Evaluation post - question 1

My brief was to create a media product of a three- five minute music video. The purpose of a music video is to advertise/promote the artist and their album/song/, represent the artist and tell a story.

These elements to a music video are achieved within music videos throughout my chosen genre of soul thus making them conventional elements providing me with another reason to incorporate them into my music video. I was even able to look for inspiration when considering this via analysing music videos by my chosen artist Amy Winehouse. For instance within her music video 'Stronger than me' the artist is represented t be a strong, independent woman struggling at the hands of her overly attached lover. The struggle the artist feels within her relationship tells a story and the video is able to advertise both the artist and the song.

The artists use of Mise en scene regarding her body language and facial expressions for the opening clip of the video whereby the artist is shown first laying her eyes on her lover within the video and it is apparent that she is un-pleased with what she sees. As she rising her arm and places her hand on her hip this is a stance which is commonly associated with someone having the upper ground as it conveys that the person doing it is confident thus portraying Winehouse to be a strong stand alone woman. Her facial expressions inform the audience of her judgement for him as she screws her face up and rolls her eyes when looking in his direction. These examples of Mise en scene within the video are useful as they demonstrate to the audience the artists feelings towards her lover enabling the audience to obtain an understanding of the narrative as they are aware of what she does certain things and what the situation is. The use of a good narrative is also able to promote the artist as this as recgonised as being her work and therefore makes her more respectable. The artist is able to promote herself throughout the video as so much performance is included on her part, for instance there are a variation of close up shots of the artist lip syncing this highlights how talented the artist is as she is showcasing her talent of singing thus this promotes the artist as the audience view her to be a successful person due to her talent because she is shown to be using it to it's advantages. The artist is able to relate the music video back to her chosen genre of soul through the use of codes and conventions which therefore apply the genre to the artist and the narrative as the music video as a package becomes suited to it. This also helps the audience to understand that the individual song the music video is promoting is belonging to the soul genre as the audience connote these conventions with the song as they remember the video when they hear the song.  Examples of where the artist has used this technique within her music video are through the voyeuristic approach she has used so to present herself. This is stereotypical as since the period when the genre was captured (50s/60s) the genre hasn't developed much and this is because the audience are fans of it's classical vibes. Due to which the same kinds of rules, codes and conventions apply hence as during this time period women felt such importance to take care of the way they look at this during this time men were seen as the breadwinners and women were simply 'trophy wives'. Hence even today women of the genre are known to be well presented as they continue to display themselves in the same manner as women of the genre. Again Winehouse uses Mise en scene to present this as she is seen wearing a dress which is rather low cut around her chest showing much cleverage throughout the video.

Taking inspiration from my chosen artist I was able to apply these elements to my own music video  in a mirroring fashion as we shared the same target audience of the soul genre. My artist is represented as being perfectly content on her own, indicating to the audience that she is a strong role model for young women, there is a narrative between the artist and her previous lover which is able to paint her as such and the music video is able to promote both the artist and the song it was created for as the audience gain interest in the artist. Hence my media product is able to successfully use forms and conventions of real media products. It is also able to do as such as my media product follows codes and conventions towards the soul genre. Through the use of Mise en scene as the artist represents herself to be following the stereotypical image of a woman following fashions in the 50s/60s. Which is conventional as the genre still adopts themes and ideas that it did during this time. Like Winehouse my artist was able to achieve so through the use of Mise en scene elements such as hair, costume and make up. The artist is shown throughout wearing fairly basic face make up with emphasis on her eyes and cheekbones with winged eyeliner and blusher was was to be expected from women of the period. The artists hair followed conventions of the genre as women of the period were also known for styling their hair so that it looked rather big as this was the fashion for the time this is evident within my music video for the scene whereby the artist is seen performing on stage.The artists costume was again conventional which as is also demonstrated in the scenes where the artist is seen performing on stage as she is wearing a plain black off the shoulder top. This is conventional as the colour black itself follows codes and conventions of the genre as it is thought to be a rather classic colour and is frequently used within the genre because of this. The actual style of the dress is also conventional as women often wore off the shoulder dresses throughout the period as this allowed them t reveal skin without showing too much would at the time was still fairly socially unacceptable. It is also conventional for soul music videos to provide a narrative as artists of the soul genre are known for being more personal with their music and putting more of themselves and their experiences into their work compared to artists of other genres thus this is conventional. Many close ups are shown throughout my music video which is conventional as this signifies to the audience that the artist is trying to become closer to them so to form a bond which allows for a more personal experience of the artists music. As the artist is physically closer to the camera creating the feeling that they are closer to the audience. My use of filters is also conventional as often throughout the soul genre artists apply filters to their music videos so to inform the audience of how they are feeling. Also my choice of a black and white filter is often used as this connotes a sense of going back in time as this reminds the audience of previous times prior to colour filming thus suiting the genre which is established for being stuck in the period it was created. My music video challenges the soul genre as my artist is presented rather subversively. As she is shown again through the use of Mise en scene (make up) and iconography to be rather careless as she wakes up in a bad state as she has left her mae up on from the night before and it has smudged hence she looks a mess which a typical soul artist wouldn't be expected to as generally soul artists are thought to take pride in appearance as this was the mannerisms of the period the genre was captured. She also appears careless in that she begins drinking wine straight from the bottle shortly after she wakes up demonstrating that the artist has no plans to leave the state that she is in and sort herself out. Adding further to the concept of the artist being unlike most other artists of the genre as she isn't well put together nor does she appear to care about making effort for the benefit of appearance or others.

