CW: Conventions Vodcast

These are Codes and Conventions for any and all music videos, Carefully chosen from our 24 researched videos, 10 of them are discussed in this video.

Footage used falls under fair use guidelines.

Applying Stuart Hall's Reading to Beastie Boys Sabotage

Applying Stuart Hall's theory of preferred reading, because of my age I am unable to understand some of the intertextual references of this. Therefore when watching a music video such as Beastie Boys Sabotage (1994, Spike Jonze) I don't understand what is going on, which in turn turns my reading from preferred to oppositional because the preferred reading is misunderstood.


The video is based on 80's cop drama or American 80's cop films. Since I was born in the 90's I don't remember this so I found it hard to link between the 2 making my reading oppositional than preferred.

VidEG 14 Fragma - You Are Alive

ACT: Fragma

TRACK: You Are Alive

YEAR: 2001

DIRECTOR: Unknown 

GENRE: Dance

MAIN AUDIENCE: Male and Female 15-24

LYRICS

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUALS + LYRICS:

There is no link between the visuals and the lyrics, however there is a range of close up shots as well as tracking shots throughout the video. It is also shot in a range of locations, some which feature some indiginous local people who are represented as being the other and Fragma being the sexualised female as being normative.

GENRE CHARACTERISTICS: 

Genre has become an even more diverse, however this follows some of the characteristics that we would expect such as the sexualised dancing, woman not wearing a lot of clothing accentuating areas. 

INTERTEXTUALITY?

Daniel Craig coming out of the water in the James Bond Movie, and Baywatch - slow motion of female running.

PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE AND/OR CONCEPT?:

The video is a concept video as it doesn't really follow a narrative and is quite random. 

 

PERFORMANCE STYLE: 

The performance style is singing and dancing but because of the nature of it it could be described as cavorting. Izensteins theory of 2 shots unlinked that then become linked through sexual shots an example of this is when the mangoes are being used with water dripping down them has the connotations of breasts.

STAR TREATMENT:

Star treatment has been featured heavily in this video with the concentration mostly on Fragma, this is stereotypically done in order to sell the track but to also establish and promote the artist and the album. This is also an example of Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze theory as the woman has blonde hair and is wearing revealing clothing - Mulvey's theory being that they are being objectified for the gratification of men.

PACE + ANY VARIATION OF PACE: 

The pace is varied throughout with scenes of slow motion, the cuts are fairly quick which reflects the tempo of the song at times. There are a range of inter-cutting shots with quick transitions and shots last no more than a few seconds. Some of the shots are very creative and use different camera angles with extreme close ups and a range of focus depths.

SHOT VARIETY + NO. OF SETUPS: 

Various shot variety shown with range of creative shots.

LOCATION/S + MISE-EN-SCENE: 

In the video there are a series of locations used but all seem to be taken in the vicinity of one another, but there are to prevalent locations one being by the sea and the other one being in the jungle. 

 

NOTABLE SHOTS/FRAMING:

Close up shots of body.

CW: Paparazzi Idea

I made some notes, mostly for my own benefit, of an idea I had for a video based on Gaga's Papparazzi. However, I have also made a more comprehensive video/anamatic, which details my idea clearer than the notes do.

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Continuing the development of this idea, I was thinking of adding further performance displays, this could be implemented through, on the 'stalker wall', or on the lens of the camera, a preview of which I will implement onto this blog. Another potential idea, would be to include the performance in the reflection of windows.
Having also looked at C&Cs of other videos, I think that the inclusion of a diegetic intro or outro may work well. I have realised that there could be a slightly filmic way to do this video, which I feel would work well and be interesting to trial.

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Yet more thoughts on this; towards the end, post gf death, have her approach the guy, who is not in focus, then follow around her to the side of her, have him walk by an be followed by gaze, then have her be at the death point, perhaps with out changing her position [see NCIS Gibbs someones dead, kate?], this would then lead to her approaching him and pushing and then turning and falling at win't stop? baby there no other? for kill, or the papa, have fall during the little beat part, then turn and fall for the last papa? then include diegetic outro of waking to para then picture of him for flash end?

KEY POINTS for own sake:
Lens, how do?(die/post)
Spin, how do?(gs/die)

NOTES:

emphasis on happy couple. Jealousy, so green it featured colour on singer, while the guy and gal have pink and blue with yellows, pastel colours rather than otherwise, happiness and him and her. 

