VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR

AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
VIDEO

FOR YOUR A2 COURSEWORK YOU WILL PRODUCE :

A MEDIA PORTFOLIO , COMPROMISING A

MAIN AND TWO ANCILLARY TEXTS

60 MARKS

20 MARKS

RESEARCH AND PLANNING

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 1 A (25 MARKS) WILL FOCUS ON YOUR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

FROM AS TO A2. Y OU 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

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 /A RTISTS IDENTITY IS MEDIATED
TO AN AUDIENCE)?
Distribution is what I think is one of the major elements involved in an album
marketing campaign. If you want your album to reach your targeted audience
within plenty of time and without limiting your orders, you will have to find an
effective distributer who can distribute physical copies of your music in
plenty of time, covering low stock if you are running a pre-sale of having a
release party and you want to offer physical product at the show. (e.g. Proper
Music & Ditto Music Distribution)
The band/artists themselves also need to be dedicated to social media,
communicating immensely with their audience to ensure their album is taken
seriously. Time and energy needs to be spent actively promoting your band.
Branding is key, upload cover photos and banners that are in alignment with
your band. Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and
Snapchat all need to be considered, setting up accounts individually to open
up your music to the largest potential scale available. YouTube is also a
primary hotspot for uploading youre behind the scenes videos of producing
an album, and getting to know the band etc.
It is very important to have a complete and professional looking online 360degree presence. This starts with your website. You need to have a modern
and functional site that you can update on your own regularly to ensure
interest is maintained. Your website should have a section where fans can
easily listen and buy your music and most importantly a news section with
the latest happenings, like for example the release of a new album and the
info linked within that product.
(The website and social media communication should entirely resemble your
theme and what your band is all about, giving the fans a taste of your music
style)

Whenever you release an album, make sure everyone is aware of the release
date, timing is an essential part of success.
2.WHERE HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED THESE ELEMENTS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?
I have encountered these elements through Spotify which I listen to on a
range of my devices, e.g. Phone, laptop, desktop. This is where I am able to
then create a playlist of my favourite songs from a wide selection, this
includes my favourite artists and also the latest albums across all of the
music genres. When you play a song and you havent paid for Spotify
Premium, advertisement is a huge tool which Spotify effectively use to
promote upcoming albums, artists and individual songs. Each album cover is
also displayed in the bottom left hand corner of the page every time you play
a song, so that you can identify which album the song is a part of. This allows
me to admire the artwork which the artists have designed and can without
my full attention, lead me to new albums purely from curiosity. YouTube Is
another large factor in terms of contributing towards major album marketing
techniques. Advertisement again has a very powerful presence on this page
and, music is regularly promoted before videos that I intend to watch. Social
media is the central place where I can source a lot of information from
artist/fan pages and also through other people sharing new songs which they
like (Primarily on Facebook)
3.WHAT FACTORS MAKE YOU LIKE A BAND AND THEREFORE DOWNLOAD THEIR
MUSIC , BUY THEIR ALBUMS OR ATTEND THEIR CONCERTS? H OW DO YOU DECIDE
WHICH BAND IS COOL AND WHICH IS NOT?
A key surrounding factor is the originality of an artist and their music. I like to
hear authentic artists who have a genuine passion for the love of music.
Lyrics are an important part of a song I think and explain a lot about the artist
behind them. They are the underlying development behind an artist finding
their grounding in the music industry and identifying their audience appeal.
Quirkiness it what I look for when searching for new music tastes, this isnt
just from the songs they release but individually, their clothes, personality
and tours will contribute towards my perspective of them as a whole. If I hear
a song randomly and like it, I might purchase it there and then, but if I decide
I like more of their genre I would listen to more of their music and possibly
buy an album of theirs.
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?
If I like a song and think the lyrics are to my taste this might trigger me to
access YouTube where I watch most of my music videos, as its easily

accessible, and genuinely all music videos can be found on there. This makes
browsing a handful easier as they are all at my disposable. TV is the second
place where I might consider watching them but on a less regular basis.
Channels such as MTV, VIVA and 4 Music, are the most popular and normally
show the top 20-50 tracks in the UK.

