Social class table

Conventions of Form & Genre Using Textual Analysis.

Conventions of Form & Genre

Conventions are where audience can become more familiar with a particular genre, as they get use different conventions within genre. it provides a structure that the audience can recognize. To ensure the lyrics of the song fit the video , of how we'd expect it to be.

The general conventions include;

1. camera 
2. editing 
3. sound 
4. Mise-en-scene

A camera is the most crucial part to making a music video. A camera allows the video to have movement and different angles shots to develop effects for the audience. Overall camera angle , shots and movement are used to create technique and its own specialty so that this particular music video stands out form the rest. Camera shots shots are used to create thoughts and feelings for the audience to red how the artist may be feeling and to provide the viewer with an insight to whats happening. shots include;

Camera shots............

• wide shots - where the artists is shown and visible and to recognize and understand the location/setting, where the video has been taken.
• medium shot- this shot indicates and shows the artist from head to hip, giving a clear shot of the artists be still able to see where the location and setting is.
• medium close up - half way between a mid shot and close up, the artists shot is between head and chest.
• close up - this shot is a focus shot of the object or artists.
• over shoulder shot - these shots are usually are used when the artists is talking to someone, or when they are looking into the distance. 
• cut in - these shots tend to happen when the lyrics change, for example when an object or character or just a bunch of semantic fields together and then appears in different shots. then cuts appear to show all the different shots to the beat of the music.

Camera angles........

• eye level - this angle is what everyone is sees in everyday life, however the most common shot in life, it allows the audience to have the eye contact with the media even when your not there.
• high level - is a shot above the subject or object to indicate less powerful or less significant.
• low angle - which is from below looking up at the subject. which creates more dominance and power.
• birds eye view - is a direct above shot of the artist or object allowing the audience to see what the people in video may not see, also giving us a clear shot of the the location behind them.

Camera movement.......

•  camera movement is used to follow an artists from one shot in the performance to another     
• pans - this is why the camera pans the room or location in a horizontal way.
• dolly -  where a camera is place and on a tack and starts tracking the artist around the room from any direction.

Editing.......

• final cut pro is the software that we use to create our music video. By doing this we piece all of our original copies together. however before this we use the tools on this software to cut out the bits we don't want on the clip and then piece it to the music video. Also in addition to this on the final cut pro software, you can use special effects and add them to your music video, to make it more entertaining. For example in some music videos you see white background behind the artist and then effects added to them, these are what are called special effects.      

Sound......

• There are two types of sound diegetic and non diegetic. Non diegetic is natural sounds that occur when the video is being created, such as police sirens or birds whistling. whereas diegetic is where music or sound is edited into the clip to make it more like a music video. A music video is not a music video without any instruments played or sound to it. Sound is used in music video to create an atmosphere o emotion and meaning. Sometimes the music can reflect how the clip is coming across. For Example if the video clip is about something sad and unhappy then the music will compliment this with the same kind of attitude with a softer tune. 

Mise-en-scene......   

• Another important feature of music videos is mise-en-scene, this focuses on lighting ,props,costume and location. these elements help contribute to the genre for the audience to be able to recognize the differences between each genre. Such as in pop music you have bright colours whereas to rock genre you see dark clothing. which shows the difference between each genre and easier to be recognizable to the audience. 

Reference to my genre.......  

• My genre falls under the category pop due to the fact of where the artist falls under in the music industry. Beyonce is a well know artist that has many albums and singles released and has been for quite along time. Beyonce is a feminist and likes to share her life experiences through music to her target audience. The reason you can tell she falls under the pop genre is because her clothing is very tight and provocative to gain interest and to be inspirational to women with lack of confidence which goes to show Beyonce's dominance in the industry. Although Beyonce meets the criteria of conventions to fall under the pop genre because the use typical use of camera shots used. For example close up in on the lips the feet and the chest. These shots are used to create interest and entertainment for her fans and the rest of the audience that consume her music. Typical pop music has more beats and bass to it and has something catchy about for the audience to be able to remember the song. I believe my choice of song does fall under the category because the main phrase used in the song is the actual title of the song, therefore fall under the pop genre.                                                          

Storyboard

History of Music Videos

Music History.

In the past music videos were called promotional films, e.g. ‘films of gigs’. However in the 1980’s MTV showed how important music videos were, the first ever music video to be showed on MTV was the Buggles (video killed the radio star). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8r-tXRLazs In the late 1970’s ‘top of the pops’ started playing but had a limitation on how many they could show, in favor of having the band in the studio. However in the 1980’s a number one hit was David Bowie ‘ashes to ashes’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t7dVsBDrJ8&feature=fvst) featuring a Pierrot Clown, also used in the 2008-2010 hybrid Sci Fi/ Police Procedural Crime Drama series of the same name.

Although Michael Jackson took the music videos to a new territory, with a song called ‘thriller’, which a 14 minutes long but costed £500,000, one of the most expensive music videos of all time. However Jackson influenced more black artist to perform and MTV to give those artists more airtime on TV. In 1992 MTV started to list the directors to give music video their own style and recognizable of genre categories.

