Images for my music video

Here are the four photographs I am going to add into my music video. The photos are of the artist and her ex boyfriend when they were together. Near the end of my music video I am going to add them in and I am going to to add a fire effect to make it look like the photographs are burning. This is showing she is finally forgetting about her past with her ex boyfriend. The fire effect also links with the lyrics of my chosen song. I was going to get my artist to have the photos in her hand and actually burn them however it wouldn't fit the narrative as she wouldn't just have some photos in her pocket. I was going to have the photos burn on the floor then the rain put it out. This would link with the lyrics of the song. I might also turn the photos into black and white to connote they're from the past. The first photograph is a close up of the couple kissing, this is showing they cared for each other. The second photo is a medium shot of the couple holding each other. This shows the artist felt comfortable with her boyfriend and she felt safe. I have changed these photographs into black and white to see what it would look like. The third and last photograph are both a medium shot of the couple. They are holding each other which shows the artist felt secure with her ex-boyfriend.

Practise edit

Here is a little practise edit of one of the house scenes. This is when the artist and her boyfriend are arguing and she is remembering what it was like. The lyrics for the scene are;
"But there's a side to you
That I never knew, never knew.
All the things" 
This is just a practise so it gives me an idea what this scene will look like. I added the track and cut it to fit the scenes. There isn't any miming in this scene however their actions links with the lyrics so the audience is aware what is happening. I cut the footage down and also added a dip to black video transition. I was going to make it black and white to show it was in the past however it didn't look very professional as the lighting wasn't good. When I re-shoot I will make sure the lighting is better and also the mise en scene in the room.

Specific locations in East Park

Here are some photos of my locations for my music video. The first photograph is going to be where my artist is walking and sees other couples walking past. This will connote she is missing her past life. The second photograph is where my artist will walk and I will do a tracking shot following her. It looks like she is going to a secret location as the trees are surrounding her, this connotes she wants her past life to be a secret and lost. The third photograph is of a pond. My artist is going to sit on the steps and she won't be lip syching. It will look like she is thinking of her past relationship. The fourth and fifth photograph will be at the beginning of my music video. I will do a tracking shot of my artist lip syching to the camera. Walking can connote she is walking away from her past. The sixth, seventh and eighth photographs are going to be when my artist walks away from the camera. The walls are old and represents her old life - that she is leaving it once and for all. The ninth photograph is where my artist is going to stand. This is because the cross road will represent whether she will go to her past life or forget about her ex boyfriend and start a new life. In the tenth and eleventh photograph my artist will sit on the bench and then stand and walk down the road. She will have her back to the camera and the camera won't follow her to show she is going off on her own to start a new life.

Magazine analysis 3

This is an advert for La Roux's debut album. The left page is a close up of La Roux on the side. There is light shining onto her face which connotes she is going to be a shining new star. Her hair is spiked up and is taking up mos of the top space, this is because her hair is unique and people recognise her from her hair. She isn't wearing much makeup and is looking away from the camera. From the collar of her jacket she is wearing a black coat. The masthead is the name of the artist. It is in a white bold font which is easy for the audience to read. On the right page it is mainly critics reviewing the album. This is making the audience want to buy the album. All the text is in white which is clear for the audience to read.

Magazine analysis 2

This is an advert for Katy Perry's album 'Teenage Dream'. The image of Katy Perry is taking up the whole page which is making her look dominant. She is staring at the audience which is drawing in their attention. The mast head is in a themed font. It is quite colourful which is aiming at a younger audience as it is connoting fun. There is an image of the album which is showing audiences what it looks like. Katy Perry is wearing a tshirt with 'California' on which is reflecting her song 'California girls'. It is in a bold colourful font which stands out. It is easy to identify that this album is pop as it has the conventions of pop; colourful text and clothing. She is representing young girls and teenagers as they are the target audience. Also because they will be the ones who will use Katy Perry as a role model and identify themselves with her.

Magazine analysis 1

I am going to analyse this magazine advert for Gwen Stefani's album 'Love.Angel.Music.Baby'.

