Sub-Culture

A sub culture is a group of people who unite for a certain value, specific to them. Following a specific belief or interest through clothing/products/music or politics at a variance to the larger culture. This could rebel against mainstream culture forming a gang in order to perhaps standout or for expressing different beliefs. These groups can either be distinct or hidden depending on how many people support or follow, differentiating them from the larger group of which they belong.

Theory 1: C.C.C.S (Centre of contemporary cultural studies)
The CCCS was what became known for the Birmingham School of Cultural Studies, emphasising, researching and highlighting how cultural texts and mass produced products are used, developing and researching further into how groups in the mass media such as subculture are evaluated and the effects and interpretations of these representation of their audience. The CCCS assume that all subcultures evolve from one mainstream image/interest. They therefore ignite and connect through similarities and interests. Deliberately creating a different culture by depending on the mainstream and adapting individually. Without a mainstream focus they are suggesting that there would not be a specific subculture genre and need to be different as it would be ordinary to just style etc how you want.

Theory 2 Mc.Cracken
This suggests that the post modern world is influenced and full of diversity, focusing on being dynamic and creative in order to be your own person and express yourself freely, how you want to. He argues that you cannot look at mainstream and just associate and generalise the subculture because it is all different. There appears to be different values to that  subcultures believe so therefore it is different to mainstream all together.

Theory 3: Hebdige came to the conclusion that although some people may think subcultures are different because they appear to be due to the image or belief conveyed and are therefore separate individual groups. When analysing closer Hebdige believes that the subcultures are just smaller beliefs which are less well known about and less popular so people associate them as trying to be different and diverse.
The majority of people knew Rihanna very well and had an interest in her music, however older people or teenagers which was not interested in mainstream music could not even name one of her songs. We identified people that are interested in different music genres which may appear less popular, and although know Rihanna, due to her being played generally on the majority of large music channels and radios are aware of her but have no interest in her. The subculture did have an influence on our questionnare results because everybody clearly has a different point of view, but there were people we interviewed which appeared increasingly diverse. To an extent all theories can be applied as people choose to appear different and unique as we live in a diverse post modern society and they want to stand out because they have the option to, even if it is simply through listening to different music to differentiate themselves from the majority of people. Due to people having such different interests for example; in music I agree that we cannot really generalise a whole group however if there was not a mainstream fashion or trend to follow then perhaps would have as much stress or emphasis on 'standing out from the crowd', or intact following it because being an individual would just be normal, no-one would really look at each other differentiating each other, the CCCS theory does have some significance.  The mainstream sets the base/ all most ordinary for people to then decide; "what can I do differently?'. Peoples responses, reactions and body language highlighted that they did not particularly have an interest in Rihanna or like her, their opinions and beliefs may be not as well known to people in general but that therefore makes it different!
The results were important in highlighting peoples different interests in music so we could gain a greater understanding of how to perhaps capture people that do not quite enjoy Rihannas music videos. Due to this being a pop video however we probably will have some conventions such as considering the iconography and styling to reveal to the audience this is a pop genre video. However perhaps we can interest people with a capturing narrative which they may find unusual and entertaining regardless to the song originally.

       Include your evaluation

·       Apply the sub culture theory to your results

·       Start to consider a possible narrative, performance, concept for your music video