evaluation task 1

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

2. Genre Conventions
• Genre conventions are signs which create meaning.
Conventions can be divided into two categories –
technical and symbolic. Technical conventions are all the
ways in which the camera, editing and sound is used to
tell the story in media text. Furthermore, symbolic
conventions are how all the areas of misé-en-scene go
with the genre.
• Genre conventions are important as it helps to attract
the target audience, and create a star image for the artist
or band.

3. Genre and Artists/Bands
The genre of my music video is indie alternative. I have
researched music campaigns of different artists/bands of the
same genre and below is a list of the different ones I am going
to compare to my own products of my music campaign:
• Nirvana – Website
• The Killers – Website
• The Smiths – Website
• Arctic Monkeys – Digipak
• Red Hot Chili Peppers – Digipak
• Mumford & Sons – Digipak
• Led Zeppelin – Digipak
• Imagine Dragons (Radioactive) – Music Video
• Twenty One Pilots (Heathens) – Music Video
• The Weeknd (The Hills) – Music Video

4. Website – Font & Colours
I have compared my website to 3 other websites of different bands/artists, being
Nirvana, The Killers and The Smiths. As you can see by the screenshots below I have
gone with the genre conventions of having our title in capital letters. This was to make
sure the title of our band stood out to our target audience and attracted them. It also
helped to create a star image for our band, as it showed them as a construction and
not a real image, and showed them as a commodity. Furthermore, it helped to attract a
certain target audience, and therefore creating a particular ideology for them.
Moreover, the colour scheme we used was similar to the other websites I was
comparing it to, therefore, I went with the genre conventions. I used simple colours,
such as white and black throughout, which all the other bands/artists also did except
for Nirvana. This was to make the audience not too focused on the text, but more
focused on the type of music that my band played. Therefore, to give them the
impression that my band was more into their music than the imagery they were
representing to their target audience.

5. Website – Layout &
pictures
I went with the genre conventions of the layout of the layout of my pictures and
having it on a separate tab, just the same as Nirvana and The Killers. I have done
this in order to make it easily accessible to my audience to get to this page, and
every other page easily. The layout of my pictures is quite simplistic, yet bold like
the other two artists I have compared with. I have cut the pictures out in a square
shaped frame in order to keep the simplicity throughout, and to show the audience
that this is what you see on this page is what you are getting from my band. They
aren’t hiding any secrets, and they only care about their music not their fame.

6. Website - Homepage
We challenged the genre conventions when designing
the homepage. As we put a video of our band/models on
our homepage. However, so did Nirvana, but there’s was
more subtle with it being an older video and them having
a crowd cheering as well, as if it were a concert. We did
this to give the audience a visual aspect, and to make it
more intriguing for our audience. It also means that they
immediately know what our band looks like, and
therefore creating a star image for them.
However, the other two websites have different
homepages to mine, as they are going with the
genre conventions. They have more abstract
imagery, such as The Killers don’t even have an
image of their band, but simply a photo of a shell
to be more mysterious to their audience. Although
we showed our band straight away on our
homepage, we didn't’t play any music with it,
therefore still having that mysterious aspect.

7. Website – Touring dates
I comparing the tour dates section of my website with The Killers, and
we went with the genre conventions, as we used the idea of the
background from the homepage onto this background. Which was also
done my The Killers. We did this in order to give the idea of an on
going process to our audience, and to show them that our band
doesn’t change, they will always be the same. This helps to create a
certain ideology for our band, attracting a specific target audience, as
they will feel more loyal to a band once they feel as if they know
them, and by doing this duplicated background process throughout
our website it will give off that impression.

8. Website – Branding & Links
I went with the genre conventions, as I designed the social
media tabs and located them in a specific place. As shown by all
of the websites I compared with apart from The Smiths, all of
our social media tabs were put in either the top left or right hand
corner next to the links to all the other pages. The was to enable
our target audience easy access to our social media, and for
them to build a greater connection with us. As if they follow us
on Instagram for example they will then see what we are doing
daily, and therefore feel like they know us better and are more
connected to us, therefore expanding the fan base for my band.