The main image of Gwen Stefani is taking most of the space on the page to show she is the artist. She is wearing a white dress and grey fur jacket with a broche. The fur coat and broche are connoting wealth and power. She is sat on a throne and has a crown in her hand. This suggests she has power and dominance. The main colour scheme for this advert is gold, red and white. These colours connote wealth and royalty. The advert has a gold border which suggests it is meant to look like a gold frame. This would suggest wealth. She is showing attitude by the way she is sitting. The masthead which is the artists name is in a themed gold large font which is clearly visible. The tagline underneath which is the album name is also in the same font and in gold and also the single names 'What You Waiting For?' and 'Rich Girl'. The themed font shows consistency and allows the audience to recognise this with the artist. There is a small image of the album so the audience knows what it looks like when they buy it. Gwen Stefani is representing girls and young women.

Texts for ancillary task

Here are some examples of different fonts I may use for my ancillary tasks. I like the second one as it is simple and looks sophisticated. The font looks handwritten which could connote my artist has handwritten her name herself so it is more personal. I don't want an over the top font as it wont fit the style of my artist. I also like the first font because it looks handwritten however it is bold so it makes it look more clear. I will probably keep the   colour black because it connotes sadness and I want it plain. If I have a black background I will change the font to another colour such as white, light pink or gold. The pink would connote romance and would link with the song. I don't want it to look really colourful because then it would look like I was promoting a pop artist. I will test each colour with the fonts to see what will look best depending on the colour of the background.

Second shooting - 26/11/11

I went to my performers house to film the house scenes with her boyfriend. We filmed the bed scene first, this is where the artist is imagining her boyfriend is there lying with her. I was going to do an establishing shot so you could see the couple in bed from the door way however the positioning of the bed didn't allow me to get this shot. I tried to do a high angle but I'm not sure whether my hands were shaking as I couldn't use the tripod as I was stood on the bed. I filmed some shots in my friends living room, however the light was very bad so I will be re-shooting those shots. We tried filming outside however by the time we got to those scenes it was really dark and trying to film the POV shot of the phone was difficult as the phone was too bright and you couldn't read what she was texting which was necessary for the shot. I will film again on Wednesday however it will be for the East Park scenes.

First shooting - 23/11/11

Me and Lydia Tomassi (artist for music video) went to East Park to film all the scenes I needed there. We found a really good location within East Park which was a little bridge with trees surrounding us. This looked really good. We started with the first shot which was a tracking however a lot of people were walking past. This has made us aware that we need to get there earlier next time before schools end so there aren't any distractions. We only managed to film a few shots. Another problem was the weather, we wanted it to rain however it didn't. This shooting was useful as it allowed me to experience filming with the cameras. Next time I go to film we want to pour water off of the bridge to make it look like a waterfall because it might not rain whenever me and my performer are available so the water on the bridge can be representing the rain in the lyrics instead of actual rain.

Script



Shooting schedule

Dates; 23rd November
Locations; East Park
Shots;

1 - close up of artist, tracking shot of artist walking
2 - tracking shot of artist walking
3 - tracking shot if my artist still walking
4 - close up of artist touching lips
5 - extreme close up of hand
6 - side tracking shot of artist walking
7 - high angle of artist going onto bench
8 - sat on bench
12 - long shot of artist standing
13 - close up on side touching face
14 - pan to front of face, close up
15 - extreme close up of crying
16 - zoom out from artist getting up from bench
23 - long shot of artist standing up
24 - medium shot of artist putting arm up to reach out to camera
25 - tracking shot of artist walking and crying
26 - POV tracking shot, can see other couples walking past
27 - (maybe high angle or tilt) of artist looking up to the rain
28 - pans to front view of artist, medium shot
35 - medium shot of artist, her make up is running
36 - close up of make up running, rain is going to be in slow motion
41 - side tracking shot of artist walking
42 - tracking shot with artist in front walking with her back turned
43 - tracking shot with artist in front walking with her back turned but rains stops


Dates; 26th November
Locations; House
Shots;

9 - over the shoulder shot of artist and her boyfriend arguing
10 - boyfriend out of focus, medium shot
11 - close up of artist
- (add in)establishing shot, voyeuristic view through the door so couple can be seen on bed
17 - high angle of artist and her boyfriend in bed
18 - medium shot of artist on bed, close up of eyes shut
19 - high angle of the artist and her boyfriend in bed holding hands
20 - medium shot of artist turning to cuddle boyfriend
21 - long shot of artist, boyfriend has faded
22 - POV shot of boyfriend shouting
- (add in) long shot of couple arguing
- (add in) POV of boyfriend leaving through the door
29 - establishing shot of artist sat against door
30 - POV shot of artist looking at phone
31 - long shot of artist sat near door and boyfriend is seen in window
- (add in) close up of boyfriend
32 - long shot of artist near door but boyfriend has faded from window as it was only a memory

