1. In what ways does your media
product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real
media products?

2. How are conventions met according to
theorists?
Laura Mulvey states that narrative films use women in order to provide
pleasurable visual experiences for men. The narrative film structure is said to be
shown through a masculine gaze. The woman is said to be the object of the
reifying gaze, not the bearer of it. Mulvey further states that film and music videos
are ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between the
active dominant male and the passive female. The determining male gaze projects
his fantasy on the female figure which has been styled accordingly.

3. Laura Mulvey’s theory of conventional narrative videos is applied in our music video as our actress is objectified in
the prostitution scenes in order to simulate how her male client views her and how worthless the character would
view herself. The character remains conventionally passive as she looks down and timidly pulls her tights down.
Furthermore, she also heavily applies make up which is shown from an over the shoulder shot which represents
masculine eyes watching her ‘doll herself up’; there are also pan shots used of the protagonists legs as she walks
and alluringly appears to be in the bath partially clothed. However, in a sense on a superficial level it could be seen
that we have subverted Mulvey’s theory as a low angle shot is used when the actress is removing her tights ;which
could represent the ‘male gaze’ being intrusive and perverse therefore demeaning and condemning the ‘male gaze.’
However, by removing her clothes and using her sexuality to gain a sense of power Mulvey's theory is proven correct
as the female character is complying to male desires in order to claim any power which in itself is demeaning
therefore making the protagonist subordinate to the ‘male gaze’.
Low angle shot of character High angle of actress partially
removing her tights.
clothed in the suicide scene.
Close up shot of the protagonist
applying makeup.
Shot panning downwards. Close up shot of the girls leg as the
bath is being run.

4. Characters
We have one protagonist in our video
which is a convention in used in
narrative music videos according to
my research. Most music videos
leading protagonists traditionally
feature the singer. Moreover, in
Pink’s Perfect video the singer
briefly appears in the video but an
actress is telling the story. In
addition, in Ed Sheeran’s A-team
Mid shot of opening to the street scene. video the singer does not appear in
the video instead the actress is
telling the story. Therefore, the
convention in a narrative video is
that the singer does not appear in
the video but instead a main
character tells the story conveyed by
the songs lyrics.

5. Filming in Black and White.
We filmed our entire music video in black and white in order to
symbolically convey the character’s misery and depression.
However, the trend is that videos are generally filmed in colour.
Moreover, our research shows that some videos do film in black
and white in order to symbolically capture the mod created by
the song in order to visually convey the story that’s described in
the songs lyrics.

6. Camera shots.
We carefully planned and practised the camera angles and shots we wanted to use; we were
aiming to use a range of interesting shots to portray the protagonists emotions and various
situations that she is in. We used high angle shots of the character in the bath as he commits
suicide in order to represent the loneliness she feels. Like many music videos we used close
up and medium shots in order to deliver the character’s emotions to the audience. While
also using establishing shots in order to set the scene at different locations.
Blurred focus and then a focused mid- close
up of the actress’ hand holding the necklace. Over the shoulder shot.
Low angle shot used Close up of the High angle shot
which conveys the Street establishing
character’s face used in the
male prospective of shot.
conveying emotion. bathroom scene.
a scene.

7. We used a jump cut at the beginning
Editing. of the film because at the beginning
of the music video there is complete
silence and as soon as the music
begins the establishing shot .This is a
convention used in music videos in
order to create suspense. The
transition from silence to music also
A jump cut is abruptly used from the opening scene creates an awareness of displaying
where there is silence to the establishing shot where the past. The opacity used presents
the music then immediately begins. an extreme close up of the
character drowning as there is a shot
Opacity is used to beneath that shows the character
convey the suicide in drowning as a mid-shot. The opacity
the final scene. effect is generically used in music
videos in order to create a sense of
disorientation and discomfort. In the
last shot the screen cross fades out
which is a technique used in music
videos that creates suspense and
releases tension from a final scene
Cross fade is used that gradually darkens the that has reached a dramatic climax.
music video into a black screen indicating the
ending of the music video.

8. Storyline
The storyline of our music video is quiet simple but goes against convention as the
story begins with the character’s demise with the remaining of the story depicting
the past and portraying to the audience what led the character to take her own life.
Therefore, this makes this storyline more complex and goes against the views of some
theorists. Todorov believes that narratives are structured in five stages beginning
with the state of the plot and ending in the reinstatement of everything. This
immediately shows how our music video challenges the theory. Since the character
takes her own life there is not reinstatement or happy ending; where problems are
resolved. Todorov further argues that the three middle stages involve disruption of
the plot. Recognition of this disruption and then an attempt tot repair this. However,
in our music video the disruption is there throughout and does not seem to go away
instead the problems worsen for the protagonist; as she commits suicide. Therefore,
showing how Todorov’s theory is not met in our music video.