Research For Music Video - Main Points Of Andrew Goodwin

In our media lesson we learned about ideas media expert Andrew Goodwin theorised. He believed that music videos do not follow usual video/film culture of traditional narrative structure. (Finding a problem-dealing with the problem-resolving the problem). He knew that most pop music videos are about repetition

He categorised music videos into 3 categories:

Illustration: This is where the video tells the story of the lyrics. Dance is often used to express the feelings/moods in the song.

Amplification: This occurs when the videos introduce new meanings that do not contradict with the lyrics but add layers of meaning.

Disjuncture: This is where there is little connection between the lyrics and video or where the video contradicts the lyrics.



Examples i have found of each of theses are:





He knew that most pop music videos are about repetition:

Disjunction: Not much to do about the lyrics at all.
















Illustration: Songs called hold you and hes holding a girl at the chorus.

Amplification: As he says such words as fireflies it comes up on the screen of a little toy.

Research For Music Video - Main Points Of Andrew Goodwin.

As learnt in one of my media lessons, media expert Andrew Goodwin believes that pop videos are built around songs - and often songs do not follow a traditional narrative structure (normality-problem-resolution).
Pop videos rely on REPETITION! Often the videos repeat images in the way the song repeats choruses or lines.

In a narrative structured video, the music video may use the artist as the narrator and or character.

The singer would often look directly into the camera. This is a way of trying to involve the viewer at home with the performance.

An example of Andrew Goodwin's analysis on pop videos:

1. Illustration : the video tells the story of the lyric.

     2.  Amplification : the video creates a new meaning that does not contradict with the lyrics.

     3. Disjuncture : the video has little connection with the lyrics and they often contradict. 

Research For Music Video - What Is A Function Of A Music Video.

As learnt in my first lesson of A2 media, The function of a music video is merely to promote the artist. the music video will remind the audience of the artist and the song, gaining them single sells and popularity.

An example of this would be music videos for the genre of pop. Pop videos are merely there to remind you of the artist and to get the consumer to buy their singles.

An example of artist that does this is THE SATURDAYS.

Research For Music Video - Copyright Clearance

In order to use any song for my media production I must contact the record label of the actual artist who made the song (preferably by written contact).

Below shows a print screen of my e-mail (created in microsoft word) asking for copyright clearance to use a possible song i may make my A2 media coursework music video to.

I sent this to james@asmdamage.co.uk

Researching for music video: What I understand about Laura Mulvey's ideas on representation

She was a feminist whos is a professor in film and media studies. who looked at the way people are portrayed. From what i understand she believed that women in music videos and film and show as a male fantasy as we live in a mans world. She believed women are shown as mens objects to fill there fantasies. I agree with her as nowadays that is consistant in music videos. Videos may have close ups of 

women's body parts men would find sexy to titillate men. She refers to women as "passive" whilst men as active, showing how women go along with it for record sales.

A video that goes with this is: Shakira she wolf, she sells her music through sex appeal.

A video that goes against what she says is: Skater boi. She wears clothes associated with guys.

Doing research into Laura Mulvey I found this article  telling me more about her:

Laura Mulvey and her theory of the Male gaze influenced by the works of Freud, is key to the Feminist Film theory movement and has been of great influence since the mid 1970's. Mulvey argues that in classic hollywood films in particular women are merely represented to provide visual pleasure to men , and the audience is constructed in a manner where they are all expected to be men. This male gaze is both voyeuristic and fetishistic. Her concept of "to-be-looked-at-ness", exemplifies that women were merley shown on screen in classic hollyowod in order to provide men with visual pleasure and have an erotic impact. Mulvey argued that the typical key protaganist within a classic hollyowod film was male and the audience members where similarly typically expected to be men. The typical male audience member is alligned with the films protagonist, by identification, admiration or aspiration. Therefore the audience member gains narcissistic pleasure from identifying with the films protaganist,placing themselves "in the shoes" of the films hero. Further the infulence of Freud an influnetial pyschoanalytic theorist to Laura Mulvey's theory is the idea of castration anxiety which is what a person unconciously think. For example if a woman was not objectified in the way she was in classic hollyowod or placed in a position of lower authority a male would not feel as powerful. This unconcious idea is that a males power and dominance over a female is his penis, and his dominance is threatened by a woman if she does not arouse this.

