Our music video and promotional packages conform to, develop and challenge conventions of existing music videos/ promo packages as we have included a range of genre paradigms and techniques which include the use of lip syncing, editing on the beat and other popular techniques which make music videos of different styles successful.
An image showing different styles of music videos
From our primary and secondary research as prior mentioned within my blog, as a group we were able to identify existing conventions, so that we were able to choose to conform of challenge to them. Once we had chosen a particular style for our music video specifically, we were able to further identify the specific conventions, therefore once we had decide upon creating a narrative and disjuncture video to an alternative rock song, we were able to structure our creative choices of which conventions to follow for our music video and two ancillary texts.
The video below gives further detail into how we conformed to and challenged conventions within our music video specifically:
The main points discussed within the video concerning the conventions used and subverted within our music video are as follows:
Mainly our music video is in the style of a narrative and disjuncutre video with an element of performance included. We conform to the conventions of a narrative music video due to our interpretation of the lyrics which tell the story of the protagonist. Therefore we decided to include narrative shots to relate the content of the video directly to the lyrics, therefore meaning the video suited the chosen song, making it an effective music video.
We also conformed to the disjuncture style of music video through the filming of ‘random’ and ‘non-relevant’ shots to enhance our creative freedom allowing us to make the video more engaging for the audience through breaking up the narrative shots so that the video did not appear dull or repetitive. This conforms to the styles of Cage the Elephant’s music videos, such as ‘In One Ear’, as this video has multiple cuts to ‘random’ shots to cut away from the performance elements, therefore we replicated this technique to create interest and repeatability within our music video.
A disjuncture shot of the protagonist taken within the Drama Studio
This use of narrative also allowed us to focused on star image as our protagonist was largely in shot for the duration of our music video, we developed this idea of star image further by giving our protagonist a large amount of screen time whilst using mainly low angled shots so that our protagonist appeared superior.
Another point mentioned within the video is the use of performance elements within our video as we included the technique of lip syncing, which is highly recognised as a feature of a music video to help ensure gain of voice and authenticity within the music video.
We also edited to the beat of the song, making a cut every 1.13 frames, so that our editing is in time with the song, and therefore this convention allowed us to enhance our music video overall quality and believability.
Ways in which we challenged the conventions of existing media texts also included the contrast of shots between narrative and disjuncture, as although some music videos include these, videos such as ‘Walk’ by Foo Fighters which are mainly narrative. Therefore by subverting this convention of a single style music video we were able to explore textual schizophrenia by combining different styles of music videos within our post modern piece allowing us to make the video more engaging for the audience .
Within our music video we also subverted the convention of using band footage by not featuring a live performance, excluding our lip syncing footage, we challenged the conventions as usually music videos feature images of the band to help promote the song to the bands audience. We chose as a group not to include this footage as we felt our video already had a large amount of content and therefore we decided not to overload our music video as this would limit our shot choices in editing. Additionally we felt that arranging a band to perform would not be practical and would limit the dates of which we could film therefore we felt this was an unnecessary risk towards the quality of our music video due to the ample lip syncing footage we had planned to use to maintain parts of performance elements within our music video.
A screen shot taken from the music video showing a Narrative shot
Our narrative style prompted us to subvert the expectations of filming only in urban locations, as the protagonist returns home towards the end of the narrative arc, as for the narrative to be sustained as a group we agreed to subvert the usual conventions and film in a rural location. Challenging these conventions of urban areas and studios allowed us to include different locations and therefore difference shot choices to cut to during editing, allowing our video to maintain its narrative whilst keeping the audience engaged as the setting does not become dull and predictable, therefore improving the quality of our music video.
An image showing our protagonist in contrasting locations within our music video.
The PowerPoint below illustrates how we subverted, developed and conformed to conventions of existing media texts within our two ancillary texts:
For our album artwork the main way in which we conformed to the conventions of existing media texts was through featuring our protagonist on the front cover of our artwork therefore showing his star image and metanarrative as a performer through the constant use of his image to promote the music video. This example of synergy with the image of the protagonist through the three texts (music video and two ancillary texts) can be seen as a form of symbiotic marketing and thus enhanced the idea that, due to the clear link between the texts, that the album artwork and magazine article are promoting the music video as product, similarly to the way existing music videos are promoted.
The use of the name of the song and band upon the artwork also allows us to conform to the conventions as it gives our audience a recognisable element towards our artwork and magazine article which further promotes our music video from the credibility of the band name alone, as well as the well known song due to its use within the popular video game ‘Borderlands’ therefore further enhancing the promotion of our piece.