TASK 2
IN THE SPACE BELOW LIST AS
VIDEOS THAT YOU CAN THINK

MANY FEATURES/ CONVENTIONS OF

MUSIC

OF .

Performance Artists performing with the required instruments being filmed

(The 1975 Girls)
Narrative A virtual onscreen creation, portraying an un realistic image
through the lyrics (Bon Ivar Holocene)
Camera Shots Music videos tend to include long shots, close ups and mid
shits. This creates emphasis on the artist, location and emotions. They are
also used to reflect words of the song with the movement of the lips of the
artist.
Camera Movement Movement of the camera tends to enhance to visual feel
of a music video, and is used to trace the artist or band. E.g. tilts, pans,
tracking and crane shots.
Mise-en-scene This refers to the arrangement of performers and props on
the stage and in the performance space (One Republic- Counting Stars, The
whole band are dancing to the atmospheric surroundings of the vide,
especially Ryan Tedder who is filmed centrally quite a lot with close ups
expressing his emotions)
Editing Jump cuts is the predominant editing technique used in music
videos. This is because it allows a sudden change from one scene to another,
enabling the video the follow the lyrics with relevance. Fast pace editing can
accompany this type of transition adding to the intensity of the song and
lyrics. Transitions like fade and dissolve are very common in music videos as
they create a different effect than cut, such as a more emotional narrative
story.
Lighting This can be used in a variety of effective ways to highlight the
band/artist in the performance space and to create a specific mood or
presence of a character which otherwise wouldnt have been achievable
without the lighting factor.
Sound Mainly the vocals of the song but in some cases such the producers
can make the music video into a short film. Soundtracks can also be edited in
to enhance the music video and improve the vocals.

Lip Syncing This creates a link between the lyrics and the visual of the
band/artist in the music video (The 1975 The Sound)
Dance Routines Artists/Bands might incorporate a dance routine into their
music video to make the song more memorable and enjoyable to a specific
targeted audience group, like the younger generation. (E.g. Michael Jackson
Thriller)

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.

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 e.g. Michael
Jacksons yelp 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 lead guitar in Get Lucky Daft
Punk) or a particular beat (Uptown Funk Mark Ronson)
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
An 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 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) 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 4 A NSWER ALL

OF THING YOU LL NEED

THE QUESTIONS BELOW

THIS

IS EXACTLY THE SORT

TO DO WHEN EVALUATING YOUR OWN COURSEWORK.

BASTILE THE THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE

1. Why did you choose the text you are analysing?
The narrative of the text is very interesting in my eyes, especially
the location setting of a snowy backdrop and the intertextual
reference to Twilight. It stands out from other music videos in the
same genre as a lot of it is filmed in non-naturalistic lighting
equipment. The combination of narrative with some performance
works well to keep the viewers attention and the lyrics support this
effectively.
2. In what context did you encounter it?
I have been a very big fan of Bastille for a few years now and have
been to see them perform at Glastonbury last year. Their style and
how they put their own spin on the modern look and attitude has
made me follow their albums and watch their music videos on
YouTube. I also enjoyed watching the conversion of the group from
the solo singer Dan Smith to the four members of the group,
creating a more diverse and unique music indie-rock band.
3. What influence do you think this context might have had on
your interpretation of the text?
As I was already a fan of the band I, therefore it could have made
my opinion biased. For example the music video could have been
quite poor in quality however because I had already liked the band I
didnt judge the video to the same standard as I would something I
had not heard of or seen before.
4. Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the
text?
The narrative is conventional in terms of framing/positioning within
a shot. The notion of looking into screens is constantly used in this
music video with the female performer and the lead singer Dan
Smith. The editing and props give the video a very interesting and
gripping feel, which adds to the stylish lighting conventions.
5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its
genre?
The text doesnt seem to stretch the conventions of its genre in any
way, as they adapt a modern clothing/styling look. I would say that
the music video only features the lead singer Dan Smith for my
majority of the song with the other band members only appearing in
a car once. This may be down to the song being relevant to Dan
Smiths real life experience, however has a band I would of expected
more of a whole contribution in the performance side of it.