Convergence (the variety of technology that sells the audience products) is now significant, by the 2000s MTV and many other channels that are similar, started to show chart/pop music in terms of focusing on Genre. There was a major development in the music industry on how music videos are marketed, YouTube was created for the use that music videos can be marketed viral.  In 2010 artists Lady Gaga’s music video ‘bad romance’ became the most publicly viewed video on YouTube that year. Also now apple has evolved, distribution of music is much easier as iTunes was created, for easy accessibility for apple products to access the latest tunes. Music videos are part of an overall marketing strategy but have grown in popularity as a media form and can now be seen as a genre with its own sub-genre

Music videos use a range of film making techniques including animations, live action, documentary style, alternative/non narrative approaches and standard film narrative, often employing a 3 act narrative structure. The words ‘3 minute culture’ have been used to describe the music video and they can be analysed like any moving image media by semiotically deconstructing the technical and symbolic codes revealing narrative codes and structure, genre and sub-genre, hybridity and intertextuality , issues of representation and industry areas of study like convergence synergy and ownership.

Lyric Analysis

     'So Big'

Iyaz

Well you done know it's ya boy I-Y-A-Z, alongside the man JR IYAZ

[Chorus:]
Now I wanna do it up (SO BIG)
Party it up (SO BIG)
Spend it up (SO BIG)
So the whole world knows my love for you is (SO BIG)
My heart is (SO BIG)
My love is (SO BIG)
For you, for you, for you.

[Verse 1:]
Now with a girl like you,
Nothing you can do
But give the whole world to her 24-7.
When she lookin so sweet that kind of body,
You do man spending all of your time, time, time.
And it's not that you're asking me for nothing,
I just wanna show you how deep my love is.

[Pre-Chorus:]
Cause with them girls before I wasn't feeling so gone,
But with you girl I'm losing control oh.

[Chorus:]
Now I wanna do it up (SO BIG)
Party it up (SO BIG)
Spend it up (SO BIG)
So the whole world knows my love for you is (SO BIG)
My heart is (SO BIG)
My love is (SO BIG)
For you, for you, for you.

[Verse 2:]
Now with a girl like you,
I don't care who passes my way,
Rihanna or Beyonce.
Girl holla at me it doesn't mean I think cause,
Nothing compares to the joy you bring.

[Pre-Chorus:]
So them other girls can go, they don't make me feel so, good.
Cause with you girl I'm losing control oh.

[Chorus:]
Now I wanna do it up (SO BIG)
Party it up (SO BIG)
Spend it up (SO BIG)
So the whole world knows my love for you is (SO BIG)
My heart is (SO BIG)
My love is (SO BIG)
For you, for you, for you.

[Bridge:]
I wanna do it (SO BIG),
cause girl we are (SO BIG),
Let's pop them bottles (SO BIG),
like superstars (SO BIG).
We taken over (SO BIG),
we got that love (SO BIG),
Let's make it global (SO BIG),
let's blow it up (SO BIG).
Ooooooh, Oooooh Oh Oh Oh Com'on

[Pre-Chorus:]
If this is real love, then that ain't enough (no) before,
She got your boy doin crazy things that I never thought I'd ever do, no.

[Chorus:]
Now I wanna do it up (SO BIG)
Party it up (SO BIG)
Spend it up (SO BIG)
So the whole world knows my love for you is (SO BIG)
My heart is (SO BIG)
My love is (SO BIG)
For you, for you, for you.
My heart is for you, for you, for you,
My love is for you, for you, for you.
My heart is for you, for you, for you,
My love is for you, for you, for you.

Genre

Narrative

Narrative

Tim O' Sullivan

This theorists believes that all media text tell some kind of story. Usually all the media text tell a story but not usually about our personal lives but just a general reality story. Its more about culture or a set of cultures. Culture is based on what the media presents to us as an audience, such as, television. The narrative theory is all about, how a set of constructions are put together to create a music video through conventions.

3 important words………

Narrative- how the story is structured in the product.

Diegesis – where the story takes place (location) and the timing of the story and how it progresses.

Verisimilitude – this is based upon, if the narrative comes across to the audience as real or true, therefore, allowing us to believe what is happening to keep the audience engaged and having some kind of reference to reality. So ensuring it has the diegetic effect and follows the rules of verisimilitude;

• Continuity
• Temporal
• Special coherence

Bordwell and Thompson.

They talk about story, but never really come up with an indefinite narrative theory. However did believe that narrative structures is based on two distinctions between story and plot which the audience can see happen within the product. This theory is based on the Russian film theory.

Story (Fabula) - the events that occur to make the narrative and how we interpret it. Fabula is a series of events that are represented or implied.

Plot (Syuzhet) – literally everything that is presented to the audience, therefore, visible and audible. Syuzhet is basically the way they order and present the product/ narrative(beginning, middle and end).

Pam cook

This theorist is about the cause and effect of the narrative leading to the end of an enigma resolution which is the original Hollywood style of narrative structure. At the end of the product it should have a high degree of closure, for the purpose of the audience to want more from this style of narrative again; in future reference.

