Music video

Digipack

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Evaluation Question 1

Evaluation Question 2

Evaluation Question 3

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Evaluation Question 3- What have you learned from your audience feedback?

First of all, we did a preliminary exercise. This involved getting used to lip synching. So we had to film someone singing the song and then repeat it from different angles. Then we had to cut out the sound to and replace it with the song. Once we finished editing it, we put it on YouTube and received a lot of feedback. Many people said that the editing to the beat is good. But also the majority of people said that the lip synching was not in time. Frome receiving this feedback I came to a conclusion that I need to work more on making the lip synching perfect as this would hypothetically make or break my music video. I took this into account when I commenced with the construction of my music video.

Eventually I made the rough cut of my music video. I also received a lot of feedback for the draft.  One person said that the beginning of the song should be more lively. From this I really had to think of how I could make the beginning more exciting. To make the beginning better I added an intro for the song. Also, after the intro, instead of just showing the character walking, I kept on cutting (with the beat) from the character walking to the character walking with his girlfriend.

After a short while I finished the music video. I put it on YouTube and once again received a lot of feedback. One negative thing was that many people said the music video lacks a clear story line. Many people asked if there was a story line or that they didn’t understand the story line. If I had the chance to repeat the process, I would have tried my best to make the storyline of the music video as clear as possible. A positive thing was that most people liked the intro of the music video and the cuts between the character on his own walking and the character with his girlfriend. Ultimately from the feedback I have received, the music video as a success.

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Evaluation Question 4

Cultivation Theory

Cultivation theory was a theory composed originally by G. Gerbner and later expanded upon by Gerbner & Gross , they began research in the mid-1960s trying to study  media effects, specifically whether watching television has an influence on the audiences idea and perception of everyday life.  Cultivation theory states that high frequency viewers of television are more susceptible to media messages and the belief that they are real and valid. Heavy viewers are exposed to more violence and therefore are affected by the Mean World Syndrome, the belief that the world is a far worse and dangerous place then it actually is.

Cultivation research is one that studies media effects (in my opinion one of the most controversial areas of media research). Cultivation theorists posit that television viewing can have long-term effects that gradually affect the audience. Their primary focus falls on the effects of viewing in the attitudes of the viewer as opposed to created behaviour.

Two step flow theory

Two-Step Flow Theory is about how KEY PEOPLE affect other people. This hypothesis was first constructed by Paul Lazarsfeld, Bernard Berelson and Hazel Gaudet in a 1944 study which focused on the process of making decisions around the time of a Presidential election campaign called ‘The People’s Choice’. The expected result was that the mass media’s messages would have a direct influence of people’s votes however the researchers were surprised to find out this was in fact not the case at all.  It was the personal and informal contact that had more of an impact on voting behaviour as opposed to exposure to radio or newspapers. With the results of the research, they developed the two-step flow theory of mass communication.

Critics:

-Researchers found substantial evidence that initial mass media information flows directly to people on the whole and is not relayed by opinion leaders.

-The two-step hypothesis does not adequately describe the flow of learning. Lazarsfeld and his associates in the 1940 election study were unable to determine the specific flow of influence.

- Today most of the advertising researches are based on this theory. Especially opinion leader’s role in the society as well as in home to which helps to improve the market with less efforts.

Genre

Audiences develop an understanding that certain expectations my be fulfilled and they may find pleasure in predicting what will happen next.

Genres have characteristic features that are known to and recognised by audiences. This formula is produced again and again. For example, in a western we see similar characters, situations and settings.

A big example for horrors is in the film called scream. The film tells us the rules of the genre, shows what's going to happen and then the film shows it happening. This is also a prime example of postmodernism. Audiences recognise key elements of a genre and react differently to each genre. These key elements are known as paradigms.

There are two types of paradigms, these are called Iconographic paradigms and structural paradigms. An example of Iconographic paradigms are costumes and props in an action films like guns etc. An example of structural paradigms is how gender is represented in an action film.

Reception Theory

Stuart Hall came up with the reception theory. This considered how text were encoded with meaning by producers and then decoded (understood) by audiences. For an example, a director may try to get across a meaning of a song. The audience may interpret the song in a different way.
The reception theory is based on the idea that there is no single meaning for any text. It focuses on what people see in the media and the meanings they produce. It says that messages from media texts can have a particular meaning.

The Effects Model/ The Hypodermic model.

The effects model gives an explanation of what happens to an individual in terms of their behaviour as a result of their consumption of the mass media. The model shows is thought to have a negative effect on individuals. The model indoctrinates in audience making them powerless and passiive. The audience  would be figuratively poisoned by the message of the text. An example of this is rap music. Rap music supports this theory as many people argue that listening to rap music can lead to the individual becoming very violent and going against the police.

