Music Video Assesment

I have assesed three music videos made by gcse students.

The first one that i assesed was a song by N Dubz, Ouch. I have assesed it to be a level 3 because the shot transistions are good and the costume fitted the genre. They used the conventions using the jewellery, outfits. To improve they need to have better lighting and add more scenes to show narrative.

The second one that i assesed was a song by Martine Mcutcheon, perfect moment. I gave this a level 3 because there was good steady shots and good editing skills.
To improve they need more narrative and could add flashbacks and smoother cuts.

The third one that i assesed was Mariah Carey, Bye Bye. I assesed this video to be a level 2/3 as the flashbacks were good. To improve the shots need to be steady and need need to make sure people dont walk in on the filming. It is not in sync and the shots were not steady. To improve they need to be more careful when filming to exclude unappropiate elements.

Targets

I have been given four targets to improve my blog.

1. Analyse music video

2. Test shots

3. Roles & Responsibilities

4. Add flickr

Production

1. High angle shots

Reflective Writing

To help me with my media product i have done many things for research.

At first i listed the usual codes & conventions of a magazine advertisemet, a cd cover, and a music video.

I wanted to get more detailed codes and conventions of these so first i analysed cd covers. I need to analyse one more cd cover with a ft artist as this fits what we are doing, (Storm ft Mike).

I then went on to analysing websites. Although are group are sure we are not going to make a website, just cd cover, and a advertisement in a magzine i still thought it would be useful towards my project if i researched into them.

I have analysed one music video which realy helps as it is a female singer ft a male artist which matched our song type. However i will be analysing another music video to make the codes & conventions more clear and help me know what i want to aim for in making our music video.

For my audience and representation research i have made a diagram of common stereotypes so we can focus on targeting the right audience to match our genre. I will be doing a questionnaire to find out what our target audience like and dislike and what they would expect from RnB artists.

I have wrote about the different theories and linked them to my media product.

Me and my group have planned and set ideas for our cd cover, advertisement & music video.
I found all this very useful as it helped me and my group plan and storyboard for our final music video.
Currently we are working to finish the editing, we have finished the magazine advertisement & the album cover is finished.

The music video has been edited to black and white to give more of a dramatic effect.

At first we were just going to make the studio shots black and white but in some of themare performing which we dont think will have the effect we wanted. So we have changed the whole video to a black & white effect.

Media Forms, Analysis & Images

Decoding & Encoding

As consumers we have learned to read a ‘media language.’ (decode)
Decoding is the way that we read and understand things as viewers.
We decode signs in the same way that we decode a language.
Encoding is the process used for recognition & interpretation.

As producers we are expected to encode with ideologies and codes and conventions to fit our genre. McMahon And Quinns study (1998) think that texts are encoded by three different forms, these are; technical, symbolic and written.

We are going to encode our video using different angle shots to portray the abuser and victim. These need to be clear so that viewers are able to decode. We will use different camera & angle shots such as high angle shots to emphasise the victim and there vulnerability and low angle shots showing the abuser and their power over the victim. We will use extreme close ups and to show clearer emotions and 2 shots showing the relationship. We want the viewers to decode this understanding the idea of domestic violence / abuse.
We will have a shot of the victim being punched in the face. We will show a fist coming towards the victims face and then cut to a shot of her showing crying emotions which avoids any actual violence being seen but will still be effective.
Just like the conventions of a music video we will use performing shots and narrative.

Semiotics
Denotation: What can I see?
Connotation: What does this signify?

Semiotics is the theory and study of signs and symbols.
From our video we want viewers to be able to read the signs and symbols clearly.
eg. in our music video we are showing performing act of a fist coming towards the victim.
The fist becomes a sign. The actual fist coming towards the face is the signifier. This signifies violence.


Iconic signs: which actually look like what they represent.
Symbolic/arbitrary signs: which have a meaning that must be culturally learned because they don’t actually look like what they represent.
Indexical signs: which have a connection to what they represent and are suggestive rather than directly resembling what they represent.

Our video should show more iconic signs as they are clear and simple to recognise what the actions and shots represent.

Intertextuality

Ideas. The Music Video

The Music Video

Step By Step
At the beginning of the music video there is 34 second instrumental. In this time gap the ideas so far is to have the rapper ( Mike ) and the singer ( Storm ). Between the two of them there is going to be straight cuts of them both.


