In order to create a professional looking and successful music video, I need to consider the five key concepts of music videos in general, using the acronym LIIAR. These are Language, Ideology, Institutions, Representation and Audience.
L- language is the way in which music videos communicate a message to the audience. Through studying media language I have identified how it generates different effects and responses. Language within a media text can be either written,verbal, non-verbal, visual and aural. Music videos use a range of visual language. For example the camera work and mise-en-scene are taken into consideration as these together can create a very different effects. Furthermore, music videos are generally based upon aural language. Aural language is where diagetic or non-diagetic sound is used, diagetic being the natural sounds within the diagesis of the video and non-diagetic being the music which is played over the video. This also helps to emphasis the genre of the video and engage the audience throughout.
I - Ideology is a set of ideas, values and beliefs which the institution (the record company or the artist in this case) choose to represent to the audience. It can be considered as a comprehensive vision, a way of looking at the world. Ideology can shape the views of society and change their ideas and opinions on certain issues. Different artists may choose to look at the world different and have different ideologies. For example an artists like Cliff Richard would have views of peace and equality whereas a rap artist like 50 cent would have more violent, male dominated views on the world.
L- language is the way in which music videos communicate a message to the audience. Through studying media language I have identified how it generates different effects and responses. Language within a media text can be either written,verbal, non-verbal, visual and aural. Music videos use a range of visual language. For example the camera work and mise-en-scene are taken into consideration as these together can create a very different effects. Furthermore, music videos are generally based upon aural language. Aural language is where diagetic or non-diagetic sound is used, diagetic being the natural sounds within the diagesis of the video and non-diagetic being the music which is played over the video. This also helps to emphasis the genre of the video and engage the audience throughout.
I - Ideology is a set of ideas, values and beliefs which the institution (the record company or the artist in this case) choose to represent to the audience. It can be considered as a comprehensive vision, a way of looking at the world. Ideology can shape the views of society and change their ideas and opinions on certain issues. Different artists may choose to look at the world different and have different ideologies. For example an artists like Cliff Richard would have views of peace and equality whereas a rap artist like 50 cent would have more violent, male dominated views on the world.
Within society there are certain values and beliefs that are described as 'dominant' ideologies too, where the majority of people within society agree with. So music videos may decide to follow or challenge those ideologies.
I- Institutions are the people who have the responsibility for producing media texts. Within the music industry record labels produce, distribute and market in order to sell and promote their artists music. The roles that can be found within this area of work include managers, directors, editors, producers and song writers. In this case, music videos are produced by the record label and some examples of record labels include Island, EMI, RCA, Epic and Interscope records.
RCA records logo
Island records logo
EMI records logo
Epic records logo
Interscope records logoA- An Audience is the group that consumes the media product. Music videos will be shown on television or the Internet to an audience but they are produced in a particular way to target a specific audience. Music videos which are promoting a more mainstream genre of music will be target at quite a wide, mass audience. Pop music is generally classed as mainstream music, and is thought familiar and nonthreatening to the mass majority. Cheryl Cole for example is currently at number one in the charts with -fight for this love and this hot pop/RnB song would be classed as mainstream and targeted at a wider audience. On the other hand music videos can also target a more specific or niche audience. Sub-culture genres of music such as indie/ alternative, punk rock and heavy metal music would be generally targeted at a smaller more concentrated audience and can be classed as 'anti-mainstream' music. For example Damien rice is an Irish singer/songwriter under the genre of folk, indie rock music. His music is not popular amongst the majority and therefore targets a specific audience.
Cheryl Cole(Pop/Rnb artist) targeted at a mass audience
Damien rice (Folk, indie rock artists) music target at a niche audience.R- Representations - are used within most media texts to construct meanings about the world. The most common form of representation in the media is expressed through the use of particular social groups. These representations can be either shown in a positive or negative light and stereotypes are often used so that the audience can become easily familiar. Representations are commonly found in music videos too, but are different depending on the genre of music. For example representations within rap/RnB artist Ludacris's video would be generally based around the life of 'gangsters'. They would be represented as being rich, having luxurious cars and houses, part of a gang, a 'woman magnet', sometimes associated with drugs, violence and quite male dominated. On the other hand, the heavy metal/ rock band slipknot would have different representations within their music videos. For example, they represent rebellious, threatening social groups and the band themselves always wear frightening and intimidating masks. One of their videos includes the band be set up on an empty field at night, surrounded by fire. So in comparison both of these videos are very different and choose to represent different things.
Rap/RnB artist -Ludacris
Heavy metal/ rock band -SlipknotKey Features of Music Videos
After looking at the key concepts of music videos in general I will now identify the following key features of music videos. Andrew Goodwin (dancing in the distraction factory 1992) came up with six different categories when identifying the features of music videos.
1) Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics". This means within particular genres of music there are similarities and conventions found within them. For example, RnB MV's usually involve the artist being idolized by their audience through the use of expensive cars, jewellery, locations and constant attraction of the opposite sex. Taio Cruz, a current RnB artist recently released his video to 'Break your Heart' which is very generic of Rnb MV's. We see shots of him in a fast sports car, wearing expensive sunglasses, on a private speed boat, surrounded by lots of women (some dressed in hot pants and bikinis dancing for the attention of male viewers). The audience in effect will idolize Taio Cruz for his expensive lifestyle and attraction of women and the male viewers look up him as an artist, and the female viewers may be attracted to him . All these points are generic to the genre of Rnb MV's.
Here is a link to the video 'Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOg_IHwXWsk
2) "There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals" (either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting) This means that the the words within the song can either coincide with whats happening in the video, further express or emphasise the meaning of the song or the visuals could completely contrast with the lyrics. For example, an illustrative relationship between the lyrics and visuals could be where the words tell the artists or dancers in the video what movements to take. This also acts as further promotion for the song as the audience can learn the dance and start a new craze off. Growing up myself I was introduced to the 'Cha Cha Slide by Mr C. The Slide Man' which came out in 2003. The lyrics include 'slide to the left... slide to the right' and the dancers in the music video demonstrate the dance moves. I have danced to this myself at parties and discos when I was younger and because everyone could join in with the easy steps it became very popular and reached number 1 in the charts. This is a clear example of the lyrics and visuals relating to each other in an illustrative way.
1) Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics". This means within particular genres of music there are similarities and conventions found within them. For example, RnB MV's usually involve the artist being idolized by their audience through the use of expensive cars, jewellery, locations and constant attraction of the opposite sex. Taio Cruz, a current RnB artist recently released his video to 'Break your Heart' which is very generic of Rnb MV's. We see shots of him in a fast sports car, wearing expensive sunglasses, on a private speed boat, surrounded by lots of women (some dressed in hot pants and bikinis dancing for the attention of male viewers). The audience in effect will idolize Taio Cruz for his expensive lifestyle and attraction of women and the male viewers look up him as an artist, and the female viewers may be attracted to him . All these points are generic to the genre of Rnb MV's.
Here is a link to the video 'Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOg_IHwXWsk
2) "There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals" (either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting) This means that the the words within the song can either coincide with whats happening in the video, further express or emphasise the meaning of the song or the visuals could completely contrast with the lyrics. For example, an illustrative relationship between the lyrics and visuals could be where the words tell the artists or dancers in the video what movements to take. This also acts as further promotion for the song as the audience can learn the dance and start a new craze off. Growing up myself I was introduced to the 'Cha Cha Slide by Mr C. The Slide Man' which came out in 2003. The lyrics include 'slide to the left... slide to the right' and the dancers in the music video demonstrate the dance moves. I have danced to this myself at parties and discos when I was younger and because everyone could join in with the easy steps it became very popular and reached number 1 in the charts. This is a clear example of the lyrics and visuals relating to each other in an illustrative way.
Here is the video 'Cha Cha Slide by Mr C. The Slide Man'
A more current example of this type of music video is 'Head, Shoulders, Kneez and Toez - by KIG'
This video also has parts of the lyrics displayed on the screen in order for the audience to become familiar with the lyrics and to further help it to become known and popular.
3) There is a relationship between music and visual (either illustrative, amplifying or contradictory) The relationship could be illustrative in the way that the music and visual blend together. For example if the music was upbeat the visual editing could be cut to a similar pace and on the beat. Or the music could be slow and melodic, and the visual cold echo this by using slow pans and longer shots to suit the pace of the music. Special effects could create an amplified relationship between the music and visual and further emphasis the mood and pace of the music. A contradictory relationship is where there is a contrast in the the music and the visual. This could be for example where the music is of a fast pace and the visual is much slower with longer shots and slow cuts.
Prodigy - 'Smack my bitch up' is an example of a contradictory relationship between the music and visuals. Here we can see a point of view shot of the character, which is moving in a slow manner (to create a disorientated vision from alcohol and drugs) The music on the other hand is upbeat and fast and therefore contradicts the visual. This creates the effect that the character is intoxicated and the music is reality.
4) The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style) This is done so that the artist gains recognition and familiarity amongst the audience.The motifs create a pattern throughout the video too which the audience will then relate to and follow easier. Here is an examples of an artist close-up used in music videos:
A more current example of this type of music video is 'Head, Shoulders, Kneez and Toez - by KIG'
This video also has parts of the lyrics displayed on the screen in order for the audience to become familiar with the lyrics and to further help it to become known and popular.
