Question 1: In what ways does your media

product use, develop or challenge forms and

conventions of real media products?
Isabel Hurren
Introduction
My music video belongs to the Indie genre, more specifically the Indie-Pop genre.
I decided to conform to the genre by taking inspiration from prominent artists
who belong to the genre such as James Bay and Sam Smith. For example, I
featured performance shots of my artist, Finn Doherty, and used close ups to
allow the audience to connect with the emotions he was conveying. Furthermore,
my music video also focused heavily on the theme of love, which is common in the
Indie-Pop genre, by having the narrative revolve around a broken relationship
and exploring the effects it had on the protagonist. By conforming to the genre, I
worked to build a brand identity for my artist through using methods and
techniques that have been capitalised on by other artists.
Narrative Structure
My music video raises issues surrounding the damaging nature of heartbreak and the
drastic effect it can have on someone’s self-worth and sense of identity. This pessimistic
view is evident in several other music videos that belong to the Indie-Pop genre
including James Bay’s ‘Let it Go’ music video. My video expresses the message that
heartbreak is difficult to overcome, as demonstrated by the cyclical nature of the video.
This implies that the protagonist, Caitlin, is stuck in a never-ending cycle of turmoil.
Additionally, to demonstrate her pain, I used a disequilibrium, with the initial
equilibrium being showcased in the flashbacks. However, by the end of the video it
becomes apparent that a new equilibrium hasn’t been reached and instead, Caitlin’s life
remains problematic. This works to reinforce the overall message of my music video.

The use of flashbacks within my music video illustrates that love can bring people joy
and fulfilment when they are in a loyal relationship. It is only when the trust between
them is broken that love becomes damaging and character’s lives are fragmented. The
flashbacks also work to create a stark contrast between how Caitlin used to behave and
approach life compared to what she has become, further reinforcing the damaging
nature of heartbreak. This is a feature my target audience would be familiar with
because it has been used in several other music videos that belong to the Indie-Pop
genre such as James TW’s ‘When You Love Someone’ video.
Narrative Structure – Recurring
Motifs
My music video featured several recurring motifs, the primary one
being Caitlin staring at her reflection. This implies that the end of
her relationship has led to her questioning her identity. This
suggests that while love can make someone into a better person, it
can also break them beyond recognition. The fact that my
protagonist is continually shot staring into a mirror suggests that
she is desperately trying to reconnect with part of herself, but that
its proving to be an impossible task. I was inspired by the Oh
Wonder ‘Without You’ music video, in which the protagonists
spend the duration of the video searching for each other because
they complete one another. However, in my music video, instead of
the protagonist looking for a way back to her partner, she is
searching for the person she used to be, much like in the Taylor
Swift ‘Out of the Woods’ music video. The turmoil Caitlin is
experiencing is reinforced by my other recurring motif of rain,
which works as a form of pathetic fallacy. The use of shots of rain
both at the beginning and the end of my video implies that there’s
no change or improvement in her life and that she is stuck in a
never-ending cycle of heartbreak. The use of rain at the beginning
and end of the music video gives it a filmic quality which is
becoming more common in the Indie genre with music videos such
as Kodaline’s ‘High Hopes’ featuring a short sequence before the
music starts. This helps to set the tone for the music video and
makes it appear more sophisticated and professional.
Mise-en-scene and Locations
Several of the scenes in my music video take place in Caitlin’s bedroom, a place
that would traditionally represent comfort and security, as evidenced in the ‘Lights
Down Low’ music video by MAX. The fact that she appears to be in considerable
amounts of pain and distress during these scenes implies that even in the place
that she feels the safest, she can’t escape her heartbreak. The somewhat bleak
colour scheme of the bedroom implies that there is no excitement in her life
because it is void of colour and vibrancy. The lack of mementos on her bedside table
reinforces the lack of hope in her life as it suggests that she has no connection to
her former self. By using her bedroom to represent these extreme emotions, I broke
genre conventions of the bedroom being a place of comfort, therefore reinforcing
how destructive her relationship was because it has led to such distress.

