EVALUATION Q1

1. Evaluation Question One:
In what ways does your music promotional
package use, develop or challenge forms
and conventions of existing music
promotional packages?

2. • Before we started making our music video, we researched the
history and evolution of music videos in general. By doing this I
became aware of modern, popular codes and conventions used
in music videos and promotional packages. I also became aware
of genre specific methods, which are relatable to my final piece.
Here are 12 screen grabs of distinct frames from my music
video, which I will explain the conventions and reasoning of
afterwards (On the next slide)

4. Theorist Inspiration
• Simon Frith believed music videos came in three types: performance, narrative
and conceptual. Our music video followed the performance based theory.
According to Frith performance based music videos are the most common
music videos but as this theory was conducted in 1998, this isn't really the
case now, although they are still very popular. The goal of a performance video
is to give the viewer a sense of what a concert or a direct performance feels
like.
• We went for a performance based video because when we were planning and
researching about the genre of ‘pop’ and girl groups we found most of the
videos we came across we performance based, the videos we watched were:
Fifth Harmony- BO$$, Beyonce- Love on Top, Nicki Minaj- Superbass, also
people like Little Mix etc. we found the girls in the videos all were in sync not
only with things like movement and dancing but also with costume, makeup
and things like that. We wanted to make our ‘characters’ believable and
relatable to our target audience. Typical girl groups act as a role model,
especially when their fan base is a young range so we made our persona’s fit
this role that is ‘traditionally’ portrayed.
• Richard Dyer’s star theory fans typically young, record label would make sure
that they are in the video setting an example and breaking forth wall

5. Locations and settings
• Filmed at “the back of tesco”, a wall and the underpass
• All 11 frames include different locations and shots. We wanted the locations to “match”
each other and be consistent, and this was always our original plan. We began our music
video thinking it would hold a narrative of a girl who is going through a break-up with a
boys, ending with the typical “I don’t need no man” (this is a narrative music video).
However, when we started to film in our original amphitheatre location parts from our plan,
it did not seem to work together with the footage, it did not look professional, therefore
after taking several shots we decided to get rid of the part on our story board. We then
considered where else we could take the music video. Being inspired by ‘BO$$’ by Fifth
Harmony and Little Mix we decided to change all three locations to suit our video idea now
that we changed it to a performance based video . We wanted to portray the themes of the
song in a performance video, just like BO$$. So instead of our music video telling a story in
linear form, we created a feeling to be evoked by a series of shots seen on screen. The
shots still go with the lyrics as its three young females, typically seen in a girl group video
singing about a break-up and a boy. A clear example of the connotations seen in our video
are close ups of us taking selfies, having a laugh and fixing our hair. All things associated
with young girls of our age. But also because we had a rapper we wanted to bring that
grungy feel to our video that is typically seen in a rap video, hence the graffiti underpass.
We tried to follow the typical codes and conventions of a pop music video via our locations
and settings, like the grungy feel was because we didn’t want the innocence too much but
using the grungy feel also allowed us to reach a further audience.

6. Costume and Props
• Costume and props were a main aspect of a video
that we had to make consistent and relatable to our
genre of music (pop) and girl groups, by wearing the
latest ‘fashion trends’ that are typical to our target
audience would make allow us to really connect with
our audience. This creates a performance element to
the video, the audience will be watching their ‘idols’
and want to dress and be like them.
• The prop I used was my phone to take ‘selfies’,
because it is a craze that has recently come about
especially for young people.

7. Camera Work and Editing
• The camera that we used was a Canon 550D and we filmed with this after
we realised the camera that the school provided didn’t give us the standard
of video that we wanted. We used various different shots and breaking the
forth wall, most of them being close ups and mid shots to gain that intimate
feeling with the audience. We also wanted a fun and flirty feel to it without
being too inappropriate, for example for ‘fun’ we got close ups of us taking
selfies, fixing our hair, dancing and also laughing; these actions are typically
seen as ‘fun’ and free like young girls should be, the three main girls are
pretty so its appealing to the audiences eye. We also used tracking to also
gain a sense of intimacy when the rap took place this was again, following
basic codes and conventions of a pop/rap video because rappers often
break the forth wall. With breaking the forth wall it encourages audience
involvement and helps them to relate to the music video and song even
more. Using so many close ups and mid shots on the three main girls all
showing three very different characters would help define females working
together with their differences and would help with individual identity and
confidence because of the close intimate relationship from screen to
audience.