Instagram shots with narrow DoF and the like her laughing, holding hands, general couple stuff.

Singer meanwhile watches this, the presence is constant but sly in each shot, she seems to be at the back of shots, out of focus more than she in in shot and focus. Ie, she looks to be window shopping as they look at trinkets she is seen (just) staring at her laughing almost envious, she is seen eating chips with mallice, scoffing with each passing gimmick. The couple never notice her, and the camera should not be drawn to her in a unnatural way, they could get up and go and it could be left with what seems to be an accidentally too long clip with a second of focus on singer. She is only seen lip syncing while the couple aren't there, the idea being that the escalation of her stalking is tied to the escalation of her singing with them. Could be started as shots on similar, but not the same places. Up to same places, diff angles. Then to same places, diff times. Up to same places, same time, non interaction. Finally to interacting.

She is taking pictures of them

Key point at which interacting starts it when she kills her. This is the pivotal moment, her plan is in action and she must act quick. Singing the song in the same woods, he goes ahead as she ties shoelace, he's getting a nice PHOTO, killed as approached and pushed with lyrics sing, blurry and maybe blocked by light. She apporaches, only one on screen, with light from behind. As we find the gf there she blocks the light. This connotes the feeling that she sees herself as the angel  when she is the devil. She pushes her and the shot is less clear, the light unblocked, this is a heavenly act something like Abraham's sacrifice (perhaps see a sheep/lamb?), it's been done under god's wishes, she kills to prove she is worthy to be with him. he's just done the photo and turns, she is there looking desperate, we do not see it but he's worried, let's down his guard and runs infront of her pushing her away. She has venom, and blocks the sun once more. Return to the scene, (no sheep) and he is leaning and is heartbroken. She knows what is to be done, he will not be hers, so she pushes him too. At this point she knows what she has done. We see he is falling, and he lands, as he does, this causes the camera to go off, with a flash, that then embraces the screen with white. She (falls?) in and into this white. She seems to have passed over too, but as the song finishes, and she sees them, we return with a start, it's paramedics, she survived by landing on him. To her his last act was one of love to her, clearly happy, she rolls over, and song goes. (Alt. She is woken by a paramedic, who looks like him, and we are left to belive this begins again.)

VidEG 13 Madonna - Ray Of Light

ACT: Madonna

TRACK: Ray Of Light

YEAR: 1998

DIRECTOR: Unknown 

GENRE:Pop, Electro - Pop

LYRICS

• The video is a day in a life filmed in four minutes. It was filmed in Sweden, New York and Las Vegas using time-lapse photography. The shoot took 14 days. Madonna had the idea for doing the closing nightclub scene. It won the 1998 Grammy for Best Music Video Short Form and the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.
• The lyrics reflect Madonna's interest in spirituality and her faith
• Microsoft used this in a 2001 advertising campaign to promote its Windows XP operating system.
• Some of the video is filmed using a green screen.
• The lyrics link to the visual in some aspects but not in others and not as strongly as it does in her other visuals which is one reason why I picked it. 
• The genres are reflected strongly with the night club scenes reflecting the electronic and electro - pop well. 
• there is a lot of star treatment used in this video which is to be expected. 

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VISUALS + LYRICS:

There is no link between the visuals and the lyrics, meaning it to be a concept video. It is also shot in a range of locations, with some use of a green screen for extra effect. Madonna although older is still represented in a sexualised way wearing slightly revealing clothing for her age.

GENRE CHARACTERISTICS: 

Genre has become an even more diverse, however this follows some of the characteristics that we would expect such as the sexualised dancing as well as upbeat music and cutting to the beat.

INTERTEXTUALITY?

Non that I am aware of.

PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE AND/OR CONCEPT?:

The video is a concept video as it doesn't really follow a narrative and is quite random and has no apparent relation to the lyrics. 
 

PERFORMANCE STYLE: 

The performance style is singing and dancing with madonna being the main focus with many of the shots taken are with the events in the background, this is done by a series of layers or use of a green screen. some of the dancing that has been shown has had some of the frames deleted in order for it to look 'alien' like but because of the nature of it it could be described as cavorting. 

