Function Of A Music Video

Nowadays music videos have a very big influence on peoples music life, some people watch music videos just to see the video and how the artist is presented and how flashy the artist looks. My first media lesson was about music videos and my teacher demonstrated loads of different videos which all have different influences on people, for example Niki Minaj - Starship had a very controversial decision by the class some liked her and some didn't.

This video relates to Goodwin's theory of amplification, however this is an example of a video that is firstly promoting the car make and also making the artist really stand out.

Rappers are really influential to the youth today and what they wear and do really is something that the youth of today see as the 'best image' to have e.g wearing expensive jewellry and the most expensive clothes, cars etc. 

Reflecting Back On The As Year

Three Technical Weaknesses:

1. Restricted Range Of Shots
2. Still Camera
3. Boring Locations

Three Technical  Strengths:

1. Good Lip-Synching
2. Dynamic Shot Ideas
3. Fun Performance

                                      The Different Technical Skills Gained In AS Year;

• I was first introduced into how to use camera and set up a tripod.
• Learnt how to use final cut pro and put a variety of clips together
• Editing on Final cut Pro
• Using sound track pro to add all kinds of Foley (amplified sound) sounds also digetic and non digetic sounds.
• Exploring different ways of presenting my work on my blog e.g Prezi, Photobucket, IShowU, Beeclip and many more.
• How to add filters in my film opening to give a more  thriller affect.

Lip Synching Task

Mood Board

Mood board editing pictures

Mood Board Brainstorm

Mood Board Brainstorm on Prezi

Chosen Song - Wretch 32 ft Delilah - Don't be afraid

We have decided to choose this song because the performers liked this song, with the rapping and uptempo beat. It is also a song that the group hasn't really heard before and felt as if taking up an unknown song was the better option. We looked at other songs with Wretch 32 and also liked them, however we were set on taking on this song.

Research - Music video options

Wretch 32 ft Delilah - Don't be afraid

Wretch 32 ft Emeli Sande - Underdog Law

Emeli Sande - Where I sleep

Wretch 32 ft Etta Bond - Forgiveness

Research - Analysis of Music Video

Research - Analysing Previous Student work

I looked at many previous students work and the one that stood out the most was this video.

The first thing that stood out to me was their song choice which is originally by Emel- Falling. The genre of this song is dubstep, this is why it stood out to me as their song choice was very different. Specially when coming up with an idea for the music video.

The music video was well filmed and edited.What I really liked was that their entire video was in black and white with high levels of brightness also the idea of the silhouette of the singer. In the beginning of the mv they had the bird in a cage and at the end it was let free, which shows consistency to their idea. What also had a great effect was the rewinding in the video of the word love as well as the cut away shot of the rain drop rippling as it went with the beat of the song.

Overall the music video was different, the lyrics had no relation to the video (disjunction) but it still worked with the song.

Research - Laura Mulvey

Quote from Laura Mulvey

         In a world ordered by sexual imbalance, pleasure in looking has been split between active/male and passive/female. The determine male gaze projects its fantasy onto the female figure which is styled accordingly.

By this quote what Laura Mulvey is getting across is that in relation of music videos, females are looked upon by males in a fantasy created by them. So in a music video females are portrayed how male would like to see them. A good example of this is in the music video 'Dizzee Rascal - Holiday'

In the first 30 seconds of this mv Laura Mulveys point is proven, this is done by dismembering shots. So segmenting aspects of the body in the shot. So for example a close of the women stomach or chest. It is also done by point of view shots - in a males pov, over the shoulder shot of a male watching a female. This is done through out the video.

Research - Carol Vernallis

Carol Vernallis studied editing and camerawork closely in music videos. Her theory was that the edits in music videos come much more often than in a film. Also that many stand out as disjuncture and that the editing seems to have a rhythm to it which is connect to the beat of the song. 

The main points of her observations were - 

• The usual rules of "continuity' editing (editing usually found in classic broadcast fiction) are broken in order to draw attention to what is on screen
• Edits may be really obvious to draw attention to what is on screen
• Jump cuts are often used
• A master shot (base tract) is often used to give the video a structure
• The camera may more in time with the beat/music
• Cuts in time with the beat
• Camera moves or follows the artist

Research - Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin had three theory types of relations between songs and the music video, they were illustration, amplification and disjunction.

Illustration-
        This is where the video tell the story of the lyric

An example illustration is the music video 'The man who can't be moved - The Scripts', this music video tells the story of the lyrics and the main singers does the action of the lyrics however it is not consistent through out the whole entire video as the band perform at one point

Amplification-
         This occurs when the videos introduce new meanings that do not contradict with the lyrics but add layers of meanings

Disjunctions-
          This is where there is little connection between the lyric and video or where the video contradicts the lyrics.

An example of disjunction is 'Florence and The Machine - Spectrum', the music video have no links to the lyrics and the video consist of her dancing.

Research - Student MV

What to consider in the music video,

Research - Function of a music video

Definition - 

               A filmed or videotaped rendition of a recorded song, often portraying musicians performing the song or including visual images interpreting the lyrics.

What is the main purpose of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to sell the song, and create a reaction from the audience so it leaves them remembering the song. Also to give the listener a better understanding of the song. (If the video is narrative). To sell CDs and DVDs to viewers as well as entertain their viewers by showing off other talents the musician may have, for example dancing or acting. Another aim of a music video is for marketing for the expansion of the artist's profile. Despite all of these being factors in why a music video is important, some people argue that the end result still has to serve one purpose: promotion. The music video is a promotional tool for the artist.

Reflecting back to AS

During AS I learnt many different technical skills.

• Firstly learning to use the camera and how to set up the tripod
• Editing on Final cut pro
• add transitions
• add effects to the camera shot
• slow down/speed up the shot
• Inserting sound through soundtrack pro
• Foley sounds
• Diegetic/non diegetic sound
• Use different types of media for the blog
• eg. Prezi, Picasion, Wordle

Music Video Remake

In June, the last two weeks before we broke up for summer break. Our task set to us was to remake a music video. However I was not able to complete this task as I went on holiday when my group was meant to film, therefore I can not look back on what I produced in June as all I did was help plan. So I can not identify the technical strengths and weakness that I had during then. Other than making sure I turn up to every lesson.

Lip Synching Task

Lip Synching Task

Lip Syncing Task