CCR For My Music Video
I hoped that you enjoyed my music video just as much as I enjoyed creating it! This project was more challenging than the last, but I am glad to be learning and progressing more. Without further ado, let's reflect on the production of my music video.
1. How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues?
The conventions that are used in the R&B genre can vary depending on the artist. In my music video, I used and challenged the conventions of the R&B genre. As I researched the specifics of the category, I observed that most of the videos I watched told a story throughout them. The storylines usually spoke on the aspects of relationships, heartbreak, love, and so forth. In the music video for Independent Women, this convention was challenged as the women empowered other women by expressing how capable we are and how successful we can become without men. I made sure to maintain this convention throughout my project by creating a storyline that reflected those ideals. My narrative briefly expressed the preconceptions that men expect women to live up to and women rejecting all parts of it. I believe this convention was important to keep because the message in the song would not reach the intended audience without it. In continuation with my research, I noticed that the location of the music videos was in a party environment or in a home. This convention was also challenged in the music video as they utilized green screen special effects as the location of the video. Additionally, a change in lighting is known to occur often in R&B music videos as it starts off darker and progressively becomes lighter. But in Independent Women, the lighting remained the same for the whole music video. In my music video, I created my own DIY green screen and continued on with the same lighting throughout. By doing so, I was able to keep these conventions that were used in the making of Independent Women. R&B music videos are known for often breaking the fourth wall and using medium, close-up, establishing shots, and more. In my music video, I broke the fourth wall by having my actors sing and interact with the audience while using some of the most famous shots. The Independent Women music video further challenged the conventions of the R&B genre by not putting Destiny’s Child in revealing clothing or flashy jewelry. Following along with the conventions of their R&B music video, my actors and I wore simple costumes and jewelry. By doing so, the message of the song was further emphasized in the regard that women aren’t just objects for the viewing pleasure of men. In terms of editing, I followed the conventions by using styles like crosscutting, reverse shots, and cutaway. Although I used many of the conventions in the Independent Women music video, I challenged a few as well. In the music video, no filters were used to set any type of mood. In my music video, I decided to use filters to not only set a contrast for when I cut between scenes but to emphasize a relaxed mood as I did so. I also challenged the filming style of the music video as I did not track my actors and me. I challenged this convention by not following us as we moved, instead I had the cameraman hold the camera in a steady position. By choosing to incorporate and not incorporate the conventions of the R&B genre I was able to produce my own unique film. My project represents women and the issue regarding the domination of men and the presumption that they have the power to objectify and discredit women. The lyrics throughout the song along with my video indicate that women do not need men to be dependent upon to be successful in life. In my music video, I attempt to reverse the roles and give the power to the women. By maintaining the convention of non-revealing costumes, I was able to support the idea that women are the ones who have control over themselves and not men.
2. How does your product engage with audiences AND how would it be distributed as a real media text?
My project engages with the audience by empowering women through the lyrics and the visual aspects of my video. The music video provides all the women and even young women who watch it with the affirmations needed to free themselves of this preconception for women. By including a wide range of age women in my music video I aimed to reach all women who could see themselves in us. I believe that messages are more effective and get across easier when you can relate to the people who are spreading the message. This song promotes positivity, strength, determination, and independence that lets all women know that our key to achieving our dreams is not tied to a man. “I depend on me” and “I bought it” are lyrics that were repeated throughout the duration of the song. In my music video, I made sure that these lyrics reached the audience by breaking the fourth wall. I felt that it was important to do so at those lyrics because they emphasized and represented the message of being independent. Through this, I was able to effectively engage with the audience through my music video. Taken all into consideration, I would distribute my music video as a real media text on platforms that are dominated by both teenage and older women audiences. Examples of teenage platforms would be Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok. Platforms for older women would be Facebook and talk shows that are hosted by women. The universal platform that I would use to reach many more people, besides just women, would be YouTube. I believe that my music video would best be distributed on these platforms because it is most commonly used nowadays, and such a popular song would almost instantly catch the eye of those who are on them. The music video would also be spread around quicker amongst people since the majority of the platforms are popular.
3. How did your production skills develop throughout this project?
Before this project, my production skills had improved from the commercial. From the commercial, I learned about the process of storyboarding which allowed me to advance in my filming skills. My editing skills had also improved from the commercial project as I got more familiar with the software. Those newly acquired skills allowed me to produce my music video. I learned the importance of having a schedule that fits everyone’s schedules. My first schedule was obstructed due to the holiday, but I managed to learn from this and make a better schedule as I redrafted a new one. This improved my production skills because I was able to film more effectively during the second time. During this project, I also learned how important it is to have a backup plan. When I made my commercial, I only ran into minor weather problems which I took for granted when actual problems came during this project. During this project, I experienced editing difficulties and problems with my actors. This is when I realized the importance of having a backup plan. My back up plan allowed my production to go smoother than it would have if I did not have one. My editing skills have also improved significantly from my commercial. As I am becoming more familiar with the editing software, I am learning different ways of making my projects less choppy and have a cleaner finish. Since I had more difficulty editing this time around, I was able to learn more. It is said that failure is the mother of success and I believe that since I failed more often during this project my production skills have developed more. Moreover, I will be more developed in my production skills when I work on my next project.
4. How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware, and online – in this project?
To make my music video, I utilized both my phone and my brother’s phone to film. While filming on my phone I ran out of storage and therefore had to continue recording on my brother’s phone. When I finished filming, I began to use my brother’s phone to edit my music video since my phone did not have enough storage. I dumped all of the footage taken on my phone into my brother’s phone and began editing. I decided to try a new app by the recommendation of my brother called CapCut. This app allowed me to not only combine all of my clips together, but I was able to add the audio over my music video easily. CapCut, regardless of the problems I experienced while editing my green screen, allowed for a smooth editing process. When I finished editing, I used the app Prequel to add the filters I wanted over my video. I then exported the video onto my computer. Lastly, I uploaded my project to YouTube and then embedded my final product into Blogger.
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