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8/11/2019 Summer Media

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VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR

AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC VIDEO

A2 INDUCTION 2014


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FOR YOUR A2COURSEWORK YOU WILL PRODUCE:

A MEDIA PORTFOLIO,COMPROMISING A MAINAND TWOANCILLARY TEXTS 60MARKS

RESEARCH AND PLANNING 20MARKS EVALUATION 20MARKS

MAIN TASK

APROMOTION PACKAGE FOR THE RELEASE OF AN ALBUM,TO INCLUDE:

A MUSIC PROMO VIDEO40MARKS

PLUS:

ADIGIPAKCONSISTINGOFATLEASTSIX PANELS (CD PACKAGE)10MARKS

AMAGAZINE ADVERTFORTHE DIGIPAK(CD PACKAGE)10MARKS

YOU WILL THEN BE REQUIRED TO ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS IN YOUR 2015EXAM ON YOUR

COURSEWORK.

QUESTION 1A (25MARKS)WILL FOCUS ON YOUR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FROM AS TO A2.YOU HAVE

ALREADY BEGUN PREPARATION FOR THIS DURING YOUR A2INDUCTION LESSONS

QUESTION 1B(25MARKS)WILL ASK YOU TO ANALYSE ONE OF YOUR PRODUCTS IN RELATION TO ONE

OF THE FOLLOWING KEY CONCEPTS

NARRATIVE

AUDIENCE

GENRE

REPRESENTATION

MEDIA LANGUAGE


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THE PURPOSE OF A MUSIC VIDEO

A music videois 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 ofmusic 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)?

ADVERTS ON YOUTUBE,THE RADIO AND TVOR SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES SUCH AS FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

2.WHERE HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED THESE ELEMENTS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?

Listening to the radio, watching TV or going on the internet

3.WHAT FACTORS MAKE YOU LIKEA BAND AND THEREFORE DOWNLOAD THEIR MUSIC,BUY THEIR ALBUMS OR

ATTEND THEIR CONCERTS?HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH BAND IS COOLAND WHICH IS NOT?

The singers voice, their style e.g. what they wear and personalities

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?

ON YOUTUBE OR ON MUSIC TELEVISION


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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 suggestiverather 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.

2. Musical Synaesthesiathe 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 beunderstood 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 intertextualitye.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.


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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

singer often becomes part of the narrative story, acting as narrator and participant

at the same time (see Jarvis Cocker in Pulpsvideo for Babies)

3. Star Imageonly 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 andrepertoire (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.


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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 shotssuch 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)

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 seemageless). Also the use ofswitching 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).


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TASK 3

TEXTUALANALYSISOFMUSICVIDEOS

FEATURES OBSERVATIONS EXAMPLES

GENRE

CHARACTERISTICS

ALL BLACK AND WHITE

THROUGHOUT THE VIDEO

RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN LYRICS

AND VISUALS?

WOMEN SMOKING

CIGARETTES AND DRINKING

AS THE LYRICS SAY

CIGARETTES AND

ALCOHOL

RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN MUSIC AND

VISUALS?

LOTS OF FEEDBACK AT

BEGINNING CREATES A

DISTORTED FEEL WHICH IS

EMPHASISED BY BAD

QUALITY CAMERA AND

BLACK AND WHITE

ARE THERE CLOSE-

UPS OF THE ARTIST

AND STAR IMAGE

MOTIFS?

CLOSE UPS OF NOEL AND

LIAM AS THEY ARE THE

MAIN FOCUS IN THE BAND

IS THERE REFERENCE

TO THE NOTION OF

LOOKING?

THERE IS NO REFERENCE

TO THE NOTION OF

LOOKING

ARE THEREINTERTEXTUAL

REFERENCES?

THERE ARE NOINTERTEXTUAL

REFERENCES IN THIS VIDEO

IS THE VIDEOCATEGORY

ILLUSTRATION,

DISJUNCTUREOR

AMPLIFICATION?

HOW MUCH OF

EACH?

THIS VIDEO IS NEARLY ALL

ILLUSTRATION

THE MODELS ARE DOING WHAT THE

LYRICS SAY AND THEIR LIVES ALL

REPRESENT THE MEANING OF THE

LYRICS

NAME OF TRACK:CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL

ARTIST:OASIS


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TASK3



GENRE

CHARACTERISTICS

THE BAND ALL WEAR

CLOTHES THAT WOULD BE

SEEN IN AN INDIE VIDEO

THEY WEAR SHIRTS AND HAVE

HAIRCUTS THAT WOULD BE SEEN IN

MOST INDIE BAND VIDEOS

RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN LYRICS

AND VISUALS?

THE LYRICS ARE ABOUT

SOMEONE NEEDING TO GO

ON HOLIDAY AND ON

SCREEN THEY ARE ON A

SPEEDBOAT IN A HOT

COUNTRY

RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN MUSIC AND

VISUALS?

IT IS IN A MAJOR KEY AND

BRIGHT,JOLLY CHORDS

ARE USED THEREFORE IT IS

A BRIGHT DAY AND

EVERYONE IS RELAXED AND

HAPPY

ARE THERE CLOSE-

UPS OF THE ARTIST

AND STAR IMAGE

MOTIFS?

CLOSE UPS ON KELLY JONES

THE LEAD SINGER AS HE IS

THE MAIN PERSON IN THE

VIDEO

IS THERE REFERENCE

TO THE NOTION OF

LOOKING?

THE GIRLS ARE ALL

LOOKING AT KELLY JONES

ARE THERE

INTERTEXTUAL

REFERENCES?

