Friday, 6 August 2010
I designed a questionnaire in order to understand what people look for in a music video and what their musical preferences are.
1. What gender are you?
Male ___ Female__
2. How old are you?
Under 14___ 14-16 ____ 17-19___ 20+____
3. What is your occupation?
Student _____ Part-time ____ Full-time _____ Unemployed_____
4. What genres do you listen to?(tick all that apply)
Hip Hop____ Rock___ Pop___ Funky____ Alternative___ Heavy Metal___ Other___
5. What is your preferred way of consuming music videos?
TV___ Websites/Internet___
6. What music chanels do you watch?
_________________________________________________________
7. What websites do you use to consume music? _________________________________________________________
8. What do you look for in a music video?
_________________________________________________________
9. What type of music videos do you prefer?
Performance Based( when acts preform in their video) ___________
Narrative Based (A music video that tells a story) ____________
Concept Based ( A music video based on an idea i.e. playing backwards) _______
A combination : please specify_________________
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
THE GORILLAZ
Gorillaz is a musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn of alternative rock band Blur and British cartoonist Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the comic book Tank Girl. The band comprises of four characters; 2D (lead vocalist/keyboard), Murdoc (bass guitar), Noodle (guitar/ocassional vocals) and Russell (drums and percussion). Through their music videos, website and other media text they explore the virtual, fictional world. Their style in terms of musical sound is a combination of multiple genres including hip hop, electronic, pop and alternative rock. Currently, the Gorillaz have 3 albums with their second album 'Demon Days' going double platinum in the US, five times platinum in the UK and earned them a Grammy Award 2006 for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
'WELCOME TO PLASTIC BEACH' is the name of the Gorillaz third album which is about each members journey to 'Plastic Beach' and innovative marketing strategies are employed to promote the album. For each character of the Gorillaz (fictional ones: 2D, Murdoc, Russell, Noodle) they have created 30 second videos (also known as 'Idents') which illustrates the beginning of their journey to 'Plastic Beach'. The single 'On Melancholy Hill' continues the story of their journey to 'Plastic Beach' from their previous music video 'Stylo'.
The Gorillaz- On Melancholy Hill
DIRECTOR: Jamie Hewlett
RELEASE DATE: 2010
Gorillaz - On Melancholy Hill found on Electronic
The Gorillaz 'On Melancholy Hill' is a narrative based music video as it illustrates each band members journey to 'Plastic Beach'. This video continues from the music video 'Stylo'. The whole music video is animated using CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) and 2D drawings. This is typical of the Gorillaz style as they always make animated music videos or in the case of the music video 'Stylo' there are animated aspects.
The video opens with a passage of dialogue between Noodle (one of the Gorillaz members) and a ship host/ waiter which lasts for the first 28 seconds of the music video.
It begins with an extreme long shot (XLS) of a ship moving in the water (ocean). The XLS is used to allow audiences to identify the setting of the music video. It then cuts to a Medium Shot (MS) of something dropping in the water. The director wants us to be aware of this hence why a MS was used to draw our attention to it. This then cuts to a low angle MS of planes flying over the ship. This makes the plane seem superior and links to the previous shot as it maybe the plane that dropped something in the water therefore making the plane also look suspicious and dangerous. The sounds used within this scene such as the ship horn, the plane flying over and the splash of the water are all used to create realism and make the music video seem authentic. It then cuts to a Long Shot (LS) of inside the ship with a host running down the corridor and goes into Noodle's room. He tells her that the 'ship is under attack' and they have to evacuate.
The Mise-en-Scene inside Noodle's room promotes post-modernistic characteristics. Blurring of reality and ficiton is seen in this music video. There is a Medium Close up (MCU) of Noodles opening a suitcase; the suitcase itself is real and the shot size used highlights the contrast between the 2D character animation and the realistic suitcase. This is reinforced by the real lampshade in the background evident in this shot. By doing this, it also breaks down the boundary between the fictional world (2D) and reality (3D) as it combines both and makes fiction the reality. From this it cuts to a high angle shot of us looking down onto the gun which is in the suitcase from Noodle's perspective. The use of this shot is to draw our attention to what is in the suitcase and how realistic it looks. From this it cuts to a LS of the host outside the room. Noodle exits from the room and a MS tracking shot is used as Noodles holds the gun and walks down the corridor getting closer to the camera. Noodles costume, the mask in particular intrigues the audience and creates an enigma as we really know what will happen next as her facial expression is not seen. It then fades out then fades in to a logical pattern of sequence of Noodle firing a gun. (Close-Up(CU) of Noodle's face with her gritting her teeth. The fact that we can't see her whole body makes us wonder what she is doing to have that effect. Then dissolves to a MS of her firing a gun. This shot makes it evident to us what Noodle is doing.) At this point the music starts aswell. We then realise from the next shots like the low angle POV shot of Noddle that she is actually firing at the planes who were invading the ship because of her. When she escapes and lies on a life boat it dissolves into a XLS of a boat emerging which is the other Gorillaz characters (2D, Murdoc and Cyborg Noodle) from the previous video (Stylo) continuing their journey to 'Plastic Beach' eventually all the characters arrive by the end of the video.
