research for music video.

 

Music video research.

Best song ever by one direction-

https://youtu.be/o_v9MY_FMcw?si=QXjmaPJTcYpidrrm

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TARGET AUDIENCE:

PRIMARY- Teenagers and young adults aged 13-24-years-old, in particular fans of One Direction or other similar band/ boy bands and mainstream pop music. The video is directly aimed at appealing towards their target audience with the use of comedy, colourful costumes, exaggerated characters and energetic performances.

SECONDARY- Older young adults and a wider pop fan audience, who would be attracted by the parody of the video at the beginning of the music industry stereotype.

 

Codes & conventions:

-          One direction performs directly to the camera, following the convention of pop music videos; frequent close ups of individual members create intimacy and encourage star identification, particularly for young female fans who are drawn in to the stereotypical boy band. The band dance and perform, together, reinforcing their identity as a boy band. The boys wear exaggerated costumes, wigs and prosthetics in the beginning of the video, which helps to create a comic and playful style. Because the boys look directly into the camera makes the audience it makes the audience feel personally connected to the band. The video also shows references and parodies to the music and film industry, especially through its portrayal of Hollywood executives and producers.

  Use of camera:

-          Close ups emphasise the band members faces and bodies which reinforces star image. The medium shots also allow audiences to see the members body language and relationships with each other; the long shots show group performances and choreography. Ther tracking shots create energy and support the upbeat pop song.

-          The camera frequently focuses on individual members, allowing each one to maintain their individual identity as celebrities within the group.

Editing:

-          Fast paced cuts reflect the energetic tempo of the song and are typical of pop videos.

-          Continuity editing helps audiences follow the humorous narrative.

-          By them cutting between the narrative and performances it keeps the video visually interesting.

-          The editing creates opportunities to showcase each member, strengthening their individual and collective star persona, and the comedic cuts reinforce the video’s humorous tone.

 

Genre:

-          The video belongs to the pop/boy-band genre, and uses typical conventions such as:

-          Performance and choreography.

-          Catchy songs.

-          Focus on star image.

-          Humorous content.

-          However, it opposes traditional genre stereotypes by deliberately making the band look ridiculous through costumes and exaggerated performances.

 

Style:

-          The overall style is comedic, exaggerated and playful rather than serious. With the use of:

-          Bright colours.

-          Exaggerated characters.

-          Unusual costumes.

-          Humour.

-          Exaggerated acting.

-          All these elements create an entertaining and memorable video, which reinforces one direction’s representation as fun, youthful and approachable.

 

Narrative:

-          The video has a narrative structure alongside performance.

-          Summary: the members arrive at a studio where they encounter exaggerated versions of music/film industry professionals. The narrative develops through comedic situations before returning to the band performing.

-          Which in turn creates two strands:

Narrative: the humorous story.

Performance: one direction singing and performing the song.

-          This is a common convention of music videos because it allows the artist to promote both their song and star image.

 

Type of video:

-          The combination of performance, narrative and comedy makes the video highly entertaining while simultaneously promoting one direction’s star image, personalities and appeal to their predominantly young female audience.

 

Lighting:

-          Bright, high-key lighting creates a fun, upbeat and energetic atmosphere, matching the pop genre.

-          Studio lighting makes the band members clearly visible, helping emphasise their star image.

-          - the lighting also contributes to the exaggerated, comedic style of the video.

 

Costume:

-          Exaggerated costumes, wigs and prosthetics are used for comedic effect.

-          The unusual costumes help the members portray different characters and parody stereotypes of the music/film industry.

-          Their costumes make the video feel playful and less serious, reinforcing one direction’s youthful and approachable image.

 

She moves in her own way- The Kooks.

https://youtu.be/pquhYpGHrlw?si=0P3OWEbtGjQKBxV

PPRIMARY AND SECONDARY TARGET AUDIENCE:

PRIMARY- Teenagers and young adults aged between 15 and 25 years old, with both male and female audiences being the target for the music video due to the song having a broad rock and pop appeal. The music video also appeals directly to fans of: indie rock, alternative rock and British musicians.

SECONDARY- Adults aged between 25-40, in particular people that grew up with 1990’s-2000’s music/ pre-existing fans of the kooks and other British indie bands such as the arctic monkeys.

 

CAMERA:

-          Close-ups of the band, particularly the lead singer, establishes their identity and creates a connection with the audience.

-          Medium shots of the musicians performing helps demonstrate their musical talent and reinforces the performance element of the video.

