Schedule of planning

It is important to consider time management whilst completing my coursework as its vital that I keep updating my blog on a regular basis. I have started to create a schedule of planning table so I know what days I need to do certain work for my coursework and make sure that I do not leave it until last minute.

As the table shows above I was scheduled to start filming on the 28th of July. However, this had to be rescheduled due to the weather. I informed my actress the night before after looking at the weather forecast on my phone and she was happy to postpone filming to another day.

Questionnaire results

Reflection so far

So far I have completed the majority of the research that I need to do for my coursework. I feel that I have a good insight into a range of music videos which I have analysed and I have learnt that all music videos require different conventions according to their genre. I have also learnt about the different style of music videos 'performance', 'narrative' and the different conventions which they entail. I have gained knowledge and understanding on the two theorists 'Laura Mulvey' and 'Andrew Goodwin' and I am able to identify their theories in the videos which I analysed effectively.

Whilst researching my chosen genre 'pop' it has impacted my choices and decisions which I wish to make when I produce my music video. From the research I believe that I am able to accentuate the common conventions of a pop music video into my video.

I have completed my audience research and I believe that I have enough information and data that will help me target my audience accurately.
I feel that I am near enough prepared to start planning for my music video, to do this I am going to produce storyboards and looking and checking possible locations which will feature in my video. I believe that soon I will be ready to start filming.

Target audience moodboard

questionnaire

I have designed a questionnaire in order to find out what people look for in a music video and what genre they prefer to listen to. I asked 10 people, male and female ranging from different ages, this is so I can get a mixed response from different age groups and social groups. The results will help me consider what my music video needs to be like so it is the most appealing to my audience.

 

 

Audience research

I have asked some people a few questions on what there thoughts were on pop music. This will help me when It comes to the process of making my video and also how to target my audience.
I asked the questions on the social network site whatsapp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research into my target audience

The genre of my music video is going to be pop so I need to make sure I follow the correct conventions of a typical pop music video so I attract the right audience. I decided to research about who the target audience are for pop music videos.

Pop music is a genre of ‘popular music’ which began in the 1950’s deriving from rock and roll. Pop music generally includes short to medium length songs with a written based format. Pop music features instruments including electric guitars, drums and bass. The genre is generally thought of something which is commercially recorded and has a mass audience appeal. In relation to the artists who produce pop music, many people believe that Michael Jackson is the ‘King of Pop’ and they say that the pop genre didn’t really exist until he became popular. Recent artists who produce successful pop music and have a wide audience are Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Robbie Williams and Olly Murs.

Throughout the years, Pop music has changed drastically. It began from influences of other genres and the early pop music had its uses of vocal harmonies from gospel and soul music, instrumentation from Jazz, Country, rock music and orchestration from classical music, tempo from dance music, rhythmic elements from hip-hop music and also rap. In the 1940’s the improvement of technology and the microphone design allowed singers to have more of a personal style of singing. One of the reasons as to why the genre is so popular is because of the invention of the television in the 1950’s. Performances from artists such as Abba made the genre immensely popular gaining fans from across the world. In the early 1980’s this was when the promotion of pop music had been affected by TV channels such as MTV.

 

I researched into gender and I found that females are more inclined to listen to pop music than males. I knew this from my own experiences and this could also be evident from the results from the questionnaire which I created. Females are typically attracted to young boy bands and artists who are usually good looking and create music which are based around love and a youthful style music. An example of a boy band that follows these ideas is One Direction. One Direction has a very large female fan base spreading from all over the world. Their fans are attracted to their looks and the enjoyment of their songs as they are commonly based around the teenage age group based on love and growing up which is expressed though the lyrics. Females would also be inspired by female artists who they can look up to and relate to in some way. An example of an artist who has these elements is Beyoncé. She has a very wide audience and is popular because of the powerful music which she produces and also the way which she is presented in the media. I discovered that the age range is from around 12- middle 20’s. I believe that this age group is accurate from the evidence which we have on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. I believe that because of the advances of technology in today’s world it would be easily accessible to target the audience for pop music videos. This is also enhanced by the amount of merchandise which pop stars have which attract their audience and make the artists and their record label more popular. Artists such as Katy Perry produce merchandise such as fancy dress, perfume, stationary etc. These products can be promoted and distributed easily to her audience which would therefore make Katy Perry a more successful artist. Teenagers would be more interested in purchasing products and merchandise from a pop star rather than a rock star for example. This is because the audience for rock music would generally be older than the audience for pop so, would therefore not be interested in buying merchandise such as fancy dress and stationary because they would have grown out of it. Pop stars use merchandise as an advertising technique for their song and album as it makes them more prosperous. This is beneficial for the artists and also the audience because they are both receiving enjoyment out of the songs which pop stars produce.

