27th September - 30th October: Shooting the life cycle of a rose, Brooke's Bedroom.
24th September: Filming the original narrative footage of Christie and Sarah, Cullercoats Bay.
1st October: Filming of the original performance footage of our band, Drama Hall.
30th October: Filming more narrative footage of Christie and Sarah, Cullercoats Bay.
7th November: Filming of the characters as children, Whitley Bay Beach.
19th November: Filming new band footage, St Marys Lighthouse, Whitley Bay.
Wednesday 25 November 2009
Editing the rose using Premier Elements
For the first video I imported the clips into premier elements, clip by clip. I then exported the whole video as one. I opened a new project and imported the movie. To get the rose to open and die quickly I had to speed up the video from 6.00.00 minutes to 00.13.00 seconds. This made the rose look jerky and created the effect I wanted. This is shown below
I then explored the effects on Premier Elements; I found no effects that I could use to make the video look a authentic old film. I then looked further and found a effect on Windows Movie Maker. There were several different effects that I could chose from, including different styles from different Eras.
I found two different effects that I liked, these are shown below:
After lots of discussion with our group we decide to use effect 1 this is because it showed the detail of the rose, where as the older effect look away all the hard work we put in when editing each picture.
This is the final edit:
At the end of our music video we decide to do a rewind of all that happens in the video, we then rewound the rose footage to Finnish the music video off. I did this by selecting the time stretch key and reversed the speed, from forwards to backwards. This rewound the whole opening of the rose. So the rose died and came to life.
I then explored the effects on Premier Elements; I found no effects that I could use to make the video look a authentic old film. I then looked further and found a effect on Windows Movie Maker. There were several different effects that I could chose from, including different styles from different Eras.
I found two different effects that I liked, these are shown below:
After lots of discussion with our group we decide to use effect 1 this is because it showed the detail of the rose, where as the older effect look away all the hard work we put in when editing each picture.
This is the final edit:
At the end of our music video we decide to do a rewind of all that happens in the video, we then rewound the rose footage to Finnish the music video off. I did this by selecting the time stretch key and reversed the speed, from forwards to backwards. This rewound the whole opening of the rose. So the rose died and came to life.
Editing the Rose on Photoshop
To follow the theme of our narrative we have decided to put the rose in black and white except the rose head this fitted with the ‘arty’ look that was constant through our video.
For the photos of the rose to look professional, I have decided to edit each photo one by one using Photoshop. This required a lot of patients and hard work.
First I uploaded photo 1 onto a new blank background. I then using the magic wand tool select the outside of the rose and used the erase colour tool, this on a short cut was: Ctrl Shift U. I did this to make it quicker than pressing on the colour settings. This erased the background colour which left me with an off black background.
To make the stork and leafs of the rose in black and white. I had to select the area using the magnetic lasso tool, making sure that I did not select the rose head as this was staying in colour. Then when selected I used the Ctrl Shirt U key to erase the colour this left the rose stork ad leafs grey. I then zoomed into the photograph using the + sign on the keyboard to find any areas that I did not select. I used the magic wand to correct the areas I missed.
This is the before and after of editing the photographs
Before
After
After editing photos 1-131 I imported them into Adobe Premier Elements
For the photos of the rose to look professional, I have decided to edit each photo one by one using Photoshop. This required a lot of patients and hard work.
First I uploaded photo 1 onto a new blank background. I then using the magic wand tool select the outside of the rose and used the erase colour tool, this on a short cut was: Ctrl Shift U. I did this to make it quicker than pressing on the colour settings. This erased the background colour which left me with an off black background.
To make the stork and leafs of the rose in black and white. I had to select the area using the magnetic lasso tool, making sure that I did not select the rose head as this was staying in colour. Then when selected I used the Ctrl Shirt U key to erase the colour this left the rose stork ad leafs grey. I then zoomed into the photograph using the + sign on the keyboard to find any areas that I did not select. I used the magic wand to correct the areas I missed.
This is the before and after of editing the photographs
Before
After
After editing photos 1-131 I imported them into Adobe Premier Elements
Changes between Rough Cut and Final Cut
There are significant differences between our rough cut and the final edit of our video. I feel these have hugely improved the quality of the video, the storyline and impact that the video has upon the viewer.
The issues that were raised when we previewed the rough cut to the class was the blandness of the performance footage and the fact that the narrative wasn't particularly clear. We brain stormed as a group to come up with solutions to these problems. It was evident that we were going to have to collect a lot more footage. To start with we got extra footage of Christie and Sarah on the beach and in the caves. We took some footage of them walking along the pier to show the characters being lost and we also took some footage of key lyrics from the song written in the sand, helping to link the song lyrics with the visuals. I wrote these key lyrics in a script-like font to help connect this to the DVD cover and advert.
In order to make our narrative make sense to the viewer we decided the best idea would be to get footage of younger girls, showing our characters when they were children and emphasising how their friendship and been lost and rediscovered. We took the younger girls down to the beach and got footage of them playing together. We wanted to convay to the viewer that this footage was in the past, as the narrative was already in black and white we needed to think of another way of giving an old fashioned, nostalgic effect. We decided to use the same technique as we were using for the rose footage, stop motion. We took still images of the children and put them together on premier elements to create a moving image. We wanted the "note motif" to be slightly clearer without being too obvious and whilst maintaining a certain ambiguity. To achieve this we took photographs of the children holding and passing the note, these were then fitted into the video next to the footage of Christie and Sarah passing the note to help emphasis the relevance of the note.
As well as this we were also very unhappy with the band performance footage that we had, we came to the conclusion that we were going to have to re-shoot it. The main problem with the band footage was the setting and the lighting, to change this completely and to link the performance with the narrative we decided to shoot the performance at the beach outside of St Marys lighthouse, as well as looking effective the lighthouse also adheres to Goodwins theory and the notion of looking. This is particuarly relevant to our video as it represents being lost and being found, as if a fog has lifted.
We went down to the beach at 7.30 am and set up the band and camera equiptment. We took footage from various different camera angles using a variety of different movements. The lighting was perfect as the sun was beginning to rise in the east. This footage was so much better than our original footage, we were all very pleased with it and confident that we'd beable to edit in a way that would greatly improve the video. I feel in the end we have done this.
The issues that were raised when we previewed the rough cut to the class was the blandness of the performance footage and the fact that the narrative wasn't particularly clear. We brain stormed as a group to come up with solutions to these problems. It was evident that we were going to have to collect a lot more footage. To start with we got extra footage of Christie and Sarah on the beach and in the caves. We took some footage of them walking along the pier to show the characters being lost and we also took some footage of key lyrics from the song written in the sand, helping to link the song lyrics with the visuals. I wrote these key lyrics in a script-like font to help connect this to the DVD cover and advert.
In order to make our narrative make sense to the viewer we decided the best idea would be to get footage of younger girls, showing our characters when they were children and emphasising how their friendship and been lost and rediscovered. We took the younger girls down to the beach and got footage of them playing together. We wanted to convay to the viewer that this footage was in the past, as the narrative was already in black and white we needed to think of another way of giving an old fashioned, nostalgic effect. We decided to use the same technique as we were using for the rose footage, stop motion. We took still images of the children and put them together on premier elements to create a moving image. We wanted the "note motif" to be slightly clearer without being too obvious and whilst maintaining a certain ambiguity. To achieve this we took photographs of the children holding and passing the note, these were then fitted into the video next to the footage of Christie and Sarah passing the note to help emphasis the relevance of the note.
As well as this we were also very unhappy with the band performance footage that we had, we came to the conclusion that we were going to have to re-shoot it. The main problem with the band footage was the setting and the lighting, to change this completely and to link the performance with the narrative we decided to shoot the performance at the beach outside of St Marys lighthouse, as well as looking effective the lighthouse also adheres to Goodwins theory and the notion of looking. This is particuarly relevant to our video as it represents being lost and being found, as if a fog has lifted.
We went down to the beach at 7.30 am and set up the band and camera equiptment. We took footage from various different camera angles using a variety of different movements. The lighting was perfect as the sun was beginning to rise in the east. This footage was so much better than our original footage, we were all very pleased with it and confident that we'd beable to edit in a way that would greatly improve the video. I feel in the end we have done this.
Photos from the making of our final music Video
In order to make our music video clearer we used younger characters to show their developement, and how their friendship has grown. We chose to take still images of the children in order to add to the nostalgic feel and to emphasis that it was in the past.
Twins
setting up of the Rose Photo Shoot
I used a Nikon D200 SLR and I also used a tripod and remote.
The background was simply a black piece of material which was pinned to my wall.
To hold the rose in place I used oasis in a jug of water.
I had to make sure that the camera did not move at all, so the photos would not be different. To make sure that the camera did not move and go out of focus I used a remote to take the photos so that even the vibration of the camera did not move the placement.
My photography of the group setting up for the performance footage:
St Mary's Lighthouse, Whitley Bay - 7.30am
Twins
setting up of the Rose Photo Shoot
I used a Nikon D200 SLR and I also used a tripod and remote.
