Music Videos (Media messages, Paper 1, Part B) Flashcards
music video genres
- narrative
- performance
- hybrid
performance music video conventions
- focus on the artists and their music
- live or lip syncing
narrative music video conventions
- focus on a story which may link to the lyrics or style of music
- stories often reflect the lyrics
- can be linear or fragmented and abstract
- videos have their own characters, settings and props
hybrid music video conventions
- cuts between narrative and performance
- may include the artists in the narrative
- employ a ‘difference’ that engages the audience
context for CBR
- Much of her work is inspired by social and global issues
- she has used the grief of her husband’s overdose to channel deep emotions throughout her work
- SWYA combines R&B with traditional soul music, and is often referred to as ‘neo-soul’
- Her musical career began in church, so she pulls on Christian values of unity within her work
What is Stop Where You Are about?
the intentions of the song are fluid, as each viewer can interpret the music in their way, based on their own life experiences. With the depictions of CBR, it could be about female empowerment, or perhaps inner strength and endurance through hardships.
It could also be about being present, stopping and celebrating what’s happening right at this very moment, as this reflects her personal experiences with grief and she is preaching for people to reflect on their actions
SWYA - Key themes
Marginalisation of minorities (and societal judgement)
- the teen girls
- homeless people
- black man
- realities of life as a black woman (the young girl in the blue hoodie)
- the heavily tattoed man
CBR as a goddess or saviour
- the halo of light around her
- her almost supernatural powers of slowing down the girl’s fight
- her clothing
Entrapment
- Brutalist architecture
- worm eye shots
- dark lighting
- low-level shots
- emotional entrapment
Hope
- links to depictions of CBR as a saviour, a symbol of hope
- the double shot of the business man and the homeless person
- the boy on the ledge - we fear that he may be about to commit suicide but he doesn’t
- self expression through dance and movement
SWYA - Key Lyrics
she discusses the importance of living life to the fullest, perhaps because of her husband’s untimely death and how we need to have a more positive outlook on life by accepting that there are things that we simply cannot control
- give up all the things you can’t control
- you can’t stop the wild wing from roaring
- don’t miss a day
themes of living life to the fullest, as we instinctively want to wait until our life is perfect, rather than embracing the little wins
- you hold your happiness away
- you can stop my heart from calling out
SWYA - representations
homeless person
- there is almost a spotlight on them, perhaps reflecting social ignorance and it is only through ‘calling out’ that homeless people are seen
- low angle shot creates a sense of inferiority
- the surprise on the homeless person’s face, when the businessman brought them coffee, reflects the general social ignorance and rejection of minorities
- double shot creates a balance and sense of equality between the businessman and the homeless person which juxtaposes the previous social hierarchy
girl gang
- aggressive
- the end portrayal again depicts a sense of unity
through the medium close-up of the two girls holding each other
- they are seen as dancing and having fun which humanises them, and makes us feel far less fearful
man with tattoos
- appears fearful which contrasts our superficial judgements of a man with tattoos
- he seems caring and has a close relationship with his dog who is also a breed that many might be fearful of
- plays on the cliche of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’
- we see him looking out of the darkness, wanting to escape
- a double shot of him and CBR, they are both at the same level which creates a sense of levelling and equality (much like the businessman and homeless person)
breakdancer
- the establishing shot pans up to him on a high ledge, evoking a slight panic that he may be about to take his own life, yet this is quickly distorted as he begins to breakdance
- he puts his arms up, almost like a cross
- low angle shot
- his backflip occurs at the crescendo of the song, almost as if breakdancing has freed him from his troubles and has allowed him to begin living in the moment
- black men are often perceived as dangerous or criminals yet this subverts our expectations
young girl
- could be a young version of CBR
- innocent and fearful as she cowers away, hidden by her hoodie
- she is sat down and leaning, perhaps reflecting how she has given up
- blue contrasts red
- blue connotes sadness
they are all seen as looking up at the camera in the light at the end of the music video, perhaps depicting their freedom from social stigma. Yet some representations are still quite stereotypical, so perhaps CBR is still perpetuating these stereotypes.
SWYA - Mise En Scene
visual presentation of the narrative
brutalist architecture - dark greys, neutrals and abstract shapes
the brutalist architecture creates a contrast between the depth of the story and narrative and places most of the focus on CBR’s underlying message
worm eye shots of sky - freedom and escape from social judgements
casual clothing - accurately reflective of society
SWYA - Music video conventions
the video begins with the artists - Corinne Bailey Rae, so we may expect it to be a performance video, yet it quickly becomes a hybrid
- shots of lipsyncing and performance (singing)
- alongside a narrative that she appears involved in
- the pace of the video matches the songs pace
- quick cutaways and montage at the end of the video
- variety of shots
- worm eye - architecture
- close up - CBR
- medium shot - girl gang
- long shot - breakdancer
Representations of CBR
general
- she is depicted positively throughout
- she interacts with most of the other people, acting as a goddess or saviour to help them find the metaphorical light of acceptance
appearance
- She is dressed in a far more sophisticated manner than the others, and her red dress connotes female empowerment and confidence.
