CCR for my music video!

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GBB0A1eVSWrsw6B_FQw9ScgZDRd-Eao3CLsMGlIxi2Q/edit?usp=sharing 

How does your product use or challenge conventions AND how does it represent social groups or issues?

My final music video project is based on conventions that I saw while researching indie music. It sticks to the common homemade aesthetics that are seen in a large amount of indie and bedroom pop music videos. However, I challenged these conventions by using them with a song that is popular and is not indie or bedroom pop. The conventions of the genre of “Head over Heels” are often over the top with quirky visuals. I took a small bit of inspiration from these characteristics, but otherwise, I stayed true to the indie genre. It represents my friends and I’s shared cultural heritage and gender. In today's society, it can be hard to find media of young Latina girls expressing their love for art and music. Especially without a focus on their struggles and inner turmoils. There are many examples of media with a struggling Latina, but not many of young carefree Latina girls. We are often robbed of our youth in media and portrayed as more mature- and yet not as intelligent- as other people in our age group. With this music video, I wanted to portray the magic and art that can come from pure Latina happiness.

How does your product engage with audiences AND how would it be distributed as a real media text?

My product engages with the audience by providing a relatable and humorous take on an iconic song. The teenage audience will see a relatable group of friends that reflect their own. An older audience will resonate with the song choice being an older song. People who enjoy indie music and cozy vibes will also appreciate this project. I believe it would be distributed by uploading the project on major video and social media platforms to distribute. However, since this is a project with an intentional home-video vibe, it would not be endorsed by large corporations or celebrities. Neither would it have a large-scale or high-budget marketing campaign. I imagine the rollout would depend largely on word of mouth and a previously established audience or fanbase.

How did your production skills develop throughout this project?

When I began this project I had never worked on a video longer than 20 seconds. Specifically when it came to editing, I had to work through a large learning curve. At first, I had not even seen a desktop-based editing software, primarily doing everything on my phone. It was a bit overwhelming to see all the different functions. However, after doing this project I learned how to use professional editing software. I learned editing strategies and how to quickly and efficiently edit. Specifically, I learned to upload transfer footage using the cloud, from my phone camera roll to my computer hard drive. I also learned how to best order footage. I also learned how to embed a youtube video, which I had never previously done. When filming I realized how to get angles that would be the most well suited for the energy that I had wanted to convey. I learned how to organize a meeting specifically for filming. Since I am friends with all the actors that appear, I did not have to go through the hurdle of dealing with people that I was not familiar with. However, I still had to explain to them my vision for the project and how to execute it. I also had to organize a location and plan a date where it was suitable for everyone. This was also the first time I made a storyboard. Luckily, I have experience in comics which helped, but it was still a learning curve. I still have a long way to go, but I know more than I did when I began.

How did you integrate technologies – software, hardware and online – in this project?

In this project, I integrated hardware technology by using my phone camera to record all of the footage. Since I already had a good camera in my daily life and in a very portable form, it streamlined the process. I also took advantage of my laptop for editing. My biggest technological integration was my software integration. I utilized CapCut Desktop to edit my entire video. It was a free program that made editing straightforward. Additionally, when it comes to hardware, I used my pink disco lights to light my bathroom scene. I also used my headphones as a prop in the same scene. I featured a guitar and drums in my video as well. Without these technologies, my music video could not exist.