Task 13: Evaluation Question 1 - In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

My music video both develops and challenges forms and conventions of a typical music video. Andrew Goodwin’s theory states that there are five main key components to a music video. Those key components being Genre characteristics, relationship between lyrics and visuals, relationship between music and visuals, inter textual references and the ‘emphasis of looking’.

For genre characteristics I conform to the con ventions of a typical pop music video. This is because my music video is about love and bad breakups/heart break, although I go a step further by including more serious themes the convention of love and heartbreak is still the base foundation on which my music video is built on.
This theme of love and heartbreak can be seen all over the industry, but a couple examples include the music videos “Blank space” by Taylor swift and “We found love” by Rihanna. Both of which I analysed for my research and planning. These music videos, like mine, show the extremes at both ends of a relationship, from really happy and in love to depressed/angry and violent/abusive.
Another conformity is that pop music videos like to use suggestive imagery and connotations in their music videos. Things such as using colours to display emotions such as red lipstick connoting towards lust and love and black/white connoting to depression and a lack of emotion. I utilise both of these connotations in my music video to express its themes.

In regards to the relationship between lyrics and visuals a clear link can be made between the narrative and lyrics of the music video.  This can be seen in a shot where the lyrics of the music video are being translated visually through an over the shoulder shot. The lyrics are translated in the form of a text message via phone screen. This relationship, however, is quite literal in regards to the lyrics. Less obvious relationships between lyrics and visuals are also made. Such as when the lyric “Take my tears and that's not nearly all” is played, on screen this is visualised through self-harm and the flowing of blood.

Relationship between music and visuals are also made in my music video. I use music in a variety of ways in my music video. One example of this would be using the music as timing for cuts. The song tainted love has a very distinct pair of beats that are used rhythmical and periodically throughout the song which gives the song its distinct flare. The two beats are very impactful thuds, I use this impact to integrate/complement a series of Jump cuts that cut at the start of each short beat.
My music also develops the conventions of a typical music video through how it is edited. Towards the end the relation between music video and visual is expressed through how the visuals are editing. As the music video nears the end and the music starts to slow down the visuals that can be seen are scenes previously seen in the music video but now in reverse, this connotes/suggests the desire to undo what has happened and to amend the past.

Furthermore Inter textual references are made through things such as mise en scene. Notably biblical references are made. This can visually be seen through a scene where a snake is wrapped around an apple. This references to Adam and Eve and their corruption to sin, this idea of corruption and sin fits perfectly into the message I wish to deliver in my music video as it is about the deterioration of love and relationships.