6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of
the genre?
The text primarily focuses on the narrative story over the
performance side. However as I previously said the whole band
dont seem to appear as often as expected in the video. This may be
down the an iconography which the band have developed in
structuring their music videos.
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 and at a much younger generation/audience, around
the age of 16-25 years old. This is because the film has many
connotations directly linking to films such as Twilight, which is
specifically aimed at a younger audience who like romance and
action, tied together into one. This is very typical of indie-rock
bands, as you wouldnt assume an older audience would be
targeted.
8. What sort of person does it assume you are?
The video assumes you are a person who focuses on your own
identity and individuality in society, however dont take yourself too
serious. It assumes you are an active person involved in attending
less mainstream festivals/gigs and dont follow the crowd.
9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age,
gender and ethnicity?
When looking at class and gender, I wouldnt say any assumptions
are made although from what I have found in my research, indierock fans dont seem to hold a wealthy background as such but
more of a loyal attitude to society and socialising. Age and gender
have been assumed in this music video, for example the targeted
age is around 16-25 years old and it assumes you more than likely a
male due to the minimal incorporation of voyeuristic treatment of
women.
10.
What interests does it assume you have?
The video assumes you have a strong interest in romance within
your life and are quite an emotional person. It also obviously
presumes you have a keen interest in the bands music itself and
the music video you are watching.
11.
What relevance does the text actually have for you?
I like the bands vocal/instrument combination in terms of
performance and think that I am able to relate to some of the lyrics,
which they say. The video has inspired me as I have watched the
group grow from one lead vocalist to a full four-member band. I
really enjoy how they put their own twist on the sounds they
produce and often stick to a slower pace in their songs. I am a

particular fan of their new album Wild World as it maintains

Bastilles originality.
12.
What knowledge does it take for granted?
The video assumes that the audience are aware of why Dan Smith is
in dim lighting surrounded by darkness for a majority of the
performance time. It also assumes that you recognise Dan has
undergone a break up in real life with his ex girl friend and that this
song directly links to this real life experience.
13.
To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that
the video seeks to position you as?
I am a fan of the band and therefore I feel that in many ways I am
an ideal reader, although I do listen to a lot of mainstream music as
well as the more indie-rock artists. This may conventional pull me
out of their ideal reader idea. Because I am already a fan of the
band I may not be as critical in watching their video, which may
have made my opinion biased.
14.
Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if
so, what do they involve)?
There are no notable shifts during in the music video style, apart
from at the end a very graphical shot is put on screen. This is off the
car, which has been featured throughout the video parked on top of
a snowy mountain with the door open and blood all over the floor
besides it. This is done to make you think that the lead
singer/performer has shot him with a gun, which his band gave to
him previously.
15.
What responses does the video seem to expect from
you?
The audience response from the ideal reader should be quite
emotional attached as Bastille sings from the heart and expect their
fans to follow their journey in the music which they produce.
16.
How open to negotiation is your response (are you
invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular
ways)?
The video doesnt particularly ask for a response due to its narrative
genre, however I would say that you are invited to share Dan
Smiths pain and real life experience through the lyrics and visuals
of the song.
17.
Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected
ways?
There is not penalty other than taking the video too seriously and
making yourself upset from the shared emotion of the leader singer,
as you may think you can relate to it as this current moment in time.
Some audience viewers might not take the lyrics in the same way as
therefore its open to interpretation.

18.
To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against
the grain' of the text and the genre?
I do not find myself reading against the grain, as I follow Bastilles
personal lifes to some extend and recognise that the song The
Things We Lost in the Fire is a personal experience and the
lyrics/visuals clearly portray this through a heavily narrative based
music video.
19.
How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?
I think the video is quite typical of being based around one of the
band members real life experiences as many song titles are
produced through this thinking method. I do hover think the
combination of colour and pace in the video is quite unique and
impressive, as its not cheesy and quite relevant to a modern
audience.