The background was simply a black piece of material which was pinned to my wall.
To hold the rose in place I used oasis in a jug of water.
I had to make sure that the camera did not move at all, so the photos would not be different. To make sure that the camera did not move and go out of focus I used a remote to take the photos so that even the vibration of the camera did not move the placement.
My photography of the group setting up for the performance footage:
St Mary's Lighthouse, Whitley Bay - 7.30am
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Our Band Performance
After sorting through the footage we had of our band performance and looking at the different camera angles and shots that we had we came to the desicion that we were going to have to reshot the footage. The setting of our performance is what we felt made it boring and ordiniary. We wanted it to fit in with the narrative and concept side of our music video. After much debate we decided as a group that we should film our band performance on the beach outside of St Marys lighthouse. This gives reference to the notion of looking, adhereing to Godwins theory. It also links in with alot of the motifs and hidden messages behind our video.
Sunday 1 November 2009
Class Feedback
After completing our rough draft of the music video we showed the class a preview and asked them all to list a few positive points and a few negative points about our music video. The two main criticisms that kept cropping up were:
Needs more shots and cuts of the performance, using different camera angles
Narrative could be a bit clearer
Both of these points we had already considered however hearing it from the class made us realise these were things that we definitely need to improve upon.
During the filming of the band performance we took footage from many different camera angles using both the tripod and a hand held camera. Despite the fact we had a variety of footage the shots that we choose to use for our rough cut were all very similar, this was due to both time restraints and our judgement. When creating the final draft of the music video we should definitely use all the different camera angles we have and use a lot of fast cuts in time to the beat of the music, this is what our target audience have requested therefore doing this I feel will make our video more popular.
We had already had discussions within the group about whether or not the narrative should be clearer or not. As we want our video to be concept based we felt that the ambiguity was a good thing. Looking at the feedback from the class some people have said that they felt the narrative was clear and others said that they liked the fact it was unclear, however the majority of responses said that the narrative was unclear and confusing, because of this I feel we must add to it. We should shoot a lot more footage which will explain the storyline better and show the separation of the two characters and hopefully make it clear that they are lost and lonely and trying to discover each other. In order to do this we have considered getting footage of younger actresses, showing the characters when they were little, representing the strong bond and friendship that they have. We should also capture the moment when they are separated from each other, which will hopefully make things a lot clearer for the viewer.
Other comments we received were:
Needs more shots and cuts of the performance, using different camera angles
Narrative could be a bit clearer
Both of these points we had already considered however hearing it from the class made us realise these were things that we definitely need to improve upon.
During the filming of the band performance we took footage from many different camera angles using both the tripod and a hand held camera. Despite the fact we had a variety of footage the shots that we choose to use for our rough cut were all very similar, this was due to both time restraints and our judgement. When creating the final draft of the music video we should definitely use all the different camera angles we have and use a lot of fast cuts in time to the beat of the music, this is what our target audience have requested therefore doing this I feel will make our video more popular.
We had already had discussions within the group about whether or not the narrative should be clearer or not. As we want our video to be concept based we felt that the ambiguity was a good thing. Looking at the feedback from the class some people have said that they felt the narrative was clear and others said that they liked the fact it was unclear, however the majority of responses said that the narrative was unclear and confusing, because of this I feel we must add to it. We should shoot a lot more footage which will explain the storyline better and show the separation of the two characters and hopefully make it clear that they are lost and lonely and trying to discover each other. In order to do this we have considered getting footage of younger actresses, showing the characters when they were little, representing the strong bond and friendship that they have. We should also capture the moment when they are separated from each other, which will hopefully make things a lot clearer for the viewer.
Other comments we received were:
Sunday 18 October 2009
Music Video Theorists
The two key theorists which I have looked into and Andrew Goodwin and John Stewart, both of which are well known for their theories regarding popular music videos. Goodwin suggests that a music video should always include key “music video features” whilst Stewart focus’s mostly on the idea of intertextuality within music videos. I have decided to analysis Paramore’s music video for their first single, Misery Business, I will look at whether Goodwin and Stewart’s theories are adhered to within this music video and why this is the case.
Goodwin’s first point which he believes all music videos to include is “Genre characteristics”, I believe this is true for the Misery Business video. Paramore are a rock-pop band and this is demonstrated in this video, there is a live performance including band members and rock instruments such as guitar, bass guitar and drums. The video is a mix of performance and narrative which is similar for a lot of other modern rock-pop videos. His second point is that there should always be a relationship between the lyrics of a song and the visuals of the music video, this is also true for this video, for example, “When I thought he was mine, She caught him by the mouth” this is mirrored when one of the characters from within the music video kisses another girls boyfriend. Goodwin also believes that their should be a relationship between the music and the visuals, I also believe this to be true in this case, the music is fast and upbeat which correlates with the fast cuts used in the video. There is also a lot of camera movement giving the video a playful feel which is also the case for the music. The feel good chorus fits well with the bright colour scheme used. The next feature which Goodwin says all music videos should include is close-ups of the band and lead singer, this is due to the demands of the record label, as well as a visual style which recurs across their work. In this music video there are close up shots of all band members, particularly lead vocalist, Haley Williams. Also the setting for the performance in the video is a room covered in the word “Riot!” this is the album title and also logo for this album, it is a visual style or a motif which runs across much of Paramore’s album and merchandise. A clever way of advertising the album within the music video. There is a clear colour scheme throughout all of Paramore’s work which is orange and red, this is the same as lead singer, Haley’s, trademark hair. Goodwin also believes that a music video should include frequent reference to the notion of looking, such as screens within screens, this is included in this video in the form of many extreme close ups on Williams’ eyes. His next point is that there is always voyeuristic treatment of the female body within music videos, this is contradicted in this video, and quite the opposite. This is probably due to the fact that the lead singer is a woman and she is trying to send out a positive message to other women and young girls. The video shows the normal girl winning against a superficial girl, the men in the video prefer lead singer Haley Williams who is not supporting the artificial look and is dressed decently. Goodwin’s final point is that there should be intertextual reference within the video, in this case there is reference to a typical American high school, this is the setting for the narrative of the video and there are many stereotypical characters within the video which would appeal to Paramore’s young, teenage target audience and fan base.
Theorist John Stewart believes that all intertextual reference within music video’s come from either fashion, cinema or art photography. As this was Paramore’s first music video there cannot be any intertextual reference to any of their other songs, however I feel Stewart’s theory applies to their video. Modern fashion is present through out, this appeals to youth culture and the young target group, Haley William’s statement hair is also a reference to contemporary fashion. As for intertextual reference to cinema, this is covered by the traditional American high school where the video’s narrative takes place. Many films and TV shows use settings such as this, it is a stereotype and immediately lets the viewer know what kind of scenario is about to unfold. The characters within the narrative are also very stereotypical such as the popular bitchy girl and the nerd, this video has a twist as the main “it” girl is left in tears, unlike in many films and TV programmes. Reference to Art Photography is loose however still present in the form of the graffiti style background which is used during the performance. This is also intertextual as it is used across the Paramore digi-pack.
This particular video by Paramore proves the majority of Goodwin and Stewart’s theories to be correct, therefore I believe in my music video I must try to include all of these features.
Friday 25 September 2009
Animatics
This is the moving storyboard which we have created, it shows how the shots will fit to music.
StoryBoard
This is the storyboard that we have created, it shows exactly what will happen at each stage in the music video.
Powerpoint Presentation
We presented this powerpoint to our media studies teacher explaining why we have chosen "Conspiracy" for our music video. We took it in turns to speak and further explain our choice to Mr Bland.
Thursday 24 September 2009
Audience Research
As a group we put together a Questionnaire in order to find out what our target audience actually want from a music video.
The target audience we have selected is young people aged 14-20 years, both male and female. Our video will be directed mostly at people with interests in the pop-rock genre of music. Because of this we asked these kinds of people. Most of the questions are written in open format so that the participant is free to answer the question in whatever way they like without being guided to a specific answer. I feel this is better as we will discover more information about the needs of our target audience. The questions we asked are as follows:
1. What gender are you?
Male
Female
2. How old are you?
3. Which element of a music video do you prefer?
Narrative
Performance
Concept
4. Would you prefer a video including:
Whole band
Solo artist
5. Which is your favourite music channel?
6. In your opinion, what makes a music video interesting?
7. What type of music video do you prefer?
8. What do you use to view music videos?
9. What is your favourite music video and why?
10. How often do you what music videos?
11. What genre of music do you like to watch in a music video?
I recorded several participants giving their answers, here are a few responses:
The target audience we have selected is young people aged 14-20 years, both male and female. Our video will be directed mostly at people with interests in the pop-rock genre of music. Because of this we asked these kinds of people. Most of the questions are written in open format so that the participant is free to answer the question in whatever way they like without being guided to a specific answer. I feel this is better as we will discover more information about the needs of our target audience. The questions we asked are as follows:
1. What gender are you?
Male
Female
2. How old are you?
3. Which element of a music video do you prefer?
Narrative
Performance
Concept
4. Would you prefer a video including:
Whole band
Solo artist
5. Which is your favourite music channel?
6. In your opinion, what makes a music video interesting?
7. What type of music video do you prefer?
8. What do you use to view music videos?
9. What is your favourite music video and why?
10. How often do you what music videos?
11. What genre of music do you like to watch in a music video?
I recorded several participants giving their answers, here are a few responses:
Acting Roles
We have decided that we will use young females in our video, the charcters that they are playing are as follows:
Christie Flynn - Singer/character 1
Brooke Hopkin - Drums
Sarah Vyse - guitar/character 2
The group will take it in turns for the filming of the video, using a variety of different camera techniques.
