Conventions of Grime

We have decided to have our main focus and attention in the genre Grime. This has a cold artistic approach allowing us to convey a message and meaning through our techniques and themes used. Grime focuses on everyday life (reality) so viewers can relate and understand the feelings given off. The age range is generally adoesolents/teens/young adults. From research the  narrative is a story the protagonists life and we learn more about what they mean in their videos; they do this by the sense of lighting as dim lighting can show emotions are low and unsatifed. In contrast artfical lighting brings satifiaction and enjoyment as an emotion. A lot of these videos use the women as the subject and they have power to make the male feel a certain way by actions. In our video we want to break away from the typical storyline and bring a sense of self completion and how an individual has power upon themselves. We want to use a women as a reverse role. As a team we hope to present an effective music video that uses a range of techniques to portray this such as word play/pun. The videos heavily use what we intend on including in our music video. Here are music video from our chosen artist "Not3s".

In these videos it is evident they use :

Reality setting (estate)
Panning - Hand held, always moving, tracking movement
Eye contact
Members of the public
Close up on clothing
Natural lighting
Activities in the video
Camera shots change increasing speed
Props (cars, phones, bags)
Casual clothing



Here are other musicians using similar techniques:

Settle/gentle/nuetral lighting
Close up to facial expressions
Off balance camera angles
Iphone, cigarrete, cars
Home/residentual environment
Urban
Water
Refelection
Eye contact with viewer

-Yxng Bane

Water
Off balaence camera angles
Blurred/ out of focus
Reflections of mirrors
Close up on clothing
Public members
Dim harsh lighting
Visual effects (over lay)
Cars


-Skepta

Members of society
Normal casual clothing (some designer representing accomplishment/relating to words)
Slow-mo
Washed out lighting alongside artificial
Sync with lyrics
Protagonists centre of attention
Eye contact
Reflections
Urban
Repetative hand guestures

-Dave




Now reviewing my research it is evident that most grime music videos include the same objective as the protagonist telling a story using camera, lighting, props and reality a technique. This helps us conduct a video in order to satisfy the audience and fit the conventions with the genre. We have decided to challenge certain themes to make our piece original and unique; attempting to be more attractive to the audience to get more viewers.

Codes and Conventions 

-Codes 

In the world of media codes represents the feeling and meaning behind a music video. This can be shown in two ways: Technical, for example lighting allows the audience understand how a person feels (dark - harsh reality, bright - happy energetic feeling).
The second way is symbolic this is how the protagonist is presented on camera and read in depth of the character. Clothing, facial expressions and movement of the body projects their feelings/mood.

-Conventions 

Conventions are the ways and order a video is conducted or descions based. Each genre is specific to their needs to convey and fall into the correct convention.

Grime music technical codes : close up of the face, panning (hand held movements), dim/natural lighting, quick transitions also overlapping.

Grime music symbolic codes :  Facial expressions, eye contact with camera, sync with lyrics, hand repetitive movements, character centre of attention, human interaction. 

Grime music conventions : urban environment; on an estate, cars, the public, possible use of alcohol/ciggarettes/drugs.