Genre Analysis: Codes and Conventions of the Indie Genre

Genre Analysis: Codes and Conventions of the Indie Genre:

In order to produce a successful indie music video, our product must adhere to codes and conventions of music videos from the same genre, in order to engage our target audience. To display the stereotypical codes and conventions of the indie genre I decided to create a short 'VLOG', which can be evidenced below along with a transcript of each individual code and convention in enhanced detail:

FIRST DRAFT VLOG 1: 

After creating my first VLOG, I received some feedback from my mentors and peers and therefore decided to recreate my VLOG incorporating their ideas.

1st Draft Feedback:

-Begins abruptly, needs an overview and an ending to summarise points

-Bullet point formation becomes repetitive 

-Could do with different transitions to reveal the arrow and more specific placement of the arrows

-Good points and ideas 

-Audio cuts are disorientating, perhaps mute audio track in order to put another song over the top as you aren't analysing the sound

FINAL DRAFT VLOG 2:

• Live performance within music videos is representative of the indie genre due to the mantra, that most indie bands typically play music and form bands driven by the passion that artists have to perform and play. It keeps the focus of the video on the music and the talent that the artists possess and centralises any morals in the lyrics, which could be lost in a over-produced music video filled with subtle advertising. The videos tend to be raw and simplistic unlike overproduced concept music videos in the pop genre. Indie bands also tend to be less popular due to the more niche audience that they attract, therefore any music videos tend to utilise close up shots of the artists, as requested by the record label, performing in order to focus on the artists and create visual identity. - The act of watching. 

• A common recurring piece of iconography is LED lighting in bright colours within the foreground of multiple indie music videos; the bright light radiating the happy, carefree and positive mantra that is represented within indie music. It represents the notion that music can mean something to artists and listeners and potentially light a path. Indie music videos typically have dim low-key lighting sets with bright LED’s to provide a contrast, and create an interesting visual spectacle for the viewer; strobe lights are also common. 

• Often indie music videos can have a form of narrative that relays the underlying moral of the song to the viewer, e.g 'Undefeatable' - Young Rising Sons. 

• The mise-en-scene of indie music videos (only for smaller indie bands as they have a smaller audience and profit due to niche sound) tend to utilise basic sets (or not elaborate sets), as typically the production budget is considerably lower; for example a recurring set consists of a warehouse with bright white lighting or single coloured backgrounds within a sound stage. 

• Editing tends to link directly to the beat of the music, with fast or slow cuts reflecting the pace and visuals of the music, whilst often linking to the lyrics. Most indie music videos begin with a fade from black transition.

• Superimposed text may appear at the beginning of an indie music video to reveal the title, band and director; typically the typeface will be bold, aligned to the centre of the frame and white. Some artists have a particular font or logo associated with them, which may be the chosen typeface. 

• Overlays of dust and scratches are often chroma-keyed or overlaid on top of shots to make the music video appear old worn or vintage; as if they are being played from old tapes. In conjunction with a saturated gradient, this gives a vintage appearance to the music video - which is popular with many indie artists. Sometimes, sepia colour grading or black and white could be utilised to convey a rustic or raw feel, linking to the stripped back sound within a song that features in many indie tracks. 

• In a concept indie video, such as ‘Shut Up and Dance With Me” by Walk The Moon, vfx or special effects can be incorporated into the music video during the online stage of post-production; these effects can range from multiplying the protagonist or lead singer in a video, to utilising green screens to enhance backdrops. Special effects are often quirky and uncustomary in the indie genre, making it highly appealing, often humorous (as often songs use satire and wit to poke fun at concepts, e.g. the lyric ‘Kill the director…Bridget Jones’ in ‘Kill The Director by The Wombats) and entertaining for the viewer: highlighting the notion that new advances in technology aren't simply beneficial for the Film and TV industry but also for the music industry. Examples of special effects in concept indie videos:

1. Shut Up and Dance With Me - Walk The Moon
2. Oceans - Seafret
3. You & I - Crystal Fighters 

• Diegetic sounds of crowds screaming are often utilised to convey a sense of community that is generated by the indie genre and reflects the concert or live performance visuals often used in indie music videos. This is a clever synergistic marketing technique as it communicates the buzz of a their concerts within the video, which may simultaneously increase sales on tickets to their concerts/tour, as their fans want to be part of this buzz evident in the music video.