Evaluation Question 1A

How do your products use or challenge conventions?


Common Conventions of music Videos

• Intertextuality: Intertextuality is the process of creating references to any kind of media text via another media text. There are many examples of this, however a music video in which the intertextuality is very clear is in the music video for Gwen Stefani's song 'What you waiting for'. She references Disney's film 'Alice in Wonderland' throughout the video.
  
• Narrative/Performance/Concept: These are the 3 main different styles of music video. Narrative is when there is a storyline featured. This can be in chronological order, or it could be fragmented.
  
• Dance Routines: Dance routines are a very important aspect of music video, particularly when engaging with an audience/target audience. Simple dance routines are extremely important as they are very easy for fans to copy and recreate. This is something very common in girl and boy bands as their audiences include young female fans, who are more likely to recreate the moves. This links into the uses and gratification theory, which describes the main reasons people consume a media text.  
  
• Stereotypes: There are often stereotypes in music videos, many of which are negative and inaccurate representations. For example, women in music video are often represented as over-sexualized. They are often shown dancing provocatively or wearing tight or little clothing. This links into Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze. There is also the argument of feminism and post-feminism

• Lipsynching: Very important when achieving verisimilitude, there also needs to be convincing playing of instruments/dancing. This is particularly important for rock/metal bands as they want to prove their authenticity: that they do play all the instruments and the vocals are theirs and un-edited.

• Voyerism: Male/Female Gaze

• Special Effects: special effects are very important in music videos, as unlike a film or tv show episode, you watch a music video many times, therefore it has to be interesting. The special effects that are commonly found in music videos are: Layering, Slow-motion, Green Screen, Cutting to the beat and Emphasizing the drop. Long takes must also be avoiding in music videos, again to keep the audience engaged.
  

• Costume Change: This is when the characters/performers in the video change costume. This is to keep the video more diverse and interesting. Although it is very common among female artists, male artists also have costume changes in their music videos. This is also something that fans can re-create.
  
• Todorov's Theory of Equilibrium: This can be applied to the narratives in music videos, particularly linear narratives, as they often start out, for example, as a couple together, happy. There are then a few scenes of them fighting and finally a break up.
  

How did we use or challenge conventions?

(Vodcast)

This is the script I created for the vodcast: 

INTERTEXTUALITY IN OUR VIDEO

In our music video, there are a few cases of intertextual references.

Firstly, the underwater/swimming pool scene references and was inspired by 'This is Gospel' By Panic! At The Disco. 

The lying position from this video is something that we have replicated in our own. It is also quite similar as there is a source of light shining into the water.   

We also were inspired by 'Up in The Air' by 30 Seconds to Mars in terms of the colour powder. However, when we used the colour powder, we focused it on the drums and the end singer rather than a large group of people. 

COMMON CONVENTIONS OF WEBSITES 

Through my research i found the follow common conventions for metal core band websites 

• Black and white/neutral colour scheme 
• Branding is updated to promote new releases (e.g. new single or album) 
• Photos of band/performance
• Simplistic design and fonts (e.g.) not too many photos or links, no over decorative fonts. 

Other Metalcore websites:

 

Our Website:

As you can see, we have used these conventions in order to create a website that really fits well withing the genre and personally i find that it is instantly recognizable as a metal or rock band website.

Representation in our music video

Here we have a long shot of the bands, with the lead singer centrally framed. Our band is composed entirely of male members. This is conforming to the stereotype or idea that rock music is just for men, which in some ways, has become normative. The members also have tattoos and are wearing neutral or dark colours which reinforces their masculinity. We wanted to have this all male band in order to attract an audience as stereotypes sell easily. However, we have a non-objectified female character in the narrative of our music video. She is seen as strong and independent (as she slaps the lead singer). The female character is wearing minimal makeup and has long hair which, allthough not overly dramatic, is still a normative representation

MVid EG 6: Miley Cyrus: Wrecking Ball TBC

Wrecking Ball is a song by American singer, Miley Cyrus. This song was released on August 25, 2013 by RCA Records. It is a pop ballad which's topic describes a relationship deteriorating. 


The song received positive reviews from critics and debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at number fifty. 

As of January 2014, "Wrecking Ball" has sold three million copies in the United States.

An interesting article I found whilst researching the song discusses whether or not the song is actually a 'hit'. This can be found on The Record. 

The music video to this song was released on September 9th 2013, which has inspiration/ is reminiscent of Sinead O'Connor's song 'Nothing Compares 2 U' there is a high level of intertextuality of O'Connor's video in the Wrecking Ball video. (Baudrillard and his theory of Simulacra can be applied to this) 

The critic opinion on this video was largely divided as many considered it to be provocative /inappropriate. 


Miley Cyrus considers herself to be a post-feminist. Wikipedia definition:
"the ideology of postfeminism is often recognised by its contrast with a prevailing or preceding feminism. Postfeminism strives towards the next stage in gender-related societal progress, and as such is often conceived as in favor of a society that is no longer defined bigender binary and gender role."

She believes that feminism assumes male control. She breaks free from this, especially in this video, as although a traditional feminist may see 'Wrecking Ball' as a video where Cyrus is exploited and seen as a sexual object, perhaps even exploited by the director (Terry Richardson, who is involved with a lot of controversy surrounding his exploitation of women) They may also claim that this video is representative of the patriarchal world that we live in.    
However, as a post-feminist, Cyrus believes that instead, she is presenting the idea that she is not trapped at all, and is free, creating art. As a post-feminist, she would also state that the patriarchy is an out-dated term, and does not agree with it. 

Through her hair, Cyrus is breaking gender stereotypes as the repeated stereotype that men should have short hair, and women should have long hair, has become normative in society, therefore making it difficult to break free from this societal construct. Through her hair, Miley Cyrus is being Counter hegemonic, as she decides to ignore the restrictions of society, and break gender stereotypes. 

Another singer who had similar thoughts/beliefs as Cyrus is Annie Lennox, who shocked many people in the 80s due to her short, ginger hair

hegemony, gramsi, annie lennox,

The white tank top that she is wearing, which exposes her strong arms this typically is seen as a male stereotype, and as she is a female wearing this top, with her arms shown as muscular, many would assume her sexuality, and believes she looks like a lesbian. Again, this is a societal construct and very stereotypical. However, the top which is cropped, which also has feminine connotations, so she is mixing up the stereotypes and going against them.   

sigmund freud, the sledgehammer is seen as a phallic object.
caroline vernallis, musicologist would disagree with the choices in the video, 

she uses direct mode of address, when swinging on the ball which can have both sexual, and non sexual connotations (engaging with the audience).