The artist is represented subversively towards the soul genre. Thirty nine seconds into the music video as she is seen through the use of a close with the use of iconography as she drinks straight from a bottle of wine. Armed with the use of mise en scene as the artist is wearing make up left over from the night before as she has woken up with it still on. Hence it has smudged and some of it has come off. Due to this she looks rather messy and doesn't appear together as you would expect an artist of the soul genre to. This also represents the artist as being rather careless and she doesn't care for her appearance or her health as she continues to drink alcohol from the moment she wakes up thus representing her general mood/attitude to life and doesn't look after her skin as she leaves her make up on over night. This is subversive towards the genre of soul as artists of the soul genre are recognised for being rather respectable as often this is what is thought of their music. Hence as the music is viewed in this way the audience assumed that artists also behave in a similar way. Due to this representation of the genre artists are also known for dressing and styling themselves in a manner which is thought to be rather professional and respectable. This is conventionally because it suits with the style of the music and keeps the audience in tuned with the theme of soul. Artists of the soul genre are expected to care about how they are presented due to this thus you wouldn't expect to see a soul artist behaving in such a way and this would be typically thought of as being rather dirty and chavy.

The artist is also represented as being conventional towards the soul genre as through a mid shot with the use of mise en scene including costume, hair and make up. The artists costume includes with that which you would expect of a soul artist as the genre has ceased to develop from the period which it was created (1950s-1960s) thus the genre continues to adopt the same kinds of rules and values as it would have in this time along with the same kinds of style and fashion. During this period men were still very much dominant meaning that women were expected to behave in certain ways. Thus although women were still seen to be dressing so to impress men as the male bread winners women as were still dependant on them they still had to find ways to reveal parts of themselves without showing too much skin as they would be shamed for dressing in an indecent manner. Hence this is the perfect dress as the artist displays her shoulders/collar bones which is thought to be rather suggestive/flirtatious yet the dress is still a respectable length. Hence being able to appear attractive yet respectable at the same time which was expected from the time and of the genre. The dress is also conventional due to the colour as black is thought to be a rather classical colour and therefore relates back to the genre which is known for being rather classic as it has continues to obtain the same kinds of rules and values since the beginning. The artists hair is styled within a conventional manner as women of the time where known for following fashion trends whereby they styled their hair rather big. Hence this is evident on the artist as she is seen showcasing a large styled quiff. The artists make up is also conventional towards the soul genre as during the period women were known for wearing make up which is fairly light on the base with emphasis on the eyes, cheeks and lips. As often on my artist through the highlight put on her cheeks, the eyeshadow and eyeliner which soul artists are also known for showcasing suiting to the period including artists such as Adele, Duffy and my chosen artist Amy Winehouse. The artist has also applied red lipstick to her lips hence drawing more attention to them as they stand out against the rest of her face. This was fashionable for the time as lips are thought to be an attractive part of a woman's face thus women wanted to draw attention to them. This is also conventional as red is a conventional colour towards the soul genre  as like black red is thought to be a rather classical colour and therefore provides the same feelings/elements which the soul genre applies as it urges the audience to feel as though they are being taken back in time through the use of old world rules and values. As the backdrop also uses red showing a typical red curtain you would expect to see behind soul artists as this reminds the audience as the kinds of environments musicians performed in during the period. More conventional items include the iconography of the microphone and the microphone stand as the audience see these items and associate them with a talented singer as this insinuates that someone is performing and singing live hence  appearing talented as artists of the soul genre are thought to be as they are known for performing live in front of large audiences. 