Christie Flynn - Singer/character 1
Brooke Hopkin - Drums
Sarah Vyse - guitar/character 2
The group will take it in turns for the filming of the video, using a variety of different camera techniques.
Analysis of Previous Year Groups music videos
The Unicorn Video - A02 2008
I’ve chosen to study this music video as there are several similarities between this video and our initial ideas; such as, the gloomy, dark feel; the stop start animation used and the fast cross cutting between shots.
The video begins with the front cover of a large, old book with candles surrounding it, the candles create chiaroscuro lighting giving a sinister feel. This is followed by the opening of the book, almost parodying a typical fairytale beginning, the pages open revealing a page of hand drawn images which shows a girl crawling from the grave, this has been done using stop start animation which is jerky and unsteady and fits in well with the style of the video. The book represents a story being told and also sets the scene for the rest of the music video very effectively.
The video is an even mix of both narrative and performance which all comes together towards the end of the video. After the stop start animation there is a straight cut to the band which I feel was ineffective as the lighting was too contrasting and initially the two parts didn’t seem to have much of a link between them. However the jerky body movements shown by all of the band, in particular the front man, kept the theme of being uneasy and unsure. Unlike a lot of the other music video’s I have watched from previous year groups this group cast the parts particularly well, choosing a confident actor for the front man. My favourite thing about this video is the fact that the band begin looking completely normal and as the video progresses their appearance becomes more and more dishevelled, this adds eeriness to the video and must’ve taken a long time to take all the footage required.
Towards the start of the vocals within the video there is a downward tilting shot which starts pointing towards the sky, then reveals the two main characters and then moves back away from them which I feel was particularly effective as it was diegetic to the sound of the video. Another killer shot is where the two characters are shown from behind walking amongst trees in a forest-like setting. The footage has been speed up so they travel far in a short space of time, making them seem immortal. This technique is also something that I would be interested in using for my own music video. Although I enjoyed this video a lot and took great inspiration from it I felt certain shots, for example the scene where the characters are shown feeding each other strawberries, didn’t have much relevance to the narrative. If this had been my video I would have tried not to move away from the concept too much as it is interesting enough without moving adding in extra scenes.
The mise en scene used in this video has been well thought out and is similar to that that my group are considering using. A double bass is used in the performance based shots, I feel this is effective as the double bass is one of the biggest, lowest-pitched instrument, making its presence almost over powering and the low pitch intimidating. The leaves used to cover the floor where the band are filmed give a rustic yet mystic feel as well as cleverly linking with a shot used in the narrative of the video where to two characters have a leaf fight. The female character who emerges from the grave and joins the mortal world has ghoulish white skin and is dressed in white from head to toe giving a ghost like appearance. The silver stars which have been hung behind the band whilst they are performing is an interesting way of getting around not being able to take the footage at night time but also conveying to the audience the fact that it is set after dark.
Throughout the video shots have been overlapped so that more than one shot is seen at the same time. When this is done quickly a stroke lighting effect is achieved which works well with the tempo of the song. Towards the end of the video the two characters join the band helping to connect all of the different shots. I liked that this had been done and feel it helps to bind the video however as the music video comes to a close there is almost a feeling that there has been no resolution to the problems shown in the narrative. This may have been to leave the viewer to come to their own conclusions.
I’ve chosen to study this music video as there are several similarities between this video and our initial ideas; such as, the gloomy, dark feel; the stop start animation used and the fast cross cutting between shots.
The video begins with the front cover of a large, old book with candles surrounding it, the candles create chiaroscuro lighting giving a sinister feel. This is followed by the opening of the book, almost parodying a typical fairytale beginning, the pages open revealing a page of hand drawn images which shows a girl crawling from the grave, this has been done using stop start animation which is jerky and unsteady and fits in well with the style of the video. The book represents a story being told and also sets the scene for the rest of the music video very effectively.
The video is an even mix of both narrative and performance which all comes together towards the end of the video. After the stop start animation there is a straight cut to the band which I feel was ineffective as the lighting was too contrasting and initially the two parts didn’t seem to have much of a link between them. However the jerky body movements shown by all of the band, in particular the front man, kept the theme of being uneasy and unsure. Unlike a lot of the other music video’s I have watched from previous year groups this group cast the parts particularly well, choosing a confident actor for the front man. My favourite thing about this video is the fact that the band begin looking completely normal and as the video progresses their appearance becomes more and more dishevelled, this adds eeriness to the video and must’ve taken a long time to take all the footage required.
Towards the start of the vocals within the video there is a downward tilting shot which starts pointing towards the sky, then reveals the two main characters and then moves back away from them which I feel was particularly effective as it was diegetic to the sound of the video. Another killer shot is where the two characters are shown from behind walking amongst trees in a forest-like setting. The footage has been speed up so they travel far in a short space of time, making them seem immortal. This technique is also something that I would be interested in using for my own music video. Although I enjoyed this video a lot and took great inspiration from it I felt certain shots, for example the scene where the characters are shown feeding each other strawberries, didn’t have much relevance to the narrative. If this had been my video I would have tried not to move away from the concept too much as it is interesting enough without moving adding in extra scenes.
The mise en scene used in this video has been well thought out and is similar to that that my group are considering using. A double bass is used in the performance based shots, I feel this is effective as the double bass is one of the biggest, lowest-pitched instrument, making its presence almost over powering and the low pitch intimidating. The leaves used to cover the floor where the band are filmed give a rustic yet mystic feel as well as cleverly linking with a shot used in the narrative of the video where to two characters have a leaf fight. The female character who emerges from the grave and joins the mortal world has ghoulish white skin and is dressed in white from head to toe giving a ghost like appearance. The silver stars which have been hung behind the band whilst they are performing is an interesting way of getting around not being able to take the footage at night time but also conveying to the audience the fact that it is set after dark.
Throughout the video shots have been overlapped so that more than one shot is seen at the same time. When this is done quickly a stroke lighting effect is achieved which works well with the tempo of the song. Towards the end of the video the two characters join the band helping to connect all of the different shots. I liked that this had been done and feel it helps to bind the video however as the music video comes to a close there is almost a feeling that there has been no resolution to the problems shown in the narrative. This may have been to leave the viewer to come to their own conclusions.
Inspirational Image
This image was taken at cullercoats bay and is where we intend on setting the majority of our music video. This gives you a feel for the type of look we are going for when creating our music video.
Director Profile
The music video director I have decided to study is Dave Meyers, I looked at the work of alot of different directors but decided that Dave Meyers is my favourite and the one that will be most useful to me, due to the fact that he has worked with artists such as Slipknot, Kelly Clarkson and Pink, all of whom have a much more edgy style than the average pop artist.
Dave Meyers is an American music video director. He has directed close to 200 high-profile videos. He won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video in 2005, co-directing with Missy Elliot and Pink.
He has degrees in Film Production and Philosophy, and worked his way through the studio systems at Paramount and Fox before filming his first music video with rap crew The Whoridas.
My favourite music video directed by Dave Meyers is 'Left Behind' by Slipknot. I like the sinister feel that it had. The colour scheme is red, white and black the same as we would like to use for our music video. The performance is set outdoors which is also an aspect of the video which i would be interested in mimicing. The video also fits Goodwin's music video theory as it applys the reference to the notion of looking e.g. using screens within screens. I also enjoyed watching his video to Dido's "Thank You".
Dave Meyers is an American music video director. He has directed close to 200 high-profile videos. He won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video in 2005, co-directing with Missy Elliot and Pink.
He has degrees in Film Production and Philosophy, and worked his way through the studio systems at Paramount and Fox before filming his first music video with rap crew The Whoridas.
My favourite music video directed by Dave Meyers is 'Left Behind' by Slipknot. I like the sinister feel that it had. The colour scheme is red, white and black the same as we would like to use for our music video. The performance is set outdoors which is also an aspect of the video which i would be interested in mimicing. The video also fits Goodwin's music video theory as it applys the reference to the notion of looking e.g. using screens within screens. I also enjoyed watching his video to Dido's "Thank You".
Analysis of current Digi Pack Covers and Adverts
Digi Pack Covers
1.
