I came to a conclusion that most of peoples 'favourite music videos' consisted and related to the genre they chose as their favourite. In addition to this, I have realised that an element of narrative and performance is key to acquiring a popular music video.
Friday 11 December 2015
Audience Research Conclusion
Below is a video (well half of a video until it froze and stopped working) on me discussing certain questions within the questionnaire that were not multiple choice.
I came to a conclusion that most of peoples 'favourite music videos' consisted and related to the genre they chose as their favourite. In addition to this, I have realised that an element of narrative and performance is key to acquiring a popular music video.
I came to a conclusion that most of peoples 'favourite music videos' consisted and related to the genre they chose as their favourite. In addition to this, I have realised that an element of narrative and performance is key to acquiring a popular music video.
Audience Research Part 2
As I have completed creating my questionnaire, I gave them to 10 random students aged 16-19 in the sixth form area and got them to answer it. Below are the results of some of the multiple choice questions only. My infogram account would not allow me to create more so I had to create a different account (which is in the next blog post).
Tuesday 8 December 2015
Audience Research Part 1
As a part of my production research, I decided to create a questionnaire for 16-19 year olds in order to gain an insight on certain information such as what sort of music videos they watch and what specifically entices them to watch these music videos.
In the next blog post, I will post the results of the questionnaire.
In the next blog post, I will post the results of the questionnaire.
Saturday 5 December 2015
YouTube Rewind 2015
As an avid watcher of all things YouTube, I came across the 'YouTube Rewind' segment, as it is close to the new year. YouTube Rewind is a showcase of all the viral videos and music, merged into music video featuring very popular YouTubers. This was very interesting for me to watch and I became very inspired by it - a perfect reason why I should blog about it.
The video inspired me in many ways, due to the style of filming, along with the fact that it was entertaining throughout the entire video. This was due to many reasons:
1) The different locations - this, in my opinion, kept me engaged and interested in the video.
2) The use of choreography - in some aspect, watching the YouTubers use choreographed movement was entertaining to watch because they all looked like they genuinely were enjoying themselves.
3) Costumes - The variety in costumes show different stories which again, keep the audience entertained.
There are many more aspects as to why this video is successful but I would like to try to brainstorm similar concepts - i.e. the cage idea. This appealed to me hugely, especially as the camera angles I could create would be effective to the eye.
Overall, I would like to use this video as a source of brainstorming my own ideas for my music video.
The video inspired me in many ways, due to the style of filming, along with the fact that it was entertaining throughout the entire video. This was due to many reasons:
1) The different locations - this, in my opinion, kept me engaged and interested in the video.
2) The use of choreography - in some aspect, watching the YouTubers use choreographed movement was entertaining to watch because they all looked like they genuinely were enjoying themselves.
3) Costumes - The variety in costumes show different stories which again, keep the audience entertained.
There are many more aspects as to why this video is successful but I would like to try to brainstorm similar concepts - i.e. the cage idea. This appealed to me hugely, especially as the camera angles I could create would be effective to the eye.
Overall, I would like to use this video as a source of brainstorming my own ideas for my music video.
Thursday 3 December 2015
In Skeng We Trust
Today I was casually watching one of my favourite music channels, Channel AKA - a TV channel showcasing grime, hip hop and R&B. A video from an artist that I like - Stormzy - started to play and I was instantly hooked to it. I was already familiar with the song 'know me from', but had not seen the video. Take a look yourself.
The pros and cons of the music video vary, however, it is overall a very entertaining music video which entices the target audience: young teenagers. Below is what I thought of the music video.
PROS:
1) ENTERTAINMENT: The video itself is extremely entertaining in my opinion as it uses a lot of choreographed movement. Simple use of props (such as the whatsapp icon) adds a sense of humour which reiterates the entertaining factor to the video.
2) SIMPLICITY: The video uses one take - known as a one shot camera style. This showcases Stormzys performing ability - being able to lip synch whilst performing to a range of choreographed movements. Although this may be argued as a 'budget' and 'unprofessional' style, this is used by most grime artists which almost makes it mainstream.
CONS:
1) EDITING: The fact that within the video, the camera had to stop due to cars blocking the artist shows a lack of professionalism. This however could be overlooked at and be seen as a humorous element to the video. The editing itself is very basic which will not appeal to most audiences.
I may have been slightly biased towards this music video but I genuinely enjoyed watching it and continued to replay the song again. I think that although the editing is basic, and does not use the best camera to film with or editing program, it definitely showcases Stormzy's talent and allows the audience to focus more on the song. In skeng we trust #MERKY
The pros and cons of the music video vary, however, it is overall a very entertaining music video which entices the target audience: young teenagers. Below is what I thought of the music video.
PROS:
1) ENTERTAINMENT: The video itself is extremely entertaining in my opinion as it uses a lot of choreographed movement. Simple use of props (such as the whatsapp icon) adds a sense of humour which reiterates the entertaining factor to the video.
2) SIMPLICITY: The video uses one take - known as a one shot camera style. This showcases Stormzys performing ability - being able to lip synch whilst performing to a range of choreographed movements. Although this may be argued as a 'budget' and 'unprofessional' style, this is used by most grime artists which almost makes it mainstream.
CONS:
1) EDITING: The fact that within the video, the camera had to stop due to cars blocking the artist shows a lack of professionalism. This however could be overlooked at and be seen as a humorous element to the video. The editing itself is very basic which will not appeal to most audiences.
I may have been slightly biased towards this music video but I genuinely enjoyed watching it and continued to replay the song again. I think that although the editing is basic, and does not use the best camera to film with or editing program, it definitely showcases Stormzy's talent and allows the audience to focus more on the song. In skeng we trust #MERKY
Thursday 26 November 2015
Introducing Tinashe (Chosen Music Artist)
The song my group and I have chosen to do our music video on is an R&B artist called Tinashe. Below is the song of our choice.
Here is a basic fact file of the artist Tinashe herself:
Here is a basic fact file of the artist Tinashe herself:
NAME: Tinashe Jorgenson Kachingwe
AGE: 22
BACKGROUND INFO: Tinashe Kachingwe was born on February 6, 1993 in Lexington, Kentucky, the eldest child of Michael and Aimie Kachingwe. Her father is from Zimbabwe, while her mother is of Danish, Norwegian, and Irish descent. She and her family moved to Los Angeles, California when she was eight years old. She attended Crescenta Valley High School for a year before finishing early to pursue a career in music full-time.
GENRE: R&B and PBR&B
MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Tinashe was inspired by the music her parents would play in the house when she was young. She cites Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Sade, and Christina Aguilera as her influences.
- "I think that they're all iconic in some type of way. They're all amazing singers, performers and that live aspect is something I admire. I always want to put on a great live show."