My artist is also represented conventionally through the use of black and white filters. As seeing these conventional elements within the artists music video conforms the artist to their chosen genre as this indicates that they enjoy these elements and are naturally suited to the genre in the way that they are. Black and white filters are conventional towards the soul genre as they remind the audience of times prior to colour filming. Hence this is conventional towards the soul genre as like the soul genre the effect of black and white filtering is able to make the audience feel as though they are being taken back in time which is evident in my music video at 1:00 as the audience are shown a flashback of the artists previous lifestyle and relationship with her boyfriend. Black and white filters are also conventional towards the soul genre as they are able to connote a deeper feeling or meaning to something as it suggests a darker or sadder tone than that of colours due to black being thought of as a more emotional colour. 

As well as portraying my artist conventionally I also demonstrated her so to be rather subversive. I decided to do this as this would highlight how out of sync with the genre her behaviour was highlighting how unusual it was for her. This was essential as the prior to the music video the audience are expected to feel as though they know the artist therefore it is the music videos job to make the audience feel not only like they have been introduced to the artist but also like they have been aquatinted with her now and also that they know her. Hence it is important for the audience to feel that they have a good background on the artist so that they can properly form a bond with her as well as so to ensure that they understand the narrative and that this is a story revolving around this change in the artist. I represented the artist subversively through the use of a mid shot of her siting on the bed again with the same use of miss en scene involving left over make up from the night before which is highlighted through from the close up as the audience are able to see the paleness of her neck in contrast to the colour of her face making her appear to be in an even worse state. As well as the same iconography of the wine bottle showing how dependent she has become on alcohol which is important as it allows the audience to see how bad she has become in herself as alcohol is now her only muse. Mise en scene is also explored for this scene specifically body positioning/language as the artist has chosen to sit at the end of her bed as she leans back onto it looking rather tired and fed up as well as rather intoxicated as she leans back at a rather strange angle suggesting that she feels a lost of control over her body. The way the artist is sitting it is almost as though she is hugging into the bottle of wine. As her legs are crossed up above it almost as though they are protecting it and keeping it close to her, while one arms sits across it as the other allows her hand to cover it keeping it close to her representing how now her only care is for her drink. This represents the artist via a rather hedonistic approach which again is subversive as soul artists are thought to be very deep and therefore caring people as they apply much strong content and about themselves and their lives within their lyrics thus the idea of someone from the genre putting fun above all else is subversive. 

The artist is also represented conventionally through the use of  mise en scene specifically location. As various elements to the artists bedroom including decoration follow the codes and conventions of the soul genre. For instance the colour scheme focuses heavily on black and white. Both of which are conventional colours towards the soul genre as these are thought to be much more classic colours as they are seen to be timeless. This is because they are colours which have never gone out of fashion as they are thought of as classic and have a place in any situation as they are well suited to most things as they are able to blend in well because they don't stand out. Also the wall paper is conventional towards the genre as it is thought to be a rather classic style as it has been used throughout various periods. 

rough cut

Audience feedback is important to a production as this is what allows the production to be judged upon. Although a production can be taken in many different ways and what one person views as clever and artistic another may view as boring it is how the production is perceived via the audience as a whole which informs us of how successful the production is. If many audience members were to state that they found the production to be boring and a waste of time then it was unsuccessful, a production would also be unsuccessful it not many people were to go out and see it and therefore not much money would be made from it, hence audience feedback is important as it is the audience which determines the success of the production. By listening to the audience and taking in their feedback both positive comments and constructive criticism you are able to understand what the concepts are that the audience like therefore preventing you from cutting them, this also means that you are more likely to focus more so upon these elements even build upon them so to please the audience. The task itself provides the production team with almost a guideline as to how to present their production so to suit the audience.

