The document discusses how the student's media product for an alternative rock music video both uses and challenges conventions of real music videos. It challenges conventions by using fades between shots and close-ups on the album cover, but uses conventions like dark clothing for the male artist and relationship between music, lyrics and visuals. The student aims to create something original while still relating to audience expectations through some familiar conventions.

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

2. The typical forms and conventions of the genre of alternative rock music videos is
narrative and live performances. To challenge these forms and conventions to make
my music video stand out I decided to base it on a narrative rather than performance.
However, I have used miming in the music video so there is an element of
performance to contrast with the narrative which also makes the video interesting to
watch.
By challenging forms and conventions I believe I have created something new which is
rare to see. This will get more attention from the audience than the typical music video
which stick to forms and conventions
At the beginning of the year we researched Goodwin’s theory of six, and without
realising I have discovered that my music video fits into 5 out of the 6 points Goodwin
makes about what every music video seems to include.

3. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics.
The genre characteristics that Goodwin is meaning for example, pop music include dance
routines, and heavy metal bands include live performances. My music video does demonstrate
genre characteristics as the genre alternative rock is shown through performance and narrative
aspects of the video.
There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals.
The lyrics and visuals are usually demonstrated in a narrative music video which my music video
is, therefore my music video demonstrates a relationship between lyrics and visuals. This gives
the audience a meaning to watch the music video from start to finish to understand the
narrative.
There is a relationship between music and visuals.
For example, the cuts between shots are on the beats of the music. My music video
demonstrates the relationship between music and visuals as I continuously cut the shots on the
beats. In the middle of the music, there is a fast paced beat, therefore I found it necessary to cut
the shot on the beat so it made an interesting section whilst demonstrating the relationship
between music and visuals.
The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and
the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work.
I have definitely used a lot of close ups of the artist to show a connection between the artist and
the audience and especially when I’ve used a close up with eye contact.

4. There is frequently reference to notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of
the female body.
I have used reference to looking through the continuity editing, as I used many panning shots
and cut it so the shot stutters therefore creates a reference to movement. The female I put in a
dress and therefore looked ‘sexy’ like Laura Mulvey’s theory of seen through the males
prospective.
There is often intertextual reference.
This is the only one of Goodwin’s theory of six I didn’t not use. I gathered inspiration from other
music videos, however, more editing and camera shots than what it features therefore it wasn’t
intertexuality I used.

5. With the music video I have used a lot of fades which contrast with the music. Although
the song has a fast tempo at times I still use fades to create an interesting video which is
still easy to watch. The faded editing is challenging the forms and conventions of real
music videos so my music video stands out from the rest.
However, after watching One
Direction’s ‘That’s what makes you
beautiful’ I saw a lot of edited fades
which contrast with the fast tempo
music. This makes the video stand out
and I believe it looks effective and
new. There is a difference between the
music video I created and One
Direction’s video as mine is the rock
genre whilst theirs is pop.
My music video uses lots of fades like
this video and it still looks effective and
links in with the narrative. I believe the
fades help towards the story telling.

6. With costuming, I decided I will stick to the forms and conventions of real media products by
choosing costumes which are the genre of alternative rock so the audience can relate to the
characters more. The costumes where also chosen b the audience so the had a sa in what
alternative rock was to them.
I used dark clothing for the male
which is using the forms and
conventions of real alternative rock
media products. This draws the
attention of the alternative rock
audience as it is what they are used
to seeing from an alternative rock
artist.
The female costumes stick to the forms and
conventions of real alternative rock media
products. As Laura Mulvey’s theory proves
that the forms and conventions of female
costumes is very little and sexy as “everyone is
viewed through a male perspective”.
Therefore, a short dress would please male
and female viewers and the fact a female is
featured in the video sticks to the forms and
conventions of real music videos, again,
because of Laura Mulvey’s theory.

7. My digi pack does challenge forms and conventions in the images. I used close ups on
each the front and back cover of the digi pack which does challenge the forms and
conventions of digi packs as the typical digi pack has a close up to mid-shot on the front
and a long shot or design on the back.
This digi pack of MGMT has a mid shot of the artists on
the front and a long shot on the back which is a typical
digi pack. However, using the images I have used
creates interest and with the lighting I used for the
back cover it stands out as different.
The inside of the digi pack definitely challenge forms
and conventions of real digi packs as the images I have
chose are busy and bold. In the image to the right of
real digi packs we see the inside is simple and not as
bold as the image is used.

8. I used forms and conventions when creating my website. I stuck with the layout where there
are columns to layout the home page with a banner at the top of the home page to state the
artist himself.
When I researched ‘The Script’s’ website and ‘Coldplay’s’ website I saw the forms and
conventions and tried to stick with them to create a website the audience will know how to
use easy, using columns, links, pages and images to feature on the website. The website I
created does not challenge the forms and conventions of real media websites therefore the
audience will understand it easier.

9. In some ways I have used forms and conventions of real media products and in other
ways I haven’t used forms and conventions of real media products. However, the way I
have used and challenged forms and conventions of real media products keeps m
product original but still focusing on some forms and conventions for the audience to
notice what the product is. If I challenged all or the majority of forms and conventions
of real media products then the audience would not recognise m media products as
easy. The forms and conventions distinguish the media products as there own.