Bit of EXTRA Research

When researching Indie-Pop Artists, there was an aspect of their character's repeated: they were all white. Although there are artists non-white who's music genre is in Indie-Pop, the majority is white e.g. The Pierces, Lana Del Rey, Nina Nesbitt and Eliza Doolittle. More Pop inclined artists such as Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift are also white regarding skin colour.

This means that by casting Phoebe as our artist, Cara May Smith, we are using a convention of the Indie-Pop genre.

This is an article discussing the convention in more detail which was very interesting to read, and verifies that the pattern is something noticed by the public in general.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2011/jan/04/ask-indie-professor 

Music Video Analysis (according to Goodwin theory)

This is my analysis of 2 music videos, according to Goodwin's 7-idea-theory.

The first is Katy Perry's "Thinking of You", and I chose to analyse this music video due to the major similarities the music video has with our coursework ideas, such as the plot line of a couple separated when the man is called away to war and the addition of a "new lover" in the artist's character's life. Our version of the plot will be modernised but both our music video and "Thinking of You" are narrative-ased but interspersed with performance shots of the artist. This music video will play a major role in inspiring aspects of our own video.

Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful” is of a similar genre to our chosen track, “Is he really coming home?”, although it is Indie Rock rather than Indie Pop. By analysing the video, we can get a feel for what Indie-genre music videos feature and use. We can use aspects of the video for inspiration or mimic them in our own video, and identify generic conventions of Indie-genre music videos popular with the target audience.


I also chose to analyse the music video because the tone of the video will be a great source of inspiration as both tracks have a theme of loss which is symbolised in Del Rey’s morose, sad voice.
The visual effects and lighting use din the video is also something I’m interested in exploring and testing on our footage, as well as Del Rey’s vintage, naturalised appearance we are eager for our artist to replicate.

Lastly, I chose to analyse The Pierces' "You'll Be Mine" because the genre of the track is Indie-Pop, identical to our song's genre, and heavily features abstract nature shots to fill-out the music video, a technique we want to mimic in our music video which we could get inspiration from. The music video also uses effects on its footage, which we are considering using as well. As a result, this music video will be ideal for inspiration and giving us ideas about what to do and how to do it for our A Level piece.

Our Target Audience

How our target audience is being addressed?

Our artist is female and of the target market's age group or a little older, at 21. This allows her to act as a role model/icon for the target audience with whom they can also identify with and relate as well as look up to. Our artist has a taste for fashion and following trends, a similar trait our target audience shares and her style is floral and vintage, a popular trend currently.

Her Instagram account, as well as her Twitter and Facebook pages allow her to connect and have a relationship with her fans but also remind them that she is a young person as well, who likes a lot of the same things they do and have much in common with.

We have adapted our music video to suit our target audience's preference. Our target audience is primarily female and our research has shown that there is a liking for romance, not as a key theme, but aspects of it. Our plot line in the music video is about a couple torn apart by war and looking to rekindle the relationship. The actors used are male and will appeal to the majority female audience, particularly the actor playing the soldier who, by adapting that persona, will be recognised as the hero and supported by the audience, according to Claude Levi-Strauss' theory.

The setting and costume of the artist in the video is of the popular style currently and so will be liked by the audience. The song for Cara's début album is twee-pop, which is well-liked by our audience also works to address their tastes.

Target Audience Questionnaire

Background Information

Age: 17

Gender: Female

How do you access music mainly e.g. internet, festivals, gigs, CDs, iTunes? Illegal downloading off of the internet (YouTube), iTunes, Apps (8tracks)

What kind of film genre do you like?

Arthouse films – Psychological dramas/thrillers, Action films

Favourite hobby?

Reading, shopping, listening to music, social networking, fashion

“Please listen to this song” *Cue “Is he really coming home?”*

Did you like the track?

Yes, it was very catchy and makes you smile and bop along

What genre of music do you think that track was?

Motown/pop genre, (sounds dated).

What’s your favourite genre of music?

Indie, Alternative, Pop, Country

The genre of the track is Twee-pop. Do you listen to pop/indie genre? If so, which artists do you follow?

