Performance videos mainly focus on the artist or band just plainly performing either on their own or in front of a crowd. Mostly common with rock music videos in the 1980's.They never usually have any type of narrative amongst the video and usually have a wide variety of camera angles and regularly repeats the same shots. The audience is also usually featured in the music video, to give a connection to the audiences at home who are watching the music video. Performance music videos use repeated camera angles and usually involve close ups of the band members playing instruments. Performance videos represent more of a star image focusing on the band or artist.
This music video by Maximo Park is a performance based music video, however it is clearly choreographed and does not appear to involve a live audience. It still features a particular location, rather than a stage.
Parallel to this music video is a video for the 90's band Rage Against the machine. This music video features an audience and a live performance.
NARRATIVE BASED VIDEOS
Narrative based videos is usually mixed with performance involved occasionally, with the artist singing, or playing an instrument. This is usually very popular amongst hip hop artists as they show little performance and show what the video is about. There is usually a story behind the video with a clear beginning middle and end. Most pop artists feature as characters in their own music videos, which would suggest that the meaning of the music video and song means something personal to the artist. For example;
However some narrative based music videos do not feature any of the band or artists, and just narrate the meaning of the song. For example, this video by maximo park illustrates drinking and alcohol, but also has other messages that are unrelated to the lyrics to give more of a story;
These videos have a story that they are trying to get something across to the audience rather than focusing on the meaning of the lyrics. They usually follow closely to the song and are used if the song i longer than four and a half lyrics. Some narrative videos are loosely related to the lyrics of the song, but some are not relevant at all.
CONCEPT BASED MUSIC VIDEOS
Concept based videos are based on a concept or an idea. They tend to be fairly unique or utilise a particular editing or filming technique. Concept videos intrigue a specific target audience and emphasise the technological advancements and practices that modern music videos are now accustomed to do. A popular concept based video is Californication by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers
I have chosen a Cage the Elephant Music video to present the typical indie rock music video genre;
The video is performance based, and does not illustrate the lyrics of the song. The music video features psychedelic patterns and colours to create a serial experience for the audience and a sense of detachment. The song its self is about drug use, and how the concept of time is very distorted when some one is on drugs. there for the music video could be mirroring how the band member feel whilst 'tripping'. The animated world, in which the band members are performing/exploring could present what the band member have experienced whilst being on drugs. The use of bright colours and animated 'out of this world' creatures reinforce the idea of hallucination. In terms of mise-en-scene, the location of the music video is set in space, which presents the theme of losing time.
At the beginning the lead singer starts running away from a death reaper creature, he fights for his life against evil looking creatures. Representing himself as a warrior in the video and is always stating to his challengers "come a little closer than you'll see, come come come come" and is always slaying his attackers, thus feeling that he can do anything under the influence of drugs. Towards the end of the video the lead singer is riding into a hell like planet in a demon like creature as he states "time flies time flies they all say hello", which can represent coming down to
harsh reality of coming down to everyday existence, returning to reality. It is clear that this music video has a clear beginning middle and an end, there for the video interests the audience and has a clear story line that is easy to follow.
It terms of lighting the use of flashing lights connotes the theme of hallucination and drug use. The video is set on an other worldly planet, the lighting suggests and connotes this. The use of close up images on the lead singer, shows how the lead singer conforms to the expectations and genre. The messy hair and glitter eye make up suggests how the lead singer feels independent and different from society, reflecting the style of music that they produce, whilst also representing a 'dont care' attitude. The lead singer is shown wearing a red bomber jacket, the colour red may connote the singers attitude and the sense of danger and passion. The rest of the band are styled in black jeans, and quirky clothing, which appeals to a certain target audience who are inspired by the band's style. Establishing shots are also used to represent the bizarre location of the video, e.g dark space and planets.
The music video appeals to the audience of the band as they may have experienced drug use before, and are intrigued by the portrayal of drug use in the video. Shots of the band members floating in space may also give the impression of hallucinating, and experience a 'high', from drug use. The camera tracks the movement of the floating band member to replicate this feeling to the audience. In terms of lighting, flash lighting is used to also to connote a dream like experience. The on and off dimming of lighting may suggest falling in and out of reality.
The music video its self does not illustrate the lyrics, but the whole concept of the lyrics. Instead of the band taking drugs, the band are shown in an imaginary world. Psychedelic patterns are used as a background for when the band are performing to the camera. The main form of editing in the video includes green screening and animation, rather than transitions and cross cutting. However the use of fast shots, adds to the sense of uneasiness and danger.
SAN CISCO / MAGIC
This narrative style music video, is by an Australian Indie Pop band, San Cisco. The song Magic, is from their latest album. The narrative based music video, does not feature any performance from the band or artist. The video revises the beauty and the beast fairytale, featuring a beautiful young girl falling involve with a beastly male, and places the old fairytale to the present day.
The video begins with surrealist images of dead corpse head rotating on a stick, which static blue and red lighting in the background to connote danger and uneasiness towards the audience. The scene is contrasted with the pastel font colours presenting the name of the band and the name of the song featured in the video.
Before the track begins, sinister organ music plays, to portray a spine chilling atmosphere. As soon as the song begins the shot cuts away from the surreal clips of the rotation corpse heads, the two main characters are introduced, the first, a young woman lying in bed in an extravagant room, the second a beastly looking man. Parallel editing is used to show the juxtaposition of the two characters. The girl is introduced laying in bed, connoting her innocence, where as the beast is presented as prisoned, which could connote his danger towards the young woman.