The filming is going to consist of filming storm and filming mike for 4-5 minutes in the same place. Either looking down, walking away from the camera walking towards the camera. we can then edited the film so that they fit into the slots.


Places to film
Town,
Centre by the fountains,
Steps. (sitting down)
Sat on grass
Storm led on the floor looking into the camera.
Mike stood in the door way of a run down place.
School
Studio,
On the field, by the trees.
Also on the sofas on the photography room.


We are also going to film the Storm getting hit ( not real ) and then her upset, sad, crying.
This will also be used in the instrumentals and Chorus.


The Chorus is 1-18 mins long.
this will need to include Storm as the main character because she will be singing. we think the filming of this should be of her and flash backs. i think that the editing should be straight cuts.
there is also a second intro which is 1-42 at 1-53 long.
And also a third intro which is 10 seconds long.
Mike comes in the song at 3.35 and then he finishes at 4.42.
we are going to film mike is the studio against the white and the black background we are then going to edit it by adding in different clips of him walking and sitting down rapping.


The end of the music video
The duration of the song is 5.30 mins longs.
The film is going to end with Mike & Storm at the end with mikes arm over her shoulder.
We still need to decide on a few places to film. We think that once we start doing our story boards and start filming everything will come together.

Ideas. Magazine Advertisement

Magazine Advertisement

Images
Mid 2 Shot of Storm & Mike
Close up of Storm (main artist)
Smaller Picture of Mike in Background
The Album Cover

Setting
Inside: In school, In photography Studio, use of different drops.
Outside: Weather conditions (Rain, Cloudy, Sunny), Walking, Sitting, Park, Quiet atmosphere.

Text
Artist name, Album name, Release Date, Featuring songs, Upcoming events

Ideas. Album Cover

Album Cover

Shots

2 Shot of Storm and Mike, together.

2 Shot of Storm and Mike, one at front, one behind slightly out of focus looking smaller.

Close up of storm, text 'ft Mike / Genesis.

Background/Setting

Studio, black or white backdrop.
All one colour, this will send more focus to the images of the artists.
A picture background, which allows viewers to portray the artists & know more about the album.

Props:
Jewellery, Microphone/Headphones

Colours

Black, Red, White, Gold

Text

Artist name large across the whole width of cover, with the 'ft mike' just below

The artist name and ft name together at bottom of page.

Bold text, Coloured text, make sure it stands out from the background.

Little Young Girl - Storm Ft Genesis

This song is about a girl who gets abused. This is a very moving song and very emotional. Enjoy!

Theories

Genre Theory

Media text tend to fit in to specific genres, for example films can be classified as romance, comedy, horror and many more. Tv shows and Music can also be sorted into genres for example sitcom, quiz show, soap etc and rnb, pop and rap etc.

John Fiske, a media theorist stated that 'any one programme will bear the main characteristics of its genre, it it is likely to include some others'.

This is known as a 'sub-genre'. An example of this is rom-com (romantic comedy) and slasher which is a sub genre of a horror film.

In music videos i think that they are very generic, meaning they all follow one formula.

Audience Theory

'All the worlds a stage, all the men and all the women merely players'.

Some people seen media audience as being easily manipulated. Masses of people who can be persuaded to buy products through advertising or to follow corrupt leaders through propaganda.

Do you think media separates us or brings us closer together?

I think most media activities now are done alone, which separates us, such as social networking sites, mobile phones, email etc. Media such as cinema, or shows brings us closer together as you wouldn't go on your own.

Herbert Blumer 1950 - Sociologist.

Hypodermic Syringe

Media is like a syringe which injects ideas, attitudes, beliefs into audience who, as a mass audience has very little choice but to be influenced. Music videos do not usually have a age ban on it, as it is available to see by anyone. To help prevent this theory from being too effective we are going to make sure we can portray the violence clearly so viewers can decode but not show any physical violence and just use cuts to show what has happend as they would encode was going to happen but not showing it. Our video will not be able to leave a set image of violence as it is how the audience decode it.

The Culmination Theory

One media text does not have too much effect, years and years of watching more violence, so will make you less sensitive to violence. Our video is not a violent video as it doesnt show any actual violence just the intentions that the victim is being abused by the type of the shots we show. Our video is portrayed more as a recognisation that domestic abuse is happening and the bad effects. The scenes of violece shots will be 'ubtle'.

Two Step Flow

'Masses' will experience media individually but once discussion about what they have watched with others will influence peoples opinions / behaviours. People directly influence eachother.

