A brief history of Music Videos
A video or short film that goes with a complete piece of music is branded a music video. Over the past thirty years the purpose of a music video is primarily for marketing, and is used to promote the sale of music recordings. The term “music video” came to be used in the early 1980s, before which the following terms used were “promotional film”, “filmed insert” or “film clip”.
There are a wide range of styles of film making which include: animation, live action, documentaries and abstract film. However, some videos use and blend different styles.
The first music video was supposedly created in 1894, when the song “The Little Lost Child” was promoted using a series of still images shown along with live performances.
In the 1920s, Warner Bros produced many musical short films featuring bands, vocalists and dancers. They were typically around six minutes long, and are arguably considered to be the earliest music videos.
A video or short film that goes with a complete piece of music is branded a music video. Over the past thirty years the purpose of a music video is primarily for marketing, and is used to promote the sale of music recordings. The term “music video” came to be used in the early 1980s, before which the following terms used were “promotional film”, “filmed insert” or “film clip”.
There are a wide range of styles of film making which include: animation, live action, documentaries and abstract film. However, some videos use and blend different styles.
The first music video was supposedly created in 1894, when the song “The Little Lost Child” was promoted using a series of still images shown along with live performances.
In the 1920s, Warner Bros produced many musical short films featuring bands, vocalists and dancers. They were typically around six minutes long, and are arguably considered to be the earliest music videos.
By the 1960s bands such as The Beatles starred in their first music video ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. The video was shot in black and white and presented as a mock documentary. With the development of colour television, music videos could also be viewed in colour. However, with today’s technologies; some videos are altered to black and white scale in order to make the video seem old fashioned or to give the impression the video was filmed a long time ago.
In 1981 the American video channel MTV was launched, which triggered a new ear of 24-hour-a-day music on television. By the mid 1980s, the music videos grew to play a huge role in popular music marketing. Artists such as Madonna became successful mainly as a result of the construction and seductive appeal of her videos.
In terms of the development of music videos, two key innovations were the reasonably inexpensive video recording and editing equipment, as well as effects such as chroma key. In the 1980s directors and artists started to explore the film and style of the genre by mixing film and video, and creating a storyline of plot to accompany the video. Very occasionally, videos were made in a non-representational form, where the artist would not be shown. The main intention of music videos is to promote the artist, therefore this form was rarely used, one example could be Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen.
Thriller by Michael Jackson is considered the most successful and influential music video of all time. The video cost nearly four hundred thousand pounds to produce which set a new standard for the marketing device.
With the invention of the internet, websites such as iFilm and Napster created a larger audience for music videos. In 2005 YouTube was created which became one of the quickest programmes to use for viewing music videos online. A couple of years later, the social networking site Myspace also became a popular method for releasing music videos online, artists such as Lily Allen and Soulja Boy initially became recognised through videos released online.
More recently, Apple provided free access to music video viewing via the iTunes application which has now transpired to music videos being sold on the iTunes Store which enables those with an Apple iPod to watch music videos portably using their iPods.
PRINT PRODUCTS RESEARCH
Before creating my dvd cover I looked at a variety of music dvds from different genres. I found that mainly, the artist or band are featured on the front cover. I think this is a common feature of a music dvd so that the consumer can instantly recognise the product.
When researching dvd covers not only did I look at the image used on the front cover, but what is also inside the dvd, as well as any additional features such as logos, age restrictions, bar codes, special features etc. With this is mind, I would then include the following on my dvd cover in order to make it appear more professional and realistic.
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE RESEARCH
Similarly, with Florence and the Machine's debut album, a photograph of Florence is used on the front cover, which reflects the nature of her music, as the artwork is very bold and individual.
DECISIONS
After conducting extensive research into the music industry
for AS media, I thought I could combine what Iearned to fit this brief. As I now have knowledge in both major and minor music labels, and have researched how they reach their target audience I believe this could help me with key decisions for my promotion package for the release of the album. As well as this, the target audience for my product will have a great effect on the choices I make; therefore I will need to conduct research into how to attract my specific audience.
