VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR

AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC VIDEO

A2 INDUCTION 2014


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FOR YOUR A2 COURSEWORK YOU WILL PRODUCE:
A MEDIA PORTFOLIO, COMPROMISING A MAIN AND TWO ANCILLARY TEXTS 60 MARKS
RESEARCH AND PLANNING 20 MARKS
EVALUATION 20 MARKS


MAIN TASK
A PROMOTION PACKAGE FOR THE RELEASE OF AN ALBUM, TO INCLUDE:
A MUSIC PROMO VIDEO 40 MARKS

PLUS:
A DIGIPAK CONSISTING OF AT LEAST SIX PANELS (CD PACKAGE) 10 MARKS

A MAGAZINE ADVERT FOR THE DIGIPAK (CD PACKAGE) 10 MARKS


YOU WILL THEN BE REQUIRED TO ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS IN YOUR 2015 EXAM ON YOUR
COURSEWORK.
QUESTION 1A (25 MARKS) WILL FOCUS ON YOUR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FROM AS TO A2. YOU HAVE
ALREADY BEGUN PREPARATION FOR THIS DURING YOUR A2 INDUCTION LESSONS
QUESTION 1B (25 MARKS) 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 video is 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 of
music 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)?

One common way which is usually more expensive is when the bands advertise their album via
adverts on TV so that it can appeal to a large audience. They will be able to choose the time they
want it to be aired to try and let the advert to be on at the same time a programme is on where there
will be similar fans. For example they may advertise a girly pop album such as Katy Perry around the
time when a drama is on because it is common that there are more women that watch the drama
genre rather than males. Another way is through magazines, and again this is effective if put in the
right genre of magazine, for example having an indie album advertised in the NME would reach a
suitable audience. A new and very effective way is through trailers before a YouTube clip comes on,
and this allows for the album to be advertised without the user having a choice of clicking off so that
they have to hear it and they may take a liking to it.

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

When you are looking on new music videos / new music releases on YouTube, you usually come
across many trailers advertising new music. Its not always related to the video you are watching, for
example you could be watching a video for an indie band, and the trailer will be advertising a pop
artist that would usually be in the charts. Recently I have read an NME magazine, and I can evidently
see that Morrisseys new album (World Peace Business) is advertised on the back of the magazine
so that when the audience look at the back of it they are able to see the album cover and many of the
ratings.




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3. WHAT FACTORS MAKE YOU LIKE A BAND AND THEREFORE DOWNLOAD THEIR MUSIC, BUY THEIR ALBUMS OR
ATTEND THEIR CONCERTS? HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH BAND IS COOL AND WHICH IS NOT?

Their appearance is one factor that many consider to play a part in which genre of fans take a liking
to them. For example if its an indie band, you would like them to be seen with their guitars / drums
etc. and wearing certain clothes that fit the indie style. Whereas if it was a boy band youd expect to
see them with more common types of fashion and youd never expect or see them with instruments.
What type of magazines is another factor that decides upon whether the artist or band are for your
liking or not. For instance if you like the sound of a band and then see them in the NME, in a way it
gives the audience their approval that they are an indie band and not one that is made for the
charts in the pop genre. This also is another way to decide whether the band is cool or not, because
if you see them on the front cover of NME / Q you instantly think that they have something about
them.

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?
Nowadays the most common way in which I watch music videos is via YouTube. It used to be through
the television but now it is made a lot easier to do it via YouTube because you are able to choose
which videos to watch and in your own comfort. I feel as though I dont watch music videos that
often as I would have used to but I do when a band has released a new single and you have seen a
hyperlink to it somewhere so you tend to view it.

TASK 2
IN THE SPACE BELOW LIST AS MANY FEATURES/CONVENTIONS OF MUSIC VIDEOS THAT YOU CAN THINK
OF.
I. The instruments will be included and played.
II. The focus will be on the lead singer usually.
III. Sometimes it will tell a story.
IV. Include male gaze to attract a male audience.
V. Parts will match what the lyrics are saying.
VI. In some cases the video stories will be based nothing on the song.
VII. The chorus always has the singer actually singing / lip syncing the words.