Janet Jackson is an influence for her stage presence and dance style.
Wednesday 25 November 2015
Wildfire - Lyric Analysis (Chosen Song For Video)
The song that my team and I have chosen is by a new RnB artist called Tinashe. The song is not released as a single. Below is the song with my interpretation of the lyrics.
Click the image below to enlarge it (so you can see the analysis better)
Overall, the song itself is very dark and gloomy with this ongoing sense of anarchy. I am intending to create various blog posts to brainstorm potential story lines for the music video.
Click the image below to enlarge it (so you can see the analysis better)
Overall, the song itself is very dark and gloomy with this ongoing sense of anarchy. I am intending to create various blog posts to brainstorm potential story lines for the music video.
Music Video Final Song Choice
We have finally chosen a song after a lot of back and forth debating. The song's name is 'Wildfire' by RnB star Tinashe.
Friday 20 November 2015
The Record Business - Majors & Indies
THE MAJORS:
The 'major' record labels dominate the music production and distribution scene in the industry, owning or having shares in masses of smaller labels too. As a result, they have a huge amount of power over the music we all listen to and buy. This is because the major labels select what talent records what music as they record the music, print it on CDs, commission videos to be made, publicise the music and essentially distribute it around the world.
It is obvious that a record deal with one of the major labels, or a company related to one of the majors (such as Atlantic Records which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros), has many advantages for up and coming music talents. The majors have more money to invest in high quality music videos, tours and other promotional methods. In addition to this, they have a huge influence in other forms of media such as TV, games and films. Currently, the biggest 'major' labels are known as 'The Big Three':
1) Universal Music Group - Artists such as Ariana Grande, 5 Seconds of Summer, Game, Jessie J and Madonna.
2) Sony Music Entertainment - Artists such as Becky G, Kid Ink, Outlandish and Prince Royce.
3) Warner Music Group - Artists such as Bruno Mars, Wiz Khalifa, Ed Sheeran and Jason Derulo.
THE INDIES:
An Indie record label is one that is not owned by any of the majors. There are two kinds of independent labels.
1) THE MAJOR DISTRIBUTED INDEPENDANT:
This is a label that finds its own talent, signs its own acts, records its own music, but then has a contract with a label to do all the other elements such as promoting the act, manufacturing the CDs and packaging and distributing the music. An example of this is 'Roc-A-Fella' records - a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, being distributed by Def Jam Records.
2) THE TRUE INDEPENDANT:
This is a label that has no links to a major, and does everything itself in-house. Often these labels specialise in certain genres of music, and have a niche market.
The 'major' record labels dominate the music production and distribution scene in the industry, owning or having shares in masses of smaller labels too. As a result, they have a huge amount of power over the music we all listen to and buy. This is because the major labels select what talent records what music as they record the music, print it on CDs, commission videos to be made, publicise the music and essentially distribute it around the world.
It is obvious that a record deal with one of the major labels, or a company related to one of the majors (such as Atlantic Records which is a subsidiary of Warner Bros), has many advantages for up and coming music talents. The majors have more money to invest in high quality music videos, tours and other promotional methods. In addition to this, they have a huge influence in other forms of media such as TV, games and films. Currently, the biggest 'major' labels are known as 'The Big Three':
1) Universal Music Group - Artists such as Ariana Grande, 5 Seconds of Summer, Game, Jessie J and Madonna.
2) Sony Music Entertainment - Artists such as Becky G, Kid Ink, Outlandish and Prince Royce.
3) Warner Music Group - Artists such as Bruno Mars, Wiz Khalifa, Ed Sheeran and Jason Derulo.
THE INDIES:
An Indie record label is one that is not owned by any of the majors. There are two kinds of independent labels.
1) THE MAJOR DISTRIBUTED INDEPENDANT:
This is a label that finds its own talent, signs its own acts, records its own music, but then has a contract with a label to do all the other elements such as promoting the act, manufacturing the CDs and packaging and distributing the music. An example of this is 'Roc-A-Fella' records - a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, being distributed by Def Jam Records.
2) THE TRUE INDEPENDANT:
This is a label that has no links to a major, and does everything itself in-house. Often these labels specialise in certain genres of music, and have a niche market.
The History Of The Music Industry
The music industry has developed extremely in comparison to what it used to be: vinyl records, cassettes and more. Below is my initial timeline I put together of what I thought was the history of the music industry.
However, after I created this timeline, I studied the history and realised my perceptions of the history is much different than to what it actually is. After acquiring the knowledge on the history, I then decided to create another timeline showing the correct order of the history.
THE EARLY DAYS
The first machine to record sound was the phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison (who also invented the telephone) in the late 1800s. This worked by using sound vibrations to make small notches in rotating cylinders that passed a needle. The needle then amplified the sound and allowed it to be listened to. In 1878, the first music was put on record. However, cylinder phonographs were very bulky and expensive, and while they were popular, very soon discs were developed, initially to be played over the radio.
Making music to sell, rather than be played at live events really began in earnest in the 1940s, marking the music industry as we know it. Vinyl had been invented as an easier way to transport music to entertain the troops during WW2, who had a need to be reminded of home: a happier time period.
Jazz was a music genre that essentially lifted the spirit of people in general; its popularity began in America and soon spread to the UK. Jazz (and similar genres such as ragtime and swing) offered a rhythm and a beat, and was first and foremost music meant for dancing. As it became instantly popular with the youth audiences, dancehalls were packed with people needing 'fun' in their lives. In 1949, Todd Storz, owner of KOWH-AM radio station in Omaha started studying the listening trends of his audience, and of jukebox choices in the local area and decided to introduce a top 40, the forerunner of our modern-day charts.
THE 1950s
With WW2 ending, the world itself was a different place. People essentially wanted some sense of 'pleasure and release'. The war had broken down old traditional values such as those associated with women's roles and the place of ethnic minorities in society. Music that had previously been performed by African American artists and began to be played by white artists, and was aired on white radio stations, which widened its appeal, firstly in America, and then in Britain. Black and white artists sometimes even worked together, something previously unheard of, and this at a time when America was still a very radically separated nation.
In this spirit of coming together and expressing oneself, rock and roll was born - which developed through the merging of black and white music styles. With it came what became known as 'youth culture': the idea that the time of life between childhood and adulthood had its own particular characteristics, interests tastes and needs was the beginning of the idea of the 'teenager', and with it came way of looking and behaving differently to the older generation. Denim jeans were a fashion statement that marked teenagers out as being different from their parents. This profited both the teenagers, who felt a part of something new and unique, but also organisations profited from youth culture. Alongside the movie industry, the fashion industry and the food industry, the music industry thrived on its newly found teenage market as young people went out to buy records in their droves.
