Our music video for Carly Jones' "Reason to Smile" uses similar conventions as real music videos. It includes shots of the artist singing matched with the lyrics and edits synced to the music. It also uses various shot types and natural lighting. The video develops conventions by including flashbacks to help audiences understand the narrative and meaning. It challenges conventions by having flashbacks in black and white to indicate they are in the past. Our digipak and magazine advertisement also use similar design conventions as other real products, with the artist's name prominently displayed and images included, but develop conventions by including additional details like ratings and purchase locations.

1. In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
General conventions of a music video include an artist or a group performing, the visuals tend to
match the lyrics, actions and edits are synched with the music or beat and the artist or group tend to
be centrally framed. Conventions of a music video that is narrative based tend to include at the end
scene of the music video the person/character walks away and also ending with the effect of fading
out. Comparing our music video to real media products, the first video I will look at is Alicia Keys “if I
aint got you” which is very similar genre to ours of pop and also including a piano in the song.
Looking at mise – en scene of her music video; the location of Alicia Keys playing the piano is set on
a roof top and then to help the audience understand the meaning of the song and the main location
of this video is what appears to be the couple’s new apartment, which helps create the relationship
between the visuals and lyrics of the song so that the audience can understand the meaning and
narrative of the song. On the roof top natural lighting has been used (shown right) where as in the
apartment artificial lighting has been used because the location is rather dark but some natural light
has been used as well coming through the windows. Using lighting allows the audience to see what
is happening and can identify with the music video and the narrative also setting the mood of the
scene e.g. when the two characters are in the new apartment some shots include low lighting to
emphasize the fact they are in love. Some props have been used in the video near the beginning the
audience can see a suitcase being taken up the stairs and then following the two characters going
into an apartment showing that they are moving into together and also Alicia’s piano being moved
into the apartment also perhaps hinting the genre of music as well of soul and pop. On the roof top
Alicia is wearing casual but smart clothing making her look professional also using make – up e.g. foundation, mascara, eyeliner to
make her look gorgeous. The video contains several different shot types; wide shots so that the audience can see the location, close –
ups so the audience can see the characters very clearly and their expressions identifying and understanding their emotions. Medium
close ups have also been used so that you can see the characters as well as the location in the background. An over the shoulder shot
has also been used so when Alicia walks through the door the audience can see what she is looking at being the piano showing that it’s
something close to her.
The second music video I am comparing is Britney Spears “everytime”. The location of this video is set in Vegas in an
apartment following to a hospital then finishing in the apartment again. Artificial lighting has been used because the characters are
walking through corridors at night also the use of the flashes from the camera have been used to make it clear to the audience that in
the video she is the pop star trying to be seen by the public. This is also shown in the props used such as the magazines on the shelves
her face is on the front cover which the audience can clearly see and understand what the
narrative is through these elements. The costumes worn by Britney Spears, her boyfriend and the
paparazzi are casual where as Britney’s body guards are in suits which the audience can then
understand the role of each character in the video. Similar to Alicia Keys video the same shot
types have been used; close – ups so that the audience can see the character face clearly and
see their expressions understanding their emotions due to the situation also medium shots have
been used so the audience can see the characters as well as the location in the background, and
wide shots have also been included so that the audience can see and understand the narrative in
the scene. As shown right this is a wide shot and the audience can see the characters and what is
going on; Britney being rushed to hospital.
Having looked at mise – en – scene of the two music videos above there are some
comparisons with the elements that make up mise – en – scene with our production of Carly Jones
“Reason to smile”. The location of the video is initially set in a graveyard but then goes back into
the past to the location of a family home. Throughout the video natural lighting was used in both
locations which is and was the best source of lighting. Props we used were her mother’s locket
and photos from the pair of them shown as memories which show the audience they have
meaning in the video and they can begin to understand how the daughter is feeling they can
understand her emotion. The daughter is wearing not much make up just foundation and mascara
and the artist Carly Jones wore the same to. Both mother and daughter were wearing casual
clothing but our artist Carly Jones was wearing a black long dress so that she looked like a
professional singer. Various shot types were used in our video; we included wide shots, medium to
close - up shots, close – up shots and over the shoulder shots. (Various shots used are shown below) the reason we chose to begin
with an over the shoulder shot so the audience can clearly see what the character is looking at which is a grave so the audience can
already gain an idea of what the narrative is and what has happened in the past. Through using close up shots the audience are able to
understand her emotions and what she is possibly going through even identifying with the character perhaps from personal experience.
