Monday 4 October 2010

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music Videos

1. Boys Like Girls - The Great Escape: Analysis

This music video shows two stories that collide together, one is of a band on the road as well as in concert, and the other is of a group of high school fans for the same band and their journey to the concert. Whilst jump cutting back and forth throughout the video, the viewers see how both journeys pan out.

Because of the ordinary lives of the fans of the band in the video, (by going to a high school or working in a supermarket) the song and lyrics link to what is happening in the video; ‘We’ll make the great escape’, as everyone is heading out of their usual lives and ‘escaping’ to music and where the band are playing. The opening scenes show these ordinary lives, whilst jump cutting to the band in the concert. It then shows shots of the band in the video, before their journey to the concert and before them playing. These scenes includes various close-ups of old half-eaten food on a plate, feet with toes sticking out the holes of the socks, empty plastic cups and drink bottles and finally medium close-ups of apparent band members sleeping of sofas and the floor.

After these shots, there is an establishing shot of the whole room together, which includes all of the previously mentioned possessions and people. The mis-en-scene of this shot clarifies that the band had previously had a party. This fits into the ‘rock and roll’ lifestyle that people stereotypical think of bands/famous people. A side view of the main singer is used whilst he is brushing his teeth; the camera sees the back of the singer and the reflection of the front view in the mirror.

There are many different views and angles used for the band performance scenes, some of which are from behind the singer, on a side view; this is so that the viewer can see the singer interact with the fans in the concert, it is also so that it takes a view and perspective of another member of the band. Many other shots within the band concert are from the audiences perspective; this means the view is of the band on the stage, but also but hands in the air around and in the shot, to show the other fans around the ‘camera fan’. When the music is in full swing, and it is fast-paced, the edits match this, and the camera from the view I have just mentioned follows this and shows a shaky shot, as if the fan is jumping to the music. Many of the band shots so the band members giving it some attitude; this corresponds with their band image.

At points throughout the video, the two journeys collide and match over each other. These can be seen when the screen splits in half and shows similar happenings, such as when the two groups are both in their cars; one taking photos, and the other playing instruments. Another is shown when the group of fans are at the concert, singing along, and the screen splits to show the lead singer, singing to the fans and vice versa. The very ending shot is again split into two to show the fans car driving away, and the band members in their tour bus driving away.




The target audience for this music video would be exactly who the fans of the band in the video are. Typically more female (as it is a all male band) and a younger generation of teens and twenties, who, like the fans in the video, are just everyday people; they go to school, or have a job. To target this audience in the video, they have used a real-life situation to excite and open the possibilities of the already fans of this band. The video convinces the target market that the journey from normal lives to on the road, and then at the actual concert which is intended to represent the best concert ever, is something of a must-do.


2. Forever the Sickest Kids - Whoa Oh!: Analysis
The video shows the band playing near a race car rally with an airplane in the background. The narrative is about the lead singer in the band, Forever the Sickest Kids, falling for a race car girl. Throughout the video the viewers follow him as he gets into the race car uniform then sneaks into the racing car, and proceeds to drive to impress the race car girl. However, he ultimately crashes. When he exits the car, the race girl rushes to his side in a stereotypical Baywatch fashion and kisses him. The ending scenes show the lead singer with a twinkling smile on his face with his thumbs up, then the whole band walking into the sunset.

There are many different edits used within the video, but most notably is in the very first shot. A faded circle shape opens up the shot and grows larger to view the band. This is then followed by a blurred quick zoom, which leaves you with the effect that the music has shuddered you forwards, closer to the music and the band. The music at this stage matches the edits, as there is almost a thud noise made from the drums as if to launch the song. Other edits which are used repeatedly throughout the video, is the same kind of edit, only using diamond shape to change from one shot to another.

The opening scene establishes the setting of both the band and the narrative – the race car rally. This is shown by the mis-en-scene of the shot which includes trolleys of racing car wheels, the American flag attached to an aeroplane, old and unused cars, multi-coloured banners hung up, parasols, oil tanks as well as various other aspects of the race car rally theme. One of the lead singers is in both the narrative and band aspect of the video which can be seen from the same clothing worn in both scenarios - this links the two, as well as the setting to make the viewers feel that they themselves are at the rally scene.