One of the ways in which I chose to research my target audience’s opinions was through the use of a questionnaire. In the questionnaire featured the following questions: ‘Why is this your favourite music video?’ and ‘Which of the following do you prefer to see as the consumer, on an album cover?’ I included as many varied questions as possible in order to obtain the information I wanted, such as ‘open questions’ in which the consumer could give a more detailed answer, and ‘closed questions’ in which one or more answers could be selected. I gathered relevant information from my questionnaires, for example what makes a good magazine advert. From this I found that the colours are one of the main factors that are successful in capturing the consumers eye. As a result, I was able to use this information when creating my print products to help attract my target audience.
After carrying out extensive research into the music industry and analysing techniques and conventions for varied genres of music videos I have gained more knowledge into what I should include in my music video as well what is preferred and expected of a magazine, album and dvd cover.
To begin with I focussed my attention towards the conventions of a music video. It became evident that depending on the genre of music, very specific conventions applied. For example, a typical dance music video carries the conventions including a choreographed dance routine or a voyeuristic performance, with extreme close up shots. In comparison, a music video for the rock genre often includes shots of the band performing from a narrative perspective. I chose to analyse three music videos that in some way relate to the music video I will create. With this in mind, would appropriately influence my ideas
ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
The first music video I have chosen to analyseis by The Gossip, an American Indie Rock band recognised for their controversy. The three piece has very bold personalities which are reflected through their music. In this instance, costume makes a great contribution to the representation of the band. Beth Ditto, the band’s singer is very outspoken in terms of her beliefs, and has done numerous interviews in which she does not hold back on how she feels about certain topics. Despite her weight, she believes in promoting a healthy body image, and therefore holds very strong opinions about the ‘size zero’ issue. In interviews she shows great self awareness and deals with negative press on a day to day basis which makes her fans respect and look up to her.
This image is taken from the weekly published NME magazine for which Beth had an interview. The cover sparked controversy amongst all music fans but in no way dented her success as she continued to win NME’s ‘Coolest Person In Rock’ and Glamour Awards ‘National Artist of the Year’, in addition, she was also nominated for NME’s ‘Sexiest Woman of the Year’. This image demonstrates Beth Ditto’s attitudes towards those who may not approve or like her. She has no shame in revealing herself, and this confidence is also accountable in her work in the music industry.
The music video is called ‘Heavy Cross’ and is based on two people battling the harsh reality of life. In this video, instead of telling the story, they have chosen to focus on Beth and the other two members performing the song. As well as shots of the band, images of two silhouettes dancing are shown, which adds to the mysterious, edgy, vibe created in the video.
The first minute of the video largely consists of close up shots of Beth singing at a calm, slow pace. The audience’s attention is directly focussed on her expression and very bold, stark, make up, which is kept black and gold, along with the efects used in the video. During the first minute, many editing techniques are used, as imaged are shadowed instead of just quick cuts, they are faded out in order to flow into the music. As the music kicks in, quick cuts are frequently used and there is immediately more action as complete shots of the band are shown, with close ups of each individual playing their instrument. In this shot the mise en scene is predominantly black, which appropriately reflects the dark, emotive meaning of the song.
The lighting reminds low-key showing the stark contrast between the light and shadowed areas in the frame. I think this choice is most effective as it adds to the whole impact of the video.
In terms of representation, sexuality is commonly dealt with by the band as Beth is a lesbian and is not afraid of defending or promoting her sexuality and is therefore representative of today’s society.
Video Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU3VbMGIZeE
The second music video I decided to analyse is from the artist Florence and the Machine, as the song Iwill be using for my music video is performed by this band. By doing this, I hope to create a video that portrays the artists work accordingly, and therefore believe studying the artists previous videos may have some influence on how I choose to present my work.
