1 FOR YOUR A2 COURSEWORK YOU WILL PRODUCE: A MEDIA PORTFOLIO, COMPROMISING A MAIN AND TWO ANCILLARY TEXTS 60 MARKS RESEARCH AND PLANNING 20 MARKS EVALUATION 20 MARKS
MAIN TASK A PROMOTION PACKAGE FOR THE RELEASE OF AN ALBUM, TO INCLUDE: A MUSIC PROMO VIDEO 40 MARKS
PLUS: A DIGIPAK CONSISTING OF AT LEAST SIX PANELS (CD PACKAGE) 10 MARKS
A MAGAZINE ADVERT FOR THE DIGIPAK (CD PACKAGE) 10 MARKS
YOU WILL THEN BE REQUIRED TO ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS IN YOUR 2015 EXAM ON YOUR COURSEWORK. QUESTION 1A (25 MARKS) WILL FOCUS ON YOUR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FROM AS TO A2. YOU HAVE ALREADY BEGUN PREPARATION FOR THIS DURING YOUR A2 INDUCTION LESSONS QUESTION 1B (25 MARKS) WILL ASK YOU TO ANALYSE ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS IN RELATION TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING KEY CONCEPTS NARRATIVE AUDIENCE GENRE REPRESENTATION MEDIA LANGUAGE
2
THE PURPOSE OF A MUSIC VIDEO A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a [marketing] device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the 1980s, when MTV based their format around the medium, and later with the launch of VH1. The term "music video" first came into popular usage in the early 1980s. Prior to that time, these works were described by various terms including "filmed insert", "promotional (promo) film", "promotional (promo) clip" or "film clip" (Wikipedia)
TASK 1
1. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF AN ALBUM MARKETING CAMPAIGN (THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH A BAND/ARTISTS IDENTITY IS MEDIATED TO AN AUDIENCE)?
One common way which is usually more expensive is when the bands advertise their album via adverts on TV so that it can appeal to a large audience. They will be able to choose the time they want it to be aired to try and let the advert to be on at the same time a programme is on where there will be similar fans. For example they may advertise a girly pop album such as Katy Perry around the time when a drama is on because it is common that there are more women that watch the drama genre rather than males. Another way is through magazines, and again this is effective if put in the right genre of magazine, for example having an indie album advertised in the NME would reach a suitable audience. A new and very effective way is through trailers before a YouTube clip comes on, and this allows for the album to be advertised without the user having a choice of clicking off so that they have to hear it and they may take a liking to it.
2. WHERE HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED THESE ELEMENTS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?
When you are looking on new music videos / new music releases on YouTube, you usually come across many trailers advertising new music. Its not always related to the video you are watching, for example you could be watching a video for an indie band, and the trailer will be advertising a pop artist that would usually be in the charts. Recently I have read an NME magazine, and I can evidently see that Morrisseys new album (World Peace Business) is advertised on the back of the magazine so that when the audience look at the back of it they are able to see the album cover and many of the ratings.
3 3. WHAT FACTORS MAKE YOU LIKE A BAND AND THEREFORE DOWNLOAD THEIR MUSIC, BUY THEIR ALBUMS OR ATTEND THEIR CONCERTS? HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH BAND IS COOL AND WHICH IS NOT?
Their appearance is one factor that many consider to play a part in which genre of fans take a liking to them. For example if its an indie band, you would like them to be seen with their guitars / drums etc. and wearing certain clothes that fit the indie style. Whereas if it was a boy band youd expect to see them with more common types of fashion and youd never expect or see them with instruments. What type of magazines is another factor that decides upon whether the artist or band are for your liking or not. For instance if you like the sound of a band and then see them in the NME, in a way it gives the audience their approval that they are an indie band and not one that is made for the charts in the pop genre. This also is another way to decide whether the band is cool or not, because if you see them on the front cover of NME / Q you instantly think that they have something about them.