Having looked at mise – en – scene there are some elements that both example videos have in common with our video and also some
differences because of the lyrics that the visuals will be related. The props used in the music videos all have meaning to them in the
video. With Alicia Keys video the suitcase gives the audience the clues of the two characters are moving into a new apartment together
and the piano is of special meaning to Alicia also hinting the genre of the music towards the audience. With Britney Spears video the
magazines with her on the front cover show she is a well known, popular person and the audience can understand the narrative and our
video has the locket and the photos with is has a lot of meaning to our character as she has lost her mother and keeps these as
memories. Through using props the audience can understand the narrative and emotions of the characters easier. All the videos have
made use of natural lighting where possibly because this type of lighting for scenes is the best source of lighting to use. Shot types used
are all similar and all have the effect on the audience of helping and showing them the location and the emotions of the characters
which helps them to understand the link between the lyrics and visuals. A difference which I noticed with our video is it goes back to the

2. past so the audience can understand what has happened; before our beginning scene where our character is kneeling at a graveside.
All the scenes which go back to the past are in grey (black and white) so that the audience know that these scenes are in the past and
can then begin to understand the narrative. With reference to the editing of the examples I have chosen in Alicia Keys video there is
only cuts from shot to shot and the music fades out near the end where the characters are talking. With Britney Spears video there has
been a lot more editing in the post production of the video including the video fading in from black at the beginning, cross dissolve so
that there is a smoother transition between shots, cuts from shot to shot, also a particular scene in the video the shot fades out to white
then fades in from white to another shot and at the very ending fades out to white. Comparing the editing of these videos to ours they
are similar the editing in our post production included cuts from shot to shot, a few scenes are in slow motion, cross dissolve between
shots to create a smoother transition, overlapping shots and also a shot changing from colour to removing the colour so that it is grey.
General conventions of a digipak the consumer would expect to see are the name of the artist which tends to be in capital
letters, the name of the single, usually in lower case and also an image of the artist. Comparing my digipak and magazine advertisement
to aspects of illustrations and text of
similar media products; my digipak I will
be comparing to Alicia Keys “greatest
hits” and Britney Spears “hold it against
me” as shown left pictured with my
digipak. Even though the example
digipak’s are for singles and mine is for a
debut album there are still comparisons
between the three. Having looked at
existing digipak’s the artists name was in
capital letters big and bold so I decided
to have Carly’s name down the right side
with a solid colour (red) background so it would stand out and attract our target audience and tie in with the bright red lips that are on the
inside cover to create a similar contrast. I also included a close – up shot of Carly as it is her album, featured on a grey colour
background to again create a similar contrast to the inside of the digipak of the lips so their was consistency with the colours used on my
digipak.
General conventions of a magazine advert the consumer would expect to see include the release date, an image of the artist,
the artists name and the name of the single or album. Looking at magazine advertisement I am comparing my magazine advert to a La
Roux and HMV advert from the inside of magazines. HMV is not only a music store but is also used as commercial advertisement. Here
we have three albums including the price and a description for each of the artists about them and the album. The picture behind the
three albums of the women posing is quite eye catching because she had a white face with red hair which in the whole page is the most
eye catching piece and makes it more likely the consumer will look at the rest of the page. The picture of the women is similar style
compared to the style of the two women on the two album covers. The La Roux magazine advert is of her debut album with the image of
her on the left with her name in a bright white colour with a bold font which would appeal to the target audience and on the right hand
side in capitals at the bottom reading what is available and the list of song names that are being released. I think the right hand side of
the magazine advert is similar colour to the background colour of the image of La Roux which keeps a consistency to the colours used
in the advert. Comparing these to my magazine advert of Carly’s debut album I haven’t mentioned the song names on the advert but I
have stated her new latest hit to promote that as well as the album encouraging consumers to purchase it. I have also included an
image of the digipak so that when consumers want to buy it they know exactly what they are looking for and also including to the right
what companies rated the new album and where the single can be purchased from. Compared to the example adverts I have compared
it to my magazine contains some elements that are the same; the text of the artist name is in bold and in capitals so that its eye –
catching and appeals to the target audience and also keeping similar colours and contrasts to keep the advert consistent with its
colours. There are a few comparisons but some thing I have added which is where it could be purchased from as well and ratings from
companies.