Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Monday, 15 September 2008
Summary of Essay by Sven E Carlsson
Clips in music videos can be broken up into two categories, performance and conceptual. Performance when the artist sings or plays an instrument and conceptual which are other clips normally the narrative. The artist is representing themselves in their music video. When they perform they aren't an artist anymore, they are advertising themselves. They are selling their voice, lifestyle, records etc. They want to create fandom so that the audience stays loyal to them. Televised bard is another type of performance in music videos. They use images and footage to illustrate the lyrics and help tell the story they are trying to tell. Another type of performer is the electronic shaman this promises meaning to everything, only their voice can and rhythm anchor the visuals and connects images and sound. There is the promises a magical, mythical reality. Animation and special effects can be used. - animates dead objects, shows alteregos and shifts through times.
Music video is a form of audio-visual communication where the meaning is created by the lyrics, music and moving images. Images of the music videos can be bound together through the beat of the music. The images, lighting and body movements can be synchronized to the music to create meaning and effect. The lyrics and the images create meaning of the music video through amplifying and illustrating. New meaning is created through metaphorical langauge and visuals. The use of images can help audiences identify the concept of the music video. Manipulations of colour, clothing, footage and settings creates different ideas and themes that are often repeated and varied.
Music videos can be seen as merging three traditions of moving images: singing performance, narrative and non-narration modern art. Modern art in a music video can include collages, paraphrases, animated computer graphics and abstract combinations of pictures. A standard clip in a music video contains all the three traditions. It can have different variations - the vocalist may be involved in the narrative or be outside allowing self reflection. They may have an alter ego through a cartoon, or change clothes between clips or shift through time, fly or float.
There are three forms in the visual traditions of a music video - the performance clips, narrative clip and art clip. The performance clip is usually lip synching of the vocalist. There are three times of performance clips - song, dance and instrumental performance. Some videos combine two of the performance clips such as song and dance or song and instrumental. There is also a concert clips which is when the artists performs on a stage with an audience. The narrative clip is normally percieved a short, silent movie to the background music. It usually contains a visual story that is easy to follow. The art clip has no performance or narrative, it can help define the genre of the music. The art clip can relate to the theme of the music video or can be very abstract.
Music video is a form of audio-visual communication where the meaning is created by the lyrics, music and moving images. Images of the music videos can be bound together through the beat of the music. The images, lighting and body movements can be synchronized to the music to create meaning and effect. The lyrics and the images create meaning of the music video through amplifying and illustrating. New meaning is created through metaphorical langauge and visuals. The use of images can help audiences identify the concept of the music video. Manipulations of colour, clothing, footage and settings creates different ideas and themes that are often repeated and varied.
Music videos can be seen as merging three traditions of moving images: singing performance, narrative and non-narration modern art. Modern art in a music video can include collages, paraphrases, animated computer graphics and abstract combinations of pictures. A standard clip in a music video contains all the three traditions. It can have different variations - the vocalist may be involved in the narrative or be outside allowing self reflection. They may have an alter ego through a cartoon, or change clothes between clips or shift through time, fly or float.
There are three forms in the visual traditions of a music video - the performance clips, narrative clip and art clip. The performance clip is usually lip synching of the vocalist. There are three times of performance clips - song, dance and instrumental performance. Some videos combine two of the performance clips such as song and dance or song and instrumental. There is also a concert clips which is when the artists performs on a stage with an audience. The narrative clip is normally percieved a short, silent movie to the background music. It usually contains a visual story that is easy to follow. The art clip has no performance or narrative, it can help define the genre of the music. The art clip can relate to the theme of the music video or can be very abstract.
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Analysis of Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson – Since u been gone
The music video depicts the revenge the artist takes on her boyfriend after he has broken up with her. The music video takes the form of a narrative and a performance and conforms to the codes and conventions of a pop-rock video: upbeat music, normal clothes, bright lighting, close ups and performance with a narrative. The performance is iconographic of a pop-rock video as it is dark (dark clothing and lighting) and has a live stage performance with an audience. The video starts with the camera panning across the room, which sets the scene in which the music video will primarily takes place. The lighting is dark, which suggests a negative tone to the song as the song is about revenge.