The male character is dress in all black, which conveys the male character as mysterious and evil, he is shown stepping out of a grand sports car, which can also connote the characters wealth and importance. Mid shots are used to present the male characters features to present his beastly like appearance, for example, long nails, fangs, acicular ears and dark features, the audience can instantly recognise that the character is representing a modern day version of the fairy tale, "beauty and the beast".
The two characters through out the music video are shown as polar opposites. The young girl is dressed in colours such as white and yellow, to indicate innocence and purity. Her child like braids and other hair styles suggest her youth and freshness. Her costumes and hair styles change frequently in the duration of the video, where as the beast stays in one outfit which would imply his rigorous characteristics. However towards the end of the video, a tracking shot is used to present the change of character, as she is seen wearing a black leather jacket with black boots, which connotes the story of how the beast has influenced her, and a loss of innocence.
The cinematic frame of the music video, gives the impression that the music video portrays a story / plot to the music video. The lighting used in the music video gives a soft pastel tone to the video, connoting a fairytale scenery. The pink and orange tones connote a romantic element to the music video, reflecting the relationship between the two main characters. in moments where the beast character is featured dark shadow like lighting is included to connote a cynical atmosphere. Through out the music video mid shots are used to show the two characters together in one frame, which presents the intimate relationships between the two characters, the audience become aware of the relationship between them, so the video is easier to understand.
Intertextual references of the video include the cinematic scene when both characters are watching the screen, this relates to Andrew Goodwin's theory of intertextuality. Treatment of the female body in this video is not evident, although the female is scene as a sexual desirable object to the male character. The female character is scene wearing limited amounts of clothing in a duration of the music video, whilst the male character is seen a fully clothed permanently through out the whole of the video.
Levi Strauss theory of Binary opposites comes into place when studying this music video. The binary opposite of the female charcater and the male character replicate a beauty and the beast like tale and a dracula tale. the Binary opposite is evident when looking into the media field, binary oppositions are used frequently in films, especially in the horror genre. Many horror films include sets of binary oppositions in their plots. Particularly in this music video, we see a human and supernatural, bad and ugly oppositions.
Genre is a style or category of art, music or literature. In the music industry, different genre will appeal to different type of audience. The main genres of music are rock, indie, pop, hip hop and RnB. Regarding music videos, these different types of genres follow conventions to portray their style and star image.
Indie Music Videos
Most indie music videos are performance based and do not amplify the lyrics of the song into the narrative. This way the video focuses on the passion of the band/artist focuses on what they want to do, and keeps the focus to the song. This is very typical in the indie/rock genre as the genre is more focused on the music, and music videos advertises the identity of the band/artist. After researching indie music videos I have noticed that current indie music videos are mixed, and part performance and part narrative. Indie music is becoming increasingly popular and is open to a wider audience. Indie music videos are now unique and interesting, mostly focusing on social realism subject narratives, or psychedelic hallucination like performance.
Pop Music Videos
Pop music is a term that originally derives from an abbreviation of "popular''. There fore pop music videos are music videos which advertise pop songs and artists. Pop music videos usually feature both a performance and narrative. The artist making the music video usually has a high enough budget to pay for special effects and professional equipment, in order to create a successful music video. The main focus of a pop music video is always the artist as this is a main convention of pop music videos. The artist is usually styled to fit a certain star image. For example, a famous pop artist that focuses on their star image is Lady Gaga. In everyone of her videos, the artist is shown wearing extravagant clothing, connoting wealth and style. A typical convention of pop music videos involves professional choreography, involving other dancers. This is so the song becomes more and more popular, for example songs such as 'cha cha slide', the 'macarana' and 'gangnam style' all feature a certain dance routine in the music video to gain familiarity.
Rock Music Videos
Rock music videos usually feature a full live performance. Through out the 80's famous bands such as Guns 'n' Roses and White snake, made music videos which featured a full live performance. Rock stars which also shown wearing glamorous clothing, topless with long hair, to fulfil the typical conventions and star image of a rock star. In current music videos, there has been no change, and many music videos are based on performance with little narrative. We tend to see this in the rock genre it focuses on the band playing their instruments and the front man singing. Videos are usually focused on the band, the visuals and lyrics do not match, however the video is edited in time with the music so they compliment each other.
R'n'B / Hip Hop Music Videos
Like pop music, RnB and Hip Hop have become increasingly popular, and share the same conventions in terms of music videos. Star image is significant to RnB artists, as they are usually shown wearing stylish designer clothing, including diamond jewellery, and gold chains. Women in this type of genre are usually shown wearing limited amounts of clothing, tight fitting and revealing their figure. Mulvey argues that, in mainstream cinema, the male gaze typically takes precedence over the female gaze, reflecting an underlying power asymmetryThe music video is closely related to the artist, and features performance and narrative, in which the artist takes part in. In terms of mise-en-scene, artists are usually shown in an extravagant setting to connote their wealth and fancy lifestyle.
After thinking about creating either a music video or horror trailer, I have decided that I am going to creating a music video. As film making is my hobby i have already created music videos in the past, and feel that I would find the editing process easier. I listen and watch lots of music videoa and already have a few initial ideas, that i can develop.
My name is Millicent Sharratt, and welcome to my A2 media blog. I am currently studying A2 media and I will be creating either a music video or a horror trailer, and will be an online blog to track my ideas and show my progress. Over the next month I will be brainstorming ideas, whilst analysing other music videos and horror trailers and documenting my inspirations.
