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

My final music video product is very much alike the real music videos that are produced today in terms of following conventions. 


I would say that my music video has definitely conformed to the conventions of an RnB/Pop genre music videos and here is why:

• Commercial exhibitionist performance: As I chose to do a RnB/Pop genre song, my music video had to match the genre. Just like other real music videos under this genre, my music video included a lot of close ups of Hannahs face and outfit, emphasizing her beauty and selling herself, her face and her overall image which is mainly a marketing technique but a key feature to this type of performance. It was important to me, to make sure the majority of the video was shots of Hannah (often they were close ups) because I needed to follow the conventions in order to make a realistic product.
  
  Above are print-screens which have been used in my music videos. As you can see there is a mixture of shots used, however they are either close ups of mid shots.
  
  From the shots you can also see that there are three different outfits, accessories and make-up. I am again following the conventions of a commercial exhibitionist by changing what she wears and developing her character throughout the video. Each outfit was carefully picked for a reason. For example, the scenes where Hannah is wearing a white Lacey top shows her innocence and purity and her stunning beauty, and in the scenes where she is wearing a short skirt, stockings and a lop cut top shows her more sexy and provocative side. In the chorus scenes, the figure hugging black dress enhances her curves and makes her more appealing to her audience. Each outfit develops a new side to her character and this is exactly what a commercial exhibitionist performance is about. It is completely normal and in all music videos there is nearly always a change of outfits.
  
  
• I feel that my music video completely portrays a strong, inspiring female role model. I decided to make sure that Hannah appeared independent and influential to her audience because when researching other real music videos under this genre, I found that the main artist was always portrayed to be inspirational so I wanted to follow and do the same with my main artist. Hannah is shown in my video alone a lot, in terms of when she is in scenes which just involve her lip syncing and selling herself and music and so on. In the narrative slips, she also seems independent and like she will not be messed around which is good and inspiring to the audience (especially females as they would be able to relate and would form a bond)
  
  
• My media product has also followed conventions in terms of having a narrative. Although I have not conformed to this convention completely because there are only two scenes which show conflict and peace between Hannah (main artist) and her on screen partner. The point of my narrative is to show and explain the lyrics of the song (Andrew Goodwins music analysis - relationship between music and visuals) The narrative shows us that Hannah is trapped in a relationship where she is more in love and 'would catch a grenade' for him but he 'wouldn't do the same'. Most narratives that you will find in this genre are to do with love and there will most definitely show conflict in a relationship, thats why I shot a scene where Hannah and Alex are arguing, forcing Alex to smash a glass of wine. The other scene conveying a much calmer relationship is the scene where they are both on the beach fooling around. I chose the beach because it is quite romantic and although it is not exactly a glamorous place, the idea of it  I think is sweet.
  
  
• A main convention that I could not portray to the fullest or to how much I would have liked to is the glamorous lifestyle. This genre and the music videos always have expensive, flashy cars, mansions, jewelery and settings. For obvious reasons I could not imitate these conventions, so in a respect I challenged that convention because my video did not have expensive, attractive props. I did make Hannah wear accessories like the big white head band and bangles to try and substitute the pricey jewelery that would have been used in a real music video.
  
• I think my chorus scenes, are typical of a RnB/Pop genre music video, however I have developed the scenes a bot by using the chromer-Key effect and putting an animated explosion in the background. I think that my chorus scenes are typical because again they follow conventions of a music video - although, there is not a set dance or choreographed dance, Hannah is dancing whilst lip-syncing and she is dancing and moving along to the beat. Andrew Goodwins music video analysis points out this convention, establishing a relationship between the music and visuals. In real music videos the relationship between music and visuals is always present. Even if it is footsteps, head movements or a choreographed dance, there are basic timed movements so I made sure I did the same in mine to make my music video appear like a real media product.
  
  
• In terms of editing, my music video is very simple and easy. I have used montage editing to edit together different scenes where Hannah is in perhaps a different outfit or between a lip-syncing scene and a narrative scene.
  
  I used jump cuts to cut-cross between the narrative and other scenes. The editing had to for with the lyrics. For example, relating back to Andrew Goodwin again, I showed a "relationship between lyrics and visuals" -  for example the line "should of known you were trouble from the first kiss" - I showed in the narrative Hannah and Alex kissing on the beach - There is a literal meaning and the audience can see it.
  

Overall, I think I have conformed to the conventions. The main point to this genre was to sell Hannah (artist)and portray to the audience a diverse character through using different outfits and make-up. I have used existing music videos to gain an understanding of what I needed to include and how I should dress Hannah and what type of shots I should use. I think my music video does not challenge forms and conventions because I have steered away from being different. I think I did a good job on making Hannah appear independent, young and playful to the audience.