Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Conventions of a Pop music video

In a Pop music video there is a link between the lyrics and the visuals, if this didn't happen then there would be no relevance to the lyrics and it wouldn't attracted the audience. Lip sync is a good idea generally so the quality of the video is good and if it isn't used your audience properly will lose interest when watching.


 In Maroon 5's 'Moves Like Jagger' rapid cuts are used distribute images of lead singer Adam Levine and other images. This technique is used in time to the beat which suits the theme of the song because it's about someone with a someone personality. Having Adam as a dominant in the video reflects this. 









In Olly Murs' 'Troublemaker' we see three images of his self displayed in the video these images are edited to slide into the shot in time with the music doing this makes the video more aesthetically pleasing.








Generally there is a bright light and some bright costume or objects in pop videos. This creates the video to be attract attention to the audience and apples to the target audience because it is vibrant, bright and something the target audience would be attracted to. It is commonly more upbeat so it fits the beat and generic message of the song.

Usually the costume for a pop star is something fashionable, Something you would wear for every day events. It has it be relatable for the target audience.

When music videos have extras in they are usually younger actors about the same age as the artist. it also appeals to the target audience.

Narratives arise in most pop music videos usually a love story. The lyrics generally conform to the narrative for example if it is a love narrative then the lyrics are going to be about love experiences or how love it stereotyped to be like. This allows the target audience to relate to the video.

We intend to see a lot of performance in pop music videos because the audience would get bored just watching the narrative. Also the audience like to see their favorite singer or group preforming and watching a music video is a perfect, cheap way for the fans to see that.

Dancing is often used in pop music videos by females pop groups, this shows them to be an all-round performer. this is what girls attended to do now.

Close ups are used all the time of the artist or group in the video to keep their faces relevant. Some artists develop a repetition of one particular thing in their videos for example Olly Murs always wears the same type of hat which becomes recognisable for the audience, this is called a motif.



Textual Analysis - Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ft Bruno Mars


I am analysing Mark Ronson's 'Uptown Funk' ft Bruno Mars. It was directed by both Bruno Mars and Cameron Duddy. This video is a pop music video we can see this in the conventions. We see close ups of the artist which keeps the artist relevant. Bruno wears a bright pink suit jacket which stands out he also looks very classy which attracts the target audience. We see link between the music and the visual which I will discuss in more detail later on. There are rapid cuts to fit the music this keeps the video more playful and interesting to watch and there are many more conventions of pop music videos.

We see a relationship between the lyrics and the visual in the first part of the song when Bruno sings 'living it up in the city,' Mars and the actors all point their right hand up to the sky inferring the city. A city is usually the top place to live therefore pointing upwards states they are moving up to the city.
We also see a relationship between the lyrics and the visual when Mars sings 'gotta kiss myself I'm so pretty,' he then kisses his hand proving he has to kiss his self because he is so pretty. As he sing 'Girls hit you hallelujah (whuoo)' as the girls walk past. There are many more examples of the relationships between the lyrics and the visual.


At the start of the video there is rhythmic editing which shows the relationship between the music and the visuals, in the screen shots below there are examples of rhythmic editing.

At this point in the video there is a clap in the music as if someone is actually clapping. there is a jump cut to this close up shot.




These images are also example of rhymic editing this fast pace section starts at 2:15 an finishes at 2:17 and there are four shots. The first three are close ups, and the last one is a medium shot. The first and second shot are in the same location this is repetition which is part of rhymic editing. 

Usually in music videos we see a main focus on the artist, Mark Ronson however in this video we the main focus is on the Star, Bruno Mars. We see shots like this, 
of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars together but generally we see shots like this,

where Ronson is seen as the dominate character. Even when Ronson is in the scene Mars is seen as a more important, Ronson looks like he's just in the Mars' shadow.

In this bottom image Ronson seems a bit more dominate as he's getting carried by the car instead of walking also here where he pushes in front of the group to be in a camera
We do see close ups of Ronson like here at the start.

In this video there we see many references to the notion of looking. You could say it is scopohilia when Mars and his 'gang' are stood watching the girls walk by them, they are objectifying women because you cant see their faces also at the start both Mars and Ronson both stand against a wall watching the girl as she walks by this is also called voyeurism, the girl probably aware she is being watched however it isn't acknowledged. We can also link voyeurism to Mars in the actual video he is aware people are watching him because he is a star and he is excepted to be watched. Mars is an example of narcisim because the whole video is revolved around Mars also the lyrics prove this as well when it says 'I'm too hot (hot damn)'

We see an intertextual reference to Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition' with the bass melody and the both songs have the same 1/2 rythme. 