In relation to my music video the effects model would determine that people that listen to it or watch it will miss their girlfriend or want to break up with them because this is the message it would send to the audience in the viewpoint of the effects model.

A true to life example is with the video game grand theft auto. Through this violent game of people killing each other this this lead to a murder case because of the message of violence the video game gives.

Props which may be used

I will have people on there skateboards in the opening of the music video. I will also make it in slow motion to add effect and emphasis right from the start.





The Phone will be used for when the boy and the girl are taking pictures together, when he gets a text message from her and at the end when he sends a text back to her saying the title of the song "tonight I let you go".

The car will be used for the boy driving it and also singing. There will also be multiple times the video will cut to the boy driving the car during the opening of the music video.

There will be multiple times the music video will cut to a scene of the boy singing. The microphone and stand will add realness the the video.

The guitar and the drums will be used to fit in with the sound of the music. In simpler terms, the song involves musical instraments such as drums and guitars.

Feedback from Rough Cut of Music Video

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Examples of digipacks

This digipack shows light colours with images of the people looking very relaxed. Therefore we can infer from this digipack that the music may be in the jazz jenre or maybe christian music. Also on the disk it shows a love heart so the music may also have a relation to love . In one of the images shows a man and a woman sitting together with a set of roses in between them from behind this could also show that there the music may have a relation to love.

This digipack shows images of a farm. And a man with his guitar. We could infer from this that this may be country music as well as an acoustic song.
The bright colours show that the music may have a fast tempo.

This digipack shows mostly dark colours. Therefore we could infer from this that the music may be linked rock and roll genre. Also there is a lighter. This is relative to fire and rock music videos a majority of the time have fire.

Album Cover Art Work

Sexism in Music videos

Blurred Lines controversy

Some people see Robbie Thicke’s “blurred lines” as a song which symbolises rape. Recently, the song has been banned from 20 universities because of its sexual lyrics figuratively implying forced sexual activity (“I know you want it”). With all the controversy it has stirred up, its hardly surprising that blurred lines has earned Robin the sexiest of the year title from a poll conducted by the Violence against women Coalition which is comprised more than 60 women's rights groups.But on the other hand, some people do not see the song as so called rape song. Blurred lines is not about rape there same way cop killer is about killing cops. It depends on an individual’s interpretation of the song. Robbie thick himself has been defending the song in many of his interviews. He said “What’s wrong with being sexy?” That could be because, unlike Eminem or Body count, he didn’t mean to be outrageous. It was conceived and directed by Diane Martel, who said it forces men to feel playful and not at all like predators. I directed the girls to look into the camera.

The 36 year old smashed the records with the single which sees him T.I and Pharell enjoying a multitude of practically naked women dancing around them. Thick has defended his single implying that mostly young people will understand the concept of the track more than adults.

                                Wrecking Bull Controversy

"Wrecking Ball" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Miley's first chart-topping single. It also broke several Vevo records. The way this all happened is a combination of factors. On one hand, credit goes to the talented people writing, producing, and promoting her material. They have done a great job of hyping up the young artist. But the artist gets credit here, too. By any means necessary, Miley has kept her name in the public discourse. In modern pop, if people are saying your name, they're probably listening to your music, too. 

Miley Cyrus single wrecking bull has sparked a controversy. Her single involves her riding on a wrecking bully fully naked  for the majority of the song. The wrest of the song involves her licking a hammer. This video is known to be an absolute outrage but also a sensational video because of its charts success.

But why would Miley Cyrus even attempt to make such a strong video like this? The reason may be to show that the is a woman and no longer a girl. Cyrus has completely burned the faint image of the so called Hannah montana and replaced it with a sex object. 

Miley explained that her inspiration from this song came from Sinead Oconor's single "nothing compares 2u". Sinead did not mind the fact that miley sees her as a role model but is not happy with the chart topper. The irish star believes mileys transition from hannah montana to sexy cyrus is absolutely disgraceful. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Bastille Album Cover

When looking at the EP album cover for Bastille's, Bad Blood, a girl is seen to be in the sea. This image comes from the music video. This is also what I am planning to do for my digipak. When considering the composition of the artwork, the girl is at the top.This puts attention on the girl as it seems like she is the odd thing out in the image. The sky is blue the water is of a similar colour but the theres a girl with black hair looking as if she is about to drown. The bands name is central on the album cover in a large, bold, capitalized font. The font is further in a sans-serif type, likewise to the typography on the album covers by Scouting For Girls. Aligning the font central allows the audience to instantly recognize the artist of the track, displaying the most important information in paramount position. The triangular symbol, representing the A in Bastille lets the audience further identify the band, acting as a logo to the bands name. The positioning of the text additionally draws the attention of the audience, making their eye track different paths of the typography, looking over the totality of the album cover. Finally, the typography is white in colour, acting as a contrast to the artwork, allowing the text to distinctly stand out as it has been superimposed onto the image face.