During the journey underwater to 'Plastic Beach' there are appearance from well known acts who are driving submarine. There is a MCU of Bruce Willis and he is position left of frame. Audiences will identify this is Bruce Willis as this was how he was introduced in 'Stylo' where he was chasing those Gorillaz characters and now it is continuing. There is a cut from another character to a MCU of Snoop Dogg and a MCU is used of De La Soul (who featured on their 'Feel Good inc. single). The shot size is used for audiences to recognise the characters drawn but the fact that they are there is significant as they feature on the Gorillaz new album. There is also a MCU of Mick Jones and Paul Simonon (former band members of Clash) who performed with the Gorillaz on this album wearing sailor hats. There anime were also wearing sailor outfits which is evident through the hat and the stripy t-shirt. One of the characters gets out a can of spinach and squeezes it open which falls in the other characters pipe. By doing this the character which had the spinanch gained muscles. This is a parody of the cartoon Popeye-the sailor man, which began in the late 1910s, as he was a sailor who gained muscles by eating spinach.
Throughout the music video there is constant reference to 'Melancholy'. The colour scheme within the music video conveys this. At the beginning of the video where Noodle is battling the flying planes there are lots of deep reds and blacks which also connotes pain. Also during the scenes where the characters are underwater there are lots of deep blues and blacks which signifies sorrow and depression. The octopuses in the video where the only characters that were happy which is evident through their smiling faces but they got killed by the passing submarine which is sad therefore connecting to the song title and what the song is about. By doing this there is a constant connection between the sound and the imagery. When 'plastic beach' is discovered near the end of the music video the colour begins to lighten possibly as they are happier because they have discovered what they are looking for. There happiness is also connoted in their facial expression upon discovery. A CU is used on all of the characters to show audiences clearly their reaction.
I feel that the target audience for this band and the music itself is a young audience predominately in the late teens (16 up) to late 20s. This is due to the sound of the band, most of their music have a 'party feel' to it as it is normally up tempo and uses electronics; that audience are more likely to go to parties, raves and clubs where this music would be playing. Furthermore, I feel that that the diversion theory is used in this music video in order to gratify audiences. This music video offers escapism from problems faced in their own lives through discovering the virtual world. By watching this music video, audiences are amused by another world that is portrayed as well as being able to see how other peole live on it therefore forgetting about your problems whilst you think about someone else.
In conclusion, I like the orginality of this music video as it takes on another way of creating the virtual world and still making it interesting through the combination of 2D drawings and 3D objects instead of just the typical 2D drawing that is used in normal animated videos. All in all, I will take in animation into consideration when making a music video as it can be more visually interesting.
Saturday, 31 July 2010
GREEN DAY- WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS
RELEASE DATE: 2006
DIRECTOR: Samuel Bayer
NARRATIVE AND PERFORMANCE BASED
- The music video is about the effects of war on civilians. This is portrayed through two characters- male and female who are a couple. The male character decides to go and fight the war in Iraq and it shows the effect that it has on the female character.
- The opening of the music video is in the style of a film/movie. In the opening shot (Extreme Long Shot (XLS) of a couple on a daffodil field) there is the title of the song positioned left of frame. Also, the first beginning 1 minute and 45 seconds is a dialogue of a couple expressing their emotion for each other. They are positioned centre of the frame signifying their importance. Shot Reverse Shots are used on Close-up of the couples' face to help audiences keep track of the storyline as well as seeing their facial expression. At the end of the dialogue the music fades in and becomes non-diegetic sound.
