#a2research

[milliegoughmedia]

Music Video Analysis #3 - Sam Smith- I’m Not The Only One

The video starts with an establishing shot, showing the outside of what looks like an picture perfect American house. Although the mise en scene of the house makes it look “perfect” the camera is slightly shifty, suggesting to the audience that something is not quite right. At the same time titles are used showing the artists name, this is a very common and widely used in most modern music videos. A J cut is used at this time so you can hear a man and a women exchanging in conversation before they are shown on-screen, this suggests to the audience that the video is going to be about the relationship between the two characters (the song title, I'm Not The Only One’, also suggests it’s going to be about a partner cheating).

When the two first appear on screen a mid shot is used showing the couple stood together, by using a mid-shot it shows that their is a clear relationship between both characters. Tracking (close up) is used to show the female character walking outside. The facial expression suggests she’s happy, however it looks very fake. As the camera tracks her waving at her husband away it shows her facial expression changing from happy to upset, this suggesting to the audience that she knows something is and wrong and that he is infact cheating on her. As she turns back towards the house the song is finally introduced. At this time all the footage is slowed down. By doing this it allows the audience to understand the characters separate emotions of sadness and guilt emphasising each one.

Amplification is used throughout the video which is very common among most modern day music videos. Certain lyrics are linked with the imagery on screen (Goodwins 1st theory), creating a story for the audience allowing them to make clear links with the song lyrics and its meanings. Clear examples of when this is used includes “for better or for worst”, where a close up of her taking off her wedding ring is used; “the way it hurts”, showing her holding her chest crying; and “for months on end I've had my doubts”, showing the male protagonist with another woman. 

The music video is classed as mainstream and so to keep within the conventions of typical music video the artist appears via lip-syncing. When he appears a rang of close-ups and centre framed shots are used usually by demand of the record label (Goodwins 2nd theory).  The theory of binary opposites by Levi Strauss is shown in this music video, obvious ones include male and female as well as happiness and sadness seen through the facial emotions and actions of both characters. Another influential binary opposite includes loyalty and unfaithfulness, and this is seen through the male protagonist cheating on his wife the female protagonist with another women. This music video actually tells a narrative which is very realistic and sadly common amongst today's society and therefore is very relatable to the audience.         

Editing plays a huge role adding to the overall visual appeal of the video. Due to the time period of when this video is based around (1950′s), filters have been applied making the footage seem as if it was filmed back then. Footage has often been cut on the beat, keeping within Goodwins theory that “there is a relationship between music and visuals”

[gabrielkellymedia]

Digipak and Poster

[jessicaborsetimedia]

Focus Group about music video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKiwGWO_ldw

[harrietjonesmedia]

Focus Group 2.0 Analysis

This is the analysis of mine and Millie’s final focus group. Overall we got some good feedback on how they like the video and digipaks but also how we could improve them if we were to do them again.

Q1- What did you like about our video? 

Overall the feedback from this question was very positive, they all clearly liked the video. Ellis and Joe said that they really liked the editing and how we did lots of the cuts on the beat, they thought that it was a good idea. Jess said that she really liked the story line and what happens in the video. She also said it was really clear which is good. 

Q2- What could be improved in the video?

Really there was only two things that they said we could improve, the first one could be the acting as they said some parts of it weren’t as realistic as they could’ve been however as we were just using a couple of friends to act they aren’t going to be as good as a mainstream music video. Daisy said that we could maybe use a different coloured filter to show the good times and the bad or maybe the past and present. Jess then said we could maybe use a black and white filter, this was quite a good comment as quite a lot of music videos do do this so if we did this we would be following the general conventions of music videos. Another comment that we took in was that Ellis said we could improve the shots of the phones as some of them weren’t as clear as they could’ve been, we have taken all of these comments in and if we were to do it again we would probably do it differently and have in mind what they have said. 

Q3- What were your favourite parts?

Again the comments from this question were very positive as they all said they really liked it. Daisy said that she really liked the part with the reversal, we had done this a couple of times in the video and she said she liked how it went with the music. Ellis said that he really like the part when we used the cross dissolve on both of the characters. Overall they didn’t have many favourite parts as they thought that the whole thing was really good. 

Q4- Would you buy the album as a result of the video?

This question was quite an unusual one as general people don’t judge an album based on one music video however we decided to ask it to see what their response was. Ellis, Rory and Joe said they probably wouldn’t buy the album as its based on one song. Ellis then said albums don’t generally come with music videos so you wouldn’t necessarily know what it would be like. However Jess and Daisy both said they would buy it as they like the song and music video. 

Digipak Questions-

Q1- What do you like about the digipak?

They all said they really liked it and Jess said she really liked the fact that it is really colourful, she says she also liked how it relates to the music video as the video is quite bright. Ellis said he liked how the main picture is on another picture and that the background picture goes across all three panels and that it shows continuity. 