Organic and synthetic music

Sinead O'conor- Nothing compares to you

Nothing compares to you was originally writen by prince for one of his projects called The Family. It was later made famous by the artist Sinead O’Connor in her second studio album called I do not want what I haven't got. This became a worldwide hit in 1990.

The opening lyrics assumedly establish that this song is about a heart-broken harrowing tale of love and the loss over it. The genre of the track, alternative pop, is portrayed much slower and more meaningful than other pop songs. For example, Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" - this track also has an emotional meanings attached to the lyrics, but the drumbeat throughout the track and quick edits of cuts between clips take away the emotional aspect of Adele's music video and transforms it into something else - a track which could be danced to

in a lively manner.

The opening shot can represent how Sinéad is by herself, in the wilderness all alone and unloved by the wild, cold chilly surroundings within the mise-en-scene as she is seen alone, with no one around her for comfort.

The close up of Sinéad's face between 1:15 to 1:20 has an emotional and meaningful relationship with the audience consuming the music video. Between 1:15 and 1:20 is the main lyric(s) of the chorus: "Nothing compares to you".  Sinead expresses the lyrics by making the audience relate to her story, as in each and every chorus, as soon as she sings the lyric "you", it's as if she is connecting with the viewer - the viewer is the one who she is singing about, she's singing to you and not for you as a way of entertainment and pleasure to listen to.

The camera then cuts to an autumn setting with leafs falling onto the ground with Sinead fading out to around a 50% opacity within the mise-en-scene to still remain visible to the viewer. The leafs falling to the ground could represent how at this point the music video changes emotionally and in musical pitch as the track is approaching the first half of the middle section within the song where Sinead starts to "yell-out" towards the viewer, expressing her emotions more frequently by looking into the eyes of the consumer.

The falling lefts could also represent how what was, has now been lost. Leafs falling from trees are dying and will be replaced during the Summer due to the cold bitterness of the approaching winter season - a cold and chilling season, one which some may not like to spend alone.

Katy Perry

Andrew Goodwin: Pop Videos can be used to reinforce a brand image

Through the release of this song, katy perry was seen as an older sister figure to a target audience consisting of girls approximately 12-15. This video showed katy Perry as a positive role model. She then released  a song called last Friday night. This video was based around a typical girl having a party. This reflected the older part of her target audience. This lead to her fans continuing to accept Katy Perry as an older sister figure. Not only this but the fact the video all symbolises that no matter who you are; geek, not a geek etc, you are still beautiful this also widened her audience.

She also released a song called "California gurls". This music video was know as the video that completely went against all her other videos. From being a sister figure to being a sex symbol. The motive behind this video may be because of what was happening in her life at this time. During this period she had recently got married to  Russell Brand. A comedian/actor who does not really care about Katy Perry type or target audience but more of an adult one. This music video led to many young girls not listening to her music. Comparing the views on youtube, the difference is drastic between "Last Friday Night" and California Gurls".

Later on, Katy Perry released a new single called "Wide Awake". This music video was made to assure that what she was portraying in her previous song. This music video also had a man that make have symbolized her ex husband, having charm but also having the wrong intentions. She hyperthiticaly assures her fans that she will not fulled into being such a person like that again.
As a result to this, it lead to the amount of views for the video (through youtube) increasing by over 100 million. Therefore she won her fans back. 

What is a digipak

100 greatest music videos: My top 5

So Solid Crew are an English UK garage, grime and hip hop group originating from Battersea, London who achieved wide success in the early 2000s. The group consisted of a large number of members, the most notable being Lisa Maffia, Romeo and Harvey. They are generally credited with having paved the way for the current generation of crossover UK hip hop stars."21 Seconds" i It is included on their debut album They Don't Know. The song was released as a single on Relentless Records in 2001. It charted at a peak position of number one in the UK Singles Chart in August 2001, while it peaked just outside the top 40 in the Netherlands. It achieved first week sales of 118,135 units in the United Kingdom. 

