Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music Adverts

Lostprophets Poster:
The use of the 3 colours shows the target audience that that is the house theme of the poster. The backwards ‘R’ stands out to the target audience, enticing the viewer into reading more, which will then entice them into buying the album the poster is promoting. Using the lightning/electrifying imagery also catches the eye of the viewer, as it is in the centre of the page, as well as being in the brightest colour within the house theme. The headshots of the band members signify to the viewer that they are the ‘Lostprophets’. The fact that the band name is in a different font to the name of the album signifies that both of the titles are important, and both have to stand out to catch the viewer’s eye. Also the facial expressions on the band members show a gormless look, which could relate to ‘the betrayed’ as they can be perceived as if they are speechless. On the other hand the facial expressions could be linked to the lightning/electrifying imagery, this can be linked as they could be in a state of shock after just being struck by lightning. The use of wings suggests that a band member could have possibly left, which can also then be linked to ‘the betrayed’.



Fall Out Boy Poster – Folie a deux
The meaning folie a duex is ‘shared physiological disorder’, the use of the teddy bear on the poster shows the audience that the album could possibly be more fun and light hearted than what the translation of folie a duex is. However, the fact that the teddy is torn up and ragged, which what looks like a bottle of alcohol, could show the audience that the album could possibly have a more sinister side to the album, rather than it being all light hearted. The use of the cartoon like font for the band name again shows the lighthearted side of the album, and the fun the band are having whilst performing the songs. Also, the use of the house themes of brown, green and white could show the audience that the poster stands out from other posters, insinuating that the album also does this, by having better quality songs etc. It could also be used to entice the audience into buying it as it stands out, as well as this, the colours green and brown, aren’t aesthetically pleasing, which in a sense, could have an adverse effect on the advertising, as many people are drawn to posters through the use of ‘pretty’ colours, not browns and greens. Again, the use of the torn up teddy, is the folie a duex albums’ motif, therefore of course it would make sense to use this on the poster, this shows the audience that the poster is linked to Fall Out Boy and their new album, without having to read the information on the poster.



GreenDay – American Idiot
The meaning behind ‘American Idiot’ is about George Bush sending American troops to Iraq, the use of the heart shaped grenade, will show the viewer that the band itself do not agree with what he had done, which shows their support of the public, as millions of Americans did not agree. It also shows the audience that the band have an understanding about everyday life and politics, which could be argued that most bands don’t as they live their life in a bubble. The use of the bright red colour for the grenade symbolises blood, which could show the viewer how they feel the Iraq war will play out. The use of the red writing for the title ‘American Idiot’ again reinforces the colour of blood. The fact that the grenade is a heart, shows the audience that the band that they think the then President, is playing with millions of peoples hearts, as almost all the troops have a family. The use of an all black background helps the title and the name of the band; stand out. The fact that the colour scheme is red white and black, signifies, that they think everything is not just black and white, there is always something deeper. For example, George Bush had other reasons to go into Iraq. The use of the hand holding the grenade, symbolises blood shed and war.

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music DVD Covers

1. Green Day DVD Cover Analysis

The band ‘Green Day’ are a traditional rock band, which also fits into genres such as Punk Rock, Pop Punk and Alternative Rock. There are three parts to this DVD Cover; these are the front cover, the back cover and the spine. The front cover consists of two bits of text, an image of the band members and a background image. One bit of text reads ‘GREEN DAY’ which is the band name; this is in a large bold font, which shows a jagged line running through the text which could represent the broken society in which we live in and the bands edginess. The text is in a large black font and is positioned at the top centre of the cover to represent the importance of it and also so that the audience firstly look at this bit of information. Directly underneath this text reads the next bit of information ‘LIVE 8 BERLIN’; this is in the same text style, however the text colour is red and the font size is smaller. This is because the information is of less importance, as if you looked at the band name and either didn’t like the band or didn’t know the band you wouldn’t look any further, whereas if you did like the band, you would look in more detail as you would be generally more interested. The colour of red also links in with the image and draws out the two subjects on the cover as they contrast against the black, white and grey blandness of the rest of the cover. The fore grounded image shows the three band members of Green Day with the lead vocalist in the centre, who appears to be pointing towards the camera. The two other band members are looking in the same direction too which shows the dominance of the lead vocalist; this idea links in with the focus being on the same band member by the attention drawn by the use of colour in the tie he is wearing. All band members appear to be wearing smart styled suits/shirts/trousers; however they personalise this generalised look by adding accessories such as a studded belts and bracelets, and even by showing their tattoos, to match their attitude and genre of music. The band members’ posture and facial expressions also reflect this relaxed and rebellious appearance; for example, Tre Cool (who is the drummer for the band) has his arms folded and is leaning slightly backwards on his left leg; this gives the unruly and wild impression. The background image shows New York sky scrapers, but the image has been faded and can barely been seen from behind the band members. This can represent the band members being strong and almighty and even ‘on top of the world’ as the apparent ‘sky scrapers’ are below them.