Q2- What do you think I could improve?

Overall the feedback on this question was quite positive and they gave some good constructive criticism. Jess said that she though it would be a good idea if I put a similar filter on the pictures of the actress as I used on the background and the rest of the digipak. Daisy said that I could’ve made the font that I used for the lyrics a bit bigger as it is quite small and it can be quite hard to read or I could have maybe just put a bit less content on the panels. 

Q3- Would you buy the album?

Again the feedback from this question was very postive and they all said that they would buy it because they liked how the digipak looked and it was appealing for the audience. 

[zackmooremedia]

Music video conventions

So a convention with a lot of music videos are that a lot of them will likely have a mid-shot, close up, whatever showing the artist of the song very clearly. Placing them in centre shot so that they are easy and obvious to recognise among the audience watching. Also because it is their song placing those in centre attention, for example Kayne Wests 'Power' the whole music video is him centre shot and the camera just zooming out. Making him the attention of the audience throughout the music video. or such videos like Stormzy’s 'shut up' where the entire music video is a mid-shot of the artist in the centre of hit rapping, no cuts, editing, just very basic and simple but yet very effective. Having his Peers around him like an audience showing good crowed reaction and positive feedback. Therefore making an audience member more likely to give a positive reaction.

Another example of this at use is Tom Odell's 'just another love' where the whole music video again is a close up slowly zoomed out to a mid-shot of the artist sat down lip syncing the words. Showing again another example of centring artist within music videos. Making obvious of their presence, who they are, and that they are the most important person within that music video because the camera centre on them.

Another convention within music videos would be songs cutting got different shots on every beat. This can go from simple slow beat drops to que a different shot, or complete fast pace chaos cutting on every single beat landed to que a different shot. So music videos like Avicii’s ‘waiting for love’ where it’s a fairly slower pace song compared to their others. Within this music video we get this see multiple different cuts on each beat dropping we get a different shot. Especially with the mobility scooter shot where he gets it going, showing multiple different fast pace cuts of the key turning the engine going on, the wheels spinning, ending with a nice extreme close up of the old man’s face. But the main drop of the song that goes off throughout the video there is always a drop.

Then we have Green Days ‘American Idiot’ where there are so many cuts and such a lightning pace that it would be impossible to count. Making every beat change shot for every second that it hits. Really help shows off the fast pace and excitement of the rock genre, very good at captivating that energy of music. I think these types of fast cuts happens more often in this music genre like rock, dubstep, electronic, rap, etc. Them having much more fast pace music videos for constant cuts more than those of classical, some pop songs, acoustic, folk, etc.

[laurendaviesmedia]

Real Love: Clean Bandit ft. Jess Glynne music video analysis #4

In Clean Bandit’s music video for Real Love, they use close-up’s of the instruments and the artists. 

By using a pull-focus, the audience is able to focus both on the artist and the instrument he is playing. A close-up of the artist is needed due to the demand from the record label (explained in Andrew Goodwin’s music video analysis), but due to the position of the camera at a low angle and having the violin take up about two thirds of the shot, the instrument perhaps is more important. This may be due to the fact that Clean Bandit’s genre of music is unique, as all members play classical instruments to create an alternative/synthetic-pop sound. The close-up enhances their style in order to showcase it to their audience. 

In relation to mise-en-scene, the artists in the music video wear formal clothing to fit with the origin of their style of music, classical. The elegant mise-en-scene of the video is carried to the other main location, being a concert. (Below) Even though the concept of a concert may seem the opposite, with the help of cool blue lighting and a regal-looking chandelier, the event fits with the formal theme. 

With the use of a low angle and positioning the artist in the middle of the main light helps to give another link to the elegance created firstly by the instruments. The light outlines the artists silhouette which could link to sainthood etc. 

(Above) In the music video, shots of couples kissing have been included. This links to the title “Real Love” and the lyrics of the song as it is obviously the main theme is love. These types of shots contrast with the previous formal theme as the lighting, background clothing and people filmed are all different. This helps to display the “real” side of love the song talks about as the people in the shots seem to be displaying genuine love and affection to their partners. This becomes clear when people outside of Clean Bandit’s event are shot kissing while waiting in the queue:

Although not a common feature of the genre, the music video includes scenes where the band and the artist are preforming on stage. This is because Clean Bandit are a band and performance is a convention that is used repeatedly for music videos for bands. 

By including a shot of the sign outside the venue the artists are playing gives Clean Bandit a interesting way of putting their name inside the music video, but also gives the video a sense of reality, continued from the shots of couples kissing. With help from the date shown above, the audience watching are able to imagine that they themselves are there watching Clean Bandit play. As this shot  was filmed at night, like most concert times, the light from the display is eye-catching and is easily focused on by the audience. 

