Date post: | 12-May-2015 |
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Teaching the Music Video Brief
Nikki Blackborow The Latymer School
Outline of A2 course
June (of Y12) – Dec: Music Video Brief G324 (AS Brief: Film Opening sequence)
Jan: exam leave
Feb – May: G325 Critical Perspectives (Contemporary Media Regulation: Film and The Press)
June: exam leave
Organisation of unit G324
June – July: Teach music video construction and performance. Start portfolios
Sept: Teach ancillary tasks and wider issues. Continue portfolio development - research
Oct - Nov: Planning & Production work. Ongoing portfolio development
Dec: Audience screenings, evaluations and assessment
Jan: Submission of coursework
Teaching Music Video
Summer Term of Y12 ideal time to start this
1st few lessons - lots of exposure to range of music videos
Aim - to build up confidence with terminology and increase understanding of the how and why of construction
Introduce a simple analysis framework
Students should understand that music video is a distinctive form
Useful to compare/ contrast to other forms – film, TV advertising, trailers etc
Latymer Music
Videos 2008
produced
two BBC Blast
National
Competition
Winners
‘I Kissed a Boy’ by Boy, Interrupted 2009
Currently our most ‘successful’ music video to date
371,028 views on youtube
Screened on MTV’s Gay TV slot on Georgian Television
Translated into Spanish
Screened at gay night club in NYC
Screened at Gay Pride NZ
Latymermedia offered professional partner youtube status as a result
Voodoo Child 2010
How did we get there?
1 day workshop each yearFocus on performance, camera and editingLip sync practice for allUnderstanding of structureQuality learning experience – stretch & challenge
Plus:Analysis of music videosA focus on visual planning from outsetVisual referencing
Where to start
Start with your students and what they know
Discussion – everything they know about music video
Question – what makes a music video a music video?
Conventions – big list – what do they think music videos have in common
Get them to identify a video they would consider to be the best example of the form
Screen them if possible, students explain their choice
Resources Our own youtube channel playlistshttp://www.youtube.com/user/latymermedia
Ours and others past student music videos eg http://www.youtube.com/user/hurtwoodhousemediahttp://www.youtube.com/user/longroadmediastudies
Our blogshttp://latymermediamusicvideo2008.blogspot.com/
Online Music Television channels: MTV Base etcBand websites: also Myspace, Facebook, Youtube channelsWikipedia – loads of info to get started
Resources
Essential Books:Pete Fraser’s ‘Teaching Music Video’ (available from the BFI + Amazon) ‘30 frames per second: The Visionary Art of the Music Video’ (Amazon)
Inspirational DVDs: Director ‘best ofs’ eg The Work of Director Michel Gondry (Amazon)
Theory/ theorists
Andrew Goodwin ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ 1992
Carol Vernallis ‘Experiencing Music Video: Aesthetics and cultural context’ 2004
-Both available on Amazon
-Ensure the theory accessible for students – can they use/apply it?
Functions of a Music Video
What job does a music video do?
Look at music television, online/ viral, sales and promotion, video cds, compilations, synergy with film
How has this changed over time? Impact of new technologies over last decade
History of music video (with youtube clips for illustration)
Copyright issues
Alternative forms of music video – literal, lip dub and other fan based material
Inspiration: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_video
Illustrate with youtube clips – there are plenty to choose from!
Music Video historical compilation
Music Video analysis
•Key point – to explore the relationship between the lyrics, the music and the imagery
• Pick your compilation for lessons around the concepts you want to illustrate
• Use the analysis framework provided
• Students apply the same analysis framework for a video of their choice
• Prepare an analysis of a video of their choice for their blog and present in class
• Post frames from their chosen video to illustrate points made
Music videos compilation for analysis
Key area for discussion (1) - Genre
Look for generic signifiers – dancing, gestures, overall look, instruments, lyrics
Familiarity, recognition, pleasure for audience
Genre as a tool for music video analysis – how useful/limiting is it?
Compare to analysis of film – quite a different process
Key areas for discussion (2) - structure
Music, lyrics, iconography - how do these work together?
Different relationship to film?
Which code is the more powerful?
Narrative, performance, concept?
Artist’s role
Why have these choices been made?