37,38,39 and 40 - photographs will be taken seperately but edits will be placed on top later on

Cast List

Lydia Tomassi - she will be the artist
John Henderson - he will play the ex boyfriend

Props

Prop list on Prezi

Costume ideas

In all the East Park scenes my artist will wear a long black coat which will connote grief and she is hurt, black tights and black boots. The black can connote death and pain - in this case the pain of losing her boyfriend. She will either wear a pale coloured dress or a blouse and leggings. I would want her to wear necklaces to make her look a little glamorous. For the house scenes I want her to wear something which is casual to show this is what she wears in everyday life. I want it dark colours to connote sadness.

Animatic

Storyboard

Location update

For my music video I  have decided that my final locations will be in East Park and in my performers house. I am only going to use two locations.


East Park


"I let it fall, my heart,
And as it fell you rose to claim it
It was dark and I was over
Until you kissed my lips and you saved me

My hands, they're strong
But my knees were far too weak
To stand in your arms
Without falling to your feet"

"But I set fire to the rain,
Watched it pour as I touched your face,
Well, it burned while I cried
'Cause I heard it screaming out your name, your name!"


This location will be used for the beginning part of the song and for the chorus. My artist will be walking down the path in East Park which connotes she is walking away from her past and into a new chapter of her life. It will be raining which connotes a fresh start for her. She will be walking alone however at some point a couple will be in shot to show how she used to be in love and it could represent how she wants to go back to that.


House


"But there's a side to you
That I never knew, never knew.
All the things you'd say
They were never true, never true,
And the games you play
You would always win, always win."


"When I lay with you
I could stay there
Close my eyes
Feel you here forever
You and me together
Nothing gets better"

This will be the scene when my artist and her ex boyfriend are arguing and also when she is imagining them together in bed. The house connotes her past life. It is also representing other people in society and how they can relate to this story. The room which the artist and her ex boyfriend will argue in will be in the living room.

Music video genre conventions

Genre conventions on Prezi

Music video conventions

Narrative
This is when the song involves a narrative and where the lyrics is acted out. For example 'Telephone' By Lady Gaga and Beyonce as the narrative is following on from Lady Gaga's previous song 'Paparazzi' as Lady Gaga killed her boyfriend by posioning him and got arrested. This is following on with Lady Gaga in prison and Beyonce breaking her out. The lyrics fit with the narrative.

Performance
This is when the artists is performing in the video in one or more settings. A performance cliche is the artist walking down a street. It can be instrumental, song or dance performance. For example 'Nothing Compares To You' by Sinead O'Connor is a singing performance. It is only set in one location.

Animation
Some music videos will have animation edited in to make the video look more creative. For example in the music video 'Californication' by Red Hot Chili Peppers. In this video they are taking part in a 3D game which is all animated.

 















Mise-en-scene
Props: Depending on the genre of the video and what type of song it was props will be used. For example in a performance video instruments and stages may be used.
Costume: Depending on the genre of the video the artists costume will vary so they can represent the genre to the audience. For example in a R&B video females may wear minimal clothing whereas in a soul music video they will be dressed sophisiticated.
Location: Locations for music videos are important as it sets the scene for the narrative. There are usually more than one location in music videos.

Cinematography 
Close ups: Close ups are used on instruments and significant props. They are also used to show the emotion of the artist for example in Rihanna's 'California King Bed' video a close up is used to show she is sad and to make it more personal for the audience.

- Crane shots
- Pans/tilts
- Tracking shots
- Low angles
- Establishing shots
 
Editing
- Jump cutting
- CGI
- Split screen
- Fades


Sound
Diegetic sound: This can be added into the video for example in the narrative someone may be listening to the radio.

Genre conventions for my chosen song

The genre for my music video is Pop/ British Soul. Pop music has commercial success and is in the music charts. The promotion of pop music had been greatly affected by the rise of Music Television channels like MTV since the early 1980’s. These channels showed off performer’s visual appeal. Since the 1960’s soul music has been popular in Britain. A clear genre of British soul did not emerge until the 1980s, when a number of black and white artists who made soul their major focus began to enjoy some commercial success. Popular Brit Soul artists include Adele, Amy Winehouse, Duffy and Joss Stone. There are several subcategories in soul music such as my music video genre British Soul, Neo Soul and Motown.