9. Digipak - Font
I compared my digipak to 4 different artists/bands,
being Led Zeppelin, Mumford & Sons, Arctic
Monkeys and Red Hot Chili Peppers. I compared
the different fonts and again I went with the genre
conventions. All of them apart from Red Hot Chili
Peppers have used capital letters and white writing
for their title of their band/artist. I did my font in
this particular way in order for my digipak to
engage my target audience. I also used the white
coloured writing as this presents connotations of
mystery, and keeps the audience intrigued into
what else might be in the digipak. I kept the font
similar throughout my whole music campaign, in
order for there to be a connection between the 3
different products, of the music video, digipak and
website.

10. Digipak – Layout & picture
The layout of all of the digipak’s are all quite similar,
therefore I went with the genre conventions. In
particular mine is similar to the Arctic Monkeys and Red
Hot Chili Peppers, as on the back cover the song names
are written in the middle of all in a straight line
downwards. The layout for all are quite simplistic and
straight forward, in order to attract the target audience,
as it is makes it easy for them to see what is on the
album and clearly what artist/band is representing the
album. Furthermore, none of the albums on the front
cover have imagery of their band, but only they are all
digital images representing connotations of mystery,
which goes with the genre conventions for indie
alternative. Moreover, we challenged the genre
conventions, as we put an image of our band on the
inside covers to help create a star image for the lead
singer, as we put a logo on the back of his t-shirt to
make the target audience attracted to him and create
an ideology for him.

11. Digipak - Colours
We went with the genre conventions by only using a few
colours, but kept it quite simplistic. We only used blue and red
on the skull on the front and then used darker colours
throughout the rest. We used these specific colours, as we
wanted to duplicate something from the music video onto the
digipak. Therefore, the skulls colours resemble to colours of the
bands t-shirts. This helps to create a star image, as the use of
transferring the colours onto the skull shows them as a
construction and not a real image, it also shows them as a
commodity. Finally, it helps create an ideology for them, as they
represent certain ideas and social groups.

12. Digipak - Lighting
When I looked at the different shades of lighting used on my digipak, I compared it
with Mumford & Sons digipak. Whilst using specific lighting in my photoshoot I went
with the genre conventions. The similarities between these two digipaks is that they
both have a section of darkness, but also include some light. In my digipak I did the
lighting in this particular way, not only to go with the genre conventions of indie
alternative, but to also help create a star image for the lead singer. I subtly made the
light brighter on the edge of his face, as seen in the image on the left. This was to
make him appeal to the target audience, as the slight tint in the brightness meant he
would have stood out. This helped to show him as a construction and not a real image
in comparison to the rest of the band members, and created an ideology for him. We
also had the lighting coming at a certain angle, so that only the audience could only
partially see there face, this was to create connotations of mystery.

13. Music Video – Set Design
I went with the genre conventions, I used dark coloured lighting. When
comparing with The Weeknd’s music video, I found that both of our
settings used red lighting. I used this particular coloured lighting to
connote danger and mystery, as I wanted to raise curiosity about what
would happen between the lead singer and the models. Therefore,
increasing the attraction of my target audience. Furthermore, the red
lighting also meant that not everything in the setting was completely
visible, again interpreting connotations of mystery, as there may have
been something suspicious lurking in the unseen areas. Again, increasing
the attraction of our target audience, as they would become more
intrigued to what might happen.
Furthermore, I compared the set design of my music video
with Twenty One Pilots. Again I went with the genre
conventions, as both music videos had a band setting in a
room with white lighting in it. Firstly, I had a band setting in
order to attract the target audience, as it meant you were
able to see the instruments be played as they sound track
was being played. Also, I had a brighter light on the lead
singer in order to attract more attention to him and help
create a star image. Furthermore, I put my set design was
planned out in a certain way where the instruments were
situated behind the lead singer. To attract the target
audience to the lead singer by making him stand out, but
also creating an star image for him.