The spine of the DVD has a black background and includes the DVD disc logo which should be on most DVD covers. The text has been rotated so that it can be read it if you turn the DVD case on its side. The text style is the same as that on the front cover, which makes the cover continuous in theme. The text colour is white, and therefore contrasts with the black background. It is also bold and in capitals – this shows the importance of the information being presented as capitals usually represents significant information. The actual text says the band name, where the band is playing, and the date on which they were; these are just the key information points of what the audience would want to see and read on the spine of the DVD Cover, before they picked it up to look in further depth.

The back of the DVD Cover includes an image and more in depth information about the DVD. The image fills the whole back cover and illustrates a live performance act of the lead vocalist in the band. This gives an insight into the high performance levels given by the band, especially as his facial expression gives the impression that he is totally engrossed in the music. The text that was on the front cover of the DVD (band name and location) is also on the back cover, however the band name’s font is in white as the background is too dark and would therefore not be legible. The text is also of a smaller font – medium for the band name and small-medium for the location text. These bits of information are positioned in the centre of the page, only more over to the left side. Underneath is more information – song names which are included on the DVD. These are in a slightly different font style; however they still match the rest. The font size is small for this information, which is positioned one song per line. Also included on the back cover is the Live 8 logo, which shows that the DVD is in support of this. At the very bottom of the DVD Cover, in extremely small font, there is extra information such as websites to visit for more details, and the names of the photographers/designers of the DVD Cover.

2. Fall Out Boy DVD Cover Analysis

The pop-punk band that Fall Out Boy is, have produced a DVD Cover which I will analyse in three sections; the front cover, the spine and the back cover of the DVD. This research will help me understand the codes and conventions of a DVD Cover better, so that when I come to produce one, I have a better understanding of what needs to be included etc. The front cover of this DVD shows an image of the band - live in concert, however the band members have stars over their heads, and are therefore ‘unknown’. There are spotlights which cover the four band members, and highlight the setting in which they are set. The mis-en-scene also includes the props of the chairs, and the smoky floor to further the mystery and intenseness of the situation. The band name is positioned at the top centre of the cover and is in font colour white, which contrasts the black background so that it can be easily read. The font style looks as though it has been hand-written and the large letter nearly drops down into the subjects of the image. At the bottom of the cover, there is text which reads ‘LIVE IN PHOENIX’ which is centred within a text box. The text box’s border is the same as that of the border around both the front and back cover of the DVD, and looks like an ancient museum- style frame. It is used to make the text within it stand out. The medium sized font is in capitals which shows the importance of the information – it tells the audience where the footage of the band is from e.g. filmed from concert in phoenix.

The spine of the DVD is framed by the same border that is on the front and back cover. The information included in it is the band name and where the footage on the DVD is from; this is the same as the front cover information. The text styles are both plain, in capitals and white. However the band name is again in a larger font as it is of more importance. To separate the two texts, there are four stars – in the same shape as the stars on the front cover; this links to the anonymous theme used throughout the DVD, as the stars are also used on the back cover to blank out the faces of the band.

The back of the cover shows another live performance image of the band. It has been Photoshopped so that the bottom half of the back cover is a mostly plain white background – which merges into the white/greyish floor of the stage in the image. The image shows the band members playing the guitars and jumping around on stage which corresponds to their genre and attitude, it also gives an insight into what the actual band performance will be like on the DVD disc. There is a design under the merged section to separate the image from the text. The text, which is positioned under this design, is of the different songs which will be played on the DVD. The style of this text shows how the capitals make the words stand out more, and to ensure it looks bold and clear to read. This is in small sized font and in colour black so that it stands out against the white background. At the bottom of the back cover of this DVD, there are two images of golden awards; these are positioned in the bottom left and right corners of the cover. The images are used to represent that the band ‘Fall Out Boy’ are qualified enough to win awards and therefore are well liked which encourages the potential target audience to buy the DVD.