In 1956, Elvis Presley burst onto the music scene and the generation gap widened. His music, and that of other artists like him, was defiant, sexual, anti-authority and celebrated freedom. Because of this the older generation felt threatened by it and worried about the effect it might have on the morality of their children.
Radio was an extremely popular way of listening to music at this time, and the portable radio was invented in 1957, which enabled people to move the radio around their homes, and listen as they went about their business.
THE 1960s:
Despite the fears of a generation in moral danger, rock and roll thrived and in 1962, The Beatles signed with EMI records, and released 'Love Me Do'. They were an instant hit. The following year they released 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', which sold 1 million copies before it was officially released. 'Beatlemania' gripped the world over the coming years until Paul McCartney quit the band in 1970.
Up until this point, people bought their music on vinyl records but in 1963 audio cassettes were put on the market for the first time. Originally intended as a way of playing music in cars to American car owners, the cassette quickly developed into a popular format for listening to music.
The BBC resisted giving rock and roll airtime until 1967, mainly because it served middle-class, middle-aged audiences, and was known as a 'respectable' and 'responsible' broadcaster that would alienate its audience by introducing the new, dangerous style of youth music onto its airwaves. Instead, audiences could tune in to hear new rock and pop tunes on the radio by listening to one of a handful of 'pirate radio' stations which were transmitted from ships moored in the seas around Britain, such as Radio London or Radio Caroline, or from the tiny country of Luxemburg, which was where perhaps the most famous of these stations, Radio Luxemburg was transmitted from. The pirate stations were set up outside of British territory to avoid having to obey the UK's strict broadcasting laws, which at the time only allowed the BBC to broadcast in Britain. These stations were commercial stations (funded by advertising and played adverts during the shows) and their lively style of broadcast gave British youths a taste of American-style radio. The pirate stations were extremely popular and gave young audiences what they wanted: new, modern music and celebrity glamour.
It was during this time that music piracy first began to threaten the music industry as people regularly recorded their favourite music from the radio onto cassette tapes.
In 1967, the government closed the loophole in the law that allowed the pirate radio stations to operate, and promptly closed them down. This allowed the BBC (perhaps not so coincidentally, given the BBC's relationship with the government) to set up a new radio station to serve a younger audience. This was Radio 1, and to this day, Radio 1 plays an instrumental part in the music industry. In addition, The Monterey International Music Festival became the first ever music festival. Two years later in 1969, a momentous event in music history was held near New York. It was a music festival called Woodstock, and the event sparked a movie, two soundtrack albums and has since become the stuff of legend because apart from showcasing some of the most famous musical acts of the time, such as Jimmi Hendrix and The Who, it captured the cultural feeling of the time of peaceful protest, love and happiness.
THE 1970s:
Following on from the 1960s, the 1970s was the decade of happy, optimistic disco music, progressive rock from bands such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and at the other extreme, the rebellious, angry punk movement with bands such as The Sex Pistols and The Clash. The 1960s feeling of discontent with the authorities spilled over into the 1970s, and punk bands sang about crime, girls and sniffing glue. The music was fast and frantic, tough and gritty, and attacked the establishment.
The Sex Pistols, were described by the BBC as being 'the definitive English punk rock band'. Their anger at the world was evident in their lyrics, and they attacked the government and the establishment, singing about anarchy (a state of lawlessness and disorder as a result of the government failing).
The punk genre influenced fashion, and torn T-Shirts, leather jackets customised with patches, metal studs, chains and artwork, tight jeans and outlandish hairstyles dyed in a variety of colours were worn by many young people in the 1970s. Just like the teenagers of the 1950s and 60s, teenagers of the 1970s used music as a way of rebelling against the older generations, and to make their own mark on the world.
THE 1980s:
The 1980s was a hugely influential decade for the music industry. In 1981 MTV was launched as the first ever non-stop music video channel and marked a new era in the promotion, consumption and power of pop music. Young people grew to expect their favourite music to come with moving images, and their thirst for their favourite bands was quenched with MTV's schedule, which was a constant flow of music videos, hosted by VJs (video jockeys), many of whom went on to become celebrities in their own right.
Due to the popularity of music videos, it quickly became necessary for record companies to increase their marketing budgets for music artists in order to produce a video to accompany every new release. In return, sales of records increased dramatically and MTV became instrumental in promoting the careers of artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson and Duran Duran.
Ever since the birth of MTV, the music video has become a necessary element in creating a band's success. It gives the music a personality, and makes the faces behind popular music instantly recognisable. It raises the importance of the image and 'look', because music is by now only a part of what it's to be a musician or artist; it's a package that combines fashion, sound, attitude and style. Music videos are the showcase that allows audiences to have access not just to the music, but also the artists ideology.
By 1981, the must have gadget was the Walkman which was first developed by Sony, which had been released in Japan two years earlier. The Walkman ensured that music sales on cassette continued to rise, but it also had a negative effect on the industry too. Recordable cassettes made it possible to record vinyl records onto tape and people began copying music to play on their walkmans, rather than buying a cassette version of their favourite music.
In 1982, the CD or Compact Disc was first released to the public by Sony and Phillips, and was hailed as being indestructible as well as producing clear sounds. At first, people weren't sure about the new technology, but gradually as CD players became more affordable, the CD overtook vinyl and cassette as being the recording medium of choice. In 1983, Live Aid was broadcast to the world in its entirety on MTV and becme one of the biggest television events in history.
By 1985, Madonna was storming the world with her post-punk, sexualised image and her poppy yet optimistic sound. She was the first musical artist to really succeed at selling the idea of 'girl power'. She was elevated to superstardom through her music videos, shown on MTV and other music slots where she captured young girl's imaginations. She subverted stereotypes of women by taking elements of female iconography of the 1940s, 50s and 60s such as bright red lipstick, lace corsets and high heels - turning them raunchy and rebellious. She also had male backing singers, which was historically unheard of for female artists.
At the same time, Michael Jackson was leading the way as the top male solo artist of the decade. He too used music videos as a way to increase popularity, and the legendary 14 minute 'Thriller' video, became a global phenomenon. Sales of Thriller the album had declined before the release of the video, but the minute the video hit MTV screens, the single shot to number 1, along with the album, which still remains as the best selling album of all time.
THE 1990s
The decade started off with a surge in popularity in the genres of techno and hip-hop, but in general music of the 90s was extremely diverse. The UK music industry was booming. The British interpreted the dance music coming from the states (house music), and named it drum and bass, and this continued to rise in popularity and became more mainstream, along with Bhangra, a mixture of Bollywood film music and techno or house beats, which originally came from the Midlands and the north of England.
