Money For Nothing
Monday 5th October: as a group we created a presentation in about the purposes of music videos; we used the internet and our own knowledge to find out and explain all the different purposes. We explored each purpose together as opposed to other groups who looked individually then collated the information together, we thought this way was best because then all of us had a clear understanding of each purpose and would be able to talk about any purpose if questioned. I had done some previous research that weekend which gave us a starting point, we used Prezi to make the presentation as it would allow us to make a visually appealing presentation that was something more than a boring PowerPoint. We used a template so that we spent less time on the look and more time on the actual content.
Thursday 8th October: we presented the Prezi to Kelly, with other members of the group listening. We split up the different purposes allowing each of us to talk and explain at least one purpose. The final point was directed at the band, explaining why they should choose us to make their music video - this was specified on the brief to be included. I am not the biggest fan of public speaking and was quite nervous but I think I did very well and as a group we did extremely well. I believe the presentation included everything that was asked for on the brief to a very good standard.
The following is my thoughts on the purpose of music videos:
'Money for Nothing' - Why make music videos?
First of all, what is a music video? A music video is a short film made up of imagery and music to promote the song and artist. Music videos really took off in the 1980s with the introduction of cheap video tape replacing the more expensive 35mm movie. This allowed artists, bands and record companies the opportunities to make promotional music videos cheaply and thus more widely available to A and R, TV and other media outlets. Above everything else the launch of US cable TV channel MTV increased opportunities for exposure which meant even the smallest bands had an avenue to show their music video.
The first and most obvious reason as to why music videos are made is for promotion. An artist is promoted by the way they are presented in the video; the video will clearly display the artist’s personality, style and image. A music video helps maintain the artist’s presence in the public eye as normally the video will be released after the song therefore, if timed right, just after the excitement of the song dies down the music video will start it back up again. Also, since music videos can be viewed world-wide with the introduction of YouTube, artists can reach a wider audience increasing their popularity. Also, if a music video divides lots of opinions due to the content of the videos changing the believed image of the artist the music video then gets more promotion due to the controversy in the video. An example of this is Miley Cyrus in We Can’t Stop and Wrecking Ball as these videos display Miley’s drastic change in appearance, style and image. The videos drew lots of attention for both good and bad reasons – new fans of Miley and her new image would choose to watch the video for their entertainment whereas some would watch for the negative image they believe she is portraying.
Another obvious and sometimes the most important reason as to why music videos are created is for the extension of income. Artists and the record company make their money from people buying the songs and albums, whether it’s on CD or downloaded through iTunes, this is why music videos are very important to entertain and appeal to the audience to influence them to buy it. Also, the music video, especially those that include in-concert or ‘as-live’ footage, will help influence people to go to the artist’s concert therefore increasing their income. As well, artists receive royalties from their music videos being shown on TV, pubs and clubs and direct DVD sales. Lastly, the use of product placement in videos extends the income as the product’s company will happily pay the artist for advertising their product knowing it will bring them more income too. Britney Spears made an entire video around product placement as she didn’t have enough money to fund it. She received $500,000 for advertising Sony TVs, makeup, perfume and a website.
Music Videos are very important for the extension of outlets, as without them artists can’t have their songs played on the TV. The most common outlets are TV music channels and YouTube both of which cannot play a song without some sort of visual, because if this it is becoming more frequent that artists release a lyric video when they first release the song; this allows them to have the song played on these outlets, increasing their promotion, while the official video is still being made. Some artists will use the power they have on the internet and release information about their upcoming video in order to spark excitement and anticipation amongst fans, the perfect example of this is Taylor Swift with Bad Blood (remix, ft. Kendrick Lamar). Taylor used her Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and website to advertise the making of the video and the celebrities featuring in the video.
Taylor uploaded the photos on the to promote and advertise who was in the video and their characters in the music video.
Another reason as to why music videos are created is to achieve synergy, this is where the song and music videos link themselves with other forms of media such as TV shows and films. This great because not only does it promote the film, the film promotes the artist too, in some circles its seen as prestigious award if you are given the song for movie. This would be for a James Bond film, the films are very well known for having a huge hit with the theme song that is usually of the same title as the film, e.g. Skyfall by Adele, Live and Let Die by Paul McCartney, Goldfinger by Shirley Bassey. Synergy is not only used in films it is also common in TV shows – the songs used in TV shows are either a purpose wrote theme song or an eternal song that is then used for the theme. It is harder for a song used on a TV show to have a corresponding music video but ones used for films usually feature footage from the film as well as the artist.