3. Beyonce DVD Cover Analysis

Beyonce represents one of the best pop/R&B artists around, and this DVD Cover represents this. By being split into three sections – the front cover, the spine of the DVD and the back cover, you can see how the three interlink. The front cover is largely taken up by the image of the artist, who is lying on her side with a large disco ball in front of her. The prop of the disco ball could represent ‘fun times’ and that the artist is the life and soul of the party by the close connection between herself and the prop. The close up also allows the viewers to see the costume she is wearing – which connects to the prop of a disco ball as it has small shiny squares. As both prop and costume are reflective, it could represent a moral message about appearances and how people view each other that the artist wants to show through her music. The facial expression of the artist shows her seductive and playfulness, yet also shows her serious side by the deeply indented eye brows. The text on the front cover is all positioned at the top centre of the cover; this includes the artists’ name, the name of the tour, and the fact that it is ‘live’. These vary in text size to match the importance it e.g. ‘Beyonce’ is large, as it needs to stand out so that potential target audience can see this and be interested. The text style of the artists name is also of fancy nature so that it attracts the audience. There is also a designed pattern that fits around the text to fully highlight the importance and attractiveness of the text. All of the text which is on the front cover of the DVD is in a gold font colour, which can represent the golden goddess that Beyonce is often referred to.

The spine of the DVD has the same information as what is on the front cover; however the text is in a simpler font so that it is clearer to read. The artists’ name is still in a larger font in comparison to the other text. The spine of the DVD also includes the DVD logo which needs to be included somewhere on every DVD Cover.

The back cover of the DVD includes an image of the artist, similar to the image on the front cover as it includes the same prop and costume. The long shot ensures you can see most of the artist, however, as the image is positioned to the right of the cover, half is cut out. Beyonce appears to be leaning back with her hands in the air holding the disco ball as her dress and hair are blown into the shot. This gives the ‘diva look’. The song list is left aligned and positioned at the top left corner of the page. The text is in a small gold font, which continues throughout the DVD Cover. The text wraps around the image to create an interlinked appearance. This is the same for the second group of text which is of extra information, for example, special features. This is in the same size text however, under this there is more information which is in a small font – the small print on the DVD. Another feature on the back cover is the barcode, which is needed in stores for stock checks/to buy the product/make sure it does not get stolen etc.

The DVD Cover works well as a whole by the use of colours and their representations. The images are also effective by the links between props and costumes, and how the text fits around the images.

Conclusion

The DVD Covers I have analysed here coincide with the genre/s I would like to do for my music video, and by analysing them, it will help me understand the codes and conventions of the genre better. I think all of the DVD Covers that I have analysed have been a good success, and this is mostly due to the fact that they all match their own genre (e.g. disco ball represents pop) and therefore target their audience by doing this. I have noticed through this research that it is important to have a certain style which is usually connected with the artists/bands style, as it is then reflected in the DVD Cover images and text. The clothing/posture/facial expressions the artist/band show through the cover, represents their attitude and style, and therefore is important s the target audience notice and judge whether to buy the product as a result of this. For my own DVD Cover, I will use this new knowledge I have gained to ensure that my end product has all the correct codes and conventions and also that it would be as successful as these DVDs by creating the right attitude.

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music DVD Covers

Music DVD covers

Manic street preachers

This DVD cover is simplistic yet stylish. It’s unusual to have such small images of the band members on such a plain background but this DVD cover for Manic Street Preachers works incredibly well. The background is portrayed as an art gallery, and the images of the band seem to be fallen pictures, previously hanging on the wall. The style of the images of each band member are in the style of Andy Warhol. This looks very effective as it’s very modern and up to date. A different colour is used for each band members image, this technique is often used on band memorabilia. It also allows colour to be incorporated into the cover. I think that using different colours for each band members would work well on my bands DVD cover so this is an idea I will consider when designing the cover. I also like the font of the text in this cover, its edgy and very rock/indie style.

Muse

I find this DVD cover for Muse very interesting, its predominantly image based with a large, birds eye style image. As the image has been taken above, the perspective makes the image interesting, as it’s a rareity to see and image on a DVD cover that’s been taken from above, this factor sets it appart from the very over used ‘front mid length shot’ normally used on covers. The man in the image, presumed to be the lead singer, is looking up at the sky. The target market can to fail to see that although there is only one image of a man there are many shadows without an origin of where the shadows are being formed. This poses the target audience to ask themselves why is this? And instantly adds a sence of mystery as well as intrigues the audience. I really like the idea of having more than just a photo on my DVD cover, I like the idea of using different photoshop techniques to create this. I will definatly research this technique futher to make the most of the technology available, and I also think it would make my cover more edgy and current. The size of the bands name and DVD name are very small in comparison to the image, this is very confident of the band to expect to be recognised by the main image, this is very ‘Muse’ and reflects the bands confident nature.

