Tuesday 16 June 2009

Music Video Research

Music Video's General Conventions;

Within the Lyrics a certain mood will be set for the song and there's usually a sense of topic created.

Music; The editing will be directed by the pace of the tempo. For example for slow songs there are usually longer takes, so the editing is slow paced however in an upbeat song the takes are usually quite short, the editing is fast paced and is also edited on the beat.

The Genre can be represented through the lyrics, mise-en-scene, camera movement, the type of editing, and also may be represented through the performance of the artist/s and extras within the music video.

As part of the Camerawork, the camera movement, type of shot and angle it is at all influence how the final product is perceived, and also how the band or artist is represented. Close Ups, Medium Close Ups and Medium shots are the most common shot types in music videos.

The Editing is usually fast paced, however this can vary depending on the tempo of the music. The use of filming in front of the green screen enhances the way in which the music video is presented and allows it to have a more creative touch to it. The fast pace of the shots and special effects will ensure that the viewer would be more likely to view the music video again because of the need to understand it or because the visual effects interested them.

References to Intertextuality might not be picked up on by all types of audience but those who do may enjoy the music video slightly more and pay closer attention to it because of their better understanding, however this doesn't mean that the other audiences won't enjoy it at all. Many music videos make references to certain films for example, Britney Spears – Oops I did it again makes references to titanic and Taylor Swift – Love Story has got references to Romeo & Juliet.

Girls Aloud - Can't Speak French








Director - Petro

The lyrics are about a boy/man and wanting to tell them how they are feeling but can't through words.

There is mostly off beat editing, but upbeat tempo of music makes short takes more dominant in the music video and the editing is quite fast paced.

The style of music is POP and the band is mainstream. The setting and clothing is taken from the British/French style from the Edwardian period. These consist of corsets, big hair, long dresses for the women who are meant to be from the time and short dresses for Girls Aloud. Also the men were wearing long waistcoats, trousers and wigs. This gives the music video a vintage feel and could make a target audience intrigued by it because it is set in a different time period. The women from this time period wouldn't usually act in this way, and this is why the men looked shocked when Girls Aloud burst in the room where the dinner party was. This also makes the girls stand out and make them seem fun and exciting to the target audience. The fluffy fans and lace gloves give a sense of seduction to the audience, these props compliment the sexual and seductive dancing that the girls do in their performance. These images the music video is portraying of Girls Aloud will attract a wider range of fan bases and make them more mainstream. Females can associate with the lyrics Girls Aloud sing but also may use them as idols and want themselves to be similar to them. Males would mainly be attracted to the band due to their image mainly, but also some males may associate with the lyrics but not huge number. There is use of high key lighting and mostly there is a narrow depth of field which focuses on the 5 band members. This draws the audiences attention to the band and makes sure that they are their only focus. When there are shots of each band member on their own there is a different colour behind them. This not only compliments what they are wearing and makes them stand out but it also shows aspects of their personality and shows that each bring different qualities to the band.

Camerawork and Editing;
Fade in from black, medium shot of band all posing in different ways representing different personalities and different characters they're playing. cut. Panning forwards - long shot of dinner table, cut, close up of wine glass in hand, cut, medium shot of man going to drink, match on action, long shot slightly low angle - shows superiority and role models to potential target audience. The shot has been edited to be shown in slow motion which suggests a sexual feel to it. cut, medium shot of one man toasting with his wine glass, cut, medium shot of whole band - slow motion edit again, cut, two shot of woman drinking and smiling at a man, cut, long shot - slightly low angle of band - slow motion, cut, two shot, cut, medium close up, cut, medium shot of whole band, cut, panning shot of the men toasting with their wine glasses - medium close up, cut, long shot of whole table. This is the end of the music intro after this the singing starts in the song.
Fade out to black then in from black quickly.
Close up, cut, medium close up, cut, close up -- all three shots are of band member who is singing, cut, medium close up of another band member who isn't singing, cut, then another close up of the and member who is singing.
Medium close up, cut, close up, cut, medium close up of just the body, cut, close up -- all 4 shots are of a different band member again - the one which is singing this time. - quite fast pace editing showing what the band member s are doing from different angles - it makes it more interesting to watch with all the different shot types.
cut to close up of a 4th band member then another cut to the 5th and final band member to be displayed on her own.
As the song progresses the same kind of sequence of shots can be found 2 or 3 shots of band member singing, then one of band member who isn't singing then back to a shot of the band member who was singing. The takes do become shorter imbetween lines in the verse and there are more shots of the different band members dancing seductively and in a way playfully in some. The editing quickens as the tempo of the music quickens and also as we here the bridge in the song. When the girls are all together dancing there are different shot angles and the shots are all static which helps the audience to engage with the music video a bit more and pay attention.