Todorov

1. The narrative starts with an equilibrium where everything is calm and normal.
2. Then progressives with a disruption to the story which creates a disequilibrium.
3. Disruption has taken place.
4. Re-create equilibrium.
5. Restore of a new state of equilibrium however the original narrative and characters change to the final state of equilibrium from initial state.

Sven Carlson – 3 areas of narrative structure

Carlson argues that music videos fall under 3 areas, performance, narrative and conceptual.

1. Performance – a music video that includes an artist signing and dancing, this is defined as a performance clip. It is a performance if it includes majority of vocals and different location settings. Commonly is recorded in studio room or rehearsal rooms but the performance can take place anyway from the streets to performing mid air. If we were to stereotypes different music videos then rapping would be on the streets, which is cliche and commonly used in music videos. The performance can be divided into three different areas; song performance and instrumental performance, however these can be both used in a music video.
2. Narrative-A narrative clip contains a visual story that is easy to follow. A pure narrative clip contains no lip-synchronized singing.
3. art- if the music video contains no narrative visual structure or no lip syncing then the music video is pure art. The main difference between a music video art clip and a contemporary artistic video is the music. While the music video uses popular music the artistic video uses more modern, experimental music, such as electro-acoustic music.

Carlson developed a mythical method of analysis of music video - centered on a "modern mythic embodiment". Viewed from this perspective the music video artist is seen as embodying one, or a combination of "modern mythic characters or forces" of which there are three general. The music video artist is representing different aspects of the free floating disparate universe of music video.


Overall example;
Tim; O Sullivan theory applied to rihanna 'rude boy', simply because all the typical codes and conventions of this music video is to create a characteristic profile for her fan based audience. The producer does this to make cultural references to society and to create a narrative/ message behind it. Such as rihanna allowing her body to be on display but showing her power over the boys.

Audience

Representation

Star Theory

Dyer states;

1. "stars are commodities that are produced by institutions".
2. "A star is a constructed image, represented across a range of media and mediums".
3. "Stars represent and embody certain ideologies".

Star theory;

• Dyer suggested the audience view of a film is based on the perception and massively influenced on the stars that are cast. also the publicity materials and reviews determine the way that audience experience a media text.
• Although Dyer didn't just analyse films he also explored writing, magazines, advertising of stardom.

What is stardom to Richard Dyer;

• Dyer believes that a star isn't a real characteristic of a person its just a image they put on for there fan based audience. As any other aspects fiction is, using a range of materials and methods, such as:

1. advertising
2. magazines
3. featuring in a film
4. music products.                                                                           

• For example stars create a desirable personality for their target audience but isn't an actually true representation of themselves. it is a constructed identity and ideology to make society want to consume there product.
• However compared to music stars, films stars have a less consistent image as they have to act in different ways due to the genre of the film. this makes a challenging to create a direct construct of a 'star'.

4 Key Components 

Dyers theory can be broken down into 4 key components;

1. Stars as constructions
2. Audience and industry/institution
3. Ideology and culture
4. Character and personality

Stars as constructions;

Stars are constructed artificial images even if they are represented as being 'real people', experiencing real emotion etc.

Their representation may have image associated. Such as Madonna's conical bra in the 90's or Micheal Jackson glove.

Film stars have the disadvantage to pop stars as they have a more constructed image over a period of time, and its not dependent on the creative input of others (e.g screenwriters writing their lines).

Audience and industry; 

stars are created to make money out of the fans and audience, gain money from record labels, it is literally just a career where they can make money and take advantage. but also to produce music for the industry and to keep ,music alive for generations to come.

When the stars are created they become a character like in a film but only has one personality, however they do have a reality side to them as well. Although when the artists makes a fake profile, it is fitting their music, their genre and most importantly their audience. So their audience can feel like they can associate with them.

Narrative Visual Essay.

NOTES;

• Noir conventions( typically black and white) however has neon colours, this suggest its more of a movie than a music video.
• Theme - police,crime,gangs,lighter,drugs
• The song starts when the girl opens the door.
• there is a dominance in colour which is red and green. Red connotes love and danger. Green could be seen as distrust or could mean safe/safety.
• At first we are shown the theory of S'ven Carlson where the video is a contrast between narrative and performance.
• 'Justin Bieber  is wearing designer pants 'Calvin Klein' because he is getting paid to promote these in his video.
• The video is disrupted because of a kidnapping, which complies with the 'Todorov' theory.
• Story and plot is implied with this video which is a theorists point of view. 'Bodwell and Thompson'
• Tim O' Sullivan - cultural differences through the use of mise en scen. in the video we have a location which is a skate park which also where the performance happens too.
• Pull fiction of the masks the antagonists wear.
• During the video the performance actually stops for narrative to occur, there is actual dialogue happening when the music stops.
• Although there is a Narrative twist because the lighter that was seen at the beginning of the video is a symbolic feature because  its for the escape quest. However the kidnapping was a set up it wasn't actually real.
• Towards the end of the video we come to a typical party that could be seen as a stereotypical music video conventions.
• Boy meets Girl, Love story.

Breif

1. A promotion package for the release of an album; to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options:

• a website homepage for the band;
• a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD Package);
• a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD Package).

Final Cut

Original Copy

Lyric Match.

Mise-en-scene

Storyboard