Task 1 In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

In what way do your media products use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Image One - Digipak Cover Panel

                              Digipak Cover                                                      PJ Harvey's 'White Chalk' Cover

It is clear from the two album covers that we were greatly influenced by PJ Harvey's album cover for her album 'White Chalk'. 

• We wanted to keep the background of our digipak very simple so as not to distract away from the main focus - our artist. Yet we wanted an effective and edgy look. 

• It is fair to say our influence came from PJ Harvey's album cover above. However, we had decided that navy blue was to be a favourable colour in our production because it enhanced the cold and dark nature of narrative we wanted to convey. 

• Though the two costumes are very different, 'White Chalk' still influenced our dress code. The pink ribbons and flowers in PJ Harvey's hair suggest a sweet, innocent nature to her image. Nonetheless you can see that the colour of my costume suggests 'innocence'.

•  It is notable that PJ Harvey's artist image is rather clean and fresh looking. However we added enhanced make-up under my eyes to make me look tired and the purple lipstick subtly implying abuse. However, the lipstick and the v-neck style of the nightgown draws attention to the male gaze. 

Image Two - Digipak Back Cover

• You will notice something rather unusual about both these pictures. My hairstyle in the above picture goes against what my image from the front of our digipak cover would look like. You will also notice that on the 'White Chalk' album photograph, half of PJ Harvey's body appears missing. Thus there is something wrong with both images, indicating a certain unconventional look about each. 

Image Three - Music Video Still

Massive Attack - 'Risingson' 

Our Video Still 

• It is probably clear from the two visuals that 'Risingson' by Massive Attack influenced our very high key lighting from the window and hanging cross. 

• We wanted it to be clear that the figures remained in shadow, whilst the only true light source came from the outside world and the symbolic cross on the wall. The shadow helped enhance the convention of the dark star image we wanted to convey.  

Image Four - Music Video Still 

The two video stills have very similar connotations as the images both question God's existence and challenge the idea of his so called 'omnibenevolent' nature. Where is God when we suffer troubles and hardships? 


For example in my video still it is clear that the character is seeking help as she touches the cross, and her facial expression too suggests that she is in some difficulty. In our music video, the narrative indeed questions God's presence, as does PJ Harvey's lyrics with reference about a man - 'God is the sweat running down his back' as he harms the artist physically and psychologically. 

Additionally the cross necklace I am wearing in the above image suggests that our character is close to the idea of God. However, the heavy shadow lighting challenges traditional conventions of what we would expect to see when presented with an iconic image of a cross. Thus the audience subconsciously sense there is not something right about this picture/situation presented here. 

It is notable that we were very influenced by Madonna's 'Like A Prayer'. The image of many burning crosses asks similar questions to that of the above video still. The semiotics of this image are, too, very unconventional and challenges more common conventions we'd expect to see with a song carrying a religious theme. 






Image five - Music Video Still

Again influenced by Madonna's 'Like A Prayer', the stereotypical idea of a man playing a more dominant role over a woman is clear through the mise en scéne in each of these pictures. In Madonna's still image she is succumbing to a man who appears to be a 'black' Jesus - presenting a completely unconventional idea to most audiences and debating the 'status' of the male presented here.


The music video caused a lot of commotion and dispute among audiences because of the representation of a 'black' Jesus, images of burning crosses etc. Therefore people seem to like this unconventional type of music video. 'Smack my bitch up' by The Prodigy is a good example of a popular uncovnentional music video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BpfydZdTE0&feature=related

However, the idea that we wanted to carry through into our music video was the image of a dominant male succumbing a female who appears to rely heavily on his presence - just as Madonna does with her love for Jesus. 


The pictures both work off against each other. There is a clear 'intertextual' reference between the two. Media theorist Pete Fraser says, "We see music promos as frequently drawing upon existing texts in order to spark recognition on the audience".

Madonna's still has a representation of a Godly, dominant male. However mine questions the role of the dominant male as he appears in front of the hanging cross in the video, but his actions are aggressive and forcible going against the conventional idea of the iconic religious cross in the background. We used Madonna's idea of religion and male dominance in our music video too to challenge most forms of common media conventions. 


Image six -Music Video Still 

However, despite the use of many unconventional elements to our video, we have used one very common media convention in our video - lip synching! Also, the fact that we have the image of an artist in our music video is a very popular convention among pop music videos. 


However, overall, our ideas mostly oppose and challenge these ideas of common media conventions.