Genre questions

General

In what context did you encounter it? (web, film, TV etc)

I first encountered the genre of pop through music, from radio, TV and the web.

What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?

I often encountered the text as music, later encountering music videos.

To what genre did you initially assign the text?

Pop

What is your experience of this genre?

I think pop is a very generic genre, it is based on repetition and reuse of existing work. Annoyingly catchy, sticks in your head.

What subject matter and basic themes is the text concerned with?

Romance is a big theme in pop music. There are a huge number of pop songs based on romantic experiences.

How typical of the genre is this text in terms of content?

My music video is typical of the genre as it includes an element of narrative and performance which is typical of pop music videos

What expectations do you have about texts in this genre?

Bright colours, catchy, repetitive, interesting/abstract music videos. Narrative or performance.

Have you found any formal generic labels for this particular text (where)?

Pop, classification of similar music videos on websites such as YouTube

What generic labels have others given the same text?

Pop or popular music

Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?

Within my text there are conventions of the pop genre such as the performance aspect of it.

To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

I think my text stretches the conventions of pop as most music videos show the name of the song and artist at the beginning however it follows a lot of conventions as it includes both performance and narrative. However my video does not include any synchronised dancing or bright coloured backgrounds.

Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

My music video does not follow conventions of pop as it used a natural environment rather than a predominantly performance video filmed in a studio or lavish set.

Which conventions seem more like those of a different genre (and which genre(s))?

Using a natural environment could be considered a convention of Indie music videos

What familiar motifs or images are used?

I kept the guitar the whole way through the video and used it as the main image on the digipak as I wanted to create an image for my artist.

Which of the formal/stylistic techniques employed are typical/untypical of the genre?

I used a black and white filter over some clips and a coloured filter to adjust the look of the rest of the video. The black and white filter is not typical of the pop genre.

What institutional constraints are reflected in the form of the text?

I was unable to use all the tools available to a big record company, so my text is not as professional or as refined as it would be if it were created by a

What relationship to 'reality' does the text lay claim to?

I think my text can be seen as very realistic as it is in a natural environment rather than a bright, colourful studio or stage. There are no outrageous outfits used in the video or excessive props.

Whose realities does it reflect?

I tried to make my video reflect the reality of my audience, so it better appeals to them.

What purposes does the genre serve?

For people to listen to and enjoy, interesting music videos that draw you in and make you want to watch the whole thing.

In what ways are these purposes embodied in the text?

I created a narrative music video to try and keep the audience interested the whole way through.

To what extent did your purposes match these when you engaged with the text?

I think my purpose matched this as

What ideological assumptions and values seem to be embedded in the text?

I think the idea of a romantic relationship is shown in this text as the video shows the narrative of a couple who are separated and at the end of the video they meet again, suggesting their relationship will continue.

What pleasures does this genre offer to you personally?

This genre often creates relatable songs and interesting music videos.

What pleasures does the text appeal to (and how typical of the genre is this)?

I think the song I chose could be viewed as relatable and the video is interesting, using the narrative aspect to draw the audience in.

Did you feel 'critical or accepting, resisting or validating, casual or concentrated, apathetic or motivated' (and why)?

I felt critical of similar pop music videos as I wanted my music video to show my artist as having actual talent rather than relying on looks to become popular. I was accepting of other existing music videos because they had aspects I wanted to include in my own music video.

Which elements of the text seemed salient because of your knowledge of the genre?

I think the narrative and performance aspects are most important parts of the text as they make up most of the video.

What predictions about events did your generic identification of the text lead to (and to what extent did these prove accurate)?

My generic identification of the next

What inferences about people and their motivations did your genre identification give rise to (and how far were these confirmed)?

My genre identification suggests that people will watch music videos like mine

How and why did your interpretation of the text differ from the interpretation of the same text by other people?

Other people had different opinions of my music video to me. Other people saw it as entertaining and liked certain parts about it such as the filters I used.

Mode of address

What sort of audience was your text aimed at (and how typical was this of the genre)?

Young audience (14-24). This is typical of the genre as pop artist appeal to younger audiences.

How does the text address your classmates?

I think because it appeals to my target audience and they fall into this category they are able to view it as they would a similar pop music video.

What sort of person does it assume they are?

Young adults (14-24), interested in pop music, keep up with trends.

What assumptions have you made about their class, age, gender and ethnicity?

Young adults, any class,

What interests does it assume they have?

Pop music, similar artists e.g. Olly Murs, Ellie Goulding

What relevance does the text actually have for you?

The text is relevant to me as it shows my opinion of pop artists. My chosen artist, Sam Church, is shown both singing and playing guitar rather than just singing.

What knowledge does it take for granted?

Knowledge of existing pop artists and their music and videos means my video can look realistic and professional.

To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the text seeks to position you as?

I think I resemble the ideal reader as I consider myself part of the target audience.

Are there any notable shifts in the text's mode of address (and if so, what do they involve)?

No the video consistently uses narrative and performance to portray the song

What responses does the text seem to expect from your audience?

I wanted my audience to recognise my artist as a talented individual, being able to play an instrument and sing rather than just sing or perform a dance as part of the video.

How open to negotiation is their response (are they invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular ways)?

I think my audience are able to react to my video however they want.

Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected ways (think in terms of enjoyment for the audience or consequences for the institution)?

No, my audience is able to react whatever way they want to the video depending on their opinion to it

To what extent did people find themselves 'reading against the grain' of the text and the genre?

I think the majority of my audience will see my music video as it is meant to be seen, a few might view parts of it as a convention of a different genre.

Which attempts to position your audience in this text do they accept, reject or seek to negotiate (and why)?

I have tried to make my music video relatable to the target audience so I believe they will accept the text as it includes a narrative they can relate to and the characters are similar to them.

How closely aligned is the way in which the text addresses you with the way in which the genre positions you (Kress 1988, 107)?

Relationship to other texts

What intertextual references are there in the text you have created (and to what other texts)?

I used a number of different ideas to create my music video e.g. narrative element from existing music videos/songs, James Blunt- 1973 gave me the idea for black and white vs colour shots for the video.

Generically, which other texts does the text you created resemble most closely?

Narrative love videos such as

What key features are shared by these texts?

Use of narrative, telling the story of the song through the video

What major differences do you notice between them?

My music video includes a mix of narrative and performance

Gender: Female

Age: 14-24

Hobbies and activities: Going to the cinema, going shopping and watching TV

Likes: Music, films, people and celebrities, fashion and magazines

Brands: Primark, Nintendo, Forever 21, New Look

Favourite artists: Sam Smith, Ellie Goulding, Taylor Swift, George Ezra, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5 and Olly Murs