 

 

The target audience for pop music generally have similar interests and hobbies. They are similar so people should be able to recognise someone who likes pop music based on their appearance and life style. The target audience will predominantly fall within the demographic group C2-E. This is because many of the people within this target audience would be unemployed, due to still being in full time education or in a part time job. However, pop music also targets people in their 20’s so they would be skilled manual workers as some may have full time jobs, but they aren’t skilled enough to be classed in the C1 category. From my experience it is very rare to find people aged 40+ listening to pop music and enjoy it. This is because they have been brought up where pop music wasn’t even around so wouldn’t be used to the style of music which it produces. Whereas, people growing up in today’s society would automatically be used to the style of music which the genre pop entails so it wouldn’t be unusual or new to them.

 

 

 

 

Miley Cyrus album comparison

There is a clear comparison between Miley Cyrus’s earlier albums ‘breakout’ to her latest album ‘Bangerz’. ‘Breakout was released just after she was 15 and Bangerz was released when she was 21. It has been 7 years since the two albums were released but I believe that Miley Cyrus star image has changed immensely during that time and this is shown through the two albums. In the album ‘breakout’ she is portrayed as a innocent young girl through her smile, clothes and her pose by the way she is holding the microphone. The clothes which she wore were her typical day to day clothes and were in fashion at that time so she inspired many teenage girls who were her biggest fans. The fact that she is smiling in the image connotes that she is happy and implies that she is having a good time.  This is in contrast to the Bangerz album. I believe that through the images seen in the album she appears to look like a sex object with minimal clothing revealing her skin. Her new star image is enhanced rather well by the image used on the front cover. The gesture of her biting her lip is seen as a sexual gesture attracting a male audience. The fact that she is only wearing a short jacket implies that she isn’t wearing any other clothes and this further highlights her being seen as a sexual object rather than a fun teenage girl making music which is highlighted in the ‘breakout’ album. Laura Mulveys theory of the male gaze I believe is used through the Bangerz album. The image of Miley shows her in a way that is appealing to men through her body language, costume and the fact that she is wearing bright red lipstick which connotes lust and passion. In the ‘breakout album’ her makeup was natural and subtle and she doesn’t reveal any of her skin, this shows her innocent and youthful age. 

The difference between how she is represented through her first album and her latest album is most appealing to the audience. The images in the Bangerz album Miley is looking directly into the camera making eye contact with the audience which grabs their attention. This makes her look mysterious and creates suspense for what the music in her album contains. On the back cover she is wearing the same costume but her image is positioned in a different way. Here it is revealed that she isn’t wearing any other clothing underneath her jacket but the camera shot doesn’t show any intimate areas. The inside booklet defiantly accentuates her change in star image. The image of Miley Cyrus shows her unique whacky side. She isn’t wearing a top and is covering her intimate area just by using her hands. This would attract the audience as they may be shocked to see Miley in this way especially after the release of her previous albums where she is represented as innocent. The images on the inside booklet are unique and are used to represent Miley’s personality. This is in contrast to the microphone which was used on the album breakout. The image of the dollar sign and party emoji show her crazy party lifestyle and the smiley face enhances her fun unique character. This would grab the audience’s attention as they would be able to learn various things about her just through these images.

The CD disk is very simplistic, elegance and plain white which connotes purity. The text used illustrates who the artist is, the albums name and other relevant information about the disk. The colour of the text is in a soft coral colour which stands out against the white. I believe that the disk is very simplistic compared to the inside booklet which could tease the audience making them have mixed thoughts about what music Miley Cyrus brings to the album.

 Overall there is a clear difference between her ‘breakout’ album and the ‘Bangerz’ album. It shows that Miley’s star image has changed over the years because of her personality and also through the media. Her record company would want her to be more unique by wearing outrageous outfits and performing in an insane way because this is what grabs the audience’s attention and makes her and the record company more successful.

