I'm going to be using a variety of props, most I already have but I will have too also buy some.
Bikes will be used in my music video, to show the main actress in the video travelling to see her boyfriend. It works well with the lyrics because they say 'If you wanna ride' it could be by using public transport, but riding a bike is showing that there's a lot of effort to get to someone.
A watch is used in my video to highlight the time that is being passed and that they're waiting for each other. There will be close up shots of the watch ticking on a persons wrist so you know they're looking at the time and noticing it.
This watch will feature on the female actresses wrist, we will see it in the first few shots when the character is being introduced.
REPRESENTATION THEORY- Laura Mulveys Male Gaze This theory is about how the audience view women who are presented in the media. Laura Mulvey states women are there to be seen and that the use of camera portrays them as sexual objects through shot types and movements.
She focus's on;
1) How men look at women from those images
2)How women look at themselves from them images
3)How women look at other women.
The media emphasizes the curves of female body, refers to women as objects rather then people and the display of women is how men think they should be perceived.
Female viewers view the content through the eyes of a man and women are often sexualised. It's the perspective of a heterosexual man (camera lingers over the curves of a womens body)
Mulvey States:
In film women are typically the objects, rather than the possessors this is displayed by the control of the camera.
Camera uses particular movements to perceive women in an idealistic view. Some my disagree with this and feel liberated
On Tuesday the 16th September 2014, All 5 out of the top 5 music videos in the UK charts showed examples of Mulveys Theory.
Calvin Harris - Blame, Lily Wood and Schultz - Prayer in C, Sam Smith - Only one, Talyor Swift - Shake it off and Iggy Azelea ft Rita Ora - Black Widow.
Emphasis on body ✓
Showing Women as objects ✓
Pleasing Men ✓
Females view through the eyes of males? ✓
Women sexualised + viewed based on sexual desire? ✓
Richard Dyers Star Theory
The idea icons and celebrities are constructed by institutions for financial reasons and are built to target a specific audience or group of people.
Can be broken down into 3 sections:
audience and institutions
constructions
hegemony (cultural beliefs)
Audience + Institutions Audiences want to consume what they believe is ideal - institution then modifies the stars image around the target audience. Constructions Star is built for an audience and is not an actual person, a person is created for the audience to identify with so stars can differentiate between different stars- and why they like them or not. Star is built specifically with someones signature to them. - see a lot of people copying celebrities. Hegemony (leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others) We relate to the star because they have a feature that we admire or share with them. This develops from an admiration into a idolization. Some people may attempt to replicate. HE STATES:
"stars are commodities that are produced by institutions"
"A star is a constructed image, represented across a range of media and mediums"
"stars represent and embody certain ideologies"
"A star is an image not a real person that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials is) out of a range of materials (e.g advertising magazines etc as well as films and music) " 1979
Stars are made and groomed to meet the ideal. Tessa Perkins Stereotyping
Preconceived or prejudice idea of a group of people, in general.
People might stereotype - try and help us to understand different groups of people we might not otherwise come across.
STEREOTYPES are assumptions we make based on groups of people when we put people in boxes based on on the media,how do we know they're actually like Tessa Perkins - Stereotyping is not a simple process and contains a number of assumptions that can be challenged. She identifies 5 assumptions;
Stereotypes are not always negative (eg The French are good cooks).
They are not always about minority groups.
Can be held about ones own group.
They are not rigid or unchanging.
They are not always false.
implications of stereotypes stereotypes are erroneous in content (usually wrong) and about groups that have little or not social contact.
I have set up a diary online to keep a record of filming and the processes within filming digitally, instead of creating a handwritten version I thought by using the technology online would allow me to keep it all in one place and be able to go back and add and edit posts. The photo I set is the album cover for the album that I have taken my chosen song, off.
YouTube is a massive influence in an artists music video popularity, it allows for a video to go 'viral' and suggests relative videos to people, that are similar to the ones they are already watching. Now people can discover new music and their videos at the same time as listening to music genre's they like. If a video has lots of views it also is seen as a suggestion to watch on the YouTube homepage, which will encourage a vast viewing audience. YouTube is accessible to view and upload onto from all over around the World which shows the way more technology has caused the globalization of music videos. The video needs to be good to compliment the song, and can effect how popular a song is. An example of how powerful YouTube is the song 'Gangnam Style' which created a world wide dance craze of people copying the dance move. The music video meant a lot more people were consuming the song by watching the video and downloading the song, ultimately making the song more money because of the influential video.