A park is also featured in my music video and is used to represent conflicting

imagery. During flashbacks, the park presents a place of fun and excitement as the
couple bond, implying that their love is natural. However, during the present when
they are arguing, the park becomes a graveyard for the ghosts of their former
selves. The fact that they’re standing on the concrete instead of walking on the
grass could suggest that they have been rejected by nature and are instead left to
face the harsh reality of the consequences of their actions.

Throughout my music video, there are several scenes in which my protagonist is

shown walking down the street with no clear destination in sight. This implies that
she is going in search of something that she can’t seem to find. These basic
locations are typical of the Indie genre because traditionally, the budget is smaller
for Indie music videos so more simplistic locations have to be used. While this
conforms to the genre, the mundanity of the locations I used also works to suggest
that heartbreak is universal because it can happen to anyone anywhere.
Costume
Throughout the video, my protagonist wears several different costumes. Caitlin is
first shown wearing an oversized grey hoody which could imply that she is longing
for a sense of comfort. Furthermore, the fact that it features the logo from her high
school could imply that she’s longing for simpler times when her life wasn’t
complicated by broken relationships. The dull colour of the hoody could suggest that
there is a lack of excitement in her life and that she’s trapped in a mundane cycle.
This theme was carried over into her main costume which was comprised of a black
and white stripy top, a black skirt and a black coat. This lack of colour implies that
her life has been drained of enjoyment. Black is also a colour that is commonly
associated with grief, perhaps suggesting that Caitlin is still grieving the end of her
relationship. The use of monotone colours was inspired by Sam Smith’s costume in
his ‘Stay With Me’ music video in which he wears a black and white checked coat. In
contrast to her other costumes, during flashbacks, Caitlin wears bright, vibrant
colours which suggest that she used to be adventurous and outgoing, as emphasised
by her bright pink hair. The change in her hair colour implies that she no longer
wants to stand out and instead wants to blend into the crowd. This links to the
theme of a loss of identity because she’s completely changed how she presents herself
to the world. It also conforms to the cliché of changing something about yourself after
a break up to distance yourself from the relationship and who you used to be.
Caitlin’s costumes all conform to what is currently in fashion, meaning that they
would appeal to my target audience of late teens.

My antagonist, Pippin’s costumes are both very similar, consisting of a long sleeved
t-shirt and jeans. However, in flashbacks, the colour of his shirt differs. In the
present, his t-shirt is a light shade of grey, suggesting that he is experiencing the
same pain and disconnection as Caitlin. In contrast to this, in shots of the past, he is
wearing a bright blue t-shirt, a colour associated with honesty and confidence. It
matches the vibrancy of Caitlin’s colours, implying that he felt the same joy as her
when they were together.
Characters – Caitlin and Pippin
My protagonist, Caitlin is an every woman that the target audience would be able to
relate to because there is nothing extraordinary about her – she is just a normal woman
who’s been hurt by a broken relationship, which is something that almost anyone can
understand and relate to. This makes it easy for the audience to connect to her because
they can recognise the pain she’s experiencing. Her distress is illustrated through her
body language. When Caitlin has to face Pippin, my antagonist, her expression becomes
pained as she makes herself appear smaller, implying that she has no self confidence
and is at a loss at what to do. This works to emphasise how effected she is by the
breakdown of the relationship, especially when this body language is contrasted with
how she behaves and presents herself in flashbacks.

During the final scene in the music video, Caitlin’s movements become erratic,
implying that she has lost control over her emotions. This outlet leaves her even more
fragile than she was before, suggesting that bumping into Pippin and the subsequent
argument that followed has further disrupted the fragile disequilibrium she had
established. I took inspiration from the ‘I Know I’m Not the Only One’ music video by
Sam Smith in which a disgruntled wife loses her grip on the domestic life she inhabited
after realising her husband is having an affair. This suggests that Caitlin’s behaviour
is typical of the genre because music videos that belong to the Indie Genre continually
showcase people being broken and becoming tainted by heartbreak.

Despite not having the typical traits associated with antagonists, in my music video
Pippin fills that role because of the disruptive effect he has on Caitlin. His assertive
and confident body language contrasts with the fragility her expression implies, which
works to suggest that he isn’t as effected by the end of the relationship as she is and is
instead able to control himself.