 

 

Ancillary tasks

Conventions of a music video

I created this wordle to illustrate the conventions of a music video. I do believe that the main four conventions of a music video are:
- Camera shots
- Editing
- Mise en scene
- Camera movement


Camera shots
All music videos use camera shots ranging from long shots, mid shots, close up shots, establishing shots etc. All of the shots which are used have different meanings and messages relating to the music video. For example a close up shot would express the artist/ artists or other charcters true emotions and also reflect the words of the song through lip syncing.

Editing
Different techniques of editing would be used in a music video, commonly according to the genre and style. Jump cuts is the predominant editing technique used because it allows a sudden change from one scene to another.

Mise en scene
The mise en scene refers to a variety of elements which all feature in a music video. It mainly focuses on the lighting, costume, props, makeup, hair and setting. These elements usually depend on the genre of the music video and the style. The mise en scene is used to highlight the importance of people in the music video and to represent the different characters in certain ways.

Camera movement
Different camera movements are used in a music video and are used in different ways according to the genre and style of the video.
For example a narrative style video would most likely use slow camera movements such as zooming in slowley and using a slow pan so that the audience can follow the narrative easily and understand the story which is been portrayed.

Carly Rae Jepsen music video analysis

Research into Record Labels

Pop music video analysis for Dear Darlin

Dear Darlin is a narrative and performance style music video as it shows Olly Murs thinking about when he and his girlfriend moved into their new house but later on she moves out.

At the beginning of the video we see him sat alone in an apartment thinking about his break up and remembering the times that they had together. These memories are shown in the video in a specific way. Whilst Olly Murs is singing the use of flashbacks are used as an editing technique to show Olly Murs and his girlfriend having fun and laughing. The mise en scene of their clothing is significant as they are bright and colourful showing happiness. In comparison, the other shots show Olly and the girl wearing dark and dull colours portraying sadness, this symbolises that they both must be sad because of their relationship and the fact that it hasn’t worked out.

I believe that Andrew Goodwins theory in relation to lyrics and visuals is adapted in this video. The lyrics ‘no one understands what we went through’ relates to the visuals because by him putting on headphones it accentuates that nobody has helped them therefore not understanding, so, instead he decides to cut them out by listening to music. Lyrics and visuals are also used in another scene when the girl is waking down the street and sees the words ‘I miss you’ written on a piece of cardboard. This links to what Olly Murs says at this point ‘I miss you’. This symbolises emotion as she is seeing messages that would remind her of him. We then see a mid shot of the girl sitting on a bench writing a letter. We assume she is writing to him which creates a sense of hope. However, she looks unhappy and upset so this conflicts the idea of the audiences expectations. After a cut to Olly Murs singing it then cuts back to the girl tearing up the piece of paper, similar to what he did at the start of video. This shows that they are both helpless and are obviously upset about their break up but the girl just can’t seem to write back to him.

In terms of iconography there are props in the music video that are conventional to the genre pop.  In one of the shots we see Olly Murs playing a guitar which is conventional to pop music. The cardboard boxes imply that they are moving in together showing that they have a committed relationship. However, in a later shot we see the words ‘I miss you’ written on a piece of cardboard which the girl looks at. This could relate to the cardboard boxes which were used when they moved in together. This creates a sense of emotion and depression. The setting in relation to mise en scene follow the conventions of a pop music video. The characters are seen walking through the streets alone in a long shot, it appears to be very tranquil and there doesn’t seem to be many people in the video apart from them. This gives a sense of isolation that both of the characters now have. This adapts onto the love story line that it is about them two and the sadness of their relationship.

There are a lot of close up shots of both of the characters highlighting their emotions and feelings. This is conventional for the genre of the music video because the narrative is about love so the close up shots express their feelings towards the audience.

The lighting throughout the video is fairly dim especially in his apartment, this accentuates the dark situation he is in. When the video shows shots when they are outside it appears to be late evening with sunset arising. This shows that it is going to be getting dark symbolising that their relationship could be getting darker, therefore weaker. This is highlighted by the girl tearing up the piece of paper and throwing it onto the floor which is shown in slow motion. This could show that there relationship is breaking down but slowly.

I feel that the music video is easily relatable due to the context of relationships and break ups so due to this I believe that the target audience is aimed at 12-30 year olds as they could be or have been going through the same situation.

Research into the music industry

Categories of a music video

There are three main categories of a music video, these include narrative, performance and concept base.