Yes, all the time. Some of the artists I listen to are: Angus and Julia Stone, Alt J, The Careful Ones, Gem Club, Ivy and Gold, Kimbra, Le Youth

What would you expect to see in a generic pop/indie music video?

Random concept, artist and abstract theme (e.g. montage shots), limited colour

As a ‘pop/indie fan’, what type of music video would you expect for the genre: performance, concept or narrative based?

Concept or possibly narrative based

_____________________________________________________________________________

Age: 17

Gender: Female

How do you access music mainly e.g. internet, festivals, gigs, CDs, iTunes? YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, gigs

What kind of film genre do you like?

Arthouse films – Action, Comedy, Horror

Favourite hobby?

Sport (Karate, running), reading, going to gigs,

“Please listen to this song” *Cue “Is he really coming home?”*

Did you like the track?

Yes, very cheery, a happy ending sort-of song

What genre of music do you think that track was?

Motown/pop genre, (sounds dated).

What’s your favourite genre of music?

Punk-rock

The genre of the track is Twee-pop. Do you listen to pop/indie genre? If so, which artists do you follow?

Not really, but I occasionally listen to MGMT, Elektrik People, Bloc Party, Lana Del Ray

What would you expect to see in a generic pop/indie music video?

Shots of nature, close-ups of the artist, frolicking in the set, low-key natural look and action, subtle lighting

As a ‘pop/indie fan’, what type of music video would you expect for the genre: performance, concept or narrative based?

Narrative-based

_____________________________________________________________________________

Age: 18

Gender: Female

How do you access music mainly e.g. internet, festivals, gigs, CDs, iTunes? YouTube, Apps (8tracks), iTunes, CDs, Gigs

What kind of film genre do you like?

Comedies, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-fi, Romance

Favourite hobby?

Watching films, social networking, listening to music

“Please listen to this song” *Cue “Is he really coming home?”*

Did you like the track?

Yes, it was catchy and and I like the beat and the vocals

What genre of music do you think that track was?

Pop/Indie

What’s your favourite genre of music?

Pop-rock, Indie, Acoustic

The genre of the track is Twee-pop. Do you listen to pop/indie genre? If so, which artists do you follow?

I guess, I listen to Codaline, The Naked and the Famous, Smallpools, The Pierces and Lana Del Ray

What would you expect to see in a generic pop/indie music video?

Teenagers (both boys and girls), with a bright colour scheme, some kid with a guitar, montage shots of teenage activity, panning shots

As a ‘pop/indie fan’, what type of music video would you expect for the genre: performance, concept or narrative based?

Narrative-based and performance-based

_____________________________________________________________________________

Age: 18

Gender: Female

How do you access music mainly e.g. internet, festivals, gigs, CDs, iTunes? YouTube and iTunes

What kind of film genre do you like?
Romcom and Horror

Favourite hobby?

Listening to music, social networking and watching films

“Please listen to this song” *Cue “Is he really coming home?”*

Did you like the track?

Yeah, it was positive and upbeat

What genre of music do you think that track was?

Pop?

What’s your favourite genre of music?

Alternative, Rock

The genre of the track is Twee-pop. Do you listen to pop/indie genre? If so, which artists do you follow?

Not really, but I do listen to some Lana Del Rey and the slower, country style Taylor Swift

What would you expect to see in a generic pop/indie music video?

A girl/boy love story, and a lot of performance shots of artists

As a ‘pop/indie fan’, what type of music video would you expect for the genre: performance, concept or narrative based?

Narrative-based, probably

_____________________________________________________________________________

Age: 18

Gender: Female

How do you access music mainly e.g. internet, festivals, gigs, CDs, iTunes? YouTube, Apps (8tracks), iTunes, CDs and gigs

What kind of film genre do you like?

Comedies, Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, Fantasy and Romance, I'll take anything really

Favourite hobby?

Listening to music, social networking and watching films

“Please listen to this song” *Cue “Is he really coming home?”*

Did you like the track?

