In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?
How have I used forms and conventions? Despite the fact that there is a shallow focus (which is another semiotic and convention of rap/Hip-Hop music videos) you can see that the road is quiet as there is nobody there, and that the musician is wearing a chain. The audience can also see that the musician is making eye contact and using the direct address in order to communicate his message to the audience. Another conventional element which is seen rather regularly are things such as hand gestures. These are something that is in every single music video no matter whether it is a rap music video or a pop music video and therefore I feel like this needs to be included and has been, proven by the screen shot above. In rap videos they are typically an expression of confidence and masculinity.
These are shown throughout the professional videos especially in "Starboy" by the Weeknd where the main icon is a man with a piece of jewellery and "Don't" by Bryson Tiller. In these there are various scenes (Particularly "Dont" and my third music video, "Stressed Out" by Twenty One Pilots) where the main roads are completely quiet and there are things such as establishing shots which I would also associate with Hip-Hop songs because the scene informs the viewer what the musician is going to rap about and what the lyrics may be associated with.
Throughout my music video, I have used stereotypes such as a gold chain as the music comes in and the protagonist of my music video actually begins to rap properly. He also shows it off at the end when he is below the statue which he is mirroring, while doing this he is laughing because rappers are known to be able to do whatever they want and therefore, I feel that the pose I chose for my protagonist is one which perpetuates this feeling of freedom. Next is the clothing, as I previously mentioned it is commonly known that rappers wear what they like and it is always designer and expensive. They do this to show off their status and wealth. While this is something that I contradicted at the beginning and the middle of my music video, it is something that I exposed at the end when the rapper is expressing himself, he is seen wearing a long designer coat with a gold chain underneath his jumper. Therefore, I feel that I have reinforced this stereotypical representation.
The mise en scene and the quiet/loud roads along with the images of the tube are something that I really wanted to get right. The locations featured in music videos are often ordinary places to which the audience can relate to. My use of location and establishing shots early on sets the emotion, the tone, the atmosphere and immerses the audience in the world of the video. This could be linked to the Diversion/Escapism element of the Uses & Gratifications model. For me the quiet roads meant things such as privacy and everything being close and therefore trapping/stifling. However, with the transition to the large roads there was a sense of space and freedom and freewill, and therefore this is why I chose to change the scene towards the end.
Furthermore, the thing that every single rapper does is show eye contact towards the camera, to express confidence. My protagonist was always looking at the camera in order to show things such as confidence and direct appeal. The final main convention that I followed was the low camera angle shots, I began with a slight low angle due to the aim of showing the fear and annoyance through the body language of my protagonist along with some low angles at the end (although slight), towards the end it was to show the sign of confidence and happiness like the previous topic of hand gestures, I feel like these two things go hand in hand because of the message that they send across.
How have I developed existing conventions? Next is what I developed. The main (and only) thing that I believe that I developed was the fact that rappers were not always rappers, beforehand they had day jobs and they have only ever explored this very vaguely. However, I have developed this convention by showing the transformation from a regular person to a very popular person. Although this is something that the rappers discuss in their songs, I feel like it is something that can be expressed and used a lot more and this is why I did this in mine. As you can see by the image below, the protagonist is wearing a full suit and is still living a normal life at this stage in the music video.
How have I challenged existing conventions? Finally, the elements that I challenged. The stereotypes that I challenged were the fact that the protagonist was very shy at the start and very sensitive showing emotion on his face rather than through the body language. Another thing along these lines was the fact that the protagonist was listening to his music through his earphones, the stereotype is that the protagonist listens to the music through a speaker or though his fast car, however, he was using public transport and he was listening it though his earphones, this in my opinion shows embarrassment and insecurities and self-consciousness. Furthermore, at the start of the music video, the protagonist refused to look at the camera and basically ignore it, I feel like this shows shyness as well. Furthermore, I also feel that the rapper wearing a suit also challenged the stereotype that most if not all rappers are in their music videos wearing expensive clothing along with a chain, however, in this opening sequence, the protagonist was doing nothing which followed the conventions.
Overall, I feel that the analysis of the existing media products that I did on music videos allowed me to gain a strong idea on what to include and what not to include and therefore, I understood what conventions and semiotics that I could include and develop and which ones would not be incorporated at all due the fact that it wouldn't fit and would not even be something that challenges as the type of action would not fit at all. I felt that I was able to develop the uprising of the rapper as it is something that hasn't been done very often to this level of detail and therefore I felt that this was original and makes my music video stand out from others. Furthermore, in terms of the signs and symbols that I followed there were more obvious things such as the mise en scene and the camera work and what I should have and shouldn't have included. Furthermore the fast editing is also another convention of hip hop and rap music videos due to the fast paced lyrics and the flow of the song. I feel that my music video didn't follow the conventions overall because the majority of the music videos are focused on the masculinity of the man and women and drugs, however, none of these came up in the music video. The other main one was money and showing off what the rapper owns and there was a slight inclusion of that with the showing of the gold chain. However, it still wasn't to the same level as the majority of the other rappers who wear 10 gold chains, rings and also tailor made clothing which is universally known for being expensive.
