How Does Your Product Use or Challenge the Codes and

Conventions and How Do They Represent Social Groups or Issues?

Either following the codes and conventions of our music video genre or working contrary to it
will be critically evaluated in this question.
In a music video codes consist of technical codes which include the equipment, camera work and
editing done to narrate the story in the media text. It also consists of symbolic codes. These are
inclusive all the connotations and denotations used to read between the lines and show the deep
meaning behind it.
Genre conventions in the other hand are the widely recognized elements of a real media text
associated with a specific genre

I believe our product has followed the codes and conventions of an Adult or Alternative /
Contemporary Pop genre based music videos but also at some points has worked contrary to it,
further challenging the codes and conventions.

Star Image- Richard Dyer

One of the conventions is that such genre based music videos promote Star Image as their main
product. Our music video consists of performances with close ups and mid shots of the artist,
following the Richard dyers theory. But I would not say the star image was our main selling
point. It is focused more on the concept or narrative rather than the performance.
Lighting
Another convention we worked contrary to was the use of Bright colours through out. As our
message was related to a social issue and had a sad meaning to it. Our colour palette used was
mostly dull shades of black, purple and warm yellow lighting. Sunlight or daylight was used for
two the of the narratives and a three point lighting along with colourful fairy lights were used at
the last scene to add a pop of colour and portray happiness in that safe haven place in our music
video.

Clothing and Styling

The clothing and styling of our characters want based on the entirely to dress them in the latest
trended clothes but to style them in such a way that the audience can easily recognize the
stereotype they're representing.

For the Sissy guy we dressed him in sweat pants and Green coloured joggers.

The girl subject to slut shaming was dressed in a black off shoulder shirt tucked inside the skinny
jeans with heavy makeup on her face. So the girl called fake follows the convention and codes of
a pop genre based on her outfit, hair and makeup with popping red lips and smokey eyes.

The Hijabi was dressed in western clothing covering her entire body with stylish clothes and a
scarf on her head.
However the last we added colour codes of happiness with their clothing s well. We dressed
them in much brighter and fresh colours in the last scene.

Stereotypes
Our characters acted as the stereotypes in a typical pop music genre based music videos. Usually
there is clubbing, dancing and a lot of voyeuristic or sexualised act.

In our music video the slut shamed girl portrayed the girl who dresses up in a way that people
call her desperate and attention seeking girl. While the other hijabi's scene is shown in a club like
location to see she has a life and want to enjoy but people still judge her as she is wearing a scarf
on her head and so call her a hypocrite for dancing in the club and covering her head at the same
time. The sissy guy acted the stereotype of a guy who is always bullied by the other guys

This made our characters relate to the audience watching them.

Location and setting

Most of the contemporary/ adult pop genre is located in expensive luxurious locations. The
setting was kept specifically in accordance with the scene. For example a school gives a sense of
casual school atmosphere. On the other hand the sissy boy and Hijabi's scene on the street and
club weren't shown as very luxurious locations.

However in order to give the required sense to the scenes we managed the lighting and set up
accordingly. For example in the club scene, we used disco lights in dark lighting along with a red
tufting backdrop to give rich look to some extent.

Camerawork and Editing

Usually pop songs have an upbeat pace with fast cuts with many different angles. This was used
in our music video as we angles one shot through many different angles keeping rule of one
third, 180 degree rule in mind. A lot of mid and close up shots were used. The editing was done
keeping in mind the best of the music.

The first thing that comes to the audience's mind when they hear 'Fight Song' is a break up or a
love story with heart break at the end. This isn't what we wanted to show. We wanted to bring an
immensely strong concept targeting 3 social aspects in this song. And as being cinematographer
as well as the editor, I was able to extract and give my best in producing such strong and
emotional music video, along with the help of my group members and balance out between the
codes and conventions followed and challenged.
-Laura Mulvey
In pop music videos camera work is done in such a way that the angles emphasis on voyeuristic
aspects of women. Pop videos typically are from the idea of Laura Mulvey's theory of women
representation in a negative manner or as a sex symbol.

We followed her theory not to portray a negative image of a girl but in order to make our
narrative more understandable we had to use voyeuristic camerawork slightly, at some points.

When the girl subject to slut shaming enter the school and sits a camera focuses her body part,
lower than the abdomen, from behind. The focus is put on her Butt. Apart from that a close up
shot of her shoulder showing her bra strap and the judging looks making her pull up the shirt and
cover her shoulder creates an impact of the male gaze. But our main purpose of such
representation was to bring out a strong messaging of not judging others and making their lives
miserable.

-Andrew Goodwin Theory

Relationship between lyrics and the visuals

Usually there is a link between the lyrics and the visuals in pop music videos. Our visuals do
not go along with every lyric. However the whole meaning of the lyrics is clearly defined as
a whole in the entire video.

Genre Characteristics
My music video does follow the set of genre conventions to some extent.
 Relationship between music and visuals
This point is mainly followed while editing the music video. The cuts and pace is set
according to the beats of the music. These are the examples Ive taken from my music
video that perfectly sync in with the bet of the music. These shots have been given
positive feedback from my target audience as well in terms of the editing.

Emphasis On Looking
As mentioned above there is a slight male face as well as the breaking of the fourth wall a
lot of times throughout the music video to engage the audience more.
Our artist as well as our 3 main characters follows the notion and looking. This is also
used widely in Pop and pop sub genre based music videos.

Sven E Carlson
 He believes that there are two types of music video. One is based on the performance and
other on the Narrative
The Performance is further categorised into three ways:
o Commercial Exhibitionist
o Television Bard
o Electronic Shaman

My music video puts more focus on to the narrative rather than performance. But the
little performance added is a Television Bard. The artist sings about a story and uses
other images and scenes around.

Steve Archer
My music video cuts and develops coherent relationship between narratives and the song of the
artist. I made sure there are various cuts showing both the narrative and the performance
simultaneously, but with narrative outgrowing the performance.

Representation of Social Groups and Issues

Demographics

Age
The age group targeted in my music video is teenagers to early 20s. All the actors selected were
in this age range and both the female characters were specifically chosen as they could
understand their roles personally since they had such judgment in their personal lives as well. So
this led to the acting and their emotions on point which connected the audience.

Gender
We did not want our music video to be about women empowerment, hence we added a guy to tell
the audience that men do cry. Men do have such difficulties faced as well on an equal level.

Class
We represented an upper middle class since the lower class does not approve of clubbing,
hanging out with the boys or even wearing western clothes.

Employment status: Student & employed

Psychographics: Explorers