The video starts with the title "Michael Jacksons' Thriller" which is in big bold red writing to make the title stand out, using the colour red means danger. The video then cuts to Michael and his girlfriend in a car which runs out of petrol in a dark wooded area, this represents a horror as something like this scenario would happen in a horror movie. Michael announces that he is "different" and scary like music starts to play as the camera cuts to a full moon appearing in the sky. A full moon can be related to werewolves which then Michael turns into. Michael then chases his girlfriend as he is now a werewolf then it cuts to the cinema which turns out that Michael and his girlfriend are sat watching the film. Michael's actual song doesn't start until over 4 minutes. Michael then starts singing to his girlfriend whilst walking down a dark                                                                                             alley which is very misty which represents that                                                                                                something scary may happen.

The music video for the song The Scientist by Coldplay is all in reverse showing him doing everything backwards to show a story. The song itself is a story so the music video suits the song really nicely. Chris Martin had to learn the song backwards which took him a month! The genre of the song fits Coldplay overall as the song is heavily piano based with an indie rock flare. Within the song 'The Scientist' a piano is used as the main instrument with majority of minor key's used. This stereotypically fits in with the pessimistic and depressing genre as it links in with the lyrics as well as the narrative of the video, by wanting to go back to stop the heartbreak of his loved one who was recently killed in the car crash. The narrative of the video demonstrates the lead singer going backwards in time to an incident involving a car crash with his assumed girlfriend at the time, hence linking to the lyrics 'I'm going back to the start'. Chris Martin had to learn the words to the song backwards in order to maintain the continuity, so when it was reversed the synchronisation of the video was appropriate in accordance to him singing the lyrics. This could show that he is still in the present but wishes he could go back to stop what happened.

This song was released in 2001 and sang by Elton John. It was directed by Sam Tyler Wood. It was actually lip synced in the music video as Elton John disliked making music videos. He chose Robert Downey Junior to lip sync as at the time he was in rehabilitation of having drug problems and so the song seemed right for him. He was allowed out of rehabilitation to film the video which he lip synced well. I think it was a good choice to use him as you can see the feeling behind the meaning of the song. 

The music video for “Stan” follows the theory of Andrew Goodwin in many different ways. One-way being that there is a clear relationship between the lyrics and the visuals of the video. The opening of the video appears to be very theatrical (movie-like) in a way as the camera zooms in to a window, showing the miserable weather of rain and thunder – to relate to the harsh feelings portrayed in the song and video, to a pregnant woman in which we then see fades to closer camera shots of the woman rubbing her stomach to show she is pregnant, this is also emphasized by the camera zooming towards her. It isn't until after an argument between the woman and the central male character of the video in the bathroom where the man argues that he doesn’t want his girlfriend to call him Stanley, presumably because he’s trying to look like Eminem. The chorus is played first in which we see Dido (who plays the female character) sitting on the toilet singing her lyrics in the song. “My tea’s gone cold I’m wondering why, got out of bed all. Morning rain clouds up my window, and I can’t see at all. And even if I could it would all be grey…” These lyrics show a clear relationship between the way Dido feels about her life in the video. She feels like her relationship with Stan is falling apart because of his obsession with Eminem (heighten by the argument in the bathroom) and that even though she is pregnant, her life at this point seems to have no meaning. The idea of “It would all be grey” reflects the previous horrible weather we saw at first in the video.

The Most Watched Music Videos on Youtube 2012 and 2013

Extra Case Study: Director X

During the late 1990s, Julien “Director X” Lutz was taken under the wing of video icon Hype Williams. The protégé learned a lot under Williams’ direction, eventually branching out to put his touch on high profile videos for artists such as R. Kelly, the Clipse and Jay-Z. More recently, X made his name known in rap circles for his direction on Drake’s “HYFR” video. The director and artist tandem—plus the creative approach of capturing Drizzy’s bar mitzvah—was praised in the amount of publications placing the visual on their year-end best-of lists. He also directed a sensational hip hot hit caled "Started from the bottom" By drake.

Director X is currently working with the OVO leader on the video for his new single, “Started From the Bottom.” Before he adds one more to his resume, we spoke with X to discuss the videos that shape his career. For his nearly 10-year run in the game, X has helped create some iconic visuals from DMX’s “What’s My Name? to Kanye West’s “The New Workout Plan.” He talked about how Ghostface Killah’s “Cherchez La Ghost” originally had a different treatment, the experience of working with a young Mr. West, and how Nicki Minaj’s “Your Love” tested your limits.