At the end of the music video, we receive a group shot of the band. Due to the darkness of the venue, the light inside of the editing booth illuminates the artists allowing the audiences full attention on them. It also links back to the theme of formality, as we can see their suits and dress, as well as using the idea of sainthood again. 

Andrew Goodwin’s music video analysis in relation to Real Love

1. The music video demonstrates genre characteristics: The artists preform on stage to an audience due to the fact that they are a band. 

2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals: As the band and the artist are performing, Jess Glynne lip-syncs he lyrics to the song, causing a correlation between the lyrics and the visuals. 

3. There is a relationship between the music and the visuals: The members of Clean Bandit all play instruments throughout the music video which shows a relationship between the music and the visuals. 

4. The demand of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist, and the artist may develop motifs that recur across their work. (A visual style.): In the music video, the shot of a artist preforming whilst their silhouette is shown by bright lighting is repeated. Close-up’s are also used for each artist.

Stuart Hall’s audience theory

Hall’s theory explains how audiences react with the text, shown through three groups:

Preferred Reading: What the institution wants you to think/read.

Negotiated Reading: Not agreeing with the whole message the institution gives, only part of it.

Oppositional Reading: Taking the opposite message of what the institution wants you to read. 

In Clean Bandit’s Real Love a preferred reading can be taken from the music video. As the band perform on stage to an audience there are lots of shots of the crowd reacting to the artists playing their set. The shots of the crowd are lively and show the audience having a good time. As a result, the audience watching the music video will see the primary audience having enjoying themselves and want to either listen to more of Clean Bandit’s music or want to go see them live.

Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications

The theory that media audiences make active choices about what to consume in order to meet certain needs.

1. The need to be informed and educated.

2. The need for personal identity.

3. The need for personal relationships.

4. The need for entertainment and diversion. 

The audience may choose to watch the Real Love music video for various reasons. The may watch it because the scenes of performance from the artists or the audience in the crowd reflect back the groups they identify with or who they aspire to be, such as a singer. As the shots of people kissing are repeated throughout the video, the reason why people watch this text is because of the need for personal relationships. It also allows the audience to identify with the people at the concert and gives them a sense of belonging. This is amplified by the shots like the front of the venue, and the reality of the concert itself as it wasn’t acted.  Another more obvious reason why the Real Love video could be watched is because of the need to be entertained and diverted from everyday life. The song in itself is entertainment enough, and along with the visual element an audience member can be entertained and can forget momentarily about other things. 

[josephmarlesmedia]

Music video analysis #4:

I have decided to do a music video analysis for the Arctic Monkeys’ video for ‘Why do you only call me when you’re high?’.  The song is a popular one and the music video, I believe, is a bit out of the ordinary, which allows for plenty of idea and interpretations to be made. The video itself starts with lead singer of the band (Alex Turner) playing a character in a nightclub. The video itself starts with seemingly diegetic sound of another Arctic Monkeys song playing in the background. For the first minute and half of the video this continues and the audience portray Alex as a ‘drunk’ or someone clearly under the influence of drugs. The camera work focuses on unsteady and seemingly off-balance shots, which have connotations to the drunken character portrayed at the start. Several close-up shots show confusion in Alex’s eyes as he is under the influence of substances. This confusion then leads him to texting ‘Stephanie’ which is shown on screen with editing.  This sets the tone for the rest of the video. Having the lead singer as the main character in the video has strong connotations to Goodwin’s theory that the label will demand lots of focus and attention on a band/band member in a music video, as it is good on the advertising side of things. Having an identifiable figure in the music video makes it much more likely that people will buy the record.

Alex then is tracked into the bathroom in the nightclub where the transition from non-diegetic to diegetic sound is clear as the music fades out. A close-up reflection shot in the mirror along with some editing creating a wavy-like reflection of Alex’s face further demonstrates that he is on drugs.  At around 1 minute 30 seconds the song starts and it starts with a mid-shot of Alex leaving the club along with the lyrics ‘The mirrors image, tells me it’s home time’. Here there are clear connotations between the lyrics and the visuals, which again is demonstrating another Andrew Goodwin theory, the video is an illustrative one, with the lyrics almost telling a story to go along with the video.  The video continues with more shaky tracking shots, which move with Alex’s unsteady movement.  Editing is the complimented with the lyrics to further emphasise the idea of telling a story as the lyrics ‘and its three in the morning and I’m tryna change your mind’ are shown with the text message ‘ I wanna see you’.  At this point the audience are starting to become interested in this love story which incorporates Bulmer and Katz’s uses and gratifications theory, the idea that we consume media in order to suit our individual needs. In this the video, the purpose seems to be entertainment and hooking the audience in.  

