The document discusses the student's evaluation of their media production project. It covers how the project used, developed, or challenged conventions of real music videos. The student researched music video conventions and aimed to both follow conventions like relating the video to the music, while also challenging conventions by creating a video without lyrics for a non-mainstream genre. Feedback from audiences suggested people understood the video concept and enjoyed aspects like the atmosphere and shot types, though some found it confusing without a linear story. The student used new media technologies like online research and surveys during planning, research, and construction stages, and aimed to effectively use conventions and aesthetics across their video and ancillary materials.

1. Media A2 Evaluation
By Alex Patrick-Smith

2. In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge conventions
of real media products?
Initially when I first started my research into music videos the first thing I learned was
that they all follow a similar structure in terms of how they relate to the music.This was
very important to me because if I was going to create my own music video I would need
to somehow develop these conventions of real media products where the video relates
to the music itself.The videos did however vary based mainly on the genre of the music
that was going with the video.This can be seen in terms of Mise en Scene, editing and
the shot types that were used to create a video that fit the style of the music.
Discovering this in my research made me understand that if I were to develop or
challenge the conventions of these real media products, then I would need to create a
music video that would fit in well with the genre of music that I chose. I think that
creating a video based on the Synth-wave genre of music challenges the conventions of
real media products because it is not for a very mainstream audience as it contains no
lyrics of any kind. Lyrics were the key thing that were in all the videos that I analysed and
so I decided to create a video that was different from real media products and therefore
challenging those conventions of what make up a music video.

3. In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge conventions of real
media products?
I decided to go into this niche market of music videos because I felt that I could help
develop these kind of videos even further. I used a lot of the same conventions from the
music videos that I looked at for example the use of fast paced editing is a feature used
by many music videos when the music is in the chorus and so I also decided to do this
however I did it where the more upbeat parts of the music took place as within the song I
used there is no chorus as such. I also tried to add in a narrative with my music video
which from my research is a main feature within music videos and so audiences will
identify my video as a music video.
In addition to this in post production I also added a posturize filter to the video to add to
the aesthetic of the video. I believe that this also develops and adds to real music videos
because some videos do include filters such as monochrome and so I think posturizing
my entire video shot for shot not only added to the video but also developed the
conventions of real music videos. Kavinskys music video for ‘Odd Look’ is most similar to
my video and that also uses similar aesthetic to my video and so maybe I have not
developed the conventions but have just used conventions that were already there.

4. In what ways does your product use,
develop or challenge conventions of real
media products?
Moving onto the poster ancillary task, I
think I used a lot of conventions from
existing poster products. I made the text
bold and stand out so that the audience
could easily identify with what it was. I
also used the same font from my music
video so that the products are linked
together to form a bond.This is also done
with existing media products and so I
wanted to make sure that I used the right
conventions. I also developed real media
products by using one main image and
enlarging it so that it is the focal point of
the poster. Furthermore, this image is the
front cover of the Digi-Pack and so this
also creates a link between my products
which from my research I understand that
real products do this as well to create a
brand for themselves.

5. In what ways does your product use, develop or challenge conventions
of real media products?
With my Digi-Pack ancillary text I wanted to ensure that I used the codes and conventions that I
learned from my research. An example of this was that many Digi-Packs included Large eye
catching images for the front cover to try and catch the audiences attention. I felt this was very
important to do as this is the main focal point of the Digi-Pack itself. In addition to this, I followed
the conventions of keeping an effective colour scheme on all sides of the Digi-Pack so that the
theme of the video would transpire on to the audience. However, I also challenged the conventions
of real media Digi-Packs by including images
from the music video itself. From my research
I feel that Digi-Packs tend to not do this to
avoid setting the wrong tone for the whole
album. I however believe that this would
Work well with the concept of the whole
album and I also think that using contrasting
images for the back of the Digi-Pack only
made it a more stand alone product that
would stand out to people. Keeping the same
Font and general style of the text also used
Conventions of real media products as many
Other products do this to create synergy
with their products.