In America, Nirvana was reaching superstardom. In the UK, however, perhaps the biggest musical phenomenon of the 90s was the rise of Britpop, which was British produced rock, created by such bands as Blur, Suede and Oasis. It began as a backlash against the slighlty 'cheesy' rock coming out of the US. It was mainly guitar-led rock, influenced by earlier British bands such as the Beatles.
Technologically, there were many advances during the 1990s. Since 1998, the Discman was the portable music machine of choice up until release of the first MP3 in 1998. Most homes by the mid-90s had home computers, and for the music industry that meant that music could be copied from CD onto a hard drive. This in turn meant that the royalties that might have come from the legal sale of copyrighted music wasn't going to the artists or the record companies. For the time being, in the 1990s this didn't create too many problems for the industry, as CD sales kept rising.
THE 2000s:
In 2001, Apple introduced iTunes, and the world of music changed forever. The iPod was released in the same year. Originally only for AppleMac computers, in 2003 with the introduction of the iTunes Store, PC users were able to access music downloads. CD sales plummeted and illegal downloads meant that people who might have bought the music on CD (which would have paid royalties) were able to get it for free on any number of illegal download websites. The downturn in profits to the music businesses threatened to be the death of the recording industry because less money was available to invest in new and existing artists. It is currently estimated that around 95% of all music files exchanged online are unlicensed and unpaid for, meaning that no money goes back to the people who actually made the music.
Meanwhile, record labels profited from TV talent shows such as Pop Idol and The X Factor, where 'safe' musical artists were showcased and groomed to becoming the next big thing. Ratings for ITV's 2009 The X Factor final topped 19 million viewers - a ready made audience of potential music buyers fighting to part with their download fees in order to make their favourite the winner. The careers of the winners of these reality music shows intended to be short lived however, and the finalists weren't reliable earners for the record companies once the hype surrounding their celebrity had died down.
Websites, blogs and forums on the internet, as well as social networking websites allowed fans to get closer to their favourite bands and artists than they ever could before. The creation of MySpace as a forum for showcasing and accessing musical acts offered artists yet to be signed by record companies the opportunity to have their music heard, and to create a fan base without actually going to the expense of releasing a record (such as Adele). And although CD sales were at an all time low, many argues that audiences had more choice over the music they listened to since the introduction of alternative ways to access music, instead of only being able to choose from the range of music that the major record labels decided we should buy.
Hip Hop and Rap dominated the UK and US popular music, with artists such as Eminem, Jay Z and Kanye, whilst in the UK, an offshoot of grime, made it into the mainstream with Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Strider. This genre remained very male-dominated, performed mainly by male artists (with the occasional guest vocal support from popular female RnB artists), and featured very male-oriented lyrics and videos that often undermined and exploited women. 'Indie' rock remained popular, with bands such as Muse, Kings of Leon leading the way. Hard rock or metal punk rock also had popularity, with bands such as Paramore. Pop was less clean cut as a result of a more pessimistic post-911 era than the previous decade, and artists such as Britney Spears hardened their image, while Miley Cyrus led the way with pop-rock hybrid. In the UK, popular pop acts were Girls Aloud, JLS and Sugababes. The popularity of R&B continued with Beyonce, Rihanna and Alicia Keys being some of the more successful acts of the decade.
 |
| Click the image to enlarge |
However, after I created this timeline, I studied the history and realised my perceptions of the history is much different than to what it actually is. After acquiring the knowledge on the history, I then decided to create another timeline showing the correct order of the history.
 |
| Click the image to enlarge |
THE EARLY DAYS
The first machine to record sound was the phonograph, invented by Thomas Edison (who also invented the telephone) in the late 1800s. This worked by using sound vibrations to make small notches in rotating cylinders that passed a needle. The needle then amplified the sound and allowed it to be listened to. In 1878, the first music was put on record. However, cylinder phonographs were very bulky and expensive, and while they were popular, very soon discs were developed, initially to be played over the radio.
Making music to sell, rather than be played at live events really began in earnest in the 1940s, marking the music industry as we know it. Vinyl had been invented as an easier way to transport music to entertain the troops during WW2, who had a need to be reminded of home: a happier time period.
Jazz was a music genre that essentially lifted the spirit of people in general; its popularity began in America and soon spread to the UK. Jazz (and similar genres such as ragtime and swing) offered a rhythm and a beat, and was first and foremost music meant for dancing. As it became instantly popular with the youth audiences, dancehalls were packed with people needing 'fun' in their lives. In 1949, Todd Storz, owner of KOWH-AM radio station in Omaha started studying the listening trends of his audience, and of jukebox choices in the local area and decided to introduce a top 40, the forerunner of our modern-day charts.
THE 1950s
With WW2 ending, the world itself was a different place. People essentially wanted some sense of 'pleasure and release'. The war had broken down old traditional values such as those associated with women's roles and the place of ethnic minorities in society. Music that had previously been performed by African American artists and began to be played by white artists, and was aired on white radio stations, which widened its appeal, firstly in America, and then in Britain. Black and white artists sometimes even worked together, something previously unheard of, and this at a time when America was still a very radically separated nation.
In this spirit of coming together and expressing oneself, rock and roll was born - which developed through the merging of black and white music styles. With it came what became known as 'youth culture': the idea that the time of life between childhood and adulthood had its own particular characteristics, interests tastes and needs was the beginning of the idea of the 'teenager', and with it came way of looking and behaving differently to the older generation. Denim jeans were a fashion statement that marked teenagers out as being different from their parents. This profited both the teenagers, who felt a part of something new and unique, but also organisations profited from youth culture. Alongside the movie industry, the fashion industry and the food industry, the music industry thrived on its newly found teenage market as young people went out to buy records in their droves.
In 1956, Elvis Presley burst onto the music scene and the generation gap widened. His music, and that of other artists like him, was defiant, sexual, anti-authority and celebrated freedom. Because of this the older generation felt threatened by it and worried about the effect it might have on the morality of their children.
Radio was an extremely popular way of listening to music at this time, and the portable radio was invented in 1957, which enabled people to move the radio around their homes, and listen as they went about their business.
THE 1960s:
Despite the fears of a generation in moral danger, rock and roll thrived and in 1962, The Beatles signed with EMI records, and released 'Love Me Do'. They were an instant hit. The following year they released 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', which sold 1 million copies before it was officially released. 'Beatlemania' gripped the world over the coming years until Paul McCartney quit the band in 1970.
Up until this point, people bought their music on vinyl records but in 1963 audio cassettes were put on the market for the first time. Originally intended as a way of playing music in cars to American car owners, the cassette quickly developed into a popular format for listening to music.
