Final Music Video

Anacillary texts

Evaluation - Question 4

Cara Lily - In My Bed Music Video

Evaluation - Question 3

Evaluation - Question 2

Evaluation - Question 1

My media product is a 3-5 minute music video which specifies in the genre of soul. The purpose of making a music video has a variety of factors and reasons. Some of which include promoting the artist, promoting the album and telling a story. This is an effective way for the audience to learn more about the artist as they are watching a product which is from the interpretation of the artist and what the lyrics of the song means to them.

The soul genre includes a lot of things to make it conventional to soul. These range in all different types of micro-elements to portray a deeper emotion of how the artist is feeling towards its audience. A prime example of a music video which is conventional to the genre of soul is Amy Winehouse, 'Back to Black.' This music video withholds a lot of emotion and sadness which the audience are immediately able to pick up on. An example of a conventional element included is filters. The finalised music video was edited to change its original filter to a black and white effect. I thought this was extremely successful as it conveyed to the audience a sad time due to the dull tone the monochrome filter uses, which is the death of one of the artists loved ones. Using this filter, allows the audience to watch the music video in a gloomy, depressing manner due to the little colour it represents. Using this filter was effective for the genre of soul as it portrayed a sad and depressing time. The dull effect allowed the audience to understand the particular emotion which the artist and character is experiencing. The filter allowed a mood set for the particular scene. This monochrome filter was evident within my music video in the flashback scenes. The flashback scenes were used so the audience were able to learn more about the artist and her experiences with romance and how she reacts towards it. The scenes include the artist, Cara-Lily and her current boyfriend at that time on a date walking around at the park, to then having a romantic night in having a meal. The audience are able to see how she reacts to someone paying attention to her and flirting with her. Using a monochrome effect allows the audience to understand that this is a past related time, as it can relate to the 60's generation when there was no colour towards any tv programmes or media entertainment. This can show the artist and her boyfriends current relationship is now non existent, and that is why when they are together, it is only now in the monochrome effect to show it is all in their memories and past now. An example of this being used within my music video is when they are by the dinner table drinking wine and eating food. The boyfriend is shown to be constantly looking at the artist and trying to make her laugh. This was purposely used to show the boyfriend as interested in her and wanted to pursue her happiness. The artist is shown to be looking quite careless and disengaged in the whole situation. This is shown through her facial expressions of eye rolling etc. This then also links in well with the use of filters as it is showing a negative approach and experience.

Another micro-element which was used within Amy's music video which relates to the soul genre is camera shots of close ups. This type of cinematography is effective as the audience are able to witness the artist in a vulnerable state. The audience are also able to see her emotion of sadness in high definition, with extreme detail. This type of detail wouldn't be seen in camera shots such as mid shot or low angle. This is conventional to the genre of soul as the artist is able to express sad emotions which the audience can quickly see. As the audience are aware of the type of emotion trying to be portrayed, they can then sympathise for the artist, as they feel sorry for her as she is in a negative situation at that time. The audience are then able to build a relationship with the artist as they recognise her vulnerability. This is important to do as it is showing her sad emotional state, which is conventional towards the genre of soul. Close ups are used numerously within my music video to allow the audience to become more aware of her facial expressions and smudged make up on her face to represent her wild life style. Using the camera shot of a close up is conventional to the soul genre as it represents the exposure to her life due to opening up of her emotions. However; it is subversive from the way I was trying to represent the artist. I wanted the audience to look into greater depth and definition/detail towards her recklessness and careless. This was shown through sloppiness of looking after her physical self, such as left over, or old makeup, and not caring as long as she can carry on partying and drinking. An example of this being used within my music video is when she is shown to be in her bedroom in the morning drinking. Using a close up for the scene of her drinking as soon as she woke up was effective as the audience were able to see the artist in her true state. Her hair is frizzy and unbrushed, with her makeup of mascara and lipstick smudged all over her face and neck. This shows her to have little care towards her appearance and only wants to do whatever she wishes, in this case she is drinking. Using a close up allowed the audience to witness the non-existent happy expression she has upon her face before, during and after drinking from the bottle. This shows a very negative addiction she has towards alcoholism and how it is not making her genuinely happy, more like a cover up towards how she really feels. This then conforms to the genre of soul as the audience are able to understand how she is feeling due to the vulnerability she with holds.

