Music copyright Copyright gives the creators of certain media products, for example, music and videos, the rights to decide how they are used and how they are distributed. This law can be used to prevent other artists from producing work that is similar to what another artist has already produced. Also, the law means that the right person gets to take the credit for the success of the work produced. In the music industry, the copyright law can be used to protect both the actual song, for example the lyrics and the melody, as well as the recordings that are made of the song, for example, the CD's. However, the law does not protect work that is only in a persons head, there has to be evidence, either on paper or on recording that the medium belongs to them. In order to be protected under the copyright law, the work has to meet a certain criteria. For example, the work has to be an original piece that has been created by the artist themselves. Also, there has to be a way of perceiving and reproducing the work and the work must show a minimum degree of creativity. The copyright law is essential within the music industry because it preventa an artist from wrongfully receiving credit that they do not deserve for the creation of a song that isn't their own. If two songs sound so similar, the artist who first created the song may lose out on the opportunity to make more money due to the fact that the audience will have a choice of what they want to listen to and there is a chance that they will prefer the copyright song. An example of a famous case of copyright happened in 1990 when Vanilla Ice released his song "Ice Ice Baby" which sounded not to dissimilar to Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure". Vanilla Ice is said to have altered the rhythm of the baseline thinking this would help him to avoid the question of credit, royalties, license or permission, however, it was clear to everyone that Vanilla Ice was in the wrong, which resulted in him having to pay a substantial amount to Queen and Bowie for copyright. Since then, the song "Ice Ice Baby" has been released again, but this time with all of the legal procedures followed. The copyright law prevents an artist from producing a song that is any way to similar to a piece of music that has been released already by another artist, as this helps to ensure that the original artist gets the credit they deserve for what is rightfully theirs. This example of copyright shows us how Vanilla Ice failed to follow the copyright law due to the fact that the melody of the two songs sounded fairly similar, and because the song "Under Pressure" was released well before "Ice Ice Baby" it is clear to see that Vanilla Ice was in the wrong and that he was making money for selling a song that technically wasn't his own.
Applying for copyright
Our group had to apply for copyright of the song 'Salvation' by Gabrielle Aplin because the song originally belongs to her and the Parlophone record label that she is signed to, which means they are the ones who have the rights to decide how the music is used, which includes any educational reasons. By applying for copyright we prevent Parlophone from complaining or possibly suing us for using Gabrielle Aplin's music without permission to.
We identified that Gabrielle Aplin, who produces music under the Parlophone record label, has the right to decide what happens to the music that she produces. We then sent the following email to the record label requesting permission to use the song 'Salvation' for our A2 media project. We have not yet received a response for the email sent, however, we understand that record labels are signed to more than just one artist, and therefore are very busy and are unlikely to reply to our message because our video will not be seen by a large audience. We are currently still awaiting a response from Parlophone record label regarding our permission to create a music video for 'Salvation' by Gabrielle Aplin, however, we have decided to begin creating a video anyway.
The indie genre The music video that my group has chosen to recreated is 'Salvation' by Gabrielle Aplin. My reason for choosing the indie genre and Gabrielle Aplin is due to the fact that I am an avid listener of indie music because my favourite types of songs are the ones that are based on real life experiences. I also like the fact that indie music is quite downbeat and relaxing, and that the music videos tell stories often provide the audience with music videos that feel more like a mini cinematic experience. Furthermore, the music video for 'Salvation' by Gabrielle Aplin is pretty simple which means that my group will be able to create a music video that is completely different but still includes elements that are conventional to the indie genre.
Birdy - Wings
The first indie music video that I have decided to analyse is 'Wings' by Birdy. The video is very conventional to the indie genre, for starters, through the use of a setting that can be easily accessed by the audience. The indie genre is often perceived as being low budget, which is partly due to the fact that the genre does not have a huge fan base, which therefore makes it harder for indie artists to make a profit from the music they produce. However, most indie artists are not in the music industry for the money, but instead aim to just share their music with as many people as they can. This could be why indie artists are often perceived as being down to earth and more relatable when compared to artists from mainstream music genres, for example, pop. This is evident in the music video because all of the audience will be able to relate to the homely setting and the idea of throwing a house party for all of your friends. In the video, Birdy comes across as being a similar age to her target audience and as wanting to show them that she enjoys doing things that people from her target audience possibly enjoy doing too, for example, hanging out with her friends. This helps the audience to view Birdy as an average person, rather than just as someone who is rich and famous. This could like in with the paradox from Star and Dyer's theory that an artist must be both ordinary and extraordinary. Birdy is ordinary in the sense that the audience can relate to her and view her as someone who is similar to themselves, but extraordinary in the sense that she is musically talented, and lives in a really big house and can afford to buy nice looking clothes. The colours of silver and gold on her costume especially imply the idea that Birdy is wealthy. All of the characters in the music video can be seen wearing clothes that are either bold in colour or black and white. The use of colours like black and white is conventional to the indie genre because it makes the audience feel as though the video is quite old and classic, as oppose to modern, which is typical of the indie genre because the genre itself does not fit into the modern day mainstream. One of the male characters in the video can be seen wearing a black and white tux and tie, which could also be used to suggest wealth and high status. Furthermore, another way in which the music video is conventional to the indie genre is through the use of close ups. This camera technique allows the artist to introduce themselves to their audience so that they will be able to associate the artist with the song next time they hear it. Also, visuals of the artist make it easier for an artist to remember a song, as opposed to just listening to the song on its own. The use of a music video helps to give a song a deeper meaning and can sometimes help the audience to understand what the lyrics actually mean, as sometimes song lyrics can be quite ambiguous. The use of a variety of camera shot can also make a music video more interesting to watch, especially in the indie genre because there is often a lot of changes in the video to show the audience both the narrative and the performance elements of the music video. The use of close ups in this music video allow the audience to see the artist mouthing the words to the song, which helps them to recognise that she is the one whose voice they can hear. It also makes it appear as though she is singing live in the video, rather than as having recorded the song before making the video.
All of the characters, including Birdy can be seen wearing old fashioned, vintage looking clothes. The use of old fashioned looking clothing is conventional to the indie genre because it helps to give each of the characters in the music video their own identity. Also indie music artists often do not fit into the mainstream because the type of clothes they were are usually unique and not from a designer brands. This helps the audience to view the artist as not being materialistic, which makes the video more realistic and relatable because the audience themselves may not be able to afford designer brands. On the other hand, the visuals of the male characters wearing black and white suits in the video is both conventional and unconventional to the indie genre. The colours are conventional in the sense that they imply that the video is quite old and classic, because modern day clothing for boys usually consists of tracksuit bottoms and sweatshirts. The indie genre is often perceived as being a vintage genre of music that does not fit into the modern day mainstream. However, the visuals of suits could imply the idea of wealth and high status, but indie artists often want to come across as being passionate about their music and keeping the music as the main focus rather than showing off how much money they have. This makes the music video less relatable for the audience because many of them may not be able to afford goods that are considered expensive.