Beyonce - B'Day Anthology Video Album
This video cover has a very natural feel to it, the artist has been portrayed as a natural beauty on both the front and back covers. She is pictured outdoors amongst a green landscape wearing a traditional country girl outfit on the front cover. On the back cover there is a close up shot where the top of her shoulders are showing, she appears to be naked, this makes the artist appear very pure and as though her music is also very pure, without any edits or artificial vocals. She looks very radiant in both images. On the front cover there is a small embellishment in the top left hand corner, in front of which is the artists name, “Beyonce”, in a decorative, old English font, beneath this is the title and subtitle of the DVD, all the text and embellishment is in black and white which contrasts the highly saturated image of Beyonce. The photograph on the front cover wraps around to fill the edge of the DVD box as well, the same name and title is used for the edge of the case. She looks very bold and independent on the front cover, this may have been to symbolise her breaking from girl group, “Destiny’s Child” and her progression into a confident solo artist. The back cover contains all the information about the DVD, there is a small paragraph at the top followed by a numbered list of all the tracks included on the DVD, in the image of the artist she appears to be looking up at the list of songs which helps to draw the readers eye to the text. Beyonce has a huge, and varied group of fans, however I feel only the most dedicated of fans would go and buy a DVD containing her music videos as most would simply buy the CD. Though I feel the target market for this product is fairly niche, there is still not one specific group that it would be aimed at. She appeals to children as a lot of her music makes the charts as well as teenagers and adults, both male and female like Beyonce’s music thought men might be more likely to want to watch her on screen as they find her attractive.
2. Jack Johnson and Friends - Weekend at the Greek, Live in Japan
This cover is fairly simple and is set on a black background, the only other colours used are white, red and blue, apart from a small yellow logo. The colour scheme makes the cover look classy and unique. A red spot has been placed behind the white text to represent the Japanese flag as the footage was all taken in Japan. A simple sans serif font has been used throughout, though there is not a lot of text on the cover. On the front everything has been left aligned making in different to a lot of covers which would general keep everything central. There is a title, followed by the artists name in a much larger font. Then there’s a photograph of Jack Johnson, the image is in black and white and he is looking down from the camera. He’s smiling and appears to be a friendly, likeable person which compliments his music well as he sings a lot of happy lyrics. A small blurb is placed beneath the image. On the back cover of the DVD case is an image of Jack Johnson travelling on the train, this may represent his travel to perform in Japan. The image almost puts the artist and the train in silhouette with the sun shining in through the window extremely brightly.
3. Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up
The first thing I noticed about this cover is the typical Jamaican, Reggae colour scheme which has been used. All covers are predominantly Red, Yellow and Green with black and white also used. This gives the cover a distinct style which consumers are familiar with, this would immediately attract a fan of Reggae music. The artists name, “Bob Marley” is in a large, bold, capital font, this is what the eye is drawn to first, this has been done as he is a well known artist with almost iconic status and a large following. There is also a large image of the artist performing which has been edited to give the cover a psychedelic look. The editing has been done to help emphasis the artists signature advertisement style. Beneath the image is the title of the DVD which is significantly smaller, this is because for such a well know artist the name and the image are the most important features. The back cover includes a list if the tracks which are on the DVD and a small blurb for each track, this is so the viewer can see at a glance what each track is about. Four smaller images are below this showing footage taken from the DVD to give the viewer an idea of what’s on the DVD.
There is a strong link between the “get up, stand up” CD and the “get up, stand up” DVD, people who already have the CD may then chose to purchase the DVD. I think the main target audience for this product would probably be males of around 30-40 years however Bob Marley does appeal to all ages and continues to be popular amongst young people.
4. Slipknot - Welcome to our neighbourhood
This is more the style of digi-pack cover that I would be hoping to achieve when creating my own product. It has a darker feel to it with the main colours being used being red and black. The band name and logo and on all faces of the cover, helping to promote and advertise themselves.
Slipknot have a very different approach to advertising as their faces are always hidden so fans don’t actually know what they look like. Their trademark is their intimidating masks which they are shown wearing on both images. The front cover includes only the title, the band name and a main image, keeping it simple and straight forward. This should catch the viewers attention, allowing them to then read the information displayed on the back cover. The font used for the title of the DVD is basic and circus-like in an almost sinister way. The back cover has a distressed style which fits in well with the genre of music and the bands image, the back cover also includes information on the contents of the DVD as well as an image of the accompanying CD, this is to help promote the artist. Bar code and parental advisory notice is also displayed on the cover.
The target audience for this DVD would be mostly males as they tend to enjoy metal music most, although females may also buy it. The age range is quite broad however would mostly be people aged 14 - 30 years old. At the time of release (2003) Slipknot already had quite a large following therefore consumers should hopefully recognise their style and buy the product due to their reputation.
5. T.A.T.U. - Screaming for More
I have chosen to look at this DVD cover for two main reasons: the first being that I like the dark, sinister feel to it but also because T.A.T.U. had a very unusual approach to advertisement and publicity. As a female act they wanted to stand out from other girl duets, they decided to pretend to be a couple to try and attract attention from the media. They succeeded in doing this, despite the fact that both women are actually heterosexual. The image used on the front cover has a very sexual look about it, this has been done simply to shock the viewer and intrigue them. The girls are posed in a provocative way wearing seductive costumes, this comes with connotations of sex and lesbianism. The mise en scene used all fits with this main concept which was all just a publicity stunt. The setting is a dark, dingy room with little lighting. The girls are posed close together and holding hands, this is the main focus of the front cover, also included is the artists name and the title of the DVD, both of these are made to fit around the central image. This has been done because typically ”sex sells” and consumers are more likely to be attracted to this type of product. The image makes the viewer think that there will be elements of sexuality on the DVD as well.
The back cover focus’s more on the band name and the title of the digi-pack, also including a list of the tracks that are on the DVD. The background for the back cover is an image of the room where the band is pictured on the front cover. There is also an image of the accompanying CD to try and promote this also.
I believe the target audience for this DVD would be the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, as well as heterosexual males. The age range for this type of DVD would be relatively specific, being people of about 16-20 years old.
Music Adverts
1.
The most striking thing about this advert is the colour scheme. Its extrememly bold using only yellow, black and white. This is suitable for a young target audience who will be attracted to it's bright but simplistic look. The style is very edgy, using a lot of stright lines at obscure angles. The font is simple and bold to catch the attention of a modern, fast paced young person. There is a minimal amount of text on this advert to keep it sharp and to the point. As it is advertising a music festival the key infomation (times and dates) are displayed large and in the centre of the advert, as well as the names of the bands performing. There is the outline of a guitar plectrum surrounding the main title which ties into the rock music theme. The single image of a young man and woman playing instruments is inkeeping with the rest of the advert as it is in the same colour scheme and uses straight parallel lines for the shadows. I feel this is extremely effective as an advert and would atract the appropriate target audience.
2.
As in the previous advert, this one is also predominantly black and white, this time using red as the accent colour. This is a theme that i would like to carry through my media project. This is very simplistic yet effective at advertising and premoting the band and their new album. A photograph of the band, the band name, album title and an image of the album are all displayed. In my opinion this is the essential infomation. The title of their album "Riot!" is almost a logo as it has been repeated for the background of the advert helping to keep this image in the viewers mind. The advert is very similar to the album cover which i feel is one of the key codes and conventions i must follow when making my own digi pack. The photograph of the band is taken as an extreme close up so only the faces of the band members are visible, this is something that i could consider using when making my own digi pack. The target audience for this album would be mostly teenagers aged 13-17 years, because of this is would be displayed in a magazine such as kerrang. This is also due to the fact they are a pop-rock band. This advert appeals to such an audience because of the grafitti style logo and attractive band members.
3.
The photograph of the artist is the main focus in this advert, this is because she is a successful female solo artist as well as being part of a successful ska band, meaning she will be easily recognised by viewers and fans. Gwen Stefani has a distinct image which is emphasised on this advert by the mise on scene and font types. A small image of the album is present at the bottom of the advert along with infomation such as the album title and tracks included on the album. In my opinion this advert is not effective as the viewer has to look closely to see what is actually being advertised. When creating my digi pack advert i will be warey of this error in order to avoid it. I do like the fact that it fits the style of all of Gwen Stefani's other work giving her her own trademark look.
1.
Beyonce - B'Day Anthology Video AlbumThis video cover has a very natural feel to it, the artist has been portrayed as a natural beauty on both the front and back covers. She is pictured outdoors amongst a green landscape wearing a traditional country girl outfit on the front cover. On the back cover there is a close up shot where the top of her shoulders are showing, she appears to be naked, this makes the artist appear very pure and as though her music is also very pure, without any edits or artificial vocals. She looks very radiant in both images. On the front cover there is a small embellishment in the top left hand corner, in front of which is the artists name, “Beyonce”, in a decorative, old English font, beneath this is the title and subtitle of the DVD, all the text and embellishment is in black and white which contrasts the highly saturated image of Beyonce. The photograph on the front cover wraps around to fill the edge of the DVD box as well, the same name and title is used for the edge of the case. She looks very bold and independent on the front cover, this may have been to symbolise her breaking from girl group, “Destiny’s Child” and her progression into a confident solo artist. The back cover contains all the information about the DVD, there is a small paragraph at the top followed by a numbered list of all the tracks included on the DVD, in the image of the artist she appears to be looking up at the list of songs which helps to draw the readers eye to the text. Beyonce has a huge, and varied group of fans, however I feel only the most dedicated of fans would go and buy a DVD containing her music videos as most would simply buy the CD. Though I feel the target market for this product is fairly niche, there is still not one specific group that it would be aimed at. She appeals to children as a lot of her music makes the charts as well as teenagers and adults, both male and female like Beyonce’s music thought men might be more likely to want to watch her on screen as they find her attractive.
