Narrating music

Focal points
• Traditional narrative – special
narrative
• Special effects as narrative
element
• Hyper-reality
• Remix/remediation
Steven Wilson - The Raven
That Refused To Sing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8sLcvWG1M4 Video
Story and Story craft
• 'The unexamined life is not worth
living' - Socrates,re: philosophy.
Richard Kearney(2007): “The
unnarrated life is not worth
living”

• Important to culture and sense of

identity – individuals and
societies – thoughts and emotions

• Storytelling has taken many forms

(oral/written/visual(filmic))
DVFx (Digital visual
effects)
• James Monaco:

– Discussion on the nature of art:

performance art/representational
arts/recording arts (film making)
– DVFx bring to recording arts the
power and expressiveness of the
representational arts
What is a good story?

• William Goldman, Academy Award

-winning scriptwriter and novelist:
-“a good story is something with an
interesting premise that builds
logically to a satisfying and surprising
conclusion.”
• From Aristotle's Poetics
(360-355BC)
– “Whole” is that which has beginning,
middle and end.
– “Framework" for storycraft manuals
Six constituent
elements (Aristotle)
• Plot
• Character
• Verbal expression
• Thought
• Visual adornment
• Song-composition
Six constituent elements
(Aristotle)
Structuring the incidents – plot as
the basic principle (most important)
Developments must grow out of the
very plot itself: ‘We have
established, then, that tragedy is
the imitation of an action which is
complete and whole and has some
magnitude...”Whole” is that which has
beginning, middle and end.’
• Must be necessary or probable
• Plot versus character still debated
Five constituent
elements (Todorov)
Edward Branigan examines Tzvetan Todorov's
proposition that narrative in its most basic
form is a causal "transformation" of a
situation through five stages:
1 a state of equilibrium at the outset;
2 a disruption of the equilibrium by some
action;
3 a recognition that there has been a
disruption;
4 an attempt to repair the disruption;
5 a reinstatement of the initial equilibrium.
Edward Branigan’s schema
• Introduction of setting and
character
• Explanation of state of affairs
• Initiating events
• Emotional response or statement
of a goal by the protagonist
• Complicating actions
• Outcome
• Reaction to the outcome
Edward Branigan’s schema

4 (new)goal 5 Complicating Action

3.Initiating
event (or 6 Resolution
new line of
action)
Narration & Exposition

2 Orientation 1 Abstract
& Exposition
Linear narrative
• Storyline from beginning to end
• Traditional animation or films

• Traditional Western story-

telling model
• Development from Aristotle's 3-
act play

Establishment Conflict Resolution

3- act structure

Climax

Central crisis

First Threshold

Act I Act II Act III

AHA - Take on me 1985

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914 Official video

Cinematic Narration
(after 3-act)
Narrative is a way of organising
spatial and temporal data into a
cause-effect chain of events with a
beginning, middle and end

Diegetic (implied spatial, temporal and

causal system of a character) and
non-diegetic (elements intended to
aid the spectator in organising the
events and the specific film world –
music, etc. - another layer) worlds
Music video narration
Narrative constructed during
viewing process/music flow

Suggestion of storyline

Literal – amplified –
contradicting - disjuncture
The Weeknd

Blinding Lights

video direction by Anton Tammi

use of special effects for the

narrative
Ghost are Dancing of Home & Dry

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzI8XmXvjkY Video
 Queens Of The Stone Age -
Go With The Flow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHKOC64KnE Video
Etienne Daho

L'Etincelle (2017)

video by Romain Winkler

If (2004)

with Charlotte Gainsbourg

Narrative use of DVFx
in Music videos
What do they do in and to the
story?
Is it enough to have good effects
to construct a good video?
1936 Len Lye - "Rainbow Dance"