The use of iconography and setting in the music video is also conventional to the indie genre. The majority of the video is set in the back garden of a big, old house. The use of this setting helps the artist to reach out to her target audience because it gives them the idea of a house party, and most of the audience will be at the age where they too will be going to house parties. The audience will feel as though they are similar to the artist because they both enjoy doing the same things, and the artist will be more relatable because she will be seen as someone who the audience can see themselves as being able to hang out with. This use of setting is conventional to the indie genre because most indie music videos are set in cheap locations because most indie artists will have a low budget because the genre will only appeal to a small target audience which means the artist will be less likely to make a huge profit, and therefore there will only be a limited use of green screen and special effects. Furthermore, the setting is often kept simple in order to express to the audience that the main focus of the video is the artist and the music. People often hang out with other people who have similar styles to themselves or who they have things in common with, for example, music preferences. All of the characters in the music video can be seen together in one large group wearing similar, old fashioned clothing. The fact that they all look the same suggests that they all have similar tastes in clothes. Also, the close positioning of the characters in the video will help Birdy to express the unity that is often associate with teenagers, who will make up the majority of her target audience. Furthermore, at the beginning of the video the audience can see Birdy and another character sitting on the shoulders of two other characters, this visual creates the idea that they are at a festival or concert. This links in with the use of colour and lighting in the music video, especially at the beginning of the video when the audience are shown visuals of a dark looking corridor with flashing lights at the end of it which looks similar to that of a club setting. The target audience will be able to relate to the music video because some of them will be at an age that is old enough to go clubbing, therefore Birdy is reaching out to all of the possible people watching her music video. In the music video, the audience do not once see Birdy smiling, she comes across as being emotional and sad. This is conventional to the indie genre because it is perceived that indie songs are often based on emotional, real life experiences and the indie itself is not typically seen as being a happy and upbeat, which is why this type of music does not fit into the mainstream of have a huge following. Furthermore, Birdy's facial expressions coincide with the meaningful lyrics and the downbeat tune of the song, which helps to make the song and video feel more personal because the audience will feel as though she is sharing an emotional experience with the audience and allowing them to get to know more about her and her past. The first main camera shot that is used in the music video is a close up, which can be seen towards the beginning of the video. A close up is often used in a music video to introduce and promote an artist because they can show the audience a visual of the artist singing or playing a musical instrument which helps to highlight the talents that an artist has. A close up can also be used to show how an artist is feeling which helps to make the song feel more personal because it appears as though the artist is speaking directly to just one viewer rather than the thousands that are watching. A close up also allows the audience to see a clear visual of the artist which they are more likely to remember and will associate the song with next time they hear it. This technique is conventional to the indie genre because it helps the audience to focus more on the artist and the song rather than what is going on in the background, which is beneficial to an indie artist whose main aim is to share their music with their fans. Another camera shot that is often used in the music video is a long/wide shot which can help the artist to set the scene of the music video and to introduce the narrative. In this music video, the audience can see that the setting is in the back garden of a big, old looking house. This location could be described as affordable and a place that everyone will be able relate to because everyone has a home. The audience will also be able to relate to the setting because a majority of them will be at the age where their friends will be throwing house parties, fairly similar to the one in the video and they will therefore view Birdy as being similar to them and as having similar tastes. Editing is often used in music videos because it allows an artist to express their creativity to their audience. There is also a lot of face pace editing used throughout the music video in order to help the visuals keep up with the pace of the song which helps the song to flow and makes it more comfortable for the audience to watch. This technique can be seen toward the music video when Birdy is standing on a swing, singing the chorus of the song, the pace and volume of the song picks up the higher the swing goes. This links in with Goodwin's theory and his idea that there is a relationship between the visuals and the music of a music video. This techniques makes the audience feel as though every aspect of the video has a purpose and exactly how the artist wants it to be. Indie artists often want their music to be entirely their own, and not another product of the music industry. Another editing style seen in the music video is the use of special effects, especially the darker colour tints of orange and brown which help to make the video appear old and worn out. This vintage style of editing helps to make the video look and feel more old fashioned, suggesting that it had been made a long time ago, rather than for the purpose of the music video. The audience will feel as though they are watching a memory, rather than a music video. This will help the audience to build a relationship with the artist because it makes the video feel more personal like Birdy has made the video for herself, rather than just for a music video and is sharing that with her fans.
The indie genre is not one of the most popular genres of music because the genre does not fit into the mainstream like, for example, the pop genre does. Indie songs are normally quite slow paced with lyrics that express a deeper meaning, while the artists are often seen wearing clothing that also does not fit into the mainstream. The target audience for the music video will be mainly girls between the ages of 14 to early twenties, as girls are often perceived as being more likely to listen to emotion songs, and they will be easier for Birdy to relate to because she is the same gender and around the same age. An audience that is too young may not fully understand the deeper meaning of the song or enjoy the music video because it is not very upbeat or modern, and does not fit into the mainstream that is becoming more and more influential nowadays. People often listen to music, for example, pop, that is constantly played on the radio or that is listened to by the large majority of people. The artist is represented as being quirky and original, which is evident through the way she dresses and behaves in the video. Her behaviour is carefree, like the way see can be seen standing on a swing and bouncing on a trampoline, and her style is very old fashioned which may not appeal to everyone. Overall, these characteristics could help Birdy to stand out from within a music genre that is very diverse. She is represented as being her own person, rather than as someone who has had their appearance changed by the music industry in order to fit into the mainstream and appeal to a wider audience.
Another way that Goodwin's theory is used in the music video is the fact that the video is primarily performance based. Through the use of close ups of Birdy, the audience can see her looking directly into the camera which makes the song feel more personal and makes it appear as though she is only singing to the viewer who is watching the video from behind the screen. The use of performance is beneficial for the fans of Birdy who might not be able to afford to pay for tickets to an actual concert. The audience are given the chance to experience what it would be like at one of her concerts, which is aided by the variety of camera shots that are used through the video to make it appear as though the audience watching from behind the computer screen are actually part of the video. Overall, the use of performance means that the audience will not feel as though they are missing out. It also helps to make clear that the main style of the music video is performance, as opposed to it having a narrative or concept. While performance is conventional to the indie genre, there is also usually some form of narrative between the sections of performance to help make the video more interesting to watch and to give the song a deeper meaning. Ellie Goulding - Your Song
The elements of narrative between the performance is also conventional to the indie genre because it helps to give the video more meaning by telling a story that the audience can relate to. It is also more interesting for an audience to watch a music video instead of just listening to the song because a narrative can be used to hold the audiences attention more. The use of live performance in the music video is also conventional to the indie genre because it allows the audience to see an artist doing what they love most, which helps the audience to build an emotional connection with the song because they can see how passionate the artist is about their music. The lack of special effects during the live performance can help the audience to feel as though they are at an actual concert, and it will keep the sole focus on the artist, because there are no effects to take away from what they are doing. A performance also allows an artist to promote their musical talents as they are often seeing playing musical instruments. Another convention that is used in the music video is natural lighting. The fact that the video is not set in a studio or has been filmed using a green screen is conventional to the indie genre because indie artists often like to keep their videos simple and make the sole focus the music, which is ultimately what they are trying to sell. This technique makes the video more realistic as the artist is not using special effects to change the way that the audience can see something. This makes it more likely for Goulding to be perceived as an actual human being as opposed to someone who is just rich and famous and only cares about the materialistic side of their career. In the music video, Ellie Goulding is seen wearing very casual clothing, for example, skinny jeans, a beanie hat and wellington boots. The use of affordable clothing helps Goulding to come across as though she does not care about her appearance, which further makes the video more realistic and relatable for the audience who may not be able to afford materialistic goods that most people within the music industry are associated with. This is conventional to the indie genre because indie artists are often perceived as being too focused on their music to keep up with the current fashion trends. Through the use of mise-en-scene, specifically setting and iconography, the majority of the video is set outdoors, for example, the audience can see Ellie Goulding walking through a forest, and travelling by train. These types of settings are conventional to the indie genre because indie artists often only have a low budget to spend on their music videos, therefore film in locations that are easily accessible to anyone because the genre does not have a massive following, making it harder for indie artist to make a huge profit on their music. However, a simple setting means that the location will not take away from the artist and the music, which helps to ensure that the main focus is on the artist doing what she loves. At the end of the day, Goulding is primarily trying to share her music with as many people as she can, and more views means more money.