- Rock Genre Codes and Conventions evident in the video-XLS of the lead singer's eye showing his heavy eyeliner. Black hair and black costume of the band members also correspond to the song as it is about pain and sorrow related to war. This is reinforced by the colours used in the music video (red and black).
- A varied audience are pleased when watching this music video.
- Surveillance Theory= This music video reflects what it going on in the real world (war in Iraq). This allows us to learn about that society through the bad news (the guy going off to war) and makes us feel more secure and happy about our own lives which is grafitying.
- Personal Identity Theory= This music video embodies this theory as people who are in that situation in real life (going off to war or knowing of people who went to war) can identify with the feelings portrayed by the characters especially the female character which will help them understand their own feelings and help express their own feelings as they come to realise that it is effecting mass amounts of people rather than just themselves.
- Diversion= This music video provides some audiences with escapism from their own life problems by seeing someone who is worst off (the characters in the music video) therefore making them re-evaluate their own lives and maybe cherishing their lives more.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
DIRECTOR-Jamie Thraves
RELEASE DATE-2002
CONCEPT BASED and NARRATIVE BASED MUSIC VIDEO
The scientist by Coldplay is a concept based music video as it is played backwards. By going back in time we find out that the narrative of the story is about a character (lead singer in Coldplay, Chris Martin) in the music video was in a car accident that killed the girl in the passenger seat (possibly girlfriend or friend) who ends up dead on the floor of a forest.
The music video begins with an Extreme Close Up of a face (Chris Martin) and becomes a pulling out shot. From this it dissolves into a High Angle, Medium Shot of him on a matress on the street to a Long Shot of that. Whilst this technique is happening he says 'Tell you I'm Sorry, You don't know how are lovely you are' which creates the mood of being upset and him thinking about something which informs the audience that he has done something bad to someone which we might find out as the music video progresses. The use of a High Angle shot connotes his vunerability and weakness; possibly his lack of control over the situation he is in.
The mise-en-scene within the beginning gives us different messages. It is obvious that Chris Martin is an ordinary guy. This is evident through his costume as he wears a simple long sleeve white top and black trousers. There is natural lighting used outside aswell which creates realism. The use of the matress (prop) informs us abit more about Chris Martin. The fact that he is lying on a matress in the street connotes that he is not thinking properly or he is depressed. This is further reinforced when there is a Long Shot of him on the matress which dissolves to a Medium Close Up tracking shot that pulls out allowing us to see the location more clearly. There is graffiti on the brownish cream buildings and they 'run down' which in itself looks depressing and reflects Chris Martin's state of mind.
From this it cuts to an Extreme Close up of Chris Martin. There is a guy in the background riding a BMX bike that goes backwards. This conforms that the video is played on rewind and also informs us about the location; as it may be near or a skate park. During this shot Chris Martin is position to the left of the frame with is arm crossed over on the other. This connotes his lack of significance (maybe he feels he isn't important) through his position in the frame and his posture signifies him being troubled and sorrowful. From this it cuts to a Low Angle, Medium 360 degree Pan (panorama) shot; starting from behind Chris Martin. The use of the 360 Pan Shot shows his mindstate; probably confusion about the situation that he was pondering about earlier. There is a cut to a Medium Shot of A boy on a BMX bike which connotes the area he is in; either near or in a skate park.
From this there are more scenes that conforms to the audience that the music video is played backwards. For instance when there is a Long Shot of him jumping over a brick wall to a dissolve of him walking down the street.
As he walks down the street it dissolves to an Extreme Long Shot of him jumping over a little wall and going in a tunnel. As he does this he says 'Take me back to the start' which tells the audeince that we will soon find out what happened.
From this it cuts to a Medium Shot of men playing basketball which he walks through. This scene shows other people having fun which contrasts Chris Martin's mood and advises us that the situation that happened mainly effects him rather than effecting many therefore elimating possible incidents that the we (audience) could have thought had happened. For example, a fire or robbery.
Chris Martin continues to walk down the street and then it cuts to a Medium Close of him in front of train tracks then he walks across them. In the background, there is lots of trees and there are grey clouds in the sky reflecting his mood. The fact that he is by himself shows he is lonely and walking on the track tracks shows that the situation has effected his thinking and he is withdrawn as it is a dangerous thing to do. Later there is an Extreme Close-Up of his feet walking on the train tracks confirming he is actually walking on it.