WHAT MAKES THE MUSIC VIDEO UNIQUE? THE MUSIC VIDEO IS DESIGNED FOR MULTIPLE VIEWINGS; IT HAS TO BE INSTANTLY MEMORABLE YET INTERESTING ENOUGH TO WARRANT WATCHING AGAIN AND AGAIN. UNLIKE THE FILM TRAILER IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE VIEWED ON A LARGE SCREEN NOR IS ITS AUDIENCE CAPTIVE. 1. WHERE AND WHEN DO YOU WATCH MUSIC VIDEOS? Nowadays the most common way in which I watch music videos is via YouTube. It used to be through the television but now it is made a lot easier to do it via YouTube because you are able to choose which videos to watch and in your own comfort. I feel as though I dont watch music videos that often as I would have used to but I do when a band has released a new single and you have seen a hyperlink to it somewhere so you tend to view it.
TASK 2 IN THE SPACE BELOW LIST AS MANY FEATURES/CONVENTIONS OF MUSIC VIDEOS THAT YOU CAN THINK OF. I. The instruments will be included and played. II. The focus will be on the lead singer usually. III. Sometimes it will tell a story. IV. Include male gaze to attract a male audience. V. Parts will match what the lyrics are saying. VI. In some cases the video stories will be based nothing on the song. VII. The chorus always has the singer actually singing / lip syncing the words.
4 Analysing Music Videos :
1. Genre Categories:
Illustration either a straightforward performance video or a simple narrative video (or mixture of the two) that illustrates the meaning of the lyrics and visualizes the music in a straightforward way. It could be called music video denotation. A good example of a classic mixed narrative/performance video is Pulps Babies.
Amplification the conventions demonstrated by the music video auteur or creative director. S/he may use both performance and narrative, however, rather than simply illustrate the lyrics or sounds this director will amplify both with creative interpretation, unusual ideas and surrealistic approaches. There is still a direct link to the song, whether it be the beat, sound or connotative link to part of the lyrics or song title. See Spike Jones video for Fat Boy Slims Praise You or Michel Gondrys video for Kylie Minogues Come Into My Life.
Disjuncture also created by auteur directors these videos are completely abstract and have no obvious link to the music, lyrics, song title or artist. In this sense they are a point of disjuncture from the song. See Spike Jones video for Daft Punks Da Funk or any Radiohead video.
2. The Narrative Video Codes and the Performance Video Codes:
Narrative Video:
Narratives are rarely complex for two reasons:
1. They need to market or advertise the band/artist and song so must feature repeatability In other words the narrative code must be loose or simply suggestive rather than realistic or detailed. This is because music video audiences need to be able to watch videos repeatedly and a tight realist narrative would prove too boring after the first couple of viewings. Musical Synaesthesia only requires the musical or lyrical mood to latch onto to develop a narrative concept.
5 2. Musical Synaesthesia the two elements of the song which determine the visual subject matter or overall concept
a) Roland Barthes theory of the grain of voice whereby the vocal sounds can be understood as music in themselves eg Michael Jacksons yelp or Fantasias yeh, yeh, yeh.. or the tone of voice of the words which are the song title themselves e.g Bjorks Its Oh So Quiet b) The dominant musical arrangement that dictates the overall mood. This could be a key guitar sound(the bassline in Sabotage The Beastie Boys) or a particular beat (Weapon of Choice Fatboy Slim)
Once the director has identified what he/she thinks is the key vocal or musical element then this may be used to tap into the audiences sense of shared cultural history or intertextuality e.g.
The steel guitar=the American Deep South and desert plains A rnb beat or bass line=an urban environment A group of choral voices=a place of religious significance e.g.: church or graveside etc.
Performance Video:
1. Conventions of the band performance: a degree of authenticity of the performance is sought by the band and the director so we find lip-sync close-up, mimed playing of instruments, repetition of chorus shots to enhance repeatability, unusual camera shots and angles e.g. the micro camera shots attached to the neck of a guitar, sweeping crane shots to film audience reaction to the band playing etc (see number 4)
2. Conventions of solo artist performance: many of the above plus choreographed dance routines to enhance repeatability, a first person mode of address directly engaging the viewer through the camera which involves many close up shots of eyes rolling and gesturing (see how these conventions have been adopted by Pop Idol contestants in a bid to appear professional and authentic)and if the video is a hybrid form cutting between performance and narrative then the solo artist or band lead
6 singer often becomes part of the narrative story, acting as narrator and participant at the same time (see Jarvis Cocker in Pulps video for Babies)
3. Star Image only 1 in 10 artists promoted by a major record company will actually make that company any substantial profit. This is why certain select profit making stars are manufactured, manipulated and marketed by the record labels artist and repertoire (A&R) division so aggressively. The star image of individuals such as Michael Jackson and Madonna through their videos is a vital component of this process. This is why we can identify the meta-narrative of stars through their videos whereby the record label manipulates and changes the artists image with each new video release to increase sales, consolidate target audiences and broaden appeal to new fan bases. The best case studies are Madonna and Michael Jackson. Trace their image manipulation through videos over the past 30 years.
