Date post: | 01-Sep-2014 |
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Music Videos
Why have music videos?
Draw a star diagram to show a number of different purposes of a music video……
The purpose of the Music Video
Promotes a single and, normally, an album Promotes the artist or band Creates, adapts or feeds into a ‘star image’ Entertains the audience Sets the ‘meanings’ of a song by the use of
images
Basic structures
In 3-4 minutes a typical music video combines a mix of live performance, narrative, and other visual imagery including computer graphics and animation.
It does this to advertise the band/artist and song
Music Videos
Often contains a number of different elements:
Performance Narrative Concept:
Thematic Symbolic
Performance
Many music videos include performance of the artists as part of the video
It was from clips of performances that music videos developed
Bon Jovi – You give love a bad name
What do performance videos contain?
Brainstorm all the things that you would expect to see in a music video that was based around a band or artist’s perfomance:
Does this vary depending on the genre of music?
Often contain shots of the artists performing Can be a live stage performance, with shots of
artists and audience Can be the artists in “real life” situations eg
warming up, talking, fooling around Often includes lots of close ups of the artist There can be a particular visual style that goes
with the artist (a motif) eg particular clothing, actions, props, type of images.
Often the artist can appear to perform in an unusual place - all lip-synched eg a field, a rooftop
Examples of Performance Music Videos
Discuss in a group any memorable music videos you know of that are of this type. Select one that you think is a particularly memorable example.
Be prepared to tell the class: Name of performer(s), track, brief description of video and the features that you think are memorable.
Narrative Often the video tells a story either that features in
the lyrics or is suggested in the lyrics eg girl dumps boy
This narrative can be like a Mini film, with a beginning, middle and end
Or it can suggest some links to a story It can promote a film with clips form the film included
telling a story Taylor Swift – You belong with me
Narrative videos
Brainstorm what you would expect to see in “narrative” type videos…what are some common storylines in these?
Narrative Because it is only 3-4 minutes it can be
very fast paced, lots of shots and cutsuse inter-textuality with films, tv and other videosmimic other film and tv genre eg horror or sci fi sometimes the story can contradict what is seen
for effectsometimes the artist is a part of the story, or an
observer or completely separate
Narrative Music Videos
Discuss in a group any memorable music videos you know of that are of this type. Select one that you think is a particularly memorable example.
Be prepared to tell the class: Name of performer(s), track, brief description of video and the features that you think are memorable
Concept
Thematic Symbolic Idea based
Narrative or performance is not the most dominate aspect.
Concept - Thematic
There are lots of common themes in music videos Depends on the genre of music Eg Heavy metal bands go for perfomance
dominated clipsRap has lots of “street” imagesdance routines are common for many female artist performances
Concept - Symbolic
Use of lots of symbols to build up meaning eg graveyard…death
Lots of use of montage -lots of images to create meaning sometimes often contradictory
Lighting often used to suggest mood Fast paced - often only a few seconds per shot to
build up meanings
Concept – Interesting Idea
Visually stylish – ‘artistic’ mise-en-scene dominates
Experimental use of camera/editing Fast pace Conspicuous lighting and cinematography Often break the rules of continuity editing
How would you define these Concept Videos?In your Arms – Kina GrannisRed Hot Chili Pepper - OutsideSledgehammer – Peter GabrielWhite Knuckles - OK GoOnce in a Lifetime – Talking HeadHer Morning Elegance - Oren LavieSophie - Goodshirt Walkie Talkie Man - Stereograms
Concept Music Videos
Discuss in a group any memorable music videos you know of that are of this type. Select one that you think is a particularly memorable example.
Be prepared to tell the class: Name of performer(s), track, brief description of video and the features that you think are memorable
Concept Music Video
Discuss in a group any memorable music videos you know of that are of this type. Select one that you think is a particularly memorable example.
Be prepared to tell the class: Name of performer(s), track, brief description of video and the features that you think are memorable
Some Other Codes and Conventions
Visually stylish – ‘artistic’ mise-en-scene Cutting related to the rhythm of the music Intercutting between performance and images
or story Experimental use of camera/editing (hand held
camera, distortion of colours) Often break the rules of continuity editing. Can
use lots of jump cuts Lots of use of digital effects
Idea of Spectacle
Music Videos may be considered to be examples of 'spectacle'.
In this the performers are performing, often looking directly at the viewer. This is called “direct address” -where they are directly interacting with the viewer.
In the case of men, this involves the look of the character towards the viewer. The male is seen to be addressing the viewer directly. He is supposed to be singing directly for you.
The female figure is often an object of an erotic gaze, object of male desire which is a voyeuristic gaze. A Voyeur is someone who looks at someone. This means females in music vids are often dressed and posed in very sexual ways
Homework Task
Create a post for your blog which outlines and demonstrates you understanding of the music video styles discussed today. Find your own examples to illustrate the points that you make.
Engage in analysis of the micro elements, try to make links to Goodwin and representational.
Discuss what are the pros and cons of each style Explain what you favourite style is and why