In the music video, through the use of positioning of characters and facial expressions, the audience can see that there is an implied love story behind the lyrics. For example, in one of the scenes the audience can see Goulding and a male character standing close together, implying that they are a couple and that the song 'Your Song' was written for him. Also, the audience are also show close ups of her happy facial expressions, in particular when she is being filmed by another character in the middle of the park, or when the audience see her fooling about on the train. This use of facial expressions and positioning of characters is conventional to the indie genre as indie songs are often based on love stories because the lyrics of the songs usually sound like they have been based on real life experiences. This technique helps to make the song more personal and helps to keep the audience interested because they feel as though they are getting to know more about an artist. The majority of the music video is set in outdoor locations, therefore the lighting is very natural, with no added spot lights or special effects, which is conventional to the indie genre because it is often associated as having a lower budget and as being more realistic. The indie genre is not one of the most popular genres of music due to the fact that it does not fit into the mainstream, therefore it does not have a following that is as big as the pop genre, for example, which means the artists will not make as much money or be able to spend a lot of money on special effects or green screens to use in their music videos. The indie genre focuses more on realism, the artists being relatable and the music rather than keeping up with the current trends. It also makes it easier for the audience to relate to the music and the artist
There are a variety of camera shots used in the 'Your Song' music video. One of the main camera shots used is handheld, which makes up the majority of the video. There is a lot of camera movement throughout the video which makes the audience feel as though someone else is filming her, which makes the video feel more personal because it suggests that the video has been filmed for personal reasons, rather than just being filmed for the purpose of the music video. This is conventional to the indie genre because indie music videos are often seen as being quite low budget, and as being a lower quality than those of the pop genre, for example, because the videos are often filmed with low quality cameras because that is all they can afford. This helps to make the video more realistic and more relatable because there are a lot of people who make videos of loved ones for memory purposes, and it is something that the audience could do if they wanted to. Another camera shot that is used in the video is a mid-shot, which can be seen when Ellie Goulding is sitting alongside a guy who is playing the piano. The audience can see that Ellie is holding a cat, which makes the video feel more homely and personal, and gives the video more of a relaxed environment. A camera shot of the artist playing a musical instrument is conventional to the indie genre because it allows the audience to see that the artist is playing the instruments themselves. Indie artists do not want their music to be seen as a product of the music industry. They will want the audience to know that the music that they can hear is entirely down to the artist herself, therefore the sounds that the audience can hear is exactly what the artist wants them to hear, with no special effects.
The first main editing style that is used in the music video is a montage, which is what the majority of the video is made up of. The use of a montage suggests that the footage has been collected over a period of time and not just for the purpose of the music video. The footage is shown as being more personal to the artist, therefore it is being using it to tell a personal story, which helps the audience to relate the lyrics to the artist's life more. This is conventional to the indie genre because indie songs are often a lot more personal and based on real life experiences that help the audience to relate to the songs and feel more emotionally attached to the artist because they are shown as having been through similar experiences. Furthermore, the speed at which the montage is shown to the audience keeps in time with the fast pace of the song. Fast pace editing is another editing technique used in the video that is conventional to the indie genre because indie artists are often perceived as always being on the road, therefore the fast pace could be a representation of how fast pace their lives are. This could show the audience how passionate the artist is about sharing their music with their fans on a wider scale. The majority of Ellie Goulding's target audience for this music video will be teenage girls between the ages of 13 to early twenties. It could be argued that female music listeners are associated more with preferring songs that are based on real life experience about love, or watching videos that have cheesy, romantic stories behind them. A target audience that is too young may not fully understand the deeper meaning of the song because they are not old enough to have experienced any similar situations themselves. However, it is possible for Goulding's music to reach outside of her obvious target audience because as an artist she comes across as being down to earth and relatable, which may attract a larger audience because her passion for her music is evident and the type of person she is makes people want to see her do well in the music industry. In the music video the artist is represented as being carefree, happy and a relatable, down to earth personal that focuses her music on realism rather than special effects to make something seem better than it is. The simple and affordable clothes that she can be seen wearing suggest that Goulding does not care about fitting into the mainstream, nor does she want to be viewed as materialistic, therefore the audience may appreciate her passion for what she does and the fact that she is not all about making money. She is also represented as being emotional because the lyrics come across as being based on a real life experience and that they are directed to someone in particular, which suggests that the song is personal to Goulding and that she is allowing her audience to get to know more about her private life. In the music video, there is a mixture of both performance and narrative styles. The performance elements of the video can be seen through the use of close ups and visuals of the artist. For example, the audience are shown shots of Ellie Goulding playing the piano, the guitar and singing in the studio. The use of performance allows the audience to see how passionate the artist is about their music, and shows them that all of the sounds and background sounds that they can hear have been created by the artist themselves. The use of performance allows Goulding to become the main focus of the video and helps her to promote herself as a multi-talented artist. The music industry is very competitive, therefore by showing her audience that she can also play the piano and guitar will help Goulding to stand out from all of the other indie artists. The audience can also see sections of narrative between the performance. The elements of narrative between the performance is also conventional to the indie genre because it helps to give the video more meaning and helps an artist to hold their audiences attention because the variety of shots used makes it more interesting to watch. The narrative helps the audience to relate to the lyrics of the song because they are often used to tell a story, for example, a story about love and relationships which the audience will be able to relate to because they may have been through a similar experience themselves. The use of visuals alongside the lyrics also means that there is little room left for the audience to use their imagination because the artist has explained the lyrics through the use of visuals, which is unlike what happens when the audience can only hear the song. The first way that Goodwin's theory is used in the music video is the fact that the video is primarily performance based. Through the use of close ups of Birdy, the audience can see her looking directly into the camera which makes the song feel more personal and makes it appear as though she is only singing to the viewer who is watching the video from behind the screen. The use of performance is beneficial for the fans of Birdy who might not be able to afford to pay for tickets to an actual concert. The audience are given the chance to experience what it would be like at one of her concerts, which is aided by the variety of camera shots that are used through the video to make it appear as though the audience watching from behind the computer screen are actually part of the video. Overall, the use of performance means that the audience will not feel as though they are missing out. It also helps to make clear that the main style of the music video is performance, as opposed to it having a narrative or concept. While performance is conventional to the indie genre, there is also usually some form of narrative between the sections of performance to help make the video more interesting to watch and to give the song a deeper meaning. Another element of Goodwin's theory that is used in the music video visuals of the artist. Similar to performance, the visuals help to promote and introduce an artist to their audience, which is especially necessary for people who are listening to an artists song for the first time, as they may not be aware of what the artist looks like. Furthermore, an audience is more likely to remember what they see, rather than what they hear, therefore visuals help an artist to make their song more memorable and is more likely to cause a word of mouth promotion effect if the audience like the video. Visuals of the artist also help to make the song feel more personal because the audience feel as though the artist is singing about themselves, rather than another character from within the video. In conclusion, the indie genre could be perceived as being the most realistic and relatable genre of music because indie artists are less about being materialistic and fitting into the mainstream, and more about sharing their music and promoting themselves as an individual within the music industry. I like that the indie genre is different to most of the modern day music genres and that artists can be creative with their music videos and are open to using most locations and to wearing whatever they want to. I have learnt that the best way to keep an audience interested is to create a music video that ties in with the lyrics to a song, this helps to tell the audience a story and to help them understand the lyrics more.
The Richard Dyer's Star theory According to Richard Dyer's Star theory, the term 'star' refers to the semi-mythological set of meanings constructed around music performers in order to sell the performer to a large and loyal audience. There are many different reasons as to why a star will feel the need to reinvent themselves. For example, an artist may want to create publicity for themselves, especially if they have been out of the public eye for a while. In order to sell themselves and their music they will need to get people talking about them again, and they will need to make an audience aware that they are still producing music. Another reason may be that an artist wants to change the public opinion of them. For example, an artist who is seen as being wild or out of control, or may have been associated with drugs and alcohol, may want to show their fans and the music industry that they take their music seriously. This reinvention could also help them to avoid achieving a bad reputation which may prevent other artists or record labels from wanting to work with them in the future. Similarly, someone who is considered quite laid back might want to prove through their music videos that they aren't boring. Justin Bieber is an example of a star who has reinvented himself over the years. It could be argued that during his younger years, Justin Bieber was a product of the music industry. The types of clothes he wore were in keeping up with the current fashion trends of the time that would help him fit into the mainstream, which is typical of a pop artist. One reason for his reinvention could have been maturity. Justin Bieber was only a young teenager when he released his debut EP 'My World' in 2009, and being new to the music industry arguably meant that they had more control over him because he could not afford to risk losing his record deal so early on. However, as he got older and became more successful, Justin Bieber would have gained more control over the way he wanted to look and the type of music he wanted to produce. He had reached a stage in his career where music labels would have been wanting to work with him, not the other way around. Another possible reason for his reinvention could have been down to him wanting to change the genre of music he was producing and the target audience he was appealing to. Over time, as new genres are developed and new artists emerge, the genre of music that people listen to will change. In order to maintain his popularity, Justin Bieber may have felt the need to move from the pop genre to more of the R&B genre, for example, his song, 'Where are you now', in accordance to the change in peoples tastes and preferences.