Cinematography Development


Monday, 9 November 2015

Lyric Analysis


  • 'Across the world' women unite together, work, girl power
  • 'Recruits' strong women, be a team
  • 'Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots' links to costume reference in the above line.
  • 'Killer heels' challenging stereotypes visual element for audience of conventions challenged
  • 'Sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots' trying to appeal for a wide audience and lots of different types of women.
  • 'Representing all the women, salute, salute' reinforcing the unify and power the women are showing.
  • 'It's who we are
We don't need no camouflage' possible references to make up and not wanting to hind behind make up to please men- independent women
  • 'Federal' usual/ stereotypical links to men- showing equality and women are as powerful 
  • 'And we are taking off' women want the right for to fight for their rights and freedom 
  • 'Women' girl power throughout
  • 'Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute
Attention (salute)
Attention (salute)
Attention (huh) ' Repetition shows the persistent efforts at the women fighting for equal rights
  • 'Sisters' coming together 
  • 'Warriors' related to men, fighting 
  • 'Your country needs you' direct address, making the individual believe that this is concept is reaching out from a wider audience 
  • 'If you ready ladies, better keep steady                                                                                         Ready, aim, shoot it' women ready to fight
  • 'Don't need ammunition, on a mission' Ammunition is what you out in a fun, women aren't stereotyped to us guns. It also links with fighting which links with mission 
  • 'Divas, Queens, we don't need no man' famine names, proving they can cope without men
  • 'Sisters we are everywhere
Warriors, your country needs you
If you ready ladies, better keep steady
Ready, aim, shoot it
Don't need ammunition. On a mission
And we'll hit you with the truth
Representing all the women, salute, salute!
It's who we are
We don't need no camouflage
It's the female federal
And we're taking off
If you with me, women lemme hear you say
Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits
If you with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute
Attention (salute)
Attention (salute)
Attention (huh)
Representing all the women, salute, salute' Repetition shows emphasis 
  • 'Representing all the women, salute, salute' all women are equal
  • 'Just pretty things' labelled stereotypes 
  • 'You couldn't be more wrong
(We standing strong, we carry on)' Proving everyone wrong
  • 'Attention
Attention' taking control and repetition which emphasis the point of women's rights
  • 'Individual
  • Originals' one person who is independent
  • 'Lemme hear you say' getting the point across
  • 'Ladies all across the world
Listen up, we're looking for recruits                                                                                                                                    If you with me, lemme see your hands
Stand up and salute
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots
Representing all the women, salute, salute' repetition emphasis on the point
  • 'Attention (salute)
Attention (salute)
Attention (salute)' repetition
  • 'the time has come' right for rights
  • 'War' connotation link with men
  • 'Let us stand together' unite together 
  • 'men fight great' women can do anything men can
  • 'but women are greater fighters' women can do anything men can