3) There is a relationship between music and visual (either illustrative, amplifying or contradictory) The relationship could be illustrative in the way that the music and visual blend together. For example if the music was upbeat the visual editing could be cut to a similar pace and on the beat. Or the music could be slow and melodic, and the visual cold echo this by using slow pans and longer shots to suit the pace of the music. Special effects could create an amplified relationship between the music and visual and further emphasis the mood and pace of the music. A contradictory relationship is where there is a contrast in the the music and the visual. This could be for example where the music is of a fast pace and the visual is much slower with longer shots and slow cuts.
Prodigy - 'Smack my bitch up' is an example of a contradictory relationship between the music and visuals. Here we can see a point of view shot of the character, which is moving in a slow manner (to create a disorientated vision from alcohol and drugs) The music on the other hand is upbeat and fast and therefore contradicts the visual. This creates the effect that the character is intoxicated and the music is reality.
4) The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style) This is done so that the artist gains recognition and familiarity amongst the audience.The motifs create a pattern throughout the video too which the audience will then relate to and follow easier. Here is an examples of an artist close-up used in music videos:
Britney spears close-up in her new video '3'5) There is Frequently reference to the notion of looking. This includes screens within screens, telescopes etc. Also the voyeuristic treatment of the female body is commonly found within music videos. This means that the audience looks to gain sexual pleasure and it has become a staple element of most music videos to engage a male audience with the female body on display.
An example of this is Shakira's video for her single 'She Wolf'. Here we can see her on many shots been portrayed as a sex symbol to the audience and particular attracting the male gaze with shots of her body in revealing outfits and moving in a 'sexual way'.
6) There is often Inter textual references ( to films, TV Programmes and other music videos etc) This means that a music video can have links to other mediums and therefore shapes the meanings of it. Many artists use inter textual references as this could further engage their audience. In recognising the reference in the music video, the audience will gain pleasure and a sense of fulfilment.
6) There is often Inter textual references ( to films, TV Programmes and other music videos etc) This means that a music video can have links to other mediums and therefore shapes the meanings of it. Many artists use inter textual references as this could further engage their audience. In recognising the reference in the music video, the audience will gain pleasure and a sense of fulfilment.
Here are examples of different music videos using inter textual references:
Eminem - ' We Made You' includes a range of inter textual references in this video of films, celebrities spoofs, and other music videos.
Here we can see a link to the very well known Television programme 'Star Trek'. The uniformed costumes and spaceship location emphasises the inter textual reference within the video. He uses this to create entertainment for the audience by mimicking the programme which engages them throughout the video.
There is an inter textual reference also made to Britney Spears' video 'Gimmie more'. In Eminem's video we can see from the still shots they are very alike from the mise en scene. This makes it easier for the audience to spot the linked reference and relate to it. Eminem however uses a lot of celebrity references to cover issues that he usually disagrees with or likes to mimic for entertainment. This is usually the case in the majority of his music videos and he tends to impersonate celebrities in the news like troubled Britney, Amy WineHouse and Linsey Lohan.Jessica Simpson ( TV personality, actress and singer) made a music video to accompany her cover of ' These boots are made for walking'. Eminem also includes this reference in his video but I found it particularly interesting how this also appears in another music video by Pink called 'Stupid Girl'. Both artists mimic Jessica simpson, by impersonating a scene of her washing a car in her video. Pink also is known for using celebrity references in her music videos for entertainment and to promote hidden messgaes to her audience.
Here is the scene in the music video of Jessica Simpson washing a car in a bikini. This will particularly attract male audiences as their interested in the car but of course the revealing shots of Jessica in a Bikini (voyeuristic treatment of the female body)
Here is Pink's impersonation of Jessica Simpson. This
inter textual reference was used not long after the release of Jessica's music video so the audience were very familiar with the reference link. Pink's 'Stupid Girl' music video mimics alot of celebrities who she stereotypes as 'airheads' and Jessica is included as one of them. Her hidden message through doing this is that she wants to be different to all the celebrities who she believes who are 'plastic' and she would rather see women who are natural with ambition.
Here is Pink's impersonation of Jessica Simpson. This
inter textual reference was used not long after the release of Jessica's music video so the audience were very familiar with the reference link. Pink's 'Stupid Girl' music video mimics alot of celebrities who she stereotypes as 'airheads' and Jessica is included as one of them. Her hidden message through doing this is that she wants to be different to all the celebrities who she believes who are 'plastic' and she would rather see women who are natural with ambition. 
Here is a shot from Eminem's video 'We Made You' who also immitates Jessica Simpson's video. In order for the audience to create a link between the videos, the same car has been used and the woman impersonating her has similar long blonde hair and dressed in a 'cow-girl' outfit which was the theme of Jessica's video ' These boots are made for walking'. Eminem uses this reference for more entertainment purposes as the girl is quite 'curvy' unlike Jessica Simpson who is very slim.