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Analysing Music Videos :


1. Genre Categories:

Illustration either a straightforward performance video or a simple narrative video (or
mixture of the two) that illustrates the meaning of the lyrics and visualizes the music in a
straightforward way. It could be called music video denotation. A good example of a classic
mixed narrative/performance video is Pulps Babies.

Amplification the conventions demonstrated by the music video auteur or creative director. S/he may use
both performance and narrative, however, rather than simply illustrate the lyrics or sounds this director will
amplify both with creative interpretation, unusual ideas and surrealistic approaches. There is still a direct link
to the song, whether it be the beat, sound or connotative link to part of the lyrics or song title. See Spike
Jones video for Fat Boy Slims Praise You or Michel Gondrys video for Kylie Minogues Come Into My Life.

Disjuncture also created by auteur directors these videos are completely abstract and have no obvious link
to the music, lyrics, song title or artist. In this sense they are a point of disjuncture from the song. See Spike
Jones video for Daft Punks Da Funk or any Radiohead video.


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 suggestive rather 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.


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2. Musical Synaesthesia the 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 be
understood 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 intertextuality
e.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.


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

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singer often becomes part of the narrative story, acting as narrator and participant
at the same time (see Jarvis Cocker in Pulps video for Babies)

3. Star Image only 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 and
repertoire (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.

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 shots such 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)

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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 seem ageless). Also the use of
switching 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).











TASK 3
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS

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FEATURES OBSERVATIONS EXAMPLES
GENRE
CHARACTERISTICS



INDIE, RETRO SHIRTS,
INSTRUMENTS, TROUSERS,
JUSTIN YOUNG PLAYING GUITAR
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN LYRICS
AND VISUALS?


THE SETTING IS SUITED FOR
THE TYPE OF SONG, AS THE
SONG IS ABOUT SEX AND
PARTIES ETC IT SUITS BEING
IN A HOUSE WHICH LOOKS
LIKE THE MORNING AFTER A
PARTY
POST BREAK UP SEX.YOUR EX GOES
ONTO A WOMAN CRYING, THIS CARRIES ON
BY GOING TO A NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE WHO ARE CRYING, THERE IS
ALWAYS A CLOSE UP ON THE EYES
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN MUSIC AND
VISUALS?


FOR THE VERSE, THERE ARE
FOUR CHORDS USED AND
EVERYTIME THE CHORDS
CHANGE SO DOES THE SHOT
THE TV IN THE BACKGROUND FLASHES
FUZZY GREY IN SYNC WITH THE LEAD
GUITAR
ARE THERE CLOSE-
UPS OF THE ARTIST
AND STAR IMAGE
MOTIFS?
AT POINTS IN THE CHORUS
THERE IS A MID SHOT USED TO
INCLUDE ALL OF THE BAND
MEMBERS PLAYING THEIR
INSTURMENTS
LOSE UP OF JUSTIN YOUNG WHEN HE IS
SINGING, THERE ARE ALSO MANY CLOSE
UPS OF HIM PLAYING GUITAR
THROUGHOUT THE VIDEO.
IS THERE REFERENCE
TO THE NOTION OF
LOOKING?

THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN
YOU ARE ABLE TO DISCRETELY
SEE A WOMAN OR A COUPLE IN
BED, HOWEVER THERE IS
NOTHING WHICH DIRECTLY
LETS YOU SEE A WOMAN IN
HER UNDERWEAR ETC
THROUGH THE CHORUS IT GOES TO A
WOMAN IN BED.
ARE THERE
INTERTEXTUAL
REFERENCES?