What is the function of music video?

In our first lesson we discussed the main function of a music video. We talked about how a music video's main function is to promote the artist and give and image of artist. They go for an image that target trends especially to help market the song/artist. When people think of the song they will think of the artist and the video making they artist more popular so people hopefully buy there music.

One artist i like is Alborosie.
In his songs he is the main object in his video, much like what we learned about in class

New skills learnt during lip sync tutorial in June

From the new skills i gained during the lip sync tutorial in June I can remember that actually lip syncing is not a easy ability to take up. You have to ensure that your lip movement is in sync with the songs rythm and word content. This is quite hard as you as an individual maybe singing the song in your head faster than it really is! I also learnt that in the professional world of music videos takes are recorded several times in order for the 'right' footage to be edited for the final video to be published.

So... What really is the function of your fave artists video?

The main function of a music video is to predominantly promote the image of the artist through the production of a short film that will accompany the artist’s song. Occasionally, these videos are created for marketing purposes that are purposefully targeted at the increase of recording sales. Music videos date from way back but came into significance in the 80’s due to MTV’s existence, where they were referred to as “filmed insert”, “film clip”, “promotional (promo) film” or “promotional clip”.

Ever since it’s dramatic stamp on the careers of artist’s music videos have undertaken a range of differing styles. Such as animation, non - narrative approaches (abstract film), live action filming and also documentaries (short tour diary – Rihanna ‘cheers’). However, though many styles are often adopted at the same time for example action and animation can be used just like it was in the Pink’s video of ‘feel good’.

This is the latest Rihanna single straight off of her 'Loud' album, the footage used here is promoting the "funness" of her tour as we see her on stage, on the tour bus & some of her fans singing along to her tune. This approach is also adopted by other artists.

Reflecting on the AS year (1)

Unfortunately my groups jpeg of the digipak that we created was lost.

Reflecting on the AS year: Lip Sync Tutorial

At the end of the AS year we were giving an introduction to A2 media this included a rough step by step guide to what we were going to be achieving in A2, therefore we examined music videos and looked at the conventions of the music videos, we were told to forget what we learnt editing wise as filming a thriller is different to a music video, for example the continuity isn't so important yet jump cuts and beat matching is a lot more familiar within music videos. The biggest convention we noticed was lips sync, on of the purposes of a music videos is to give the artist recognition and by having an artist on screen lip singing allows the audience to identify  the artist. 

My groups assigned song was 'Freak Out' by La Freak, we were given a camera and the period of one two lessons to record a person lip singing and then edit the music to match the footage we were told to include 6 different angels in music terms this is the base tracks, this is popular amongst editing music videos to allow footage to have movement. We considered the conventions of music videos and took some inspiration from videos we had watch, therefore we included a range of locations create a more exciting visual effect, as music videos are up beat and having a static piece of footage, wouldn't give the song justice. Props such as disco ball and disco lights, also to create a more exciting piece of footage. The person who had to lip sing sang one verse and the chorus's, after filming we uploaded the footage to Final Cut Pro, where we had to include the the audio and match the beat we used black arrows to signify this. this differed from making a thriller as the layout overlapped rather than sided up, by editing the base tracks  the persons lip singing the song showed continuity of the lyrics yet from different angles, it was important to get the timing correct otherwise the lip singing would look out of place and the lyrics wouldn't match the audio.

Reflecting Back on AS year: Technical Skills Developed.

During the AS year we created a Thriller opening, in preparation for doing so we were given an introduction to a number of technical devices- such as JCV Cameras, Still cameras and also editing soft ware such as Final Cut Pro, Live Type, Sound Track Pro, HandBreak. To make sure we were successful in using these programs and equipment we had to become familiar with, transferring work from device to computers and had to use accessories such as media cards and hard drives, they became a vital piece of equipment which secured all our work and enabled us to quicken the process of working.

• What is LiveType?

LiveType is a program design for text, it specializing in animation and has a wide variety of font styles and animation effects.

This was appropriate for our Thriller opening as Film Openings are known for including a lot of text, therefore for this allowed us to create a more visual appeal to the text. The skills which I developed threw this program is being able to quickly find a specific font which is appropriate without difficulty and also as this program is created by Apple Mac it was easily compatible to the other programs we had access to such as Final Cut Pro, I was able to transfer the animated text to this soft ware to add on top of my final edited thriller opening.

