1. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR MEDIA
PRODUCT USE, DEVELOP OR
CHALLENGE FORMS AND
CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA
PRODUCTS?
CONVENTIONS OF AN EDM MUSIC PRODUCT IN CONTRAST TO A POP MUSIC
PRODUCT
Conventions of an EDM music video, illustrate that it is a norm for this genre music video, to be less
performance based and more narrative. This shows that as it is more narrative based, it gives the
audience something to connectto.However,conventionsofa pop music video showsthat the audience
targeted for this genre canfeel connectedtothe music throughlove andrelationships. Incomparisonto
EDM music videos, pop videos are less narrative, and more performancebased. MEDIA PRODUCT
The media product that we have created is a music video, in which the song we have chosen is “Where
AreÜ Now”by Skrillex andDiplo featuring JustinBieber. This song,is a mix of bothEDM andPop.Inthe
processofcreating ourmusic video, we discussedas a groupthat weneeded to incorporateconventions
that are significant to both music genres. When
looking at songs of these genres, we realized
that most EDMmusic videos were not relative to
thelyrics inthe song.Forexample,“Titanium”by
David GuettafeaturingSia, portraysa youngboy
whois seen as dangeroustothose aroundhim.
However,the lyrics indicate that the protagonist
is ‘bulletproof’ and is like titanium. This
illustrates that the boy is supernatural. This
provesthat EDMmusic videosare narrative as theytell the audienceastory thatthe lyricsdo notportray.
Ontheotherhand,Popmusic videostells usastorytroughthelyrics andusuallyillustrates aperformance
(danceroutine and/orlip syncing) throughoutthemusic video. Oneexample ofthis, is in the song“Body
on me” by Chris Brown featuringRita Ora. The story tells us about a girl whohas just moved into a new
apartment, and eventually falls in love with her neighbor. Pop music videos, are most likely to illustrate
aboutlove andrelationships rather than show their audience a moved structuredstory.
In our music video, we decided to incorporate a storyline that was relative to the lyrics of the – which
incorporates the EDM genre- and includes a story of a relationship between two friends (POP).Wealso
chose to include a range of flashing lights, as the colours used, would relate to a certain time. In one of
2. the scenesin ourvideo, I am seen mid-shot in-frontofa black backgroundandwithcoloursflashingover
me. The coloursused in this scene, rangesfrom red, orange,blue, green and purple. The red and orange
were used to symbolise the anger that my character has towards Akshata’s character after leaving, the
blue however,symbolises that my characterisable tomove onwith calmattitude despite the anger.The
idea ofthe flashingcolourswere taken fromEDM videos as they sometimes show scenesthat take place
in clubs and parties. In our music video, we chose not to incorporate any dancing as we wanted our
audience to feel in a way, connected emotionally with the characters in the video. This shows that we
were able tosubvert the conventionofa normal popmusic video.
Real conventions in music videos, convey that music videos are created in a way to make the audience
connectwiththe song.When a song is released without a video, the only way the audience can connect
with the songis throughthe lyrics. However, music videos allow the audience to connectwith the song
every time it is played. The real conventions of music videos, are sometimes utilised as a form of
advertisement. For example, “California King Bed” by Rihanna is also sexualizes Rihanna due to the
costumes she is wearing and the use of red lipstick. This was used as a form of advertisement, as a shot
was taken fromthe video, andused onthe coverofthe digipak that wasused to promote the song.
When looking at the digipaks of EDM andpop songs,it is clear that the conventionsofthe music videos,
applies tothe digipaks andother forms ofadvertisements also. The digipak for the original song“Where
AreÜ Now”,illustrates the sign “Ü”in big fonton the frontcover.The background,isa frame of pictures
of different people. As a group, we compared our ideas to the original and noticed that our ideas in
comparison to the original, we not similar. We have a range of four different ideas that follow a variety
of conventions. Contrasting to the original digipak, we have chosen a variety of conventions. Whereas
the original digipak hasnot.The conventionsofEDM andpopcombined that wehave chosen,isflashing
lights acrossthecover,animage ofthetwomain charactersthatindicate the relationship that theyhave,
or a close-upofmy face showingemotion with additional animations.
The utilization of conventionsthat we have in our video, will appeal to our audience as we incorporated
a variety that ouraudiencewill be able toemotionally connectto. Throughtheuse ofdirect eye contact,
I was able to allow the audience to experience what I did, and ‘let them in’ on the emotion and story
illustrated in the video. Aswe have shot scenesthat are taken in colourfulplaces, for example, the ‘state
of mind’ shot, flashing lights and throwing colours scene, I feel that these scenes in particular, would
attract our audience. This is because, we have a variety of shots and colours that are also seen as
attractive and appealing. Also, because these colours are in relation to the storyline and are relevant to
the friendship between the twocharactersas their first memory was broughtbycolour.
Ourmusic video, has developed the conventionsofreal media products,as wecontributed to the forms
and conventions by including those of contrasting genres. In a way, the forms and conventions of both
EDM and Pop can be connected, as an EDM media product can portray a storyline of love and
relationships between characters, and a pop media product can portray a performance based media
productaboutlove and relationships