The music video I have analysed is ‘Kiss with a Fist’, the artists debut single, based on the ups and downs of a relationship. The lyrics themselves are very bold so as a result, the video is kept simple, with Florence singing and performing various actions in what appears to be a studio. I think although the idea is very simplistic, because the artist is very dramatic in her performance, the two balance each other out.
As the band is centred on Florence Welch, it is evident that as a young female, she is primarily focussed upon in order to sell her music. Not only is she featured in the video ‘Kiss with a Fist’ but also every other music video she has released, which further suggests that she is the main selling point, e.g. ‘Dog Days’. With this in mind, the typical representation of this artist is gender which is not uncommon in the music industry today.
The beginning of the video for ‘Kiss with a Fist’ is a zoomed in shot of Florence’s eyes which immediately captures the audience’s attention and draws them in. The following shots vary from long shots to high angle shots where the audience’s focus is directly on the artist.
With regards to editing, the techniques used are strictly ‘cut’ shots, as there is immediate change from one image to another, I think this is very effective in keeping the audiences attention and at the same time flows with the music appropriately.
Florence has a very quirky style and personality which transpires through her lyrics, costume, and props used in the video. One of the props she uses is a colourful flower wreath which sets a light-hearted vibe. Further into the video, when the song hits the chorus, the audience are shown Florence energetically hitting and throwing props around such as paper lanterns and cellophane paper which grabs the audience’s attention effectively.
Another significant feature of the video is lighting. It appears the use of lighting in this instance is high-key, as a result, the colours viewed are very bright, which determine the light-hearted message being sent out by the artist.
Finally, because Florence and the Machine is the band I will be using for my coursework, I have overlooked other areas of their work. For example on their myspace they have various banners promoting the release of the new single, and that it is available for download from iTunes. As well as promoting the release of the new single, images of the album are also included along with links for download. This will also help me with promoting the music video with the magazine advert I will create for my coursework. Both of these promotional techniques feature an image of Florence with very little text to support, demonstrating the importance of her image in selling the music.
Video Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR-Q52njXil
Thirdly, I have chosen to analyse The Source ft Candi Staton – You’ve Got the Love’. As this is the song I have chosen to create a video for, I felt it necessary to familiarise myself with the original video to ensure my finished product is different.
There are certain aspects I have taken into account when analysing the original video, as it was released in 1997 it is slightly outdated therefore does not contain the conventions of a dance genre of music that are around today. For example, in most dance music videos the conventions are the following: choreographed dance routines, lip-syncing, young females etc. However, in the original video it is merely an ordinary man being focussed on as he walks around, and attempts to comfort people in their daily activities therefore is heavily based on a narrative.
The beginning of the video starts with a medium shot of the man standing on the top of a church with faint angel wings behind him, which gives the audience the impression he is a guardian angel, reflecting the lyrics of the song ‘I know I can count on you’. I think this technique works well as it is not made obvious to the audience, which makes it appear more realistic. During this shot, the clouds moving above him are sped up to flow into the music and are faded in and out, which is a clever editing technique.
The audience then views the man from a high angle and low angle shot which makes him look strong and powerful, which as a result makes him stand out to the audience.
The video has been edited to black and white, which can create more of an emotive reaction from the audience. It also makes everyone in the video look the same, however the man focussed on from the start stands out in the crowd due to his angel wings, therefore the main focus is on him.
The camera angles used throughout the video are widely varied to show the man from different points of view. They range from establishing shots, to crane shots, to zoom in shots, which reveal the man’s facial expression, evoking a response from the audience.
The ending of the video finishes in the same location as the opening shot for the video, a low angle shot of the man standing on top of the church, which is very effective in completing the video.
Video Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7dMGw3uzEU
This is the cover for the release of the single. It shows that the band is relying on the music to sell itself and not images. It is very plain, as it does not reveal the individuals face, only a photograph of her holding a necklace. I think this idea was solely to promote the message of the song, which is dealt with in this image.
PRINT PRODUCTS ANALYSIS
Pearl Jam are a very well established American rock band that have released their ninth album 'Backspacer'. In comparison with previous album covers, this one is particularly more colourful and eye catching, which is to be expected after such success. The artwork is 9 cartoon drawings symbolising 'dreams and memories' which are very eye catching.