• What is Final Cut Pro?     

Final Cut Pro is a professional non-linear editing software. This is the software we used throughout the whole of AS to transfer our footage on to, and edit it.

This program allowed a variety of editing options and was straight forward. Skills which I learned is cutting footage, creating a time line, being able to mute film, adding visual effects such as blurs/colours/lighting and also quickening footage or slowing it down. This software was straight forward and now with the knowledge and practice which I have gained from last year, I now am able to edit footage at a good speed with the insight what effects/tools to use to physically create my ideas.

• What is Sound Track Pro?
  
  
  This is an audio composing software which is created by the same company of Final Cut pro therefore transferring audio to footage was straight forward.
  This software held a large variety of sound effects, which we were able to match to the visual part of the thriller.
  
  
  
  The skills which I learn with Sound Track Pro was to transfer audio onto footage, being able to watch the video  whilst editing the sound for timing purposes so the audio matched visual aspect, also I grew aware of finding the audio I needed to without difficulty and editing loops together to create a continuity. 

• JVC Camera

This was our vital piece of equipment and we had to become familiar with how to use the JVC camera quickly, otherwise we wouldn't have had usable footage. Whilst using the camera I gain the skills of learning how to record footage, what made ideal footage, I learned position of cameras, camera angles and about mis en scene. We had to be aware of the battery life and use our time wisely as well as taking into consideration the memory and capacity of footage the memory cards could use. The actual camera but without equipment such as memory cards, batteries, lighting sets and tripod the quality of the footage would be poor and we wouldn't have been able to film, so whilst filming other factors determine our footage.

Whilst this covers the piratical skills I have developed without the company of sites such as blogger we weren't able to distribute our final project piece and without the program Hand Break converting the footage wouldn't have been as successful. Overall the most important skill I've learnt within technicality is being able to join everything together, being able to film and then transfer footage, then to edit, to convert and distribute, each step is vital and by advancing my skills, the less time consuming and the better quality the final project will be.

Reflecting Back on the As years.

For AS I attended group 6's classes, my two teachers were Dan and Mary; They never set the Digipak assignment therefore group 6 never completed this task.

Reflecting Back On The AS Year - A Breif On The Skills I Learned In AS

Throughout the AS year, creating our thriller trailers helped me developed a lot of technical media skills that will come useful throughout this A2 media year.


Such as: 

Learning the aspects of camera & lighting as well as the different types of shots e.g. long shot, close up, medium close up, low/high angle, etc. 

• Learning how to use final cut pro to edit film. e.g. AS thrillers.

• Learning how to create personal music on sound track pro.

• Learning how to create titles, credits and other types of typography on Live type.

• Learning to use Handbrake to change the format of the videos to a format suitable for my blog.

• Learning how to create & edit blogs on blogger.

Reflecting Back On The AS Year - Lip Sync Assignment

As we approached the end of the AS year we began to prepare for the A2 year by starting some assignments that would help us with the main task of A2. We started our lessons by having a tutorial on how to edit a music videos in Final Cut Pro. After which we were all put into groups and allocated a 80's song, which we had to lip sync. We had to then film it in 6 different camera angles (known as base tracks) from start to finish allowing us more things to work with once we got to editing. The tutorial we had learnt from the media technicians came in to practise. One thing I noticed when editing music videos was that I had to use the razor blade tool much more often than with film editing, similarly there were a lot more layers used one on top of the other with the music video and you had to be very careful to place them correctly with the black arrow pointing down rather than sideways as it split the whole thing. Perhaps the hardest part was learning to lip sync in FCP and finding the right beat to place a marker and editing the clips in such way that the movement of our lips synced well with the song.  Unfortunately my group and I we're not able to complete the task as we didn't have enough time to edit the shots we filmed to a suitable standard. 

Reflecting Back On The AS Year - Digipak.

I was in set 6 AS media class. My teachers were Dan and Mary. We did not do the digipak assignment.

reflecting back on the AS year Post a jpeg of the digipak that youmade in the summer lessons

I managed to find my practice digipak from last year. I had to make the file a smaller size to upload it. I don't think its good at all, but at least i got to practice with the software photoshop element. We have been told how to make our digipaks look good so hopefully it will be a lot better this time round.