Centre Number: 136 | Syllabus Code: 9607
Centre Name: Singapore National Academy
The aim of my media texts is to capture the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the end of a relationship, especially for young women and teenagers. My MV was based on Olivia Rodrigo's "Good 4 U," which showcases the raw feelings of heartbreak that resonate with our target audience in the lyrics. The breakup experience is often described as akin to a loss, even a death, which is why I wanted to showcase the different stages of grief like denial, anger, and depression. Throughout the process, we carefully considered various elements such as lighting, framing, composition, cameraworks, mise-en-scène, editing styles, and technical conventions like lip syncing and editing to the beat, this all combined to illustrate the decline of mental health that a person may experience, especially when they are still too young and/or vulnerable to express their sadness in a healthy way.
The target audience for my media texts is Gen Z, typically aged between 16 to 24 years old. This demographic was chosen based on the genre of our song, a blend of pop, alternative-pop, and pop-rock, which is shown to resonate most with individuals in this age range, as reported by Statista.com in 2018. To cater to this audience, we chose Instagram as the social media platform, with approximately 45.7 million Gen-Z users in 2024, according to Statista.com. Furthermore, our filming locations were intentionally chosen to be everyday places like bathrooms, bedrooms, cars, and roads, enhancing relatability for our audience. In addition, I created merchandise that aligns with Gen-Z trends, offering options like crop tops, t-shirts, and hoodies, along with a "SOUR!" themed sticker pack to further appeal to this demographic.
Beginning with the music video, the singer discovers that her boyfriend has been cheating on her. When she discovers the affair, she destroys all her keepsakes of her and her boyfriend and she lights it all on fire showing her "anger" (2nd stage of grief). Then a cutaway to her in the bathtub is shown, with the help of close up shots we can see that her costume design of her smudged mascara showcases her "depression" (4th stage of grief). However she is unable to get to the 5th stage, “acceptance”, as she chooses to end her own life. We further showed this descent using mise-en-scène of the flower petals changing from white to red and the bath water slowly turning from clear to red as she became more depressed. This showcases the issue of depression and suicidal issues in our day and age as young women have the highest rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
In the music video I follow conventions by using themes of heartbreak and love, however we break the conventions by having the protagonist end her life. We did this as we wanted to show how devastating the impacts of untreated mental health issues are and bring awareness to this serious problem.
Moreover, we controlled lighting to set the mood and atmosphere of each scene. In certain scenes, we implemented high contrast lighting to evoke a haunting and eerie feeling, enhancing the serious tone of the scene in which the artist ends her life. This deliberate use of lighting helped to showcase the emotional journey of the protagonist and the themes of heartbreak and depression, as well as her loss in sanity over time.
Framing and composition were also important in conveying the protagonist's inner emotional turmoil. Close-up shots and medium shots were used to emphasize her facial expressions and body language so audiences could see how her emotions progressed throughout the MV. Tight framing was used, especially at the end to create an oppressive feeling of confinement, as if she felt that she had no other choice but to end her life.
Camera movement played a crucial role in showcasing the story of the MV and we used a variety of camera movements, including handheld shots and tracking shots to create a sense of intimacy in certain scenes. For example, when the protagonist leaves her home to look for her boyfriend, we used handheld shots to convey her sense of disorientation and distress, which brings attention to her emotional state.
Mise-en-scène was another key element in shaping the visual storytelling of the music video. We used the set design, props, and costume design to reflect the protagonist's emotional journey and branding. For instance, the progression of the protagonist's costume design and makeup, from light-colored (natural makeup, pastel pajamas) to red and black (black dress), mirrored her emotional descent into depression.
Editing was also employed to enhance the emotional impact of the music video. We utilized various editing techniques, such as rapid cuts and montages, to create a sense of urgency and intensity during key moments of the MV, especially the ending. Additionally, we experimented with color grading and visual effects to further enhance the mood and atmosphere of the video, reinforcing the themes of heartbreak and despair. In the first half of the music video, we established a teal/green tone, symbolizing a sense of relative calmness and stability. However, as the protagonist's emotions intensifies and she descends into madness, we gradually shifted the color palette to red. Red was chosen for its symbolism of danger, impulse, and blood, reflecting the protagonist's heightened emotions. The transition from teal to red signifies the protagonist's progression from a state of relative calmness to one of violence. I chose teal as it is the complimentary color to red, hence showing its opposite meanings in terms of symbolism.
In the digipak and social media components of my project, I decided to opt for a scrapbook theme. This choice was inspired by a scene in the music video where the protagonist tears up polaroids and sets them on fire. I felt it would be fitting to carry this element into the digipak and social media, giving the impression that the lyrics/text were ripped straight from the protagonist's journal.
To establish branding, I drew from elements in the music video such as roses, a red theme, and a chaotic/anarchic aesthetic. For instance, I designed the CD with a gradient from dark red to bright red in the center, resembling a droplet of blood. The album cover features the artist bathed in bright red lighting, holding a knife, reflecting the alternative genre of the media text and attracting viewers' attention. The font "Drunken Walk" was chosen for the album title, as it fits with the scrapbook theme and is a Display Typeface, meaning it was designed to grab attention.
In the booklet, I chose various calligraphic and handwriting scripts like "Mistrully'' and "Over The Rainbow" to give the impression that the artist is personally writing the lyrics. I deliberately avoided corporate or serif fonts like "Times New Roman," as they clashed with the chaotic aesthetic.
The digipak booklet and photocards maintain consistency by utilizing the same color scheme, fonts, graphics, and similar-themed pictures to reinforce branding.
In the booklet, I chose to challenge conventions by selecting multiple fonts that evoke a handwritten feel, enhancing the overall scrapbook aesthetic. To further challenge norms and enhance branding, I integrated snippets of lyrics into the booklet, accompanied by imagery that aligns with the lyrical themes. For instance, for the song "Happier," I included cutouts of butterflies to complement the lyrics. Additionally, cutouts of dried flowers were incorporated to symbolize that the long has long died and withered away.
After conducting research, I decided to introduce photocards, capitalizing on the growing popularity of K-Pop among the Gen-Z demographic, our target audience. I decided to leave these images raw as most photocards are unfiltered, as artists aim to foster a sense of closeness between the audience and the artist. The back cover of the photocards mirrored the "Rose Heart" motif from the CD, contributing to branding.
For social media, I edited all images to align with the red and grunge theme, enhancing the overall aesthetic and reinforcing the overarching brand of the project. Utilizing overlay and multiply layers, along with effects such as chromatic aberration, halftone, and perspective blur, I aimed to create visually appealing content tailored to our target audience's preferences. While I adhered to certain conventions like maintaining a consistent theme for posts, including a komi in the bio, verifying the account, and creating highlights, I intentionally broke the norm by refraining from posting 'relatable' behind-the-scenes images of the artist smiling. This unconventional approach was done on purpose as I aimed to cultivate an air of mystery and seriousness around the artist.