-          Long shots and establishing shots of locations show the band’s journey and the environments they visit.

-          Hndheld camera movements create a casual, spontaneous and homemade aesthetic, which is associated with indie music videos.

 

EDITING:

-          The video cuts between performance footage and narrative or travel footage. This creates a sense of movement and follows the conventions of a performance-based indie music video. Changes in location through editing suggest the band are traveling and enjoying life together.

SOUND:

-          The upbeat indiepop/rock song creates a lively and youthful atmosphere, while the connection between the music and the performance of the band, including their singing and instrument playing, helps the audience associate the band’s identity with the music.

MISE-EN-SCENE:

-          The band are shown on a tour bus and in a variety of different locations, including outdoor and run-down environments. The contrasts between travelling spaces and more desolate settings create a sense of adventure and freedom. The locations also suggest that the band are not dependent on glamorous or expensive settings, reinforcing indie authenticity.

COSTUME AND APPERANCE:

-          The band wear casual indie clothing, such as t-shirts, jeans and informal hairstyles. This presents them as ordinary, approachable young men rather than highly manufactured pop stars. Their appearance conforms to indie-rock conventions and helps construct an authentic band image.

PROPS AND PERFORMANCE:

-          Musical instruments, including guitars are important props because they signify the band’s musicianship and reinforce the idea that their identity is centred around making music. The tour bus, food, drinks and informal activities also create a sense of friendship and a relaxed lifestyle.

LIGHTING AND COLOUR:

-          Daytime footage uses a relatively soft, natural appearance, whilst night-time scenes ae darker. This creates a realistic, documentary-like style rather than the polished appearance of some mainstream pop videos. The contrast between dark and light also reflects the different stages of the band’s journey.

REPRESENTATION AND GENRE:

-          INDIE AUTHENTICITY- the informal locations, handheld filming, casual costumes and emphasis on instruments represent the band as genuine musicians.

-          YOUTHFUL LIFESTYLE: the tour bus, travelling, partying and friendship represent the youth as energetic, sociable and adventurous.

-          MASCULINITY: the male band members are frequently shown together, enjoying themselves and performing. This constructs a representation of male friendship and an informal youthful masculinity ideology.

-          INDIE CONVENTIONS: the video combines performance, travel footage and a relaxed visual style, conforming to the conventions of indie music videos.

MEDIA THEROIES:

-          ANDREW GOODWIN- MUSIC VIDEO CONVENTIONS: the video uses performance footage, close-ups of the lead singer and a relationship between the lyrics, music and visuals. This is an example of illustration, as the band are shown performing the show.

-          RICHARD DYER- STAR THEORY: the band are constructed as authentic and approachable through their casual clothing, informal behaviour and focus on music. This creates a recognisable star image that can attract an audience while also functioning as promotion for the band.

-          STUART HALL- REPRESENTATION THEORY: the video constructs meaning through signs such as guitars, tour buses, casual clothing and friendship. These signify a youthful, independent ad music-centred lifestyle.

 

Bad guy- Billie Eilish.

https://youtu.be/DyDfgMOUjCI?si=uBlAkWy6yMiH8bd5

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TARGET AUDIENCE:

PRIMARY- teenagers and young adults (Gen Z), 13–24-year-old, females due to Billie’s fanbase being mainly young women who can relate to her songs, including fans of: pop, the blues and alternative music. The themes of: power, identity, confidence and the challenging of gender stereotypes also heavily appeals to a young and influential female audience.

SECONDARY- older adults (25-40-year-olds), wo enjoy the genre of music previously mentioned of: pop, alternative and more sad and potentially relatable music, also fans of unconventional music videos, and people that at to feel empowered.

 

PROMOTION:

-          The video uses a mixture of performance and narrative, with Billie directly interacting with the camera.

-          The highly stylised visuals make the video immediately recognisable and help construct billie’s star image.

-          The unusual imagery and surreal situations oppose the conventions of a stereotypical pop music video.

-          The music video promotes both the song and Billie as an artist, creating a distinctive visual identity.

ICONOGRAPHY:

-         Yellow is the dominant colour, which is becoming strongly associated with Billie Eilish’s visual identity.

-         Blood and other disturbing imagery create connotations of danger, violence and unpredictability.

-         Spiders reinforce the unsettling and unusual aesthetic of the music video.

-         Oversized clothing is a part of Billie’s recognisable iconography and challenges conventional representations of female pop stars.

