Question 1 Evaluation

1. In our music video we have followed certain characteristics of a female artist's music video but we have also created a music video that is individual and unique, which does not follow all the characteristics of a typical music video of a similar artist. One way in which our music video demonstrates the characteristics of the genre is through the way love is portrayed between the two characters. The boy and the girl in the music video are in love and this is typical of the pop-folk genre. The video follows these two characters as they wake up, go about their morning routine. The similarities between the two characters are shown and this again follow the characteristics of the genre (innocence, love, relationships). Our music video defies the characteristics of the genre in the way it is shot, using stop motion creates a surreal, jerky effect. This is not usually afflicted with the genre we have used. However using stop motion has created a positive effect as it will appeal to our target audience. Our target audience are creative and loving so therefore they will be open to trying new things. Stop motion has created an effect which reinforces the innocence of the music video as the jerky effect gives an amateur look to the video as if the two characters portrayed have actually created it.

We have used lip syncing in the chorus of our music video, this has created a link between the lyrics and visuals (one of Goodwin's points on analysing music videos). We see the artist, Eliza Mindel, singing the chorus which emphasises her creativity and musical talent. She is also playing the guitar at the same time which further reinforces her talent. Lip syncing follows the characteristics of the genre because most of the artists in the pop-folk genre are very real and talented. This scene is positive because its creates an emotional bond between the audience and our artist. Through the lyrics she is singing and how she is singing them the artist is portrayed as being emotional and down to earth, she is singing about a real matter which has emotionally effected her. This is typical of the genre as past experience is usually what influences most artists and is shown in their lyrics.

In the chorus of our music video we have used a cartoon cloud background with our artist walking along, this is still shot in stop motion. This scene was added so that the audience could see the artist and therefore relate to her. The whole chorus sequence is supposed to portray a 'dream sequence' this is represented by the clouds in the background and also emphasised by the surrealism that comes with stop motion video. Our artist is represented as being the cupid between the two main characters and therefore emphasising the theme of love within our music video. This theme strongly follows the characteristics of the genre used. In this chorus scene our artist is also seen playing the guitar. This represents her as being creative and down to earth. She can play the music to accompany her songs. This is typical of the genre used and members of our target audience who play instruments can relate to this. This scene follows Goodwin's point of music following visuals, you see her playing the guitar and you can hear what she is playing. This is also emphasised on our digi-pack through the pictures of guitars we have used, it gives a theme of musical talent which is something we wanted to associate with our artist.

We have used frequent references to voyeurism  how ever we have not used camera-work that depicts the female body in a voyeuristic way. This is because that would not follow the characteristics of our specific genre and would not match the star persona we have associated with our artist. However we have used references to voyeurism with techniques such as frame within a frame, to do this we have a scene in which the actors hold up a board. This board is a green screen board, then using the effect we have added a video into the green screen. Therefore to the audience the characters are holding up their loved ones (pictured). We have also used close up of our artist which shows her eyes and also the artist looking at the camera, this emphasises the voyeuristic nature of our music video. Also we have used voyeurism in our digi-pack. The album cover has Eliza Mindel with a magnifying glass which is over her eyes, magnifying them. This is very effective in creating a link between the artist and the audience as it seems as the artist is looking through the magnifying glass at you.