This document discusses the conventions used in pop music albums and how the author's media products both follow and challenge some of these conventions. Specifically: - The author used close-up shots of the artist on the album cover and poster, as is typical in pop albums, to clearly identify the artist. - Inside the digipak, the author challenged conventions by including only text about the lead single rather than a message from the artist. - Color schemes, fonts, and layout were kept consistent throughout the products to represent continuity, while still appealing to the target audience. - Overall, the author aimed to follow conventions to appeal to the target 12-25 female audience, only challenging conventions when it did

1. QUESTION 1: IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR
MEDIA PRODUCT USE DEVELOP OR
CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF
REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?
By Kelly Alade

2. MY CHOSEN GENRE
For my a2 media project, I have needed to create a music video to a chosen song
followed by a digipak and poster. Throughout my planning, I have looked into the pop
genre of the music industry as this is the genre I have the most understanding on as it’s
the only genre of music that I listen to. However, research was still needed to be
conducted about who my audiences are and what they are expecting to see within the
music video and media products. After I created my music video, a digipak and poster
was needed to be created for my artist. Research was crucially needed before creating
these products as I had minimum knowledge on what is expected on a CD album as I
personally stream my music online rather than buying a physical copy. I have also
needed to look into the conventions used within these products as I want my products
to appeal to my audience that I am targeting it towards as un appealing products would
decrease the success of the product. This has a huge disadvantage for the artist as her
creations would not be distributed amongst the audience its targeted towards.

3. EXAMPLES OF POP MUSIC ALBUMS:

4. THE CONVENTIONS OF A POP ALBUM
Throughout my research of pop music albums, I noticed that many of the album front covers had an image of the artist
taken at a close up shot. This was a convection I followed precisely when shooting my artist for the creation of my digipak
as I felt that this was important. The reason why I have followed this convention was because I wanted my audience to
automatically know that my artist Kamila has created it as her unique face is at a close up shot on the front cover. This
makes the album easier to find once its hit the market. As its easily recognisable. I have also followed the convention of
capturing my artist at a close up shot as I felt that it represented continuity from my music video. Within my music video,
frequent shots of my artist laying seductively on a bed at a close up shot is present. I found that this was an ideal
opportunity for me to take as audiences would be able to tell that both the music video and the CD album are related.
This was proven successful due to my audience feedback from my targeted audience as they felt that a close up shot was
the most suitable for this occasion. However, I did not challenge the conventions of the shots as I felt that it was not
needed for the type of music that would be available on the album as they are pop-romantic songs. This may
furthermore draw my audience away from my album as it would not appeal to them. Within the image of my artist, I
have done her make up in a glamourous but light manner to represent her sexuality of being a beautiful young lady.
However, this was kept minimalistic as I did not want over dramatic make up over powering the overall album. This is a
common convection for pop female singer who tend to represent sexuality as they are looked as being idols by their
audience. I achieved this technique correctly. Within the front cover of my album, I kept it simple and minimalistic as I did
not want it to look overall busy as this would distract my audience from the focal point, the main image. I decided to
follow the simple sophisticated fonts onto my front cover and throughout as challenging the conventions may make the
overall album appear childish as this is not a convection typically used within pop albums targeting towards 12-25 year
old females. The text on the front cover contained only the album and artist name. This is a convention used within pop
albums so that audiences are able to establish what the album is called and who it’s by for people who may not
recognise my artist.

5. FRONT COVER OF MY ALBUM VS POP FRONT
COVER:

6. I have challenged the conventions of a digipak by changing up the inside front cover. Typically within pop
albums, a message from the artist or an image is inserted for the audience to read and gain an understanding
on how and why the artist created the album. However, I kept it simple with just text on the inside front
cover of my lead single from ‘Original Doll’ Thinking About You. I felt that this was suitable for my album as it
sets the tone for the overall album. The font was kept consistent throughout the album in order to represent
continuity throughout as different front on different aspects of the album may make the album appear
disjointed and not related. I have also added the logo of my record label at the bottom of my CD and inside
front cover so that audiences are able to gain understanding of who created the album. This also establishes
copyright which is a convention used in pop albums to prevent others from copying the album. I have kept
my colour scheme minimalistic and simple throughout the album as this is a convention used in albums so
that it’s not over powering. I used a soft pink colour throughout the inside of the album due to my artists
persona of being feminine yet confident. Colours are used to establish what kind of album it is for the
audience. This however was not challenged as I felt that this was suitable for what my audience is expecting
from the album as it sets the overall tone for the album. Pinks and reds typically connotes love and romance
which was the idea I was trying to achieve when creating this digipak. However, this was proven successful as
my focus group were drawn to the idea of the colour scheme. They were also able to know that the album
was about love due to the colour scheme. My back cover followed the conventions of a pop album
accordingly as it contained the track list of the album, record label/copyright information, barcode, and
website of the artist. My artist was also on the back cover of my album as this was a common convention
used when researching. However, they were kept at a rule of thirds so that the text does not block the artists
face. Overall, I have followed the conventions of a pop album successfully. However, challenging the
conventions was not needed when creating my digipak as it would not appeal to my audience of 12-25 year
old females. This would furthermore make the album gain a lack of sales.

7. EXAMPLES OF ALBUM PROMOTIONAL
POSTERS:

8. THE CONVETION OF AN ALBUM PROMOTIONAL
POSTER
I feel that I have followed the conventions of a pop album promotional album correctly as I have a
huge understanding of what is expected within these album posters. However, research and getting
feedback from my focus group was still needed as I did not want my creations to be biased. I have
kept my poster simple, yet packed with useful information so that audiences are able to look further
into the artist and the upcoming album. I have used the same image from my front album cover
onto my poster so that audiences are easily able to recognise they are related. I do feel however
that I have challenged the conventions of a poster in a slight manner as my image does not take up
all of the poster. This was something I have seen frequently throughout my research. The rest of the
album however consists of my colour scheme from my digipak as continuity is a convention used
within the pop industry as it allows the audience to understand the relation between the two
products. My font has also been kept the same throughout my poster which also plays a part of the
whole relation aspect. Below my image, I have added useful information such as when the album is
coming out, the hit song that’s included, the streaming sites you are able to listen to these on and
the website for my artist where audiences are able to look further into the album. This is a
convention used in most promotional posters as it engages audiences to look further into the
upcoming album. This was successful as my focus group were able to gain useful information of the
album. This allows the poster to become appealing to my targeted audience.

9. MY OWN POSTER VS POP POSTER