SP - Evaluation Q1 Draft

In What Ways Does Your Media Product Use, Develop Or Challenge Forms And Conventions Of Real Media Products?

What Are Conventions:

• Conventions of real media products are what the audience are expecting to see.
• These codes and conventions are commonly used and differ within a format or genre and different meanings are created from these texts. 
• However the audience has a part to play in the interpretation of this conventional material and can create their own reading form their understanding of the text. 
• All of these points relate to the theory of Stuart Hall who said that meanings and conventions within a text might have a preferred reading from the people who created it but then the audience might their own opposition reading of the same convention in the text. 

Music Video Format Conventions:

• There are usually a wide range of camera shots and angles that are used to give variation and in some cases to show emotion if close ups are being used.
• Fast paced editing is common to keep the interest of the audience and to include all of the shot variety. 
• Related to that point is shot length as the shorter the shot, the quicker the pace of the music video will be. However depending on the genre there may be a varying shot lenghts.
• Linear/Non-Linear editing can effect the narrative sections because it may follow a continuous pattern as one thing follows another or it may follow the discontinuity pattern.
• Also related to editing is cutting to the beat of the song.
• Lighting is also a main aspect to any music video and it varies on the genre.
• Goodwin's Theory points out that in every music video that there is either performance, narrative or concept and in several cases a mix of the two. 
• Performance music videos are just focusing on the band playing the song at a location. In these types of music videos you will find heavy use of lip syncing the lyrics of the song and focusing on the front man. 
• Narrative music videos are basically a storyline that may or may not link in with the lyrics of the song. Usually in these types of music videos you have several locations and different costumes + props are used to signify the mood/theme of the song.
• Concept music videos are when special effects are used to make a completely random idea where there is no link between the lyrics and what is happening on screen. Layering may also be used, not only for concept videos, to give a complete sense of randomness.
• Other conventions of music videos include diegetic openings and breaks at the start and during the video respectively. (Examples: Micheal Jackson - Thriller, Kanye West, Tenacious D - Tribute, Oasis - Wonderwall, Depeche Mode - It's No Good)
• Male/Female gaze is common in music videos depending on who the audience is and sexual themes also are heavily used.
• Framing is key to making a music video look interesting.
• Choreography is used across alot of genres to again appeal to the audience and links in to male/female gaze.

Alternative Rock Genre Conventions:

• There is a often a mix of both performance and narrative sections.
• In performance sections, focusing on the frontman is common in our genre.
• Usually there is extremely fast paced editing which is used in both the narrative and performance sections.
• This also means that are short takes and there are alot of variety of camera shots/angles.
• Quite often black and white effects are used to either signify flashbacks or just to add a different effect to the video.
• Editing to the beat also occurs alot in music videos in the alternative rock genre.
• Specific to the artist 'Muse' there are usually sci-fi aspects used and a futuristic theme i used throughout all of their music videos. (Example: Muse - Sing For Absolution)
• Relating to this 'Muse' use quite alot of special effects to acheive this futuristic theme.
  

Conventions We Have Used In Our Music Video:

• In our music video we have used both performance and narrative sections.
• We have also used fast paced editing with short takes and a wide variey of camera shots and angles.
• We have used a futuristic sort of theme as we have used game footage from 'Mass Effect' which also adds to the sci-fi convention Muse tend to follow.
• We have used layering to also acheive a sort of distortion effect and sometimes this adds to a futuristic the effect
  

Digipak Conventions:

• Front with the album artwork accompanied with the artist name and the album title (Example: Muse - The Resistance)
• Back cover typically with the tracklist including time of the songs. The back cover also typically contains: (Example: AC/DC - Iron man 2)
• Bar Code
• QR code (becoming more common)
• Smallprint with copyright laws written
• Website for the artist
• Twitter/Facebook sites (becoming more common)
• Usually the bands record label logo can be seen
• Inside the digipak there is sometimes text displaying the names of the composers for each song in smaller print than the song title
• There is sometimes a small handout which contains further artwork, maybe some images of the artist playing live or possibly lyrics
• The actual CD can usually be found in the main part of the digipak in a plastic holder with two panels to each side
• Some digipaks have two cd's within the card case. One for the actual CD and another for behind the scenes or some sort of DVD
• Stickers are usually found on the front of the digipak saying "includes "...." in this album!"
• The outside of the digipak can use very bright and inviting colours to make it attractive on the shelve and then use darker colours inside the actual digipak.
• Digipaks are seen as the LP's of this century and can be seen as a collectable like LP's as they are much more interesting than a standard jewel case. 
• The spine of the digipak usually has the artist name, album name

Alternative Rock Genre Conventions:

• Difference in colour between the front panel and all the other panels
• Tend to have a similar front and back panel with the inside being different
• Black and white shots for the inside of digipak
• Album artwork on the front of the digipak
• Artist name at the top of the digipak in bigger, bold font
• Sticker
• Tour Dates
• Booklet/Leaflet inside (Example: Muse: Origin Of Symmetry)
• Bar Code
• QR code
• Smallprint with copyright laws written
• Website for the artist
• Twitter/Facebook sites

Conventions We Have Used In Our Digipak:

• Name of artist at top
• Limited edition sticker
• Same colour scheme on front and back panels
• Links between front and back
• Picture of protagonist in music video
•  Different theme and colour scheme for inside panels
• Track lists
• Special edition DVD information
• FB and Twitter links
• QR Code
• URL's to social media sites 
• Swillob Prdouctions company logo
• Copyright info

Magazine Ad Conventions:

• Artists Name in large, bold font at the top of the ad
• Album Name usually the same size font as the artist name but not in bold
• Album Artwork (Example: Muse - The Resistance)
• Web Address of artist, record labels and ticket retailer
• Colours compliment each other
• Twitter, Facebook and Youtube pages
• Tour dates
• Record Labels
• Says the format it is available in - CD and download
• Font Variation
• Theme of the artist - fits with the lyrics and albums
• Information about the album (usually says "Including" followed by the singles released from the album)
• QR Codes
• Introductory sentence to grab the audience's attention 'the wait is finally over...'
• Thumbnails
• Photo of the CD/Product/Merchandise
• Format (CD, CD + DVD, CD + Vinyl or Digital)
• Either release date, out now or pre-order

• Artist website
• Name of hit single included in the album
• Image of the band

• Labeled as limited addition to increase sales

Alternative Rock Genre Conventions:

• Artists Name in large, bold font at the top of the ad (Example: Muse - Absolution)
  
• Album Name usually the same size font as the artist name but not in bold
  
• Album Cover
• Twitter, Facebook and Youtube links
• Tour dates
• Record Labels
• Information about the album (usually says "Including" followed by the singles released from the album)
• QR Codes
• Either release date, out now or pre-order

• Artist website
• Name of hit single included in the album
• Image of the band

• Labeled as limited addition to increase sales

Conventions We Have Used In Our Magazine Ad:

• Artists Name in large, bold font at the top of the ad
• Futuristic, sci-fi background image
• Tour Dates
• Photo of the digipak
• Sentence to grab the audience's attention 'In stores now'
• Album Name usually the same size font as the artist name but not in bold and at the bottom of the ad
• Twitter, Facebook logos/ links
• Information about the album (10 Year Anniversary Special Edition)

Conclusion:
Not only have we used the common codes and conventions within our genre we have also developed and challenged them in each format of our texts. Even though generally we have sticked to what is commonly found when an audience is looking at these texts we have also in places challenged conventions especially in our digipak and mag ad.