It is evident from this album cover that the imagery and colours used are appropriately linked with the genre. The imagery used appears to be influenced by the late 1960s, when the artist Andy Warhol became well known for block printing, an artist commonly recognised for a print of Marilyn Monroe, which the audience will immediately recall. As the print is classed as 'pop art' it seems a relevant interpretation to be made in creating of a 'pop album', and as a result, shows the conventions of the 'pop' genre of music. The decision to use a photograph of the artists face is also clever as it is easily recognised as she as an iconic figure.
In comparison with the 'pop' genre, 50 cent's new album cover has obvious convention differences. To begin with, the colours used are very dark, along with the stern expression on the artists face. With regards to the cover, the suggested target audience for this genre is males in their teens. The way in which he targets his audience is through everything being centred around him. The album cover photograph is very powerful in attracting the audience as he is directly looking at them.
His choice of clothing and jewelry also symbolise wealth and glamour, which is associated to the genre of music. Unlike the previous album covers, due to the content of the music, consumer information is also given to advise those under age.
Before I began planning for my music video I watched a couple of episodes of 'MTV- Making the video' a half an hour programme which follows artists filming their music videos. From this, I gained knowledge into how important thorough planning is, and how it is important to stick to the schedule.
In order to produce a high quality music video it is necessary for me to plan each stage of filming. In terms of location, I need to plan how I intend to get to the different locations, as well as a schedule for time. Another factor that somewhat effects the time in which I have to film is that it is now getting darker earlier, which means I need to thoroughly plan out my schedule in order to avoid filming in the dark. The weather also needs to be taken into account, because the majority of my filming is to take place outdoors, I need to ensure I film whilst it is dry outside.
When all of the above is taken into account, I will have to hire a camera when I am certain that the weather is reasonably dry, and plan to film before 4pm, whilst it is still light outside.
MUSIC VIDEO PLANNING
EQUIPMENT/PROPS
Digital camera, tripod
ASDA Balloons/Glitter
Candle
Clock
COSTUME
LOCATION
Ironbridge, Lake, woods, Wrekin, Quarry
TIME
Before 4pm.
This is the first page of my storyboard which I followed when capturing footage for my music video. The opening shot is of a clock, along with the actor being filmed as she walks down a path.
PLANNING DVD/MAGAZINE COVER
INITIAL IDEAS:
Unaware that the brief was to produce a dvd cover and a magazine advert for the album release I began creating a magazine cover promoting the artist. Nevertheless, instead of tossing the work aside, and feeling it was a waste of time, it tested my editing skills on Photoshop which would be very important when it came down to producing my final print products.
This is an image of Florence that I found on her website, the image itself had caught my eye and I felt it would make a very bold dvd cover - especially after I had edited the original by inverting the colours using Paint.
This photgraph of Florence was found on her website, and similarly with the previous photograph, I thought it would be successful in capturing the consumer's eye. I tweaked the original photograph somewhat by inverting the colours which simplified the image, which then meant I could add more detail such as drawn in hearts to make it look more individual. However, after altering the image, I was made aware that it would not be possible to use the image as it was not my own. Although this meant I had to change my ideas, I had also brainstormed other ideas which I could look back on.
DVD front and back cover.
This image is one I finally certified as my inside cover for the dvd. I felt in relation to the music video being outdoors, it therefore shares similarities with the location and mise en scene of the music video.
EVALUATION
The planning process was successful when I began the practical elements of my project. It ensured I was on target with which stages I should be at throughout the time given to complete the coursework. In my planning I included time restrictions that should be taken into account, props, equipment and locations. Before I began filming, I recognised that the times at which I planned to do so was of great importance if I intended to film in the daylight. As a result, I had to hire a camera and tripod out on two separate occasions in order to capture all of the footage I had planned to.