Miley Cyrus - Best of both worlds
Miley Cyrus' career was launched in 2006 with the premier of her own Disney Channel show 'Hannah Montana'. The song 'Best of both worlds' was purposely written to be the theme tune for the show and was heavily influenced by the dance, rock and country music genres.
The music video for 'Best of both worlds' includes some of the elements from Goodwin's music video theory. For example, the music video is primarily performance based. The audience can see 'Hannah Montana' performing on stage with her band, in front of hundreds of people. This use of performance in the music video is beneficial for the fans of Miley Cyrus who might not be able to afford to pay for tickets to an actual concert. The audience are given the chance to experience what it would be like at one of her concerts, which is aided by the variety of camera shots that are used through the video to make it appear as though the audience watching from behind the computer screen are actually part of the audience in the video. Furthermore, the use of performance means that the audience will not feel as though they are missing out. A performance based music video is conventional to the pop rock genre because pop rock artists are seen to be more passionate about their music and want to share what they love with their fans as apposed to worrying about keeping up with current fashion trends. The audience may appreciate that the artists are not only looking to make money and that they actually care about pleasing their fans.
Another convention of the pop rock genre that is used in the 'Best of both worlds' music video is the use of quite affordable clothing, for example, skinny jeans and a leather jacket. While they are quite fashionable, pop rock artists tend to wear clothes that are not as revealing as those in the pop genre, but not as dark as those in the rock genre. This is conventional because most pop rock artists like to come across as quite laid back and as more passionate about their music as opposed to keeping up with current fashion trends. The audience, who may not be able to afford designer brands that most other musicians prefer to wear, may appreciate that not all artists are materialistic.
The video represents Miley Cyrus as being your average teenage girl whose just doing what she loves to do the most, which is to perform for her fans. The audience may appreciate that Miley is not materialistic and cares more about making her fans happy. This representation is to be expected of a girl her age who is still young and should be enjoying herself rather than worrying about the way she looks.
One way in which Miley Cyrus could be viewed as a product is through the way the audience see her dressed when she is on stage. For example, the knee high boots and blonde wig are not the type of clothing that she would wear if she had the choice. Most people outside of the music industry would encourage children her age to be as natural as they possibly can. Costumes may have been used in order to make her appear older, or to help her look more like all of the other artists in the music industry during that era. The music industry would have wanted Miley to fit into the mainstream and appeal to the thousands of people who listen to pop music, which ultimately would have led to them making more money.
In this music video, the artist can be viewed as both ordinary and extraordinary. For starters, the character of Hannah Montana is an ordinary, humbled teenage girl, who leads a secret life as a world famous superstar. The target audience, who will be made up primarily of teenage girls, will be able to relate to her ordinary character in the way that she too has to go to school, and has a normal family life which involves fighting with her older brother and spending time with her best friend. However, although the audience will be able to relate to her, they will also envy her extraordinary self that gets to live the most lavish lifestyle, and is able to perform in front of thousands of people which is something that pretty much every other girl her age will never be able to do. The lyrics 'you get the best of both worlds, chill it out, take it slow, then you rock out the show...' entirely confirms Dyer's belief that an artist must be both ordinary and extraordinary. If an artist is not ordinary their audience will not be able to relate to them in any way and consequently they may be viewed as unrealistic. Similarly, if the artist is not extraordinary they risk losing their appeal because the audience will no longer view them as special.
Hegemony refers to the star image as being used to position the consumer in relation to dominant and influential social values. In the music video, Miley is dressed and behaves in a way that could be considered socially acceptable for a girl her age. There is an expectation that at 15 years old, a teenager will dress in a way that is considered appropriate, for example, the fact that Miley's costume covers all of her body is respectful of her age and, although she is a famous artist, the industry are still representing her as being a child. The have recognised that her audience will be able to relate to her more if she is shown as having a good time and not being overly caught up in her appearance and whether boys will find her attractive.
Miley Cyrus - Party in the USA
The song 'Party in the USA' (dance pop) was initially written for artist Jessie J, but she felt the song wasn't edgy enough for her or for the era, and so passed it on to Miley Cyrus.
An element of Goodwin's theory that is evident in the 'Party in the USA' music video is the use of intertextual references. Towards the middle of the song, Miley sings the lyrics 'the taxi man turned on the radio...', the radio being one of the many mediums that is used by an audience to listen to their favourite songs. The purpose of this intertextual reference is to show the audience that she has moved on from just singing on Hannah Montana to having her music played on a larger scale. The audience may feel as though they are a part of her success because without them buying her songs, the career that she has would never have been possible.
One way in which the music video is conventional to the pop dance genre is through the use of bright colours and natural lighting. The pop genre is often perceived as being able to create an exciting atmosphere, and a happy vibe because the type of music that comes out of the pop genre is very uplifting, and usually has a consistent, dance orientated beat that is ideal for the target audience who are at the age where they will be going to parties and this is the type of music that they are likely to listen to.
Another way in which the music video is conventional to the pop dance genre is through the use of costumes. The audience can see Miley Cyrus, along with the other female characters in the video wearing loose tops and short denim shorts. Female pop artists are often seen wearing revealing outfits because it helps them to fit into the mainstream. Most pop artists like to keep up with the current fashion trends and often seek to set new ones, this is why many teenagers who want to fit into the mainstream take inspiration from the way these artists dress. Furthermore, the use of cowboy boots also helps the audience to relate back to Miley Cyrus' country roots. This item of clothing shows the audience that her music video has taken some inspiration from her old music videos and music style, which may help her audience to transition into her newer style of music because some aspects of Miley are still the same.
In the music video, Miley Cyrus used positioning of characters to appeal to her target audience. Throughout the video, Miley is always seen walking around in a group of girls, or surrounded by a large group. This is conventional to the pop genre because pop songs often express the unity that is associated with teens, who are the main target audience of the genre. The audience may be able to relate to the theme of friendship groups and strength in numbers that is expressed in the video. Like the female characters in the video, most teenagers feel their most confident when they are surrounded by their friends.
In the music video, Miley is represented as being relaxed and as enjoying herself while she performs her song for the other characters. This representation is evident through the use of body position and facial expressions, particularly when the audience can see her smiling and dancing around in front of the camera. This gives the audience the impression that she is passionate about her music and is happy to be there, sharing her music with her fans. The audience may appreciate that Miley is dedicated to her music and that she works hard to produce new songs for her fans to listen to.
It is possible for Miley to be viewed as a product due to the fact that most female artists within the pop genre often dress in revealing outfits that help to draw the audience in. It could be argued that pop artists fit into the mainstream the most because they are remembered for their fashionable outfits and for setting new trends. The audience can also see a clear change from Miley's appearance in 'Best of both worlds' compared to 'Party in the USA', in which her clothes are a lot more revealing, but they do fit into the era during which the video was filmed. Over the years, the clothes that people find fashionable change, and as they get older, artists gain more control over their appearance and they way they want the public eye to see them. I think that in the video, Miley appears comfortable in the clothes that she is wearing, which could suggest that the choice of outfit was more hers rather than the music industry.
In the music video, Miley Cyrus is portrayed as extraordinary in the way that her music is being played on the radio, and the fact that she is able to perform in front of a large group of people. There are many people watching her video who may wish to be able to do what she can, at to be able to achieve the same amount of success that she has. It is important for Miley to be perceived as extraordinary because it will ensure that her fans continue to want to know more about her. An artist must always leave their audience wanting more, otherwise they will begin to feel as though they know everything there is to know about the artist, which may consequently lead to an artist losing the mystery that makes them so desirable. Having said that, Miley's character can also be viewed as ordinary in the way that the audience can see her hanging out with her friends and having a good time, which the majority of her audience will be able to relate to because they too will spend time with their friends. The audience will find it easier to relate to Miley Cyrus if she is shown behaving in a way and doing things that most other teenagers her age are doing too. Miley Cyrus - 'Wrecking ball'
The music video shows the audience a clear relationship between the lyrics and visuals. As Miley sings the lyrics 'I came in like a wrecking ball', the audience can see her run up to and jump onto a 'wrecking ball'. The lyrics do suggest that she is referring to herself as the object, which makes the song more personal because it tells the audience that there is a deeper meaning to the lyrics and that they are based on one of her real life experiences. In the video, Miley Cyrus is portrayed as being very strong and destructive, a visual that complements the loud beat and fast pace of the song.