Radiohead

This DVD cover is very effective as it stands out to the target audience very well. The black background works really well as it directs attention to the image in the centre of the photo. This cover doesn’t include any images of the band which is unusual for a DVD cover for a band. Instead it features an image of a female and male character holding hands. This image is an outline cut into the black background, the middle of the image is a wood effect textured look in yellow/red colour scheme. This technique looks really effective as it’s intriguing as it makes the target audience want a closer look to see what is inside the images. Writing and images are both used sparsely in this cover but although there is only two words, it’s so straight to the point its tells the target audience all they need to know about the cover. This simplistic look is defiantly worth considering for my cover as it will stop the cover form looking too ‘cluttered’. The font used for the text is very plain and bold which makes it stand out, also the white against the black enforces this further.

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music DVD Covers

All-American Rejects

The DVD cover for All-American Rejects really captures the bands image as they are young and can be associated with university/6^th form students therefore aiming at the right audience for their music. Connotations of this are shown as the DVD cover is called “SCHOOLED” and using lined paper as the background. Yet it still keeps the theme of music as pencils are represented as part of the guitar and the drum is at the front displaying the name which ties in with the band. This makes their market very big and popular, thus creating high sales and popularity. Due to the colours used on the front cover it isn’t sexist as it uses blue – for boys, pink – for girls and green to be neutral, which follows stereotypical values. As a result targeting all gender and keeping their market wide. The codes and conventions used on the cover are the band’s name “All-American Rejects” and their logo which is “AAR”, which is a rocky design which suits their image and their genre as they are a rock and pop band. As a result the A and R are lighting like but the other A is smoother for pop. This makes their image very symbolic to their genre of music. Throughout the DVD it looks like there are mirror images as there is two of everything on either side of the cover e.g. two school buses and two guitars which are opposite to each other. This gives the front cover an equal layout and making the middle the main focus, where the band are. As a whole the spread of the DVD cover appears very spacious as there are a lot of empty spaces and white line paper showing, as a result minimalist is the idea here. Also this makes it not over powering to the eye and appealing to look at as it is very art like.

Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World’s cover is very unusual as it doesn’t actually show any images of the band on the front which shows that they have confidence in their name just being on the front cover. This is probably because the red is very dramatic making it stand out and it is not easily missed due to it having a black and white background. Also due to the success of the band and their image they know that their audience will recognise them. The DVD has conventions like a barcode on it therefore I must look back at my analyses and follow this when doing my own music DVD cover. This is the same with its DVD video logo. I like how it uses different types of shots for its front and back cover as a result only using two shots so it looks very sophisticated. For example they used a scenery/long shot for the front and a group shot for the back. The minimalist colours suit the costumes as they are wearing suits therefore the black and white theme goes and the red over the top sticks out like sin City which it only shows the colour red for blood. I don’t like the barcode of this DVD cover because it seems out of place as it is portrait when it should be landscape to fit in with the layout. Also traditionally barcodes go landscape therefore this would relate to today conventions. The white border around the cover creates a highlight around the DVD and not letting the black fade in with the background. To make it easier and more like a traditional CD, the tracks/songs are shown as a list format by using numbers to label them, therefore in a way the consumer may know what order then go in with them having the CD already. As a result the band is trying to make a link. Because the cover is mostly black they have to be careful with what they wear and they are wearing black suits, due to this they can’t fade into the background or the image will be ruined. Although because they are wearing a white shirt this lightens up their faces which is the main focus as they want to see this to recognise them, yet it looks odd because all, but one is wearing a black suit, as he is wearing a white shirt alone. Thus breaking the band image slightly and loosing it power against the audience.





Britney Spears

Britney Spear’s DVD cover is very different from others as she is a solo female artist therefore she has to make this her own image, by herself. I like how the common colours black and white are used a lot but in reverse for example there is a white background on the front and a black background on the back, therefore the font colours are reversed. Which I find really striking to see together like this. On the back lots of images are displayed in a 2 x 4 form this shows a lot of information in one place, letting the audience see all the pictures from her music videos at once. To save space Britney’s song tracks are in sentences rather than bullet points, as a result stars are used to separate them giving the DVD cover a girly touch and a hint of her own style as she is very young. I have annotated this DVD so I know what must go on my DVD cover later on in my project, for example in the yellow ring there is the barcode, by looking at this the barcode always goes on the back so the front looks its best and it isn’t seen. Also in yellow is the artists name and the name of the DVD these must be displayed on the front of the cover to attract and label it so the consumers know who and what it is e.g. “Britney Spears”, “live and more”. The red ring tells me that when doing my DVD cover I need to consider other pictures to put on as I am only creating one music video therefore, I am going to have to set up a fake music video scene. The introduction represented by the blue ring, the uses a lot of persuasive language to make the artist sound good.