 Using the video for entertainment is a common convention for music videos. However it doesn’t apply itself to many other conventions, considering it is a rock band there is next to no performance in the video from the band.  There is also a real lack of quick and fast paced editing which is uncommon is rock music videos, instead sticking with slower paced tracking shots for the majority.  Point of view shots are then used to show Alex imagining the girl everywhere with different men, all because the influence of drugs. Close-ups of his face are then used alongside this to show his confusion as he sees her everywhere, despite knowing that it is all an illusion.  His confusion is also shown in the editing, as a distorted blur is used as he is walking down the street, almost giving a perspective of what he’s seeing while he’s high on drugs. There are also further links between the video and the lyrics of the song as takeaway bar is called ‘Why no answer?’, again applying itself to Goodwin’s theory.  The music then makes another switch from non-diegetic to diegetic as Alex is shown falling over in a mid-shot and hits his head, this is then complimented by blurring out of the music as he lies on the floor, followed by the continuation of it when he gets back up again.  This gives the audience the impression that the song is all in his head, which is further emphasised by the previous strong links between the lyrics and the visuals.

 Sticking with the idea of visuals, a lot of the colour in the music video is either black or grey, including Alex’s outfit, these dark colours have connotations to the dark feeling of the song of someone who’s clearly fixed on someone else.  Next is an over the shoulder shot of Alex imagining the girl again along with the lyrics ‘I haven’t found what I was hoping to find’, again providing the link between lyrics and visuals.  At this point he feels like he’s running out of time to find her as the morning approaches.  A long shot is then used to show him approaching a house, encouraging the audience to presume that it is the house of Stephanie, this before a pull focus shot is then used to show him knocking on the door of the house. This pull focus shot could convey the idea of Alex drifting in and out of focus himself, he’s managed to get to the area where Stephanie lives but he can’t remember which house because of what he has taken. Several mid shots and close-ups shots are used as well as a low angle shot in order to portray him alone on an empty street knocking on a house door of a random old woman. He’s so high that he gets the wrong house (not Stephanie’s). He then texts Stephanie telling her that he’s outside but then a pan shot at a 45 degree angle pans from Alex down on the other street all the way up to Stephanie’s house where she can see Alex from the window outside the wrong house. This is the first time that we see her in the video and it is also the last time. The text comes through to her and Alex’s name saved on her phone is simply ‘Alex the band guy’. This helps to portray the idea that she doesn’t know him as well as he thinks he knows her. He’s clearly quite obsessed with the girl however the girl seems to barely know him due to the name she has him saved as on her phone. This may be due to the reason that he only ever seems to show his interest when he’s high. This is the closest we get to hinting at Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory as we see the whole video through the perspective of the male Alex and then we get a brief interaction between the perspectives of the two.

The pan shot also reveals the physical distance between the two which could be seen as resembling the emotional distance between the two in everyday life, they really aren’t as close as they seem to be at the start of the video. This confirms the illustrative style to the music video, with the lyrics and the visuals working together constantly in order to tell a story. As we reach the end of the music video, enigma codes are created for the audience as we begin to wonder if Alex ever found the girl. The use of enigma codes and the ending the video on an unclear note is very common for those videos are illustrative. I failed to find any inter-textual references to any other pieces of famous media. There are several references to Levi Strauss’ binary opposites theory as are opposition views from the male and female protagonist in the video.

[abbybraymedia]

Castle on the hill music video analysis

Castle on the hill music video analyis from abbybray98

[jessicacookmedia]

Lorde Music video analysis

Lorde from CVSmediastudies

[laurenkavanaghmediastudies]

Music Video Analysis #4 – Hymn for the Weekend. Calvin Harris ft. Beyoncé

The music video I have chosen to analyse this music video because I think it has a similar felling to my chosen song. The song is light hearted and has a lot of meaning which is shown through the video. It is also very colourful and unique as it isn’t set in a stereotypical location.  

A mid shot in this photo is used to drawn the attention of the audience into the figure, who doesn’t have much important at this point however the slow zoom in on her suggests that someone has spotted her and is staring at her. The way she is staring at the camera would usually break the 4th wall although the editing between shots demonstrates that she is staring at the individual who is looking at her rather than the camera. The mise-en-scene isn’t conventional however each element in it works together to form a representation of an Indian culture that is full of mystery and colour. The mystery is emphasised through the shot previous to this one which shows the same shot but further away it then zooms to this one and then quickly changes leaving the audience wondering who she is and what she is doing. The colours in the shot are dull and grey to represent her walking up a mountain this again leaves the audience with the question of where she is going. Although the shot is dull her clothing is red and gold that suggests she is of some importance and is wealthy, her power is also illustrated by the slight low angle this makes her appear higher up and more important than those who are looking at her.