Locations are shown throughout my music video to show towards the audience where my artist enjoys to go out in spare time, and places she will end up at. The audience are able to learn more about the artist from which scenario they are at, this can then build a relationship as they are learning more about her persona and characteristics. Locations are effective as it enables the audience to learn more about the situation. An example of this being used within my music video is during the flashback scenes, when the boyfriend and girlfriend at the time are on a date together. The audience are able to build a relationship with the artist as they are learning more about her, due to Cara-Lily opening up about particular and personal experiences of her own. The couple are shown in various scenes to be walking around in public together, being very affectionate such as holding hands. They are also shown in another date scene having a romantic and intimate meal together. This is conventional to the soul genre as it is showing the artist on a highly emotional level. She is shown to be sharing experiences with her fans, which they can then admire and appreciate, and are able to then build a bond with.

Facial expressions are used all throughout my product of a music video. Including a variety of facial expressions allow the audience to understand how the artist is feeling in a physical manner. This represents the artist as vulnerable as she is shown to be opening up about all her emotions towards a wide spread audience of viewers and fans. Facial expressions can be conventional to the soul genre as it can show how and why the artist is feeling some sort of feeling. The audience can then feel sorry for the artist and are then able to build a bond with her, which then helps to build a relationship with one another. An example of this being shown within my music video, is during the bedroom scene. There is a close up of the artist looking down whilst holding onto the door frame of her bed. She is shown to be deep in thought, which the audience are immediately able to acknowledge as she is shown to be disengaged and uninterested in present events because her mind is elsewhere. The audience are then able to understand how she uses alcohol to hide her emotions, but cannot always hide how she feels. In the bedroom scene, she is shown to wake up, and as soon as she gets out of bed to start drinking wine from the bottle. People drink alcohol so they can feel a type of way, which people can thrive off of as something else is controlling your mind and brain. This then opens up peoples emotions that the artist was so desperately trying to hold in. This is conventional to the genre of soul as it is showing her emotions towards the audience. She is shown to be upset and hurt, which is conventional to soul as she is showing her emotions towards the audience. The audience are able to build a bond with the artist as they are able to witness her in a vulnerable manner, and are able to feel sorry for her. I wanted my artist to represent herself as a very open and say it how it is kind of person, which would be then evident upon mainly her facial expressions and also body language. In this case; in certain scenes, my artist could be shown to be challenging the conventions of soul as she is shown to be uninterested and careless. This can be shown in the date scenes where she is shown to be not too into the whole thing shown by rolling her eyes and looking away from the boy in discomfort.

Slow editing is used to represent a sad time. Allows the audience to understand in more thorough detail this sad time as a certain scene of sad emotion or telling a story would go on for longer than using fast editing. This is conventional towards the genre of soul as the audience are able to take into more consideration the sad and emotional time due to the longer duration than normally. It allows the audience to understand the artists current emotion. The long duration also allows the audience to take in greater depth how sad the artist is feeling, which they can sympathise more for. The long duration can also show to the audience how this current emotion is staying with her for a long time, showing how it is eating away at her and causing a negative effect upon her. Using slow editing also shows a link between the soul beat of the song. An example of this being used within my music video is in the walk of shame scene. The artist is shown to be walking along the bridge looking around her surroundings, also with a wine bottle in her hand. I used the slow motion effect from Final Cut Pro X to by 50% to create an effect which would fit well with the particular timing of the song. I thought using this was effective as I included it in the part of the song where the lyrics are "Everything is slowing down." This relates towards Goodwin's theory of reference towards song and notion. You are able to see a link between visuals and lyrics, which helps to make a successful artist and music video. This shows a development towards conventions of soul as it is showing an emotional time for the artist. The sad emotion could then become relatable towards the target audience of 15-25 year olds as these ages are stereotypically known to go through 'mood swings,' which then makes it inevitable for them to experience a sad or painful emotion. This music video can then become relatable for them, which then shows what this music video will then mean towards them on a more personal level.

