1. "Media texts rely on audience knowledge of generic codes and conventions in order for them to
create meaning." Analyse one of your coursework productions in relation to genre.
I agree with the above statements that generic codes and conventions rely on audience's previous
knowledge in order for texts to be fundamentally decoded. In relation to genre, my A2 pop music
video conformed to many conventions in order to draw in my young target audience of females aged
16-24 and for its purpose to entertain to be instantly recognised.
Theorist Steve Neal (1980) said that 'genre are instances of repetition and difference' which meant
some conventions had to be adhered to whilst still using unique features in order to deviate and
engage the audience. Firstly, the pop genre was exercised through the use of an aesthetical pleasing
female artist, which the audience can recognise as it is a music genre dominated by and read by
women. However, I deviated from the 'norm' of mise-en-scene in order to create a unique and
interesting music video that my audience will want to continue to watch. For example,
intertextuality references to the 1950s was seen in the costume of the A-line red polka dot dress and
props such as the classic rotary telephone. Although this subverted the 'modern' visuals expected to
be seen in pop music videos the familiar use of iconography of the 1950s enhanced the femininity of
the artist whilst offering the audience interesting mise-en-scene. The artist's costume also changed
according to location, a convention popular amongst female pop artist in order to make her more
desirable and perceived as 'fashionable'. The adoption of props such as the artist smoking a cigarette
provided connotations of carelessness and rebellion of my artist, a common convention often
repeated in other texts which the audience can automatically decode.
In regards to shot types I decided to adhere to popular generic codes seen in music videos in order
for my audience to recognise the structure and enhance the repeatability. For example, a prolific
amount of extreme close-ups of the artist's lips so the lip syncing was visible to the audience to
decode and enhance the sexuality of the artist. This convention I had seen in other pop music video,
such as Marina and the Diamonds' 'Hollywood' video. This is particularly important as it also adhered
to Laura Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' theory as lips are symbolic to sexualised the artist and also for the
female audience to desire to be admired the same way as the artist, by males. This was enhanced by
a mid-shot in the style of an over-the-shoulder shot whilst the artist was seen putting on lipstick in
the mirror. This also conformed to the convention of first person mode of address as the artist
looked directly towards to camera. Furthermore, allowing the audience to build a rapport with the
artist, a typical feature of pop videos in order to keep them engaged.
Features such as lighting is often manipulated in pop music videos in order to create symbolic
meanings for the audience to decode. For example, location of the light source was used as back
lighting behind the artist in order to create a halo effect. This convention was adopted by Lana Del
Rey in her pop music video "Summertime Sadness" which I decided to incorporate in order to
conform to the genre. This symbolised the angelic and pure persona of the artist, which evidently
relied on the audience's knowledge of other texts to apply this meaning.
I followed Andrew Goodwin genre category of amplification in order to retain a link to the lyrics of
'Living Dead' whilst still being subjective. This is seen in the equilibrium of the indoors in contrast
with the dark and vacant night time setting which connotes the disequilibrium, adhering the
Todorov's construction of narrative. The narrative is closed as the ending is created through the use

2. of a fade out to signify it has finished. This post-editing of a fade out is one my audience would
recognise from other texts, especially in music videos.
In terms of post-editing several techniques were adopted in order to create meaning, using ADobe
Premiere Elements 8.0. This can be seen with the dominant use of straight cuts in order to quickly
change from one shot to the next. It was also cut in time with the beat, enhancing the entertainment
value of the music video and the up-beat, fun 'pop' connotations of the video. This was also used
with repeated shots of my artist, especially with her singing against a blank wall, enhancing its
repeatability. This was also contrasted with less frequent straight cuts in the bridge of the song,
which was slow in order to connote the reflexive mood of the shot. A black and white overlay effect
was also used here to add variation to the text, adhering the Neal's theory of genre. Increased
brightness and saturation was used on the choruses to make the artist more aesthetically appealing,
a convention often seen in music videos in order to appeal to the mass audience. Using these
techniques, especially in creased saturation provided a hyper reality around my artist, a convention
which audiences like to see in order to provide them with means of 'escapism'.
The music video was distributed via the web 2.0 platform of Youtube. This is a common platform
used by real artists in order to appeal to their target market and allowing the audience to share it
virally. Overall I believe that the pop genre as these conventions contributed to the overall identity
of the product and can be easily recognised by mainstream society as a music video. The
representation of my artist as "cool" through fashionable outfits and repeating shot types allowed
my audience to decode her as desirable whilst still being entertaining in order to market the song.
MISE EN SCENE, COSTUME PROPS AND LIGHTING
CAMERA ANGLES AND SHOT TYPES
POST EDITING TECHNIQUES