Throughout the video, the band members do various things that fit in with their genre and attitude. These are things such as juggling the microphone between two hands whilst singing, getting right up close and in the face of the camera, jumping up and down and puling mad/wild facial expressions, following the camera with both eyes and hands; all of these points as well as the drummer flinging his sticks in the air whilst the viewers see this from a low angle, and one band member jumping over another whilst playing the guitar all prove the wild attitude of the band, and really emphasise the fact that they don’t really care.

Excellent techniques are used to highlight some of these ‘moves/stunts’; for example, the cameraman uses fast and sudden zooms each time the band member points back and forth at the camera. This means that the editing corresponds to the actions of the members. There is also a shot where a band singer motions for the camera to get closer to him, then once the camera starts to move he motions to stop.
The character that the main singer shows is then also transferred to his character in the narrative sections of the video, to show the correlation between the two. At one point, the singer is also singing with his microphone on the racing tracks, while the cars are zooming past him. Panning has been used whilst shooting the band set, to show the band as a whole, playing the song, this is also shown when there is a medium close up on one of the singers, the shot then zooms out to show the whole band playing along. A 3 shot has been sued to show the three singers together, as well as a tilt, which again, suits the craziness of the video. On the narrative set, there is a high point of view, used after a low angle on the lights changing from red to green, on the race cars driving past – this made the shot look as if it was from the point of view from the lights. A low angle looking up was used whilst a plane flew over some of the band members. This technique links with the mis-en-scene of the band set, as there was a plane in the background.

The target audience for this video would be a younger generation from teens to twenties, and those who like the alternative rock/pop punk genre of music. The crazy vibe and theme of it, which was created by the quick cuts, and many zooms, also suggest this target audience; this is how the video would draw in the attention of its target audience, as its style would match their own.




3. Katy Perry - California Gurls: Analysis
This music video revolves around a board game, stereotypically played by a man, therefore being in control. The female, Katy Perry, is the object and player of the game which can be seen metaphorically as the man being in control of the woman. Snoop Dogg appears as the King in the video and has captured young women and is holding them captive in candy related devices; throughout the video Katy Perry follows the pathways and makes these discoveries, then frees the women and leads them in a dance to a beach.

It is also ironic that the small sized girls are wrapped in candy sweets; however, Katy Perry decided to go with the candy theme to show a different world to the stereotypical theme of beaches for California. Perry was trying to represent Californian Girls in this video and says herself that it is a response to Jay-Z’s Empire State of Mind so that California can be represented as well as New York.

The opening scenes to the video is zoomed in to show Snoop Doggs face, it then zooms out to show the male playing the board game, named Candyfornia, which is showed in the very first shot. The setting of the video gives the illusion that Katy Perry is very small and is amongst the large candy environment. It is also seen at one point that the board game is set in Hollywood and therefore could represent the games being played in Hollywood and the prejudice against women being treated like game pieces on a board game. The setting is inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory films with it being decorated in ice cream, candy floss and cupcakes.

A war breaks out between the ‘King Snoop Dogg’ and Katy Perry with the other females. Snoop Dogg marches to the beach where Katy Perry and the girls are waiting to battle it out; he brings an army of gummy bears with him. Perry defeats the army and Snoop Dogg surrenders which could show the new role of women and how they are gaining control. The video ends with Snoop Dogg buried in the sand by the girls, nevertheless still admiring their beauty.
The video as a whole represents californian girls and brings alive their beauty in a fun way by the candy themed setting.


The target audience for this music video would be those who like pop and chart music. This can range from teens to people in their forties, and so has a wide range of groups within these categories. The main target from these groups would be the females, as the song is generally about women. To target this audience, the video has focused on the beauty of women, and so the viewers can admire them. Clothing, make-up and hair help to perfect this, and the mis-en-scene of the shots is highlighted as the women reflect the beauty of what is around them.



Conclusion

In my opinion, all of the music videos I have analysed were successful in different ways. Katy Perry’s music video was not only fun, but had an underlying message to it which was both seen and heard through the video and lyrics. Similarly, Forever the Sickest Kids music video was full of fun and energy; however, it did not raise any serious issues and concentrated on the entertaining sides of things.

When making my own music video, I will take on board the research that I have done in this task, and try to apply the knowledge I have gained to make my music video look as professional as possible. From the music videos that I have analysed, I have learnt from the Forever the Sickest Kids music video that editing shots and scenes to either fit the music or the actions on the band members is really effective, and will try and use this in my own video. I learnt from the Katy Perry music video to think fully of the concept of the video that I will produce, and develop any ideas of it being a controversial/moving/moral music video so that its effect is the greatest.

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