One convention in the music video that is often seen in pop music videos is revealing outfits. This music video surprised many people who were so used to seeing Miley Cyrus with long, brown hair and clothes that reflected her country roots, which is why the song created a lot of publicity for her. Costume and makeup is often used in the pop genre to help artists to communicate a feeling to the audience. In 'Wrecking ball', Miley Cyrus can be seen wearing a very revealing white outfit, which consists of underwear type pants and a short cropped top. In the majority of pop music videos, the female characters are often expressed in a sexual way in order to draw the audience in. The target audience, most of whom will be teenage girls, are at the age where they will enjoy going to parties and dancing and due to pop songs having consistent, dance orientated beats, these are the kind of songs that they will listen to. Furthermore, the outfits worn in pop music videos are often very fashionable and mainstream. This is conventional as artists within the pop genre often keep up with the current fashion trends and seek to set new trends. The audience will often look up to pop artists and the way that they put themselves across to society, including the way they dress. There is an idea nowadays that if you do not dress to fit into the mainstream that you will not fit in at all. There are a lot of teenagers who will be influenced by the way pop artists dress because they are often viewed as the people who fit into the mainstream the most. Furthermore, her wearing bold red lipstick is conventional to the pop genre because the genre is often associated with creating a lively and exciting atmosphere.
I think that Miley is less likely to be viewed as a product in this music video compared to 'Best of both worlds' and 'Party in the USA' because although her appearance is very different, she was the one who decided to make the change, and not the music industry forcing her to do so. Her reinvention could be a result of how competitive the pop genre is, therefore Miley wanted to diverse herself from everybody else. Another reason could be that Miley wanted to create publicity for herself to get people talking about her new music. The more people that listen to her music means the more money Miley is likely to make. Furthermore, there are less people who look like the newer Miley, compared to the way she looked in 'Party in the USA', therefore she is not as keeping in with mainstream.
The video for 'Wrecking ball' is definitely a memorable one. After its realise in 2013, Miley Cyrus was thrown into the public eye due to the fact that her new songs were so different to the country style of music that her fans were so used to her producing. Through the use of extravagant props, including the wrecking ball, and such emotional lyrics, Miley Cyrus was able to create an extraordinary music video that, although her audience may not be able to relate to, helped her to express how she was feeling, which would have helped her to build a relationship with her fans because they were allowed to see the more personal side of her. On the other hand, the video could portray Miley as being ordinary in the sense that she has been hurt, like everybody else. Some of her fans may still view Miley Cyrus as a role model because she made the decision to change her appearance and the type of music she wanted to produce, and she stuck by her decision despite the fact that she received a lot of negative publicity. Therefore, it could be argued that Miley may have encouraged some of her fans to be true to themselves, regardless of what the mainstream suggests they should be.
In the music video, I do not think that Miley positions the consumer in relation to dominant and influential social values. For example, her appearance does not fit into the mainstream in the way that people would not expect to see someone walking down the street in the same clothes that she is wearing because most people will not consider them respectable. Furthermore, it could also be argued that because she is a girl, society would not expect to see Miley using such manly tools, or behaving in a way that is not considered ladylike.
The target audience The target audience for the 'Best of both worlds' music video would have been the Hannah Montana fan base; the group of young teenage girls who had been avid viewers of the programme. The music video itself was a clip from one of the first episodes of the Hannah Montana show, during which the audience can see Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana performing on stage for an arena full of people. The purpose of this is so the audience will immediately be able to recognise and associate the music video with the television programme. The target audience for the 'Party in the USA' music video would have been fairly similar to the target audience for 'Best of both worlds'. Although Miley Cyrus' appearance had changed between the two videos, arguably down to maturity and personal preference of how she wanted to look, the genre of music that she produced was still the same. Miley Cyrus had such a strong fan base due to the success of Hannah Montana, therefore it was important for her to continue appealing to her Hannah Montana fan base because, at the time, the fans of the show made up the majority of the people who were buying her music and who were aiding her success. The music video for 'Wrecking ball', on the other hand, shows a huge transformation from the Miley Cyrus seen in the 'Best of both worlds' and 'Party in the USA', not only in her appearance, but also the genre of music that she was producing. One possible reason for her reinvention could be due to the change in tastes and preferences in music that her audience had. In order to sell her music, Miley Cyrus has to produce music that people are going to want to listen to and buy. The pop genre is arguably one of the most listened to genres of music, it is also very competitive in the sense that there are a lot of artists who conform to the genre. Her extravagant appearance helps Miley to stand out from other artists and to be remembered. Between the release of 'Party in the USA' and 'Wrecking ball', Miley Cyrus starred in a couple of films including 'The Last Song' and 'LOL'. Miley Cyrus had moved on from her younger career with Disney Channel and Hannah Montana and gained more control over the type of music she wanted to produce. While she worked for the Disney company she potentially would of had to force herself to appeal to the Disney target audience by doing what she was told to. This may have including having certain rules to follow regarding the way she dressed, and the type of music she could produce. Thanks to the success of Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus had become a role model for impressionable teenage girls. Furthermore, not only was her genre of music changing, but Miley's image was changing as well. One reason for this could be that she had to change her appearance in order to fit into her new genre of music. Her target audience would not have bought into a country looking girl singing songs like 'Wrecking ball' and 'We can't stop'. These songs were personal and much more about Miley Cyrus being true to herself. I think that the target audience for the song 'Wrecking ball' would have changed from young teenagers to young adults due to the fact that in the music video on some occasions Miley Cyrus can be seen not wearing any clothes, which parents may find inappropriate and will not want their children to be influenced by the way she behaves. It is important to identify a target audience because different age groups have different tastes and preferences when it comes to music because not everyone likes the same genres of music. For example, someone who is 70 is much less likely to listen to the rap genre than someone who is 17. It is also important to maintain a target audience because at the end of the day, the audience are the ones who are going to buy into a product and determine the success of an artist.
Message and values The music video for 'Best of both worlds' was released while Miley Cyrus was representing the Disney Channel, and due to the success of the programme she became a role model for the young girls who were avid viewers. Disney Channel had a child friendly reputation to uphold which meant that it would have been inappropriate for Miley Cyrus to be seen wearing overly revealing outfits. However, for the genre that the 'Best of both worlds' song fell into, the costumes were conventional to the genre because they were not as revealing as they would have been in the pop genre, but they were also not as dark as they would have been in the rock genre. Artists in the pop rock genre are often perceived as being more focused on their music rather than on their appearance, this helps them to show their audience that they are passionate about their music and are not completely materialistic.
Throughout her music career, Miley Cyrus has faced her fair share of bad publicity. In 2008, when she was 15 years old, Miley received bad publicity following a photo shoot she took part in for Vanity Fair. The Walt Disney Company spoke out about the photo-shoot saying "Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines." Miley Cyrus also commented on what had happened saying "I took part in a photo-shoot that was suppose to be artistic, and now seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed." As she got older, Miley Cyrus began taking control of how she wanted to be seen by the public eye and eventually stopped apologising for she bad publicity she was receiving because of it.
In conclusion, I think the main reason behind Miley Cyrus' reinvention was because of her gain in control of the way she could dress and the type of music she could produce. Most people only knew her as Hannah Montana, which was a product of the Disney Channel company. Miley may have felt encouraged her to show people that she was her own person and not just a character that had been created for her. In 2013, Miley Cyrus started to perform with the likes of Pharrel Williams, Snoop Lion and Robin Thicke, which in itself shows how much her style of music was changing. There may be some of her fans who do not like her new style of music, and so will not buy into the new Miley. However, by fully entering the pop genre, Miley has opened her music to a much larger target audience, of both boys and girls, because before her appearance and songs were more suited to a girly girl fan base. Also, the pop genre has many more conventions that may help Miley to make her videos more interesting and memorable...
A music video can appeal to an audience in many different ways. Firstly, a music video can provide and audience with a narrative for a song. These visual effects can be used to bring the lyrics of a song to life. Another way in which a music video can appeal to an audience is that it allows them to know more about an artist. For example, songs and their music videos can often be based on real life experiences. An audience member may be able to relate to these experiences as they have lived through them too and they will realise that an artist is only human and has gone through similar experiences to what they have. Taylor Swift is well know for her life experience based songs. Furthermore, a music video allows an artist to express a deeper meaning behind a song or to portray a message to their audience. Visual effects provide an audience with a mini cinematic experience and allows them to fully understand what an artist is singing about. Also, some artist may use their music videos to set new fashion trends. Lady Gaga is an example of an artist who is known for her unpredictable outfits. Her meat suit is a prime example of this.
