For the first evaluation question, I have decided to take 9 screen shots from my music video that I feel may or may not use the conventions of music videos.
Regular conventions seen in music videos.
Conventions you may expect to see in most music videos would be sexualisation of women and sexual connotations, dancing, special effects, the name of the song at the start and end of the video, and shots of the singer/band.
I would place my music video in the 'indie' genre of music video, and this type of genre has it's own conventions, such as a story line, shots of the band/singer and shots of instruments.
Below are my 9 frames I picked from my video:
Frame One.
In the first frame, it shows a close up of a fret board with the lead singer playing it. This is a very conventional shot, as many music videos use it, especially videos featuring bands. I decided to frame the shot in this way as it shows the band playing the instruments, and it is very typical of a video in the 'indie' genre.
Frame Two.
In the second frame, it shows the lead singer leaning against the wall lighting a cigarette at the bottom of a block of flats. This gives the shot an informal look. The lighting of the cigarette is a conventional factor to an 'indie' music video, as it connotes youth rebellion. I used this shot as it gives the viewers an idea of what the lead singer is like.
Frame Three.
In the third frame, it shows the whole band performing together. It isn't professional looking; it looks more like band practise. I feel this is slightly different to the usual convention of a band performing, as normally it would look more professional with lighting and a stage. I decided to make it look more like a band practise, therefore giving it the feel of a new and upcoming band that was possibly on a budget while filming.
Frame Four.
In the fourth frame, it shows a split screen of one of the band members passing a phone 'through the screen' and holding it to the lead singers ear. It was done through different levels of zoom, and while the lyrics 'I'm gonna call her on the telephone' are heard. There are conventional and unconventional parts to this frame. I feel that the 'passing the phone through the screen' part is quite different, as I have never seen it before, whereas the link between the words and the video is regularly seen in a lot of music videos. I feel like this is a twist on a regular convention.
Frame Five.
In the fifth frame, it shows a close up of a guitar. This is a typical convention of a music video belonging to a band, as it is displaying instruments the band play. I decided to use this so the viewers can see the singer play the instrument. It also fits in with a chord change, which helps the video run smoothly and links what the viewer see's to what they hear.
Frame Six.
In the sixth frame, it shows one of the band members playing the drums. This again fits with the conventions of an 'indie' music video as it shows other band members. I decided to do this because it shows and promotes other band members, not just the lead singer. It also shows other instruments being used.
Frame Seven.
In the seventh frame, it shows a split screen which is split into two ways. In each screen is something different: a band members body and guitar, the head of the lead singer and the foot of the drummer on a pedal. Split screens are quite conventional in music videos as it lets the director put different shots in the same frame. It is also something different for the viewer to look at. I decided to use split screens in my video quite a bit, as it gave me the chance to put all the band members in the same frame and provided a different view from the usual single frame.
Frame Eight.
In the eighth frame, it shows the lead singer putting a pair of socks down his jeans. This is part of the narrative, and narratives in music videos are very popular, although i do not think this particular story line has been done before! The sexual connotations are very conventional to music videos, however, not so much in 'indie' music videos. I therefore feel I have developed the universal convention by using it in my 'indie' music video. I decided to use this shot as I feel it adds humour to my video, making it less serious.
Frame Nine.
In the final frame, it shows all the band and the girls in a bed and they all jump forward, cheer and wave their hands. I feel this adds a fun ending to my video. I do not think it is very conventional. Conversley, in the frame I feature the song title and the name of the band, and this is very conventional across all genres of music video.
Over all, I think I have used a lot of conventional aspects in my video. However, I feel that in some cases I have developed them and for that reason I feel that my music video is quite unique in some aspects, while still fitting into the 'indie' genre.
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