I used these characters to personify the effects of heartbreak, making them clearly
visible to the audience as they amplify the emotions expressed in our artist’s lyrics.
Props
Few props are used in my music video, perhaps
suggesting that as well as losing touch with her
identity, Caitlin no longer likes/enjoys the same
things she used to, leaving her life bare and empty.
This is emphasised when she sweeps everything off
her desk, implying that she is rejecting everything
that used to represent who she was. I took inspiration
from the American TV show ‘Teen Wolf’ in which a
character destroys her room while experiencing an
identity crisis. My target audience would be familiar
with this text, therefore making it easy for them to
understand the extreme emotions Caitlin is
expressing.
A phone also features in the music video. When
Caitlin turns off the alarm, there are no notifications
on the screen, implying that she has no connections to
other people and has cut herself off from the outside
world as she grieves in isolation.
Lighting
In my music video I used the lighting to create a stark contrast
between the past and the present. For example, during shots
of the past, the lighting is warm, creating an orange glow
around the characters. This connotes joy and emphasises the
comfort the security of the relationship brought to both Caitlin
and Pippin. However, in the present, the lighting becomes cold
and there in no diegetic lighting, with things such as the fairy
lights on Caitlin’s bed being turned off. This implies that she
doesn’t have the energy to bring any light, which works to
represent happiness, into her life. Furthermore, Caitlin’s face
is also cast into shadow at times, connoting a sense of loss and
inescapable darkness. This can be seen in Charlie Puth’s ‘We
Don’t Talk Anymore’ music video, suggesting that it is a
technique commonly used to demonstrate a character’s pain.
In reflection, seeing how effective this technique is, I would
capitalise on it more if I was making another music video
because it successfully illustrates how lost characters are and
could have made it easier for my audience to see Caitlin’s
distress.
Camerawork
Within my music video, close ups are consistently used to reveal
the emotional torment Caitlin is experiencing as they allow the
audience to read her facial expressions. This in turn allows the
audience to connect with her as they experience her distress. At
times, the extremity of the close up can create a sense of unease
and claustrophobia, therefore reflecting her damaged emotional
state. I also included close ups of my artist, Finn, which worked
to achieve the same effects because they allow the audience to
see his pain as he sings the song.