Drake (rap)
The first editing technique used in the music video 'Over' are special effects, in particular the use of red colour tints. The colour red is very dominant and is often used to represent danger. There are many music artists who have appeared in the news because the stress of the music industry has forced them to seek relief in the form of drugs and alcohol. The rap genre is often associated with drugs, alcohol and partying because in places like clubs and bars people often dance to rap music while drinking and smoking. These habits are becoming more and more the norm in the modern day society due to the amount of pressure that is put on teenagers to fit in. This is conventional to the rap genre because rap artists often sing about real life experiences, which allows the audience to get to know more about their personal life. Drake's target audience will be able to relate to this music video because the people who listen to his music will be the same ones who are dancing to it in clubs and are partaking in recreational activities like drug taking.
In Drake's music video, the audience are shown a time lapse of New York. Through the use of a green screen, the audience can see silhouettes of people running around New York City around Drake, who is seen sitting on a bed in the middle of a bedroom. This time lapse could be used to represent Drake's busy lifestyle and to show the audience that being part of the music industry is a lot of hard work. The time lapse of New York could represent Drake's busy schedule and to show the audience that Drake is required to travel around the world visiting different countries, meeting different people and performing his show for new audiences. This is conventional because music from the rap genre is often based on real life events. The audience will feel as though Drake is sharing a personal story with them, which allows them to get to know more about his life. Fans enjoy seeing the true self of an artist because it gives the music a deeper meaning and helps them to make an emotional connection to the song.
The first camera technique that is used in the music video for Drake's song 'Over' is a close up. The close up can be seen towards the beginning of the video and shows Drake singing directly into the camera lens. A close up is a very intimate shot because in reality we only let people who we trust get that close to our faces. This shot will make the audience feel as though Drake is sharing a personal story with them, thus creating a deeper meaning to the song. A close up could also be used to keep Drake as the main focus; the audience get to see a close shot of Drake doing what he is passionate about. It could also imply status because Drake is seen as important enough to have an entire frame to himself. This technique is conventional to the rap genre as these types of songs are often based on real life experiences and allow the audience to get to know more about an artist. Another camera technique used in the music video is a low angle. A low angle is used to show Drake's superiority compared to the audience. The camera is positioned closer to the floor, thus making it appear as though the audience are looking up at Drake. Some of his fans may view Drake as a role model because they appreciate his music and his music style. Some of his fans may also strive to be like him. A low angle is beneficial to Drake as he will feel a sense of power over his audience because the positioning of the camera makes it appear as though he is looking down on them. This is conventional to the rap genre because a low angle can be used to inspire fear in the viewer, which may draw them in to watching the video. For an artist like Drake, he will want his fans to view his life as more interesting than their own because this will keep them wanting to know more about him and attracted to the life that he has.
In the music video Drake is portrayed as being both materialistic and powerful. Through the use of mise-en-scene, specifically costume, Drake can be seen wearing a gold chain around his neck. People in the music industry are often perceived as being materialistic because it is presumed that they have the money to spend on designer goods. Drake comes across as someone who care about his appearance which could be due to the fact that he is always in the public eye which means that people are always watching to see which designer brands he is wearing. Furthermore, expensive goods are often used to signify how wealthy a person is. It is often perceived that the wealthier you are the higher your social status is. Drake can also be seen wearing an all white tracksuit which looks similar to a sporting outfit. This costume can be used to show the audience that Drake has sporting power which is considered to be masculine and represent physical strength. Drake is someone who wants to be respected and does not want to be viewed as a social outcast. Men who are good at sports are often perceived as being more socially accepted. This is conventional to the rap genre because the genre is often associated with drugs and alcohol which in today's society is considered to be the norm. People often feel pressured into experiment with drugs and alcohol in order to fit in or because all of the 'cool' people are doing it. Drake, who is part of the rap genre, will often be associated with drugs and alcohol because of the type of music he produces. This may have an influence over his audience as if they look up to him and see him drinking or smoking, his audience may be more likely to drink or smoke as well.
In the music video, Drake is portrayed as being wealthy and as having a high social status. Through the use of mise-en-scene, specifically setting and iconography, the audience can see Drake wearing a gold chain around his neck. Things that are considered expensive, for example, jewellery and cars, are often used to represent wealth. And nowadays, the wealthy you are the higher your social status. Furthermore, the use of a New York green screen could also represent the idea of wealth because New York is associated with high end celebrities and expensive shopping sprees. The audience may be able to relate to the idea that it is important to fit in and to be able to afford designer goods in order to fit into the mainstream. This is conventional to the rap genre because the genre is often associated with competitive men who like to flaunt the money they have and to show off their social status. This could be due to the fact that it is often perceived nowadays that an attractive quality to have is wealth, therefore the idea of wealth in the music video will help Drake to be found attractive by his target audience.
In the music video, Drake is portrayed as being very confident. Through the use of mise-en-scene, specifically body position and facial expression, Drake can be seen standing in a tall stance with his shoulders rolled back, making him appear powerful and in control. The audience can also see him looking intensely and directly into the camera lens, causing him to come across as being serious and quite angry. This is conventional to the rap genre because rap artists often use body language and facial expressions to express to their audience how they were feeling at the time of writing the song, thus making the music more personal. The audience may appreciate how honest and open Drake is being through the lyrics of his song and this may help them to feel closer to him. The use of body position could suggest that Drake wants his audience to respect him and that he wants his music to be taken seriously, not only by his audience but by the music industry as well. The rap genre is often associated with drugs and alcohol and if that consequently means Drake, too is associated with drinking and smoking, he could potentially end up with a bad reputation as someone who doesn't take their music too seriously and be viewed as someone who teenagers should not look up to. The use of colours and lighting in the 'Over' music video helps Drake, the song to appeal to Drake's target audience. In particular, the use of dark colours and flashing lights is what the audience would expect a typical night club to be like. This is conventional to the rap genre as rap music is often perceived as being club music. The music video will appeal to Drake's target audience because the people who watch the music video for his songs are likely to be the same people who dance to his songs in the club. They will be able to relate to the environment that has been purposely created in the music video, and will potentially feel closer to Drake because the video suggest that he enjoys clubbing just like his fans do, therefore they both share similar interests. This may also help Drake to be seen as more of your average day person.
In the music video, there is a clear emphasis on the idea that women are often objectified by men. Through the use of mise-en-scene, specifically the positioning of the characters, the audience are shown jump cuts of a woman dancing around in the background behind Drake wearing barely any clothing. She also never once shows her face to the camera. This is conventional to the rap genre because women are often portrayed as being disposable objects of lust and nothing more. By keeping her identity hidden, the video conforms to the idea that there is a certain stereotype of men who will use women and will often forget who they are. Some of the audience, especially the women, may not agree with the way women are portrayed in the music video as being easy and disposable. However, there may be other members of the audience who may look up to Drake and other artists who are similar to Drake in the way that they portray women in their music videos, which could mean that they too start viewing women in an objectifying way because that is how the genre portrays them. MKTO - Bad Girls (pop)
The pop genre is arguably one of the most listened to genres of music. The first editing technique that is music in this music video is animation. This can be seen at the very beginning of the video when the green writing appears at the bottom of the screen. The writing helps to set the scene for the rest of the narrative because it explains to the audience that the due, 'MKTO' have been kidnapped by a bunch of bandits. There is also a white outline of a camera lens which is the first mention of a continuing war theme that runs through the narrative. This use of animation helps to highlight to the audience where the artist wants them to be looking. There is a car driving along the road, which the audience go on to find out is where the two artists are being held captive. This is conventional to the pop genre because due to the development in technology, many pop artists now use animation in their music videos to create an exciting and lively atmosphere. The audience may find the music video more enjoyable and interesting to watch because the artist has included different special effects to help tell a story.