The music video being produced heavily reflects the producing company, this is because major labels (Sony, Warner Music Group, EMI, Universal) will have a larger budget available to create a music video that will make them the most money, they look to aim towards a wide audience and appeal to lots at once. Whereas independent producers such as Big Life will specialise in a particular genre of music or style of video, they see their work as art not just advertisement allowing them to be very creative and aim their work towards the existing audience. An artist or self-produced music video is one that has a much smaller budget and will normally upload their work online, especially on YouTube, these videos appeal directly to fans and show the artist in the best most natural way possible.
In conclusion, there are many reasons as to why music videos are created, the biggest reason being to promote the artist which in turn affects the income the artist and record company receive.
On Thursday 8th October, we did the presentation, I think we did very well. We split up what was said and had a very appealing presentation. We also included details to the band about why we were the best people to make their music video. I was slightly nervous at first as I don't like public speaking too much but believed we did very well and presented the information well.
On Thursday 8th October, we did the presentation, I think we did very well. We split up what was said and had a very appealing presentation. We also included details to the band about why we were the best people to make their music video. I was slightly nervous at first as I don't like public speaking too much but believed we did very well and presented the information well.
Then I had to look at the production of music videos:
What makes up a music video determines heavily on the style, there are lots of different styles all of which have their own features that are then transferred into the video. The features make the videos interesting and unique and help promote the artist.
You're Beautiful
You're Beautiful
The first style is popular music genres. A music genre is a category of artistic compositions of music which all have distinctive styles, forms or content, what you see in a rock music video is not what you'd see in a dance, certain styles used can be transferred across genres but the way in which they are used and the content changes how the style is viewed.
The next style is the use of in-concert and 'as live' footage, this style is commonly used in rock videos as it shows a more real and pure version of the band, there is not much rehearsal needed and nothing is too staged or choreographed like other videos. This style perfectly represents who they are - a band who make music, not much more to it, they believe they don't need anything more than this. Also this style is used by DJs in dance songs, in order to promote the artist's concert and persuade viewers to want to see them in concert therefore raising their ticket sales and overall revenue.
'As live' footage is often a band shown playing their instruments but not in a concert setting, an example of this is the video for The Pretender by Foo Fighters. In the video the band are shown playing their instruments in a warehouse, towards the end of the video police are charging towards them yet the band continue to play their music suggesting to the audience that they will keep making music no matter what or who tries to stop them. Using this style is very easy and quick to do, not needing much filming time or a large budget.
Another style is animation this style is most often used in pop and rock but can be used in any genre, it is a style that isn't used very much but became more popular in the 2000s, band The Killers used it in 2 of their videos and hip hop star Kanye West used only animation in his video for Heartless. The video features a cartoon Kanye in a setting that could have easily been real life because it features rotoscope animation, which is where live actors or in this case Kanye are filmed first then visual effects are drawn over them afterwards. Using this style brought lots of attention to song, promoting it even more so than normal due to its individuality.
An interpretative style is a music video that offers a literal interpretation of the lyrics meaning the music video is very closely linked to the lyrics. An example of this is Katy Perry's Firework, this video features Katy Perry singing but also a range of people suffering or in difficult situations then when she starts singing the chorus literal fireworks spark from her chest. My interpretation of the lyrics is to stand out and show your true self, rather than keep it in, which is why the fireworks are shown exploding from the people. Using this style allows the audience to make their own opinions about what the lyrics mean and the video can either support or disprove the theory or offer a new idea completely.
A narrative video is one that tells a fictional or non-fictional story throughout the video, it is normally shown as a short story or film. This style is very common and popular because it engages the audience with an often relatable experience (break up, death in the family etc.). Artists choose a narrative video because the story they choose to portray may be special to them or something they feel strongly about, e.g. Drug abuse or gang violence. An example of a narrative video is The A Team by Ed Sheeran. This video focuses on one girl who is seen to be doing a number of illegal acts such as sleeping rough, drug abuse, prostitution, it follows a day in her life . The video represents people who we will we come across everyday, Sheeran himself said the inspiration for it came from a woman he'd met at a homeless shelter. Narrative videos draw lots of attention and promotion to the artist therefore increasing the sales and income.
A surreal music video is something that is weird or abstract or as if from a dream, an example I would use for this type is Take on Me by a-ha. This video features a girl who is taken into an animated comic book she was reading. She is pulled into a fantasy world where everything around her is cartoon but she stays real. This video appeals to the audience as it is very unique and original. Videos that include bizarre or unrealistic things or special affects are often considered surreal. Some surreal videos are also narrative as they portray a story as well.