6. How effective is the combination of your
main and ancillary texts?
Within my main and ancillary tasks I wanted to create a ‘Synth Wave’ style aesthetic
that would be coherent throughout all of the tasks and create synergy between the
texts. One of the main ways that I did this was to put the same font in the video that
was also in my ancillary texts. In addition to this, I tried to also have a similar colour
scheme between all of the texts which word further create an effective combination of
the texts. I think I achieved this to a certain extent where I added a filter to the Digi-
Pack which also go well with the video.Throughout the texts I tried to put forward a
dark electronic tone however contrasting this bright colours such as the striking pink
text that is used throughout. I believe I achieved this by filming at night time and
combined this with my ancillary tasks with the colour black being prominent in places
however I could of perhaps turned down the excessive amounts of pink and blue in the
ancillary texts as this could be considered to overrun the dark tone that I was
essentially going for.

7. How effective is the combination of your
main and ancillary texts?
In addition to this, I feel that perhaps my poster sometimes did not create the
synergy that I wanted with the music video itself.This is because I feel it lacks that
dark tone that the video brings forward and so perhaps I could of expanded on this
within the poster.Also, I think that the poster does not completely create the correct
image of what the video was actually about for example it includes no indication of a
skateboard within the video.The video itself also contains no hint of rain and
therefore the poster and Digi-Pack could be misguiding and therefore not have a
very strong connection. I found this a difficult task because there is only so much you
can do within a poster and so I think I am happy to some extent that there is still
quite a bit of synergy between the main and ancillary texts.

8. Audience Feedback
In the beginning of my audience feedback survey
I looked at who was viewing my video and to see
who my video appealed to. From the results I
I could see that it had a wide age gap and so this
tells me that my music video was viewed by
various kinds of people which is what I was
looking for when I first planned the idea.
To further understand my audience I also looked at
what gender watched my video. As you can see from
the image to the left it was mostly viewed by males.
This is what I predicted when I first started to do
research and planning for the music video and so I
feel that I have met my target audience well.

9. Audience Feedback
My next question was aimed at looking
to see if audiences understood what I
was going for within the video and if the
video was easy to understand.The
results for conclusive in that most people
thought that it was a montage of clips
which indeed the video was. I felt that
this met the criteria for music videos and
so it appears that audiences understand
this as well.
However at the same time I was trying to tell a story but it was not exactly linear.The
fact that audiences picked this as a category of music video that my video falls into
tells me that my video might have been a bit confusing in places. In addition to this its
good to see some indication that people knew I was trying to make a somewhat
serious video and not a typical party–type music video that mainstream audiences are
used to seeing. Linking this back to how all types of audiences viewed my video tells
me that everyone seems to enjoy a more underground type of music video.

10. Audience Feedback
Moving on throughout the survey I then
asked what people enjoyed most about
the video itself. It seems that people really
liked the concept that I was trying to
conceive to the audience which was a late
drive at night about self discovery. From this
I have learned that people do also enjoy the
synth-wave genre of music as well and how
it can fit in well with what I wanted to
present.Also, People also seemed to enjoy
the shot types that were used throughout
the video. I tried to always use shots that
kept within the codes and conventions of
real music videos and so if people thought they were good and suited the video then I
think I did to some extent achieve what I was going for. An ’other’ option was also
chosen which suggests that they liked the feel of the video and so I think I did create an
atmosphere that was noticeable within the music video.

11. Audience Feedback
Moving on I then asked my audience more
specifically if they enjoyed the music video
and if not why.

12. Audience Feedback

13. Audience Feedback

14. Audience Feedback

15. Audience FeedbackConclusion

16. How did you use new media technology
in the construction stage?

17. How did you use new media technology
in the planning stage?

18. How did you use new media technology
in the research stage?

19. Did I use new media technologies
effectively?