Pop Conventions

Pop Conventions

updated mv presentation

Technical conventions: 

• Band shots, whole band shots, and performance clips
• Shadows, mise-en-scene reflects atmosphere, equal division of shots upon band    EG.geeky outfits at the beginning of Black Magic reflect the setting (school)
• Bright Lighting                                                                                                                          EG. The Vamps's bright sun (it's so it shows them in the spotlight, superior, they are the dominant.
• High angle/low angle                                                                                                               (makes the audience feel more superior/inferior)
• Special lighting effects
• Close Ups                                                                                                                                     To make the singer/band represented as dominant, in the spotlight/your focus is on them and their record company is showing them off.             
• Animation 
• Fast- pace of editing
• Mainly straight cuts
• Bright colours against black and white background
• Panning
• Editing to reflect the pace of the music
• High lighting
• Equal division of shots upon band members
• Whole band shots
• No real sound effects
• Dubbed sound
• Zooming out
• Shadows
• Mise-en-scene reflects atmosphere
• Does the music video adhere to or subvert these?

How far do you agree that the two videos you have studied are conventional for the genre (pop)? [15/15]

In the 'black magic' music video, there are many codes and conventions relating to the pop genre.

An example would be the fact that there is an equal division of shots upon the band members. All the girls are represented as equal when they're all dressed equally nerdy at the start, and equally glamorous by the end of the song. Throughout, they're all together and represented as a group of friends at a school. This representation can also adhere to the Uses And Gratifications Theory, as members of the audience can use this as a form of escapism, to see school as a perfect place where everyone hangs around the same group of people, and everyone has their own perfect group of friends just like them. This is conventional to the pop genre because this representation makes people happy as they can imagine their school lives as fun and interesting as Little mix's. The pop genre is based around fun and 'living the dream', which is why this aspect of the video is a clear sign that it's a conventional pop music video.

Additionally, 'The Vamp's' music video 'somebody to you' also features many conventions of the pop genre. An example of this are the band shots/performance clips shown many times throughout the song. Some of these shots consist of the full band performing with their individual instruments on a small wooden stage on a beach. Them being higher up than the sand on the beach tells the audience to focus on them and that they're the most important thing in the shot. The effect of the record company making sure the band is in 'the spotlight' or focused on is that this can  attract fans into researching more about the group or the individual members because of the fact that they're being represented as dominant, important or the 'perfect/ flawless' group of boys in the music video.
Another connotation of the pop genre i the video is the constant representation of fun, happiness, laughter, relaxation or 'an easy life'. This is shown through the bright sunlight on the beach, the band and the girls laughing, playing in the sun, eating food, partying, smiling , and more. The effect of this on the audience is so they can feel 'at ease', 'stress-free', relaxed, positive or happier from watching it. This also adheres to the 'Uses And Gratifications Theory' because the audience can use this feeling of motivation, positivity and relaxation as a form of escapism to forget about their own struggles and their own stresses. This can benefit the record company because the audience will seek the same feelings of relaxation and happiness from the music video, which will make them re-watch it and therefore, financially support the companies behind the video.

Overall, I think both 'Little Mix' and 'The Vamps's music videos conform nicely into the codes and conventions of the pop genre. Both video's include aspects that portray feelings of an ideal world, fun, excitement and relaxation, like the fun activities shown in 'The Vamp's' music video and the girls getting the boys they like in 'Little Mix's' music video. 

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random notes...


The video features animation.

Language Audience Representation

Another reason why 'Little Mix's' music video conforms to the conventions of pop is because of the bright colours displayed. 

...bright colours in costumes (including nerd outfit)  ...(escapism(?))