3. Audio-Visual Technical Codes Needed for Analyzing a Music Video:
Speed is the Essence: Camera Shots: jumping directly between long shots, close ups and extreme close ups. Primarily the close up on the singers face is the main generic convention for music videos. Also the extreme close up on the lips for lip synching.
Camera Movement: whip pans, fast dolly track shots and fast overhead crane shots to follow the running, walking or dancing of performers. Also fast vertical tilts and horizontal pans.
Editing: various terms: jump cutting, MTV style editing or montage editing. Creating the visually de-centred experience of jumping from location to person to instrument without any normal narrative continuity. Instead it is often the beat or the rhythm of the track which provides the organising principle for editing movement. The editing moves so fast it creates the need for viewing repeatedly. There are exceptions though. Some continuity editing used such as atmospheric dissolve shots such as in Sinead OConnors Nothing Compare to You
Post-production digital effects: see i-movie for split screens (see Michel Gondrys video for Kylie Minogues Come Into My World for split screens seamlessly bled into each other)
7 colourisation slow motion etc These are now conventional for music videos. Please look out for other innovative effects.
Lighting: Expressive lighting a key feature of music videos. Extreme artificial light to create the bleaching effect on pop stars faces (making them seem ageless). Also the use of switching from colour to black & white or sepia to indicate a shift from chorus to verse. Also lighting effects such as strobes or flashing needs to be identified. This obviously links into the use of CGI in dance music videos to enhance the atmosphere.
Mise-en-scene: look for the overall artistic concept in a video. Is there a theme such as the historical period e.g. the sixties (Madonnas Beautiful Stranger with its intertextual link to the Austin Powers film) or the seventies (The Beastie Boys Sabotage video which parodies the Starsky & Hutch 70s TV Cop genre...also an intertextual link). Does the videos mise en scene follow the need for authenticity in performance videos by using the concert hall or rehearsal studio setting. Or is there an intentional parodic setting to exaggerate star image as in many rap and r&b videos with a focus on glamorous icons such as exotic locations, beautiful cocktail bars and stunning beachside houses with infinity pools (see Rick Ross Here I Am).
TASK 3 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
8
FEATURES OBSERVATIONS EXAMPLES GENRE CHARACTERISTICS
INDIE, RETRO SHIRTS, INSTRUMENTS, TROUSERS, JUSTIN YOUNG PLAYING GUITAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS?
THE SETTING IS SUITED FOR THE TYPE OF SONG, AS THE SONG IS ABOUT SEX AND PARTIES ETC IT SUITS BEING IN A HOUSE WHICH LOOKS LIKE THE MORNING AFTER A PARTY POST BREAK UP SEX.YOUR EX GOES ONTO A WOMAN CRYING, THIS CARRIES ON BY GOING TO A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CRYING, THERE IS ALWAYS A CLOSE UP ON THE EYES RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS?
FOR THE VERSE, THERE ARE FOUR CHORDS USED AND EVERYTIME THE CHORDS CHANGE SO DOES THE SHOT THE TV IN THE BACKGROUND FLASHES FUZZY GREY IN SYNC WITH THE LEAD GUITAR ARE THERE CLOSE- UPS OF THE ARTIST AND STAR IMAGE MOTIFS? AT POINTS IN THE CHORUS THERE IS A MID SHOT USED TO INCLUDE ALL OF THE BAND MEMBERS PLAYING THEIR INSTURMENTS LOSE UP OF JUSTIN YOUNG WHEN HE IS SINGING, THERE ARE ALSO MANY CLOSE UPS OF HIM PLAYING GUITAR THROUGHOUT THE VIDEO. IS THERE REFERENCE TO THE NOTION OF LOOKING?
THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO DISCRETELY SEE A WOMAN OR A COUPLE IN BED, HOWEVER THERE IS NOTHING WHICH DIRECTLY LETS YOU SEE A WOMAN IN HER UNDERWEAR ETC THROUGH THE CHORUS IT GOES TO A WOMAN IN BED. ARE THERE INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES?
- - IS THE VIDEO CATEGORY ILLUSTRATION, DISJUNCTURE OR AMPLIFICATION? HOW MUCH OF EACH? THE VIDEO IS ILLSTRATION BECAUSE IT MAINLY INCLUDES THE STRAIGHTFORWARD MEANING OF THE LYRICS AND VERY LITTLE PRAGMATICS OF WHAT IS GOING ON. SINGING POST BREAK UP SEX AND IT SHOWS A MALE AND FEMALE. NAME OF TRACK: POST BREAK UP SEX
ARTIST: THE VACCINES
Year:
9
TASK 3 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
FEATURES OBSERVATIONS EXAMPLES GENRE CHARACTERISTICS
INDIE BAND, INSTRUMENTS, COLLECTIVELY AS A BAND, COLOURFUL GUITARS, DRUMS, BASS, AMPS ALL INCLUDED, TYPICAL TO SEE WITH A BAND. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS?
HOW GOOD IT WAS MAKES IT SEEM AS THOUGH ITS A HAPPY SONG, WHICH WORKS WITH THE HOW COLOURFUL LAYOUT. THE DIFFERENT COLOURFUL CHANGES THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS?
THE CAMERA CHANGES IN SYNC WITH THE GUIAR BEING STRUMMED. ALSO, THE COLOUR IN THE BACKGROUND ALSO CHANGES IN SYNC WITH MUSIC. DURING THE CHORUS THE CAMERA SHOT CHANGES ACROSS THE SCREEN EVERYTIME THE GUTIAR IS PLAYED. ARE THERE CLOSE- UPS OF THE ARTIST AND STAR IMAGE MOTIFS? THERE ARE MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT WHERE THE FOCUS IS ON LIAM FRAY SINGING, ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT THE CHORUS HOW GOOD IT WAS AND THE REST OF THE CHROUS ALWAYS HAS SOME FOCUS ON LIAM FRAY SINGING. IS THERE REFERENCE TO THE NOTION OF LOOKING?
- - ARE THERE INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES?
- - IS THE VIDEO CATEGORY ILLUSTRATION, DISJUNCTURE OR AMPLIFICATION? HOW MUCH OF EACH? AMPLIFICATION BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS USED COLOUR TO AMPLIFY THE SOUND AND PUT IT IN CONNECTION TO THE MUSIC SO THE FOCUS ISNT JUST ON THE VOCALS. - NAME OF TRACK: HOW GOOD IT WAS
ARTIST: COURTEENERS
Year:
10 TASK 3 TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
FEATURES OBSERVATIONS EXAMPLES GENRE CHARACTERISTICS
SET IN A RECORD STUDIO, BAND PLAYING WITH INSTRUMENTS, IN SUITS THEY ARE ALL IN MATCHING SUITS AND SET AS THOUGH THEY ARE RECORDING THE TRACK IN A STUDIO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS?
THE SCENE / BACKGROUND CHANGES AND SOMETIMES MATCHES THE LYRICS. IN THE BACKGROUND ON THE SCREEN THERE IS SOMONE WRITING I LOVE YOU AS A LETTER. WHEN HE SAYS SEA THE LIGHTING CHANGES TO A DARK BLUE TO TRY AND MATCH THE COLOUR OF THE SEA. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS?