Lyric Timmings

Musical Intro 0:00 - 0:30

Ladies all across the world 0:30
Listen up, we're looking for recruits0:32
If you with me, lemme see your hands 0:34
Stand up and salute 0:36
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots 0:37
Representing all the women, salute, salute 0: 40
Ladies all across the world 0:42
Listen up, we're looking for recruits 0:44
If you with me, lemme see your hands 0:45
Stand up and salute 0:47
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots 0:48
Representing all the women, salute, salute 0:51
It's who we are 0:54
We don't need no camouflage 0:56
It's the female federal 0:59
And we're taking off 1.02
If you with me, women lemme hear you say 1.03
Ladies all across the world 1.05
Listen up, we're looking for recruits 1.07
If you with me, lemme see your hands 1.09
Stand up and salute 1.11
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots 1.12
Representing all the women, salute, salute 1.15
Attention (salute) 1.19
Attention (salute) 1.21
Attention (huh) 1.25
Representing all the women, salute, salute 1.26
Sisters we are everywhere 1.29
Warriors, your country needs you 1.31
If you ready ladies, better keep steady 1.32
Ready, aim, shoot it 1.33
Don't need ammunition, on a mission 1.35
And we'll hit you with the truth 1.37
Divas, Queens, we don't need no man, salute 1.38
Sisters we are everywhere 1.41
Warriors, your country needs you 1.42
If you ready ladies, better keep steady 1.44
Ready, aim, shoot it 1.45
Don't need ammunition. On a mission 1.47
And we'll hit you with the truth 1.49
Representing all the women, salute, salute! 1.50
It's who we are 1.53
We don't need no camouflage 1.54
It's the female federal 1.57
And we're taking off 2.00
If you with me, women lemme hear you say 2.01
Ladies all across the world 2.04
Listen up, we're looking for recruits 2.06
If you with me, lemme see your hands 2.07
Stand up and salute 2.09
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots 2.10
Representing all the women, salute, salute 2.13
Attention (salute) 2.17 
Attention (salute) 2.20
Attention (huh) 2.23
Representing all the women, salute, salute 2.25
You think we're just pretty things 2.28
You couldn't be more wrong 2.31 
(We standing strong, we carry on) 2.37
Knock us but we keep moving on (we're moving up, yeah) 2.41
Can't stop a hurricane, ladies it's time to awake (yeah) 2.48
Attention 2.
Attention 2.58
Individuals 3.00
Originals 3.01
Huh 3.03
Lemme hear you say 3.04
Ladies all across the world 3.05
Listen up, we're looking for 
If you with me, lemme see your hands 3.09
Stand up and salute 3.11
Get your killer heels, sneakers, pumps or lace up your boots 3.12
Representing all the women, salute, salute 3.15
Attention (salute) 3.19
Attention (salute) 3.21
Attention (huh) 3.24
Representing all the women, salute, salute! 3.27
(Ladies, the time has come, the war has begun 3.30
Let us stand together 3.39
And remember, men fight great, but women are greater fighters) 3.42
Huh! 3.49
Representing all the women, salute, salute 3.50

Finishes 3.55 

Introdution


The video I will be analysing and creating my own video is Salute by Little Mix. My video will be about women taking over the world.

Genre Visual Essay

Daniel Chandler (2001) says that the word genre comes from the French (originally Latin) word for 'kind' or 'class'. The term is widely used in rhetoric literary theory, media theory to refer to a distinctive type or 'text'. Genre is split up in three sections, institutions, texts and audience. All together these are cultural, joined together. In Taylor Swifts music video there is a key genre of this video is action. 

Barry Keith Grant (1995) said that every genre has a sub genre which means they are divide into more specific categories that allow the audience to identify the specific categories by their families and what become recognisable character. In Bad blood they are different characters which are stereotyped to be in an action film for example we see the hero and Villian which are Taylor (hero) and Selena (Villian) which are typical stereotypical characters in action films.

Steve Neale (1995) stresses that “genres are not ‘systems’ they are processes of systematization” – i.e. They are dynamic and evolve over time.

Genre notes

Genre: 

Codes and conventions are essential
It's something we can categories (horror, romance, etc ...)
It is a critical tool that helps us study texts and audience responses to texts by dividing them into categories based in common elements

Daniel chandler(2001)

He says that the word genre comes from the French (originally Latin) word for 'kind' or 'class'. The term is widely used in rhetoric literary theory, media theory to refer to a distinctive type or 'text'


All genres have a sub genres (genre within a genre)
This means that they are divided into more specific categories that allow the audience to identify  the specific categories by their families and what become recognisable characters (Barry Keith Grant, 1995)

However Steve Neale (1995) stresses that "genres are not 'systems' they are processes off systematization" - i.e. They are dynamic and evolve over time
Systematization means:  this image is the system but genre isn't a fixed system but you have a model of a genre which changes other times to reflect the values of society

* Genre- codes + conventions (iconography-paradigm) 
* Themes
* Costumes
* Locations
* Narrative event
* Characters 
* Props/ weapons
* Mode of transport

Paradigm means: model 
You won't make the same film over and over again so genre changes

Archetype: the original stereotype

Anti heroes: when the bad guy is they good guy ( the audience like the bad guy)

Generic characteristic across all texts share similar elements of the belle depending on the medium...

* Typical mise-en-scène/ visual style (iconography, props, set design, lighting, temporal and geographic location, costume, shot types, camera angles, special effects).
* Typical types of narrative (plots, historical setting, set pieces)
* Generic types, i.e. Typical characters (do typical male/ female roles exist, archetypes?)
* COMEDY AND ANIMATIONS ARE NOT GENRES THEY ARE STYLES OR TREATMENTS 

Jason mittell(2001)

* Argues that genres are cultural categories that surpass the boundaries of media text and operate within industry, audience, and cultural practices as well.
* In short, industries use genre to sell products to audience. Media producers use familiar codes and conventions that often make cultural references to their audience know leg of society, other texts
* Genre also allows audiences to make choices about what products they want to consume though acceptance in order to fulfil a particular pleasure.