The high angle used in this shot is used to show of the mise-en-scene to the audience, it is essentially an establishing shot to demonstrate where the music video is set. The mise-en-scene represents the city as a busy and lively place, it is also full of colour which signifies the genre of the music video. camera movement of tracking across the bridge suggests that this shot is someone point of view; it is what they are seeing as they go over the bridge. The editing of shots suggests that the individual is travelling and is seeing everything for the first time, this is represented through the longer shot types when stereotypically music videos have lots of quick cuts, the theme of travelling is also emphasised by the fine detail the camera catches that someone who recognises the place wouldn’t pay attention to.

This low angle panning shot is used to introduce the artist to the audience and to meet the demands of the record label. The mise-en-scene is the set in the same location as the previous shot. The shot slowly tracks in through a door way until it gets outside and then pans to the artist and zooms in on who he is. This happens for the first main lyrics of the song this conforms to stereotypes as very often you will see the artist singing the first lyrics of the song so the audience know who they are immediately. The low angle represents him as an important and trendy character that the audience are going to aspire to be like. The mise-en-scene of his clothes is black with bright vibrant colours on, the black makes the colours on him and is the background really stand out and complement each other. The blue, pink and yellow suggest that the song is happy and cheerful, the weather being dry and sunny also creates an atmosphere for the audience and in a way tells them how they should feel. This shot has been created to have a deep debt of field this is done to create a contrast between what we immediately see in front of him and what we see behind him. In front of him shows a run down and dull area as he is sat on the wall furthest away from this area it suggests he wants to escape to the area behind him, this area is full of colour and looks far more interesting than where he currently is. This demonstrates to the audience that this is the area that he is going to travel, this grabs the audience’s attention and makes them want to watch more.

The wide shot and hand held camera movement here is to illustrate the artist getting involved in the different culture, the jumpy camera movement is used to represent that fun and energy that is in the shot. The mise-en-scene is set in the same area and is dull in the background and run down although this is so the audience focus on the individuals in the shot and the colours that are used. The bright colours are used to represent the atmosphere as being cheerful. There are lots of different levels used in eh shot to show the crowd of people but also so the audience can still identify the artist. Once again the contrast between the old run down city and the fact the people in the shot are covered in paint are untidy is to highlight that even in this location there is still a lively culture that appreciates what they have. The facial expressions on each person’s face show them to be enjoying themselves this signifies the genre of the song and makes the audience feel a particular way. The theme of traveling is once again brought into the shot, although everyone is doing the same action and is covered in paint the artist still stands out which suggests that he is forging to this culture which intrigues the audience and wants them to carry on watching.

The wide shot in this image is used to highlight the frame within a frame, with the centre third being the main focus of the audience. The still shot is used to highlight to the audience that the women is the main focus if the audience watching the music video and the audience in the cinema watching her. The mise-en-scene is dark and you can only see the back of peoples head which creates a line for the audience to follow which leads to the cinema screen this demonstrates that the women on screen is of great important to the audience. The dark mise-en-scene is also used so that the bright colour on screen stand out, the bright pink and purple colours around the women have connotations of love and glamour, just like the earlier shot she is also wearing red and gold which highlights her importance and wealth, her wealth and power is also emphasised by using the contrast of the audience beneath her. The camera shot has also created 2 different levels in which she is on the higher one and the audience are beneath her this is to represent her as a high status and someone who the audience aspires to be. Her face is clear and the audience can see who she is easily this is to meet the demands of the record label.

The close up of the artist is to meet the demands of the record label so that the audience know who he is, this is a marketing strategy that is used to boost sales and their profile. The close up also highlights the facial expression of the artist which shows he is extremely interested in what’s in front of him and he’s in awe. The cuts between the close up, Beyoncé and wide shots of the cinema lets the audience know that he is watching Beyoncé on screen and is fascinated. This represents Beyoncé as an idol. The mise-en-scene is dark to fulfil the audience’s expectations of being in a cinema, the bright light coming from behind him shines on the side of his face so the audience can still see him, this also demonstrates that although he is our centre of attention someone else is his. This shot also creates a set of binary opposites between the main artist and Beyoncé as he as seen as the audience and she is the performer as well as this he is in dull and dark clothing while she is brightly coloured and well lit, this contrast is used to complement Beyoncé.

The mid shot and slow zoom in this shot is used to present the Indian culture that is full of colour and extraordinary rituals. The mid shot is used to show a group of girls performing a traditional dance, this is used to enlighten the audience of their culture, the zoom into one of the girl’s faces is used to show the audience of her happy facial expression which makes the audience feel light hearted with signifies the genre of the song as the artist wants to be represented and portrayed as a loving and knowable individual. The serious of quick cuts edited together following this shot are used to demonstrate the theme of traveling, it suggests to the audience that these re all the places the artist has been and all the things he has seen, it is used to entertain and inform the audience as most won’t have seen this culture in this depth before. The mise-en-scene is again plain and simple to demonstrate the simplicity of the area that they live in however this is contrasted by the colourful outfits they are wear that represent them and the music video as happy and lively.

