genre codes and conventions

This is a categorised type of media text, different genre's have different conventions. It is a critical tool that helps us study texts and audiences responses to texts by dividing then into categories based on elements.
Some music video's go completely against all forms of conventions & codes such as radio head no surprises. This ignores all codes and conventions to make it appear my interesting to the audience. This was a deliberate choice.

All genre's have sub genre's dividing into more specific categories. Christian Mertz talks about this in his book " language and cinema" he says all genre go through a typical cycle of change during there lifetime

• Experimental stage


• Classic stage


• Parody stage

I would say that the for my song “Hello” The type of stage is a classical one. This is because the lyrics are based on a traditional cohabiting relationship were the man is the dominant alpha male and the woman is the dismissive female. Also the tune has a classical element almost to it.

Genre's can also overlap for example the codes and conventions could appear to be a mainstream pop group genre, when in fact its a parody of the genre. For example blink 182- All the small things. This uses all the common locations such as slow motion beach scene normally seen on love songs, such as the Beyonce video I analysed below. It also uses such codes as slow motion shots with the wind blowing.






The genre I am focusing on is a mainstream/rnb genre. the song I have chosen has very much both elements in. It is a moving love song. Therefor I am going to have to use the codes & conventions of a love video, such as the 'heartbroken girl'

This would include such conventions as
· Slow motion shots
· Dissolve cuts
· Traditional love locations such as the beach which I have planned to use in my story board
· Black and white to emphasize a classical view
· Close up’s of a relationship, also the artist.

Industries use genre to sell products to audiences. Genre is recognised by audiences through codes and conventions. Rick Attom argues that media offers a set of "pleasures" to an audience,

• emotional pleasure


• visceral pleasure - gut responses


• intellectual pleasure - puzzles, murder investigations, thrillers

The strengths of making full use of genre and conventions in your music video is that the audience can relate and understand it. Making the video more like able.

For my video the genre of mainstream/R and B would be an emotional pleasure as the song conveys a touching relationship. This will have to come across in the genre of my music video.

The normal conventions of a r and b video are that they show off wealth. Through fancy cars and designer clothes, men are usually seen as dominant and females as passive. However the song I have chosen is more of a mainstream song still in the r and b category. This consists more of a traditional love genre, therefore men are still seen as the dominant character and females passive. Similar to the Beyonce video that I analysed below. There for techniques such as fading and a black and white effect are commonly used.
I will be including these techniques along with my video, as well as various close up shots of the artist and establishing shot of the locations. Codes and conventions include everything that is seen on screen such as clothing and appearance. For example in Beyonce’s video “why don’t you love me” Beyonce has taken the 60’s style down to the location appearance and style of hair. Everything is hand picked out.

For my music video the style is set in the present day. Therefore the outfit for my beach location will be similar to the style of today of a typical passive female, "girly" scarf’s and cardigans. For the dance sequence the actress will be wearing a leotard, as the dance sequence is very traditional and will be similar to the style of ballet. Also The male character will be wearing a suite for the dance sequences as this will appear traditional and smart.