Len Lye https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHN9IHGQxk8

2012 Tame Impala - Feels
Like We Only Go Backwards

Tame Impala - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards -

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wycjnCCgUes
Narrative use of DVFx
in Music videos
Consistency and logic in use of
effects
Problem
• Tension between narrative intent and
perceived value (spectacularity - film)

• Issues about realism (Fx not always

apparent)
– Apollo 13 added lens halation in
space-launch-shot
– Blended and intercut with NASA
material
– Real versus photoreal (no distinction)

• Fx not always spectacular

• Story requirement? ‘in narrative
filmmaking, the development of DVFX
arises out of narrative demands.’
Invisible
• Preserve diegetic world/story
coherence
• Deal with practical implications
of film making (removing unwanted
stuff/add story-driven elements)
• DVFx – production needs/ control
mise-en-scene elements
Seamless
• Seek to pass unnoticed
• Usage is detectable
– Matte painting in The Pianist (2002, Polanski)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itR0-I9idXk
Pianist trailer
– Weather and disaster (Master and Commander (2003,
Weir)http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zzG4K2m_j5U
– Imperative for story (emotional impact)
Depeche Mode -Personal Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1xrNaTO1bI Remastered
Depeche Mode - "Personal Jesus" (Official Video) directed by Anton
Corbijn Original song from the 'Violator' album
(Sire/Mute Records - 1989)
Exaggerated
• Fine line between “real” world
narrative and “extraordinary”
tales

Forceful
The day after tomorrow
• Exaggeration of real weather
condition in “real” world setting
Fantastical
• Realize the impossible/perceptual
realism
• Albert La Valley: “show us things
to be untrue, but show them to us
with such conviction that we
believe them to be real.”
• Science-fiction – expectation of
highest standard
Babe/ Lord of the Rings
• Invisible/seamless effect as fantastical but
with narrative purpose
• Establish diegetic world and support it
• Talking animals soon forgotten
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hia48uUq7sc&feature=related
Bjork all is full of love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjI2J2SQ528
(Chris Cunningham)
Surrealist
• Conceptual statements tied to the
theme of narrative
Remix Smashing Pumpkins
'Tonight Tonight'
(1995,homage to Melies)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=NOG3eus4ZSo
Also a remix – borrowing of ideas,
referencing and appropriating
OutKast - Hey Ya!
(2003)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWgvGjAhvIw Official Video

Buster Keaton Playhouse - remix
REM - 'Man Sized Wreath'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFF8iwdhc0k Video
Franz Ferdinand-Take Me Out (2004)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhCXAiNz9Jo Video
Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood
2001

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1V_xRb0x9aw Official video

 Gorillaz

https://www.gorillaz.com/home/

Pac-Man Ft. Schoolboy Q (Episode 5)

 Lady Gaga

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE073L-RWIE
Remediation in Second life
Red Hot Chili Peppers -
Californication

video game inspired music video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlUKcNNmywk Official video

DFX for emotional affect
• Traditional narrative vs. flow of
music (genre elements)
• Special effects as narrative element
(used in various ways to construct/
support narrative)
• Hyper-reality (detached from live
performance – visual representation
of music)
• Remix/remediation/mash-ups
Music Video Awards 2020

MTV VMA Best Editing & VFX

Mathematic

CANADA
Somesuch - interview with
Anton Tammi
Poetry

Filmpoem site
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Branigan, E. (2004). Narrative comprehension and film. London, Routledge

Branigan, E. (1992). Narrative comprehension and film. Available at https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/jaro2012/FAV221/um/

Branigan_Edward_ _Narrative.comprehension.and.film.pdf [accesssed 26/11/2020]

McClean, S.T, (2007), Digital Storytelling: The Narrative Power of Visual Effects in Film, MIT Press

Monaco, J. (1977) How to Read a Film: The World of Movies, Media, Multimedia: Language, History, Theory Oxford
University Press, New York

Gratton,P. Panteleimon, J. (2007) Traversing the Imaginary: Richard Kearney and the Postmodern Challenge,
Northwestern University Press