Linking into the theme of identity loss that is explored in my

music video, I used tracking shots throughout the video. This
suggests that the viewers are following Caitlin as she searches
for both happiness and companionship as well as a return to her
former self. These shots continue up until the end of the video,
reinforcing the fact that there isn’t a return to an equilibrium
because Caitlin is still searching for something she can’t seem to
find.
Composition
Throughout the video I used the rule of thirds. This
achieved several different things. For example, in
this shot, by having Caitlin’s eyes fall on a third, it
draws the audience’s attention to them, allowing
them to see the confusion and lack of hope in
Caitlin’s eyes. This is, therefore, a successful use of
the technique as it achieves what it set out to do.
In a later section of the video, Caitlin is shot in the
centre third of the shot. The empty space around her
emphasises how isolated she is because there is no
one around her. The empty space could also
symbolise how devoid her life is.
In reflection, I could have used a variety of different
composition techniques to illustrate Caitlin’s pain
instead of relying so heavily on editing and mise-en-
scene.
Editing
As part of the editing process of my music video, I desaturated all of the
shots. This helped to illustrate the bleakness in Caitlin’s life, especially
when contrasted with the bright colours in the flashbacks which
represent joy and optimism. Furthermore, the colour palette of my music
video is very simile to that of my print productions, therefore creating a
visual connection between the two projects and helping to form a brand
identity.
Another editing feature I incorporated was jump cuts. During the scene
that depicts Caitlin’s breakdown, I used jump cuts to illustrate her
fragility as they make her appear fragmented and lost. Additionally, they
work to emphasise how jarred she is by her encounter with Pippin
because her thoughts are scattered as she struggles to collect herself. I
took inspiration from the Shawn Mendes ‘Mercy’ music video which
features jump cuts as the artist becomes overwhelmed by the pressure of
making music. This could reinforce the damaging influence Pippin has on
her life and imply how unhealthy their relationship was.
To demonstrate the chaotic nature of Caitlin’s thoughts, I included cross
cuts to memories of Pippin and their relationship, implying that these
memories plague her thoughts as she attempts to move on with her life.
This suggests the difficulties people are faced with when they try to move
on from a relationship because Caitlin is haunted by it. The fact that the
cuts are brief flashes to past memories suggests that Caitlin has no
control over it and instead has to be subjected to endure her pain until it
passes.
Representation
In my music video, the audience is meant to sympathise with Caitlin because its obvious she
has been hurt by a relationship that has had a lasting effect on her. My target audience, who
are of a similar age to Caitlin, will be able to relate to this because, typically, young love and
teenage relationships end in heartbreak as people struggle to navigate the foreign and
complex nature of romantic relationships. Seeing Caitlin in the flashbacks showcases how
much the relationship has hindered her because she used to be confident and cheerful
whereas in the present day she is isolated and lacks self confidence. From this, the audience
will sympathise with her because they can see the struggle she is going through and root for
her to return to her former self. In addition to this, the audience will dislike Pippin because
Caitlin’s reaction to him through both her body language and the subsequent argument
heavily implies that he is the cause of her distress and loss of identity.
My representation of women could be considered to be regressive because it implies that
women are unstable and fragile as Caitlin’s behaviour suggests that they can’t cope with the
emotional trauma of ending a relationship. However, this is very typical of media texts, for
example, the of Verona ‘Dark in My Imagination’ music video depicts a woman being
tormented by her thoughts because she thinks her partner is having an affair. This suggests
that I am conforming to genre conventions because women are commonly represented in this
way. In addition to this, I represented men as cruel people who are disloyal. This is typical
when paired with the representation of women I have explored because its is often implied
that the men are the reason their behaviour changes. These portrayals of men and women are
stylised in order to explore the complex nature of romantic relationships between teenagers,
meaning that they are not an accurate presentation of teenagers in today’s society.
Theory - Goodwin
My music video conforms to Goodwin’s theory in several different ways. For example, I have conformed to
the genre characteristics of Indie-Pop by including performance shots of my artist, Finn. This works to
connect Finn to his music and therefore helps to build a brand identity for him. I also focused heavily on the
theme of love which is typical of the Indie genre as demonstrated by artists such as Billie Eilish. However, I
included characteristics of the Pop genre as well by taking influence from artists such as Taylor Swift and
Shawn Mendes, thus supporting Christine Gledhill’s statement that the ‘boundaries between genres are
shifting’. This implies that its becoming more common for artists to reference other genres and to explore
different styles as they develop their music.

Another aspect of Goodwin’s theory I demonstrated was creating a relationship between the lyrics of the
song and the visuals of the music video. My music video illustrates the feelings expressed in the song,
helping the audience connect to the message Finn was trying to portray. This makes it easier for the
audience to understand the song and get a sense of Finn and his style. In addition to this, I created a
relationship between the music and the visuals. I achieved this by cutting to the beat of the song and
synchronising actions, such as Caitlin sweeping her belongings off her desk, to the changes in tempo.

Furthermore, I also used close ups of Finn to build a brand identity for him by making his face recognisable.
Not only does this establish a relationship between him and the audience by allowing them to experience
the emotions he is feeling, but it also creates a connection between him and his music. Building a brand
identity is a very important process for an artist because it makes it easier for them to promote their work
and gain a following.

Finally, I included intertextual references which make it easier for my target audience to connect with the
meaning behind my video and the song. For example, the reference to Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’ music
video through Caitlin’s costume implies that the video will explore the effects of isolation while the
reference to ‘Teen Wolf’ suggest that the theme of identity is also prevalent in the video.
Conclusion
In conclusion, my music video uses conventions of the Indie-Pop genre
to explore how heartbreak can damage people’s sense of self and leave
them in isolation. I didn’t challenge any of forms or conventions
because I felt as though the genre offered me enough avenues to
thoroughly explore this topic and that it would help build a brand
identity for Finn if I kept with what audiences are familiar with.