Task 1
Produce a comprehensive word-processed
or voice recorded analysis of three music videos.
Using
subject specific terminology, you must gather moving images examples by music genre
(type of music video) and comment on how styles, techniques and conventions
have been used to appeal to target audiences.
You
must also comprehensively explain in your analysis what purpose(s) your music
video examples will serve for artists and audiences.
Your
examples must be from a range of music genres.
You must include video examples AND still
images from your chosen films to help illustrate your observations.
*Your examples and analysis
must be uploaded to your IG1 assignment blog.
Music Video Analysis: Gender Roles, Race, Sexuality, Materialism, Violence.
Music Video Analysis - Techniques and Audience Needs:
Music Video Purposes Analysis
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Examples of types of music videos:
Performance Based Music Video - Prominently features the artist/band singing the song.
Oasis were formed at the tail-end of the 'Madchester' scene so, the stylish black and white colours match the song and genre (Indie Rock/ Brit-Pop). The main singer of the video, Liam Gallagher is seen more often than not lip-syncing the song. There are various camera angles and shots of him doing this. These include him sitting down with the rest of the band, sitting on his own, singing straight into the camera or being seen via a mirror. There is also a shot of him spinning slowly on a circular background. The song isn't really considered to be sad or depressing so the members of the band are seen having fun (playing darts, playing games).
There are also shots of the other band members playing their instruments, such as drums and guitars (also synced up) so people know that the song is more than the effort of one man. It is easy to know that they are oasis as they are not obscured by anything and are seen prominently. Also, a vinyl of oasis is seen playing as an identification of the band within the song. Like the song, which rarely has a fast tempo the video is quite slow, with simple transitions rather than fast-paced cut editing.
Narrative Based Music Video - The music video tells a story, often following the lyrics or rarely telling a completely different story (though still relatable to the type of song).
The song is from is an RnB song so fans off this type of video want something to compliment the music, usually in the style of a fast paced music video, whether the mood is that of fun or darkness. The song is about an obsessed fan whose dark feelings become more prominent as it progresses. The song is written in the style of a series of letter from the fan (Stan) to Eminem and as he doesn't get a reply he becomes madder, taking his anger out on his pregnant girlfriend before eventually killing her.
The song's use of effects such as storms and lightning add to the suspense of the video, while close up shots of Stan's facial expressions create a psychotic profile for the character. The video follows the song in terms of pace,as when his letters become more aggressive, the shots become faster and sharper, with the characters actions usually changing along with this. For example he starts off writing a letter, speaking quietly to himself, but at the end when he has finally had enough of a lack of reply,he is shown screaming angrily into a tape recorder. The video follows the narrative perfectly, as the lyrical letters are already telling a story. Due to the videos dark nature, i assume this would appeal to fans from it's target genre, as it is dark and scary but features the artist prominently in the video. However, i believe many people would like to see this as the song tells a very good and interesting story which is fully matched by the video.
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Concept Based Music Video - A video that usually has abstract elements to it and is more often than not strange and has no connection to the song or its lyrics. They typically do not tie into or relate to the band or artist.
Gotye's Somebody That I Used To Know Video is a concept based video and features a unique visual style.During the course of the video while he is singing, paint gradually covers his body (with the use of stop motion) until the colored shapes on his body match the painted backdrop. The genre of the song is indie pop and listeners of this type of music would want something that compliments it, as it changes its tone in its duration. Though the video doesn't really follow the lyrics it is visually attractive through its use of vivid colours and strange alternative style, which would attract people from a wide range of genres. Indie Pop usually has a vibrant, loud sounding style to it, so the video matches the music in this sense.
Though the video practically doesn't follow the lyrics in the form of a constructive narrative, minor things that happen are synced up with the pace of the music. An example of this would be the paint begins covering his body leading up to the main line of the song : Now You're Just Somebody That I Used To Know. Once he has finished repeating the line twice, the paint has completely covered his body. Also, the line is repeated towards the end of the video as it is becoming quieter, when Kimbra's paint begins to come off in a reverse style of what happened to Gotye earlier. The concept is quite simple yet strange at the same time, with the video spawning countless cultural and musical references along with becoming a viral hit. This in the long term proves to be a promotion for the song.