2. Jack Johnson and Friends - Weekend at the Greek, Live in Japan
This cover is fairly simple and is set on a black background, the only other colours used are white, red and blue, apart from a small yellow logo. The colour scheme makes the cover look classy and unique. A red spot has been placed behind the white text to represent the Japanese flag as the footage was all taken in Japan. A simple sans serif font has been used throughout, though there is not a lot of text on the cover. On the front everything has been left aligned making in different to a lot of covers which would general keep everything central. There is a title, followed by the artists name in a much larger font. Then there’s a photograph of Jack Johnson, the image is in black and white and he is looking down from the camera. He’s smiling and appears to be a friendly, likeable person which compliments his music well as he sings a lot of happy lyrics. A small blurb is placed beneath the image. On the back cover of the DVD case is an image of Jack Johnson travelling on the train, this may represent his travel to perform in Japan. The image almost puts the artist and the train in silhouette with the sun shining in through the window extremely brightly.
3. Bob Marley - Get Up, Stand Up
The first thing I noticed about this cover is the typical Jamaican, Reggae colour scheme which has been used. All covers are predominantly Red, Yellow and Green with black and white also used. This gives the cover a distinct style which consumers are familiar with, this would immediately attract a fan of Reggae music. The artists name, “Bob Marley” is in a large, bold, capital font, this is what the eye is drawn to first, this has been done as he is a well known artist with almost iconic status and a large following. There is also a large image of the artist performing which has been edited to give the cover a psychedelic look. The editing has been done to help emphasis the artists signature advertisement style. Beneath the image is the title of the DVD which is significantly smaller, this is because for such a well know artist the name and the image are the most important features. The back cover includes a list if the tracks which are on the DVD and a small blurb for each track, this is so the viewer can see at a glance what each track is about. Four smaller images are below this showing footage taken from the DVD to give the viewer an idea of what’s on the DVD.
There is a strong link between the “get up, stand up” CD and the “get up, stand up” DVD, people who already have the CD may then chose to purchase the DVD. I think the main target audience for this product would probably be males of around 30-40 years however Bob Marley does appeal to all ages and continues to be popular amongst young people.
4. Slipknot - Welcome to our neighbourhood
This is more the style of digi-pack cover that I would be hoping to achieve when creating my own product. It has a darker feel to it with the main colours being used being red and black. The band name and logo and on all faces of the cover, helping to promote and advertise themselves.
Slipknot have a very different approach to advertising as their faces are always hidden so fans don’t actually know what they look like. Their trademark is their intimidating masks which they are shown wearing on both images. The front cover includes only the title, the band name and a main image, keeping it simple and straight forward. This should catch the viewers attention, allowing them to then read the information displayed on the back cover. The font used for the title of the DVD is basic and circus-like in an almost sinister way. The back cover has a distressed style which fits in well with the genre of music and the bands image, the back cover also includes information on the contents of the DVD as well as an image of the accompanying CD, this is to help promote the artist. Bar code and parental advisory notice is also displayed on the cover.
The target audience for this DVD would be mostly males as they tend to enjoy metal music most, although females may also buy it. The age range is quite broad however would mostly be people aged 14 - 30 years old. At the time of release (2003) Slipknot already had quite a large following therefore consumers should hopefully recognise their style and buy the product due to their reputation.
5. T.A.T.U. - Screaming for More
I have chosen to look at this DVD cover for two main reasons: the first being that I like the dark, sinister feel to it but also because T.A.T.U. had a very unusual approach to advertisement and publicity. As a female act they wanted to stand out from other girl duets, they decided to pretend to be a couple to try and attract attention from the media. They succeeded in doing this, despite the fact that both women are actually heterosexual. The image used on the front cover has a very sexual look about it, this has been done simply to shock the viewer and intrigue them. The girls are posed in a provocative way wearing seductive costumes, this comes with connotations of sex and lesbianism. The mise en scene used all fits with this main concept which was all just a publicity stunt. The setting is a dark, dingy room with little lighting. The girls are posed close together and holding hands, this is the main focus of the front cover, also included is the artists name and the title of the DVD, both of these are made to fit around the central image. This has been done because typically ”sex sells” and consumers are more likely to be attracted to this type of product. The image makes the viewer think that there will be elements of sexuality on the DVD as well.
The back cover focus’s more on the band name and the title of the digi-pack, also including a list of the tracks that are on the DVD. The background for the back cover is an image of the room where the band is pictured on the front cover. There is also an image of the accompanying CD to try and promote this also.
I believe the target audience for this DVD would be the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, as well as heterosexual males. The age range for this type of DVD would be relatively specific, being people of about 16-20 years old.
Music Adverts
1.
The most striking thing about this advert is the colour scheme. Its extrememly bold using only yellow, black and white. This is suitable for a young target audience who will be attracted to it's bright but simplistic look. The style is very edgy, using a lot of stright lines at obscure angles. The font is simple and bold to catch the attention of a modern, fast paced young person. There is a minimal amount of text on this advert to keep it sharp and to the point. As it is advertising a music festival the key infomation (times and dates) are displayed large and in the centre of the advert, as well as the names of the bands performing. There is the outline of a guitar plectrum surrounding the main title which ties into the rock music theme. The single image of a young man and woman playing instruments is inkeeping with the rest of the advert as it is in the same colour scheme and uses straight parallel lines for the shadows. I feel this is extremely effective as an advert and would atract the appropriate target audience.
2.
As in the previous advert, this one is also predominantly black and white, this time using red as the accent colour. This is a theme that i would like to carry through my media project. This is very simplistic yet effective at advertising and premoting the band and their new album. A photograph of the band, the band name, album title and an image of the album are all displayed. In my opinion this is the essential infomation. The title of their album "Riot!" is almost a logo as it has been repeated for the background of the advert helping to keep this image in the viewers mind. The advert is very similar to the album cover which i feel is one of the key codes and conventions i must follow when making my own digi pack. The photograph of the band is taken as an extreme close up so only the faces of the band members are visible, this is something that i could consider using when making my own digi pack. The target audience for this album would be mostly teenagers aged 13-17 years, because of this is would be displayed in a magazine such as kerrang. This is also due to the fact they are a pop-rock band. This advert appeals to such an audience because of the grafitti style logo and attractive band members.
3.
The photograph of the artist is the main focus in this advert, this is because she is a successful female solo artist as well as being part of a successful ska band, meaning she will be easily recognised by viewers and fans. Gwen Stefani has a distinct image which is emphasised on this advert by the mise on scene and font types. A small image of the album is present at the bottom of the advert along with infomation such as the album title and tracks included on the album. In my opinion this advert is not effective as the viewer has to look closely to see what is actually being advertised. When creating my digi pack advert i will be warey of this error in order to avoid it. I do like the fact that it fits the style of all of Gwen Stefani's other work giving her her own trademark look.
Analysis of current Music Videos
1. Nirvana - Come as you Are
The video to Nirvana’s “Come as you Are” is performance based with a lot of concept based elements however there is no running narrative through the video. It features the iconic image of the baby swimming in water used on the cover of their most successful album “Nevermind”, which to many represents the grunge era. The video has a sinister feel to it, with the theme of water running through out. The water could be representative of many different things to different viewers however I feel it represents the feeling of drowning and being completely dependant.
The video begins with an extreme close up of a gun sinking in water with a bright light beaming down into the water, this is a classic shot with works really well alongside the opening riff, this shot is repeated at intervals throughout the video and is echoed through the lyrics “No I don’t have a gun”. As the vocals kick in Kurt Cobain is shown singing behind a sheet of running water, he is standing very still, almost looking paralysed in contrast to a lot of artists who appear extremely lively when performing. A disabled dog with a neck brace is shown trying to walk down the stairs which adds to the dark feel of the video.
The mise en scene used is very specific through out the video, the band are playing in a derelict mansion with luxury fittings which have been destroyed by the flooding water. Cobain is shown swinging from an elaborate chandelier which comes with connotations of rebellion. Blue spotlights have been used throughout the video which mirrors the theme of water also the hue of the video has been edited as the two main visible colours are blue and red, these two colours are contrasting which gives the video an unusual feel, it reminds me of the sensations of hot and cold alongside each other. This may have been the desired effect as in the beginning of the video Cobain is sitting in a ring of candles with running water emerging from behind, this mirrors the hot and cold effect.
