MUSIC VIDEO INTRODUCTION!

 

MUSIC VIDEO INTRODUCTION:

This week's work requires Media Factsheet #69: Music Video. You'll need to log in to Google using your Greenford Google account to access this. Read the factsheet and answer the following 10 questions:

What is the purpose of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to sell products, the most obvious of which is the song featured in the video. However, other connected products are also marketed by a music video. 

How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

The development of new media technologies, however, made music videos and the songs that accompanied them more widely accessible at all times. A video could be uploaded to a video hosting website like YouTube and viewed on a mobile phone or an iTouch device, giving viewers the freedom to watch the video and listen to the song whenever and wherever they pleased.

Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

In America, there were three major record companies, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Abu Dhabi Media (along with content licensed by EMI), have also launched Vevo, a video hosting site specifically for music videos.

What are the key conventions of a music video?

Movement

Narrative

Band/artist

 How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

The storyline may relate to the song’s lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell a different story.

What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

For example, the video for My Chemical Romance’s Teenagers features ‘alternative’ cheerleaders, which is reminiscent of the cheerleaders in the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. The Blink 182 video for All the Small Things makes references to videos by pop artists such as Back Street Boys (I Want it That Way) and Christina Aguilera (Genie in a Bottle) by directly copying scenes.

Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

References can also be more esoteric and obscure, allowing the audience to feel pleasure when they recognize the reference. 

 Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice for each of the following headings and explain how each one links to the heading:

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)
• Intertextuality
• Representation
• Audience

Conventions: In the music video, Taylor Swift and the actor who plays her love interest primarily focus on dancing, sneaking out in the garden, and other such activities. Taylor Swift creates a performance by lip-syncing to her song while standing on the balcony dressed in an old-fashioned gown that represents the Renaissance time period. The story follows Taylor Swift as she falls in love with "Romeo" and explains how their relationship was prohibited because they met secretly in a garden at night. Taylor Swift also describes how she waited on her balcony for Romeo to appear, which he does in the end, and the story has a happy ending. 

Intertextuality: The lyrics she sings and the set pieces for the ballroom, balcony, and costumes all make it clear that the music video's intertextual connection is to 'Romeo & Juliet'. In the balcony scene, Taylor Swift is portrayed as Juliet, who is waiting for Romeo in her dress, making a reference to the actual scene from "Romeo & Juliet."

Representations: As evidenced by Taylor Swift waiting on the balcony for Romeo, which presents her as a damsel in need who is awaiting her saviour rather than a strong, independent woman, the representation of women in this music video is more traditional. Taylor Swift is portrayed as incapable of fleeing her family without the help of her male counterpart/love interest. 

Audience: Teenage or young girls who enjoy reading or watching films like Romeo & Juliet are likely the music video's target audience. This is due to the fact that many teenage girls wish to meet their lover and experience a love story similar to the one in the music video. Additionally, Romeo & Juliet fans might like this music video because it contains intertextuality from the actual movie. As a result, fans might experience nostalgia and a sense of closeness with this kind of music video. 

Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?

Ice Cube's It Was a Good Day features many of the conventions we associate with gangster rap and hip-hop. Gang culture and baggy clothing was an aspect of hip-hop/rap videos. We see police cars circling their area, playing basketball which is to portray hood life back then. 

How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists today? Are music videos still essential to a band or artist's success? You need to form your own opinion here.

I think music videos are a great way for artists to promote themselves, but I wouldn't say they're necessary for success because a musician can create excellent music without making a music video. However, I would agree that making a music video is a great idea for an artist because it has the best chance of going viral.