AVICII WAKE ME UP
1. Why did you choose the text you are analysing?
It was very different to the previous text I had analysed as this
combines both modern and old into one music video and also is a
solo artist electronic DJ instead of an indie-rock band. The locations
vary which keeps me engaged and interested in the narrative. I do
also however want to see how different/similar this
narrative/performance part of the music video was compared to the
last one.
2. In what context did you encounter it?
I was listening to an indie-rock summer playlist on Spotify and this
song came up which came me the idea of sing it as one of my three
video analysis. I have seen a lot of their albums and songs, which
made it a fairly easy choice when deciding which song to select, as I
am aware of the different music videos Avicii offers.
3. What influence do you think this context might have had on
your interpretation of the text?
The video as some point shows the artist Djing on a stage in front of
a large crowd, this have influenced me in terms of how I portray
Avicii, as Ive never actually seen his perform live before. I was
already a fan of their music before but the lyrics and context of
them do share some similarities that I can relate too.
4. Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the
text?
They use a mix of slow/faced editing which is quite conventional of a
DJ-electronic based song. The song also portrays women through the
male gaze technique at some points and through the very feminine

style of clothing and make-up, which draws in a male audience to

watch the music video.
5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its
genre?
The only way in which I think the text stretches the conventions of
its genre it because typically a DJ/electronic based song would be
based on performance lighting and the atmosphere however Avicii
likes to put a narrative story behind each of his songs, which
challenges the typical conventions of this genre.
6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of
the genre?
It departs from the conventions of the genre right at the start when
the woman and girl are lying in bed, and the narrative story leads
them to the performance part of the music video as they explore the
rural area until they come across a more urban environment.
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 more at a younger/youth audience who like to
enjoy partying and socialising as its within the DJ/electronic genre.
Typically focusing on the performance aspect rather than the
narrative, although Avicii may want to encourage fans to like a
narrative side of the video instead.
8. What sort of person does it assume you are?
It assumes you are a person who is active in society and like to go
clubbing and partying regularly, enjoying the busy colourful
atmospheric experience. Socialising is also presumed as you share
similar interest with many others out there.
9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age,
gender and ethnicity?
There are very few assumptions made about class, age, gender and
ethnicity in this video although they are stereotypically aimed at
younger audience.
10.
What interests does it assume you have?
It assumes that you have an interest in DJ/electronic music and like
to socialise a lot.
11.
What relevance does the text actually have for you?
The relevance to me is that I actually like the solo artist and how it
puts together is music. I also like the authenticity of his music
videos and how the lyrics actually mean something in society such
as with this song the lyric Wake me up when Im wiser and Im
older.
12.
What knowledge does it take for granted?
As there is a strong narrative element to this music video it only
presumes that you are aware of Aviciis style of DJ/electronic music

and how the performance aspect is incorporated into the video. The
story is self-explanatory with relevance to the lyrics alongside it.
13.
To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that
the video seeks to position you as?
I resemble the ideal reader in the sense that I am a fan of the
artists music and like to socialise. I dont go clubbing in public areas
much though which means Im somewhat not a perfect
representation of the ideal reader.
14.
Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if
so, what do they involve)?
The only notable shift in the video style is when the slow paced
narrative story turns into the face paced hand held action at the
music festival with the dramatic change in lighting and mood.
15.
What responses does the video seem to expect from
you?
The video expects you to want to see the artist live, as that is when
you can really experience the buzz from his music, as its the
crowds, which improve the energy behind the song.
16.
How open to negotiation is your response (are you
invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular
ways)?
You are invited into the video by becoming an audience member at
one the festival gigs Avicii is attending and making an appearance
at. They want you to bring energy and excitement, which is what the
video portrays and in a way instructs you to be like in the audience
crowd.
17.
Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected
ways?
There is no penalty other than maybe not enjoying the sudden
change from narrative to performance, which may confuse your
understanding on the video and lyrics.
18.
To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against
the grain' of the text and the genre?
I dont find myself reading against the gran because I feel like the
lyrics are relatable and easy to understand if you pay attention to
the visuals on screen, however some people might not do this and
be very confused and try to pick the video apart.
19.
How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?
This is a very typical video is terms of Aviciis work however in
relation to the DJ/electronic genre isnt as it combines both
performance and narrative which is unusual to see.