A lot of the shots have been overlapped so that you can see the previous shot fading through the current one, this helps to link all the different parts of the video and give it a steady flow. Cobain’s face is shown in extreme close up however it has been distorted so that vertical slices of his face appear larger than others. My favourite shot and also the most well known one is the baby chasing after the dollar note underwater. The note is attached to a fishing rod which likens money to the human bate, this is Nirvana trying to prove a point and possibly rebel against materialism. I feel this shot links into the shot of the disabled dog as its trying to show how close the link between humans and animals really is.
The target audience for this video is extremely broad, at the time of release it would’ve appealed mostly to the younger generation however as time has passed it has been handed down to the next generation and remained extremely popular, a lot of people can relate to Nirvana and those who were fans during their peak will still watch and enjoy Nirvana’s music video’s today. I feel the video to “Come as you Are” has been extremely successful and has undoubtedly contributed to the success of “Nevermind” which to this day has remained a classic.
2. Christina Aguilera - Beautiful
The music video to Beautiful is predominantly narrative based with elements of performance. The video is aiming to send out a message to it’s audience, this message is complimented by the lyrics and mood of the song. The video focus’s on 6 main characters, all of whom overcome battles with themselves. The video is meant to give hope to viewers who may be feeling insecure or alone, this means that is could be aimed at a very wide and diverse audience however I feel it is mostly aimed at young people and minority groups due to the fact that the characters highlighted are mostly young and portrayed as “outcasts”, the video also shows homosexuality, transvestites and teenagers with body issues.
The video begins with an extreme close up of Christina Aguilera’s face, she then sings “Don’t look at me” and turns her head away from the camera, the video is diegetic to the lyrics of her song, I feel this is a very bold opening shot which would draw the audience in to carry on watching the video. There is then a straight cut to a young boy lying on the floor, the camera angle here is unusual as it shows the character from below, this would usually give the character a strong and powerful appearance however in this case he seems very vulnerable, which is enhanced by his facial expression. There is then a straight cut back to the extreme close up of the artist and then to an image of a dead sunflower, the fact that the flower is dead is symbolic of the depressed and alone emotions which all the characters are feeling in the video to begin with. There are then cuts to various other characters, all of whom are sitting alone in their underwear looking vulnerable and unhappy. The camera then zooms out from Christina Aguilera’s face to show her sitting on the floor in a damp empty room. The mise en scene here is bold and representative of depression and feeling alone. There are newspapers over the windows so the light is blocked from coming into the room which I feel could be representative of a persons mind. The artist appears very small in such a big, open space. There are cuts from lots of different shots which are very quick showing pain and emotion in all the different people, as the video progresses in each shot the mood becomes a lot happier. There is a very striking shot of a man who is dressing as a woman, he is shown half dressed with a bra and makeup on although he has a bald head and a mans body, he looks very unusual which is the point of the video to get across the message that different doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The man in the shot looks very determined as if he wants to prove something to the world. As the video ends all 6 characters are shown smiling which shows their problems have been resolved.
In the performance based shots, Christina Aguilera seems to be putting a lot of emotion into singing, this helps to portray her as being a caring person who understands, whilst this could be supportive to unhappy fans this would also attract new fans who would feel that they can relate to her and therefore like her music. I like the way a mirror has been used which Christina is singing into, the mirror is used as a prop throughout the video showing the characters looking into it. At the end of the video there is a straight cut back to a sunflower but this time it is in full bloom, a much happier image than the dead sunflower shown at the beginning of the video. This is something that I would be interested in using in my own music video.
No special effects are used in the video, I feel the simplicity adds to the overall effect of the video, this would be detracted from had special effects been used. Both the song and the album we’re very successful and took Christina Aguilera to the top of the charts, I feel the video to beautiful does have a part to play in this success.
The video provokes emotion from viewers as it is easy for anyone to relate to at least one of the characters, showing how the characters in the video have overcome their battles and their unhappiness could give strength to people in the same position, this is a very bold message and one which is meant to help her fans as well as promoting the record.
3. Blink 182 - I Miss You
This video takes place in and around a haunted house. There are many different shots to focus on; which is why it’s very interesting to study. All of the shots come together to create a unique video with a classy feel to it. In my opinion the video is an even mix of performance, narrative and concept which is something I would like to mimic in the creation of my music video. The setting and mise en scene; for example the traditional costumes give the video an old fashioned feel, as if it were set in the past, this would link in with the lyrics and song title, “I miss you” which focus’s on events that are not in the present.
This music video is extremely different to all of Blink 182’s other video’s in that they are normally lively and modern, this mirrors the fact that the majority of Blink 182’s most successful songs are very upbeat, unlike “I miss you”. I believe the fact that both the video and the song are undeniable different from their usual material is one of the things that made it so successful, international. The target audience for this video would definitely be teenagers and older children, Blink 182 are not a band that appeal to an older, more adult audience, despite the more classy feel that “I miss you” has. The slapstick humour and immaturity of the band are what makes it appeal to younger people, however as the song and video are from 2004 the video may now appeal to older teens and young adults who were fans at the time of release.
The opening shot is at a low angle and shows a haunted house, this introduces the audience to the setting, it is captured during the night time which gives it a spooky and eyrie feel. The low angle makes the house look large and slightly threatening. As the beat of the music kicks in the lights in the house flash off and on to the beat. There is then a straight cut to the gardens of the house with a white ghost-like woman who slowly fades and disappears. The band are then seen walking towards the camera through thick smoke, the smoke adds to the spookiness and uncertainty of the video. The band are shown performing in a large, traditional room fitted with chandeliers and other luxuries. Throughout the video different characters are focused upon, there is a bald cat which features at various points during the video, this may be symbolic as people like to stroke cats fur and this cat has no fur, therefore is useless. Lesbians are also shown kissing, this has been done to show they are proud to be different and they shouldn’t have to be outcasts in society. Most of the shots fade into each other so two images are visible at the same time.
A lake outside of the house is used to feature flowers sinking, which may be symbolic of unrequited love as flowers are often given as a sign of affection and these flowers have been neglected. There is then a woman floating face down in the lake. She is shown launching herself into the water, touching upon the issue of suicide and self loath. One single flower is then pictured rising to the surface of the water, this is an ambiguous image which may be representative of many different things but could show that there is always hope. The lightening is all of the shots outside of the house is bring green, this may be to reflect nature as it is outdoors however I feel the links are more to do with jealousy and envy. Two massive spiders are pictured trying and failing to crawl up a dirty concrete wall, the significance of this may be to show even something that people often fear can be vulnerable. A woman is shown admiring herself in the mirror, as if she’s preparing herself for somebody she is attracted to, however her reflection is distorted showing multiple faces, could represent the fact there are many sides to a persons personality; “I miss you” may mean I miss a part of you which has seemed to disappear.
I particularly like how the video has been edited so that the shots cut between each other very fast and then fade into each other very slowly, these contrasting edits work very well together. I also like the manic expression that is on almost every characters face, as if they are desperate for something. Another interesting shot is a lady walking barefoot over shards of broken glass, though her expression remains happy. As the video comes to a close the haunted house is shown at a low angle once again and it fades out to black.
The video and song were released shortly before Blink 182 went on indefinite hiatus, the sombre mood and the lyrics of the song may have been a goodbye to the loyal fans of Blink 182.
4. Pink - Stupid Girls
This video is very lively with a lot of comedy in it, however behind the slapstick humour the artist is trying to send out a message and prove a point. The video is a mixture of narrative and concept based, the concept being to show that young girls should strive to be successful rather than to be beautiful or treat as possessions to men. Unusually there is no performance through out the whole music video.
In the video Pink dresses as a variety of different female stereotypes, also parodying many of her fellow female celebrities. There are a lot of different clips all of which show different characters, Pink portrays the materialistic, superficial woman of today as a negative image rather than a positive one. The mise en scene is extremely detailed in this video which helps to make it very watch-able, for each of the clips used the costumes are very precise, this is so that the viewer knows who Pink is parodying. Stereotypical props are used, such as bundles of shopping bags, Barbie dolls and designer labels.
There is an interval in the middle of the video where the vocals cut out and there is speech, Pink is parodying Paris Hilton, known as an “it girl” she is almost and icon and is exactly what Pink is trying to rebel against. This clip of speech shows Pink trying to make herself sick, addressing the issue of eating disorders amongst young girls and how thin celebrities can be such a bad influence upon this. There is a lot of intertextuality within this video, for the viewer to fully understand the video they must be aware of current issues and modern celebrities. There is reference to plastic surgery and the image of the “perfect woman”, as well as various female celebrities such as: Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Beyonce and Paris Hilton. No special effects are used through out the video however there are a lot of clever shots which are meant to provoke thought from the viewer, for example an above angle shot of the artist lying on a hospital table with alteration marks drawn on her as though she is about to under go surgery, I found this a very striking shot as the artist looks so perfect it makes you consider the lengths that women often feel forced to go to to fit in amongst modern society.