It fades out from a Medium Close Up of Chris Martin walking through the train tracks to a fade in of an Extreme Long Shot of forestry. This is used to show a new location and new part of the story. Within the forest he puts on a jacket and he continues walking. It eventually goes to a Medium Close Up of Chris Martin walking backwards and we can make out a body lying on the floor in the background. At this point different suggestions come to mind which gratifies the audience as they start to guess what had happened. Then it cuts to a Medium Shot of the girl on the floor which confirms that she is dead. It then cuts and he gradually gets into the car saying that he is 'going back to the start' which tells us that we are about to find out what happened which satisifies audiences. There is a Extreme Long Shot of the car tumbling up the hill and then a Medium Shot of the front of the cae reversing into the road with the wood fence mending which shows that they had skidded of the road which caused the girl to die. As it continues to reverse down the road there is a Close Up Point of View Shot Chris Martin driving. This allows audeinces to be in his perspective while he was driving. During the car ride, he has conversations with the girl and he smiles which signifies that he was happy before and the incident altered his mood; until then he was happy.
The music video ends with a fade out.
This video uses different techniques to gratify audiences. The fact that it uses different editing techniques like dissolves and fades besides just using the usual straight cuts retains the audiences interest. The music still subtly conforms to conventions of the rock as there is abit of performance when Chris Martin is walking down the street singing which gratify audiences through familarity. I feel that audiences who watch this music video are gratified through the diversion theory. This is where audiences are provided with a form of escapism from their own lives whilst thinking about others through what is portrayed in the media text. The fact that this music video has such a tragic storyline it makes audiences put their own problems into perspective and maybe feel that at least their life isn't as bad as the character in the music video.
In conclusion, after analysing this music video I feel it is successful in promoting emotion and the diversion theory. The combination of both concept and narrative work well in this music video and make it that more interesting especially as it isn't common.
Lady Gaga-Paparazzi
Director: Jonas Akerlund
Release Date:2008
The music video opens of Paparazzi opens with an iris-in of a Medium Shot of palm trees. The use of the iris-in is pastiche and homage (convential techniques of a postmodernism music videos) as this editing technique was conventional of American Sitcoms and Soap Operas in the 1950's such as It's a Great Life and I love Lucy. The Medium Shot of the palm trees have connotations of Hollywood specifically Beverly Hills which is especially known for movie stars and studios. From this there is a cut to a Close Up of a flower head and a cut to an Extreme Long Shot of a grand, magnolia manison with a green yard and palm trees. This mansion relates to what audiences would consider as a typical house in Hollywood therefore meeting audiences expectations which gratifies them. The mansion also connotes wealth. The use of these cuts at the beginning allows audiences to identify the location of the music video.
The mise-en-scene at the beginning of the video further connotes wealth and glamour. From the exterior shots outside it fades to an Extreme Close Up of chandelier diamonds than fades to a Medium Shots of it which also allows us to see the decorative roof and the size of the chandelier. This represents the lady who owns this house (Lady Gaga) as a rich madam. After this there are cuts to different parts of the house such as the staircase and out on the balcony. The balcony has a view of the sea and mountains; whilst there is a champagne bottle on the fence and a marble figure which futher promotes luxury and the indivdual being rich.
Throughout the beginning of the video it is mellow with birds chirrping during exterior shots which makes the text authentic and creates realism therefore presenting fiction as reality.
The typography inserted within the beginning of the video such as 'A Serial Pictures Production' and 'Starring Lady Gaga' is a typical way to introduce a program in the 1950's.
When there is a cut to a Medium Shot of money splashed on the florr with broken glass and mess it looks as if something is wrong and it is the beginning of a problem arising which relates to sitcoms and soap operas as there is also a situations that happens that mainly goes wrong.
Within the video the pictures and the lyrics relate. There is a scene where Lady Gaga and her lover are on the balcony. A Point of View Shot of a camera man(paparazzi) is used where we are looking down the lense of a camera and they are taking her picture with permission which is what she is singing about. This blurrs fiction and the truth as it presents the mediated text as reality.
When she gets pushed off the balcony by her lover it fades into a Close Up of Lady Gaga's face behind a swirly black and white background. This is a Hitchcock Homage as this scene makes reference to the 1958 film 'Vertigo' which sticks with the theme of the music video of re-presenting the 1950's. The use of icy, remote blonde 'femme fatale' character is also a hallmark of a Hitchcock film.