Genre explores common things about the artists it has codes and conventions.

* Emotional pleasures : the emotional pleasures offered to audiences of genre films are particularly significant when they generate a strong audience response 
* Visceral pleasure: visceral pleasures ('visceral' refers to internal organs are 'gut' response and are defined by how the film's stylistic construction elicits a physical effect upon its audience. This can be a feeling of revulsion, kinetic speed, or a 'roller costed ride'

Pleasure of genre for audiences theorist Rick altman(1999) argues that genre offers audience 'a set of pleasure'

* Emotional pleasure: The emotional pleasure offered to audiences of genre films are particularly significant when they generate a strong audience response.
* Visceral Pleasures:  Visceral pleasures ('visceral' refers to internal organs) are 'gut' responses and are defined by how the film's stylistic construction elicits a physical effect upson its audience. this can be a feeling of revulsion, kinetic speed, or a 'roller coaster ride'.
*Intellectual Puzzles: Certain filom genres such as the thriller or the 'whodunit' offer the pleasure in trying to unravel a mystery or a puzzle pleasure is derived from deciphering the plot and forecasting the end or the being surprised by the unexpected.

The Strengths of Genre Theory

*the main strength of genre theory is that everybody uses it and understands it - media experts use it to study media texts, the media industry uses it to develop and market texts and audiences use it to decide what texts to consume.
*The potential for the same concept t be understood by producers, audiences and scholars makes genre a useful critical tool. Its accessibility as a concept also means that it can be applied across a wide range of texts.

Music video- medium with many sub-genres/ postmodern styles?

Music video is a medium intended to appeal directly to youth subcultures by reinforcing generic elements of musical genres.
*They are called pop-promos as they are used to promote a band or artist.
*Music videos are postmodern texts whose main purpose is to promote a star persona (Dyer, 1975).
*They don't have to be literal representations of the song.

Lyrics

Most videos fit genre into narrative 
David bordwell (1989)
'Any theme may appear in any genre'

Horror films: for example, are basically just modern fairy tales and often act as morality plays in which people who break society's rules are punished.

Fear of the unknown: the monster is the 'monstrous other' i.e. anything that is scary because it is foreign or different.

Sex = Death: in horror movies, especially slasher movies, sex is immoral and must be punished, werewolf movies ca be seen as a metaphor for puberty, vampires can be as metaphors for sexually transmitted diseases or rape etc.

The breakdown of society: post-apocalyptic movies are about our fear (or secret desire for) of the breakdown of society. The collapse if civilization results in human kind reverting to their animal instin

Some short films can also be social realist texts, and so through their discourse they share some conventional themes of horror/ scare texts in general such as:

The suailty of man/ peronal journey:  the conflict between man's civilised side and his savages, primal instincts, e.g. Jeykll and Hyde, Werewolf movies, The Hulk, Etc.

Segregation and alienation: two opposing cultures or being going through a struggle to survive. As there are no standard themes of short movies, depending on their audience they offer their own themes.

Some music videos have themes for a more youthful audience 
* Teen angst
* Rebellion
* Romance
* Sex/ losing your virginity
* Nostalgia - for the innocence of youth
* Nihilism- the belief that there is no future
* Coming of age rituals (the prom, falling in love, losing your virginity)
* Tribalism- popularity verses unpopularity, e.g. Cliques
* Bullying
Juvenile delinquency: moral panics and the teenager as a folk devil
The currency of 'cool'
Hedonism- living purely for pleasure 
Friendship
Other themes in music videos
War
Crime 
Poverty
Capitalism 
racism
There's are not fixed- they constantly cage and evolve over time- my coursework articles, are post modern pieces

David Buckingham(1993) argues that 'genre is not... Simply "given" by the culture: rather, it is in a constant process of negotiations and change'

As post modern theorist Jacqueline Derrida reminds us "the law of the law of genre... Is precisely s principle of contamination, a law of impurity"

For example, short films and music videos are in the process of genre cross-over

Some narrative music videos borrow from the conventions of short films and in fact are short films
Arctic monkey's music videos 'scummy man' portishead 'to kill a dead man' is essentially a short film noir (1940s detective movie...)