STAR TREATMENT:

Star treatment has been featured heavily in this video with the concentration solely on madonna, This is stereotypically done in order to sell the track but to also establish and promote the artist and the album. This is also an example of Laura Mulvey's theory as the woman has blonde hair and is wearing revealing clothing - Mulvey's theory being that they are being objectified for the gratification of men. This can also be added with the view of madonna being a symbolic character and is known as the queen of pop.

PACE + ANY VARIATION OF PACE: 

The pace is varied throughout with scenes of slow motion, the cuts are fairly quick which reflects the tempo of the song at times. There are a range of inter-cutting shots with quick transitions and shots last no more than a few seconds. Some of the shots are very creative and use different camera angles with extreme close ups and use layering and green screen techniques.

SHOT VARIETY + NO. OF SETUPS: 

various shot variety shown with range of creative shots.

LOCATION/S + MISE-EN-SCENE: 

In the video there are a series of locations used but all seem to be taken in the vicinity of one another. that being the city but also the use of the green screen. 

 

NOTABLE SHOTS/FRAMING: 

close up shots of body

VidEG 12 Madonna - Papa Don't Preach

• In this video there is a strong link between visuals and the lyrics used. The song has a very strong controversial message of teenage pregnancy. Anti-abortion groups praised her whilst abortion rights groups criticised her.
• The line "I've made up my mind, I'm keeping my baby," caused anti-abortion groups to praise Madonna and abortion-rights groups to criticize her. Madonna refused to take a stance on the issue.
• Madonna called this "a message song that everyone is going to take the wrong way."
• This was one of the most controversial Madonna songs. Many articles were written about it in the context of abortion. The media attention helped make it a hit and keep it on the charts.
• The song is set in various locations, one which is her dancing solo and singing in a studio, her with her father at a young age which shows them washing up together - she is drying and he is washing, but as the video progresses and she ages the roles switch. The video also shows her with her boyfriend and her friends, and shows her on a journey going from one place to another.
• There is a lot of star treatment in this video but then surely it is to be expected when it is 'the queen of pop'.
• The links between the narrative and the visuals are especially strong and represent what is going on, which allows us to sympathise with the artist. 
• The song is stereo typical of the genre with the use of revealing clothing.

VidEG 11 Daniel Pearson - Waves In The Sea

• The song is all in black and white
• There is also no star treatment involved and we never see his face, however we see his feet - a lot, which we presume is him.
• The lyrics reflect the narrative in the video and features a young girl
• the genre is a difficult one as it is indie and has a low budget which reflects the video extremely well due to the shaky camera work, very few locations, one actress and no studio with dancers performing a difficult routine. However on the website it is also classed as classic guitar pop which is something I'd never heard of but coming from the word pop it is polar opposite to anything relating to pop due to the low budget.
• The video also features a lot of scenery to break up the different scenes, with a variety of different shots.

INTERTEXTUALITY?

Non that I am aware of.

PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE AND/OR CONCEPT?:

The video is a concept and narrative video as it does follow the narrative to some extent but not in others.

STAR TREATMENT:

Star treatment has not been used, the artist wants to remain anonymous.

PACE + ANY VARIATION OF PACE: 

There is no variation of pace but continuity editing is used. 

SHOT VARIETY + NO. OF SETUPS: 

various shot variety shown with range of creative shots.

LOCATION/S + MISE-EN-SCENE: 

In the video there is limited locations which also reflect the budget on which the video has been created. 

NOTABLE SHOTS/FRAMING: 

range of medium, medium close up and extreme long shots.

VidEG 10 Iggy Azalea - Fancy

• The video pays homage to the classic 1995 film Clueless with Iggy playing Cher and Charli portraying Tai and was filmed at some of the same locations used in the movie.
• The link between the narrative and the visuals doesn't match as much as it does in other pop videos, the narrative is describing how she is 'superior' to the other rappers out there and how she is the 'realest' - directing this at Nicki Minaj?
• The video is set in a school as well as a house for a party and also a motorway.
• Rap is known for its exploitation of women, but as it is a woman singing it, except for some revealing clothing and a couple of shots, exploitation is kept almost minimal.
• star treatment is very big in pop videos and is very prevalent in this video too, with Charli or Iggy being in every scene.