8. Editing
• Flash Cutting/Jump Cuts (short stutters)- In our video I deliberatly used these flash cuts where there
was a stutter in the music, these on the beat stutters would add a different aspect to the video,
instead of the editing being still and having nothing different all the way through they helped break
up some of the shots and made the video look very contemporary for the audiences entertainment.
We also used black and white to add something new and different to the video as well.
• Mirroring- This editing was a new technique that I learnt whilst I was editing, this is a convention
used mostly in rap video to go with that ‘tipsy’ feeling but when we filmed against the ‘anonymous
brick wall if we repeated this shot through the video it would've become boring and repetitive, but
with the mirroring shot it added an aspect that isn't typically used in a pop music video, so in that
way we challenged it but in another way we worked with the conventions because we added and
aspect that is appealing to the eye. We also used the mirror to portray the fun side of the video
• Reverse editing- Putting some of the shots in reverse would allow us to repeat some shots, along
with the black and white would allow us to have some filler shot but again it was just appealing to
the eye.
• Thought beats- By using thought beats allowed me to work with the music and made the editing
process a bit easier because as there were distinct parts of the song where I could fit the footage to
made it easier.
• Black and White effect- I have mentioned the black and white effect a lot before, it made the video
have a but of contrast to the other shots and made the video look a little bit more professional, it
has connotations of elegance and beauty so as we were three young girls, having fun this went
nicely with each other and the juxtaposition of the grungy feel we wanted ended up being a nice
combination
• Brightness and Contrast- This effect was used to sort some of the shots out and make sure they’re
all consistent.

9. The Digi-pak

10. The Digi-pak - CD
• The digipack creates synergy across products by using the same pastel
and neutral theme in the music video. It successfully follows the codes
and conventions of a typical digipack in order to ensure it sells
successfully. The image on the front of the digipack is the same girls
who play the leading females in the music video, which triggers
recognition in fan members. The conventions of the digipack relate to
the genre of the band and music too. Our costumes and colours and
also locations are consistent with the digi-pak and our final video.
• Here is an annotated version explaining the link to the genre and the
conventions: Song list- to specifiy whats
actually on the album, kept
simple to draw attention to
the front and also is
consistent with the location
in the video.
CD with a picture of the
three band members in the
same outfit as the front and
although its not the same
outfit as the song it isn’t a
problem, as long as it’s a
similar style to the video to
shoe consistency.
Front- picture of three girls in
a up to date style costume,
it’s the three girls in the
video so its consistent and
the font is very contempory
so it will catch the audiences
eye when they go to look at it
in a store. Its large and bold
and also goes with the genre
and feel of the group.
Although this page is plain it
still goes with the theme of
the rest of the digi-pak, so it
doesn’t really need much on
it.

11. The Digi-pak (Poster)
• The poster follows the costume (from the video) and pastel theme creating synergy
• It has a visual image key to the production AS WELL as the digipack (synergy again)
• Includes the name of the artist and the song (links to the digipack as well)
• It has a review to promote both the album (digipack) and the music video
• Promotes the release date (entice viewers and fans)
• And the production company info (synergy across all products)
• These are all common conventions of a promotional poster, the digipack follows
common conventions too. I decided to use common conventions in order to make sure
the product would be successful. Because the group is a pop genre that may not be so
well known and rap/hiphop I decided it would be best to stick to common promotions.
I was mainly inspired by Little Mix’s promotional packages as she is extremely
successful and marketing and promotions is a big key to their success. If Little Mix
have the best working for them and is one of the most successful groups in the world
and her production company follow common codes and conventions, then they are
obviously doing it right. This inspired me to stick to the common conventions on
promotional packages. However, the actual musical video I decided to add different
conventions and editing techniques because I know how to edit and felt confident with
my choices and decisions.