The media forms in the music video are standard camera angles and shots, which conform to Goodwin’s theory, amplifying and illustrating the lyrics of the song as there is a relationship between the visuals and the meaning of the song. There is mid shot of the artist sitting on a chair with furniture surrounding her. This camera shot conveys the idea that she is alone after her boyfriend has broken up with her, amplifying the lyrics. The voyeurism of the music video also conforms to Goodwin’s theory as there are many close ups allowing fandom to take place. The record label wants to inspire loyal fans and the close ups allow ‘contact’ with the star. Close ups of the heart necklace she has in her hand suggests to the audience that she has broken up with her boyfriend, allowing the audience to sympathise with her. By using the mirror in the bathroom voyeurism is used, again allowing contact with the artist from the audience.
The facial expressions of the artists through the close ups show how she is confident and smug about her revenge. However, when the bridge and chorus plays, her facial expressions are more hurt and angered, illustrating the lyrics that she is ‘moving on’. The camera shot of the artist jumping on the bed suggests how is enjoying her revenge. This idea is also conveyed through the close up of her smiling. The artists triumph is shown through her smug smile as she puts on the hat and walks past the couple, only the audience and the artist knows what she has done in the apartment. The closing shot of the music video is a close up of the artist looking pleased and relieved. The panning of the apartment reinforces the destruction the artist has inflicted on her ex-boyfriend and closes the scene.
The editing of the music video is fast cut montage, which indicates the fast pace of the music. The straight cuts give a smooth transition from the different scenes, e.g. from the bathroom to the bedroom or to the performance, allowing the audience to easily follow the narrative. There is also editing of the music and the visuals. For example the scene changes from a room in the apartment to the performance when there is a significant guitar beat in the bridge of the song. Also when the artist sings the lyrics ‘Since u been gone’ the audience jump up on the beat. The editing of the camera shots of the instruments are also carefully constructed as when there is a dominant sound in the song, e.g. the drum, there is a shot of the drum player and the same for the guitar and the shots quickly change to the pace of the music. Slow motion is used when the artist smashes photo of her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. This reinforces her anger and upset and the revenge she is taking. It also makes the audience pay attention, as when the artist walks outside, the couple the audience sees is the couple in the photo that the artist smashed. There is intertextuality of the music as the chords of the songs sound like The Strokes especially of their song ‘Barely Legal’.
The artist is represented as a ‘normal’ person as she is wearing everyday clothes: converse, plain t-shirt and cropped trousers. By wearing these clothes she is represented as being down to earth. She is also represented as a strong independent woman as she is taking revenge on her boyfriend and her body language suggests her confidence: she leans back with her arms resting on the back of the sofa and her facial expressions. During her performance she is wearing black suggesting sophistication and defining the rock-pop genre as black is commonly associated with the rock genre. The music dictates the genre rather than the music video. This is because the music has more presence and there is an emphasis on the music as the music video has a lot of lip-syncing and performance. Throughout the narrative there is lip-syncing suggesting the artists wants the audience to listen to the lyrics. The theme throughout the music video is revenge and how the artist is trashing her ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend’s flat: ripping up clothes, trashing the bathroom reinforcing the theme and narrative of the music video.
The music video depicts the revenge the artist takes on her boyfriend after he has broken up with her. The music video takes the form of a narrative and a performance and conforms to the codes and conventions of a pop-rock video: upbeat music, normal clothes, bright lighting, close ups and performance with a narrative. The performance is iconographic of a pop-rock video as it is dark (dark clothing and lighting) and has a live stage performance with an audience. The video starts with the camera panning across the room, which sets the scene in which the music video will primarily takes place. The lighting is dark, which suggests a negative tone to the song as the song is about revenge.
The media forms in the music video are standard camera angles and shots, which conform to Goodwin’s theory, amplifying and illustrating the lyrics of the song as there is a relationship between the visuals and the meaning of the song. There is mid shot of the artist sitting on a chair with furniture surrounding her. This camera shot conveys the idea that she is alone after her boyfriend has broken up with her, amplifying the lyrics. The voyeurism of the music video also conforms to Goodwin’s theory as there are many close ups allowing fandom to take place. The record label wants to inspire loyal fans and the close ups allow ‘contact’ with the star. Close ups of the heart necklace she has in her hand suggests to the audience that she has broken up with her boyfriend, allowing the audience to sympathise with her. By using the mirror in the bathroom voyeurism is used, again allowing contact with the artist from the audience.