Ideologies

In this music video I believe the ideologies that are represented are that life is full of colour and different cultures express in it different ways. I also believe that Coldplay is trying to represent an ideology that everyone should open their eyes are travel to experience other cultures. Although I don’t believe this is a dominate ideology I do think many people will feel the same way.

Audience reception

Stuart Hall explains that audience can interpret media contexts in one of 3 ways. These are the preferred reading which is when the audience takes away the message that the institution wants them to take away, the second is the negotiated reading this is when the audience believes in some parts of what the institution is saying but disagrees with other parts. The last form is the oppositional reading this is when the audience completed disagrees with the message the institution is enforcing through the message. The preferred reading of this music video would be for the audience to think the artist loves to travel and that he is embracing the Indian culture, the institution wants the audience to aspire to be like the artist and have his lifestyle. However, the oppositional reading could be that the audience don’t like traveling and don’t like where the music video is set.

Uses and Gratifications

Blumler and Katz in the 1970’s suggested that audiences make active choices about what media to consume to meet individual needs. The identified 4 main reasons, the first is that consumers consume media to be informed and educated, they chose media to inform themselves about what goes on in the world around them. The next need is to form a personal identity, people consume media to develop a sense of who we are and what our values and beliefs are. The media we choose to consume is often what echo’s what we think about the world, we consume media that has a similar opinion to our own. The groups we associate ourselves with and who we aspire to be like often reflects back from the media we consume. The 3rd need Blumler and Katz identified was the need for personal relationships, the media provides us with a sense of knowing other people of belonging to a group through the context we watch or read. The media is also used as a talking point with others. The last need to consuming media is entertainment and diversion, the media allows us to escape from the real world and enter another.

Different forms of media take on different uses and gratifications, although I believe this music video is used to entertain the audience. The audience will choose to watch the music video to entertain themselves, this is the uses and gratifications of the majority of music videos. However, I also think this music video is used to inform and educate the audience in 2 different ways, the first is to inform he audience of another culture and the second is to inform the audience of who the artist is in order to generate record sales.

Andrew Goodwin

Andrew Goodwin identified 6 ways in which you can analyse a music video.

1.       The music video demonstrates genre characteristics, this music video definitely does, the light hearted song and bright colours throughout the song represent the pop/R&B genre, in this genre of music is it also very common to see the artist performing and have a lot of people around to represent he song as lively and fun.

2.       There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals, the music video shows a relationship between the lyrics and visuals by showing images that reflect to the lyrics of the song as well as seeing the artist perform. The music video shows an illustrative approach as it is telling a story.

3.       There is a relationship between music and visuals, this is similar to the last point, the music video tells an illustrative story. The dancing in the song is also in time and in beat with the music which shows the music has been planned thoroughly t according to the music, this makes it more visually pleasing for the audience.

4.       The demands of record label, as stated previously in several points the close up’s of the artist are used to meet the demand of the record label so the audience can easily identify the artist so they can buy their records.

5.       There are frequent references to the notion of looking. Throughout the whole song there is references to the motion of looking this is mainly done between Coldplay and Beyoncé for example as he sits in the audience he is watching her in the cinema as well as when he states at the walking up the mountain.  

6.       There are often intertextual references, although in this music video I did not notice or pick up on any intertextual references however that does not mean there isn’t any, this can be as small as a dance move or a prop in the mise-en-scene but unfortunately I wasn’t able to pick up on any.

[mollyyorkmedia]

Analysis of a Music Video #5 - Electric Love - Børns

[jessicaborsetimedia]

Castle On The Hill- Music video analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ibBPhiaG0

The music video begins with a mid-shot of the main protagonist, following a close up and then an establishing shot of one of the major mise en scenes for the music video. The beginning mid shot of the main protagonist through the fields demonstrates a sense of what appears as isolation and being on his own until the narrative of the music video shifts .The mise en scene is a foggy dark lit country side, the costume of the main protagonists is what would be perceived a stereotypical teenagers outfit, consisting of a hoodie and jeans coupled with a dark blue colours that have connotations of masculine characters. Cutting to a shaky mid shot following the back of the two characters running to a long shot and then front mid shot (match on action), in order to demonstrate a theme of the teenagers being energetic. Furthermore to support that this music video is an illustrative on as the lyric states “running from my brother and his friends” therefore that lyric correlating with shots of the characters running. Switching to a mid-shot of the group of friends on a left-over of bricks, displaying a sense of making the most out of being with your friends, no matter where. Then cutting a mid-shot of the artist singer in his car, demonstrates that sense of moving through his memories of his late teens. The dark lighting coupled with a black outfit, demonstrates a sense of mystery as too where the artist is driving creating questions for the audience.