The opening shot of the video shows a little girl of about 7 or 8 watching Pink as all the different characters on the television, she is being influenced by them, however at the end of the video it cuts back to this shot and shows a pile of dolls and a football and the girl chooses to play with the football which proves that girls and women of all ages don’t need to be influenced by the stereotypical bimbo. In many of Pink’s previous video’s she has parodied both herself and others, the “stupid girls” video is of the same music video genre and gives the artist a certain unique style.
I think the target audience for this video would be younger teenage girls of about 11-17 years. This is who Pink is trying to get the message across to, as she’s trying to prevent them from conforming to this image. I think perhaps she is also trying to send out a message to the women she is parodying, to show them what a bad example they are sending out to their fans. In my opinion she has been successful in doing this, as a consumer and a viewer who falls into the target audience I feel that the video has had a positive effect upon me.
5. No Doubt - Just a Girl
No doubt’s music video to “Just a girl” is predominantly concept based with performance integrated into this. The aim of the video is to send out a positive message about women. The video deals with gender stereotypes and almost parodies them to prove they or often very untrue.
No Doubt are a 3rd wave ska band from the USA, aspects of the music video show the audience their genre, such as the costumes worn by the band and the trumpets which are shown being loaded into the car. During the opening of this video the males are shown carrying heavy instruments, including the trumpet which is typical of a ska band. Meanwhile Gwen Stefani is shown standing in front of a badly damaged car, conforming to the stereotype that female drivers are careless. Also low angle shots of the men make them appear powerful. The opening has very dull weather, this is known as pathetic fallacy as it reflects the mood of the video, separation and sexism. Low saturation used on the footage helps to emphasis this.
My favourite part of this music video is where there are many fast cuts between different male and female toilet signs, as well as being effective and outlining the concept of the video this is also an introduction to the setting of the video, which are public water closets. The male members of the band are shown performing in a men’s toilet, whilst Gwen Stefani, the lead vocalist is shown performing in a ladies toilet. The mise en scene of these two separate rooms is meant to reflect gender stereotypes. The male toilets shown are dirty, dark and dull however the band performing in here are very active and lively and surrounded by an upbeat audience. The female toilet is very clean and vibrant and is empty except from two female assistants. This setting helps to separate Gwen, the female vocalist from the rest of her band, showing her being singled out is a strong image. The two rooms are very contrasting. When No Doubt enters their two separate rooms the males are shown setting up band equipment, whilst Stefani is only standing gazing around the room, conforming to stereotypes that men are active and women are passive.
The music video is diagetic to the song lyrics as it is all based upon women not being treat in the same way as men. The idea of the video is to show Stefani as a strong woman who can be “one of the lads”, this should send a positive message to younger female fans. Stereotypical females are parodied by showing Stefani posing with a flower. Different women are shown applying make-up and preening themselves in the mirror. Gwen Stefani’s deep red lipstick and bright blonde hair are both symbols of womanhood which parody the stereotypical female, but also help to show her as a strong, powerful, individual woman. Extreme close up on her face also helps to do this.
At the end of the video both genders mix and the band can all play together with their audience, this is the situation resolved, a message to the viewer that sexism doesn’t have to apply, this shows the band in a positive light and gives power to Gwen Stefani, the female vocalist.
I believe this video has a wide target audience, it was released in 1995, at the time appealing to mostly young people aged 14-25, however as No Doubt is a 3rd wave ska band it would also have been popular with older fans of ska music giving it a pretty wide target audience. 14 years later it could still be popular with young people as well as older fans who’ve liked No Doubt since their early days.
The video to Nirvana’s “Come as you Are” is performance based with a lot of concept based elements however there is no running narrative through the video. It features the iconic image of the baby swimming in water used on the cover of their most successful album “Nevermind”, which to many represents the grunge era. The video has a sinister feel to it, with the theme of water running through out. The water could be representative of many different things to different viewers however I feel it represents the feeling of drowning and being completely dependant.
The video begins with an extreme close up of a gun sinking in water with a bright light beaming down into the water, this is a classic shot with works really well alongside the opening riff, this shot is repeated at intervals throughout the video and is echoed through the lyrics “No I don’t have a gun”. As the vocals kick in Kurt Cobain is shown singing behind a sheet of running water, he is standing very still, almost looking paralysed in contrast to a lot of artists who appear extremely lively when performing. A disabled dog with a neck brace is shown trying to walk down the stairs which adds to the dark feel of the video.
The mise en scene used is very specific through out the video, the band are playing in a derelict mansion with luxury fittings which have been destroyed by the flooding water. Cobain is shown swinging from an elaborate chandelier which comes with connotations of rebellion. Blue spotlights have been used throughout the video which mirrors the theme of water also the hue of the video has been edited as the two main visible colours are blue and red, these two colours are contrasting which gives the video an unusual feel, it reminds me of the sensations of hot and cold alongside each other. This may have been the desired effect as in the beginning of the video Cobain is sitting in a ring of candles with running water emerging from behind, this mirrors the hot and cold effect.
A lot of the shots have been overlapped so that you can see the previous shot fading through the current one, this helps to link all the different parts of the video and give it a steady flow. Cobain’s face is shown in extreme close up however it has been distorted so that vertical slices of his face appear larger than others. My favourite shot and also the most well known one is the baby chasing after the dollar note underwater. The note is attached to a fishing rod which likens money to the human bate, this is Nirvana trying to prove a point and possibly rebel against materialism. I feel this shot links into the shot of the disabled dog as its trying to show how close the link between humans and animals really is.
The target audience for this video is extremely broad, at the time of release it would’ve appealed mostly to the younger generation however as time has passed it has been handed down to the next generation and remained extremely popular, a lot of people can relate to Nirvana and those who were fans during their peak will still watch and enjoy Nirvana’s music video’s today. I feel the video to “Come as you Are” has been extremely successful and has undoubtedly contributed to the success of “Nevermind” which to this day has remained a classic.
2. Christina Aguilera - Beautiful
The music video to Beautiful is predominantly narrative based with elements of performance. The video is aiming to send out a message to it’s audience, this message is complimented by the lyrics and mood of the song. The video focus’s on 6 main characters, all of whom overcome battles with themselves. The video is meant to give hope to viewers who may be feeling insecure or alone, this means that is could be aimed at a very wide and diverse audience however I feel it is mostly aimed at young people and minority groups due to the fact that the characters highlighted are mostly young and portrayed as “outcasts”, the video also shows homosexuality, transvestites and teenagers with body issues.
The video begins with an extreme close up of Christina Aguilera’s face, she then sings “Don’t look at me” and turns her head away from the camera, the video is diegetic to the lyrics of her song, I feel this is a very bold opening shot which would draw the audience in to carry on watching the video. There is then a straight cut to a young boy lying on the floor, the camera angle here is unusual as it shows the character from below, this would usually give the character a strong and powerful appearance however in this case he seems very vulnerable, which is enhanced by his facial expression. There is then a straight cut back to the extreme close up of the artist and then to an image of a dead sunflower, the fact that the flower is dead is symbolic of the depressed and alone emotions which all the characters are feeling in the video to begin with. There are then cuts to various other characters, all of whom are sitting alone in their underwear looking vulnerable and unhappy. The camera then zooms out from Christina Aguilera’s face to show her sitting on the floor in a damp empty room. The mise en scene here is bold and representative of depression and feeling alone. There are newspapers over the windows so the light is blocked from coming into the room which I feel could be representative of a persons mind. The artist appears very small in such a big, open space. There are cuts from lots of different shots which are very quick showing pain and emotion in all the different people, as the video progresses in each shot the mood becomes a lot happier. There is a very striking shot of a man who is dressing as a woman, he is shown half dressed with a bra and makeup on although he has a bald head and a mans body, he looks very unusual which is the point of the video to get across the message that different doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The man in the shot looks very determined as if he wants to prove something to the world. As the video ends all 6 characters are shown smiling which shows their problems have been resolved.
In the performance based shots, Christina Aguilera seems to be putting a lot of emotion into singing, this helps to portray her as being a caring person who understands, whilst this could be supportive to unhappy fans this would also attract new fans who would feel that they can relate to her and therefore like her music. I like the way a mirror has been used which Christina is singing into, the mirror is used as a prop throughout the video showing the characters looking into it. At the end of the video there is a straight cut back to a sunflower but this time it is in full bloom, a much happier image than the dead sunflower shown at the beginning of the video. This is something that I would be interested in using in my own music video.
No special effects are used in the video, I feel the simplicity adds to the overall effect of the video, this would be detracted from had special effects been used. Both the song and the album we’re very successful and took Christina Aguilera to the top of the charts, I feel the video to beautiful does have a part to play in this success.
The video provokes emotion from viewers as it is easy for anyone to relate to at least one of the characters, showing how the characters in the video have overcome their battles and their unhappiness could give strength to people in the same position, this is a very bold message and one which is meant to help her fans as well as promoting the record.
3. Blink 182 - I Miss You
This video takes place in and around a haunted house. There are many different shots to focus on; which is why it’s very interesting to study. All of the shots come together to create a unique video with a classy feel to it. In my opinion the video is an even mix of performance, narrative and concept which is something I would like to mimic in the creation of my music video. The setting and mise en scene; for example the traditional costumes give the video an old fashioned feel, as if it were set in the past, this would link in with the lyrics and song title, “I miss you” which focus’s on events that are not in the present.