The facial expressions of the artists through the close ups show how she is confident and smug about her revenge. However, when the bridge and chorus plays, her facial expressions are more hurt and angered, illustrating the lyrics that she is ‘moving on’. The camera shot of the artist jumping on the bed suggests how is enjoying her revenge. This idea is also conveyed through the close up of her smiling. The artists triumph is shown through her smug smile as she puts on the hat and walks past the couple, only the audience and the artist knows what she has done in the apartment. The closing shot of the music video is a close up of the artist looking pleased and relieved. The panning of the apartment reinforces the destruction the artist has inflicted on her ex-boyfriend and closes the scene.
The editing of the music video is fast cut montage, which indicates the fast pace of the music. The straight cuts give a smooth transition from the different scenes, e.g. from the bathroom to the bedroom or to the performance, allowing the audience to easily follow the narrative. There is also editing of the music and the visuals. For example the scene changes from a room in the apartment to the performance when there is a significant guitar beat in the bridge of the song. Also when the artist sings the lyrics ‘Since u been gone’ the audience jump up on the beat. The editing of the camera shots of the instruments are also carefully constructed as when there is a dominant sound in the song, e.g. the drum, there is a shot of the drum player and the same for the guitar and the shots quickly change to the pace of the music. Slow motion is used when the artist smashes photo of her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. This reinforces her anger and upset and the revenge she is taking. It also makes the audience pay attention, as when the artist walks outside, the couple the audience sees is the couple in the photo that the artist smashed. There is intertextuality of the music as the chords of the songs sound like The Strokes especially of their song ‘Barely Legal’.
The artist is represented as a ‘normal’ person as she is wearing everyday clothes: converse, plain t-shirt and cropped trousers. By wearing these clothes she is represented as being down to earth. She is also represented as a strong independent woman as she is taking revenge on her boyfriend and her body language suggests her confidence: she leans back with her arms resting on the back of the sofa and her facial expressions. During her performance she is wearing black suggesting sophistication and defining the rock-pop genre as black is commonly associated with the rock genre. The music dictates the genre rather than the music video. This is because the music has more presence and there is an emphasis on the music as the music video has a lot of lip-syncing and performance. Throughout the narrative there is lip-syncing suggesting the artists wants the audience to listen to the lyrics. The theme throughout the music video is revenge and how the artist is trashing her ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend’s flat: ripping up clothes, trashing the bathroom reinforcing the theme and narrative of the music video.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Sunday, 6 July 2008
50 Cent - Window Shopper
50 Cent – Window Shopper
Producer: C.Styles, Sire
Released December 2005
This music video by 50 Cent was released to coincide with the film ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’ which was his first feature film based on his life in which he starred. There are two versions of this music video; one which contains clips from the film to promote the film and a longer version which features 50 Cent trying to understand what a French man is trying to say as he tries to sell him trainers. It was the first song from the soundtrack that was released in the UK but was unsuccessful as were other singles from the soundtrack. It marks a point in 50 Cent’s career as he turned from rapper to actor.
The video takes the form of performance and narrative and uses codes and conventions that are typically used in hip-hop/rap videos which are shots of girls dancing provocatively, flashy cars and trainers, close ups so the audience can be voyeuristic and a affluent setting, as music videos are aspirational. The video is primarily about how 50 Cent and his friends were from a poor background but now they are so rich that they can afford to buy items that are overpriced such as a $75 milkshake.
The beginning of the music video is a clip from the film which builds the narrative, showing how poor 50 Cent was and how he could only ‘window shop’. His friend gives him motivation by saying that one day he will be able to afford to buy those trainers and everything else he wants. The trainers are a signature of 50 Cent as they are regularly featured in his other music videos and are an icon of power in the rap industry. He also has his own brand of trainers.