The BBC resisted giving rock and roll airtime until 1967, mainly because it served middle-class, middle-aged audiences, and was known as a 'respectable' and 'responsible' broadcaster that would alienate its audience by introducing the new, dangerous style of youth music onto its airwaves. Instead, audiences could tune in to hear new rock and pop tunes on the radio by listening to one of a handful of 'pirate radio' stations which were transmitted from ships moored in the seas around Britain, such as Radio London or Radio Caroline, or from the tiny country of Luxemburg, which was where perhaps the most famous of these stations, Radio Luxemburg was transmitted from. The pirate stations were set up outside of British territory to avoid having to obey the UK's strict broadcasting laws, which at the time only allowed the BBC to broadcast in Britain. These stations were commercial stations (funded by advertising and played adverts during the shows) and their lively style of broadcast gave British youths a taste of American-style radio. The pirate stations were extremely popular and gave young audiences what they wanted: new, modern music and celebrity glamour.
It was during this time that music piracy first began to threaten the music industry as people regularly recorded their favourite music from the radio onto cassette tapes.
In 1967, the government closed the loophole in the law that allowed the pirate radio stations to operate, and promptly closed them down. This allowed the BBC (perhaps not so coincidentally, given the BBC's relationship with the government) to set up a new radio station to serve a younger audience. This was Radio 1, and to this day, Radio 1 plays an instrumental part in the music industry. In addition, The Monterey International Music Festival became the first ever music festival. Two years later in 1969, a momentous event in music history was held near New York. It was a music festival called Woodstock, and the event sparked a movie, two soundtrack albums and has since become the stuff of legend because apart from showcasing some of the most famous musical acts of the time, such as Jimmi Hendrix and The Who, it captured the cultural feeling of the time of peaceful protest, love and happiness.
THE 1970s:
Following on from the 1960s, the 1970s was the decade of happy, optimistic disco music, progressive rock from bands such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and at the other extreme, the rebellious, angry punk movement with bands such as The Sex Pistols and The Clash. The 1960s feeling of discontent with the authorities spilled over into the 1970s, and punk bands sang about crime, girls and sniffing glue. The music was fast and frantic, tough and gritty, and attacked the establishment.
The Sex Pistols, were described by the BBC as being 'the definitive English punk rock band'. Their anger at the world was evident in their lyrics, and they attacked the government and the establishment, singing about anarchy (a state of lawlessness and disorder as a result of the government failing).
The punk genre influenced fashion, and torn T-Shirts, leather jackets customised with patches, metal studs, chains and artwork, tight jeans and outlandish hairstyles dyed in a variety of colours were worn by many young people in the 1970s. Just like the teenagers of the 1950s and 60s, teenagers of the 1970s used music as a way of rebelling against the older generations, and to make their own mark on the world.
THE 1980s:
The 1980s was a hugely influential decade for the music industry. In 1981 MTV was launched as the first ever non-stop music video channel and marked a new era in the promotion, consumption and power of pop music. Young people grew to expect their favourite music to come with moving images, and their thirst for their favourite bands was quenched with MTV's schedule, which was a constant flow of music videos, hosted by VJs (video jockeys), many of whom went on to become celebrities in their own right.
Due to the popularity of music videos, it quickly became necessary for record companies to increase their marketing budgets for music artists in order to produce a video to accompany every new release. In return, sales of records increased dramatically and MTV became instrumental in promoting the careers of artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson and Duran Duran.
Ever since the birth of MTV, the music video has become a necessary element in creating a band's success. It gives the music a personality, and makes the faces behind popular music instantly recognisable. It raises the importance of the image and 'look', because music is by now only a part of what it's to be a musician or artist; it's a package that combines fashion, sound, attitude and style. Music videos are the showcase that allows audiences to have access not just to the music, but also the artists ideology.
By 1981, the must have gadget was the Walkman which was first developed by Sony, which had been released in Japan two years earlier. The Walkman ensured that music sales on cassette continued to rise, but it also had a negative effect on the industry too. Recordable cassettes made it possible to record vinyl records onto tape and people began copying music to play on their walkmans, rather than buying a cassette version of their favourite music.
In 1982, the CD or Compact Disc was first released to the public by Sony and Phillips, and was hailed as being indestructible as well as producing clear sounds. At first, people weren't sure about the new technology, but gradually as CD players became more affordable, the CD overtook vinyl and cassette as being the recording medium of choice. In 1983, Live Aid was broadcast to the world in its entirety on MTV and becme one of the biggest television events in history.
By 1985, Madonna was storming the world with her post-punk, sexualised image and her poppy yet optimistic sound. She was the first musical artist to really succeed at selling the idea of 'girl power'. She was elevated to superstardom through her music videos, shown on MTV and other music slots where she captured young girl's imaginations. She subverted stereotypes of women by taking elements of female iconography of the 1940s, 50s and 60s such as bright red lipstick, lace corsets and high heels - turning them raunchy and rebellious. She also had male backing singers, which was historically unheard of for female artists.
At the same time, Michael Jackson was leading the way as the top male solo artist of the decade. He too used music videos as a way to increase popularity, and the legendary 14 minute 'Thriller' video, became a global phenomenon. Sales of Thriller the album had declined before the release of the video, but the minute the video hit MTV screens, the single shot to number 1, along with the album, which still remains as the best selling album of all time.
THE 1990s
The decade started off with a surge in popularity in the genres of techno and hip-hop, but in general music of the 90s was extremely diverse. The UK music industry was booming. The British interpreted the dance music coming from the states (house music), and named it drum and bass, and this continued to rise in popularity and became more mainstream, along with Bhangra, a mixture of Bollywood film music and techno or house beats, which originally came from the Midlands and the north of England.
In America, Nirvana was reaching superstardom. In the UK, however, perhaps the biggest musical phenomenon of the 90s was the rise of Britpop, which was British produced rock, created by such bands as Blur, Suede and Oasis. It began as a backlash against the slighlty 'cheesy' rock coming out of the US. It was mainly guitar-led rock, influenced by earlier British bands such as the Beatles.
Technologically, there were many advances during the 1990s. Since 1998, the Discman was the portable music machine of choice up until release of the first MP3 in 1998. Most homes by the mid-90s had home computers, and for the music industry that meant that music could be copied from CD onto a hard drive. This in turn meant that the royalties that might have come from the legal sale of copyrighted music wasn't going to the artists or the record companies. For the time being, in the 1990s this didn't create too many problems for the industry, as CD sales kept rising.