Simple Plan - When I'm Gone




Frank Borin - director

The lyrics are about a man who is moving on, leaving town, and also leaving a woman behind who will miss him. The general mood of this video is that the man has strength and also has control over his life.


The shots are edited to the beat of the music which is quite fast paced, so the editing is fast paced too.

The genre of the band is modern type rock - not heavy and has hints of pop in it. The band are dressed quite casual with t-shirts, jeans, hats, and hoodies. They are shown playing guitars, base guitars and drums establishing further the kind of genre the band is. In the posters and billboards the lead singer is singing and moving within them. This enhances the visual effects and helps the audience engage with the narrative a bit better. This would have been made by filming in front of a green screen, filming the clip which would be in a suitable location eg. the poster or billboard and then add the green screen shots onto the shots on location. The narrative suggests that everywhere the girl looks, she sees her past lover, which is the lead singer of simple plan, and e seems to be singing to the girl. There are also cuts between the narrative and the band which shows the audience the relationship between the two scenes. The fact that the music video starts off with shots of the car suggest immediately that it is a man's song and men will be involved. The "paint splats" when the lead singer punches the air (which looks like he's punching the camera) will be added on in editing along with the weaving lines of different coloured light which may represent the guy's pathway away from the town and him "following his heart". The uses of visual effects such as the lines of light and paint splats may intrigue the audience. There is low-key lighting for the background, mostly because the girl is driving at night, however the main people; the girl and the band are brightly lit to make them stand out against the darker background. This makes sure the audience will focus on them more. The girl is wearing black clothes which can be interpreted as her being in morning because her boyfriend has left her. However her top is shown to sparkle a silvery colour which suggests she is glamorous.



Camerawork and Editing;

It opens with a shot of the cars wheels and the body, cut, medium shot of car bonnet, cut, close up of headlights, fade to White and back in from white - like a flash of light for the transition like you are passing by the headlamps of the car, medium long shot of a Mercedes with its soft top down, cut, close up of car headlights - panning down the side of the car, cut, panning to the right - medium shot of car, cut in - girl driving the car- medium close up of woman with phone, cut in to detail of phone saying "no missed calls", cut, reaction shot, medium close up again, medium shot of whole car - panning right, medium close up of woman driving - see whole of inside showing no-one is with her (quite static shots) -- all of music intro - setting the scene - no band members present yet.

Medium close up of girl - off centre - man on poster - focus pull from narrow depth of field focusing on the girl to narrow depth of field focusing on the lead singer singing on the poster, cut, reaction shot of girl - confused narrow depth of focus - focus back on girl, cut, over the shoulder shot with poster in the background- lead singer on poster - off centre but still stands out as he has a bright red top on whilst the rest of the shot is dark/black, cut in to bench with poster on - establishing name of band and they have a new album - cross-media advertising, jump cut forwards to medium close up of singer on the left, band name larger in the middle, band members on the right - rule of thirds, cut, girls reaction shot - narrow depth of field - focus on girl not singer, cut, over the shoulder shot narrow depth of field - focus on man and woman in the car next to her, cut, back to girl, cut back to car next to her - man is now the lead singer - woman stayed the same - it's like the lead singer is singing the song to the main girl, jump cut backwards - clearly see they are in the car next to hers, cut, the two cars next to each other, cut back to the over the shoulder shot and the lead singer is in focus with the woman, cut, reaction shot of girl again - not impressed - may feel guilty? Cut, over the shoulder shot of original man and woman, cut, medium close up of poster on bench, lead singer singing, cut, narrow depth of field - focus pull 4 other band members on the poster come into focus - close up, jump cut backwards - lead singer stands out and is bigger - more of top half of body showing now, there is more movement from him and he now has a microphone - build up of bridge in the song, 3 jump cuts forwards - very quick and on the drum beat in the song - this heightens the music video and gets the audience ready for the chorus, cut to the same lead singer - medium close up - black background, makes hitting action as if pushing the camera round - it pans very quickly to the right so quick its like a blur - this suggests that the lead singer is in control and also gives a sense of control of his character in the narrative, another band member is now in shot - medium shot - playing guitar - which is showing that instruments aren't just part of their sound they are part of their image as well - talented, cut, medium long shot - lead singer, two shot of lead singer and a guitarist - camera is panning forwards, cut, medium shot hit camera for the transition to a medium shot of the bassist who is singing and playing his base guitar, cut, medium close up of 1 guitarist do a spin into and out of the shot - very short, cut, medium close up of drummer and then it zooms out, cut, medium long shot of guitarist, very quick pan - long shot of lead singer, cut, medium close up, long shot of whole band, cut, pan up from shot of road like a point of view shot of billboard - lead singer singing as picture on it - tracking shot, medium close up of woman looking in the direction of the poster - reaction shot, back to long shot of lead singer on the billboard singing - tracking shot and it also gets closer as the car gets closer to the billboard - further establishing the point of view shot.