-         Billie’s distinctive green hair contributes to her very recognisable star image.

-         The repeated use of surreal, unusual and grotesque imagery creates, and unconventional identity associated with Billie.

-         the iconography of power, danger and rebellion reflects the songs construction of Billie as the ‘bad guy’.

 

CAMERA:

-          CLOSE-UPS: frequent close-ups of Billie’s face make her the central focus.

Her direct gaze creates a relationship between Billie and the audience.

Her facial expressions are often exaggerated, making her appear confident and unpredictable.

-         LOW-ANGLE SHOTS: low angle shots can make Billie appear powerful and dominant.

This challenges conventional representations of female pop stars.

-         FRAMING: Billie is often positioned centrally within the frame. This reinforces her status as the star and makes her the visual focus.

CONVENTIONS:

-the video uses conventions of the pop music video:

   - artist performance.

  - lip-syncing.

  - close-ups of the star.

  - strong visual relationship representation between the music and the imagery.

   - distinctive costumes and locations.

  - repeated visual motifs.

However, it also subverts conventions through its surreal and disturbing imagery. This helps establish Billie as an unconventional pop artist.

 

LANGUAGE:

-          Yellow is extensively used and becomes associated with Billie’s visual identity.

-          The exaggerated imagery creates a surreal and humorous tone.

-          Blood, spiders and other unusual images create a sense of discomfort.

-          The title “bad guy” establishes a deliberately provocative identity.

-          Visuals often contrast conventional expectations of femininity.

The partnership of bright colours and disturbing imagery creates an unsettling contrast.

 

AUDIENCE:

The video appeals particularly to a young audience because:

-          It is visually distinctive and memorable.

-          The unusual imagery gives audiences things to discuss and interpret.

-          Billie presents herself as different from conventional pop stars.

-          The video can appeal to audiences who identity with alternative or non-conformist identities.

The unusual visuals also make the video highly recognisable and talked about, giving Billie free promotion and advertisement through viewers talking about it on social media which supports the artists popularity.

 

MISE-EN-SCNE:

COSTUME- Billie frequently wears baggy/ oversized clothes, which is significant because it rejects the explanation that female popstars need to wear revealing or stereotypical “sexy” clothing to be successful, which contributes to her star image of being androgynous and unconventional in comparison to similar artists.

COLOUR- yellow is one of the most significant colours in the video, as it creates a bright, artificial world while contrasting with the darker and more disturbing imagery.  The distinctive colour palette also aids Billie’s visual identity to be immediately recognisable.

PROPS- the video uses unusual props and imagery, including:

-          Spiders.

-          Blood.

-          Food.

-          Needles.

-          And various objects that are associated heavily with discomfort.

These create surreal and grotesque aesthetics, which is the artists aims as one of her first songs to set her star image within the industry and stand out against other female pop stars.

SETTING- The locations are deliberately artificial and stylised rather than realistic. This makes the video feel like a fantasy world, which reinforces the idea that Billie is performing as a particular identity.

BODY LANGUAGE- Billie uses exaggerated movements and facial expressions. This makes her appear playful and confident while also making the audience uncertain about how seriously to take the “bad guy” persona.

 

SOUND:

-          The heavy bassline gives the song a powerful and almost threatening quality.

-          The minimalist production leaves space for Billie’s vocals.

-          Her vocals are relatively controlled and understated rather than powerful in the traditional way.

-          This contrasts with the exaggerated visuals.

-          The lyrics often repeat “bad guy”, which establishes that persona, while the visuals hyperbolise and parody this identity sometimes.

 

MEDIA THEORIES:

 

ANDREW GOODWIN: the video follows Goodwin’s conventions through:

-          Relationships between lyrics and visuals.

-          Relationships between music and visuals.

-          Frequent close-ups of the artist.

-          Establishment of a recognisable star image.

 

STUART HALL: Hall’s theory can be used to argue that Billie’s representation is constructed: her costume, body language, camera positioning and colour palette construct her as unconventional, powerful and non-conformist.

LAURA MULVEY:  the male gaze can be used to discuss how Billie challenges conventions of sexualised representations of female artists; she does this by her oversized clothes and lack of emphasis on conventional sexual attractiveness, both of these things can be interpreted that she as an artist is resisting the expectations that female performers should be presented primarily for male spectators.

RICHARD DYER: Dyer’s star theory is particularly useful as the video constructs Bille as a distinctive artist through her unconventional behaviour, unusual appearance and recognisable visual style.