Evaluation: In what ways does your media product develop, use or challenge forms and conventions?

I think my media product is a mixture of conventional and unconventional aspects. Typically, the average music video will include a variety of shots and locations. Mine definately includes many locations all to fit in with the nature of the song - it is about a man called Vince who is high, so I've chosen crazy locations. My plan was to stick to the vibe of the song rather than follow a narrative like many music videos as I wanted to use combine my filming with the song to create a mood rather than a story. I realised this could be difficult if not done thoroughly enough but the song pretty much speaks for itself in terms of quite random interludes and fairly upbeat, manic beats. This made it more of a challenge to match the level of the song to provide the audience with something they'll feel compelled to keep watching. I'm proud to say I think I achieved that (as no-one left of boredom or anything!) 

One of the main conventions I've challenged in my opinion, is the camerawork. I deliberately stuck with predominantly one shot: a head on view of the 'stoners'. I was aiming for a wide shot, to get the effect as though the audience were watching on a screen. I hoped it would seem trippy as though they were meant to be watching the background and the 'stoners' are simply interrupting their viewing for comedy value. This differs from the average music video, as the artists are usually the most important part. I've tried to include both, using more interesting shot choices for the background, with the contrasting frame of the 'stoners' over the top. 

I figured that a stoned person would probably be in overload mode with bright lights and crazy hallucinations, so that's what I tried to aim for. I debated using more editing, for example tinting, but I wanted to keep it as though the audience weren't part of the drug-fuelled craziness, instead just observers. As much as I wanted it to be funny and entertaining, I didn't want to be seen as condoning drugs, but at the same time I was worried about losing my audience's interest if it got too serious. So I compromised by excluding most of the extra effects, and added a subtle hint with the cup of tea at the end. The cushion in the background reads "Where there is tea there is hope" which I can claim to be a reminder to sober up, and that even total stoners can be helped. I liked being able to slip that in, as it means the band can defend themselves against anti-drugs campaigners, yet can maintain the amusement and appreciation received from the intended audience. I'm not entirely sure how many bands already use a similar tactic - I'm sure there are many, but the nature of it makes it difficult to detect.

As with the lack of narrative, I've used multiple actors in a random way which is fairly unconventional. However I do inevitably have a main character, which is 'Vince' played by the brilliant Thomas Martin. He is on the screen as the song title appears. This is another unconventional aspect of my video, as most music videos themselves don't include the title, as it is usually displayed on TV music channels automatically as the video begins. Despite this they do sometimes include the band name, which I have chosen not to do. I wanted the title to dance across the screen in stop-motion to give it a completely unrealistic and cool effect. I've tried to go for the unexpected and random, by having the letters act independently across the screen. 


I think the convention I challenged the most would be the inclusion (or exclusion in my case) of lip sync. This caused a fair amount of discussion within my lessons. Quite a few people were of the opinion that music videos don't work without lip sync, but I felt it would have distracted from the vibe of the song. Also it would have been too unrealistic to have drugged up people acting all crazy, yet still being able to remember and time the lyrics without looking rather phony. I was reluctant to leave it completely without lip sync, so I decided to develop it and go with more humour and including the brief "I have no idea what I'm singing" parody of Chinese lip sync. I think this adds to the video, giving a different part it, one of only 2 clips without green screen (the 2nd being the split second Tom is visible pointing - the same image as on the digipak - during the song breakdown section). 


Although special effects are commonly used in music videos, I'm not aware of that many that use constant green screen throughout. My concept was to do this in a way that wouldn't become boring or too predictable. I think I've successfully evaded any boredom however there is only so much you can do with limited resources and time, which I feel has left it a little predictable in places, which is one of the reasons I chose to have multiple actors. I think Matt Horan's yoyo-ing helped me to add a bit of variety to the green screen effects and I was particularly pleased with the way that worked out, looking like an added animation rather than green screen (see my audience feedback for agreeing comments)


I think overall I challenged more conventions than I used, which was fully intended, as otherwise I don't think the concept of 'stoners' would have worked as well. The most conventional part I would say, would be the background footage, purely because I filmed it all naturally, as I would have done had they been establishing shots. I would like to extend on this concept one day, and experiment with different technologies and effects to create an even more visually dynamic video.