An image showing the video game in which our chosen song was used as part of the promotional package making it recognisable to a wider audience.
The shots for these two ancillary texts were taken within the drama studio, one of our locations used for lip syncing within the creation of our music video. This continuity helps further the synergy used within our three texts as these shots within the music video are therefore identifiable to the audience, making it clear that the album art is to promote this specific music video, therefore conforming to the conventions of utilising images taken from our music video into our album artwork and magazine advert.
The colour scheme of red and blue is further enhanced due to this link as mentioned above, which allow us to use lighting and colour so that our audience can identify our texts together. The additional use of a bar code and copy right information upon our album art gives it further authenticity and makes it clear to our audience that we are advertising a product for sale, which strictly follows the conventions of existing media texts.
An image showing our back (left) and front cover (right) of our album artwork, highlighting the mentioned use of the band and song name on the back and front cover.
We challenged other conventions however through the use of the band name being placed on the back cover of our album, instead of the front as shown above, a creative choice which put in place to challenge the audiences expectations whilst conforming to Cage The Elephants’ abstract style and nature within their music videos and album artwork.
Additionally we subverted expectations through not including track listings within the back cover as we felt the focus should be upon our powerful image of our protagonist to enforce his star image and maintain a visually interesting image use of lighting and colour, as the protagonist is silhouetted in front of a red light, and seen on the front cover in front of a blue light, enhancing our main colour scheme whilst enforcing the ideology behind our music video of the protagonist having both a ‘good’ and ‘bad’ side to his characters, taken from our interpretation of the lyrics “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked”. We felt that the text would obstruct the image therefore we placed track listing within the inside panels of our album art to conform to the convention of including this vital information, whilst allowing our back cover image to remain engaging for the audience.
Furthermore we chose not to include and images of a band unlike existing album artwork, wherein a band image is used to promote song and band, however as we did not include a band within our music video we did not use one within our album artwork to ensure consistency within our work. This creative decision also allowed us to, whilst subverting one convention, focus on another as we had therefore the protagonist as the main focus, once again enhancing his star image to the audience.
Our completed Digi-Pak album artwork
Within our magazine advert we also developed some conventions, such as the use of the same text and font for continuity as well as the repetition of the band name and song so that the audience could recognise the link between the two ancillary texts easily. This can be further seen as the same image is used within the album art front cover as within the magazine article, the only difference being the magazine article image is zoomed in to create further focus on the protagonist whilst choosing a select part of the overall image to transfer onto the advert making it visually interesting and engaging for the audience. This repetition and reconfiguration of the image allowed us to maintain key themes such as our colour scheme therefore showing clear links back to our music video to conform to the idea that these texts are directly promoting our music video.
The use of the ‘Relentless record’ logo also allows us to enforce the idea of our work being a branded product which is being advertised, again confirming this of advertisement idea to the audience through both ancillary texts, showing their effectiveness as part of a promotional package for our music video.
The limited release dates and information on the music video however can be seen as a weakness to our work, as this subverts the expectations and conventions seen on existing adverts for bands and music videos, as we wished to limit text so that we did not draw attention away from our main image. However the limited use of text impacts upon the authenticity of our piece as a whole, although we believe this ancillary text still works effectively to draw the audiences attention towards our music video and therefore serves it purpose well to promote our music video in similar ways to existing texts.
Finally within our album art and magazine article we didn’t use a ‘new’, profile image of our protagonist, as we understand this is a common convention to photograph the protagonist clearly so that he can be identified by the audience, however we wanted to create interest towards our music video an therefore using this abstract image helped enforce the disjuncture style of our piece, thus prompting the audience, upon seeing the advert, to watch the music video to see more of the protagonist that these abstract images show.
A Magazine Advert for our music video
To conclude our music video and promotional packages used a variety of conventions of existing media texts. By using these conventions such as lip syncing and editing to the beat we were able to conform to the stereotypical features of a music video and develop these techniques further by for example cutting from lip syncing to disjuncture shots to continually engage the audience whilst providing an element of performance within the piece. In addition to this we also subverted conventions such as excluding the use of band footage to give our protagonist more screen time, these ways of subverting the conventions also helped to enhance our work as we were able to keep them engaged within the work and give the audience pleasure through having their expectations challenged.
Rob Anthony's A2 Media Blog 