PEOPLE DANCING AND CLAPPING IN THE BACKGROUND IN SYNC TO THE BEAT. FROM EACH DIFFERENT SOUND OF THE BOX THAT THEY ARE IN, TOWARDS THE END THE SOUND PLAYED MATCHES EACH ONE. THE PEOPLE IN THE BACKGROUND ARE JUMPING AND CLAPPING IN CONNECTION WITH THE BASS AND DRUMS. THE LEAD SINGERS FOOT IS ALSO BOUNCING IN CONNECTION WITH THE MUSIC. ARE THERE CLOSE- UPS OF THE ARTIST AND STAR IMAGE MOTIFS? THE BAND ARE ALWAUS TOGETHER BUT THE FOCUS IS USUALLY ON THE LEAD SINGER SINGING, WHILST HES LOOKING AT THE CAMERA. EVERY TIME THE CAMERA ANGLE CHANGES THE LEAD SINGER IS ALWAYS FACING/LOOKING TOWARDS THE CAMERA IS THERE REFERENCE TO THE NOTION OF LOOKING?
- - ARE THERE INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES?
- - IS THE VIDEO CATEGORY ILLUSTRATION, DISJUNCTURE OR AMPLIFICATION? HOW MUCH OF EACH? AMPLIFIATION BECAUSE THE VIDEO IS CREATIVE AS IT ISNT JUST HAVING THE ONLY FOCUS ON THE BAND PLAYING, BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT AMPLIFY WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO MAKE IT LOOK MORE INTERESTING. HAVING THE AUDIENCE DANCING IN THE BACKGROUND IN SYNC, HAVING THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BOX ETC NAME OF TRACK: LOVE LETTERS
ARTIST: METRONOMY
Year:
11
TASK 4 ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS BELOW THIS IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF THING YOULL NEED TO DO WHEN EVALUATING YOUR OWN COURSEWORK.
1. Why did you choose the text you are analysing? They are the type of genre that I am interested and therefore would look at creating my music video based upon the same style and setting that they have done. It also makes it more interesting to be analysing videos that are by bands that I like.
2. In what context did you encounter it? I watched the music video alone at home, and I watched it on my laptop so it wasnt on the largest of screens.
3. What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text? It makes me feel as though I may not have enjoyed it as much because I wasnt viewing it on a large screen so I had to try harder to focus on the elements of the video. However as I was alone I was able to put all my focus on the video.
4. Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text? They always try to show the band collectively a lot of the time through, however they do also try to have a lot of focus on the singer of the band, but the emphasis isnt solely on the lead singer; they try to show the band together. They also include all the equipment that a band would have to try and represent the indie genre.
5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre? None of the texts that I have chosen stretch the conventions of the genre to a degree where it looks very different to the usual; they all suit the typical indie conventions.
6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre? - 7. What sort of audience did you feel that the video was aimed at (and how typical was this of the genre/style of music)? Especially The Vaccines video, I feel as though they reach out to younger people in the teenage category. The reason being for this is that they have made it look like something they can relate to and a position that they have been in before. It had many indie elements in which are typical of this genre as it is what they usually focus on.
12 8. What sort of person does it assume you are? A teenager who likes to go out and is heavily interested in guitar music with the way that they focus on the equipment.
9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity? That you are a working class background due to the setting and you are in the early adult stages / teenager, and it was aimed at both male and female so that it could appeal to both genders so it had a wide appeal for audience.
10. What relevance does the text actually have for you? It had a lot of relevance because it is the music that our music video will be based upon.
11. What knowledge does it take for granted? It isnt very often that it does take any knowledge for granted, however the video is a setting that most people will recognise / have been in that position.
12. To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the video seeks to position you as? I feel as though I fit into the category of this video and it is everything that I can relate to which is why I find it so interest and see myself as the ideal reader.
13. Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if so, what do they involve)? No, the video sticks to quite a simple layout and setting which results in there being no drastic shifts in the video.
14. What responses does the video seem to expect from you? In my opinion, the video seems to expect that you may feel as though you have been in the position that they are in, and the video also amplifies the lyrics which allows for you to get more of an understanding of what is going on.
15. How open to negotiation is your response (are you invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular ways)? ---? 16. Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected ways? ---? 17. To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against the grain' of the text and the genre? --?
13 18. How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos? This is a very simple, low budget music video that is very typical of music videos nowadays. This type of music video is very common with bands that are just starting due to its low cost, which is why I see it to be so common now.