From this a movement match is used to a high angle, Long Shot of Lady Gaga on the floor with paparazi surrounding her taking photos. The use of the high angle camera shots connotes Lady Gaga as helpless and powerless especially as she is injured. During this scene, newspapers are shown with Lady Gaga on the front page with titles like 'No More Gaga'. These newspapers, the narrative of the music video and style of the music video has intertextual reference to Sunset Boulevard (1950).
At this point, the music begins to fade in and it cuts to a Medium Shot of a black limo infront of a long purple carpet with a man about to open the door and one getting ready to push the wheelchair. When it cuts to Lady Gaga being lifted out of the limo we see her diamonte neck brace which has connotations of glamour,money and being faboulous.
Lady Gaga's costume in this scene relates to what people who consider as fashion in the 1950's such as her sunglasses with flaps that transformes them into reading glasses was stylish eyewear in the 1950's. Also, later on in the music video there is an Extreme Close Up of red lipstick lips which was very popular with young women in the 50's.
When Lady Gaga is being pushed down the purple carpet, there is a Close-Up of Lady Gaga's face then cuts to a Long Shot of Lady Gaga as a humanoid that gets up and tries to walk. The humanoid breaks down distinction between binary divides and the difference between humans and robots. This humanoid also has intertextual reference to the Fembot in Fritiz Lang's 1927 film Metropolis.
Near the end of the music video there is a reference to popular culture through Lady Gaga wearing sunglasses which resembles mickey and minnie mouses' ears. This is reinforced by her wearing a yellow jumpsuit with mickey and/or minnie mouse's silhouette printed on it. This will gratify audiences as they are familar with those characters and are interested on the different take on it.
The video ends with an Iris-Out to a black background with 'The End' on it then cuts to different lists which state the Casts, Production and the Production company. This relates to the 50's as it was the conventional way to end a program.
Within the video different camera sizes are used. Close-Ups are used to show something that the director intended us to see. This is evident in the video where there is a Close-Up of different Lady Gaga merchandise such as her face on money notes and bottle caps with a g on it. This reminds audiences that it is a Lady Gaga music video. Long Shots are also used in the music to show performances like the dance scene which relates to pop music and is typical of music videos of that genre.
Lastly, different editing techniques are used for different reasons. The Iris in/out are used as it is conventional of 1950's tv. Straight cuts are also used as they are conventional of music videos. The fading techniques are used to retain interest as they are different because this technique isn't normally used in music videos.
In conclusion, I feel that this music video is a successful postmodernist text as it uses many of conventions such as Blurring reality and fiction, Homage, Pastiche and Intertextuality. Also it represents the 1950's and is obvious to audiences that it is the 1950's but adds contemporary aspects such as the updated humanoid to keep up with this decade. Generally I feel this music video would appeal to young audience and would gratify them as it provides them with a new/different perspective of music videos.
Monday, 26 July 2010
HOW MODERNISM IS DEFINED
-Art / social political movement that aimed to reinvent culture that had become outdated.
-Ocurred roughly between 1890s and 1960s
-A rejection against realism
-Divisions of modernism include avant-garde and surrealism
-Films/Novels/Art were self-reflexive of society.
HOW POSTMODERNISM IS DEFINED
-From 1970s onwards
-The breakdown of barriers between genres and style
-The breakdown of distinction between binary divides (E.G Human and Machine)
-Mixing up time, space and narrative
-Emphasis of style over content
-Blurring of fiction and reality/representation and the real world.
-Becoming more use to a mediated version of reality, than reality itself (hyperreality)
CONVENTIONS OF POST-MODERNISM
INTERTEXTUALITY- One media text referring to another.
PARODY- mocking something in an original way.
1970/1980's cop series
The Simpsons also use parodies both in high and low cultures to a wide range of audiences. The idea of parody mainly promotes that there is no difference between high art and mass culture.
PASTICHE- An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist or period. This is a self-conscious imitation. For instance Madonna imitation of Marilyn Monore's Gentleman prefer blondes in her Material Girl music video.
BRICOLAGE- Mixing up and using different genres and styles. This is most common in films and movies such as Blade Runner comprising of Film Noir and Sci-Fi and Shaun of the Dead which is zombie mixed with romantic comedy but also happens in music. For example, DJ Shadow's Entroducing which is the first album to be completely made up of sampled music.
HOMAGE- Imitation from a respectful standpoint. For instance the orginal psycho movie made in 1960 and the remake made in 1998.