Costume is used throughout the duration of my music video. Costume allows the artist to represent herself how she wishes to be perceived in a physical manner. An example of this is where the artist is on the walk of shame scene, wearing all black to show respect towards recent passing but also representing the artist herself. Black represents her as mysterious due to the dark tones it represents. This can be shown as a negative thing as she can be perceived as dangerous. Audience able to build a relationship with the artist as they are learning more about her reckless ways. Although, her outfit is shown to be appropriate as she is wearing a long, black trench coat, she can still be perceived a voyeuristic. This can be conveyed through flesh of legs on show and wearing high heels. Cara-Lily is wearing a short, tight black dress showing lots of skin being revealed, she is also wearing high heels which interfere with her balance which is exaggerated due to her intoxication with alcohol. This is subversive to the soul genre as it is showing her to rebel against societies rules and expectations. This challenges conventions as female soul artists are stereotypically shown to be sweet and innocent which then emphasises the audiences sympathy towards her hurt after going through a painful experience, such as a break up. Having a lot of her skin on show can represent her vulnerability towards her viewers. She is opening up about her personal and emotional issues to a large audience. This shows how she is real towards her fans and is not putting on a front to make herself look better, she opens up to positive and negative moments in her life which make her a successful and respected artist.

My media product of the music video develops and also challenges the genre of soul. I purposely done this to represent the artist (Cara-Lily) as far more extraordinary and different towards other female soul artist, this relates towards Goodwin's theory of what makes a successful artist. Involving a range of subversive and conventional elements allowed the music video to feel more refreshing towards its audiences rather than boring. This way, my target audience (15-25 year olds) can feel more edge towards what is going to happen next instead of knowing due to all soul music videos being the same. This then makes them want to watch on more and look at other things the artist has to offer.
A development of forms and conventions in my music video is use of filters, this is used all throughout my music video, but obviously shown in the flashback date scenes. These scenes are shown in black and white, which was inspired from the "Back to Black" music video by Amy Winehouse. I thought this would be effective to use as it can show a past related time, as olden days did not have colour. An example of this being used is when the couple are on a date and are sitting closely to each other on a bench while watching the duck in the pond. Using these filters also emphasise on her life in the past and how much she has changed now. How she has someone who truly cared for her but lost him as she was too selfish and now gets rid of her pain by constantly drinking from when she wakes up in the morning to late at night. This is highly effective as it represents her reckless and party girl character.
Another element which is conventional to soul is slow editing. I used this to match the song lyrics which repeated twice "everything is slowing down." This was effective to use as it showed a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. This is shown in Goodwin's theory of how to make a successful artist. Using slow editing can represent the artists emotion of pain and sadness when you are feeling hurt, everything seems to go a lot slower juxtaposing to saying 'time flies when you have fun.'
An element which is included within my music video which can be perceived as subversive to the soul genre is costume. Throughout the video, the artist is shown to be in various types of inappropriate clothing which can represent her as voyeuristic. This includes clothes such as pyjamas and short, tight dresses. This can represent her persona as careless and very much a party girl who only wants to have fun. This is subversive as she has minimal amounts of clothes on throughout the video; whereas, other female soul artists do not. Other artists are shown to wear things such as coats to fully cover themselves up. This can also show the weather at that time, which is miserable, cold and rainy. This helps to set a mood of sadness throughout the music video and therefore, conform towards the genre of soul.