When the time came to start filming, as well as referring to my storyboard, I kept in mind the importance of using alternative camera angles to show different character expressions, perspectives, and numerous establishing shots. Along with camera angles, props were also a main focus if I was to make the video realistic. In this instance, I chose only to use a couple of props; however, it was still a priority to ensure they were accessible at any given time. After careful consideration, I chose to be the main character in the video, which simplified the process as it meant I did not have to plan around other people’s availability. In terms of location I narrowed down the initial ideas I had for the film, I had thought of visiting a number of different locations but unfortunately, as a result of both the weather and transportation, I decided to stay locally which I managed to adapt to. I was adamant to produce at least fifteen minutes worth of footage which I would cut and edit to produce a final product I would be satisfied with. As it transpired, I was able to capture around twenty minutes worth of footage which although meant the editing process would take longer, meant that I had more camera angels to add into the footage.
In terms of improvements, if I was to repeat the coursework I would have produced more thorough notes for planning, even though I was satisfied with my initial plans, I feel that my planning was a little vague. Other elements I would like to improve would be the amount of times I captured shot, I feel that if I had repeated some shots I could have perfected the frames I was hoping to get.
One of the ways my music video challenged the forms and conventions of other music videos is that it, unlike a large majority of music videos, does not feature a band or the artist performing the song. This is a convention which is often used also to sell the product, for example, it is the norm for young females to be focussed upon in a dance music video, or in this scenario, the artist whose song I have used, related to Laura Mulvey’s concept of voyeurism, suggesting that women are objectified through a male perspective in order to sell a product, her album and music videos are evidentiary support for this.
Florence and the machine - Drumming song single cover.
In comparison, I am far more content with my finished print products. I believe this is because the planning I had prepared for my print products was stricter therefore I knew exactly what aspects of the print products I was to create. The main factor I feel that has contributed to my satisfaction is that I found creating the print products more enjoyable as it required my using my skills on Photoshop and any knowledge I already have using the programme. I feel that my print products challenge the conventions more so than my music video and that the imagery I used to create the products is more individual in contrast with band/artist photography. My final print products are made up of an edited photograph of an friend making a heart gesture using their hands, as well as an image of the outdoors which I used for the inside cover of the DVD. I personally think the imagery is distinctive and would be effective and successful in capturing the consumer’s eye; therefore I am pleased with the finished product.
In terms of the research stage I very much relied on the internet in order to collect information on the artist and conventions of the music genre. As well as this technology, I also required research to be collected first-hand, such as CD’s. DVD’s and magazines I own. I find that collecting research in this way is far more reliable and resourceful instead of relying on the facts on the internet.
The construction and planning stages did not require the same amount of technology as the research had, therefore the majority could be done without, as it resulted to me jotting down ideas and any props or equipment I needed to use. The blog I had created beforehand enabled me to review my project and upload work as well as gain feedback which was incredibly useful during the planning stages. When it came to evaluating my products, I had already used Photoshop and Final Cut, which I solely relied on to produce the pieces. If I was distributing my products, the media technologies I would have to used would be far greater.
To enable me to analyse and evaluate my music video further, I required feedback which I received from my classmates. As a whole, I was very pleased with the comments made and feel they are of great importance in the evaluating process.
The general consensus was that my music video did fir the generic conventions, for example, the costumes fitted the simulation of real life.
After carefully overlooking the feedback it appears the audience thought the location was very relevant to the song and that the simplicity was effective. Other comments included the variety of camera angles and that the abstract concept worked well.
In comparison, the negative aspects pinpointed were the following: slightly repetitive shots, jittery camera at times, the storyline a little vague and there were not enough effects used. In terms of the repetitiveness, I too feel some of the shots dragged on, therefore if I was to change the video, that aspect would be a main consideration.
This was one of the shots most highly praised in my music video.
With regards to the intended target audience, the viewers recognised that the age group would be young adults. I think this is mainly due to the actors used, as the viewers can relate and the abstract concept, which can be more easily followed and appreciated by adults.
