2. Music Video
Since cinema was invented it created the
ability to bring songs and music to life.
Advances in technology have transformed
the music video into what it is today.
3. The early years
Surprisingly, music videos have been around since
the 1920s
Many Jazz musicians of the time, such as Bessie
Smith, made short films to accompany popular
songs
Bessie Smith
4. Pop Music TV Shows
1970: The record industry discovers TV-
Shows as a great opportunity to
promote their artists
This developed into a focus on producing
short "Promos", early music videos which
started to replace the live performance of
the artist on the TV-stage in the 1980s
1981 = The birth of MTV
5. Bohemian Rhapsody
1975: Bohemian Rhapsody a groundbreaking
video released by Queen marked the beginning of
the video era and set the language for the
modern music video. The video is considered one
of the first to use advanced visual effects
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=27342871
6. Goodwin’s Music Video Analysis
Andrew Goodwin writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction
Factory’ (Routledge 1992)
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
(e.g. stage performance in rock video, dance routine.
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals
7. Goodwin’s Music Video Analysis
4. The demands of the record label will
include the need for lots of close ups of the
artist and the artist may develop motifs
which recur across their work (a visual style).
5. There is frequently reference to notion of
looking (screens within screens, telescopes,
etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of
the female body.
6. There is often intertextual reference (to
films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).
8. Intertextuality and Cinema
It is perhaps not surprising that so many
music videos draw upon cinema as a
starting point, since their directors are
often film school graduates looking to
move on eventually to the film industry
itself.
9. Directors Who Started With Music
Video Include:
David Fincher: Madonna Vogue and
(Se7en) Express Yourself.
Spike Jonze: Fatboy Slim Praise You
(Where the wild things were)
Michael Gondry: Bjork, Foo Fighters
(Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind)
10. Intertextuality
It is perhaps not surprising that so many
music videos draw upon cinema as a
starting point, since their directors are
often film school graduates looking to
move on eventually to the film industry
itself.
13. Madonna Material Girl
The intertextual
image is not
necessarily of
Monroe, but of the
Hollywood archetype
of the sexy blonde
who uses her looks to
get what she wants.
14. Intertextuality and Film
There are many examples of cinematic
references which dominate music video.
2Pac and Dr Dre’s ‘California Love’ (Hype
Williams 1996) is similar to the Cowboy /
Sci fi action adventure film ‘Mad Max’
California Love music video
15. Intertextuality and Television
Television is often a point of reference too:
The Beastie Boys’ spoof cop show titles
sequence for Sabotage (Spike Jonze
1994)
Sabotage by The Beatie Boys
REMs recent news show parody ‘Bad
Day’ (Tim Hope 2003).
REM Bad Day
16. Intertextuality in Video Games
The influence of video games will predominate
for the younger audience with the more
plasticised look of characters emerging:
Robbie Williams’ ‘
Let Love be your Energy’ dir. Olly Reed
2001
The Red Hot Chilli Peppers ‘
Californication’dir.Jonathan Dayton and
Valerie Faris 2000)
17. Intertextuality
Robbie Williams Let Love Be
Your Energy ( 2001)
Linkin Park Breaking The
Habit (2003)
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Californication 1999
18. Intertextuality in Fashion and
Photography
Visual reference in music video come from a
range of sources, though the three most
frequent are perhaps cinema, fashion and art
photography.
Fashion sometimes takes the form of specific
catwalk references and sometimes even the use
of supermodels, as by George Michael in both
‘Father Figure’(Morahan/Michael 1988) and
‘Freedom’ (Fincher 1990).
20. Intertextuality in Fashion and
Photography
Probably the most memorable example of
reference to fashion photography is
Robert Palmer’s ‘Addicted to Love’
(Donovan 1986), parodied many times for
its use of mannequin style females in the
band fronted by a besuited Palmer.
Addicted to love
I Feel Like a Woman
Shania Twain copied it for her ‘Man I feel
like a woman’ (Paul Boyd 1999) and
Tamra Davis directed a $350 parody of it
for Tone Loc’s ‘Wild Thing’ (1988).
21. Intertextuality
John Stuart’s description of the music video
“incorporating, raiding and reconstructing” is
essentially the essence of intertextuality.
Using something with which the audience may
be familiar to generate both potentially nostalgic
associations and new meanings. It is perhaps
more explicitly evident in the music video than in
any other media form, with the possible
exception of advertising.
22. The notion of looking
Andrew Godwin has suggested in every muisc video
there is some reference to ‘looking.’
This can include for example:
- Screens within screens
- Telescopes - Looking glass
- Eyes - Indirect /direct address
- Mirrors - voyeurism
PINK Who Knew
Miley Cyrus Can't Be Tamed
23. Star Image Motifs
The demands of the record label will include the need for lots
of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs
which recur across their work (a visual style).
Yellow
In My Place
Fix You
The scientist
The Scientist2
24. Star Image Motifs
The demands of the record label will include the need for lots
of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs
which recur across their work (a visual style).
Without me
My Name Is
Purple Hills
25. The Online Revolution
How has the new revolution of music downloads
affected how bands/artists promote their
material?
2 bands/artists
- One who used the internet to promote their
music
- One who did not use the internet to promote
their music – instead used art work, flyers,
merchandise (perhaps use your unsigned
band?)
26. Technical Codes
Camerawork
Camera movement, angle and shot distance all
need to be analysed.
