WHAT I THINK A MUSIC VIDEO ISA music video is a way of marketing a new song from an artist. Having the audience visualise the song with images creates a connection which furthers the potential success of the song. With these visual images it also helps represent the artist, and through that can tell a story enabling fans to connect more with the artist
COMMON FEATURES OF A MUSIC VIDEO
The artist's song
Artist singing(visually)
Lip Syncing
Choreography (where appropriate)
Product placement (advertisement)
Instruments
Male AND female (wider audience appeal)
THREE DIFFERENT MUSIC VIDEO CATEGORIES
Narrative based
Performance based
Concept based
Preliminary Music Video Task
We had the challenge of having to re-make a music video. The music video given was ' Baby one more time' by Britney Spears.
Focusing on the camera angles and transitions we had to mirror the exact movements, attempting to try and make our version of the video as simular to the original as possible by lip-synching and simular props and settings.
We had a group of 5 members, including myself. The team work was well thought out as we all had individual roles within the group, to ensure that the camera work and the acting was all occupied by everyone.
We had to use a zoom-in for the beginning of the video as Britney is sitting at a school desk, this was challenging as we had to find the appropriate props, and of course someone who could fill Britney Spears' shoes and be able to lip synch correctly to all the words. We made a story board initially which proved how many shots we would have to do- as the theme of the video was quite fast paced and moved from scene to scene very quickly.
Time management was average, we had a short amount of time to plan the video and to shoot it. Luckily we didnt have to waste time on finding people to take part as extras, as with a larger group we were able to use a small amount for a few scenes. However, one scene included a large group in a school corridor- which we decided to film as break was about to commence, as it would be difficult to find time and space to film it ourselves.
Working on location proved difficult as we had to find an area to film within the school, which would not be disturbed by students nearby. We simply had to try and block off areas to make sure that we could film without being interrupted.
Camera angles were difficult aswell as we had to use chairs and tables to stand on as the camera stand would not reach high enough to achieve the shot we wanted. So we had to improvise with different materials around us to reach the desired effect. There were alot of cut aways and fade ins used as the topic of the whole video, is a classroom daydream so everything moves very quickly and smoothly so our camera movements had to match that also.
My analysis of different music videos
We have looked at three music videos as a group, in which we analysed the camera angles, editing, mise-en-scene, lip-syncing and the relationship to visuals
The music videos were :-
The White Stripes- The hardest button to button
Bjork-Declare independance
The Decemberists- 16 military wives
Narrative based
THE DECEMBERISTS- 16 MILITARY WIVES
Camera Angles- long shot at the start which establishes the setting and atmosphere of the video which is informal and light hearted. Continuing with medium long shots throughout as it lets the audience visualise the storyline being performed for the 4 minutes.
Mise en scene- Band members in costumes, which shows the audience they are not portraying themselves but a series of characters instead.
lip synching- The visuals show their own story, their is no co-ordination of singing at any point.
Relationship of music to visuals- The storyline carried out is linked with the lyrics and theme that the song has.
Performance based
THE WHITE STRIPES- THE HARDEST BUTTON TO BUTTON
Editing- alot of camera movements that move in time to the music
Camera Angles- Medium long shot is used throughout as there is alot of detail within the video that requires the viewer to visualise alot of the surroundings.
Mise en scene- Dressed simularly both members of groups which shows they are united and play an equal importance within the group. The instruments in which they play with are matching colours with both members of the white stripes.
Sound- Non diegetic sound with lip synching
Music to visuals- Visual goes with beat, has no meaning really to the song. The white stripes are the type of band who like they dont want a pattern or structure and this reflects that.
Concept based
BJORK-DECLARE INDEPENDANCE
Editing- camera moves between bjork and the extras within the video and the machine which is using paint, this establishes what the main aspects are of this video and the message that the artist is trying to put across.
Relationship- The song is about independance and the theme of video seems to reflect that of an Army. Which adds some controversy to the song as it is not usually a woman who is represented within the army, therefore it reflects the obscurity of the artists nature within the video.
Mise en scene- Bjork is in an army style costume, which shows she is playing a role of herself but rather taking on the character of someone else to deliver a message to her fans through the music and the video.
Camera Angles- There are alot of cut away shots because the music video has alot of images shown throughout, and in order for everything to be seen and understood there needs to be cutaways.
Also as Bjork is the main artist and demands the most attention throughout the video there are alot of close-up shots shown to get a zoom in angle of her face, as the music video is concept based, the audience need to realise behind the costume is the artist.
I also furthered this investigation with some other genres of music including R'N'B and Pop to look at these different categories of music videos.
Narrative based
50 cent- Baby by me
Relationship- With what the lyrics are portraying, the video follows the same storyline.
Camera Angles- Alot of close-ups of 50 cent's face. This establishes power and shows him as being an influential artist. With 50 cent also being the main attraction as the main artist- he needs to be shown alot throughout as that is what sells the music.
Editing- Colours are dark within the video which shows him to be a serious guy and that the message that he is trying to deliver is serious also.
It cuts from 50 cent as the performer to the narrative which shows him as a home man with kids and a wife. This gives the idealistic of what female fans will want to see, aswell as showing the hard side for the male fans.
Sound- mix of digetic and non-digetic, as 50 cent mimes at some points throughout the video, whereas music covers the story shown also.
Mise en scene- 50 cent as the performer is shown with alot of excessive and expensive jewellery and looks overall unapproachable and almost threatening.
However the ''normal'' 50 cent shown is in normal clothing with no jewellery and looks very much down to earth- which seperates his two alter egos well.
His wife looks glamourous but also a house wife type, i feel this will appeal more to the male audience as this would be their ideal situation.