Uses & Gratification

We make choices about what we want to watch & have expectations; we expect to be gratified by what we watch (being satisfied).

There are five different types

1. Information

2. Entertainment

3. Personal Identity

4. Social

5. Escapism

We will match Andrew Goodmans Theory: We have decided that our music video is going to contain some visual interpretations for example we are going to include some 'subtle' scenes of domestic violence to match the lyrics.

Audience Research

The type of genre that my music fits into is RnB. I am going to need to do audience research to find out what our target audience like and dislike and what they would expect from RnB artists. There are many ways to find this information out such as, Questionnaires, Interviews, Focus Groups etc.

Questionnaires are quick and easy but they will only gove quantative research. However if i choose to do my Audience Research through a Focus Group then i can get qualative research which will give me a better view and understanding of the audiences feedback.

I think the audience that we target are going to be young male/females who are into rap and RnB. If i was to stereotype people, I do not think that the stereotyped groups such as emos, goths or skaters will be into this type of music. However i think the stereotyped groups such as chavs, rappers, indie style will like this type of music. I think that anyone from the ages 15 - 30 would listen to this type of music.

Here are some common stereotypes :

Music Videos

Music Video 1.
Knock You Down. Keri Hilson ft Kanye West & NeYo.



In this video there is a female artist and two male artists who rap and sing. This is very similar to the artists and their music productions that we will use for are project.

The beginning of this video is very unconventional as it appears with the title and the artists names. As it shows Keri Hilsons name, the main artist first, the background fades to an ariel shot of her falling above a bed and the other artist names appear over the top in a bright green. It then fades into a midshot where we watch from the side of Keri Hilson fall down in slow motion. It then fades into a close up shot of Keri Hilson when she is led down. She has her eyes closed and then opens them and makes direct contact with the camera and the audience focus. As the music beat kicks in we see a shot of Kanye West who is looking down and looks up as he raps. We see a series of mid shots and close ups of Kanye West as he does some moves. During these series of shots we have a quick two shot of Keri Hilson holding Kanye West from behind. We also see the first shot that opened the video of the artist falling and then a low angle shot of Keri Hilson on that bed that we first saw and the window and the light that was in the two shot as she starts to sing.

Representations

My genre is RnB and contains a Male Rap artist and a Female RnB artist.
The common stereotypes for RnB artists are rich, have tattoos, involved in street crime, gangs, drugs.

Analysing Websites

Rihanna
http://rihannanow.com/index2.php

Rihannas main colour scheme for her website are silver and green. There is also a large silver / grey triangle centred in the middle of the screen which is outlined in a white. Infront of this triangle a series of images individually appear showing Rihanna in different outfits which also appear on her album covers. She is very centralised and looks very sexy and attracts the viewers. The Viewers attention also focuses on her new album that is promoted on her page and at the top of the page she has a playlist where viewers can listen to any of Rihannas song from her albums.
She has many links such as an 'about' page to find out about her, a 'store' page where you can purchase items and a 'tour' page etc.
Throughout her website, on all of her pages there is one image of her that stays at the left side of the page. She has a direct address to the audience and her stripey top clashes with the green, rain effect background.

Neyo
http://www.yearofthegentleman.com/

The main colours used on this website are browns and grey. They give a very dull and hidden effect.
There is a big main header at the top of the page with a photo Neyo against the brown background. The photo doesn’t show Neyo clearly however just shows the lower half of his face as he is shown tipping his hat forward in a smart outfit. This photo stands out and almost looks like he is looking down the page.

Also on the header there is a photo and caption advertising Neyo’s new album.
Just underneath the header there is a smaller header of links including blog, videos, photos, events and more.

There is not an enter page for his website however it is just a very busy layout. It contains videos of Neyo’s live performances, videos from the studio. It also shows two films that are out featuring three of Neyo’s new singles.
There is also a photo album of Neyo at the bottom of the page.

Down the right hand side of the page it has Neyo’s new video and also has links to the most popular videos, photos and blogs. This side of the page is more available for public comments and views as there is an Ustream (slideshow) of related videos and a Ustream chat for the viewers along with a membership access. There is a twitter link and link to Neyo’s profile so you can follow him.

This website is very busy looking but with all the videos and comments it doesn’t look as dull as I thought it was going to look when I first entered the website.