Depending on the genre of the music, the music video will be different. For music video conventions in British Soul is the video usually has a frequent use of mono-tone colour schemes to make the video look more realistic, low use of special effects, usually no backing dancers as the songs are slow paced, slow editing to match the song and a narrative which is to do with a love story e.g. a break up for example Adele ‘Set Fire To The Rain’.

For music video conventions in Pop music is that the video has usually a dance sequence where  the artist will be at the front, and the other dancers perform in a group behind them or next to them with the artist always in the middle for example ‘Single Ladies’ by Beyoncé. They usually wear something which is similar to the artist however the artists will stand out more and the attention of the audience is focused on the artist. For example in the song ‘Single Ladies’ Beyoncé is wearing a one sleeve leotard with a glove to make her stand out and look more appealing as the other women are just wearing leotards. There are bright colours which makes a happy atmosphere, close up of artists which connote innocence and can make a more personal feeling for the audience. They are fun and light hearted and usually have a narrative such as a teenage scenario (having a crush on somebody). The editing style of music videos usually cut to the beat. Both soul and pop have narrative and performance conventions or sometimes both. Some pop videos have used abstract for example ‘The Dog Days Are Over’ by Florence and the Machine.

The artist/band of British soul music stereotypically look natural and wear fashionable clothing but not over the top. They usually have their own independent style for example Amy Winehouse with her beehive hairstyle. Also another example is Joss Stone as she is known to wear hippy style clothing.

The artist/band of Pop music stereotypically looks glamorous and artificial. Female artists wear revealing outfits to create sex appeal. Artists such as Lady Gaga and Katy Perry are examples of pop artists who have their own individual style to make them stand out and it helps sell their music. Male singers usually wear stylish clothes which make them look dominant. Male bands wear similar clothes to each other or sometimes in bands each member has their own style which audiences can remember them by e.g. JLS members all have a colour what they wear. Pop music is aimed at a younger audience and the social class hierarchy of E however I think my chosen song is aimed at an older audience as I don’t think younger audiences will understand the lyrics.

First ideas

My music video on Prezi

Chosen Song

The song I have chosen is 'Set Fire To The Rain' by Adele.

Section A: Theoretical Evaluation of Production

1a) I have developed many skills in the use of digital technology for my media production. For my music magazine I used Photoshop to edit photographs for my magazine and also to create the layout and fonts. I learnt some skills on Photoshop whilst I was making my preliminary task project which was to create a college magazine but developed the skills when I got onto the main project which was to create a music magazine. My layouts for the preliminary task were drawn on paint as my skills on Photoshop were minimal. For my preliminary task I created my contents page on Microsoft Word. This was because I couldn’t edit the photographs very good and I was familiar with Microsoft Word. I found Photoshop hard to use at first especially using the ‘lasso tool’ however I practised different techniques on different photographs. A few other problems I had with Photoshop at the beginning was the layering as I kept forgetting to do this and also changing the adjustment levels to fit with the other existing colours I had on the magazine. I posted all my drafts on to Blogger to show the development of my Photoshop skills. Photoshop looked more professional than Microsoft Word and Paint. I learnt how to create different effects such as changing the photographs to black and white. I was able to download new fonts to use which was conventional for my music magazine. For my preliminary task I only used the fonts which were available on the programme. Photoshop allowed me to explore different fonts. Photoshop allowed me to edit my drafts whenever I needed to. I learned new terminology which helped with the making of my product. For example I made sure my music magazine followed the conventions so using Photoshop I created mastheads, a brand image, headlines and strap lines. For my double page spread I created a small image of what my artist’s album would look like. I could have made it look more professional by using the skills I had developed on Photoshop. We published our work and research onto Blogger which was very useful. I had never been on the website before so it was interesting to learn how it worked. I learnt how create a profile to post my work and research on, create polls, add photographs and videos onto it. I added photographs frequently for my research for example of other music magazines front covers. I also added the photos that I was going to use. Adding photos also allowed me to annotate other magazines which helped with research. I learnt how to attach other pieces of work for example my mind maps that I hand drawn and scanned onto the computer. This showed I was capable of using the features of Blogger. Blogger was beneficial as it allowed me to post my work so others could see and give feedback on. This helped me to decide if I wanted to edit any of my photographs or drafts.  For example my first load of photographs were criticised of not being conventional of the rock genre so this allowed me to change them. I also noted why I changed the photographs and why the new ones were more suitable. Because Blogger is interactive it allowed me to go on other people’s blogs and vote on their polls which also helped them. I created a poll on my blog to help determine who my audience would be however I took it off as nobody voted. I should have kept it on to show that I learnt how to design a poll and that I used other features on Blogger other than posting. I used the Internet to help with my research as I looked at different music magazine websites such as NME to help create a layout for my music magazine website. I also used YouTube to listen to some songs which helped me with my front cover because I used intertextual references for example I used ‘Knocking at Your Back Door’ by Deep Purple as part of a headline. Google was useful as it allowed me to collect images of different music magazines. For example the front covers of NME. This helped me find the conventions of rock magazines. Also another benefit of the music magazine websites was that it helped me develop my own reader profile. Using the Internet and Blogger allowed me to access the information at home which allowed me to edit my work whenever I needed to.