Throughout my music video, I have used stereotypes such as a gold chain as the music comes in and the protagonist of my music video actually begins to rap properly. He also shows it off at the end when he is below the statue which he is mirroring, while doing this he is laughing because rappers are known to be able to do whatever they want and therefore, I feel that the pose I chose for my protagonist is one which perpetuates this feeling of freedom. Next is the clothing, as I previously mentioned it is commonly known that rappers wear what they like and it is always designer and expensive. They do this to show off their status and wealth. While this is something that I contradicted at the beginning and the middle of my music video, it is something that I exposed at the end when the rapper is expressing himself, he is seen wearing a long designer coat with a gold chain underneath his jumper. Therefore, I feel that I have reinforced this stereotypical representation.
The mise en scene and the quiet/loud roads along with the images of the tube are something that I really wanted to get right. The locations featured in music videos are often ordinary places to which the audience can relate to. My use of location and establishing shots early on sets the emotion, the tone, the atmosphere and immerses the audience in the world of the video. This could be linked to the Diversion/Escapism element of the Uses & Gratifications model. For me the quiet roads meant things such as privacy and everything being close and therefore trapping/stifling. However, with the transition to the large roads there was a sense of space and freedom and freewill, and therefore this is why I chose to change the scene towards the end.
Furthermore, the thing that every single rapper does is show eye contact towards the camera, to express confidence. My protagonist was always looking at the camera in order to show things such as confidence and direct appeal. The final main convention that I followed was the low camera angle shots, I began with a slight low angle due to the aim of showing the fear and annoyance through the body language of my protagonist along with some low angles at the end (although slight), towards the end it was to show the sign of confidence and happiness like the previous topic of hand gestures, I feel like these two things go hand in hand because of the message that they send across.
How have I developed existing conventions? Next is what I developed. The main (and only) thing that I believe that I developed was the fact that rappers were not always rappers, beforehand they had day jobs and they have only ever explored this very vaguely. However, I have developed this convention by showing the transformation from a regular person to a very popular person. Although this is something that the rappers discuss in their songs, I feel like it is something that can be expressed and used a lot more and this is why I did this in mine. As you can see by the image below, the protagonist is wearing a full suit and is still living a normal life at this stage in the music video.
How have I challenged existing conventions? Finally, the elements that I challenged. The stereotypes that I challenged were the fact that the protagonist was very shy at the start and very sensitive showing emotion on his face rather than through the body language. Another thing along these lines was the fact that the protagonist was listening to his music through his earphones, the stereotype is that the protagonist listens to the music through a speaker or though his fast car, however, he was using public transport and he was listening it though his earphones, this in my opinion shows embarrassment and insecurities and self-consciousness. Furthermore, at the start of the music video, the protagonist refused to look at the camera and basically ignore it, I feel like this shows shyness as well. Furthermore, I also feel that the rapper wearing a suit also challenged the stereotype that most if not all rappers are in their music videos wearing expensive clothing along with a chain, however, in this opening sequence, the protagonist was doing nothing which followed the conventions.
Overall, I feel that the analysis of the existing media products that I did on music videos allowed me to gain a strong idea on what to include and what not to include and therefore, I understood what conventions and semiotics that I could include and develop and which ones would not be incorporated at all due the fact that it wouldn't fit and would not even be something that challenges as the type of action would not fit at all. I felt that I was able to develop the uprising of the rapper as it is something that hasn't been done very often to this level of detail and therefore I felt that this was original and makes my music video stand out from others. Furthermore, in terms of the signs and symbols that I followed there were more obvious things such as the mise en scene and the camera work and what I should have and shouldn't have included. Furthermore the fast editing is also another convention of hip hop and rap music videos due to the fast paced lyrics and the flow of the song. I feel that my music video didn't follow the conventions overall because the majority of the music videos are focused on the masculinity of the man and women and drugs, however, none of these came up in the music video. The other main one was money and showing off what the rapper owns and there was a slight inclusion of that with the showing of the gold chain. However, it still wasn't to the same level as the majority of the other rappers who wear 10 gold chains, rings and also tailor made clothing which is universally known for being expensive.
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