- -
IS THE VIDEO
CATEGORY
ILLUSTRATION,
DISJUNCTURE OR
AMPLIFICATION?
HOW MUCH OF
EACH?
THE VIDEO IS ILLSTRATION
BECAUSE IT MAINLY INCLUDES
THE STRAIGHTFORWARD
MEANING OF THE LYRICS AND
VERY LITTLE PRAGMATICS OF
WHAT IS GOING ON.
SINGING POST BREAK UP SEX AND IT SHOWS
A MALE AND FEMALE.
NAME OF TRACK: POST BREAK UP SEX

ARTIST: THE VACCINES

Year:

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TASK 3
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS

FEATURES OBSERVATIONS EXAMPLES
GENRE
CHARACTERISTICS



INDIE BAND, INSTRUMENTS,
COLLECTIVELY AS A BAND,
COLOURFUL
GUITARS, DRUMS, BASS, AMPS ALL
INCLUDED, TYPICAL TO SEE WITH A BAND.
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN LYRICS
AND VISUALS?


HOW GOOD IT WAS MAKES IT
SEEM AS THOUGH ITS A HAPPY
SONG, WHICH WORKS WITH
THE HOW COLOURFUL
LAYOUT.
THE DIFFERENT COLOURFUL CHANGES
THAT HAPPEN THROUGHOUT.
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN MUSIC AND
VISUALS?


THE CAMERA CHANGES IN
SYNC WITH THE GUIAR BEING
STRUMMED. ALSO, THE
COLOUR IN THE BACKGROUND
ALSO CHANGES IN SYNC WITH
MUSIC.
DURING THE CHORUS THE CAMERA SHOT
CHANGES ACROSS THE SCREEN EVERYTIME
THE GUTIAR IS PLAYED.
ARE THERE CLOSE-
UPS OF THE ARTIST
AND STAR IMAGE
MOTIFS?
THERE ARE MANY TIMES
THROUGHOUT WHERE THE
FOCUS IS ON LIAM FRAY
SINGING, ESPECIALLY
THROUGHOUT THE CHORUS
HOW GOOD IT WAS AND THE REST OF THE
CHROUS ALWAYS HAS SOME FOCUS ON LIAM
FRAY SINGING.
IS THERE REFERENCE
TO THE NOTION OF
LOOKING?

- -
ARE THERE
INTERTEXTUAL
REFERENCES?


- -
IS THE VIDEO
CATEGORY
ILLUSTRATION,
DISJUNCTURE OR
AMPLIFICATION?
HOW MUCH OF EACH?
AMPLIFICATION BECAUSE OF
THE WAY THAT THE DIRECTOR
HAS USED COLOUR TO
AMPLIFY THE SOUND AND PUT
IT IN CONNECTION TO THE
MUSIC SO THE FOCUS ISNT
JUST ON THE VOCALS.
-
NAME OF TRACK: HOW GOOD IT WAS

ARTIST: COURTEENERS

Year:

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TASK 3
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS



FEATURES OBSERVATIONS EXAMPLES
GENRE
CHARACTERISTICS



SET IN A RECORD STUDIO,
BAND PLAYING WITH
INSTRUMENTS, IN SUITS
THEY ARE ALL IN MATCHING SUITS AND SET
AS THOUGH THEY ARE RECORDING THE
TRACK IN A STUDIO
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN LYRICS
AND VISUALS?


THE SCENE / BACKGROUND
CHANGES AND SOMETIMES
MATCHES THE LYRICS. IN THE
BACKGROUND ON THE SCREEN
THERE IS SOMONE WRITING I
LOVE YOU AS A LETTER.
WHEN HE SAYS SEA THE LIGHTING
CHANGES TO A DARK BLUE TO TRY AND
MATCH THE COLOUR OF THE SEA.
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN MUSIC AND
VISUALS?


PEOPLE DANCING AND
CLAPPING IN THE
BACKGROUND IN SYNC TO THE
BEAT. FROM EACH
DIFFERENT SOUND OF THE
BOX THAT THEY ARE IN,
TOWARDS THE END THE
SOUND PLAYED MATCHES
EACH ONE.
THE PEOPLE IN THE BACKGROUND ARE
JUMPING AND CLAPPING IN CONNECTION
WITH THE BASS AND DRUMS. THE LEAD
SINGERS FOOT IS ALSO BOUNCING IN
CONNECTION WITH THE MUSIC.
ARE THERE CLOSE-
UPS OF THE ARTIST
AND STAR IMAGE
MOTIFS?
THE BAND ARE ALWAUS
TOGETHER BUT THE FOCUS IS
USUALLY ON THE LEAD SINGER
SINGING, WHILST HES
LOOKING AT THE CAMERA.
EVERY TIME THE CAMERA ANGLE CHANGES
THE LEAD SINGER IS ALWAYS
FACING/LOOKING TOWARDS THE CAMERA
IS THERE REFERENCE
TO THE NOTION OF
LOOKING?