- her heels are black and gold, and also encourage her power as a black woman, yet the initial shot of her heels could be seen as almost voyeuristic and catering to the male gaze. Possibly even sexualising her as the shot pans up her bare legs.
shots and staging
close up - a halo of light is produced behind her hair which enforces her depiction as a female saviour or goddess - this shot is repeated throughout the video
high angle shot - as she walks up the stairs
as she begins to live in the moment as escape the darkness (metaphorically)
she appears to always be moving, moving forward in many shots, perhaps to encourage the idea of living in the moment and enjoying life as it comes through accepting ourselves.
her fluid dance movements - and appearance - contrast the teenage girls and the harshness of their behaviour
she lip-syncs and performs directly to the camera
the final shot fades as she stares at the camera
Context for David Guetta
He is often referred to as the man who brought dance music to America
EDM (electronic dance music)
modern music is a blend of many genres
Much of this music video pays homage to Steven Spielberg and his prevalence in the 1980s within the film industry
What is Titanium about?
inner strength and the importance of resilience
Titanium - Key themes
supernatural
childhood
isolation
journey
being different
Titanium - Key lyrics
you shoot me down but I get up - resilience
I am bulletproof, nothing to lose
fire away, fire away
I’m screaming out, not saying much (irony)
Titanium - Music video conventions
entirely narrative
- plays upon the lyrics and pace of the song
- easter egg mention of David Guetta on a poster
- deeper message
Titanium intertextuality
Spielbergian 80s American Suburbia
- pays homage to Spielberg and M.Night Shyamalan
- symbolisms of red reflect M.Night Shyamalan’s film The Sixth Sense
Spielbergian tropes
- extraordinary within the ordinary
- breakdown of the nuclear family
media texts
- Close encounters
- ET
- Super 8 (same actor)
- terminator (destruction)
Titanium mise-en-scene
set within American suburbia, so the events that unfold feel incongruous
he then escapes the stifling suburbia and enters the woods, perhaps it is only when he is away from the stifling social expectations imposed on him that he can comfortably be himself.
panning shot of him running
yet even away from society, he is still not free and resorts back to the foetal position at the start of the video
the whole video is filmed in a slight slo-mo, which creates a sense of distorted time and an underlying feeling that something isn’t right
Titanium - Isolation
the panning long shot positions the boy as entirely isolated, this is extended by the teacher’s rejection as she mouths ‘help me’ and quickly shuts the door. Perhaps the door metaphorically represents a barrier between childhood innocence and social rejection
A journey of leaving his house to be left alone.
The nostalgic element of a barren landscape reflect his isolation through his location
Titanium - Childhood
establishing shot of an innocent foetal position that is repeated at the end of the video - cyclical narrative and he feels innocent, yet an enigma is created as we lack understanding about the events that have unfolded
his body language feels incohesive with the chaotic setting, and we are unsure as to what has happened
he appears to almost fall which symbolises the lack of inner strength and resilience
the toys in his room
This shows that he is still very much a child but is having to ‘grow up’ quickly to overcome his challenges in life and the people who judge him. He has been left to survive on his own even though he is still only a child - societal influence vehicles could be indicative of his growing up and the journey he is about to embark on. He throws the teddy away which could reflect how he is disregarding his childhood
Subverts typical connotations of children being innocent and instead portraying it in the way society sees them; dangerous even though they’re simply misunderstood. The cruel treatment of the police officer reflects how they treat him like a adult and not a innocent child
Titanium - Journey
the shot of him on the bike is distorted, and time feels almost warped as the shot is sped up. Perhaps this is symbolic of his journey away from the innocence of childhood as he has been forced to grow up
in the establishing shots, the camera follows him as he moves, which begins to raise suspicions of his involvement in the destruction
Titanium - Supernatural
Everyone has an inner strength but you have to believe in your inner strength - Guetta’s superpower is his musical ability
Accepting yourself for who you are is an important step toward resilience and inner strength
He is scared of what the child may be capable of even though he is just a child. The teddies represent innocence with the police representing a force - children being forced to tackle societal challenges without being prepared
The child is seemingly dangerous - treated like a violent and aggressive criminal. Police are scared of him. Ending of a sci-fi film
Metaphorical for the older generations lack of understanding for children and the unforgiving nature of society
Titanium - Breakdown of the nuclear family/neglect
The house appears disorganised and chaotic, with a lack of parental guidance, meaning he has been forced to grow up quickly to survive.
Even if situations look normal/fine, they may not be, the house portrays a sense of normality, almost as if his presentation in society is a facade and he can be himself when he is hidden away. Deceptive appearance
The disarray shows that he is fending for himself which is an indicative theme of Spielberg’s film
He feels trapped in the house, which is where you are meant to feel the happiest and safest, yet he appears panic-stricken and scared.