THE 2000s:
In 2001, Apple introduced iTunes, and the world of music changed forever. The iPod was released in the same year. Originally only for AppleMac computers, in 2003 with the introduction of the iTunes Store, PC users were able to access music downloads. CD sales plummeted and illegal downloads meant that people who might have bought the music on CD (which would have paid royalties) were able to get it for free on any number of illegal download websites. The downturn in profits to the music businesses threatened to be the death of the recording industry because less money was available to invest in new and existing artists. It is currently estimated that around 95% of all music files exchanged online are unlicensed and unpaid for, meaning that no money goes back to the people who actually made the music.
Meanwhile, record labels profited from TV talent shows such as Pop Idol and The X Factor, where 'safe' musical artists were showcased and groomed to becoming the next big thing. Ratings for ITV's 2009 The X Factor final topped 19 million viewers - a ready made audience of potential music buyers fighting to part with their download fees in order to make their favourite the winner. The careers of the winners of these reality music shows intended to be short lived however, and the finalists weren't reliable earners for the record companies once the hype surrounding their celebrity had died down.
Websites, blogs and forums on the internet, as well as social networking websites allowed fans to get closer to their favourite bands and artists than they ever could before. The creation of MySpace as a forum for showcasing and accessing musical acts offered artists yet to be signed by record companies the opportunity to have their music heard, and to create a fan base without actually going to the expense of releasing a record (such as Adele). And although CD sales were at an all time low, many argues that audiences had more choice over the music they listened to since the introduction of alternative ways to access music, instead of only being able to choose from the range of music that the major record labels decided we should buy.
Hip Hop and Rap dominated the UK and US popular music, with artists such as Eminem, Jay Z and Kanye, whilst in the UK, an offshoot of grime, made it into the mainstream with Dizzee Rascal and Tinchy Strider. This genre remained very male-dominated, performed mainly by male artists (with the occasional guest vocal support from popular female RnB artists), and featured very male-oriented lyrics and videos that often undermined and exploited women. 'Indie' rock remained popular, with bands such as Muse, Kings of Leon leading the way. Hard rock or metal punk rock also had popularity, with bands such as Paramore. Pop was less clean cut as a result of a more pessimistic post-911 era than the previous decade, and artists such as Britney Spears hardened their image, while Miley Cyrus led the way with pop-rock hybrid. In the UK, popular pop acts were Girls Aloud, JLS and Sugababes. The popularity of R&B continued with Beyonce, Rihanna and Alicia Keys being some of the more successful acts of the decade.
Monday 9 November 2015
Thursday 15 October 2015
5 Videos That I Could Re-Create
Below are the music videos where I could re-create and possibly put in my own music video. It does not necessarily mean that I could re-create the whole video, but parts of certain videos.
NUMBER 1:
From this music video, I could potentially re-create the scenes in which the artist, The Weeknd, is singing into the microphone whilst dancing around the stage. At my school, there is a huge hall with spotlights that I could book to rent out. In addition, I would be able to use the spotlights whilst turning off the main lights in the hall to create a 'concert' like stage. This would be a good element to put in a music video, as I could incorporate Richard Dyer's theory (of using excessive close ups).
NUMBER 2:
Lady Leshurr used a one shot take for her music video, a camera angle which I could easily re-create. In addition to this, basic 'annotations' could be edited on the music video with the lyrics appearing on the screen. The music video is set on a junction, somewhere in London, an element which would be challenging to film in (due to the amount of traffic) but isn't impossible. If I did decide to use a rap song for my music video, this style of music video will be a possibility to use because of its simplicity.
NUMBER 3:
The video for 'post to be' uses the same studio throughout the music video with a few 'filler' scenes. This can easily be re-created due to the facilities at my school: the media studio. I would essentially be able to use the white background along with professional lighting to create the same high quality footage.
NUMBER 4:
In Selena's music video for 'good for you', the narrative is very simple: her singing into the camera, almost as if she is singing to the audience. This video is easily re-creatable due to its simple set, costume and narrative. The video itself uses Richard Dyers theory (close ups) and a lot of Laura Mulvey's 'male gaze' theory.
NUMBER 5:
The final music video which I feel will not be difficult to re-create is Jess Glynne's music video because of the ability to film in those environments with a set storyline. Jess Glynne is not dressed in a certain way in order to entice an audience, only her lyrics grip the listeners. The clear narrative of a young boy dealing with a loss (Andrew Goodwin's illustrative theory where the lyrics relate to the visuals) proves to be a simple and easily able concept to film, which is why I think this could be re-creatable.
Overall, these videos all differ from each other, however, they all seem to grasp one thing in common: simple narratives. This proves to be effective, where the song speaks for itself in order to entice an audience, an aspect which I will take into account whilst filming my music video.
NUMBER 1:
From this music video, I could potentially re-create the scenes in which the artist, The Weeknd, is singing into the microphone whilst dancing around the stage. At my school, there is a huge hall with spotlights that I could book to rent out. In addition, I would be able to use the spotlights whilst turning off the main lights in the hall to create a 'concert' like stage. This would be a good element to put in a music video, as I could incorporate Richard Dyer's theory (of using excessive close ups).
NUMBER 2:
Lady Leshurr used a one shot take for her music video, a camera angle which I could easily re-create. In addition to this, basic 'annotations' could be edited on the music video with the lyrics appearing on the screen. The music video is set on a junction, somewhere in London, an element which would be challenging to film in (due to the amount of traffic) but isn't impossible. If I did decide to use a rap song for my music video, this style of music video will be a possibility to use because of its simplicity.
NUMBER 3:
The video for 'post to be' uses the same studio throughout the music video with a few 'filler' scenes. This can easily be re-created due to the facilities at my school: the media studio. I would essentially be able to use the white background along with professional lighting to create the same high quality footage.
NUMBER 4:
In Selena's music video for 'good for you', the narrative is very simple: her singing into the camera, almost as if she is singing to the audience. This video is easily re-creatable due to its simple set, costume and narrative. The video itself uses Richard Dyers theory (close ups) and a lot of Laura Mulvey's 'male gaze' theory.
NUMBER 5:
The final music video which I feel will not be difficult to re-create is Jess Glynne's music video because of the ability to film in those environments with a set storyline. Jess Glynne is not dressed in a certain way in order to entice an audience, only her lyrics grip the listeners. The clear narrative of a young boy dealing with a loss (Andrew Goodwin's illustrative theory where the lyrics relate to the visuals) proves to be a simple and easily able concept to film, which is why I think this could be re-creatable.
Overall, these videos all differ from each other, however, they all seem to grasp one thing in common: simple narratives. This proves to be effective, where the song speaks for itself in order to entice an audience, an aspect which I will take into account whilst filming my music video.
Brainstorm #2
As I was browsing through YouTube, I came across one of J Coles music videos that I had not seen before. The song itself is called 'G.O.M.D' - one of my favourite songs from his album. This enticed me to see the music video and I personally really liked it.