A narrative music video display a sequence of events which are used to tell a story. The lyrics and images in the song are used to tell as story and the videos aim is mainly to give a strong message towards the audience. Some narrative style videos include clips from films that the song has been featured in.
An example of a narrative video is Katy Perry, Hot, N, Cold.

A performance based music video feature the artist or band performing infront of the camera. They normally show members of the band or artist dancing. It is known to be the cheapest and easiest style of video to make. A performance video can be a live performance or a staged performance.
An example of a performance video is Little Mix, Wings.

Concept based music videos are usually based around one idea. They are known to be fairly unusual and quite hard to film. They tend to not tie in with the theme of the song and do not relate to the lyrics which would make it confusing towards the audience. They commonly have a specific editing technique so they would be more expensive. In comparision to a narrative music video they are not that easy to relate to.
An example of a concept based video is A ha, Take On Me.

I would like my music video to be performance style. But i would like my music video to have a message which my audience would be able to relate to in some way. I believe that this would engage the audience and make the video entertaining.

Star image

Introduction to star image

Richard Dyer identified a difference between a pop performer and a pop star. He explains that a pop performer is an artist who isn’t well known and what the audience sees is the real them. Whereas a pop star is known for their music and their star persona. However this persona gives a fake front of the artist which really isn’t who they truly are.

The other difference between the two is that a pop performer are quickly promoted to a pop star status by their management which then makes them to be described as pop stars. Pop stars are the product of the record company whose main purpose is to be sold. It is vital for companies to develop the stars persona throughout their music career to ensure that they are making a lot of money.

Pop stars can affect their audience, they can portray messages that can provide people on ideas on what people are supposed to look like. The effect this can have on an audience are medical and psychological problems such as stress, loss of confidence, anorexia etc.

Many artists in today’s world are classed as pop stars because they have a successful media promoting team. You would find many pop stars featuring in magazines and newspapers and they have released merchandise for their fans such as clothes, perfumes and books. They are more known for who they are represented as in the media and their looks rather than their talent which is music.  

In relation to pop music videos these show aspects of an artist’s star image. This is through the use of camera shots and editing of the artist or band. The music video would be set in a particular setting/mise en scene which would relate to the star and then what the audience would expect from them.                                     

 

Todorovs Theory

Todorov in 1969 produced a theory where he believed that his theory would be able to be applied to any film. He felt that all films followed the same narrative structure.

In his theory there were five stages that the narrative can progress into.

1.)    A state of equilibrium- this is where we get a sense of the genre and setting, this allows us to instantly connect to the narrative and characters of the film.

2.)    A disruption of that order by an event- this is where the overall environment and video creates a drastic change which should be recognised easily by the audience. This is where the narrative starts.

3.)    A recognition that the disorder has occurred- in a film this is where something effects the hero/ leading character. In a music video the lead artist will show a clear image of recognition towards the form of disruption, a negative or positive disruption.

4.)    An attempt to repair the damage of the disruption- in a film this is where he hero goes on his quest. In a music video the artist has recognised a disruption and they will confront it and the outcome will either be negative or positive.

5.)    A return or restoration of a NEW equilibrium- in a film the hero defeats the villain. In a music video everything will go back to normal but not exactly as it was at the start.

 

This type of narrative structure is very common and can be applied to many mainstream film narratives including the very famous James Bond films.

 

 

Analysing three music videos

For my first task I am going to be analysing three music videos from three different genres. By doing this task I will be able to understand the range of conventions and features which adapt to those particular genres and I hopefully I will be able to recognise the similarities and differences which they all consist of.

Before I analysed the music videos I did some research on music videos and what they entail so this could help me when it comes to analysing them and also when creating my own.

Music videos have two essential elements which are narrative and performance. The narrative is the story which runs throughout the video which normally has a meaning for the audience to enhance upon. The performance element is when the artist/artists sing to the camera. Some music videos can be a mixture of the two elements where the performance can be part of the narrative. The purpose of a music video is to promote an artist, song or album. All music videos have a specific genre which would be attractive to their target audience ranging from Pop, Indie, Rock, Hip Hop, RnB etc.

The first music video which I watched was by Taylor Swift 'Love Story'.


The second music video I watched was by Bastille and it was called 'Pompeii'.
The last music video that I watched was by Beyoncé and the song 'If I were a boy'