The music video conforms to Goodwin’s theory as there is a relationship between the visuals of the music video and the meaning of the song as the setting is in Monaco which is an affluent place which fits what the music video is trying to say: 50 Cent is rich and can afford whatever he wants, amplifying the lyrics. Another iconic symbol of rap music videos is used, as there is an extremely expensive car, which is also featured in his other music videos. When the audience watches this music video, they will admire 50 Cent from having nothing to working hard and pursuing his dream to get what he wants, but they will also be envious which is what the lyrics are saying, showing a link between the visuals and the lyrics.
The close ups used of 50 Cent is a way for the audience to be voyeuristic which agrees with Goodwin’s theory and get to know 50 Cent by getting up close and seeing his reactions to his lifestyle. This creates fandom as record labels want to inspire loyal fans, which requires ‘contact’ with the star. The video does not have much action in it but is just of 50 Cent and his friends and how they are buying anything they want such as stopping a high-status lady in the street to buy her $1million ring. There are constant references to money and by having text stating the cost of things, like in the MasterCard adverts, it is reinforcing the point that he is very rich. The music video takes a form of money, fast cars and girls, which is typical of a rap video.
The performance side of the video is of 50 Cent standing in front of a big house, again referring to how much money he has. The clothes he is wearing is typical of a rap music video. These are predominantly designer clothes – jeans, jackets and bright white trainers. The jewellery that he is wearing also reminds the audience of how rich he is. The constant references to the amount of money he has refers to the title of his film ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’ which can be seen as a negative outlook on things, promoting his fans to turn to crime to get money to be powerful. The other performance is of him and his friend in his car. The camera movement mirrors the movement of 50 Cent in his car.
50 Cent is with his ‘gang’ which again is typical of a rap video. It is representing him as popular and how people want to be him and want to be friends with him, as his fans would be. This is a contrast to the beginning where he had nothing and he was not surrounded by anyone. By having a scene where he stands with men in suits, shows how 50 Cent and his friends are just as powerful as these men. Later in the music video there are women and again follows the typical from of a rap music video. Money and women are significant in what 50 Cent raps about in this song and are featured in the music video. By being surrounded by women, it again refers to how powerful 50 Cent is and how he can get anyone and anything he wants. There is a scene in the music video when a girl kisses 50 Cent’s friend after he buys her something suggesting that she is with him because of his money. Slow motion is used so that the audience takes notice of 50 Cent.
When 50 Cent and his friends spit out champagnes it suggests two things; that they are not use to this kind of lifestyle or that they are very rich that they can waste expensive items. The editing is slow which mirrors the slow pace of the song and the music video. The video uses dissolves which give a gentle pace to the music video which is a contrast to his usual fast paced songs. The colour of the video is sharper to enhance the visuals of the video and to make the location look appealing to the audience.
Saturday, 5 July 2008
Lillix - Sweet Temptation
When you're wakin' in the morning,
What do you hear? What do you hear?
When you're lookin' in the mirror,
Who do you fear? Who do you fear?
No, don't walk away from talkin', falling behind inside.
When you listen to their echo,
Who do you hear? Who do you hear?
When you're playin' in their playground,
What do you fear? What do you fear?
No, it's only yourself you're mocking, finding the truth inside.
One, two, three, four, get your feet on the floor.
Everybody be it like down to the core.
Alright, alright, yeah, heard it before.
Give into the sweet temptation!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Lies inside the hollow
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You don't have to...
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
Look into the television, starin' at me, starin' at me.
Maybe it's my conscience calling, what does it mean? Who should I be?
No, it's only yourself you're mocking, finding the truth inside.
One, two, three, four, get your feet on the floor.
Everybody be it like down to the core.
Alright, alright, yeah I've heard it before.
Give into the sweet temptation!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Lies inside the hollow
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You don't have to...
Follow... follow... follow... follow...
follow... follow... follow... follow...
One... two... three... four...
One... two... three... four...
One... two... three...
One, two, three, four, get your feet on the floor.
Everybody be it likr down to the core.
Alright, alright, yeah I've heard it before.
Give into the sweet temptation!
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Lies inside the hollow
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
You don't have to...
One, two, three, four, get your feet on the floor.
Lies inside the hollow...
Alright, alright, yeah I've heard it before.
Give into the sweet temptation!
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