Textual Analysis Examples

Christina Aguilera - You Lost Me

This is the music video for the 2010 song 'You Lost Me' by Christina Aguilera. This song is from the pop genre. Pop usually aims at mainstream audiences rather than to a particular sub- genre or ideology. The song is from the album 'Bionic' and the label is RCA records. RCA records is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. This song is about Christina Aguilera breaking up with her boyfriend as he cheated on her.


The video opens with a smoking gun which suggests Christina may kill herself or someone. It also connotes death and danger. The smoke and gun looks like its set in an older era. It looks like an old Hollywood style. The smoke also represents danger. The camera pans to Christina who appears in darkness which connotes she is alone and upset. The camera zooms out which connotes she is distancing herself away from everyone.  She is wearing makeup however her clothing is unglamorous which connotes she doesn't care as she is feeling too depressed. Her black clothing connotes she is grieving. The way she is standing when she is holding herself shows she is in a vulnerable state. Fades have been used which suggests she's lost to the world so she's fading away. Close ups have been used which is conventional for music videos but in this video it creates a more personal connection for the audience. There are two contrasting looks, at first the room she is in looks like it is abandoned and old. The room connotes how her life is now and how she is feeling - empty. It is also suggesting there is nothing in the room because they are lost just like the man she was with lost her. A tracking shot is used and when she is walking the location changes. The location is all coal. The coal suggests coldness and it is representing how she feels. She is lying on the coal which is suggesting she is feeling sad. The camera pans and then a close up is used on Christina’s face. Her makeup is running down her face which is showing she is crying to let go of the pain. I am going to use this scene in my music video as I feel my artist feels the same way and also it is revealing her true emotions. When Christina is in the coal location it becomes a lighter colour. This colour could represent fire as she is still on coal. She takes her top off which connotes she is getting rid of her pain. When Christina is fighting with the man who grabs her, the man has a big build and is very athletic. When she pulls away it suggests she is still strong and is trying to cope. The other look is when the background goes bright which connotes she has found happiness and freedom. Her clothing also changes to white which connotes happiness, purity and can also suggest she is in heaven now because she may have killed herself (the smoking gun at the beginning). The primary purpose of this video is to sell the song. Christina performs in the song by lip-synching to the camera. CGI effects have been used to create the lights which go around Christina. The lights can represent her soul going to heaven as she has been killed. It could also show she is going to heaven. The final location is a blue and white background. The blue can represent the sky which suggests she has gone to heaven. The audience of this song is Christina Aguilera fans and 15-30 year old females. The song would most probably be shown on TV which gives it a global audience.


For my music video I was considering to use two different coloured costumes like this music video for example white when my singer is singing in rain and black with fire as that connotes fear and danger, having the rain and fire will link with my song.

Kelly Clarkson - Because Of You

This music video is for the song 'Because of You' by Kelly Clarkson which was released in 2005. The song is from the album 'Breakaway' and the label is RCA Records.