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music DVD Covers

Blink 182 Greatest Hits

The use of the house colours grey and black, help this dvd cover to stand out, as there is no other colours to distract the viewer. The use of the bands motif on the front cover, will help the viewer recognize that the dvd is about Blink 182, which will raise popularity, as they will not have to read the dvd cover to find out what band it actually is. The use of the very simplistic front cover, is also to make the cover look aesthetically pleasing to the target audience, as well as contradicting their music genre, as their genre is punk, punk is usually very loud and ‘crazy’ which contradicts a simplistic dvd cover. The use of arrows on the bands motif, which point to the back cover are used to tell the viewers to turn over to find out what songs are featured on the dvd etc. The use of the dvd symbol, on the front is unusual for a dvd cover, as it is usually found on the spine or on the back. However it may have been placed their for their target audience to understand that it is a dvd cover when just looking at the front. The use of the almost all black spine from top to bottom keeps in style of the simplistic feel the band is going for on the dvd cover. The use of the dolby digital on the spine, shows the viewer who had produced the dvd. The use of the white square background for blink 182 greatest hits on the back helps the viewer see this more clearly, as it stands out, and is unusual for a dvd cover. The use of again, the simplistic layout on the back as well as the front is shown through the clear defined tracks in a vertical order, which has been centralized. The use of the small logos along the bottom of the dvd cover comply with the law, they also show what the running time is of the dvd and what has been used to create and produce the dvd.

Green Day - Live 8 at Berlin



The use of the all black and white colour scheme, is used to show the audience that colour is not needed to make an impact. The fact that the only colour used in the dvd cover is red on the tie and live 8 berlin shows the view who the lead singer is, as well as where the dvd was shot. The use of the full page picture on the front symbolises that they are the band, and they don’t need a name to be recognised The fact that the lead male is pointing towards the camera, again shows the audience that they want the audience to buy the dvd. It also makes the audience feel included within the picture, as if the band is directly pointing at the single viewer looking at the cover. The use of the dvd symbol shows the viewers that the cover is definitely a dvd and can be watched to view Green Day. The use of the same font throughout the cover is used for consistency and boldness. The fact that the live 8 and greenday is the same font but in different colours stands out to the audience, which will entice them to buy the dvd. The use of the date of the concert is used to show the audience when the dvd was shot and where. This could also be used for people who had went to the concert as they could buy the dvd of the day they went to see the band as memorabilia.

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.

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music Videos

Wheatus -Teenage dirt bag

This band is similar to Momentum in the style of music they produce, the video very stereotypically American. Its set at an American high school, the video is very energetic and contains has both a strong narrative and also a strong band performance which ties in together at the end. I think this is a really good technique used to link the band with the narrative, for our video I think we would used this technique as its very effective and clearer for the target audience. For the band performance, in this video the band is set up in the gym at the beginning of the video, this looks very effective and is much more interesting than just having the band perform on a normal stage. The costumes are linked very strongly to the narrative in this video, the band members are dressed as teenagers, but they’re dressed in a mismatch of clashing clothes to represent ‘teenage dirt bags’ this look is successful and also appeals directly to their target market, which is most likely teenage outcasts. The narrative of this video also features in the teenage film ‘Loser.’ The bands performance moves with the characters which I think is very effective, especially at the part of the video where the band are playing in the school corridor, I like the idea of the band being in different locations during the video. There is a very effective camera angle on the bands performance which is from directly above the band, zooming out.

Maroon 5 - Misery

I really like this video, I think it’s really striking. Although this video has a very serious theme of domestic violence, its light hearted, playful and enjoyable to watch. A re-make of this video has been constructed because of how controversial this video is, this is due to it featuring knives, guns and violence.

The lighting throughout the video is very bright, I think this looks really good and I think its successful in this video because its such a serious and dark theme, that if the lighting was dark it would change the feel to the video. The special effects used in this video are very impressive, the car crash and the effect of the glass window shattering particularly stood out to me. Theres also a part of the video where the female pushes his head under water then a quick edit is used to flick back to him singing underwater. This is my favourite part of the video and really stands out to me. The camera angles used are very varied which keeps the audience interested and a different range of fast paced to slow edits are used.