Codes & Conventions

Codes & Conventions Of An Album Cover For An R'n'B Artist:
Shots- Mid Shots, Two Shots, Closeups, High/Low Angle
Colours- Black & White, Golds, Red, Blue
Text- Artist Name, Album Title, Song Titles
Images - Artist, Logo
Props- Headphones, Microphone, Chair, Jewellery

Codes & Conventions Of A Website:
Shots: Closeup, Mid shot, Long Shot, Two Shot
Colours: Black & White, Red, Blue
Text: Hyperlinks, Artists Name, Advertising The Latest Album
Images: Of The Artist, Of The Latest Album

Codes And Conventions Of Advertisement Poster:
Shots: Closeup, Mid Shot, Long Shot, Two Shot
Colours: Black & White, Red, Blue
Text: Artist Name, Album Name, Details About Album
Images: Of Artist, Of The Album

Codes And Conventions of RnB Music Video:

Shots: Close up, Mid Shot, Long Shot, Two Shot, Low Angle - This makes the rapper look scary and in control.

Colours: Colourful, Black and white scene if there singing about love stories or flash backs.

Text: no text.

Editing: Jump And Straight cuts. Mainly jump cuts.

Codes And Conventions of Rap Music Video:

Shots: Close up, Mid shot, Long shot, Two Shot, Low Angle, Ariel Shot.

Colours: Black & White, High contrast in colours.

Text: No Text

Editing: Very snappy film, switch between shots very quickly. Jump and straight cuts. Mainly Straight cuts

Cast: Mainly male. Gangs and gangster's

Props: Fire, Guns, Knifes, Jewerlly - living the high life.

Album Covers

Album Cover 1. Rihanna
There is a long shot of Rihanna who is posing and leaning across the front cover. She is in a white dress which could convey her innocence however the dark shadows behind her body show a darker side as if she is hiding something. This can relate to the title, 'good girl gone bad'. Although the colours are in black and white we can still see that the way she is posing shows alot of flesh and and she looks very seductive. She looks straight at the consumer giving direct address and makes it more personal. The lighting behind her body is darker and there is light which highlights the front side down her body. Overall the cover is quite minimal so the image of Rihanna is the main focus.



Album Cover 2. Lily Allen
There is a mid shot of Lily Allen who stands out on the front cover infront of the busy background and seems to be posing on a push bike. The push bike, like the rest of the background is dull colours with patterns and shapes and has a more lively and cartoon effect. The title of the album is set to look like in the background of the picture effect created and is in bold red writing to stand out. Her name is positioned in bold slanted writing oulined in a white and almost looks like a speech bubble. Lily allen is portrayed to look feminine in her dress and dramatic jewellery but looks more bolder sat on a bike which isnt very lady like.

Album Cover 3. Leona Lewis This is a close up of Leona and she takes up the whole of the front cover. She has a lot of light on her face and big curly hair. She wears subtle makeup and outlines her eyes, looking very feminine. She looks straight at the consumer giving direct address. At the bottom it gives the name of the album cover, 'spirit' and by the shades around her eyes they look innocent and deep.

Album 4. Mario This is a close up of Mario which takes up the cover. In this photo Mario is wearing white which could be symbolising his wealth,as he seems to be wearing a jacket / shirt with a black tie. By the way he is positioned, his hands are up against his face. By wearing dark shades it seems to be he is hiding behind them & makes the viewers curious. The main colors used are white, and then his name is clearly highlighted in a bold yellow. The name of his album is not so clear as it is white and smaller than his name but still visible. This cover is simple but inviting as we are attracted by the positioning and curiousity.

Practical Production

A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three option:

1. A website homepage for the band.
2. A cover for its release on DVD.
3. A magazine advertisement for the DVD.


Course Work Research[1]

A magazine advertisement for the CD

Release Date
Where it is available from
Photo of Artist / Band
Name of CD
Photo of CD

A cover for its release on CD

Female
Male
Colour
Style
Song Title
Effects
Artisit / Group Name
Album Name

A website homepage for the band

Calender
Tour Dates
Games
Music Video
Online Shop
Photo Gallery
Biographies
Hyperlinks
Downloads
Interview
Female Bands
Upcoming Albums

This is Kayla and Kayleigh ;)
We will be working together to create a music video, cd cover and a magazine advertisement.

This is Mike, who features in the song 'Little Young Girl' along with the main singer Storm. We intend to use this song or other of his own music productions for our project.