The narrative of the music video is clear; it is Kelly Clarkson and her boyfriend arguing. In the video her younger self appears, this is making Kelly remember all what happened when she was younger when her parents were arguing and divorcing. The location is in a middle class home, this suggests that the video is aimed at all audiences as it is underlining an important issue associated with many people’s lives. Another location is a dark room with mirrors. Kelly is wearing a red cardigan, a casual black top and jeans at the start of the video. This costume is casual which reflects her life style. She is wearing her every day clothes to fit with the mise en scene and her everyday life. An establishing shot is used and we see through the window that the couple are arguing. The window connotes they are trapped. We can't hear what the couple are saying however through their body language we can see they are arguing. The argument is fast paced which can suggest their lives are going by fast. The tracking shot when Kelly is walking backwards connotes she is going back in time and remembering her past. Her costume changes to a blue dress. When Kelly is walking there are photo frames along the hallway. These are representing her past life and how she is going back in time. Time freezes to allow Kelly to go back in time. This is showing that she can change the future if she wants. Kelly turns back to look at the audience which connotes she is letting the audience know she is going to go back in time or change the future. It is allowing the audience to become involved.

Kelly looks into a long mirror and sees a younger version of herself. The mirror is connoting her old life and is showing the audience she may still feel like her old self. An over the shoulder shot allows the audience to see the younger version and the camera does an upward tilt to view the younger version of the girl. The camera cuts to Kelly in a new location and fast cuts are used. She is in a black room with mirrors. The mirrors are giving off many reflections which connote her old life. Also it could suggest she is singing to her old self telling her how she will change her new life. There are many close ups with Kelly dressed in black. This connotes fear and grief. A tracking shot is used when Kelly and her younger self hold hands to see a past memory. When they hold hands it connotes they feel safe with one another as they are the same person. The audience are being voyeuristic as the audience are watching them from the doorway. The younger version of Kelly is wearing a white dress which can connote innocence, it is also old fashioned which shows she is from the past. A long shot is used when both Kelly’s watching a memory of the younger Kelly and her father. A close up is used when younger Kelly passes her father a picture but he pushes it to the side. This is used to show he didn’t care about her. A pan is used to show that Kelly’s father isn’t at the dinner table. The pan is showing the empty seats to suggest the distance is far between the parents in everyday life. It is raining outside which connotes sadness. There is a close up of the dinner that Kelly’s mum is throwing in the bin. This is representing her mum and dad’s relationship is bad. A close up is used when Kelly’s mum looks out the door window. The lighting is dark which can connote the mum is scared and worried about her situation with her husband. It can also connote she is in the dark with the situation as she doesn’t know what is going to happen.

A long shot is used to show both parents sat in the living room. They are both sat far apart which can represent the relationship has become distant. After Kelly’s dad is walking outside the older Kelly is stood on the stairs. A high angle is used to show she is vulnerable and insecure. The younger Kelly is outside helping her father with his suitcase but he leaves her. She is stood alone and the older Kelly is also stood in the same position which shows she still remembers that day. The older Kelly begins to run back to her family. This shows she is desperate to make sure her boyfriend won’t leave their child. An over the shoulder shot is used when Kelly and her boyfriend make up. This is to reveal her own daughter and it is showing she won’t let the same thing what happened to her happen to her own family. The video ends with a close up of Kelly then it fades out. The purpose of this video is to sell the record but also it reflects society as divorce is a large problem. It allows audiences to relate. Kelly performs in the song by lip-synching to the camera. The audience of this song is Kelly Clarkson fans and 15-30 year old females. The song would most probably be shown on TV which gives it a global audience.

Jessie J - Who You Are



This music video is for the song 'Who You Are' by Jessie J which was released in 2011. This song is from the album 'Who You Are'.

The video starts with Jessie J sat on the chair in silence which suggests the song she will sing will be emotional for her as she needs time to start. She begins lip synching to the camera. She is wearing a black sports bra and a white top over it with a gold necklace. Her clothes are not glamorous which connotes she is just being who she is and not being glamorous which is how everyone sees celebrities. She isn't wearing any shoes which shows she is comfortable at home. She is representing all women and girls and is showing everyone that it doesn't matter what you look like. The bedroom looks old fashioned which connotes she doesn't care about wealth. The room has only two lights on the walls and a small lamp. There is an en suite bathroom which connotes privacy. The carpet is green and the walls are a pale colour. The plain and miss matched colours suggests she doesn’t care and she has her own individual style. The camera cuts and Jessie J is sat on the bed on the white sheets. The white sheets connote purity. Her body language connotes vulnerability as she is holding herself. The camera cuts when she is in the toilet in darkness. This shows she is thinking about who she is. The darkness suggests she may be hiding from what she is really like.