THERE ARENT ANY

INTERTEXTUAL

REFERENECES THAT I

COULD FIND

IS THE VIDEO

CATEGORY

ILLUSTRATION,

DISJUNCTURE OR

AMPLIFICATION?

HOW MUCH OF EACH?

THIS VIDEO IS MAINLY

ILLUSTRATION AS THE

LYRICS DESCRIBE WHAT IS

HAPPENING ON SCREEN

THE LYRICS HAVE A NICE DAYARE

BEING SAID WHILST THEY ARE

RELAXING HAVING A GOOD TIME IN A

HOT COUNTRY

NAME OF TRACK:HAVE A NICE DAY

ARTIST:STEREOPHONICS


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TASK3




GENRE

CHARACTERISTICS

THE VIDEO IS ALL ABOUT

THEM JOKING AROUND AND

WASTING THEIR MONEY ON

THINGS JUST BECAUSE ITS

FUNNY WHICH REPRESENTS

THEIR GENRE OF MUSIC

THEY TAKE A HOMELESS MAN AND GIVE

HIM MONEY FOR A MAKE OVER AND

PUT HIM IN A HOTEL GIVING HIM

SPECIAL TREATMENT,THEY ALSO

SMASH A TV AND A CAR AND GIVE

MONEY TO GIRLS FOR FREE

RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN LYRICS

AND VISUALS?

THE LYRICS HAVE NOTHING

TO DO WITH THE VISUALS

RELATIONSHIP

BETWEEN MUSIC AND

VISUALS?

THE MUSIC IS VERY FAST

PACE AS IS THE VIDEO

ARE THERE CLOSE-

UPS OF THE ARTIST

AND STAR IMAGE

MOTIFS?

CLOSE UPS ON THE 3

MEMBERS OF THE BAND AS

THEY ALL HAVE AN EQUAL

AMOUNT OF FAME

IS THERE REFERENCE

TO THE NOTION OF

LOOKING?

THE CROWD ARE ALL

LOOKING AT THE BAND

ARE THEREINTERTEXTUAL

REFERENCES?

IS THE VIDEO

CATEGORY

ILLUSTRATION,

DISJUNCTURE OR

AMPLIFICATION?

HOW MUCH OF EACH?

THE VIDEO IS PRETTY

MUCH ALL DISJUNCTURE AS

THE LYRICS HAVE NOTHING

TO DO WITH WHAT IS

GOING ON ON SCREEN

NAME OF TRACK:THE ROCK SHOW

ARTIST:BLINK 182


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TASK 4ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS BELOWTHIS IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF THING YOULL NEED TO DO

WHEN EVALUATING YOUR OWN COURSEWORK.

CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL -OASIS:

1. Why did you choose the text you are analysing?

Because I like the artists style and their music

2. In what context did you encounter it?

I went on youtube and listened to the bands on itunes

3. What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of

the text?

I dont think it had an influence as I liked the songs before I watched the videos

4.

Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?The clothes they wear all describes the genre of music

5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

It doesnt really stretch it as it is a typical video of its genre

6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

It doesnt very much

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)?

The audience is mainly people of a working class society

8.

What sort of person does it assume you are?The song assumes that the audience are of a higher society than the people in the

video

9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

It assumes that our quality of life is better than theirs

10.What interests does it assume you have?

It assumes that we all work too much

11.What relevance does the text actually have for you?

The text doesnt relate to me too much as I have a better quality of life than the

people in the video

12.What knowledge does it take for granted?

13.To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the video seeks to position

you as?

The video is reching out to people who are unemployed living in dosgy estates

therefore I dont relate the ideal reader very much

14.Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if so, what do they involve)?

There are not any notable shifts


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What responses does the video seem to expect from you?

The video expects me to feel sympathy for the people involved

15.How open to negotiation is your response (are you invited, instructed or coerced to

respond in particular ways)?My response is open to negotiation

16.Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected ways?

Not really

17.To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against the grain' of the text and the

genre?

18.How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?

This video is fairly typical as it shows a rock band performing with models smoking

and drinking alcohol


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TASK 4ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS BELOWTHIS IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF THING

YOULL NEED TO DO WHEN EVALUATING YOUR OWN COURSEWORK.

CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL - OASIS:

1. Why did you choose the text you are analysing?

I like the song and the video suits it well

2. In what context did you encounter it?

I watched it on youtube and bought the CD which the song is on

3. What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation

of the text?

It didnt have an impact as I knew and liked the song before I saw the video

4.

Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?The clothes they wear are relatable to the genre

5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?

I dont think it stretches is very much

6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?

It doesnt

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)?

The video is aimed at mainly young adults/adults8. What sort of person does it assume you are?

It assumes you are a person who is stressed out and needs a break

9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

It assumes that adults who work are fairly stressed out and need a break

10. What interests does it assume you have?

It doesnt assume any interests

11. What relevance does the text actually have for you?

The text relates to me because it relaxes me, its a feel good song

12.

What knowledge does it take for granted?

13. To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the video seeks to

position you as?

Id say that the idel reader is a middle aged man/woman who works long hours therefore I

do not fit it very well


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14. Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if so, what do they involve)?

The style goes from relaxed to an argument at one point

What responses does the video seem to expect from you?

It expects the viewer to be happy by the end of watching it

14. How open to negotiation is your response (are you invited, instructed or coerced

to respond in particular ways)?

15. 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?

18. How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?

I think this isnt an average music video as it looks more like a movie scene

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