Another editing technique that is used in the music video is fast pace editing. This can be seen in the music video when the two boys first arrive in the camp and have their blindfolds removed. The camera then quickly switches between all of the girls that are now surrounding them. This editing technique could be used to show the audience what the girls are doing, or to show them exactly what the two artists are seeing which may help them to feel more involved in the music video because they will feel as though they are right there with them. The fast pace editing is used to compliment the face beat of the music. The audience will feel more comfortable watching the music video if it matches the beat of the music. This is conventional to the pop genre because pop music often has a consistent, dance orientated beat that will appeal to the target audience, the majority of whom will be teenage girls, as they are at the age where they will be wanting to go to parties with their friends and it is likely that the type of music that they will listen to will be pop.
The first camera technique that is used in the music video is a mid shot, which can be seen at the beginning of the video when the two artists are tied up and blindfolded in the back on an army truck, and yet they both have smiles on their faces. The audience may find this visual quite comical because you would not expect two people in their situation to appear so happy. This camera technique links in with the use of body positions and facial expressions in the music video because even though the audience are aware that the two male characters have been kidnapped and are being held captive, they are still seen as having smiles on their faces and as being pretty happy and content with life. The facial expressions, however do not compliment their body positions because the two artists are seen being thrown around by the female characters and pulled and pushed in all directions. Their happiness, however is conventional to the pop genre because pop music is stereotyped as being uplifting and the type of music that gets danced to at parties.
Another camera technique that is used in the music video is a close up, which can be seen at the beginning of the video when one of the girl characters kisses the male artist on the cheek while they are sitting in the back of the army truck. The audience will feel as though there is a potential relationship between the two characters which may draw them in to the narrative and will force them to watch the music video further to find out where the narrative is leading. This is conventional to the pop genre because pop songs are often perceived as having lyrics that are based on love and relationships. This is evident in the song 'Bad Girls' through the lyrics 'I love them bad girls, bad girls, shouldn't want them but I do...'.
Costume and makeup is often used in the pop genre to help artists to communicate a feeling to the audience. In 'Bad Girls', all of the girls can be seen wearing very revealing outfits, for example, hot pants and bra-like tops. In the majority of pop music videos, the female characters are often expressed in a sexual way in order to draw the audience in. The target audience, most of whom will be teenage girls, are at the age where they will enjoy going to parties and dancing and due to pop songs having consistent, dance orientated beats, these are the kind of songs that they will listen to. Furthermore, the outfits worn in pop music videos are often very fashionable and mainstream. This is conventional as artists within the pop genre often keep up with the current fashion trends and seek to set new trends. The audience will often look up to pop artists and the way that they put themselves across to society, including the way they dress. There is an idea nowadays that if you do not dress to fit into the mainstream that you will not fit in at all. There are a lot of teenagers who will be influenced by the way pop artists dress because they are often viewed as the people who fit into the mainstream the most.
In the music video, the positioning of the characters help MKTO to appeal to their target audience, who are primarily teenage girls. The female characters are always seen walking around in groups, and even the two artists are never in the shot alone. This is conventional to the pop genre because pop songs often express the unity that is associated with teens, who are the main target audience of the genre. The audience may be able to relate to the theme of friendship groups and strength in numbers that is expressed in the video. Like the female characters in the video, most teenagers feel their most confident when they are surrounded by their friends and will be willing to stand up for each other in different situations.
Colour and lighting is also an important aspect of pop music videos. The majority of the video is set outside in what appears to be a sunny, deserted area of land. The use of natural lighting helps to enhance the brightness of the music video and makes it appear more realistic. The bold green and black colours that make up the army print costumes help the characters to stand out and fit in with the setting. Also, most of the girls are wearing thick layers of makeup, in particular, the female character who kisses the male artist on the cheek is seen wearing bold, red lipstick. The use of bright and bold colours is conventional to the pop genre because they give off a happy, exciting vibe which the pop genre is often associated with.
The pop genre is often primarily performance based which can be seen towards the end of the music video, through the use of iconography. The audience can see the artist holding a microphone which is associated with live performances. The duo then begin performing the song for the group of girls, surrounded by other band members who are playing instruments such as the drums and guitar. The audience can see the girls screaming and jumping around in front of the band, acting as if they were at an actual concert. The use of performance allows the audience to get a feel for what it would be like to watch MKTO in concert and will make them feel as though they are watching the band from the girls point of view.
Kodaline - The One, (indie rock)
Editing techniques, such as special effects are often used in indie rock music videos to help the video look more like a mini film. There are often also different speed changes throughout the video to help create the sense of time running out. The first editing technique used in the music video is a jump cut. The jump cut can be seen toward the beginning of the video when it switches between the narrative of the younger boy and girl, to the artist singing into the camera, and then back to the boy and girl again. This technique could be used to suggest that the artist is telling the audience a personal story and is allowing them to get to know more about his private life. It is easier for the audience to relate to a video that is based on real life experiences because they have often been through similar experiences themselves and so can sympathise with the artist.
Another editing technique that is used in the music video is a straight cut. The use of a straight cut goes with the pace of the song and helps the video to flow. The audience will feel more comfortable watching the video if the beat of the song goes with the pace at which the visuals appear. The pace of 'The One' music video is quite fast, which is conventional to the indie rock genre because indie rock bands are often associated with always being on the road, therefore the fast pace of the video could be used to represent how fast pace their lives are, which helps to give the audience an insight into how busy their lifestyles are.
The first camera technique that is used throughout the music video is a close up. The video switches between a narrative and performance, during which the audience can see visuals of the lead singer from the band as he sings directly into the camera. The audience will feel as though he is telling them a personal story and that he is allowing them to get to know more about his personal life. This will help the audience to make an emotional connection which helps to give the song a deeper meaning. Furthermore, a close up is often used to show the audience the facial expressions and emotions of the artist. In this music video the artist appears to be quite unhappy, a feeling that coincides with the slow, down beat pace of the music video. It is conventional to the indie rock genre that the artist is often seen looking plain and serious because they do not want to take away from the music. A close up of the lead singer is conventional to the indie rock genre because the audience often associate the lead singer with the rest of the band and their music.
Another camera technique used in the music video is a long shot to show the audience more of the setting. The audience are able to see where the characters are, what they're doing and who they're with. For example, at the beginning of the video, both of the characters are seen in the park; the female character is reading while the male character is being dumped by his girlfriend. In the music video, the use of a long shot shows the audience that both of the characters are usually in the same place at the same time, but that they do not know that they are in the same place. This technique makes the video very climactic because the audience are left wondering whether or not the two characters are going to bump into each other again as there are so many times throughout the video where they think they will but they never do. This draws the audience in and in a way forces them to watch the video until the end. The music video provides the audience with a mini cinematic experience because the narrative is similar to one that you would expect to see if you were watching a romantic movie. This editing technique is conventional to the indie rock genre because the narrative allows the artist to express a deeper meaning to the song and can be used to draw the audience in by giving them something visual to concentrate on.
The use of simple costumes and makeup in the music video help to make the video more realistic and relatable. The artist himself is show to be wearing a pair of plain jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket. It is conventional to the indie rock genre that the artist will be seen wearing plain items of clothing because indie rock artists are usually very passionate about their music, and they do not want anything to take the focus away from the song. Also, in order to make the love story within the narrative more realistic and relatable, the two characters are always seen wearing ordinary clothing, for example, jeans and a t-shirt. The use of simple clothing makes the music video more relatable because it is likely that the target audience will dress in ordinary clothing themselves. However, significant pieces of clothing from the video are the 'till death do us part' leather jacket and the pair of black glasses. The leather jacket is worn by the male character at the beginning of the video when he first meets the girl after picking up her glasses from the floor. As he walks away from her, the audience are given a shot of his back, allowing them to read the words that are written on the back of his jacket. The male character wears the same leather jacket at the end of the music video when he bumps into the same girl some years later. Both the leather jacket and the pair of glasses are used in the video to show the audience that the characters at the beginning and end are the same. The audience will find themselves in awe of the fact that over the years, there are aspects of the two characters that have stayed the same. The way that the two stories are intertwined in the music video will make the audience feel as though they are watching a short, romantic movie, and they will be left with the 'will they, won't they' feeling that builds up throughout the video, which is created to draw them in to watching the video until the end. Furthermore, both the artist and the male character are seen wearing a leather jacket. This could suggest that the song is based on a real life experience, and that the male character in the music video is actually the artist.
