Research: Genre- Graeme Burton

More Than Meets The Eye (2000)

Graeme Burton’s Six Elements (repertoire of elements) in any genre:


Burton suggests that each text in a given genre shares particular key elements to make up the generic formula, these include:
1. Protagonists
2. Stock Characters
3. Plots and Stock Situations
4. Icons
5. Background and Décor
6. Themes

All of my chosen typical convention videos below share similar elements with the generic formula created by Graeme Burton.
1. Protagonists: all three protagonists are female allseeming around the same age range of(18-20. All three of my protagonists are good looking and all wear very sexualized clothing.

2. Stock Characters: A girl associated with love and who is either seeking love or fighting against it.

3. Plots and stock situations: A location shot opens all of the videos: Shakira in the sea, Britney in a city, and Taylor in her bedroom. There's a lot of close-ups of emotion in all the videos and not a lot of narrative within Britney and Shakiras song. All of the protagonists find themselves stuck in a situation, every video is about themselves and their personal wants/wishes/thoughts. The situations all refer to love. The situations are resolved in both Britney and Taylor's videos however it is not clear in Shakiras video what the resolution is.

4. Icons/Background and Décor: The icons all relate to everyday situations that the audience can all associate with. Taylor's video is shot at home and on a school field which will appeal to a younger audience still in education. Britney Spears' video relates to a flat in a city where she has dancers and a male character who plays the boyfriend. This iconic look would appeal to a more mature audience, possibly people who are older and therefore have more experience with the feeling of heartbrake and the pain of love. In Shakiras' video she poses herself in a desolate 'ship wrecked' environment which although theaudience won't relate to as a location- might relate to the feelings associated with being alone from a loved one, the isolation poses time spent away from a partner which is a common feeling.

5. Themes: All three suggest themes of love. Taylor Swift and Shakira both talk about love in a positive way however Britney talks of it in a negative way. Love is the biggest theme.