A pastiche music video is one that imitates the work of another artist or time period in a respectful or believable manner. An example of a pastiche music video is You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties as it uses a 80s themed party in a modern environment, it is very original and entertaining ending with people dancing on the ceiling.
Homage is very similar to pastiche only means to publicly show respect or special honour. An clear example of this Iggy Azalea's Fancy video which pays homage to the movie Clueless with the video being filmed in the same high school as the movie and numerous shots and costume reflecting the movie, this isn't just the only one many of her videos pay homage to movies. Lots of artists play homage by hiring film directors to direct their music video, Michael Jackson did this for his Thriller video.
The opposite of pastiche and homage is parody which copies a music video but changes details in it or the lyrics and exaggerates characteristics of person for comic effect. Some parody videos are popular for how much they mock the original but most receive negative comments due to the act. On YouTube there are numerous accounts that only parody others' videos therefore it is very rare for an already established music artist to use parody.
A YouTuber called Bart Baker will parody popular songs, he changes the lyrics and often makes known the social view of the person or song - for example in a Taylor Swift cover he will often bring up the fact that she has had numerous boyfriends, in fact his parody of I Knew You Were Trouble is completely focussed on her boyfriend history. Most of Bart Baker's videos show close links to the costume, hair styles and locations from the original video. The backing to song is kept almost the same so that it is easily identifiable as to what song it should be, but the lyrics and content is changed. Parody often promotes the original song and artist as well as the parody artist too.
Influence of commercials, lots of music videos are now advertising and promoting products, making them into somewhat of a commercial, this is known as product placement. Artists will receive money from the product company for advertising their product in the music video because their sales will increase as more people will be aware of their product due to the wide range of audience that can be achieved. Most of the time the products that are shown are somehow related to the music industry - for example advertising Beats Pill in Miley Cyrus' We Can't Stop or new phones, the best product placement videos are done subtlety where the product is shown but not made too obvious or shown too frequently.
An example of too obvious product placement would be Britney Spears' Hold It Against Me which makes a point of showing hundreds of Sony TVs with close ups of the logo, as well lots of cameras, makeup, a website. Britney chose to use product placement as she needed the money offered by the companies, which was $500,000. Using this style promotes the product therefore the company will pay money to the artist increasing their income for the video. (see product placement in purpose for video)
In conclusion, there are many styles that music videos can use and contain, some styles are very genre-specific - for example 'as-live' footage normally being used in rock videos as few genres include bands that can be shown performing. From Task 1 of my assignment I know that most independent record labels will specialise in certain genres or styles of music video therefore they will have more experience and confidence when using a particular style which will be reflected in the video through the content, effects and editing.
After looking at the styles I looked at the conventions or rules music videos are supposed to follow, this is quite controversial as music videos are known to be experimental.
Conventions of music videos is what is usually included and how they are produced, different genres have different conventions as they use different styles. Overall standard conventions of music videos, that apply to most styles but not all, are that they are visually stylish, make use of special effects and are very experimental in terms of use of cameras and editing. Most videos will intercut - for example cutting between different settings or locations throughout the song then return to the same location in the next verse, it is not always logical; the most common style this des not appear in is narrative as this style is telling a story and follows a pattern - like a short film.
Lyric interpretation is when the content of the video links to what the singer is actually singing about. It can be seen to be a lazy and less creative route to take when making a music video as there is little innovation needed, the creator hasn't thought outside of the box. Despite this, it is still effective as it can represent and reflect the main meaning of the song. An example of lyric interpretation is Rebecca Black's Friday, despite how annoying the song may be due to its catchy chorus, it clearly represents the lyrics showing a clock of 7am when the lyrics say "seven a.m. waking up in the morning" as well as showing Rebecca at a bus stop, this video barely differs from the lyrics.
Extending or consolidating song's meaning is when symbolism and content in the mise-en-scene are used to further push the meaning of the song or use a visual explanation of the lyrics for the audience to understand the meaning. It is quite similar to lyric interpretation but not quite as literal as to acting out all of the lyrics. Although one could think this meant a very deep meaning is needing to be portrayed, it does not; it could be a very straight forward. An example of this is Murder on the Dancefloor by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, at first the song and video show a dance competition using the phrase "murder on the dancefloor" figuratively, the main character in the video - Sophie Ellis-Bextor - obviously wanting to win the competition then throughout the video you see her actually killing off the competition by poisoning some, suffocating one of the judges, making others slip on the floor and turning dance partners against each other. Without the video, it's an upbeat song with the main connotation being a dance competition, however the music video takes it even further by actually showing literal murder taking place on the dancefloor.