Iconography is often used in indie rock music videos to help to tell a story. At the beginning of 'The One' the audience can see a young girl accidentally knock her glasses onto the floor, which is followed by a young boy picking them up for her. Then, at the end of the video which is set some years later, the same two characters accidentally walk into each other, and again her glasses fall onto the floor and he picks them up for her the same way he had when they first met. The glasses are a key piece of iconography in the music video because they are used to show the audience that the two character at the beginning and end of the video are the same, and that some years later they have managed to find themselves in the same situation that they were in when they first met. The music video is also set in simple, easily accessible places, for example, in their houses and at a diner. This is conventional to the indie rock genre because indie rock music videos are often quite low budget and indie rock artists want the main focus to be on the music and not on where the video is set or what the artists are wearing. They do not want anything to take the focus away from what they are really passionate about and what they are trying to promote and sell. It could also suggest that indie rock artists are to wrapped up in their music to care about keeping up with the current trends.
Colours and lighting are often used in indie rock music videos to represent and enhance the mood of the song. In 'The One', especially during the performance section, the colours that are used are very dark. There is only one spot light used while the artist is performing to emphasise to the audience that he is the main focus of the shot. This is aided by the use of a dark backdrop which prevents the audience from seeing anything other than the artist. This helps the audience to really focus on what the artist is singing which is conventional to the indie rock genre because indie rock artists do not want anything to take the focus away from the music. Even the clothes that he is seen wearing are very ordinary and laid back. This is conventional to the indie rock genre because most indie rock artists are too focused on their music to care about keeping up with the current trends. During his performance, the artist himself comes across as being serious and quite unhappy, which is evident by the fact that he never smiles. This could suggest that the song is very personal to him, and that the narrative, which is a love story, makes him emotional to sing about. The audience may appreciate how honest he is being with them and like that they are getting to know more about him. Furthermore, the colours used during the narrative aspect of the music video are very simple and laid back. This helps the video to feel more realistic and allows the audience to relate to the song more.
In the music video, the lead singer comes across as being very serious through the use of minimal facial expressions and the fact the audience never once see him smiling. This could be due to the fact that the lyrics and narrative are very emotional, due to them being based on a love story, therefore the artist is trying to portray that emotion in his performance. Also, his lack of facial expressions could suggest that the song is based on a personal experience, therefore by singing he is reliving that experience which is causing him to come across as very emotional. However, indie rock artists are often perceived as being very passionate about their music, therefore the lead singer may not want his feelings and his facial expressions to take away from the song. The audience are forced to concentrate more on the lyrics of the song rather than what he is doing. This may cause the audience to appreciate the deeper meaning behind the song and how honest the artist is being.
Through the use of mise-en-scene, specifically the positioning of the characters, the audience can see the lead singer standing at the front and centre of the screen. This is conventional to the indie rock genre as the lead singer is often the one that the audience will recognise the most and associate the band with. The band, as a whole, will usually perform close together in order to promote themselves as a band.
Another important aspect of the indie rock genre are instruments, in particular the drums and guitar. Indie rock artists are very passionate about their music and like to produce their songs entirely on their own. This means that their songs will have no added sound effects, and that everything the audience hears is... Indie rock artists use musical instruments to create the intended sound of their music. Most indie rock music videos are a mix between narrative and performance. Indie rock artists often use performance in their music videos because it helps them to show their passion for what they do and to attract people to their live shows. The performance element of the music video is entirely made up of the artist doing what they love and shows the audience what they can expect to see every time the band performs live together. The indie rock genre, when compared to the pop genre, does not have a massive following, which is partly due to the fact that the genre is not within the mainstream. Most indie rock artists play music for themselves and not the industry, whereas most pop artists are treated like a product by the music industry in order to sell their music to a large target audience. The narrative of an indie rock music video usually has a deep meaning behind it due to the fact that the artist has written the lyrics to the song themselves and that they are often based on real life experiences making them more personal. The narrative can also be used to help an artist explain their song in a visual way, or to give a music video a cinematic feel which will make it more interesting to watch. At the end of the day, more views on a music video will mean more money for the artist. In conclusion, it is clear to see that the rap, pop and indie rock music genres all use a variety of conventions, most of which are different to each other, in order to create a music video. The rap music video consisted mainly of visuals of the artist and fast pace editing to show the audience that the song was very personal. The use of a green screen was also evident in the video which allowed Drake to locate his music video in a different place without actually having to travel there. The green screen gives the audience the idea of an artist being able to go to any place they want to, however unrealistic that may be. It could also have been used to suggest that although Drake is in one place, he wants to be, or his mind is somewhere else. The pop genre is the most mainstream out of the three and will appeal to a wider target audience. There was no real deep meaning behind the video, which suggest that the song and music video were created for entertainment purposes only. The use of extravagant props and an exotic locations makes it harder for the audience to be able to relate to the video, however, it does make it more interesting for them to watch. On the other hand, the music videos for 'Over' and 'The One' are both similar in the way that they use close ups of the artist to make the song feel more personal. The audience are made to feel as though the artist is singing directly to them, allowing them to see their more personal side. Furthermore, all three music videos use aspects of performance to show their audiences what it would be like to see them live. This is beneficial for the audience because there may be some people who cannot afford to go to their concerts, or may live in a different country to the artist, therefore the use of performance will mean that they do not feel like they are missing out. I think the video that I take the most inspiration from will be 'The One', because the indie rock genre uses realism in order to help the audience relate to the video. For example, the use of easily accessed locations and costumes, and the use of natural lighting. Also, the indie rock genre has a lower budget compared to the rap and pop genre which use a lot of special effects and extravagant props, therefore it will be easier for me to create a music video that is conventional of the indie rock genre. Furthermore, the indie rock genre came across as being more personal and based on real life experiences compared to the rap and pop genres, which were very high end budget and used more special effects.
Copyright gives the creators of certain media products, for example, music and videos, the rights to decide how they are used and how they are distributed. This law can be used to prevent other artists from producing work that is similar to what another artist has already produced. Also, the law means that the right person gets to take the credit for the success of the work produced. In the music industry, the copyright law can be used to protect both the actual song, for example the lyrics and the melody, as well as the recordings that are made of the song, for example, the CD's. However, the law does not protect work that is only in a persons head, there has to be evidence, either on paper or on recording that the medium belongs to them. In order to be protected under the copyright law, the work has to meet a certain criteria. For example, the work has to be an original piece that has been created by the artist themselves. Also, there has to be a way of perceiving and reproducing the work and the work must show a minimum degree of creativity. The copyright law is essential within the music industry because it preventa an artist from wrongfully receiving credit that they do not deserve for the creation of a song that isn't their own. If two songs sound so similar, the artist who first created the song may lose out on the opportunity to make more money due to the fact that the audience will have a choice of what they want to listen to and there is a chance that they will prefer the copyright song.
An example of a famous case of copyright happened in 1990 when Vanilla Ice released his song "Ice Ice Baby" which sounded not to dissimilar to Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure". Vanilla Ice is said to have altered the rhythm of the baseline thinking this would help him to avoid the question of credit, royalties, license or permission, however, it was clear to everyone that Vanilla Ice was in the wrong, which resulted in him having to pay a substantial amount to Queen and Bowie for copyright. Since then, the song "Ice Ice Baby" has been released again, but this time with all of the legal procedures followed. The copyright law prevents an artist from producing a song that is any way to similar to a piece of music that has been released already by another artist, as this helps to ensure that the original artist gets the credit they deserve for what is rightfully theirs. This example of copyright shows us how Vanilla Ice failed to follow the copyright law due to the fact that the melody of the two songs sounded fairly similar, and because the song "Under Pressure" was released well before "Ice Ice Baby" it is clear to see that Vanilla Ice was in the wrong and that he was making money for selling a song that technically wasn't his own.
Our group had to apply for copyright of the song 'Salvation' by Gabrielle Aplin because the song originally belongs to her and the Parlophone record label that she is signed to, which means they are the ones who have the rights to decide how the music is used, which includes any educational reasons. By applying for copyright we prevent Parlophone from complaining or possibly suing us for using Gabrielle Aplin's music without permission to.
