seen and caught.
In the alleyway shot, the victim is in the light and the abuser is in the dark - this relates to
Strauss' theory on binary opposites in which there are contrasting values and
ideologies within a media text. Through the use of lighting and semiotics, I have shown
good vs evil by contrasting light and dark.

4. I shot this clip (far left) in Spiders night club which had red lighting in - this reflects the
mood and themes of the narrative as red has connotations of anger, passion and danger
linking to the domestic violence theme. In TheWombats’ music video Greek Tragedy they
use red lighting for some performance shots which matches the narrative as it re-enacts
a Greek Tragedy i.e. everybody dies and it features graphic, bloody and violent scenes –
iconographic of the rock genre.
I have used a variety of locations e.g. river front, living room, rooftops, bedroom, pub,
gym, scale lane bridge, alleyway, littered streets, Spiders night club, garden.
Mise-en-scene

5. I have used the technique of depicting the lyrics through the mise-en-scene at the time
they are sung, for example the spinning motif showing the ballerina music box and the
beer bottle spinning. Also, when the lyrics say "takes me back to when it first started" I
have reversed the clips and when the lyrics say "broken bottles" the shot is of a bottle
smashing.
An example of this technique is in Vance Joy’s music video Riptide - fades out on “taken
away to the dark side” (left), ice lollies being pulled apart on line “come unstuck”, shot of
the tide on line “Riptide”.
Mise-en-scene

6. The bottle of wine is in focus as well as the alcoholic whilst on the left, the victim is blurred - this was
done in post-production to highlight how the male prioritises alcohol over his relationship. In relation to
the rule of thirds, alcohol takes up two-thirds of the frame on either side.
The bottle of gin dominates the shot in the foreground whilst the couple are out of focus in the
background - even though the couple are in a seemingly healthy relationship it gives a false sense of
hope for the female as alcohol is still more significant than the relationship. It also shows a domino
effect of power i.e. alcohol dominates the male and the male dominates the female (shown by his arms
locked around her). This could then conform to Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory whereby the
female is portrayed as a possession.
Mise-en-scene

7. The bedroom and roof top shots with the sun-setting are cliché love scene locations which we as an
active audience understand from existing media texts such as romance films. This relates to Michael
Shores recycled styles theory meaning that no media text is original anymore, it is all borrowed and
re-used in different ways from existing texts. In this post-modern era we are an active audience rather
than passive so the larger our cultural capital, the more we will understand semiotics in media texts. A
bedroom has connotations of love, sex and passion which we understand from romance films and
likewise the sun setting has connotations of romance and love. These themes and emotions are
present in my narrative.
The inspiration behind the rooftop shots came from the Prayer In C music video ( right). The locations
match the narrative because in the end the victim escapes the abusive relationship - the song is about
having ‘high hopes’, hence the high up mise-en-scene and the sun-setting acts as a light at the end of
the tunnel.
Mise-en-scene

8. Semiotics
The shot syntax I have chosen helps communicate meaning for example, in the shadow
fight sequence, I have interspersed the boxing shots as this shows that the abuser
cannot tell an object from a human highlighting the idea the psychological aspect of
domestic violence and that it dehumanising.
I have used a fire motif in my music video as it has connotations of being destructive
which is iconographic of the indie rock genre and ties in with the narrative. The front
cover of the album also has a smoky effect so this shows continuity. There are examples
of fire in existing music videos within the same genre.
Kids In Glass Houses –
Peace (left)
The Front Bottoms –
Flashlight (right)

9. Within the mise-en-scene, I have taken shots of barbed wire as this connotes entrapment
thus mirroring how the female protagonist feels trapped in the relationship. The broken
glass is metaphorical of the fragmented relationship and also the broken victim after
being abused.
The burning roses are symbolic of the destroyed romance – roses are iconographic
signifiers of romance in a media construct, thus burning them communicates to the
audience that the romance in the narrative is not healthy or whole. It is also a positive
signifier that the for the victim the relationship and therefore the abuse has finally come to
an end – the roses burn away the tragic past.
Semiotics

10. Cinematography
I have used variety of shot types and angles which is conventional of the form as it
makes it more engaging for the audience and also helps to communicate meaning.
Wide shots/long shots
I have chosen to use a wide shot for the first and last shot of my music video as it shows
how vulnerable the victim is and also as it captures the horizon it is a sign of hope –
which reflects the lyrics in the song. The long shot of the couple (bottom left) highlights
the power the abuser has as you can see his full body towering over her and also his
menacing expression.

11. Mid shots
Close ups/extreme close ups
I have used close ups of the female protagonist as it exaggerates her emotions more than if I were to
have used a long/mid shot. She is smiling whilst playing the piano exemplifying that it is her escapism.
I have used a close up of her again to show her bruises after being abused – the idea that the piano
shots are black and white show that they are a memory and the colour shot is her reality.
Cinematography

12. I have used a cantered angle which reflects the narrative as it shows something is
unnatural/distorted as the male character would be when under the influence and also
their unstable relationship. There are examples of existing products within the indie rock
genre that use cantered angles (Eagulls-Tough Luck (middle) and Kasabian-Days are
Forgotten (right)).
I have used low angles of the male abuser as this shows that he is dominant especially
with the added props e.g. the gin bottle and pint of beer as alcohol gives him even more
power over his girlfriend because it distorts his mind and makes him less aware of his
actions.
Cinematography

13. I have used point of view shots which relate to Baudrillard's hyperrealism theory as
the audience then become the character thus blurring reality and fiction. As there are only
point of view shots from the male’s perspective this shows his power in the narrative as
the abuser.
Cinematography

14. The male character is shown wearing a flannel shirt, paisley shirt and other black/dark
clothing which conforms to indie rock style. Violence among youths is a prominent theme
across media texts within the indie rock genre. Below are examples of violence in my
music video and existing ones.
How does my music video
conform to genre conventions?
Mallory Knox –
Beggars (left).
Kids In Glass
Houses – Peace
(right).