Considering all of the various benefits of receiving audience feedback I have decided to upload my rough cut to YouTube prior to finishing the final product so that I am able to rep the benefits of my audience feedback and apply it to my music video so to ensure that I create the best music video I possibly can allowing for maximum success for the artist. Uploading my rough cut to YouTube means that fans and audience member's alike are able to comment in the videos own comment section located right underneath the video where they are able to mention any likes or dislikes. This is also beneficial as it means that the audience feel as though they are more involved with the music video making them feel more of a connection with the artist and their work.It also creates more of a hype regarding the release of the actual music video as the audience wait in anticipation for the real thing wondering how much of their feedback was taken into account and wanting to see that shown throughout the video.

Another way in which I received feedback for the production of my music video as by providing screenings for my music video to members of the audience whereby I was able to interactive with members of the audience myself. This was beneficial as it meant that I was able to ask questions directly towards the audience as well as allowing me to be able to press upon any particular comments I wanted to hear/gain more from.

Another way in which I was able to obtain audience feedback actually dates back prior to the production of my music video. As I obtained such primary research throughout the surveys and questionnaires I took out so to aid me when planning for the production of my music video. These were important pieces of primary research which told me much about the audience for instance what they thought of when they thought of the soul genre. Hence these taught me the most commonly thought of codes and conventions towards the soul genre to the untrained eye. This was important as it meant that I was clearly able to mark the artist as being a true representative of herself clearly to the audience without any confusion. As what people such as myself and members of my production team who have knowledge in the area might not consider the same elements as the audience who are simply set to be entertained. Hence it was beneficial to ask them rather than listening to the opinions of the people working on the music video as the audience are able to provide an untouched view focusing purely on the entertainment elements which is both what I want and expect from the audience.

Throughout the viewing audience members commented on the fact that not all of the lyrics matched in with the lip syncing on screen, Something which I was already aware needed adapting however it was important to realise that even  audience members simply viewing the music video as an entertainment form are able t pick up on such things. This really highlights the importance of making sure such errors don't exist throughout the production as these elements are able to ruin the effect of the music video and therefore ruin the effect of the music video which would prevent it from doing it's job of promoting both the artist and the song the music video belongs to. During it's course this may also apply further damaging effects upon the artist painting them as unprofessional thus ruining the artists reputation.

One of the comments I received under  the comments section of my rough cut which I uploaded to YouTube provided both a positive comment as well as a piece of constructive criticism hence this was beneficial as it meant that I was able to both focus on the elements of the music video which were being perceived well and enjoyed via the audience suggesting that I should consider adding further to these elements as well as providing me with something to improve upon so to better the experience for the audience. This comment read; "Very good performance, but a variation of shots is needed." From this I am able to understand that the audience are enjoying the artists persona and what this representation provides for the basis of the narrative for the music video, from this I could consider highlighting these elements possibly via adding more close ups of the artist and focusing more so on key iconography elements such as alcoholic beverages so to really enforce her character. It also tells me that I should go through shot footage I was pleased with which didn't quite make the cut and note any interesting shots which are more varied from those shown within the rough cut and see how I would be able to slot them into my music video, this would mean assessing the relevance of the different pieces of footage are, how beneficial they could be i.e the effects from them and how they are able t impact the audience and what these impacts mean for the success of the music video etc. I would also have to go through the rough cut carefully and note any weaker scenes which may be taken out as well as any particular shots which I feel may be missing or ones which may have been over used throughout the duration of the rough cut.

Another comment however almost  juxtaposed this as the audience member stated that there was a good use of shots. From putting these two pieces of feedback together I am able to tell that no new filming needs to be taken place as the audience are happy with the actual quality of the filming as well as the shot techniques. However as stated above I should be changing certain shots/scenes so to prevent the music video from appearing as though it consists of a lot of the same shots. As this can create for a rather boring music video which would loose the interest of the audience and therefore prevent the music video from being able to perform it's job. This same audience member commented that I should add text from a particular platform 'final cut x pro' this is beneficial as it tells me that using the texts on this particular program shall allow me to use texts which my audience shall be pleased with. It is also constructive as without having to say anything negative the fan has been able to inform me that the music video needs text being added to which nicely implies that without text being added the music video isn't up to the standard expected.

Fans also commented on the use of costumes embarking upon how well they fit the narrative. This was a good piece of feedback to hear as it provided me with another aspect of the artist to focus on and highlight when making changes to the rough-cut so to embrace the artists persona which the audience also commented on admiring.