- -
ARE THERE
INTERTEXTUAL
REFERENCES?


- -
IS THE VIDEO
CATEGORY
ILLUSTRATION,
DISJUNCTURE OR
AMPLIFICATION?
HOW MUCH OF EACH?
AMPLIFIATION BECAUSE THE
VIDEO IS CREATIVE AS IT ISNT
JUST HAVING THE ONLY FOCUS
ON THE BAND PLAYING, BUT
THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER
THINGS THAT AMPLIFY WHAT
THEY ARE DOING TO MAKE IT
LOOK MORE INTERESTING.
HAVING THE AUDIENCE DANCING IN THE
BACKGROUND IN SYNC, HAVING THE
DIFFERENT SECTIONS ON THE OUTSIDE OF
THE BOX ETC
NAME OF TRACK: LOVE LETTERS

ARTIST: METRONOMY

Year:

11

TASK 4 ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS BELOW THIS IS EXACTLY THE SORT OF THING YOULL NEED TO DO
WHEN EVALUATING YOUR OWN COURSEWORK.

1. Why did you choose the text you are analysing?
They are the type of genre that I am interested and therefore would look at creating my
music video based upon the same style and setting that they have done. It also makes it
more interesting to be analysing videos that are by bands that I like.

2. In what context did you encounter it?
I watched the music video alone at home, and I watched it on my laptop so it wasnt on the
largest of screens.

3. What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of
the text?
It makes me feel as though I may not have enjoyed it as much because I wasnt viewing it on
a large screen so I had to try harder to focus on the elements of the video. However as I was
alone I was able to put all my focus on the video.

4. Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?
They always try to show the band collectively a lot of the time through, however they do also
try to have a lot of focus on the singer of the band, but the emphasis isnt solely on the lead
singer; they try to show the band together. They also include all the equipment that a band
would have to try and represent the indie genre.

5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre?
None of the texts that I have chosen stretch the conventions of the genre to a degree where
it looks very different to the usual; they all suit the typical indie conventions.

6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre?
-
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)?
Especially The Vaccines video, I feel as though they reach out to younger people in the
teenage category. The reason being for this is that they have made it look like something
they can relate to and a position that they have been in before. It had many indie elements
in which are typical of this genre as it is what they usually focus on.



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8. What sort of person does it assume you are?
A teenager who likes to go out and is heavily interested in guitar music with the way that
they focus on the equipment.

9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?
That you are a working class background due to the setting and you are in the early adult
stages / teenager, and it was aimed at both male and female so that it could appeal to both
genders so it had a wide appeal for audience.

10. What relevance does the text actually have for you?
It had a lot of relevance because it is the music that our music video will be based upon.

11. What knowledge does it take for granted?
It isnt very often that it does take any knowledge for granted, however the video is a setting
that most people will recognise / have been in that position.

12. To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the video seeks to position
you as?
I feel as though I fit into the category of this video and it is everything that I can relate to
which is why I find it so interest and see myself as the ideal reader.

13. Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if so, what do they involve)?
No, the video sticks to quite a simple layout and setting which results in there being no
drastic shifts in the video.

14. What responses does the video seem to expect from you?
In my opinion, the video seems to expect that you may feel as though you have been in the
position that they are in, and the video also amplifies the lyrics which allows for you to get
more of an understanding of what is going on.

15. How open to negotiation is your response (are you invited, instructed or coerced to
respond in particular ways)?
---?
16. 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?
--?




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18. How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?
This is a very simple, low budget music video that is very typical of music videos nowadays.
This type of music video is very common with bands that are just starting due to its low cost,
which is why I see it to be so common now.