When she is sat on the bed and tries the gold bracelet on and takes it off suggests she doesn't care about expensive items. Close ups have been used for example when Jessie J is sat on the chair. This is making Jessie's feelings more personal for the audience. A medium shot is used when Jessie is sat at the end of the bed watching television. Another close up is used and only Jessie is in focus. A long shot is used when Jessie is sat on the bed whilst on the telephone. The props used such as the telephone and fan are old fashioned which show she doesn’t care about wealth. A long shot is used when Jessie is sat on the bed with part of the sheet covering her. This is showing she needs time to think and needs the distance away from film. The lights begin flashing which connotes she is getting angry about people judging others. A long shot is used when Jessie is lying on the floor watching television. The television can connote all famous people who aren’t themselves and she is watching it to see what others are like. It can also represent that because of famous people that are from the media; most audiences will copy and try to be like them. It can represent the media is a bad influence.

There are medium shots of Jessie J’s bracelets on the bed and on the set of drawers when the water is coming into the room. They are getting pushed off the bed and drawers. This suggests that the water is washing away the fake parts of her life and the bracelets are representing her wealth. The water appears slowly in a close up of Jessie J. More water appears which is coming down faster. The water and the electric sparking connotes a storm. The storm can represent danger, chaos or a problem. It can represent the problems in her life. The video ends with the screen going black which suggests she wants to be out the spotlight. The song suggests that even though she has become famous she isn't bothered about the money and fame and it hasn't changed who she is. She is also telling the audience to stay who they are and doesn’t change for others which is what must people do. The end part of the video influences me when the water is on her face. This is showing her true self as it is connoting purity. This links with the lyrics and the water is cleansing her to show who she really is. For my music video I will use water to reflect the performer’s feelings and also as it links with the lyrics.

Adele - Someone Like You

 

This music video is for the song 'Someone Like You' by Adele which was released in 2011. This song is from the album '21' and the label is XL Recordings.

The video is set in black and white which suggests it is a memory. It is set in Paris which is seen as a romantic city so Adele walking there may be suggesting she used to be in love and now she is walking away. Adele is wearing a long black coat and she has her hair tied back a bit and some of it down. The video starts with a tracking shot of Adele walking. This can connote she is walking away from her past and walking to a fresh life. A close up is used and Adele is looking down. This suggests she is upset about breaking up with her boyfriend. It can also suggest she is singing to her boyfriend so she can't directly look at him as she feels hurt. It goes to a medium shot. Adele has her hands in her pocket. Through this shot you can see the scenery in the background. Close ups are used to show her emotions and to make a more personal connection with the audience. The camera pans to show other scenery such as the Eiffel Tower. The old bridges and statues in the background can connotes coldness and is showing this is what Adele's life is like now. This is reinforcing the audience Adele is still walking in Paris. This could suggest these are the old places she visited with her ex boyfriend. The camera is behind Adele which is showing she is leaving the past behind her. The camera pans around to show the side of her face. She isn't miming so it could suggest the song is what she is thinking at that moment. She is leaning against the side looking out to the water. A tracking shot is then used and she carries on walking. When she is walking there is no one walking past. This could suggest she is alone in her life now. An extreme close up is used on Adele's eyes, she is wearing more eye makeup. She is directly looking at the camera but she isn't miming. She looks down which connotes she is upset and it fades to show where she was walking. This can suggest that the old memories are fading away. Adele is in a new location where a man is in the background but isn't completely visible. He could be her ex boyfriend. A POV shot is used so the audience can see Adele looking around and can see the ex boyfriend walking away. This is showing that she is letting him go and also the memories she had with him. Even though this video is simple it influences me and I am going to use a tracking shot at the beginning of my artist walking to show she is forgetting her past as I think it is a good idea in this video.

Lyrics for my chosen song

The lyrics suggest that Adele has just broken up from her boyfriend and it ended badly and she still feels for him. The rain connotes her grief and that she is still upset that they split up.

History of music videos

A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a piece of music/song. Music videos are used to promote singers and bands. It is also for voyeuristic pleasure for the audience. The forms of music videos are usually abstract, performance based or they have a narrative. The term 'music video' first came into popular usage in early 1980's. 

Spooney Melodies, produced by Warner Brothers between 1926 and 1931, was arguably the first musical video short film series. They were usually about six minutes long and had footage of the performer singing and art animation.