Yes, it was catchy and I liked the beat and vocals

What genre of music do you think that track was?

Pop/Indie

What’s your favourite genre of music?

Pop-rock, Indie, Acoustic

The genre of the track is Twee-pop. Do you listen to pop/indie genre? If so, which artists do you follow?
Some: Codaline, The Naked and the Famous, Smallpools and Lana Del Rey

What would you expect to see in a generic pop/indie music video?

Teenagers, a bright colour scheme, some kid with a guitar, montage shots of typical-teenage activity, more panning of the action and scenery

As a ‘pop/indie fan’, what type of music video would you expect for the genre: performance, concept or narrative based?

Narrative and performance, I imagine

_____________________________________________________________________________

Summary

After conducting the questionnaires, and comparing our collective answers, we found a wealth of information useful in researching and planning for our music video.

Although Indie-Pop, the genre of our track, wasn’t a hugely popular genre of music with our interviewees, many of them listened to variations such as pop, or indie-rock and artists like Lana Del Rey, MGMT, and Angus and Julia Stone. This was really helpful when picking artist’s videos to research, prompting my choice for picking “Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey and "You'll Be Mine" by The Pierces. My other choice was Katy Perry’s “Thinking of You” but that was based on its similarity in concept to our initial idea and as a result, being a good source of inspiration.

The popular opinion of the track was that people liked it, found it upbeat and cheerful, a real mood lightener. One person described the track as “a happy-ending-sort-of-song” which fits in well with the hopeful ending we have planned for our music video. The interviewee’s response suggests our general plotline and ending will be in tune with what our viewers expect.

We next asked what the audience would expect to see in a generic Indie-Pop and a range of ideas came across. The most popular were montage shots of action between couples or young people, and scenes of nature. Colour schemes were also a topic the interviewees commented on, saying they expect a low-key natural look and subtle lighting. A common aspect of the video should be of the artist performing the song throughout.

The majority of interviewee’s also agreed with our assessment that a Indie-Pop music video would most likely by a combination of both performance and narrative base, indicating that our choice for theme will be coherent with what our audience expects and wants.  

Narrative Theory

"The way in which a story is told in a music video, illustrating the lyrics, message of the song or motive of the artist for writing it. 'Narrative' is the coherence given to a series of facts."

http://www.slideshare.net/watchoutemmarsabout/narrative-theory-and-music-video

Todorov's Theory

Todorov's theory separates music videos into different stages:

• Equilibrium A state of 'perfection' or normality where everything is as it should be and the atmosphere is calm, happy
• Disequilibrium Where the equilibrium is disrupted somehow
• Recognition Awareness that equilibrium has occurred
• Reparation An attempt to repair the state of disequilibrium
• New Equilibrium

Vladimir Propp's Theory

This narrative theory is created through a variety of character functions:

• Hero = Seeking something
• Villain = Obstructs Hero
• Princess = The Hero's reward
• Father = Giver of reward
• Donor = Provides information and help
• Helper = Helps the Hero
• Dispatcher = Send the hero on a quest
• The role of a false Hero

In Propp's theory, these character types are established to increase understanding from the point of view of the audience. 

Claude Levi-Strauss' Theory

This is a narrative theory built from the inclusion of binary opposites in a media text; one side will be represented as the 'right' side which the audience can identify with and support. Examples of these oppositions are things such as:

• Good Versus Evil
• Past and Present
• Normal and the strange
• Known and unknown
• Heaven and Earth

Summary

Regarding Todorov's theory, in comparison with our narrative structure, there are some conventions used. Our plot features an equilibrium e.g. that the couple were together, in love and happy, but has two sources of disequilibrium, the first being the soldier going off the war and the second being the presence of a New Lover. In some respect, the artist's despair and longing for the soldier to return is recognition of the disequilibrium happening, however, challenging the convention is the fact that there isn't much active reparation done to repair the circumstances surrounding the disequilibrium, although the soldier coming home could substitute that role. Our ambiguous ending of the soldier holding up the knocker at the end leaves the audience in a state of anticipation and query, a new equilibrium not following through, and challenging the convention a second time. 

