Songs I was interested in music-video making, aside from our chosen song, were: "Zombies", "Misfit", and "Butterflies". Zombies - A fellow class member expressed an interest in doing the music video for this song. When I first heard it, I not only liked the lyrics and general feel of the song, but I had an idea for the music video in which two people are in a dysfunctional relationship. One of them turns into a zombie, and the short version is that they make-up. There would be a range of abstract shots of other sub-plot stories with a similar ending and shot in a duller picture. However, after speaking to Eliot, he seemed really eager to do this song and had already done a lot of the preparation beforehand for it. He seemed very passionate about it and so my team and I deemed him more deserving of using that track. Misfit - The concept we would work with on this song would be goth girl turned cheerleader (ish). This would involve a lot of close-ups of make-up and clothes, very feminine and similar to our last project in AS Media Studies. We wanted a challenge and to try something new and so voted against "Misfit". Butterflies - Simply a case of preferring a song and feeling more secure and set in an idea when choosing between "Is he really coming home?" and "Butterflies". List of songs
"As with your work on TV Drama, when analysing pop videos, it is important to consider the technical codes which are used to construct both the video itself and the representations inherent within it."
Camerawork:
"As with any moving image text, how the camera is used and how images are sequenced with have a significant impact upon meaning."
The Close-Up Predomination:
"As in most TV, this is partly because of the size of the screen and also because of the desire to crease 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)."
Violet Hill, Coldplay
Very simple video, very visually dynamic in terms of its type of shots. There isn't much in the video aside from close-ups of the band and long-shots of the location and random movements of the artist.
Types of effects used:
Objects wiping the frame = visually dynamic
Keeping camera of the tripod
Invisible editing
Super 8 effects
Semi-slow-mo
Camera moves slower than the quick walking of the shots
Extreme close-ups in varying levels of focus
Cutting from extreme close-up to extreme long-shot
Flash edits used to introduce new locations
Montage editing not continuity editing = Pop video
Here's our preliminary completed task in which we had to film a variety of still-shots and basically put them to music in preparation of filming our music videos for the real thing.
A2 Media Studies – Advanced Portfolio
Preliminary Task – Fast/Slow Sequences – Evaluations and Audience Feedback
Complete the table below for your sequence
What works well?
What could be improved?
Suggestions for developing skills
Our general timing of the shots to the music
Overall I think our timing of the shots was good, but in watching the piece back, I think we missed the beat or started off-beat once or twice in the quick pace shots between two alternating stills
Pressing the 'M' button to mark the beats
Good use of framing
Rewatching
the piece and making sure the action is synced with the music
Fast-pace 'movement' shots
Occassional
shots contained movement e.g. Close-ups of facial expression
5
seconds before the relevant action is filmed and 5 seconds after to make
editing easier and leave room for error to occur but still have usable footage
1) Even with the volume turned down, how do audiences know that they are watching a music video opposed to a short film?
The key giveaway that the music video silent isn't a short film is the actions of the band. Throughout the course of the video, KID BRITISH are interacting with the audience by way of looking into the lens of the camera, and communicating through that avenue. Making full use of the close-ups and mid-shots, the members of the band appear to either narrate the lyrics of what's happening in the video or exist outside the music video altogether, which suggests that the clip isn't a short film, but a music video with the band rapping and singing along to the track.
The various sections of footage are also fairly unrelated in the sense that there isn't a clear storyline behind the clip. There isn't any dialogue from the characters shown and in order for the clip to qualify as a short film, the meaning would have to be a lot clearer, with the stages of the 3 minute clip connected.
2) Given that music videos are about selling the artist as well as the individual song/track, what image do you think is being sold?
The use of close-ups and mid-shots of the band throughout the video introduce the artists to the audience and promote them to potential fans, allowing positive draws such as their youth, "coolness" and visual appeal to attract a fan base immediately. The fact that the band is made up of a gang of 4 young men instantly engages that age group, and their dangerous, "street" demeanor creates the impression of them being aloof and fashionable. Their mise en scene such as their costumes, e.g. "Trilby hats", as well as "Nerd glasses", "College jersies" and button-up shirts are very accessible to teenagers and adults (presumably the band's target market), and relate the artist to the audiences.
The narrative basis of the footage intrigues and entertains the audience. The range of characters, clever storyline and comic moments within the music video, such as the sketch with the artist and his mother, depict the band's image as light-hearted, jokey and fun. The setting of the video stars working-class houses, making the artists relatable and suggests they're ordinary and similar to the audiences, making them more likeable and watchable.
The soundtrack is upbeat, catchy and has a strong drum beat throughout. The movement and action is synced to the track, and paired with the jump cuts uesd in the editing of the video makes it fluid and engaging. The music connotes fun, and the video is comical, with teenage boys running over fences between houses, introducing the audience to the various weird neighbours they have. These qualities, such as fun, light-heartedness, and energy are all aspects of the band's image portrayed throughout the video, as what is connoted in the video links to the artist.
The music video is realistic, low-budget and simple, which makes it more effective in attracting the audience. The actions of the artists, kicking over rubbish and jumping over fences suggests quite a negative, "bad boys" vibe about the band, appealing to their target market who consider that behaviour "cool" and makes the band seem more dangerous and exciting as a result. The close-ups of the whole band create this image of a gang and popularises the idea of teenage boys hanging out together and causing trouble, much like the artists did in the video.
Music Video Analysis Task: In your groups (or on your own), select a music video to produce a presentation on the following; How and to what extent does your chosen music video fulfil the main purposes of a music video? There are 3 types of videos: Performance, Concept, Narrative Performance Based Video
These are music videos that feature the artist/band/group performing the song through most if not all of the video. It’s probably the easiest to do on a budget provided you can get a suitable location for filming. Narrative Based Video
A narrative based music video contains mostly footage that attempts to tell a story through the moving image. Usually involving actors, the story is sometimes linked to the lyrical content of the song, but this isn’t always the case. This type of music video tends to be popular for a song that’s featured in a movie and you will often see scenes cut into the music video. Concept Based Video
This is a style of music video that is based around a single concept or idea.
These types of videos tend to be fairly unusual or utilize a particular editing or filming technique. It’s not often you get a purely conceptual music video as the commercial world demands things to be a bit more accessible.
"Midnight City" by M83, is a concept video. The footage is suggested to be disconnected with the lyrics, however as the lyrics are ambiguous, there's a sense of the footage being related in the first place.
The music video was interesting, telling the story of supernatural children which was captivating and held my attention. However, unlike a concept video, I don't think I would rewatch it, despite the footage being piquing my interest first time and being surprising in the sense that it was fairly unrelated to the lyrics or soundtrack. I liked the use of the light in the warehouse and eerie feel of the footage and thought that it related to the music, with the high notes and slow tempo connoting a creepy and supernatural atmosphere.