Key area for discussion (3)– camera and editing
Look at shot patterns
Compare to other forms
Breakdown and compare the way narrative and performance are constructed
Discuss: the process of shooting each of the above the process of editing each of the abovebeauty shots and performance bedswhy certain choices are made
Key areas for discussion (4) – representation
Explore representation of women through discussion of:
camera work, artist performance, dress, gesture, lyrics
who is in control?
audience – who is it for, alternative readings?
changing representations over time
Practical/creative tasks to aid learning
Copy a look – students recreate a still photo in pairs
Play an unfamiliar track in class, & provide the lyrics. Students annotate the lyrics individually, then class discuss initial responses, thoughts around genre etc. Then students prepare a group treatment. Show the actual video and discuss
Students produce a storyboard for an extract from a professional video
Students create the shooting schedule for a narrative/ performance video
Practical tasks to aid learning
Students remake short section of a music video. Work as a class or in groups to shoot + edit the remake. Cut all sections together at the end to form a whole
In pairs, choose a song and learn the lyrics. Then lip synch to song, shoot + edit the sequence
Evaluate the process and the learning associated with the above – like a prelim task
3 useful examples of narrative/ performance music videos
1. Britney Spears ‘Baby One More Time’2. Busted ‘What I go to School For’3. Wheatus ‘Teenage Dirtbag’
Available on youtube Set in schoolRich for analysis Past but popular/ familiar with studentsRelevant and accessibleStudents can choose their own contemporary examples to analyse
2007 Britney Spears ‘Baby One More Time’
BBC Blast National Awards 2009
+
= BBC Blast bursary winner
BBC Blast National Awards 2010
+
= BBC Blast Bursary Winner
2008 Busted ‘What I go to school For’
2009 Wheatus ‘Teenage Dirtbag’
Lip sync practice
2009
Voodoo Child 2010
Development of Initial Ideas
Track selectionMoodboard to represent chosen genre ‘Collage’ style image or photos to represent chosen
target audienceLogo ideas to represent record labelScreen test shots of possible actorsBrainstorms of early ideas for tracksTreatment to represent music video ideasBuild up to a pitch to classUse the blog to illustrate the presentation and have a
hand out ready
Planning
Students are expected to produce:a timelinea storyboarda shot lista shoot schedulea call sheeta costume and props listongoing behind the scenes photos/video clips
Inspired planningCreative , visual, and accessible
Example storyboard using post-it notes
Wider concepts
One lesson on each of the following: Audience consumption and popular music: how audiences are
targeted, audience pleasure and appeal
Institutions: structure of UK music industry, who owns what, copyright issues, exhibition and distribution, impact of recent technologies
Marketing and promotional campaigns
Construction of image, branding
Each lesson could inspire a mini investigative activity
Example 1
Lesson:Compare two websites/channels in class in order to explore issues around audiences & institutions
Follow-up: Students pick one website/channel to analyse for themselves - must be relevant to their project
Example 2
Lesson:Compare the websites of two record labelsin order to explore issues around ownership, control, independent/ mainstream/ niche, impact of new technologies
Follow-up: Students pick one record label website to analyse for their research - must be relevant to them in some way
Can use the same approach with:
Marketing campaigns Album covers Band websites Magazine adverts Brand image/identityAim to: Discuss conventions/expectations first Have a few general examples ready Focus on one/two worked examples in detail Students follow up with their own choice, tailored to be relevant to their project Provide simple framework for analysis – a few questions The more visual the research, the better
Teaching the ancillary tasks
One lesson each on the form and style of:
• album covers• band and record label websites• magazine adverts for album
• examples and discussion• students can contribute chosen examples• use each lesson to inspire investigative work
The Portfolio
Each student has their own blogEach group has their own blogThese are all linked together and to the teacher blogResearch and planning tasksProvide a ‘menu’ or list of the kind of thing they should
doGuided tasks work best - make them fun and visual!Suggested tasks linked to work done in classWork done outside lessons from the startBuild evidence as they go alongMust have evidence of each stage
Research and planning evidence
Blogs should be visual and analytical, with regular postings, and no unexplained gaps
Research must be relevant and focused. It’s purpose should be to inform and inspire the production
Individual blogs should contain evidence of individual research, ideas, skills development, and reflections
Group blogs should focus on all group research, planning and production once the project is up and running
Students should formally close their blog when the project is over/on the day of the deadline
Evaluation
Group video taskPrepare answers in advanceGroups brainstorm answers and debate points in class firstPresent as a video discussion Illustrate with pre-selected clips, and other imageryEach student in group ‘leads’ the discussion for one
questionAll illustrative materials linked to blog afterwardsStudents post their reflections plus any points missed outGive a time limit and some quiet spaceVideos recorded in one take
Assessment
Positive marking systemBreak down the criteria according to your project and
students Is the evidence there? Interactive mark sheet Include a note to your moderator Candidates in sample create a ‘Dear Moderator’ final
postDo anything you can to ensure the moderator’s job is
made easier