By researching other music videos and media theorists such as Goodwin I was able develop conventions of real media products, and use them to my advantage.
Goodwin's theory consists of eight aspects; how the music video has links between the lyrics and the visuals, intertexual references, music videos demonstrate genre characteristics, representation of the artist in the music video and a performance based/narrative based music videos. My music video ties in with a lot of Goodwin's theories and by researching him I was able to use real media conventions in my music video.
The links in the music video to the lyrics is why we chose a relationship breaking down, 'I want to touch you', 'I want to see you', and 'I want to make you see That yesterday was long ago', are all the lyrics which are constantly being repeated through the whole song so that's why we decided on a relationship falling apart. The lyrics 'I want to see you', also links in with the music video because the couple are on the train getting ready to meet each other again which shows that the couple want to see each other again. Music videos constantly reference the lyrics in their visuals like Daniel Powter - Bad Day music video where the lyrics 'Cos you had a bad day' is constantly referenced in the actors facial expressions and how the actors continue out their days in a bad rut. Goodwin's theory of the lyrics linking to the music video has helped me develop real media conventions.
Another theory of Goodwin's is intertexual references which is why I began researching music videos. I initially researched videos before I had any ideas and before I had a song to get inspired, and realize what music I wanted. From this research, I found my song and then began to research videos which inspired me for the concepts for the music video. Daniel Powter - Bad Day is a heavy influence on the whole music video because of the combination of live performance and a narrative story told through split screens. The initial idea of split screens came from the movie 500 Days of Summer and how they tell a relationship through these split screens, but after I had further researched split screen music videos I liked Daniel Powter's video the most. From Daniel Powter's video led me onto research Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah and then get the idea of featuring small aspects of the location around the music video. My music video is heavily influenced by other media products therefore following the conventions of real media products, and my music video has loads of intertexual links to other music videos.
Goodwin's theory also suggests that the music video should have the genre's characteristics through the music video. The folk-pop genre of my target audience is shown through the idea of a broken up relationship because this targets the audience of females at the age of 16-24. The idea of split screens links to the creativity of the genre which is folk, so the music video has to have a 'quirky' and strange quality to it to recognize the genre of artsy folk.
As a production group we wanted to add a live performance because of the research into Daniel Powter - Bad Day music video. I thought the live performance was a good way of portraying the artist to the audience and also portraying the audience through the artist. Several music videos portray their audience through their live performances like rock music videos will use live performances their 'punk' audience will be shown in the video. I researched other live performances which link to my target audience such as Laura Marling - Damage Done, who links to the folk audience, and Marina and the Diamonds - Hollywood acoustic, which also links to the pop audience. From these videos I wanted to incorporate live performance with the narrative so I could portray my audience. I have done this by using a singular room which makes the performance more intimate, private and relaxed which links to the folk target audience. Adding a live performance uses the theory of Goodwin but I didn't have Goodwin in mind when I researched live performances. Live performances use media conventions to portray the audience, and to portray the artist to potential audiences.
The idea of using a narrative for the music video links to other music videos therefore the use of media conventions. The narrative also doesn't follow a linear structure therefore also following media conventions of a music video because music videos don't have to have a beginning, middle or end, so I have featured in the music video a flashback to show audiences that the couple featured in the music video used to be in love.
The mise-en-scene throughout the music video are developments of conventions I have gained by researching other media products. For example, the split screens have been taken from 500 Days of Summer and Daniel Powter - Bad Day music video showing that split screens are a real media convention used to tell the narrative in different ways. I have used the split screens to show the divide between the two character's and how separate they are, similar to how the character's in Daniel Powter - Bad Day are presented. The use of a beach location links to media conventions because music videos such as Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter uses a beach as a place of sadness and reflection over a relationship which I have taken into my own music video to reflect the melancholy of my music video.
I have been able to develop and use media conventions with the help of the theorist Goodwin, who's theories have taught me how to create a conventional music video. My music video doesn't challenge media conventions really, because all the qualities in my music video have featured conventional media conventions.
Good - this shows awareness of the conventions and thought into how you applied them. Can you discuss other aspects of your video: the use of split screen, the mise-en-scene throughout - train, seashore and also use of stills at the end. Discuss narrative structure.
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