Extra case study: HYPE WILLIAMS

Williams first displayed his work by tagging local billboards, storefronts, and playgrounds using HYPE as his graffiti tag. "That's probably what stimulated my interests in color," he says. Williams was born in Queens, New York and is of African and Honduran descent. He later attended Adelphi University.[4] Williams' big break came when he began working with Classic Concepts Video Productions. Lionel "Vid Kid" Martin & VJ Ralph McDaniels created Williams' first opportunity with the "Film makers With Attitude" moniker (FWA), which was Williams' first video company.

Awards Williams has received for his video work include the Billboard Music Video Award for Best Director of the Year (1996), the Jackson Limo Award for Best Rap Video of the Year (1996) for Busta Rhymes' "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check", the NAACP Image Award (1997), the 8th annual Music Video Production Association Award for Black Music Achievement (1997), MTV Video Music Award in the Best Rap Video (1998) category for Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy wit It", MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video(1999) for TLC's "No Scrubs", and the BET Award for Best Director (2006) for Kanye West's "Gold Digger". In 2006, Williams was honored by MTV with its Video Vanguard Award, presented in honor of his achievements as a filmmaker.

In 2010, Williams was the writer for the Kanye West short film Runaway. He later directed the music video for West's single "All of the Lights", which premiered on February 19, 2011. As of 2012, Kanye West holds the artist record for working the most times with Williams, the two have collaborated in nineteen music videos beginning in 2005 with the music video for "Diamonds from Sierra Leone". Busta Rhymes is second behind West, collaborating with Williams in sixteen music videos, beginning with debut solo music video "Everything Remains Raw" / "Woo-Hah!! Got You All in Check".

A signature style used by Williams throughout the vast majority of his videos (shot mostly with cinematographer John Perez) was the Fisheye lens which distorted the camera view around the central focus. This was used by the tandem Williams/Perez in "Gimme Some More" by Busta Rhymes and "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" by Missy Elliott; however, it was dropped by 2003, when he experienced his lowest level of production activity since the beginning of his career as a music video director.

Another "signature style" involves placing shots in regular widescreen ratio, while a second shot is split and placed in the upper and lower bars. Videos that use this style include "Diamonds on My Neck" by Smitty, "I Ain't Heard of That" by Slim Thug, "So Sick" by Ne-Yo, "My Hood" by Young Jeezy, "Gomenasai" by t.A.T.u., "Check on It" by Beyoncé, "Freeze" by LL Cool J, "Snap Yo Fingers" by Lil Jon and many others. In addition to this, he frequently utilizes aerial and tracking shots which often move backwards or forwards, some techniques which can often be seen in "Rock the Boat" by Aaliyah, "She's a Bitch" by Missy Elliott, "Not Myself Tonight" by Christina Aguilera and "Only U" by Ashanti. It is a method often used by Hype which allows his videos to be dynamic, multi-dimensional and atmospheric as opposed to having static camera angles. Further style traits include the use of slow motion action, deep focus, and smooth cutting. With cinematic qualities, and street like fantasy, his visuals captured an entire period of excess, innovation, and humor in music videos.

Extra case study: ANTHONY MANDLER

As a video director, Anthony has shown his ability to make full realized and powerful moving short films underscoring music videos of today's top artists. Anthony has written and directed, among others, the videos: Nelly Furtado, Man-eater; The Killers, When you were Young; Ne Yo, Sexy Love; Beyonce, Irreplaceable; Eminem, When I'm Gone; 50Cent, Hustlers Ambition; Rihanna, Unfaithful; Enrique Iglesias, Somebody's Me; Fergie,Big Girl's Don't Cry and the new Duran Duran video. In addition, Anthony is part of the producing/directing partners for the new Snoop Dog reality show, said to be the biggest budget reality show in history.

Anthony is today's hottest video director in strong demand and receiving high critical praise for his unique style of story telling demonstrating his extensive and highly talented famous photography background. He has received numerous film project offers from studios waiting on the right project to direct.

Case study 3 – Alex Southam

Alex Southam

Case Study 2: Emil Nava

Emil Nava's career started as a runner for film production companies. After  This opened the door for him to work for Blink Productions. He graduated to assistant director where he managed video shoots and then signed to the biggest video production company: Academy. He then worked for Between the Eyes and now freelances for OB management and works for Pulse. 

Emil Nava now makes adverts, for example, he created the L'Oreal advert. Adverts usually have a higher budget, however they allow less creative freedom. When he first started working for independent labels shooting videos his budgets were £5000-£10,000. 

Emil created a music video for Kid British - Our house. His budget was £20,000 and they used the local residents in Manchester as the cast. With one day to film the entire video and 2-3 days to edit the video, this is a prime example of the tight timescales that can be involved in low budget videos. One of his most expensive budgets was creating a music video for Jessie J. 

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