THE HUNNA BONFIRE

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

I chose this text because lately I have been more aware of their
music and have took a particular interest in it. They seem to fit
within the indie-rock genre and their style of music is very appealing
to me as its similar to that of other artists I like, such as Arctic
Monkeys and Alt J.
2. In what context did you encounter it?
I encountered the video from speaking to a friend who introduced
me to it when we were looking at videos within the indie-rock genre.
He has already been a fan of their music previously. I started looking
their name up on the Internet, discovering they arent that well
known which made them more unique and original in my eyes.
3. What influence do you think this context might have had on
your interpretation of the text?
I dont think that I have been influenced before hand in any way and
just came across this music video as I was looking for videos to
analysis, which stood out for me. Therefore I would presume my
response and interpretation would be genuine and true to how they
have used conventions to appeal to a specific audience.
4. Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the
text?
It is a heavily performance based song however appears to have a
lot of narrative involved too, however isnt very technical or deep in
context. (A party in a building/rooftop where everyone is enjoying
themselves and messing about). Also close ups/lip-syncing and
sexual actions are used effectively to draw in a male audience
through the male gaze and the very attractive style of the women in
the video.
5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its
genre?
There is an extensive amount of close-ups of both of the genders
throughout the video. They have been used to ensure everyone at
the party has been captured and that their facial expressions
successfully portray the party as wild and exciting and to
represent the face pace movement of the music.
6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of
the genre?
I do not feel like the video departs from the conventions of the
genre and that everything is typically structured to follow
conventions in the correct way.
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 a young audience around the age of 16-20
years old, as it involves excessive amounts of alcohol/drugs and
socialising. This is very typical of the indie-rock genre as a younger

audience is mostly what makes up this style of music and who

support it at festivals and gigs.
8. What sort of person does it assume you are?
It assumes you are a person that likes to have fun, dance and drink
lots. I think it expects you to be daring and adventurous and maybe
not serious in life. It also expects you like to go to gigs and festivals
as the performance us expressed using many close-ups to emphasis
this.
9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age,
gender and ethnicity?
I dont feel there any assumptions to be made about class or
ethnicity, as the video is very diverse and offers a range of
perspectives. Although I do feel that the age is assumed to be
young and the male gender is targeted more precisely through the
voyeuristic treatment of women.
10.
What interests does it assume you have?
It assumes you arent judgemental and have an interest in
socialising and having fun with people around you. It probably takes
the idea that you dont plan much or organise your life and take it as
it comes, enjoying the funny moments especially.
11.
What relevance does the text actually have for you?
The relevance of the text to me is that I do sometimes like to do out
and drink/have fun and enjoy myself with those around me, however
the expense of the party and location would probably be
compromised. I also dont feel like Im un-organised and I feel like I
take life as it comes as I have goals which I want to achieve as some
point in my life.
12.
What knowledge does it take for granted?
It takes the knowledge that the audience have been to plenty of big
parties like the one featured in the music video and are aware of
what normally happens during the party. It also assumes that you
understand the context and lyrics as they and repeated quite often
and dont mean anything to complicated.
13.
To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that
the video seeks to position you as?
I feel like I do resemble elements of the ideal reader, which the
video seeks to position me in, as I enjoy partying. However I dont
think the video makes a big statement in my head as nothing else
really goes on except for the events at the party, therefore its quite
predictable.
14.
Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if
so, what do they involve)?
The notable shifts are only created between the narrative and
performance as, with the narrative wider more space out shots are
seen to be used, where as the performance is captured in a small

brick walled room with lots of people behind the band and their
instruments.
15.
What responses does the video seem to expect from
you?
The video expects you to relate to the lyrics and feel like its a good
representation of a party atmosphere. I also think it expects to feel
aspired by the level of intensity at the party and how successful it
was, which is something you wish you could host yourself. I also
think it expects to you think the party atmosphere in the music
video represents the crowd atmosphere at any music event where
The Hunna play, encouraging you to go.
16.
How open to negotiation is your response (are you
invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular
ways)?
The audience is invited to join the atmosphere of the video at a
festival with The Hunna are playing and to interpret the
lyrics/visuals in a positive way.
17.
Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected
ways?
No I dont think there are any penalties for not responding
18.
To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against
the grain' of the text and the genre?
I think the video is very straight forward in terms of context and the
lyrics and visuals work well together to inform the reader of the
intended response
19.
How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?
This is a very typical music video within the indie-rock genre as the
context is what the young targeted audience are expected to do in
as part of their spare time.