14. Music Video – Camera Work
I went with the genre conventions whilst doing different camera angles for my music
video. I compared my music video with Imagine Dragons, as they are of the same
genre. The images on the left show the high angle used on both of the lead singers in
both bands. Not only was this used to create the idea that they were both
underground, but to also to engage the target audience, as they are looking directly
into the lense. This helps to build a connection with their audience, as it makes it
more personal to the individual.
Furthermore, I also compared my music video
with one of Banks’, where I have gone with the
genre convention. In both, a tracking shot was
used to highlight their importance. A tracking
shot was used in both to highlight the importance
of what the lead singer was doing. In the case of
my music video, I used a tracking shot in order to
show the lead singers dominance over the
models, as firstly he is surrounded by them and
also he isn’t paying attention to them. This is why
I used a tracking shot in order to highlight this to
the target audience. Therefore, creating a star
image, as an ideology is created for him, as he
begins to represent certain ideas and social
groups.
Moreover, I went with the genre conventions as I applied rules of third when filming. I
did this by positioning my lead singer not in the centre, but on the left side of the
frame, which was also done in The Weeknd’s music video. I did this in to not make
them the main attention of the music video, but to also let the audience look at the
surroundings.

15. Music Video – Costume
I compared the costumes I used in my music video with four
other music videos of the same genre. I went with the
genre conventions, as all of the costumes I used were of
dark colours, such as the t-shirts for the band were white,
black, red and navy. This helped to create connotations of
mystery and meant the target audience would increase
their attraction towards my band, as they would be
intrigued to find out more. However, I also challenged the
genre conventions, as I used different costumes for the lead
singer in the second scene with the models, which was a
suit. This was because I wanted him to stand out, and
represent two different sides to him to attract the target
audiences attention more. This was also to help him create
a star image, as it showed him as a construction and not a
real person, and a commodity, as he almost had two
completely different identities. Furthermore, ideologies
were created, as he began to represent certain ideas and
social groups. Moreover, I put the models in tight dress,
which went with the genre conventions. But, again I
challenged the genre conventions, as they were sequin
dresses, which helped create their own individual identities.
And the fact that both the band and the models each had
different coloured dresses, connotes that they are equally
the same. But, not the lead singer as he had two different
costumes.
I went with the genre conventions when I did
the makeup for my models, which I compared
to with Banks’ music video. In both, only a
minimal amount of makeup was used. This was
to display each individuals actual image and
not a fake one that had been covered with
makeup to somehow distort their identity.

16. Music Video - Editing
I went with the genre conventions whilst
editing, as I cut back in fourth between shots
to connect the two locations together, which
is also shown in Imagine Dragons music video.
I did this in order to make it clear to the
audience that one location was above the
other, and that there was a connection
between the models and the lead singer. This
helped to create a star image for the lead
singer, as it helped to show him as a
construction and not a real person. Due to
the fact he was in two different locations at
the same time, and therefore showing him as
a commodity. Moreover, an ideology is
created for him, as the idea that he is with his
band and surrounded by models connotes his
superiority, and therefore helps him to
represent certain social groups. In the
screenshots, a narrative is illustrated. In mine
it shows the connection between the model
and the lead singer, and in Imagine Dragons
(on the left) it shows the connection between
the floor above as the teddy bear falls
through the floor and lands on the lead
singer.

17. Music Video - Performance
When looking at the type of performance I used in my music video, I compared it
with Banks’ music video, and it showed I went with the genre conventions. I had my
models move in a certain way to show off their facial features, and make them seem
powerful. The same occurred in Banks’ music video, as you can see in the
screenshots that there faces weren’t looking directly at the camera, but to the side,
as if they weren’t interested. I made my models pose like this at the end of the
music video, in order to give off the impression that the lead singer wasn’t in power
anymore, and they didn’t want him.