Summer Project: Coursework Planning
1) Research: music video analysis
You need to write a 200-word close-textual analysis of five (or more!) music videos in your chosen genre. For each music video, focus on a different aspect of media language, and embed each one on your blog:
Music Video 1: Narrative
How is narrative used in the music video and what impact does this have on the audience? Can you apply any narrative theories to the story in the music video?
How is narrative used in the music video and what impact does this have on the audience? Can you apply any narrative theories to the story in the music video?
Taylor Swift: Blank Space
The music video is a hybrid of narrative and a performance. The narrative used in this music video is of a woman that lives a wealthy luxurious life as suggested by the mansion she lives in, the clothes she's wearing and her accessories and the fact that she had horses in her bedroom. The song plays on the media's perception of the artists relationships and turned her image of a "psycho serial dater" to a satirical masterpiece. Her character in the video is a crazy,psycho jealous girlfriend which is shown by when she burns the man's clothes, smashes his car and destroying his portrait. Towards the end of the music video there is a new red car that approaches with a different man in it and it seems as though things are gonna repeat itself like a cycle. Propp's character types can be applied here as the woman seems like the 'princess' that will be saved by the hero but then there is a turn of events and she is actually the villain as she creates complications in the narrative.Perhaps she could be the false hero as she seems innocent at first but is revealed to be bad.
Music Video 2: Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Use CLAMPS to help you here and think in particular about how mise-en-scene is used to communicate the genre of music.
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Use CLAMPS to help you here and think in particular about how mise-en-scene is used to communicate the genre of music.
Jennifer Lopez: Ain't your momma
Jennifer used costume in this video to create meanings,for instance one of the costumes resembled the clothes women used to wear in the 50s as she was wearing a circle dress and her hair was curled in the traditional way women used to do their hair. In that scene she was serving her husband dinner and cleaning, portraying the duties expected of women then she starts to rebel after watching the tv and starts feeling empowered she spills the food over his head expressing her frustration. One of the other costumes in the office scene is used to portray the objectification of women in the work place as the man is seen looking down the woman's dress at her cleavage which shows he doesn't respect her enough to treat a professional and this links to many struggles women face in the work place. The women then grabs him by his tie and traps it in the type writer and spills a drink in his face showing that she will no longer stand for him treating her like that.
Music Video 3: Camerawork
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. Remember that movement is a critical convention of most music videos and camerawork can contribute to this.
Here you are looking for particular camera shots and movement. Remember that movement is a critical convention of most music videos and camerawork can contribute to this.
Sormzy: Vossi Bop
This music video uses a variety of different camera shots, angles and movements. The music video starts off with an extreme low angle where you can see the sky and then Stormzy walks in to the shot, this makes him look powerful and authoritative. The camera then starts rotating around him at a medium shot above the waist which makes him the centre of the shot but also establishing the setting at the same time.The camera then pans up into the sky, rotates and then comes down at a medium shot again in a different setting. Then it rotates around Stormzy and the children and backs away into a long shot where you can see their full bodies while they dance. The video includes a lot of moving shots which makes it seems like we are going with him and uses smooth transitions as he walks into the next setting each time.
Music Video 4: Editing
Analyse pace, transitions, the number of shots and juxtaposition. How does the music video create pace and excitement - or does it create a different effect for the audience?
Mark Ronson: Uptown Funk
The music video is fast pace from the camera movements, the song to the dance.It transitions from camera angles very quickly and seamlessly which makes the video seem fast pace. The dance scenes are all different setting but the editing puts it all together smoothly and effortlessly. The transitions also help create a feeling of excitement and enthusiasm which goes with the beat of the song and the instruments playing as well as the lyrics. The video includes a variety of camera shots and angles to give emphasis on different things throughout the video. For instance, the video starts of with a close up of a woman's feet while walking, then almost instantly transition to two men having a handshake which matches the beat of the music, then back to the woman walking. The camera slowly pans up the woman's body in between transitions of the men greeting each other. This helps create pace, excitement and builds the tension towards finding out who the woman is.
Music Video 5: Conventions
Think back to our Introduction to Music Video and our work on Andrew Goodwin's theory on music video conventions as part of the Ghost Town CSP. How many key conventions of music video can you find in your fifth music video example?
Think back to our Introduction to Music Video and our work on Andrew Goodwin's theory on music video conventions as part of the Ghost Town CSP. How many key conventions of music video can you find in your fifth music video example?
Beyonce: Why don't you love me
Goodwin's conventions of music videos can be applied to this music video.Firstly, there is a link between the visuals and the lyrics as she says that she is easy to love and you can see her cooking,cleaning and dressing in the way that is usually appealing to a man yet she is asking why he doesn't love her if she is doing all the 'right' things. The music video also includes the objectification of women, Beyonce is wearing revealing and 'sexy' outfits for the benefit of men and the male gaze while asking the question 'why don't you love me?' suggesting she dresses that way for male approval.She's also being restricted to secondary roles that make her seem inferior to men such as cooking and cleaning. She is framed differently to emphasise and accentuate her body to be objectified. It also includes the demands of the record label for instance, there are many close up shots of the lead singer. The music video is a hybrid of a performance and a narrative as there are many instances where Beyonce is lip syncing and facing the camera or dancing/performing but there are also instances where she is acting and playing the role of a housewife.