The Saturdays - Issues






Petro - director

The lyrics are about a boy who thinks he can mess the girl around by only being with her when it suits him best. The girl is determined to be without him because of how he treats her but she can't because she loves him. Mood = heartbreak.

The shots are edited on the beat of the music - fast paced editing when it isn't a very fast paced song.

The genre of music for this music video is POP. The music video is filmed by the sea. The sea is a symbol of change - the tides go in and out - there is an expression that "the tides have turned" - the lyrics to the song suggest that they want change and this is being shown through shots of the sea behind them etc. It is set around and in a beach house, it may be winter/autumn because outside they are wearing coats and scarves. Inside house Victorian style furnishings - their clothing is in fashion - inspired by Victorian clothing and adapted to the modern day - by wearing fashionable clothes they are presented as potential role models for target audiences. Each band member has a different coloured umbrella which reflect their different personalities and the different qualities they bring to the band. They have put their umbrella's up when it isn't raining, this is suggesting that they are protecting themselves from what might happen - the lyrics which go with these images are "building a wall" - there is a shot of one band member with an umbrella. The full line of the lyrics are "I keep building a wall around my heart". The images compliment the lyrics.
In a few shots there is a fire burning in the background, and there is also a bonfire near the end of the music video. These symbolise the relationship between the man and the woman burning out. Also inside the house with the fire in the fire place there are candles which have melted slightly but have no burning flame in them. This suggests that the romance has fizzled out of the woman's life because of the man.
One of the band members is laying sexually on a fluffy rug in one shot, this suggests that this will be how the girl is when the guy wants her, so this would be a tease for him. "No imbetween"
The light coming through the windows in some of the shots is quite musky which can be perceived as quite sexual and enticing. The light is also behind the band member which makes her look angel like suggesting she is the innocent one in the song.

Camerawork and Editing;
Fade in from black - establishing shot of beach house - panning to the right, the following shot after this suggests this is a point of view shot of the beach and calm sea in the background - the camera is panning diagonally down and to the right. Cut, close up of band member number 1, she is off centre and looking out to sea as if she is waiting for her 'lover' to come back to her she isn't singing at the moment. Medium shot of the 2nd band member with the sea in the background - the camera is panning to the right, cut, medium close up of band member number 3 with the sea in the background with the camera panning to the left, cut, medium close up of band member number 4 with the sea in the background, cut, medium close up of band member number 5 with te sea in the background -- establishing who the band members are and also setting the scene. These shots are quite quick but are edited on the beat as well. Medium long shot of band member 1 with her back facing the camera and turning around slightly, cut, close up band member 1 singing - she opens her eyes on the beat when it first cuts to her - makes it look really graceful, cut, close up of band member 5's thigh - sexual, cut, tracking medium shot of band member 5 walking down the stairs, cut, medium close up of band member 1, cut, medium close up of band member 2, cut, medium long shot of band member 4, cut, medium shot of band member 2, cut, medium shot of band member 3, cut, medium close up pf band member 1, cut, focus pull - all blurred to reveal medium shot of band member 5 - camera panning slightly, cut, medium shot of band member 2, medium close up of band member 1, cut, medium shot of band member 4, cut, medium shot of band member 1, cut, focus pull - all blurred to reveal medium shot of band member 3, cut, close up of band member 1, cut, medium shot of band member 5 - camera panning, cut, medium shot of band member 1, cut, medium close up of band member 4, cut, medium shot of band member 2 - the framing is tilted slightly - sexual - as if someone was watching and tilting their head at her - the guy? cut, close up of band member 1, cut, focus pull all blurred to reveal medium close up of band member 5, cut, medium lone shot of band memer 3, cut, medium close up of band member 4, cut, medium shot of band member 1, cut, medium long shot of band member 2, cut, close up of band member 3 turning slightly, cut, medium close of band member 1, cut, medium shot of band member 5, cut, medium shot of 4, cut, medium close up of band member 2, cut, medium shot of band member 1, medium close up of band member 3, cut, medium close up of band member 1, cut, medium long shot of band member 5, medium shot of band member 4, cut, medium close up of band member 2 and in the background the fire is burning. -- the mise-en-scene in these shots has been evaluated under genre. Also band member number 1 sings the 1st verses, and therefore appears in more shots than the others to remind the audience who is singing.

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