As with any moving image text, how the camera is
used and how images are sequenced will have a
significant impact upon meaning.
Camera movement may accompany movement of
performers (walking, dancing, etc) but it may also
be used to create a more dynamic feel to stage
performance, by for instance constantly circling the
band as they perform on stage.
27. Technical Codes
Camerawork
The close up does predominate, as in most TV,
partly because of the size of the screen and
partly because of the desire to create a sense of
intimacy for the viewer. It also emphasises half
of the commodity on sale (not just the song, but
the artist, and particularly the voice)
28. Technical Codes
Editing
Though the most common form of editing associated
with the music promo is fast cut montage, rendering
many of the images impossible to grasp on first viewing
thus ensuring multiple viewing, there are videos which
use slow pace and gentler transitions to establish mood.
This is particularly apparent for the work of many female
solo artists with a broad audience appeal, such as Dido.
29. Technical Codes
Editing
Often enhancing the editing are digital effects
which play with the original images to offer
different kinds of pleasure for the audience. This
might take the form of split screens,
colourisation and of course blockbuster film style
CGI.
30. Camerawork and Editing
Watch The Following Video, What Do You
Notice About It In Terms Of Camerawork
and Editing ?
Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories - Stay (I Missed Y
31. Investigate Editing and Camerawork
Count how many cuts in 30 seconds of a
typical music video:
http://www.youtube.com/
So… take more footage than you need
Perhaps use 2 cameras placed at different
angles
Student’s Music videos
Music Videos
33. Development Of Technical Codes
Most common form of editing associated with the music
promo is fast cut montage
Many images impossible to grasp on first viewing ensuring
multiple viewing
Split screens, colourisation are also commonly used
effects
Non-representational techniques, in which the musical
artist is never shown, become more common
Lack of edits, Long take/steadicam also a common
experimentation
34. Homework
Take still images of your location for filming
to test the lighting of each setting.
Post on your blog
(a)The photos
(b)What you have found out – any
problems? lighting issues? reasons for
using this setting?
35. Storyboarding and Shooting
Schedule
Blog post on storyboarding
Tasks:
1.Add your detailed write up (as in example
shown) to your first draft storyboard ready
to post onto your blog.
2.Create your shooting schedule (use
sheets given)
3.Book out a camera ready for filming
36. Homework
Take still images of your location for filming
to test the lighting of each setting.
Post on your blog
(a)The photos
(b)What you have found out – any
problems? lighting issues? reasons for
using this setting?
37. Music Video Pitches
Next lesson you will be pitching your idea
to the rest of the class.
You will need to bring in for the pitch:
(a) your song to be played during the pitch
(b) your lyrics
(c) your storyboard
(d) be ready to show your blog!
39. To post on your blog
1. Location shots and explanation around them of why you chose that
setting/ lighting problems? Plan B?
2. Notes on your camerawork and editing ideas for your video from lessons
(technical codes: close-up predominating/fast-cut montage/digital
effects/colourisation/ Goodwin’s principals
3. Lyrics annotated with notes on how they make use of Goodwin’s
principals.
4. Draft storyboard annotated in detail.
5. Details of your chosen artist – Who? Genre? Contact made? Why
chosen?
6. Detailed feedback from the class from your film pitch with the video
footage uploaded.
7. Details the target audience you are targeting. Age? Gender? Occupation?
Lifestyle? Socio-economic group?
8. Shot Lists can be drawn up detailing which shot will appear and when.
9. Detailed shooting schedule showing dates/times/frames that will be shot
and when.
10. Final Storyboards to complete in neat. ALL frames must be
storyboarded in detail, with explanations of transitions, effects, shot timings,
drawings of mise-en-scene.
41. Learning Objectives
1. To go through dates and deadlines
2. Understand how your music video will be
marked – assess previous students work
3. To begin making the first of two ancillary
tasks by considering how to create a
‘brand identity’
42. Deadlines
All Filming to be completed by Friday 22nd
October
/ half term (2 weeks)
All Editing to be completed by: Wednesday 1st
December (4 weeks after half term)
Filming must be done outside lesson time.
Lesson time from Mon 11th
October will be
spent making 2 ancillary tasks and/or editing.
43. Apply the mark scheme to the
following videos.
Add notes on the back of your mark
scheme for your own project.
Latymer School Videos
45. Ancillary Tasks
Coursework Brief:
A promotion package for the release of an album, to
include a music promo video, together with two of the
following three options:
1. a website homepage for the band;
2. a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD
package);
3. a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD
package).
46. How to create a Brand Identity within
your ‘promotional package’
Typeface?
Star Image Motifs / Logos?
House Colours?
Style Features – icons?
Selling the music through the artist’s own
image?
What will feature in your music video?
52. Task
Find 2 artists of the SAME GENRE AND
STYLE as your chosen artist
Post on your blog images of:
(a)Their website
(b)An album cover
(c)A magazine advertisement for the album
Explain how they have created a brand identity across all
these promotional products.
Explain how YOU intend to create a brand identity in your
music video and two ancillary products
53. Target Audience
Visit the website Last.Fm and look at both
the listeners tab and similar artists.
- Go to the listeners tab
- Find out age groups and gender of
listeners of 2 artists similar to yours.
Post the results of the audience feedback
from your pitch. Qualitative (comments)
and quantitative results (percentages)