Nelly feat Kelly Rowland – Dilemma

This video is styled to look like a short film, this is pointed out to the audience through signifiers such as ‘welcome to Nellyville’ which is present at the start of the video, while the camera pans a typical American neighbourhood. While the camera is panning soft music plays, similar to that in the introduction of films. The characters are introduced to us as the camera zooms in on both Nelly and Kelly separately as does their names. As the music brakes into a short rap, showing young men greeting each other. The rap is a contrast from the soft introduction music. But the rap brakes into the start of the song, which is much softer. This video is a love story about two people who can’t be together because of other relationships.

The mise en scene is a typical American neighbourhood, the costumes are very ‘flashy’ for example oversized clothes, chains, earrings and a plaster on his face. The video is very typical of a love story as both characters cant stand seeing each other with someone else, there is an embrace in the street and also singing from the bedroom window is typical of a love story. At the end of the video ‘The End’ concludes the video, this very classic Hollywood ending matches the ‘Welcome’ at the start of the video, meaning the video starts and ends with the same style. I really like this and may use it for my video

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music Videos

Sophie's Homework introduction

I chose different types of music videos, DVD covers and adverts to do for my homework as this would give me a range of knowledge from different types advertisement for example genres like rock, pop, punk etc. I also looked at different genders as they vary and have different conventions to each other e.g. females are more sexual and flirty, whereas men are more stylish and rough. Also solo artists and bands were key; as a result this is another area I concentrated on as they both have totally different brand images to create for example not every band member is highlighted as much as the others in the media. I did two of each homework by the same artist/band as this was more useful as I would actually be creating all three for my own music video. Therefore when looking at all three as a whole I could see what was linked and changed to suit each method of promoting the artists.

All-American Rejects – “Move Along”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XleOkGsYgO8#

I think that the All-American Rejects music video for “Move Along” is fantastic due to the amount of time and effort it would have took to create and edit the video. The music video director, Marc Webb had big vision and was very clear and unconventional about his ideas. Therefore it linked well with the bands image of creating unique videos. Also as All-American Rejects are known for unusual takes on their videos they have won awards such as “Best Editing” and “Best Group Video” on “Move Along” alone. The main reason for these awards is due to the technique that was used on the video. These were quick edits of medium shots that were changing the Mise en scéne every time e.g. the scenery/background from hospitals to gardens and the costume changing to different slogan t-shirts. This is then sped up 100s of times over different shots, which are very short making them fast, at the chorus to make it more dramatic for the upbeat tune. For example for each word or millisecond etc it would jump from the hospital on the word “move” then jump to the garden on “along” but this is happen so quick you can’t look away, keeping its audience hooked. Using mediums shots are very effective as it shows the character and part of the background, by doing this it will allow the view to concentrate on the singer but also see what’s happening in the background, the narrative and read the slogan t-shirts. For example “Save water, drink beer” and the singer is in the garden watering plants, thus giving them a link. These techniques match the pitch of the song spectacularly as it is so upbeat and dance like and giving it a great hype. As a result exciting and entertaining the consumer. Although there is very little movement from the characters, you are still able to grasp the narrative it is trying to portray and the progression from the shots backs this up as they are very fast and short. This makes the music video more appealing because there is a lot of action happening. Band footage is not seen till the end, this makes the narrative a main focus and as the main character sings because he is the singer of the band this entertains the viewer as well. For this reason it doesn’t matter that the band footage comes in very late. When the band it introduced the shot become more varied as the medium close up is over used in the beginning, by doing this you are able to see the rest of the band members and more of the background, props etc.

Jimmy Eat World – “The Middle”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKsxPW6i3pM

