Component 1: Section A - Media Language and Representation - Riptide Music Video Flashcards
Give at least two reasons why music videos are produced.
At least two from:
- To allow artists to become more recognisable.
- To add a visual element to music.
- To entertain audiences.
- To promote a new song.
- To attract fans of specific artists.
Give at least two examples of the features you would expect to see in a music video.
At least two from:
- The artist
- Lip sinking or performance.
- Costume and colour.
- Multiple locations
- Instruments being played in rock videos.
What are the three subgenres of music videos?
- Performance
- Narrative
- Thematic
What is included in a performance music video?
- The artist performing the song.
What is a narrative music video?
- Where the music video tells a story.
What is a thematic music video?
- Where the images used relate to the lyrics of the song.
Give at least one reason why performance music videos are created.
At least one from:
- To demonstrate the band or performers musical skill.
- To develop and artists persona (their constructed image and personality).
Give at least three examples of the codes and conventions of performance music videos.
At least three from:
- Clips from live stage audiences e.g. shots of the artist and their diegetic audience or shots of real life situations e.g. warming up.
- Close ups of the performer.
- Close ups of the iconography linked to a specific genre.
- Potentially the artist could have a motif (prop, costume, setting etc), which is echoed throughout their video.
- For entertainment value, the artist may perform in an unusual setting with the song lip-synched post production.
Give at least three examples of the codes and conventions of narrative music videos.
At least three from:
- Filming and editing which reflects the story suggested by the lyrics.
- The video may surprise the audience by giving a different interpretation of the lyrics.
- The narrative may feature the artist playing themselves or a character.
- The artist may not appear at all, the video will feature actors playing characters.
- Mini film with cinematic production values.
- Narrative enigmas to maintain audiences attention.
- Close-ups and POV shots to engage the audience.
- Intertextual references.
- Stereotypical representations to help the audience quickly access or understand the characters and situation.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘INSTRUMENTAL’ - for the first time.
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- Vertical panning shot - blue sky moving down towards isolated clouds - single bird enters frame from the top and flies off to the left.
- A billing block is included at the bottom of the screen which identifies many of the visuals to be included.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘I WAS SCARED OF DENTISTS AND THE DARK’
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- Close up of woman under spotlight.
- Facial expression conveys feature.
- Industrial dentistry contraption.
- Sweeping shadow.
- Low angle shot of swinging chandelier (cage?).
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘I WAS SCARED OF PRETTY GIRLS AND STARTING CONVERSATIONS’
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- Woman who is standing on the beach, taking off the top straps of her swimming costume.
- Yellow swimming costume.
- The audience is positioned behind her able to see her torso and bottom.
- Medium-long shot.
- Birds eye view of the red book about the techniques of photographing girls.
- A hand with white nail varnish is pushing the book upwards in the screen.
- Also a close up shot.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘OH, ALL MY FRIENDS ARE TURNING GREEN’
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- Two people in the centre frame are standing near each other.
- The man is nervous about talking to the girl.
- The man seemed agitated and is making motions with his mouth without speaking to her.
- The woman turns away.
- Medium shots of the man and woman.
- The camera is zooming in on a close up shot of money.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘YOU’RE THE MAGICIANS ASSISTANT IN THEIR DREAMS’
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- Playing cards.
- A watch on a man’s hand.
- Masculine, bulkier watch.
- The man’s hand is the only body part which is on-screen.
- It is then revealed that the hands belong to a woman who is wearing corduroy jacket and a skirt with a yellow t-shirt.
- Medium long shot of the woman.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘OHHH OHHH’ - for the first time.
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- A woman in a graveyard is holding an alight torch.
- She is wearing a fur coat.
- The woman is looking from left to right and moving towards someone.
- The camera performs a pan.
- Two other individuals are also holding a torch.
- The camera goes back from left to right and the woman has vanished.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘AND THEY COME UNSTUCK’ - for the first time
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- A woman is untying herself from the rope which is attached to a tree.
- The woman with blonde hair, possibly the same woman is acting frantically.
- The woman is wearing blue jeans and a small, pink top.
- This is a medium shot.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘LADY, RUNNING DOWN TO THE RIPTIDE’ - for the first time.
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- It is then revealed that the women is wearing shorts and not jeans.
- The woman is running down a path - possibly to the beach (connoted by the water).
- The woman’s hair is moving as she runs.
- This is a medium-long shot.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘TAKEN AWAY TO THE DARK SIDE’ - for the first time.
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- The woman who was lying in bed, is now pulled out of the bed.
- Low key lighting makes the shot dramatic and possibly suspicious of what is going on.
- This is a medium shot.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘I WANNA BE YOUR LEFT HAND MAN’ - for the first time.
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- Another woman is revealed to the audience.
- The woman is wearing a full face of make-up.
- The audience can see her shoulder and it like she’s wearing quite smart outfit.
- The women has a microphone and it looks as if she could be about to sing.
This is a medium shot.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘I LOVE YOU WHEN YOU’RE SINGING THAT SONG AND I GOT A LUMP IN MY THROAT ‘CAUSE YOU’RE GONNA SING THE WORDS WRONG’ - for the first time
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- The woman who we can now see is singing the song correctly with lip syncing as the song is being sung with a male voice.
- The woman is wearing a glamourous face of make and a glamorous outfit.
- This is a medium shot.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘IS THIS MOVIE THAT I THINK YOU’LL LIKE’
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- A black hand is holding a VHS and then turns it over to reveal the front.
- Another blank hand then grabs onto the box and holds it.
- The above, is a medium shot.
In the video, what is happening at the time that the following lyrics are sung?
‘THIS GUY DECIDES TO QUIT HIS JOB AND HEADS TO NEW YORK CITY’
Give at least two examples.
At least two from:
- The Velocite VHS is put into the player.
- We see a letter with a signature and hand holding it which we assume is part of the process of the man quitting his job.
- The audience sees a ‘Pan America’ ticket and then a plane which is taking off.
- The audience assumes that the man is going to use this ticket to travel to New York.