The next scene follows cutting between different mise en scenes as well as incorporating close ups (out of focus), mid shots and long shots in order to revolve the narrative round the theme of friendship especially when you’re a teenager. The mise en scene display a pool bar, demonstrating the group of friends socialising, following outdoor scenes such as by a bus stop and what appears as a race course. The dark lighting implies a sense of sadness on reminiscing on being young and living the life of a teenager. Furthermore the close ups of the characters drinking alcohol and smoking link to the stereotypes of teenagers being unhealthy (by smoking and drinking alcohol) and appearing to be reckless. Then cutting back to a mid-shot of the friends socialising by the pile of abaonded bricks in the bleak countryside, demonstrates them taking advantage of anywhere to socialise. The bird’s eye view over the English country side following the car (which the artist is driving) provides a sense of the audiences following the remisnisince of the artist through his memories of being younger especially a teenager. Then Cutting to a mid-shot (with the protagonist positioned as centre of focus, as the camera is on his side) both on the side and front facing the car which the male characters are driving. Following with a still mid shot of the groups of friends walking past. As the characters walk past they appear holding beers, which applies to that association with teenagers being the ones to drink more. Furthermore the outfits of the characters imply a scene of youth through bright colours such as reds and blues. Following a pan of the two characters at night walking past the roaring fire, this implies a sense of stereotypical teenagers being reckless in addition the black (night sky) against the bright flames contrasts in order to show that the audience is following the various situations the characters land themselves in. The shot revers close-up of the protagonist and the artist highlights the narrative, of the artist singing about his experiences as a teenager. Cutting to a pull focus of the protagonist looking at a female character, in order to portray his attention on her and conform to the stereotypes of being a teenager and beginning relationships.

Cutting to a mid shot of the characters driving in the car cutting to a birds eye shot of the cars, foreshadows a sense of the young characters on a journey to adult hood (parallel to the artist driving in the car). Furthermore the mid shot of the characters walking in an evening country side with a quick cut to the artist in the same place at day time, presents a sense o the artist telling a story and displaying his memory from different locations also. The extreme close ups focussing on the cigarettes and the characters smoking them, further supports the link between the lyrics and the footage. The mid shot of the two male characters walking past the cars, further conforms to the stereotypes of boys overall having an interest in cars. Cutting a mid-shot of the male protagonist kissing a girl (linking to the lyric) at night time links to the stereotypes of young love. Furthermore the mise en scene of night time at a bus stop, implies a scene of the characters being able to have a good time anywhere they go along as they are together. The characters all still represented in clothes associated with youth such as caps and hoodies with bright course, in order to extend the message of being young, as opposed to the artist being dressed in black which provides connotations maturity. However the scene continues with pull focussed and out of shot closes ups in order to demonstrate a sense of blurry memories as this is what the artists is reminiscing

  Close ups of the characters in the bar mise en scene (demonstrated with that light of the gambling machine hitting and emphasising on the characters face) follows their expressions and enjoyment in their lives and being young. Furthermore the editing slowing down the footage emphasises that sense of the artist reminiscing on old memories, providing a nostalgic tone. The birds eye view shot the boys walking in the country side, sets a narrative the boys walking onto the next chapter of their lives as adults. Following to a quick cut of what appears as a house party, through the use of bright flashing colours such as greens and blues, further conforming of the stereotypes of what teenagers enjoy to do. The camera tracks around all the characters enjoying themselves and socialising, then cutting back to a tracking of the artist lip syncing the song. Cutting to a tracking shot of a bully picking up one of the characters then a quick cut of the protagonists reaction, enhances a sense of the artist reflecting on his memory as teenager and the good and bad memories The bright light behind the protagonist enhances the clarity of his expression to the situation.

Cutting to a zoom out of the characters socialising together at what appears as a cheap car racing course, cutting to a ceiling canted shot however with the flashing lights links back to the scene of a party. Which features close up of hands to show intimacy and relationships that have been built as well as a mid-shot of the friends laughing together. Back to a birds eye view of the boys walking in the desolate country side and cutting to the artist lip syncing the song. Then when the song reaches a not so fast paced, the music video cuts to a slow zoom out of a burning sofa standing out against the night sky, in order to show the teenagers being reckless. However when the lyrics turn to talking about friends, the camera cuts to a quick paced variation of close ups on the friends, representing the artist reminiscing on what his friends were also like as teenagers. However cutting to a zoom out of the friends socialising at night with the fire brightening their faces in order to demonstrate their enjoyment socialising and being together. Then that brightly lit mise en scene contrast to an extreme close up of the protagonists, however with a daylight lighting, to show the protagonist smiling about his adolescent. Then from the tracking of the artist to a pan through all the different mise en scenes of memories as a way of tying in all of the memories.

