Lucy Malkin

1. IN WHAT WAYS DOES YOUR PRODUCT, USE DEVELOP OR CHALLENGE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS?

VIDEO: USING CONVENTIONS My Music video does include abstract elements and escapist influences that are featured in Florence and the Machine videos. This is evident in the section of my video in which the girl is in ‘heaven’ while she is running around in the countryside. This section is meant to symbolize that she has been freed by her previous overdose and is now in some form of abstract afterlife. This fantasy theme is most strongly portrayed in Florence and the Machine’s video for ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)’ as it includes an Alice in Wonderland theme and uses a lot of abstract imagery and editing effects that is similar to my product.

VIDEO: DEVELOP CONVENTIONSI developed the abstract and psychedelic conventions of Florence and the Machine videos by using them in order to create a strong narrative, which is something that their videos usually lack. Instead of including just the abstract countryside scenes are their own, I combined flashbacks into them via the use of layering, and a section prior to it was added of the girls previous life and her overdose in order to develop a back story. Thus taking the narrative further.

VIDEO: CHALLENGE CONVENTIONSAlthough I largely used the conventions of Florence and Machine videos in my own product, I did go against those conventions by including real life, hard hitting topics such as depression, suicide and domestic abuse that aren’t the norm of Florence and the Machine. I decided to go against this convention in order to give my product more depth and to make the content more interesting. I took inspiration from Ed Sheeran videos, specifically his videos for ‘Give me Love’ and ‘The A Team’, as these videos use the black and white filter that I have included in my product and both include dark narratives that center around societal issues.

DIGIPAK- USING CONVENTIONS While deciding which content from my music video would be included in the did pack, I kept the conventions of the artists album covers in mind. The main similarity between my product and Florence and the Machine albums is that they both include images of the artist. I chose to use this particular convention as I believe an artist image is useful as it indicates to its target audience exactly who the artist is, so they can know what kind of music to expect.

DIGIPAK- CHALLENGING CONVENTIONSI challenged the conventions of a ‘Florence and the Machine’ album by including imagery that doesn’t feature the artist themselves, and focuses more on the topics of the music itself. As I included images of pills and an empty vodka bottle. I did this in order to symbolise both the positive and negative messages that are evident in the artists musical content, which gives my product more depth as it would have if it simply included images of the artist.

MAGAZINE ADVERT- USING CONVENTIONSWhile creating this product, I made the decision to stick strongly to the artist’s conventions, as this product is being used to advertise the album, I thought it would be best to use a strong artist identity. One convention that I used most overtly is the nature theme, as my magazine advert features flowers and an environmental setting, which is used in Florence and the Machines magazine advert for her album ‘Lungs’. I chose not to go against conventions by including black and white images, as I have done in my previous products, as I felt it appropriate to link this product to the artist as opposed to being creative and sending out a message.