This music video is extremely different to all of Blink 182’s other video’s in that they are normally lively and modern, this mirrors the fact that the majority of Blink 182’s most successful songs are very upbeat, unlike “I miss you”. I believe the fact that both the video and the song are undeniable different from their usual material is one of the things that made it so successful, international. The target audience for this video would definitely be teenagers and older children, Blink 182 are not a band that appeal to an older, more adult audience, despite the more classy feel that “I miss you” has. The slapstick humour and immaturity of the band are what makes it appeal to younger people, however as the song and video are from 2004 the video may now appeal to older teens and young adults who were fans at the time of release.
The opening shot is at a low angle and shows a haunted house, this introduces the audience to the setting, it is captured during the night time which gives it a spooky and eyrie feel. The low angle makes the house look large and slightly threatening. As the beat of the music kicks in the lights in the house flash off and on to the beat. There is then a straight cut to the gardens of the house with a white ghost-like woman who slowly fades and disappears. The band are then seen walking towards the camera through thick smoke, the smoke adds to the spookiness and uncertainty of the video. The band are shown performing in a large, traditional room fitted with chandeliers and other luxuries. Throughout the video different characters are focused upon, there is a bald cat which features at various points during the video, this may be symbolic as people like to stroke cats fur and this cat has no fur, therefore is useless. Lesbians are also shown kissing, this has been done to show they are proud to be different and they shouldn’t have to be outcasts in society. Most of the shots fade into each other so two images are visible at the same time.
A lake outside of the house is used to feature flowers sinking, which may be symbolic of unrequited love as flowers are often given as a sign of affection and these flowers have been neglected. There is then a woman floating face down in the lake. She is shown launching herself into the water, touching upon the issue of suicide and self loath. One single flower is then pictured rising to the surface of the water, this is an ambiguous image which may be representative of many different things but could show that there is always hope. The lightening is all of the shots outside of the house is bring green, this may be to reflect nature as it is outdoors however I feel the links are more to do with jealousy and envy. Two massive spiders are pictured trying and failing to crawl up a dirty concrete wall, the significance of this may be to show even something that people often fear can be vulnerable. A woman is shown admiring herself in the mirror, as if she’s preparing herself for somebody she is attracted to, however her reflection is distorted showing multiple faces, could represent the fact there are many sides to a persons personality; “I miss you” may mean I miss a part of you which has seemed to disappear.
I particularly like how the video has been edited so that the shots cut between each other very fast and then fade into each other very slowly, these contrasting edits work very well together. I also like the manic expression that is on almost every characters face, as if they are desperate for something. Another interesting shot is a lady walking barefoot over shards of broken glass, though her expression remains happy. As the video comes to a close the haunted house is shown at a low angle once again and it fades out to black.
The video and song were released shortly before Blink 182 went on indefinite hiatus, the sombre mood and the lyrics of the song may have been a goodbye to the loyal fans of Blink 182.
4. Pink - Stupid Girls
This video is very lively with a lot of comedy in it, however behind the slapstick humour the artist is trying to send out a message and prove a point. The video is a mixture of narrative and concept based, the concept being to show that young girls should strive to be successful rather than to be beautiful or treat as possessions to men. Unusually there is no performance through out the whole music video.
In the video Pink dresses as a variety of different female stereotypes, also parodying many of her fellow female celebrities. There are a lot of different clips all of which show different characters, Pink portrays the materialistic, superficial woman of today as a negative image rather than a positive one. The mise en scene is extremely detailed in this video which helps to make it very watch-able, for each of the clips used the costumes are very precise, this is so that the viewer knows who Pink is parodying. Stereotypical props are used, such as bundles of shopping bags, Barbie dolls and designer labels.
There is an interval in the middle of the video where the vocals cut out and there is speech, Pink is parodying Paris Hilton, known as an “it girl” she is almost and icon and is exactly what Pink is trying to rebel against. This clip of speech shows Pink trying to make herself sick, addressing the issue of eating disorders amongst young girls and how thin celebrities can be such a bad influence upon this. There is a lot of intertextuality within this video, for the viewer to fully understand the video they must be aware of current issues and modern celebrities. There is reference to plastic surgery and the image of the “perfect woman”, as well as various female celebrities such as: Jessica Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Beyonce and Paris Hilton. No special effects are used through out the video however there are a lot of clever shots which are meant to provoke thought from the viewer, for example an above angle shot of the artist lying on a hospital table with alteration marks drawn on her as though she is about to under go surgery, I found this a very striking shot as the artist looks so perfect it makes you consider the lengths that women often feel forced to go to to fit in amongst modern society.
The opening shot of the video shows a little girl of about 7 or 8 watching Pink as all the different characters on the television, she is being influenced by them, however at the end of the video it cuts back to this shot and shows a pile of dolls and a football and the girl chooses to play with the football which proves that girls and women of all ages don’t need to be influenced by the stereotypical bimbo. In many of Pink’s previous video’s she has parodied both herself and others, the “stupid girls” video is of the same music video genre and gives the artist a certain unique style.
I think the target audience for this video would be younger teenage girls of about 11-17 years. This is who Pink is trying to get the message across to, as she’s trying to prevent them from conforming to this image. I think perhaps she is also trying to send out a message to the women she is parodying, to show them what a bad example they are sending out to their fans. In my opinion she has been successful in doing this, as a consumer and a viewer who falls into the target audience I feel that the video has had a positive effect upon me.
5. No Doubt - Just a Girl
No doubt’s music video to “Just a girl” is predominantly concept based with performance integrated into this. The aim of the video is to send out a positive message about women. The video deals with gender stereotypes and almost parodies them to prove they or often very untrue.
No Doubt are a 3rd wave ska band from the USA, aspects of the music video show the audience their genre, such as the costumes worn by the band and the trumpets which are shown being loaded into the car. During the opening of this video the males are shown carrying heavy instruments, including the trumpet which is typical of a ska band. Meanwhile Gwen Stefani is shown standing in front of a badly damaged car, conforming to the stereotype that female drivers are careless. Also low angle shots of the men make them appear powerful. The opening has very dull weather, this is known as pathetic fallacy as it reflects the mood of the video, separation and sexism. Low saturation used on the footage helps to emphasis this.
My favourite part of this music video is where there are many fast cuts between different male and female toilet signs, as well as being effective and outlining the concept of the video this is also an introduction to the setting of the video, which are public water closets. The male members of the band are shown performing in a men’s toilet, whilst Gwen Stefani, the lead vocalist is shown performing in a ladies toilet. The mise en scene of these two separate rooms is meant to reflect gender stereotypes. The male toilets shown are dirty, dark and dull however the band performing in here are very active and lively and surrounded by an upbeat audience. The female toilet is very clean and vibrant and is empty except from two female assistants. This setting helps to separate Gwen, the female vocalist from the rest of her band, showing her being singled out is a strong image. The two rooms are very contrasting. When No Doubt enters their two separate rooms the males are shown setting up band equipment, whilst Stefani is only standing gazing around the room, conforming to stereotypes that men are active and women are passive.
The music video is diagetic to the song lyrics as it is all based upon women not being treat in the same way as men. The idea of the video is to show Stefani as a strong woman who can be “one of the lads”, this should send a positive message to younger female fans. Stereotypical females are parodied by showing Stefani posing with a flower. Different women are shown applying make-up and preening themselves in the mirror. Gwen Stefani’s deep red lipstick and bright blonde hair are both symbols of womanhood which parody the stereotypical female, but also help to show her as a strong, powerful, individual woman. Extreme close up on her face also helps to do this.
At the end of the video both genders mix and the band can all play together with their audience, this is the situation resolved, a message to the viewer that sexism doesn’t have to apply, this shows the band in a positive light and gives power to Gwen Stefani, the female vocalist.
I believe this video has a wide target audience, it was released in 1995, at the time appealing to mostly young people aged 14-25, however as No Doubt is a 3rd wave ska band it would also have been popular with older fans of ska music giving it a pretty wide target audience. 14 years later it could still be popular with young people as well as older fans who’ve liked No Doubt since their early days.
Anotated Lyrics
To give us a better idea of what we wanted to happen and when we want it to happen we have anotated the lyrics of the song, giving a brief outline of what will happen in our music video:
Mood Board
As a visual aid to go alongside our initial ideas we created a mood board including images that inspire and influence us:
Song (Conspiracy - Paramore)
This is the song that we have chosen for our music video. We chose it for several different reasons which are outlined on our powerpoint presentation.
Conspiracy:
Conspiracy:
Wednesday 23 September 2009
Planning Timetable
Time management will be important during the course of my A02 media project, as a group we have come up with this timetable which includes tasks which much be done induvidually as well as group tasks. This timetable takes us up until 23rd September and the end of the planning stage. All work for the planning of our music video has been included in this timetable:
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