The music video has a strong narrative throughout which keeps the audience entertained and interested. The high quality footage also aesthetically pleases the eye with the use of good lighting and camera angles.
The aspect of fire appeals to me, especially due to the fact that it makes the music artist look more dominant. Overall, this narrative style concept is extremely appealing and the music genre is thee sort of music I would want to create a music video for.
The music video has a strong narrative throughout which keeps the audience entertained and interested. The high quality footage also aesthetically pleases the eye with the use of good lighting and camera angles.
The aspect of fire appeals to me, especially due to the fact that it makes the music artist look more dominant. Overall, this narrative style concept is extremely appealing and the music genre is thee sort of music I would want to create a music video for.
Tuesday 13 October 2015
K Pop Music Video Analysis
Over the weekend, I came across a 'Teens React to KPOP' video which introduced me to the wonderful genre: KPOP.
I was specifically enticed by the Korean boy band, 'BTS' with their song 'Dope' and thought I should analyse it.
Overall, the music video clearly highlights why K-Pop is very popular and is increasing in its popularity: the western influences. The music video appeals to the target audience due to the star appeal of the band members, in relation to Richard Dyer's theory. They have essentially been constructed to appeal to a wide audience that can ultimately 'relate' to them in some form. Although the camera angles are not wide in variety, the ones used (such as tracking shots, wide angles and close ups) are effective as it creates an illusion of the whole video being shot in one take. Props used such as the spotlights, create an environment that is almost as if they are 'performing' to an audience - similar to Friths theory of performance. In addition to this, the video can relate to Archer's theory of voyeurism - the audience feel 'good' whilst watching this because they enjoy the youthful feel to the video. BTS appeal to a wide audience, as proved in the 'Youtubers react' video above.
I was specifically enticed by the Korean boy band, 'BTS' with their song 'Dope' and thought I should analyse it.
Overall, the music video clearly highlights why K-Pop is very popular and is increasing in its popularity: the western influences. The music video appeals to the target audience due to the star appeal of the band members, in relation to Richard Dyer's theory. They have essentially been constructed to appeal to a wide audience that can ultimately 'relate' to them in some form. Although the camera angles are not wide in variety, the ones used (such as tracking shots, wide angles and close ups) are effective as it creates an illusion of the whole video being shot in one take. Props used such as the spotlights, create an environment that is almost as if they are 'performing' to an audience - similar to Friths theory of performance. In addition to this, the video can relate to Archer's theory of voyeurism - the audience feel 'good' whilst watching this because they enjoy the youthful feel to the video. BTS appeal to a wide audience, as proved in the 'Youtubers react' video above.
Tuesday 6 October 2015
10 Most Expensive Videos
Today I researched the top 10 most expensive videos. A reoccurring artist that kept coming up was Michael Jackson and Madonna. However, in terms of the top 10 most expensive music videos, only two of his were included, whereas there were 3 of hers.
10: Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson
The music video for the song was directed by Hype Williams on March 12, 1999. It is one of the most expensive videosever made, costing upwards of $2 million, and focused largely on special effects. Most of the money went to computer-generated transformations. In the video Busta Rhymes and Ms. Jackson morphed several times. The glass costume, worn by Rhymes, was reported to be worth $40,000 alone.
9: Mariah Carey
Mariah’s Heartbreaker music video was shot in 1999 with Brett Ratner leading the production crew. Total costs amounted to $2.5 million, which stemmed from a lot of elements that were needed for the production. The list included Jerry O’Connell’s talent fee, rent for a cinema and a mansion, as well as the animation. This was made at a time when Mariah was still a huge resounding name in the music industry. The singer is reported to have spent $100,000 hiring out a cinema to shoot the clip for her 1999 single 'Heartbreaker'
8: MC Hammer
MC Hammer totally dominated the rap music scene back in the early 1990s and it is not surprising for his lable to give a go signal to allocate $2.5 million for the Too Legit To Quitmusic video. Given that the year was 1991, such amount was huge and would go for $4 million today. Key highlights of the video included the appearances of James Brown and John Belushi as well as some pyrotechnic display.
7: Puff Daddy
Puff Daddy, Notorious B.I.G., and Busta Rhymes joined together in 1993 for the music video ofVictory. It was directed by Marcus Nispel, adn the total money spent for the production settled at $2.7 million. The fact that it is eight minutes long is just a sliver of the production costs. Major expenditures included appearances of Dennis Hopper and Danny DeVito, construction and destruction of a helicopter, stunt men fees, and huge fireworks also required a lot of money.
6: Guns N' Roses
As the title subtly implies, the song is about separation and that was the focalpoint of the music video. It delved on divorce and was 10 minutes long with production costs of $4 million. Produced in 1993, the video was highlighted by several “expensive” scenes such as Axl Rose leaping off the deck of an oil tanker and Slash emerging from the bottom of the ocean. Also, the video also showed the band boarding a transport aircraft.
5: Michael Jackson
The video was one of the most watched music videos of all time and helped MJ become a global icon in the fight against racism. But the production cost was anything but cheap. Computer generated transformations, appearances of equally popular people, and turning Michael into a black panther made up a huge slice of the production’s $4 million budget.
4: Madonna
Madonna and her label did not have any issues spending $5 million for the making of theBedtime Story music video back in 1995. Fees for direction were considerably high with renowned music video director Mark Romanek at the helm. Also, the video was basically littered with tons of digital effects. While the shooting took only six days, the post production process went on for weeks. That said, the finished product was touted as one of Madonna’s most experimental music videos and has been kept by art and music galleries around the world.
3: Madonna
(MUSIC VIDEO NOT AVAILABLE IN UK)
Taking inspiration from the 1927 classic film Metropolis, the music video Express Yourself was clearly Madonna’s way of expressing her thoughts and ideas on several social issues stemming from power and gender. Hollywood powerhouse David Fincher (who also directed Fight Cluband The Panic Room) led and steered the production crew in the making of this video. His talent fee alone required a huge sum from the total budget allocation, with the overall production cost being $5 million.
2: Madonna
With Die Another Day being the theme song of a James Bond movie, that meant a lot of action scenes for the song’s music video. Traktor, a Sweden-based production outfit was commissioned for the job and they did not disappoint. Madonna performed her own stunts, including some fight scenes with herself. To make it more compelling, Madonna underwent fencing training to make her a legit sword fighter for a few moments. That alone would take up a huge slice off the budget. And since Madonna was duelling against herself in the video, it also meant expensive computer effects. The overall cost was $6.1 million.
