The visual media product that I have created, which is a
music video is very similar to any true media product. It uses some of the
conventions, for example Andrew Goodwin’s theory, which states that there is a
clear connection between the lyrics, visuals and the music. In my music video I
stayed mostly true to this theory as I ensured that the editing went at the
same speed as the beat, the visuals of the video linked to the lyrics and so
on. Yet at the same time at some points of the video I did not adhere to this
theory intentionally as I wanted to include intertextual references that are
not mentioned in the lyrics and exclude some that are, for example “You’re the Obi Wan Kenobi’s” as I felt
that a Star Wars reference was not needed.
As for the relationship between music and the visuals I
intended for there to be a clear connection. The genre of my chosen song is
dance. Dance music video conventions usually include dark spaces, bright
costumes, and neon lights and so on. As well the conventions include fast
paces, disorientating editing that seems to be very party-esque. Because of the
said conventions in the actual video we had the main artist wearing bright
clothing and makeup to make her stand out. The locations that we filmed at were
dark to imply night and nightlife and parties. We also had a lot of colourful
repeating special effects in the editing to make it so that our video hits very
hard on the visual impact. Yet even though we focused on partying in our music
video, as the conventions suggest, we did challenge one of them. Usually in
dance music videos there is no performance. And if there is – it is the artist
working a DJ booth. More often than not we only get a glance of the artist in
the background as a part of the crowd,
or the artist doesn’t even appear in the music video. I wanted to challenge
this sturdy convention therefore I had my artist be throughout the whole video
as the main performer.
The way that we chose to represent our artist in the music
video fits more to the pop music conventions. Not only do we have the artist
performing throughout the video, the shots including the artist are mostly
close up and mid shots which is a main feature in pop music video conventions.
We still took this and made it work in our dance music video. Seeing as it
would be the first single on an unknown artist, the use of the close up shots
would be easily explainable. The artist already had a strong star image, but
not appearing in a video would not let anyone see and memorize it. The mid and
close up shots are used to let the audience connect to the artist, learn and
memorize their face and form a bond.
Beyond close ups I have also used a variety of camera
movements in my music video. Hand held camera movements we used and the
clustered party scenes to indicate the claustrophobic effect of this many
people in a small space. Panning and tracking were also used in the beginning of
the video as a way to show the sterility and artificiality of the constant
monitoring that is going on by and of the main artist. Still shots on a tripod
helped the audience be launched between the narrative side and the performance
side of the music video.
Coming back to the challenged conventions, I have challenged
Laura Mulveys male gaze theory on voyeurism. Yes, indeed, at the beginning we did
represent the main artist being watched but we did not represent her in a
sexual way. Usually if dance music artists are female and they appear in music
videos – they are scantily clad, dancing suggestively and there are close ups
on overly sexualized parts of their bodies, like their breasts and posteriors.
In our music video however, we had the artist fully dressed and actually barely
shoring any skin. She had purpose in the video, greater than to be a visual aid
as a decoration. And as follows there were no overly sexualized close ups and
they would have been completely out of place.
We included an array of intertextual references in our music
video as well. Seeing as intertextual references are quite a big convention in
music videos we had to accommodate it in our media product. We had referenced Donnie
Darko when using the relatively creepy bunny mask for one of the performers. We
also had the main artist chasing and looking for the ‘bunny’ much as Donnie in
the film. Also, in the same narrative spot we have a reference to Alice in
Wonderland seeing as by following the ‘bunny’ the artist appears in a different
world. We also referenced the alternatie universe theory which states that
there is an unlimited variations in the many planes of the universe and we just
happen to occupy and be conscious at this current one at the present. We made
an intertextual reference to that by setting our music video at an alternative,
quite dystopian reality which shifts and changes according to our main artists
actions.
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