Preliminary Project 2 - Music Genre

For our second Preliminary Project we had to produce first verse and chrous of a new music video for an existing song and artist following the stylistic convention of a different music genre. Our genre we were given was Gangsta Rap and we had to use this genre for the song Duran Duran - Girls on Film. So we researched different conventions of a Gangsta Rap. We identified them in different marketing products for a number of artists (more than three!).

(There is a link to each music video either embedded on this post or there will be a link on the music video name. Also, some of the videos may have some explicit language.)

Convention 1
Stylish Cars

Example 1
Artist: Dr. Dre
Song: Kush ft. Snoop Dogg, Akon
Where did you spot conventions: There is a nice looking car in the beginning as Snoop Dogg exits the car.

Example 2
Artist: Snoop Dogg
Song: Nuthin But A G Thang
Where did you spot conventions: During the video there are cars which are using hydraulics.

Example 3
Artist: T.I.
Song: What You Know
Where did you spot conventions: T.I. driving down the road in a Bentley.

Why do audiences like stylish cars in these videos?
Audiences like this as most of the cars are quite expensive by this it makes people more interested in the videos as it shows they have loads of money. This makes audiences get aspired by them.#

Convention 2
Dominating figures (police, teachers, government)

Example 1
Artist: C-Murder
Song: Down 4 my N's
Where did you spot conventions: Police cars are going after the music artists during parts of the video.

Example 2

Artist: Chamillionaire 

Song: Ridin Dirty

Where did you spot conventions: Throughout the video there are police officers who look like they are targetting the rappers.

Example 3
Artists: Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
Song: Road To The Riches
Where did you spot conventions: Rappers are in court with the police and a judge in a courtroom.

Why do audiences like to see dominating figures such as police, government or teachers in these music videos?
Audiences seem to like this because they maybe in the same situation as the rappers as they were growing up. Audiences could also have the same view as the rappers, for example, a rapper may feel that the police are corrupt and bad meaning the audience would feel the same way. This would link into the theorist Deborah Knight, she states that you get 'satisfaction of having expectations fulfilled'.

Convention 3
Scantily Clad Women

Example 1
Artist: Eminem
Song: Superman
Where did you spot conventions: In the video there is a woman who is flirting and taunting sexually with Eminem.

Example 2
Artist: Ludacris
Song: Area Codes
Where did you spot conventions: There are women throughout the video dancing wearing not much clothes.

Example 3

Artist: Snoop Dogg

Song: Boom ft. T-Pain

Where did you spot conventions: As Snoop Dogg is rapping there are girls in the club who are dancing near him. 

Why do audiences like to see scantily clad women in these music videos?

Audiences like to see this as it makes the music artist look cool and popular. Men especially watching them want to be like the artist. This resembles to their lifestyle therefore audience gets aspired by the artists.

Preliminary Project 1

For our Preliminary Task we had to remake an allocated sequence from a classic music video (first verse and chorus), shot-for-shot using toys. This was feedback we got after showing it to the class.

Good points:
Editing - Matched the shots and pace of track was good.
Resourceful - Costumes were put together well.
Shots steady - Attention to detail.
Excellent lighting. 

Improvement
Maybe could of been controlled by strings etc.

While doing the production we used some of the 5R's. 

Here are some of the R's that we used.

Resourceful bringing in props that were added to the original props we were given, dressing the characters.
Resilient - Banners with backgrounds didn't stop us from going on 'stuck to it'.
Reasoning - We made careful decisions with shots and props.
Responsible - Each person held a job and all jobs were successfully done. Everyone met deadlines.
Readiness - Everyone was ready to do something for the team.

Innovative Music Videos - The xx

The xx - Islands is an example of an Innovative Music Video.

Here are some conventions which are followed and are broken in this music video.

Deborah Holdstein - Music Theorist

Deborah Holdstein is a music theorist; here is what she has to say.

Three striking qualities of a star in music videos:

·         The seer/prophet

·         Political commentator/narrator

·         Mediator of social conflict.

Videos seem to divide into two categories: those with allegedly explicit political themes and those which revive the traditional U.S. film musical.

Videos are used to bring fans closer to the performer. Holdstein says performers can sometimes wear outfits on stage which are the same as in their videos, so the fans feel like they are familiar with them. 

Celebrities such as Lady Gaga do this to familiarise with the audience. 

The audience like this as it makes them feel like they know the performer better, as they look the same as they looked in the music video.

Fantasy themes are based entirely on performance. Holdstein states that this format puts ‘the group or star in a mythical, medieval, exotic or surrealistic series of images or locations’

An example of this is would be from Katy Perry - California gurls. This is because it is in a place where it is not real life. 

The audience appreciate this because they are more likely to be interested as it takes them away from real life.

Music videos give fans a chance to see what the artist is like, whereas before they only got an idea about the artist by going to see them, or from album covers and pictures.

The audience like this because it gives them a chance to get to know the artist without having to see them in real life or having to spend lots of money.

Holdstein says that nowadays ‘The video image is quicker and more powerful.’

Michael Jackson - Beat It

 

Holdstein: “Is Jackson portrayed as a fantasy” a political commentator or as a mediator of social conflict?

During the song it addresses racism and social class. “They told him don’t you ever come around here, don’t wanna see your face, you better disappear”.

It doesn’t need words, it had faces, gestures, emphasis and a narrative one could easily follow without “beat it” on the soundtrack.

Jackson the mediator has become a surreal “fantasy” figure involved yet detached from the action he seems to resolve.

Music Videos

What is a Music Video?

 

A music video or song video is a short film incorporating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes.

 

Different types of Music Videos

Performance Based Video

These types of music videos feature the artist/band/group performing the song through most if not all of the video. By doing it this way it is probably the easiest to do on a budget provided you can get a suitable location for filming. An example of this would be Adelitas Way - Invincible (Performance Version).

Narrative Based Video

A narrative based music video generally contains footage that attempts to tell a story throughout the video. Usually it involves actors, the story is occasionally linked to the lyrical content of the song, but this isn’t always the case. This sort of music video has a habit of being popular for a song that’s featured in a movie and you will often see scenes cut into the music video. An example of this type of music video would be High School Musical 2 - What Time Is It.

Concept Based Video

This is a style of music video that is based around a particular concept or idea. These types of videos are likely to be fairly unusual or use a specific editing or filming method. A music video which would show this would be Christina Aguilera – Dynamite.