Propp's theory is followed in only minor aspects. Our plot is very simple, starring the Hero, our solider returning home, and the Princess, our artist waiting for him, but not acting as the reward, challenging the convetnion. The rekindling of their relationship on his return acts as the soldier's motivation, and the change in the Princess's role highlights our music video's modernity compared to what could be described as the old-fashioned style of Propp's theory. The New Lover character acts as the Villain, and his relationship with the artist, no matter how unhappily portrayed, is bound to obstruct the reunion of the couple in some way. However, this convention is challenged as the audience may interpret the artist as the Villain, being unfaithful to her boyfriend. Our music video doesn't include any of the other roles specified, suggesting that either our music video is the condensed version of Propp's theory or is only conventional in some aspects.

Conventions of narrative theory detailed in Claude Levi-Strauss' theory are followed. In our music video, the Past is represented as a happier time where the couple are together and in love. Contrastingly the Present sees the artist lonely and in an unhappy relationship with another man while waiting for the soldier to come home. The audience will therefore support the past over the present. Likewise, the soldier is presented as Good, as he was in a relationship with the artist and they were in love and happy together. The New Lover makes the artist unhappy and challenges their relationship, allowing the audience to identify him as Bad and support his opponent, the soldier.

Andrew Goodwin

In a lesson, Sir was teaching us about theorists of the media, and a prominent figure was Andrew Goodwin. His theories regarding music videos and their production consisted of 6 key rules music videos usually follow.

Andrew Goodwin analysis of music video "Dancing in the Distraction Factory".

One of the theories we focused on was the idea that in music videos, the camera is a man, and the roles of gender in music videos vary significantly. Women are portrayed as sex objects, with the camera focusing in on the most sexualised parts of the body e.g. lips, bottom, legs, eyes and breasts. Men are viewed in an opposite light; with their faces covered, fully dressed in suits e.g. Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head". 

This really interested me as, although I'd never thought about it before, the theory was proved correct. It made me question the ethical standards of the media and the inequality between genders so bluntly displayed. There seems to be a constant need to sexualise young, female singers in their music videos using a range of techniques such as close-ups focused on the sexual areas of the body e.g. legs, breasts, lips etc, and mise en scene regarding barely-there costumes and over-applied make-up. The effect is the portrayal of these artist as "slutty", scantily-clad eye-candy and detracts from their talent as independent artist. 

For example, Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" music video was hugely inappropriate and juxtaposed the nature of the powerful, emotional ballad that the lyrics detail. Her costume is either a barely-there white top and knickers, or a fully-fledged nude shot riding a wrecking ball, and she spends a good portion of her time fellating a sledge-hammer. The video is entirely sexualised, and as a result, the track's meaning is completely lost and the artist and her talent is forgotten.

This is a trend in multiple music videos, e.g. Beyonce's "Crazy In Love", which features Beyonce gyrating around Jay-Z, in short-shorts and a sheer white top which enhances her breasts. Jay-Z, in contrast, is fully-clothes (with layers) standing stoic, mimicking a pole for which Beyonce can dance around. Jay-Z in no way negates his sexual authority, presenting himself as fully dressed, standing stoic.

Laura Mulvey theorises that many women like to be seen as sexually attractive as part of their psych and choose to present themselves in a manner they think will appeal to their male counterparts, suggesting that it is a conscious choice made by the artist to dress, act and look in said particular way.

It was interesting learning about Goodwin's theory, with particular emphasis on the treatment of women and how they are portrayed in the media in comparison with men. It makes me question the ethical nature of the industry and how much control the media has over the way we think and perceive things, and I hope will impact and make me question my first impressions in the future.

The Change-Up!

Arriving back at school, there were a few changes I thought were blog-worthy...

Sam and Carolina dropped Media Studies in A2 and another student showed an interest in working with me and so Phoebe Taylor and I combined to make Pheebs2. Then, Kirsty, a student form the other Media Studies class joined ours after having her timetable rearranged. She, separated from her previous group, joined ours and now the team consists of Phoebe, Phoebe and Kirsty.