Allusion, this is where the audience are under the allusion and impression that something is happening/going to happen but then the music video changes to show something completely different and not what was first thought to happen. At first glace, there seems to be very few videos that follow the convention of allusion. This is because for an allusion to be effective time needs to be spent drawing the viewer in so that when it is subsequently broken the viewer can then experience the realisation that it was in fact an allusion. Since music videos are generally between 3 and 5 minutes long, there is insufficient time to do this.
Many artists use links to other artists as this helps promotion because fans of one artist will watch/listen to the song and then look at the other artist's work therefore generating more promotion. There are many examples of links to other artists, some artists will do collaborations with the song itself and have the other artist sing or rap whereas others may just use them in the video. An example that shows both is Taylor Swift's Bad Blood remix ft. Kendrick Lamar. The original song first featured on Swift's 1989 album but then released a single with Kendrick Lamar which included a rap that wasn't featured on the album. This was very good because she already had her fans of her pop genre who would buy the new single but then Lamar's hip-hop fans would also buy the single. Then, the video which was aired at the Billboard Music Awards, featured numerous other artists and even some actors, this in itself attracted lots of attention due to the sheer amount of fans of the others in the video; because of the other artists and actors in the video fans who wouldn't normally listen to and watch Taylor Swift then they would so that they could see the others involved. It was very cleverly done by Taylor; the video received 20.1 million views in the first 24 hours breaking the Vevo record. (see above for purposes for video).
Cutting to the beat: this technique is very simple to understand - the editing/cutting of the shots matches the beat of the song. Usually the faster the song the more cuts whereas songs that are slower will have less shots that are edited together to match the slower beat.
Effects: due to music videos being very experimental and allowing the director/creator freedom to do a range of things; visual effects are very important as they create more excitement in the video and also allow things that may be financially or physically impossible.
Miming and lip sync: this technique is used in most music videos and allows the music backing to be linked to the video. The artist will mime the lyrics to match the song. A great example of this is Rockstar by Nickelback; the song shows other people of a range of ages and gender miming the song which is used to attract the audience and create a fun and entertaining music video.
Playback and lip sync: this is a technique used when the sped of the video is effected - if the video were to be shot and then sped up to show fast cars passing by or be slowed down to be in slow motion the lip syncing would be recorded in real time.
Camera movements: lots of music videos will start with an establishing shot, like films, which sets the scene and location for the music video. The type of shots will change depending on the content of the video - if there is a performance or dance involved long shots will be used in order to show the whole routine. As well, close-ups and extreme close-ups will most commonly be used to show emotion and reaction attempting to connect to the audience or emphasis particular or key parts.
Camera angles: these affect how the audience view the characters/artists in the video, if a song is about or trying to promote power there will be lots of shots from a low angle so that the performers are being looked up to, therefore demonstrating power and leadership. The angles also can help establish the type of location or situation the music video may show, especially if it is in a narrative style.
Chroma key: this is a special effects/post-production technique which uses green-screen, it is great because using this technique a music video could include a background that is of a still or moving picture - with this technique it is possible to show a video inside a video. It can be used to change what is seen through a window or allow things to filmed safely that could otherwise be deemed too dangerous to film in a music video.
Multi-mage: this is use of multiple shots that all appear on the same screen, many artists use this when they perform a cappella and beat boxing, they use multi-mage to show the performing each act that makes up the backing of the song. Due to it being used more commonly in videos like that it is quite common amongst independent and solo artists that aren't supported by a big record label. An example of multi-mage is After Ever After by YouTuber Paint. He splits the screen into 4 - one of him sings the main song with the remaining 3 performing the backing and adding comments throughout.
Finally, I analysed 2 music videos:
I am analysing Chasing Cars by alternative-rock band Snow Patrol, I will look at both versions of videos released - the USA and UK version as both are similar yet different. Since the alterative-rock genre includes many diverse sub-genres there is no set characteristics, most artists in this genre are signed to independent record labels therefore will have specific videos due to the particular sub-genre or style of the video.