2) Planning: music video treatment (concept)
In order to produce a successful music video, you will need to write a treatment. This is like a script - it tells the band or artist exactly what will happen in the video and the kind of style or effect the video will have. You'll need choose what song you are going to use at this point - remember, you can use an existing artist's track but it needs to be appropriate for a mainstream audience.
You can find further music video treatment guidance here plus an example of a genuine director's treatment for the brilliant alt-J video Breezeblocks.
In order to produce a successful music video, you will need to write a treatment. This is like a script - it tells the band or artist exactly what will happen in the video and the kind of style or effect the video will have. You'll need choose what song you are going to use at this point - remember, you can use an existing artist's track but it needs to be appropriate for a mainstream audience.
You can find further music video treatment guidance here plus an example of a genuine director's treatment for the brilliant alt-J video Breezeblocks.
Treatment:
Colour scheme: dark,blues, greys and whites.
Scene 1:
close up shot of a white man lip syncing the lyrics, he is angry. The camera is rotating around his head with a mixture of close up and medium shots. he gets up walking around the table with the camera rotating around him he slams the table in anger and fury.
scene 2:
long shot, you can see both characters face to face, then there is another close up shot of him lips, he starts walking around, gets more aggressive.
scene 3:
white man sits down, black man starts talking about his side, close up shots, rotating camera, pushes the table, starts to get angry.
scene4:
they both hug, camera slowly pans around them and slowly backs away into a long shot
3) Statement of Intent
Write the first draft for your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.
Guidance is provided by AQA in their NEA Student Booklet but we strongly recommend you also look at our Statement of Intent questions to consider document too (you'll need to log in with your Greenford Google account to read this).
Write the first draft for your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.
Guidance is provided by AQA in their NEA Student Booklet but we strongly recommend you also look at our Statement of Intent questions to consider document too (you'll need to log in with your Greenford Google account to read this).
The concept of the music video is two men that come from different backgrounds and are the opposite in many ways. They both take turns to tell their story and their views of one another. The conversation reinforces most stereotypes and many misconceptions that they have of each others races and backgrounds and why they do not see eye to eye.The black man rebuts most of the generalizations and misconceptions white people have of black people and other ethnic minorities The two men listen to each other and the suppressed feelings they have had of each other and expressed themselves. At the end of the video they both hug and embrace each other.
I think my music video would appeal to a variety of different audiences as it can link to today's society for instance the black lives matter movement, gun violence and police brutality which are all current topics and are still relevant. More specifically i think it would appeal to younger audiences such as teenagers and young adults as they are more impressionable and are more involved in current issues and many of the black lives matter protests where organised by young people which shows that they have an interest in politics.The music video would appeal to mainstream audiences as the concept of the video links to the Netflix documentary by Ava DuVernay 13th which is about the oppression that black people have faced and the systematic racism that caused so many black people to be incarcerated.
My music will focus on the narrative and i will emphasize this with editing to and camera movements/angles. It will include many close up shots and camera movements. I will use cross cuts and match on action to help emphasize the clear differences and contrast between the two men.
I will be using low key lighting which creates shadows around the characters and makes the environment seem cold and empty. I will use blue and grey tones to emphasize the brutal conversation between the characters. This is also so that it doesn't take away from the important political message and narrative.
My music video will include Todorov's theory of equilibrium as in the beginning both men have existing state where they hold prejudice against each other and have suppressed feelings. The disequilibrium will be when they are expressing their feelings and anger, they both become aggressive and frustrated. The new equilibrium will be when they actually listen to how the other feels and their reasons for it and then they hug.
I will use Medhurst's idea of stereotypes being a shorthand as my music video will include many strerotypes of black people that have been created by society. But i will also rebut these stereotypes when the black man starts talking about his side and perspective.
4) Ignite presentation
Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:
Your Ignite presentation will be marked out of 30 on the following criteria (each worth a possible 5 marks):
1) Research (through the presentation AND your blog)
2) Music video concept
3) Language: terminology and theory
4) Representations
5) Audience and Industry
6) Delivery
Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:
- Your music video concept: artist, song, genre, narrative/performance/effects etc.
- Media language: how you will use music video conventions, camerawork, editing and mise-en-scene to create meanings for your audience. Remember the key word: connotations.
- Media representations: how you will use or subvert stereotypes in your music video; applications of representation theory.
- Media audiences: your target audience demographics and psychographics; audience pleasures - why they would enjoy your video; audience theory.
- Media industries and digital convergence: the potential record company that would sign and promote your band or artist; how fans could watch the video; other ways you could promote your artist (e.g. the headphone sponsorship in the brief).
Your Ignite presentation will be marked out of 30 on the following criteria (each worth a possible 5 marks):
1) Research (through the presentation AND your blog)
2) Music video concept
3) Language: terminology and theory
4) Representations
5) Audience and Industry
6) Delivery
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