Georgina's Advanced Portfolio

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

It was really important that each student was given an anonymous track in order to challenge our abilities of producing an authentic music video of a certain genre. We were not informed of the Song name or the original artist which prevented us from researching any previous media featuring them (e.g. music videos and album covers.)
Therefore I was compelled to do a lot of research and planning in order to produce a music video, digipak and magazine advert as authentic to the R&B genre as possible, and I have used, developed and challenged the forms and conventions of other media products to do so.

I chose "Track seventeen" as after listening to it, I immediately established that it was of an R&B genre, and this is the genre that I am most familiar with.
Audience feedback directed me to specific music videos for inspiration, I knew that I needed to follow the rules of the genre in order to convey the correct elements of an R&B style music video.

A major detail that I wanted to address was
Objectification, as this is very common for female R&B artists. I have taken inspiration from many music videos in order to present this throughout my final product:
I did a lot of research when it came to costume, as it was vital that my actress was dressed like and R&B artist. This would contribute to the overall authenticity, and also allow me to objectify the artist.

One of the most apparent costume inspirations present in my music video is from Brittany Spears’ music video “Baby one more time.” Brittany is objectified throughout the video wearing a tight crop top which emphasises her midriff area. I took inspiration from this and used similar costume in order to present objectification. The dance routine featured in my final music video was also inspired by this particular media product. I picked up on the fact that there were a lot of shots focused on Brittany's midriff area whilst she was dancing, therefore I varied my shots from different angles and zoom lengths and this enabled me to capture the objectification which is present in R&B music videos performed by female artists.

I also included Goodwin's theory throughout my video; as one of the features which I noticed whilst researching the R&B genre, was a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. When I first started researching the genre, I thought that it was crucial to include some sort of narrative throughout the video. However, the majority of the music videos that I took inspiration from were studio based, and were almost more of a performance rather than a story. Nevertheless, I did find that the songs which shared a similar theme of "heartbreak" to my track, showed a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals throughout the video.

As I started to focus on what the lyrics from my track meant, I realised that the artist had a "diva attitude" towards an ex-lover. The rehtorical questions such as "Who do you think you are now?" alowed me to present the artist as strong minded and dominant.

Whilst researching other media products, I noticed a trend of this dominance in female R&B artists and the inspiration that I took from them is clear throughout my final product.

Jennifer Hudson- Spotlight

I found this music video to Jennifer Hudson's song "Spotlight" particularly relevant to my own track. You can really sense her Diva attitude as she draws her lover in, and then pushes him away. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals here as she sings "Oh, you ought to be ashamed of yourself" "what the hell do you think your doing". I used a really similar choreography throughout my final product as the artist/actress pushes the male away from her on the lyrics "your qualities are less than pleasing."

I also took inspiration from R&B artist Rhianna's music video "Take a Bow" as she also includes a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals as she points at the camera on the words "you" etc.

I showed this relationship between the lyrics and the visuals continually throughout my final product, both during the choreographed dance and the lip syncing shots in the studio.

Every minor detail of my final music video was inspired by real media products. I also developed my inspirations when it came to editing. Whilst researching and planning I became really interested in the use of split screens in R&B music videos, I found them to be really effective, and as I wasn't going to include very many locations, I felt that this would help to maintain an interest in my music video. R&B artist Alexis Jordan's music video "Good girl" particularly inspired me, watching this also gave me the idea of including close up shots of the mouth lip syncing.

My interpretations

Lip syncing interpretation

In addition to maintaining an interest throughout my music video, I developed some ideas from The Pussycat Doll's music video "I don't need a man". I was keen to include a similar effect of cropping clips in order to make the final product more jumpy, to fit the fast beat of the track. This helped me to avoid producing a stationary finish, and present an accurate fast cut result, which is noticeable in R&B music videos.

My interpretation

I also took inspiration from Madonna's music video "Give it to me" as I like the movement between each shot. This song has a similar fast beat to my track, and Madonna dances throughout, I particularly liked how there were shots of her feet acting as a transition between each clip, and took inspiration from this.

My interpretation

I also used real media products in order to make my ancillary tasks as accurate and authentic as possible. I researched far into female R&B artists names, song names, album names, album covers etc. so that my own design of digipak and magazine advertisement would fit the genre well.

I used other album covers to model my digipak, in order to make it as acurate to the R&B genre as possible. It was from this that I decided to use a close up image of the artist, and also self title the album.

My interpretation of an R&B artists album cover

From looking at other digipaks and traditional jewel CD cases, I knew that I needed to show a record label which would be suitable to sign the artist of my track. I did a lot of research in order to find the most appropriate company, and I developed my ideas from various artists websites, record companies websites and album covers.

As well as presenting my chosen record company's logo on my digipak, I also added the appropriate small print, and used the information off of other CD cases that I own. This allowed me to make up my own small print to complement my chosen record company and artist name etc.

The other ancillary task I chose was to produce a magazine advertisement promoting the artists album. I found it difficult to come across R&B advertisements in magazines, therefore I stuck close to the design of my digipak to ensure brand recognition.

I did, however, find a useful image on R&B artist Rihanna's website, which i took inspiration from and added a similar release date and provider for the album.

My final products have been formed by using, developing and challenging the forms and conventions of real media products, which enabled me to produce them as accurately and authentic to the R&B genre as possible.