As soon as you watch this video stereotypes are shown by Americanisms such as big house parties where everything goes wrong and everyone is naked. Jimmy Eat World are an American band therefore it is very patriotic and typical. The name of the song “The Middle” fits the narrative as it follows a young boy through the house party feeling very left out and out of place at the party with no friends and no girlfriend. This is especially shown in the medium close up where the guy is in the middle of two couples kissing either side of him, which highlights him being in “The Middle” linking to the title of the song. Typically the band is in the action of the video which a lot of American bands do as they are playing at the house party. Therefore giving it a gig feel. This allows the viewer to see the narrative and the band footage together and using extreme close ups at a slanted angle it creates a split screen for this to be seen (see still). In the middle theme relates to the band as well as the band are right in the action with them being surrounded by dancing half naked men and women. Because of this a lot of shots and themes have been considered that relate to the song. Suspense is built as a tracking shot is used to follow an attractive women enter a house party and use a medium close up to show she has stripped to be half naked, this sets off the music video on a high as it is a shock to the view as she was wearing a big coat. Many shots are used to highlight a young boy being alone and left out as reaction shots are used on a big crowd looking at him strangely and giving the song and theme a bigger impact on the video. Diagetic sound fits in with the music, shot used and the video as it falls quieter when a girl jumps into the swimming pool and the camera dives underwater following her. Obviously the band has an image to uphold, this is probably why no one is looking at the camera to make the scene look realistic, it also makes the consumer want the band to look at the camera to give them attention, which is a unusual technique. The killer shot is when a wide two shot is used to show the main character and a girl in the same position; this makes the ending a happy one with an unexpected twist.

The Saturdays - “Ego”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Umag84Fqk4I

Fashion and makeup is a key theme in this video as it doesn’t not only benefit the narrative it shows off The Saturdays’ style. Because they are a group the video expresses different kinds of shots to show all five of the girls for example two and group shots. The narrative is not often used as the costume is fancy dress therefore the video may not be taken seriously but this is a very stylish and sophisticated video, due to its genred music being upbeat but slow. The shots match the chorus and costume as you don’t see the superhero costumes until the chorus with a group shot, therefore concealing the fashion with big coats like heroes do and making a bigger impact when shown. The name of the song definitely links with the narrative as when you are a super hero your power and fame can get to your head hence them having a big “Ego”. I like how there is so main band members they have experimented with colour, power and style as each member has a different costume and super power. For example blue, sparkly costume and she has super strength which a very popular and typical power of a superhero. The extreme closes used when the girls power were in effect showed what impact they have on society and their surroundings e.g. the girl in red walks away and a close up in used to show paper on fire of a poster. Therefore she has control of fire can cause people physical pain but also ruin builds, livelihoods etc. The costumes are based on their powers as fire has a connotation of red, this is why her outfit is coloured bright red as it is striking like an actual flames of a fire. The diegetic sound of the lyrics links with the images of the narrative as she sings “ We used to go together” and it shows a close up of a group photo, yet she is alone, hence “We used to” highlighting the fact.

Homework Task - Analysis of 3 Music Videos

1. Katy Perry - California Gurls
The song ‘California Gurls’ implements how the size zero style girl is the perfect body figure and how that is everyone should look like and how that is the only body figure that someone would desire. However, I find this slightly ironic, as the mise en scene in the video is of ‘size zero’ girls dressed in sweet wrapper costumes prancing around in a world full of sweets and chocolate – all of the bad things a size zero girl would not eat in order to keep her tiny waist line. The use of the lyric ‘these are the girls I love the most’ backs the message up, about how the size zero culture is what is currently what everyone thinks is the best figure to have. The video’s narrative is also backed up by the ever-growing debate on size zero.
The use of foreground, for example, ‘lifting the lid’ on the board game, where it has the words ‘Sugar Daddy’ which again links back to the videos narrative. In one of the lyrics ‘snoop doggy dog on the stereo’ which is a direct link to the featuring artist on the track ‘Snoop Dogg’ this is obvious as the picture cuts to Snoop Dogg. As well as being the artist’s name. The lyric ‘so hot we’ll melt your popsicle’ suggests that having a tiny waist and looking slim means you are the ‘hottest’ looking person.
The background for the majority of the video is of a world of sweets and chocolate, I think what this suggests is that this would be a world of pleasure, and sin, for example the size zero girls eating this would be pleasurable, as they would never eat it in order to maintain their image, but by doing so are in sin, as they have eaten foods that are extremely bad for a person trying to diet and maintain a slim figure. From this the video is slightly poking fun at the size zero culture, because in the video itself, you have the artist who is extremely thin, yet walking through a world of bad foods and eating it also, yet she still maintains her body image.
From this analysis we could possibly use/replicate some conventions used in this video for example trying to portray a serious message through a music video. We could also use possibly a green screen which has obviously been used in this video, we could do this for example when the band is playing in front of traffic, where the traffic scene has been shot the night before then time lapsed to give it a better effect.


