In
what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media products?
Our
music video has one primary function: as a marketing tool, it sells the album.
It is a crucial part of a package of products that together launch the album,
address audiences and promote the brand, which is the artist Fij. Audiences
have certain expectations of music videos, which usually adhere to genre
conventions, as does ours, which uses similar forms and conventions found
in other indie/alternative artists' work. We believe that we have made
Fij’s brand as part of this genre convincing.
The
key to understanding our approach is bound up with Fij's low-key style and the
indie genre. First, visual codes, such as Fij's clothes and the teenage world
that he inhabits are conveyed through sets such as the skating park, sports
field, bedroom and street. For Roland Barthes, all texts can be deconstructed as
signs with connotations: for example, Fij wears bright red shoes, which
connotes individuality and non-conformity. One key visual code is the suitcase,
which the young man packs during the course of the narrative as he prepares to
leave his teenage home, activities and friends behind because he is in
transition between home and university. This visual code is a strong narrative
element, which illustrates Andrew Goodwin’s theory about the relationship
between lyrics and visuals.
Our
music video observes this convention by delivering the narrative of the lyrics
through our “rights of passage” story where 'we have one more year till we
disappear'. However, we also amplify the lyrics through the use of stop
motion to make shots more visually interesting. We believe that CGI, stop
motion and a whole range of digital effects are now expected by audiences
across many platforms, so even a simple narrative like ours is likely to have
some. We did not have disjuncture between the lyrics and visuals since as a
narrator Jonny tells the story of his “last year” before university so
therefore it would seem more fitting to have the visuals illustrate the lyrics.
Our
star image motif would be Fij’s style, which like other artists such as Lilly
Allen becomes apart of the artists brand and trademark. Through his low-key
individual style, which is alternative, unobtrusively edgy and clearly
student-like, Fij achieves a clear brand image, which is significant for not
only media product but also real media products to build upon the artists star
image. In this respect our media product uses the forms and conventions of real
media products from the indie/alternative genre.
Our
media video also incorporates close-ups of lead singer Jonny, which is a common
form and convention, found in real media products. Close-ups allow the audience
to form a relationship with the Star whilst lip-syncing authenticates the
performance of the music video.
Jonny pushing over books: In this sequence, were creating
visual codes that symbolize our central characters rejection of schoolwork and
its burdens. For Roland Barthes, visual codes are signs with both denotative
meaning and connotative meaning. Here, when protagonist of Fij knocks over the pile
of books it stands for the rejection of the whole process.
We
also apply semiotics to the car sequence, where the car symbolizes the
departure of Jonny and “rights of passage”. Not being treated in a sad way but
instead exuberant. When we look towards the future, Fij is looking at the
future through rose tinted spectacles.
Through
the use of eye contact between Fij and the audience, our music video touches
upon Goodwin’s theory, “Notion of Looking” which creates a link between the
audience and artists. This theory is found in many popular artists music
videos, such as Pink’s Who Knew, where her continual eye contact with the
camera places in her in the role of narrator which again strengths the link
between audience and artist. As a consumer, you want the artist wants to be
relatable too and through incorporating this theory into our music video, we
effectively created this link.
Barthes
Grain of Voice sees the voice, as a unique instrument and often the vocal grain
even possess trademarks that incorporate the star's image. We believe this
theory can be applied to our lead singer Fij whose fast rap like verse results
in the song having a unique grain of voice.
Finally,
our album cover along with reoccurring shots throughout the music video take
place in front of a brick wall which effectively gives the impression of an
urban setting. As an alternative artist, Fij is seen in often-gritty
environments where he expresses his individuality through style.
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