The song's true meaning is not clearly shown on either videos, firstly the main difference between the 2 videos is that lead singer Gary Lightbody lies down on the ground in different places. In the US version he walks around and lays down in busy/populated places, while singing, and people step over and ignore him whereas in the UK version he lies down in an open space while it's raining then he enters a pool of water. It is believed that the phrase 'chasing cars' came from Lightbody's father in reference to a girl "You're like a dog chasing a car." It is also said that Lightbody got his inspiration for the love song in the producer's garden which would explain the lyrics "Show me garden bursting into life". Both versions identify and amplify the lyrics by showing him laying down and watching the world pass him by in reference to:
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lay with me and just forget the world?
I believe there are no contradictions between the lyrics and visuals as even from the beginning of the song he is on his own in the UK version and in a world of his own in US version with no one even noticing him.
The US version of the music video:
The UK version of the music video:
The music is very much cut to beat or more the speed of the song, in the US version the cuts are very slow and the frequent use of lengthy aerial shots when he is laying down allow the first location to be seen before it zooms in to his face then zooms out again to show that the location around Lightbody has changed. The cuts are very smooth in most places and seem almost non-existent due to the extreme close up of his face filling the screen allows the ground/location he's in to change without it being shown in the shot until the camera allows it to be seen. There was one fade to black cut when it goes from seeing him lying in the road to him walking through the subway.
However, in the UK version there are more cuts of extreme close ups which are still edited together slowly but more so than the US version as there are more shots being used. The extreme close-ups range from his face – in particular his eyes – to his hands. Then shots from a low angle, allowing his face and some chest into the shot, are used so that little of his surroundings are seen. When the song hits its crescendo the cuts get more frequent, still using extreme-ups; it isn’t until towards the end when Lightbody is underwater where a mid-shot is used to show his body underwater, this shot is from a low angle looking up. An aerial shot is used at the end that starts zoomed onto his face which zooms out while the song zooms out and shows his location to be a desolate piece of land.
The main difference in these videos is that the US version uses length zoomed shots whereas the UK version uses more extreme close-ups.
The record company are selling this track by featuring only the lead singer as opposed to the whole band therefore using the lyrics that state he is alone to show someone who is alone. The music video is very simple for a ballad, again reflecting on how the song is simply a love song with no hidden meanings, twists or dark parts. This song is from the band’s 4th album, with their previous hit being Run which has a similar video in the sense that it focuses on only Lightbody who is walking and singing, until it hits the chorus of the song which shows the others of the band however then returns to focus on Lightbody. Although when he sings “light up, light up” flares are lit up the other use of fire in the video is a motorbike that sets alight too. This video makes use of the crescendo of the chorus unlike Chasing Cars, which continues to keep the same pace; both videos are very similar and easily identifiable as being the same band, with no massive changes or conflicts.
Chasing Cars was originally released June 2006 (US) and July 2006 (UK) but before this aired on 2 TV shows. At first it was aired on the season finale of One Tree Hill but then, a couple weeks after it appeared on the second season finale of Grey’s Anatomy which received 22.50 million views, this promoted the song even further and pushed the song onto the charts. The song was considered an icon for the show as it featured in the final scene where a character (patient) had died and the patient’s fiancée was laid on his bed with him refusing to leave; when she did leave she quit being a surgeon. The day after the DVDs for season 2 came, the song sky rocketed back into the download charts proving that being a soundtrack for a TV show has a huge impact on sales. The song was then used for season 3’s promo which featured scenes from the previous 2 seasons and new unseen scenes that were upcoming in season 3, the promo also showed the band too.
Chasing Cars is one of the most notable songs that revealed the impact digital download had at the time (2006/7); for Snow Patrol it is their biggest hit after almost a decade. By January 2015 the song has sold 3,900,000 copies in USA.
In conclusion, the only real difference between each version of the music video is the shots used – the US version use more locations but fewer shots whereas the UK version use only 2 locations, if you count underwater, but use multiple extreme close-ups. Also, this shows how much of an impact TV shows can have by them using a song in the background, it not only offers promotion but also can make the difference from an indie band staying small, unknown and not on the main charts to them reaching very high numerous times over the years.
I am looking forward to next part of Assignment 1 which is actually creating a music video especially now that I know the different styles, conventions and techniques.
Monday 12th October - Today we sat as a group and looked at other's song ideas for the assignment. I originally had an idea but I have heard a different song that I may want to use.
Monday 12th October - Today we sat as a group and looked at other's song ideas for the assignment. I originally had an idea but I have heard a different song that I may want to use.
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