CCR QUESTIONS AND ANSWER

Questions:

1. How do your products represent social groups or issues?

2. How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of ‘branding’?

3. How do your products engage with the audience?

4. How did your research inform your products and the way they use or challenge conventions?

Creating my music video for "Love You Zindagi" was an exciting and challenging journey. I wanted the video to connect with people by sharing positive emotions and a broad theme. The video focuses on ideas that many people can relate to, like appreciating life, friendships, and small moments of happiness. I also thought a lot about important topics like social groups, branding, audience engagement, and how my research helped me decide which media rules to follow or challenge. All of these things shaped the final product, which reflects both my vision and what I learned in my coursework.

In my music video, I focused on themes that anyone, no matter whatever their background is, can easily understand. "Love You Zindagi" is about appreciating life and the people we care about. I wanted the video to reach a wide audience, especially those who might need something uplifting in their lives. The video centers around a girl, who is reconnecting with nature and trying to improve her mental health. She is shown wearing a loose purple hijab as she spends time in a peaceful garden, symbolizing a calm and peaceful environment. According to Roland Barthes' theory of myth, the simple representation of a Muslim girl in a hijab can challenge the usual stereotypes and create a new, positive meaning around it. This connects to the idea of signification, where signs and symbols (like the hijab) are used to convey deeper meanings beyond their immediate appearance. The actress also wears red bold lipstick with no other makeup, showing simplicity and boldness both at the same time.

I wanted the video to show the importance of self love and personal connection. The girl connects with her friend in the same garden, where they play together, write "love yourself" on paper with colorful markers, and even burn a love letter, symbolizing moving on from the past. There is a powerful moment when she sits next to her mother’s grave, reflecting on her life and the love she has for those who came before her. These moments are meant to show the audience that life has both happy and sad moments, but we can find peace and meaning in them. This aligns with Stuart Hall's encoding and decoding theory, where the audience might decode the video’s message in their own way, finding meaning by thinking about your life and feeling at peace.

Branding is very important today, especially for artists. In my coursework, I learned that branding helps artists build a strong identity.For "Love You Zindagi," I focused my branding on positivity, peace, and the appreciation of life. To show this, I used colors like light blue, purple, and green, which represent calmness, creativity, and new beginnings. These colors appear in the video and are also seen on my social media pages. This is an example of visual branding, where consistent visual elements help build a recognizable identity across different platforms like Instagram, Facebook, etc.

Instead of creating a website, I decided to build my brand through social media because it’s more personal and interactive. From my A2 course, I learned that social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook are very important for connecting with an audience. I used Instagram to share the video, interact with fans, and create a space where people could connect with me. I posted regular updates, behind-the-scenes clips, and content like polls and questions, which helped make my brand feel more real and approachable. According to Henry Jenkins' theory of convergence culture, this strategy of using multiple platforms helps create a more engaged, interactive audience.

The visuals I used on social media were consistent with the branding in the video. For example, I used stills from the video for my profile and cover pictures, and I posted content that reflected the positive message of the song. This made it easier for people to recognize the brand and feel part of something bigger, a community that shared the same values of love, positivity, and appreciation. This is an example of consistency in media products, which helps reinforce brand identity with time.

Engaging with the audience was one of my main goals when creating the video. I didn’t want people to just watch the video but I wanted them to feel like they were a part of it. Emotional connection is important in media, and I made sure the video focused on themes like friendships, family, and self-love, which everyone can relate to. I included moments in the video that viewers could connect with, like scenes of people spending time with family or reflecting on their life. This is a technique that links to Tzvetan Todorov’s theory of narrative structure, where the video begins with equilibrium like peaceful moments in nature, followed by a disruption like burning the love letter, reflecting on loss, and finally a resolution like finding inner peace.

After releasing the video, I kept engaging with my audience on social media. I shared posts that encouraged people to talk about what the song meant to them and how it made them feel. For example, I asked them to comment on what makes them appreciate life. This helped keep the conversation going and created a sense of community. I wanted my audience to feel like they could share their stories, connect with others, and be part of the message. Through this, I was able to build an ongoing relationship with my audience that went beyond just watching the video.

I also used polls and questions on Instagram stories to get feedback from my followers. This allowed them to participate and share their thoughts. I learned that when the audience feels involved, they become more loyal and connected to the artist and their brand. This aligns with Jenkins' idea of participatory culture, where the audience actively contributes to the narrative.

The research I did before starting the project was very important in shaping the video and its promotion. In my A2 Media Studies course, I learned how media conventions help communicate messages to an audience. I watched many music videos to see what techniques were used, especially in pop music, and how they connected with viewers. I also studied how artists use social media to build their brands.

I noticed that many pop music videos follow a similar style. They focus on one character or a single story and use fast cuts and high-energy visuals. I decided to take a different approach and made my video slower and more reflective, focusing on emotional moments instead of actions scenes. I wanted to give the audience time to think about the song’s message, rather than just entertain them with fast visuals. This was my way of challenging the usual fast-paced style and offering something more calm.

In terms of branding, my research showed me that many artists today use social media instead of a traditional website. I saw how effective it is for musicians to use Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to directly connect with their audience especially Instagram reels which helps artists go viral. This helped me decide to focus on building my social media presence instead of creating a website. Social media provides more personal interaction and was a great platform for regular updates and staying connected with my audience.

In conclusion, creating "Love You Zindagi" was a great experience. Through the video, I was able to show important issues like mental health and connect with the nature. The branding, with its consistent visuals and social media interaction, helped create a clear identity for the project. My research helped me understand how conventions work, but also how to challenge them to make the video more unique and meaningful. Most importantly, the video and social media allowed me to connect with my audience on a deeper level, making an ongoing conversation about the value of life, friendships, and self reflection.