Instagram is a social media which is very popular with my generation, artists can show behind the scene shots of filming and create a 'buzz' around the pre-release of a music video/album. This causes people to be interested in it being released and excited to see the video. Instagram also allows an artist to post short clips of video, which can give people tasters of the video, This app is available on mobile phones and also on computers, so people can access it whilst on the move. If its interesting people are likely to look on Instagram whilst they have a spare few minutes and they can like posts, which will appear on other users who follow that persons feed. This widens the viewing audience. Also searching hashtags is a way of finding new things, a post can be found under a few different searches when the artist hash tags a variety of relevant words. Music Channels are influential on how many people see the video, genre specific music channels also exist these days, which can help people view music videos they like. Music channels are no longer exclusive to people who pay for Sky or Virgin TV subscriptions. VIVA and 4Music are for everyone to see as they are channels that are on free-view which has been rolled out across the entire country. Free-view is the minimum required to be able to watch television.
I wanted to ask some questions to not only the target audience of my product, but I also wanted to get other peoples opions and general feelings of music videos overall. The conventions, what people are interested and what would make them want to watch my music video. To get an idea of what people want in a music video, instead of just looking at existing products I decided to use social media to get some feedback,from a range of people and ages. I want to be able to cater for my target market,but also find out what people are looking for in general. Perhaps to intise new viewers in to watch the video.
This is the initial question I sent out over Facebook to a group of students
This is the inital inbox I set up and sent to people;
I got alot of responses from alot of students from Wyke Sixform College. As you can see all the feedback was from females. I felt this research is too biased to just use without questioning it. My next step was to ask a wider audience after the intial research.
I chose to analysis this music video because it follows a clear narrative that fits with the lyrics and you can understand it. It also includes theories and is an example of a music video that follows a narrative and also includes a performance from the singer, there is no abstract in this music video. This is a popular convention in music videos because it gives the audience the familiarity of a story they can relate to but also an aspect of performance.
Tim O’Sullivan: The video goes along with the argument that it has follows a kind of story, that is understood because it is similar to real life, not exactly the same as a personal experience, but the narrative of this story does follow the conventions. The Diegesis of the video is set in a real place which is similar to real life so relatable and creates verisimilitude. This further develops the understanding of the audience because it appears real as it's being watched. The protagonist in the video is using her facial expressions in close up shots to helps deepen the understanding.
- The use of flashbacks in the narrative going back to a different times helps create understanding, again by telling a story which realistic.
Kate Domaille: The music video fits within one of the 8 original narrative types, in this the singer is showing that she is still in love/has feelings for someone she used to be with. Him and his new partner have come round to the house and she is having memories of their time together, i believe this shows evidence that it is based around one of the original narratives; Tristan and Iseult which is about a love triangle. In this video she still loves him, but he is now 'spoken for' by being in a relationship with another woman.
Tzvetan Todorov (1977)
• Stage 1: A point of stable equilibrium, where
everything is satisfied, calm and normal.
At the start of the video, everything is alright and we just see people we think are friends visiting her house. Everybody appears happy and calm with the situation.
• Stage 2: This stability is disrupted by some kind of
force, which creates a state of disequilibrium.
The main character and the man start begin to show a tension, when they knock arms with each other and also when he accidentally walks into her.
• Stage 3: Recognition that a disruption has taken
place.
The two characters look at each other, the things also cause her to get flashbacks of their time together, we then realize that they used to be a couple. It is after the tension between them is recognised
• Stage 4: It is only possible to re-create equilibrium
through action directed against the disruption.
Gwen the main character in the narrative is acting against the tension by being overly friendly and also trying to get on with the other woman. She is acting against wanting to talk to the man and be like old times, so diffuses the situation by engaging in group chat.
• Stage 5: Restoration of a new state of equilibrium.
The consequences of the reaction is to change the
world of the narrative and/or the characters so that
the final state of equilibrium in not the same as the
initial state.
All the characters appear to be getting on, outside the house and the songs lyrics are reflecting this 'I know we're cool' she's acknowledging that theyre no longer going out but are now okay with each other. She has accepted the new lady.
