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

2. MEDIA PRODUCT
MUSIC
VIDEO MAGAZINE
ADVERT
DIGIPAK

3. USES OF THE
CONVENTIONS
•
Our product has many components which
support the conventions of real media
products. Some of the forms and conventions
which we have made use of include: the
narrative, cinematography, mise-en scene,
symbolism, editing, lighting, character type
etc. The digipak and magazine advert have
connotations which relate to the conventions.

4. NARRATIVE
The narrative for our music video has a non-
chronological plot. The narrative follows a linear
sequence but includes the use of flashbacks and
jump cuts. The narrative connotes a message of
“taking things for granted” and the
consequences which it creates. The lyrics of
“things we lost” is represented through the
visuals through use of the male protagonist
losing his wife, his home and his job. This
suggests that our narrative is abiding to the
conventions of the lyrics fitting the visuals. The
plot consists of a symbolic item; this being the
iconic wallet which is displayed on numerous
occasions in the video. This again reiterates how
we have used the generic conventions within our
media product. The narrative consists of a live
performance from Bastille themselves; which
again shows how we have abided to the generic
conventions. However the live performance is
not really associated with the plot of the
narrative

5. CINEMATOGRAPHY
Within our music video we have used
a wide range of camera shots. Some
of the most obvious shots are: the
end shot where we have used a wide,
long shot of a man walking away from
the symbolic wallet. We have then
reused this shot for our magazine
advert as well as our digipak. Close
ups of the male protagonist are
frequent, which support the generic
conventions for alternative music
videos. Long shots, wide shots and
establishment shows are all too used
within our product. This shows how
we have been versatile with our
cinematography and illustrates how
we have met the needs of the generic

6. EDITING- SPLIT
SCREEN
We decided to use a split screen within our
product to show the contrast of the male
protagonists drastic change. This shot fits the
conventions for the alternative genre; similarly
shown in The Vaccines music video “Melody
Calling” a split screen shot is used.

7. EDITING- FLASHBACK
Flashbacks are common forms of editing
which are conventionally used in alternative
music videos. Alternative band, Kodaline,
use a flashback for their music video “High
Hopes”- the flashback relates to the
narrative which suggests that it is
implemented well. Not only is this generic
convention met in this video but the visual
flashback itself also fits the lyrics of the
song: “takes me back to when we started”.
Similarly within our product we suitably use
a flashback which ties in with the narrative
as well as the lyrics of the song:”We sat
and made a list, of all the things that we
had”. This shows that we have used the
conventions of the alternative genre well
and that it supports real media products.

8. SETTING
The setting for our video is an external,
urban location. This is stereotypical for
the music genre we chose and shows
we have used the generic conventions.
Alternative videos are usually set in a
outside, urban area, like ours, but the
setting tends to change with the
narrative. In the Bastille music video
“Pompeii”, the setting varies depending
on what is happening in the narrative.
Therefore we have successfully utilised
the setting as it links well with our
narratives, which in turn fits in with our
chosen genre.

9. SOUND
In our music video we have
added the diegetic sound of
birds to emphasise that the
setting of the video is
outside and also because
birds “tweeting” is a
common and stereotypical
sound to expect to hear in
music videos. In alternative
band Fall Out Boy's music
video for their song Sugar
We're Going Down
Swingin', the sound of birds
can be heard at the
beginning of the video,
similarly within our product.

10. SYMBOLISM
Symbolism is a key convention within our
products. In particular, the wallet, which
features frequently, is one of the predominant
symbolic items. The wallet has a paramount
importance and largely relates to the narrative
of our music video. These features support
the generic conventions for symbolism.

11. PERFORMANCE
ASPECT
A convention for alternative music
videos is to have the band/artist
performing in the video. We have
abided to this convention and have
included the artist, Bastille, performing
in our product.

12. STEREOTYPES
Within our product we have accordingly made
stereotypes or anti-stereotypes. The male
protagonist in our music video is represented
as being oblivious and quite self centred as he
doesn't realise the things he has taken for
granted. This leads to his regression which is
portrayed through all 3 media products. The
music video presents the things which he has
lost, the digipak shows that he has lost his
wealth and that a wallet can be considered an
essential and required item and the magazine
advert reiterates the importance of the wallet.
The representation of the male protagonists
decline is seen as stereotypical for the genre
as many existing alternative music videos
have a male character who diminishes/
weakens during the video, e.g. Bastille-
Pompeii.

13. DEVELOPING
CONVENTIONS
Colour- In our flashback in our product we have used a black and white filter to
show that it is a flashback. This shows that we have developed the conventions of
aspects within our genre. As shown in the example of Kodaline's “High Hopes”,
there isn't any use of colour change to suggest that it is a flashback; whereas our
product makes the narrative clearer and more understandable for the audience
through the use of the black and white filter.
Symbolism- The wallet in our products plays a crucial role. We have developed
this convention even further though by using it within all three of our products to
show its importance.

14. CHALLENGING THE
CONVENTIONS
There are not many ways in which we have challenged the conventions
of alternative music videos. Instead we have felt that we have either used
or developed the existing conventions- we have done this to make our
product as multi-dimensional as possible. However there are a few
aspects in which we have challenged the conventions. Dance routines
are typical uses within music videos, though they're that prominent in
alternative music videos we decided not to include one in our video. We
felt as if a dance routine would draw the audience away from the
narrative and also believed that it wasn't suitable for our song choice.
Narratives within alternative videos are also quite uncommon with video
directors tending to base the video on the actual band and them
performing rather than a narrative showing the story behind the song. We
decided to use a narrative as we felt that the song was powerful and that
a message and a story could be put across to the audience. Our actual
digipak could be seen as unconventional. Alternative bands tend to go
for something a bit more abstract and dark, whereas our digipak,
although it is simple; it is bold and quirky. We decided to go with this
concept in our digipak because it had similarities to the music video and
showed symbolism as it is in the form of a wallet.