15. The locations I have chosen are reflective of genre as they conform to Tessa Perkins
stereotypes theory as youth within in the rock genre are often portrayed as reckless,
rebellious and having lifestyles filled with violence and debauchery. Hence why I have
shot scenes in a pub, a party, a night club, on the streets and alleyways. The run
down/abandoned locations and mise-en-scene highlight the grim aesthetic and dark
theme of the narrative e.g. alleyway, littered street, barbed wire, graffiti, broken glass
windows.
In the Beggars music video (Mallory Knox) the band members appear as silhouettes
making them unrecognisable and in my music video the couple appear as silhouettes in
the fight sequence to portray a the female as a silent victim and the male as an
unidentifiable abuser, as often abusers get away without their identity being revealed.
How does my music video
conform to genre conventions?

16. The music video for Stone Sour’s Absolute Zero has conventional features of the rock
genre which I have conformed to. For example, the use of graffiti and an abandoned
location to highlight the theme of rebellion and the black and white filter is also
iconographic of the genre – it communicates the idea that it is a dark-themed narrative.
At the end of the video, the male raises his fists and then it cuts to a blackout, I have
used a similar technique in the boxing sequence in which the male draws back his fist
then it cuts to a blackout – this is also emphasised by the loud beat synchronised with the
blackout.
How does my music video
conform to genre conventions?

17. How does my music video
challenge conventions?
The band Vox Populi do not feature in the music video at all and there is no lip syncing
which goes against form conventions. It is a deliberate choice so that the focus is solely
on the narrative which then raises awareness about the issue of domestic and alcohol
abuse. Although they are actors, it makes the lyrics and the message more relatable and
realistic to see a visual depiction of the narrative rather than the band just playing
instruments and singing about it.
This goes against Richard Dyer's star theory which states that "music videos are post-
modern texts whose main purpose is to promote a star persona". In my music video there
is no star persona to promote because the significant thing is not the band themselves
but the message they are trying to portray. The purpose of the text is to raise awareness
and give hope/speak up for silent victims.
Despite the band not featuring in the video going against form conventions, it can be
conventional within the indie rock genre - this is perhaps because they have different
ideologies to many major pop artists who are made to sell themselves and their assets
purely for financial gain and to boost consumerism - this is according to Sven Carlsson’s
theory which states that a performer is merely a “commercial exhibitionist”. Within the
indie rock genre, ideologies slightly differ as it is not so much about making money but
influencing fans and making meaningful music/art.

18. There is a non-linear narrative in my music video meaning it is not strictly chronological
and it jumps to different time frames, rewinds and fast forwards. This is a post-modern
element and it goes against conventions of media texts that feature narratives. There is
no strict beginning, middle or end to my music video thus showing that the chaotic
structure reflects the chaos within the narrative.
The shot in which the female protagonist looks into the camera is deliberate as it
highlights the fact it is a media construct and self-awareness is another post-modern
element that I have incorporated into my product. This relates to Althusser’s theory which
states that “we can only see the representation of reality, not reality itself” meaning we
cannot escape media language and semiotics as fiction and reality are constantly
overlapping and blurring into one.
How does my music video
challenge conventions?

19. How does my digipak conform
to conventions?
Key: Artist and album name; track list; artist and album name on spine in the same font
as the front cover to show continuity; record label; copyright disclaimer; barcode.
Abstract
album
artwork
conforming
to genre
convention
s
Same colour
scheme
throughout
e.g. the use
of black and
white in my
product

20. How does my digipak conform
to conventions?
I have conformed to indie rock genre conventions by creating a simplistic, black disc
design with white font to contrast. Within this genre it is conventional for the artist not to
feature on the digipak as it usually used for abstract art related to the themes in the
album as mine is.
Below is an example of what my product would look like on the iTunes new release page.
As you can see by the photo on the right of albums within the rock genre, the artists
rarely feature on the front cover so my album conforms to this design choice and would
be successful in a real life situation.

21. How does my digipak challenge
conventions?
My digipak goes against form conventions as the images do not feature the
band at all, this could become a marketing issue as the audience may be used
to associating the look of the band with their products but as they do not
appear, it may be difficult for them to make the link thus leading to the album
perhaps not catching their attention straight away.
This might also be an issue for other merchandise as I would have to consider
whether to use images of the band for posters and clothing.

22. How does my magazine advert
conform to conventions?
Key: selling point e.g. review from popular rock music magazine/promoting the
inclusion of hit singles; artist and album name; release date, website; record
label; mediums the album is available on

23. How does my magazine advert
challenge conventions?
My magazine advert is conventional in relation to form and genre as it has a
basic design, consistent house colours, bold, capitalised font and an interesting
image. It perhaps goes against conventions as I have used a long shot for the
image and magazine adverts tend to have close ups or mid shots so the artist’s
fans/audience can immediately recognise them. However, I have taken this into
consideration as my image is not of the band members but of the actors in the
music video which again you could argue goes against form conventions but
not necessarily genre conventions.