Queen's ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is considered the first real music video, in the sense that it was directed and edited for that purpose. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was made in 1975 and spent nine weeks at number one. £5000 was spent on the video which was a lot at the time. The music video consisted of low angles of the band which connotes they are big and dominant rock stars. The special effects weren’t part of the editing but were actually done whilst recording.

In the 1920’s and 1930’s music was shown like a short film. Musical films acted like music videos back in the 1930’s to 1950’s. There have been some well-known music videos which have imitated the style of classic Hollywood musicals such as Madonna’s 1985 video ‘Material Girl’ which was similar to ‘Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best friend’ from the film ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. In the 1940’s and 1950’s music became section in narrative film. Rock and Roll stars such as Elvis Presley dominated the music industry. Singers such as Elvis Presley and The Beatles made films to promote themselves. For example in 1964 The Beatles were in ‘Hard Day’s Night’ Dir. Dick Lester where they played themselves to promote the band and their music. Audiences were unable to see bands tour as the bands didn’t go to certain countries. For example Elvis Presley never came to the UK. The films allowed audiences to see their favourite singers perform. In ‘Hard Day’s Night’ The Beatles are trying to show audiences what their lives are like. In the sixties when rock n roll finished it went back to manufactured singers where song writers and managers would control them. In the 1960’s the band The Animals, song ‘House of the Rising Son’ a short promotional film was made where it featured The Animals lip-synched performance, portrayed through an edited sequence of tracking shots and close ups. 

In 1965 Bob Dylan was in a short promotional film ‘Don’t Look Back’ Dir. D.A.Pennebaker it was shot in black and white. It wanted audiences to understand the lyrics as it challenged authority and questioned values from before. 

Throughout late 1960's to 1970's promotional videos grew dramatically in importance of distribution of music worldwide. In 1974–1980 music television started to begin. In the late 1970's Top of The Pops started to show music videos on air, however the BBC limited the number of videos they could show each week to increase song sales as the viewer would hope to see the video which they liked the next week. In 1978 the music television show ‘Video Concert Hall’ was the first programme showing music videos in the US. Music television shows allowed audiences to watch their favourite artists perform without having to see them on tour.

In the 1980’s music videos became more important than the singer as more interesting narratives formed. For example in 1982 the band Wham’s song ‘Club Tropicana’ the music video gives an aspiration quality to audiences. The music video makes audiences wish they lived like that. Another example is ‘Sledgehammer’ by Peter Gabriel. The lyrics are interpreted via the mise en scene. The use of special effects also makes the video more appealing and memorable. In 1983, the most successful music video of all time was released which was Michael Jackson’s song ‘Thriller’. The music video was nearly 14 minutes long and cost $500,000 to film.

In 1981, the US channel MTV launched.  Music videos became mainstream when MTV launched the first 24-hour music channel.  By the mid 1980's this became a main part of music marketing. The first music video ever played on MTV was 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by The Buggles. MTV allowed audiences to watch their favourite artists in their own home. MTV itself now provides streams of artists' music videos on the Internet and has become the primary growth income market for record company-produced music videos. In 2005 the website ‘YouTube’ was launched. This allowed audiences to watch music videos faster and easier. By posting their music on YouTube some artists gained fame e.g. Jessie J and Justin Beiber which showed it was great for promotion. MTV launched other music channels such as VH1 in 1985 which featured softer music aimed at older audiences.

Distribution of music videos changed again because of the creation of VHS in the late 1980's/ early 1990's because audiences could buy a music video and watch it in their own homes. In 1992 MTV began listing directors with the artists. In the mid 1990’s Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ music video became a hit. Because of the music video the ‘vogue’ dance Madonna performed became famous. An example of narcissism is portrayed as Madonna is displaying herself in a stylish and sexy way. In 2000 director Spike Jonze directed Fatboy Slim’s song ‘Weapon of Choice’. Fatboy Slim doesn’t appear in his own music videos but instead in ‘Weapon of Choice’ Hollywood actor Christopher Walken does. He performs in the music video by dancing which is unusual for audiences to see as he plays gangster type characters in his films. Having an actor be in the video increased the promotion.   

There are all different ways of watching music videos nowadays such as the internet via Youtube or MySpace, the television or even on DVD. Music videos have always been made to promote artists.