1. In what way does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? (Comparing Music Video)

Codes and conventions are key to obtain a full understanding of how the media industry works. Codes and conventions are essentially the ways in which a specific genre is portrayed most of the times. Basically meaning that it is what we as people associate specific themes or genres with. For example, associating a horror film with knifes and blood, or associating the rock genre with guitars, punk hair and leather jackets. My group's music video was from a song by an unrecognized artist who sings alternative R&B. It is debatable that being an alternative genre of music codes and conventions may not be greatly associated, since the genre itself is already differs from regular R&B music. However, many of the times the alternative R&B media products go with the regular conventions conventions of R&B music.



Codes and conventions may be separated into two different categories, being symbolic conventions and technical conventions. Symbolic meaning its things like objects we associate the genre with (i.e. knifes in horror films) whilst technical meaning its things like sound, shot types and other technological techniques.(i.e. the fast paced editing in action films) I have picked  two different music videos of the alternative R&B genre in order to compare and contrast my own to them. One is Adrian Marcel - 2AM , and one being PARTYNEXTDOOR - Break From Toronto.

 Regarding lighting, it is debatable whether our music video adheres or subverts to the general technical code of R&B music. Despite most videos of the genre having a use of a different colored lighting, it is usually only used for a couple of seconds. We have indeed used a different colored lighting, however we kept it going for the entire music video. Additionally, we have used the colored lighting technique in a very strong visual manner, completely flooding the room with red lighting. Whereas they were a bit more subtle when it came to that aspect. As it can be seen, Adrian Marcel's music video has used blue/purple-ish lighting in a subtle way. And the use of red and blue lighting in PARTYNEXTDOOR's video. And the strong use of red lighting in ours. Thus, it is debatable whether we have adhered or subverted to the use of colored light.

(My Video)

(Adrian Marcel)

(PARTYNEXTDOOR)

One way in which we were sort of forced into challenging the symbolic codes and conventions of the genre was through not having any nice/wealthy cars. The reason why I say we were 'forced' into cahllenging this convention is because we are doing a school educational coursework, not a professional product. This can be seen in the two examples below.

Despite challenging this symbolic convention, we have also went with one quite stereotypical symbolic code that can be seen, almost certainly, in any R&B and alternative R&B music videos. This being the use of attractive women, usually to show that the main artist is "cool" and is successful with the opposite gender which not only attracts men but also makes them jealous of the performer's life.

One technical code that is similar within all three products is the camera work. More specifically the use of specific shots that are similar when the actor is singing. As it can be seen in these next pictures all the rappers are centralized in a mid shot while all performing the same action, which is singing and doing hand motions.

 Overall, despite having some differences, we can still say that our video leans more towards adhering to the generic codes and conventions of the genre. However, due to the amount of differences, it can be argued otherwise, but personally, I believe it adheres more than it subverts.