The 'industry context' element of the aims and intentions essay is, along with 'digital convergence', perhaps the hardest element for students to get their heads around. The following excerpts are all statements from actual student aims and intentions essays that went through the moderation process. They have been anonymised.
These should all be seen as suggestions and examples, rather than outright 'right answers'. Because, of course, your own project will differ completely!
- I will dress the artist in mature clothing in order to ensure I am hitting the interest of the target audience and creating relevance between them and the artist. This will also highlight that the record label is independent due to the female artist not being dressed in low cut clothes.
- Domestic abuse relationship is shown to relate to the older target audience, whose more experienced love lives may relate to this, indie labels are also more likely to deal with controversial or challenge themes and ideas as they are not so profit driven and willing to take risks
- Location + Costume - main location - road surrounded by fields, Fits indie genre - low budget for sets and costume
- Warm tones are typical of the indie genre I found in my research (eg_________) - feeling of nostalgia (Steve Neale - repetition within genre)
- My music video doesn’t involve branded items or expensive cars which would normally be included in mainstream music videos, I have also included cost effective locations which conform to the indie genre. Also, the genre of the song is pop but it is a sad song which isn’t stereotypical of mainstream (more indie). At the end of the video there is no happy ending for the artist, normally the artist in mainstream would have a happy ending like in Taylor Swift music videos she always gets the guy. This is like the indie video ________________ (eg)
- Domino Records logo included in double page spread (British independent record company). Fits with the indie record company since it tackles themes that would not feature otherwise - also has quite a washed out colour scheme and creates a saddened atmosphere like some of the artists that are employed by Domino Records.
- Indie: A niche subject - oppression. Mainstream music videos are about partying/love/sex/etc. - very few cover social issues. Indie videos have more freedom to cover darker and less euphemistic themes (although there are a few conglomerate artists that do, e.g. Stan by Eminim, Like a Prayer, Madonna). The magazine article also lists a later releasing physical version of the song/ album on CDBaby - some indie artists use it for CDs.
- My music video also goes against the stereotypical heartbreak video as the man is showing emotion, therefore it suits the indie genre as it is an alternative to the everyday lifestyle.
- Features the singer a lot more, trying to promote himself and his music as he is less well known than a mainstream artist. His visual style (costume of black jeans, non label clothing, no flashy items) is also more in keeping with the indie context (for example ____________ (name an indie artist that is similar)