The quick cuts from the mise en scene of the friends socialising to the artist lip-syncing, the camera pans around the group of friends. The use of the match of action from the young protagonist taking sip from his can to when the artist finishes that sip, enhances how the narrative of the music video being around the artist reminiscing and reflecting on his adolescent. Finishing on a zoom out of the characters socialising in the English countryside where they came from.

The representation the young characters in the music video focusses upon the stereotypical life’s of teenagers.The characters are represented as reckless by setting a sofa on fire at night time. Furthermore the characters are represented as young people through their clothing such as hoodies and caps which are associated with youth clothing, as well as brugh blues and reds coupled with the lighting in the house party scene, provides connotations of youth. And the events the music video such as drinking at bars and going to house parties, further enhances the stereotypes of teenagers. Furthermore the artist is represented as a contrast to the young characters a he is wearing dark lords such as back, which has connotations of maturity.

The ideologies which are presented, are often dominant ideologies, as they represent a message of teenagers socialising and building relationships, whether that be friendships or relationships, which is hegemonic. The close up shot reverse shots of the characters faces show their enjoyment in being together as well as the close up on holding hands, displays that building of romantic relationships. However some ideologies may be challenged, such as when the characters set the sofa on fire, it sent a negative message of teenagers being reckless and that coupled with the tracking shot during the bullying scene.

The genre of this music video is pop, therefore it follows the conventions of artist being dressed in recent and up to trend clothes. Furthermore the use of close ups to elaborate the enjoyment in the characters cafes, also links to the conventions of pop music videos which often have happy characters. Another convention is that the lyrics are often based around love and relationships, which this music video supports. As it is illustrative and as the lyrics talk about friends the footage cuts to focussing on friendship, as well as the romantic relationship which is also represented in this music video. Another convention of pop music is choreography, which this music video doesn’t feature, however only touches on during the house party scene. Other conventions being a link between lyrics and footage which this music video conforms to as well as being brightly lit, which is demonstrated equally to the amount of dark lit scenes. Close ups are a common convention, which this music video follows frequently as the majority of the music video elaborates the characters facial expressions through close ups and extreme close ups.

In relation to Stuart Hall’s this music video would be viewed as preferred reading, as the audience would fully accept the content and interpret it the same as the characters. Therefore because the music video is based on the enjoyment of relationships, that being friendships or romantic relationships, then the audience would have a preferred reading due to the happiness presented in this music video. However an opposition reading maybe also an influence, as the teenagers appears reckless displayed by the scenes of the sofa on fire and the bullying scene. A negotiated reading however would accept that the teenagers are enjoying themselves, however also disagree with their reckless actions.

In relation to Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications, which explains the reason as too why audiences chose certain pieces of media. Therefore, firstly is to be informed and educated, that being why an audience member would watch this music video to be informed on the events and memories of the artist’s teenage life. Secondly we use media as a way of persona identity, therefore audience members would watch this music video to aspire to have friends and memories like the artist one day, or too relate what they do to those of the characters. Personal relationships also, so the media provides a platform for a sense of knowing other people therefore audiences would watch this music video as a way of getting to know the artists more, through him sharing his memories. Lastly the need for escapism, relating to that feature of this theory audiences would watch this music video as a way of escaping from there possible stressful lives by watching the enjoyment the teenagers show living their lives.

Andrew Goodwin’s theory may also be applied to this music video as firstly the music videos does link to characteristics of pop music videos, through the use of characters being dressed in up to date clothes (and other factors previously mentioned). Secondly this music video supports Goodwin’s point of a relationship between lyrics and visuals, as often when a lyric describes a memories the camera will illustrate it, however there isn’t as much of relationship between music and visuals. However only a couples of times when the tempo of the music video speeds up so does the footage. The use of frequent mid shots and close ups on the artist relates to Goodwin’s point on how demands of the label will mean that there will be a lot of camera focus on the artist. However there isn’t often notions to looking, as there aren’t screens as the mise en scene of the music video is mostly focussed outside. This music video doesn’t have a reference to any intertextual forms of media. However it has intertextual reference to finding young love, which links into a lot of narratives within the media

Furthermore Levi Strauss’s Binary opposition’s theory links closely to this music video. As there are oppositions between female and males among the characters. Oppositions between old and young, as the artist contrast the teenage protagonist.

[harrietjonesmedia]

Focus Group 2.0

This is our final focus group, we did this to get audience feedback on our finished music video and digipaks. We asked 5 of our friends 4 questions about the music video and then 3 questions about each of our digipaks. Overall the feedback was very positive and we are pleased with it.