1: Michael Jackson
The space-themed Scream by Michael Jackson featuring his sister Janet is the most expensive music video to date. $7 million was allocated to produce the video, with the renowned Mark Romanek at the helm. Produced in 1995, the set of the video was on board a computer-generated white spaceship, which was a huge chunk of the budget. The special effects and the lighting set up did not come cheap either.
10: Busta Rhymes and Janet Jackson
The music video for the song was directed by Hype Williams on March 12, 1999. It is one of the most expensive videosever made, costing upwards of $2 million, and focused largely on special effects. Most of the money went to computer-generated transformations. In the video Busta Rhymes and Ms. Jackson morphed several times. The glass costume, worn by Rhymes, was reported to be worth $40,000 alone.
9: Mariah Carey
Mariah’s Heartbreaker music video was shot in 1999 with Brett Ratner leading the production crew. Total costs amounted to $2.5 million, which stemmed from a lot of elements that were needed for the production. The list included Jerry O’Connell’s talent fee, rent for a cinema and a mansion, as well as the animation. This was made at a time when Mariah was still a huge resounding name in the music industry. The singer is reported to have spent $100,000 hiring out a cinema to shoot the clip for her 1999 single 'Heartbreaker'
8: MC Hammer
MC Hammer totally dominated the rap music scene back in the early 1990s and it is not surprising for his lable to give a go signal to allocate $2.5 million for the Too Legit To Quitmusic video. Given that the year was 1991, such amount was huge and would go for $4 million today. Key highlights of the video included the appearances of James Brown and John Belushi as well as some pyrotechnic display.
7: Puff Daddy
Puff Daddy, Notorious B.I.G., and Busta Rhymes joined together in 1993 for the music video ofVictory. It was directed by Marcus Nispel, adn the total money spent for the production settled at $2.7 million. The fact that it is eight minutes long is just a sliver of the production costs. Major expenditures included appearances of Dennis Hopper and Danny DeVito, construction and destruction of a helicopter, stunt men fees, and huge fireworks also required a lot of money.
6: Guns N' Roses
As the title subtly implies, the song is about separation and that was the focalpoint of the music video. It delved on divorce and was 10 minutes long with production costs of $4 million. Produced in 1993, the video was highlighted by several “expensive” scenes such as Axl Rose leaping off the deck of an oil tanker and Slash emerging from the bottom of the ocean. Also, the video also showed the band boarding a transport aircraft.
5: Michael Jackson
4: Madonna
Madonna and her label did not have any issues spending $5 million for the making of theBedtime Story music video back in 1995. Fees for direction were considerably high with renowned music video director Mark Romanek at the helm. Also, the video was basically littered with tons of digital effects. While the shooting took only six days, the post production process went on for weeks. That said, the finished product was touted as one of Madonna’s most experimental music videos and has been kept by art and music galleries around the world.
3: Madonna
(MUSIC VIDEO NOT AVAILABLE IN UK)
Taking inspiration from the 1927 classic film Metropolis, the music video Express Yourself was clearly Madonna’s way of expressing her thoughts and ideas on several social issues stemming from power and gender. Hollywood powerhouse David Fincher (who also directed Fight Cluband The Panic Room) led and steered the production crew in the making of this video. His talent fee alone required a huge sum from the total budget allocation, with the overall production cost being $5 million.
2: Madonna
With Die Another Day being the theme song of a James Bond movie, that meant a lot of action scenes for the song’s music video. Traktor, a Sweden-based production outfit was commissioned for the job and they did not disappoint. Madonna performed her own stunts, including some fight scenes with herself. To make it more compelling, Madonna underwent fencing training to make her a legit sword fighter for a few moments. That alone would take up a huge slice off the budget. And since Madonna was duelling against herself in the video, it also meant expensive computer effects. The overall cost was $6.1 million.
1: Michael Jackson
The space-themed Scream by Michael Jackson featuring his sister Janet is the most expensive music video to date. $7 million was allocated to produce the video, with the renowned Mark Romanek at the helm. Produced in 1995, the set of the video was on board a computer-generated white spaceship, which was a huge chunk of the budget. The special effects and the lighting set up did not come cheap either.
Friday 2 October 2015
Premiere Pro - Initial Attempt
As the time to start mapping out my potential ideas for a music video is close, i decided to start teaching myself how to do simple edits on Premiere Pro. I am genuinely advanced with all sorts of editing programs as I make my own YouTube videos, as well as editing other sorts of videos in my spare time. However, the only programs I am familiar with is Sony Vegas Pro, PowerDirector, Movie Maker and iMovie. I plan on using Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects as the editing programmes for my music video. Although this quick video I edited is 3 seconds long, I know the basis of Premiere Pro and how to edit simple things. In addition, I am aware of how big the variety of editing effects are within Premiere Pro. This has made me confident in my editing ability and has enhanced my knowledge of Premiere Pro.
Monday 28 September 2015
Brainstorm #1
BRAINSTORM IDEA ONE:
I came across a music video that I have been watching and thought about if I could recreate something similar. I have discussed this with my group and we have unanimously decided that this sort of concept is something we'd all be interested in. Below is the video:
The song itself is a fusion of Bollywood, RnB and Pop, thereby making it extremely unique as to what is already out in the market. This music video appealed to me because of many reasons such as:
1) The simple concept: the concept itself, along with the narrative, is extremely simple, something so easily recreate-able. The use of locations, costume and makeup make the video look physically appealing.
2) The camera angles: there is an extreme use of close ups in the music video as it showcases the band, 'Rouge', and their physical beauty. This meets the convention of a Bollywood music video as well as pop/rnb.
3) The practicality: if I wanted to create a girl band with my group, this would be easy as there are many females in my sixth form who meet certain requirements of being in the music video such as the ability to lip sync.
Overall, I am seriously considering whether or not to use a girl group as an idea for the final music video.
I came across a music video that I have been watching and thought about if I could recreate something similar. I have discussed this with my group and we have unanimously decided that this sort of concept is something we'd all be interested in. Below is the video:
The song itself is a fusion of Bollywood, RnB and Pop, thereby making it extremely unique as to what is already out in the market. This music video appealed to me because of many reasons such as:
1) The simple concept: the concept itself, along with the narrative, is extremely simple, something so easily recreate-able. The use of locations, costume and makeup make the video look physically appealing.
2) The camera angles: there is an extreme use of close ups in the music video as it showcases the band, 'Rouge', and their physical beauty. This meets the convention of a Bollywood music video as well as pop/rnb.
3) The practicality: if I wanted to create a girl band with my group, this would be easy as there are many females in my sixth form who meet certain requirements of being in the music video such as the ability to lip sync.
Overall, I am seriously considering whether or not to use a girl group as an idea for the final music video.
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