2. Love Drunk - Boys Like Girls
The song ‘love drunk’ focuses on the stereotyping of today’s modern society within schools and within the public itself, through talking about a summer romance one of the band members had. The use of the stereotypical skinny, good-looking girl within the video itself begins to portray the fact that she is the ideal girl and everyone would happily give up anything to be with her. But the fact that she messes them about throughout the video shows that she is infact the type of girl you would have fun with, but not an actual relationship, which is what the song is trying to get at.
The mise en scene in the video, for example the fact that they are in an arcade, shows that the video is poking fun at people who think they are in love after they’ve had a weeklong relationship. The use of 3 different boys of all different ‘cliques’ also show that it links up with the lyrics ‘all of the bullshit you put me through’ as it shows her walking off to go see another boy after using the last one for something. Again backing up the message that not all the good looking girls are the type of girl you would look for to have a relationship with.
The use of camera angles, for example the close up of the lead singer whilst he sings, helps the audience understand the emotion behind the lyrics. This can be seen through his facial expressions, which portray anger, this could also be linked to the way the song is sung, with a part screamo in the backing vocals. Again the use of angles for example the close up on the female leads face, shows that through all the pain she is putting them through she is enjoying every second of it, as he facial expressions show enjoyment and smugness.


3. Sugar We're Going Down - Fall Out Boy
The video sugar were going down, performed by fall out boy focuses on hypocrisy and social acceptance/stereotyping in modern society, within a small town, by portraying a teenage boy who has the unfortunate condition of having reindeer antlers. The fact that the opening shot is showing the main male character walking along the road suffering from abuse from young children, who have been conditioned to push away people who look different. The use of the young children shows the audience that it isn’t just adults (who are generally stereotypical of teenagers) that can be rude to people, children who have been around the influence of this can also do it. The lyric “Am I more than you bargained for yet?” also backs up the fact that the teenage boy knows he is different and wants to fit in with the society of the town, again this is also backed up by the different ‘days’ within the video, which shows him dressing stereotypically of different social groups, yet still isn’t accepted. This is also backed up by the lyric “that’s just who I am this week”.
The next scene shows the teenage boy meeting a teenage girl who in contrast to the rest of the small community can see past the boy’s condition and see’s him for who he is inside. This shows to the audience that you shouldn’t just judge a book by its cover, as the inside can be vastly different to what’s on the outside. The lyric “we’re always sleeping in, and sleeping in for the wrong team” tells the audience that even if he sleeps in which is a simple mistake, he does it wrong, because he is different and people see him differently. The lyric “isn’t it just wrong how I’m dying to be him” again reinforces the face that he wishes he wasn’t different, as he wants to be accepted by society, which is increasingly difficult for him as the community he lives in is prejudice and hypocritical as most people all have some sort of problem where it be visible or not.
The fact that the teenage girls father shows the audience that she isn’t allowed to see him anymore again backs up the fact of hypocrisy as it turns out later in the video that he himself has reindeer legs. Again the video also shows compassion for the boy as the girl decides to stand by the boy and not follow her father’s rules, showing the audience that there is more to someone than physical appearance. Also shown in the video; is the father aiming a bow and arrow at the boy to presumably kill him, when the boy turns around he tries to warn the father about the fast approaching car, which then knocks him down. This shows the audience that regardless what people have said about him and how they treat him; he is still a human and has some respect for the people that judge him. Again this is backed up when it is shown that he helps the father up/looks after him.

Homework Task - Research of a Music Video Director: Wayne Isham

Born in 1958, Wayne Isham has directed many music videos for various different artists in different genres from heavy rock (Metallica and Megadeth) and pop and chart (Britney Spears and Madonna). Working as a Director from 1985 to the present day, Isham has 92 music videos to showcase his work by.

Isham is most famously known for Metallica: S&M and Metallica: Cunning Stunts – both are live concert DVDs which also include a documentary. S&M was filmed in Texas, USA and was released in 1999. Cunning Stunts was released the following year. Pink Floyd: Delicate Sound of Thunder was also a concert DVD in which Isham is most known for. Wayne was lucky enough to direct the video You Are Not Alone on Michael Jacksons ‘HIStory on Film Volume 2’ DVD which was released in 1997.His ability to adapt to the wide range of music, artists and celebrity statuses makes him a great and employable Director.

The American Music Video Director has also ventured into other lines of work such as being a Cameraman for the live album, Caught in the Act by Styx, which was released in 1984. This was before any of his major Director work. In 1998 he also directed the feature film project “12 Bucks”.

Wayne Isham has been nominated for a Grammy award! This was for the Best Music Video category in 1990 for his work on Pink Floyds Delicate Sound of Thunder in 1989.

Fun Fact #1: Nested Zooms and Technocranes are Wayne’s trade mark.
Fun Fact #2: “No Wayne, No Pain!” is said to be a personal quote of Isham.