Learning comment
From this I have gained a more thorough understanding of the theories involved in media. When creating my music video, I can refer back to this work using the theories I have researched to develop my video further ensuring it has the typical elements that a lot of media include.
From this I have learnt that a range of media theories are used in videos to help develop a narrative. A lot of the theories also challenge stereotypes of the genre of the songs I looked at. For example "who runs the world" by Beyoncé is an R&B song however, it promoted women empowerment which is not stereotypical of the genre. However, some theories reinforced stereotypes of the genre. For example Lacan's "mirror theory" was used in Justin Biebers song "what do you mean". This is typical of the pop genre as male artists are often presented as role models for a male target demographic. To conclude, I have learnt that theories can be used to either challenge codes and conventions of a genre or stick with the stereotypes. I feel that it may be more difficult to challenge codes and conventions of a genre rather than use typical conventions. Therefore, I will have to refer closely to theories when creating my music video in order to challenge these conventions in a way which is recognised by media theories.
Do you think people watch music videos more now than they
did in the past? If so why/why not?
Is there any particular music video you watched which you
enjoyed? Why?
Do you download music videos?
Is there anything in particular you like to see in a music video?
Learning comment
From this task I have discovered what my target demographic want by asking members of my target audience. I have found out that most people prefer a video with a deeper meaning even if the video still has comedic value. However, one of the issues I found was that most users said they did not watch music videos because they listen to most of their music on spotify. To encourage viewers to watch the video I must therefore make an innovative and unique video so that it will stand out from the conventional music video and encourage the target audience to watch the footage. I also found out that although users will download their music, they will not download the video which accompanies the music. This is yet another reason to create an interesting video which will provide as an incentive for users to download both media products.
Throughout the video the male gaze is used. Women in the video are presented as objects of sexual desire to entice a heterosexual male audience to watch the video. An example of this is Rihanna's body language as she bends down to greet Kendrick Lamar. The positioning of her character and the low camera angle used is revealing and is used to present the female artist in a way which a male demographic may find appealing. This theory is used because Kendrick Lamar's primary audience is male viewers aged 15-30. In addition to this, Bell Hooks states that black women are objectified and sexualised, specifically in hip hop reflecting the colonialist view of women being sexually disposable. Another theory used in this video is Todorov's theory of narrative. At the beginning of the video we see the equilibrium; Kendrick surrounded by females. A wide shot is used here to show normalcy and allow the viewer a wide view of what is normal to the artist. However, the equilibrium is disrupted when Rihanna enters the video and the two male protagonists fight over her. The equilibrium is eventually restored when Kendrick wins the fight and is pictured close to Rihanna. This theory links in with Propp's theory of characters. Propp's character types are clearly identifiable in order to progress the narrative. Kendrick is shown as the hero who wins the princess (Rihanna) when he rescues her from the other male protagonist who is trying to steal her away from him (the villain). Andrew Goodwin claimed that music videos were either illustrative disjunctive or amplified. In this case the video was illustrative. This was clearly shown through iconography; the barking dog shown in the first scene. Dogs are typically associated with loyalty and guardianship which is the whole basis of this music video and the songs lyrics. However, disjuncture is used in the video to create a whole new set of meanings for the song. This is evident through the shot of Kendrick surrounded by other woman which some say might be showing disloyalty to Rihanna and contradicts the shot of the dog shown earlier in the video. This adds a deeper meaning to the video implying that loyalty is an abstract word which has different meanings to different people. Richard Dyer came up with the concept of star theory. This theory states that celebrities will feature in videos to entice viewers to watch a video to gain an insight into their lives. By starring in their own video, Rihanna and Kendrick not only encourage fans of their music to watch the video but also encourage other audiences who may recognize their name or face. Another media theory founded by Stuart Hall hints that the media often blurs race and class due to underlying racist tendencies. The whole narrative reinforced this theory demonstrating the racist stereotype of ethnic minorities being involved in gangs and getting into fights. Alternatively Tricia rose stated that the hip hop genre empowers females by giving black female artists a voice. This is particularly evident towards the end of the video where the camera solely focuses on Rihanna during her solo in the song. Because in this scene she is not shown in a sexual nature, it does in fact promote female empowerment and present Rihanna as a role model for a female demographic.
Learning comment
From completing this task I have learnt that theories are extremely influential in the making of a video. Once I started researching theories I learnt of new theorists and discovered that what may have seemed like an average video was in fact embedded with a lot of theories. When creating my music video this will have to be something I will have to focus on, especially Andrew Goodwin's theory which forms the whole basis of a music video. However, one of the theories I found particularly interesting was Tricia Rose's theory on racial female empowerment. When picking actors for my video this is definitely something I would like to integrate into my own video in order to promote such a positive message.
From this I have learnt that the style of video can have a huge impact on the codes and conventions used in a video. For example I found that a lot of narrative based video included a wide range of props and locations in comparison to the concept and performance based ones. However, the concept based videos seemed to include a wider range of characters than narrative based videos which usually focused on one main protagonist. And finally, one thing the performance based videos excelled in was the editing techniques used. I felt that the style of editing transformed what could have been a predictable video into a more exciting ingenious one. In particular, one of the videos I really enjoyed was Charlie XCX- Boys. This is because I enjoyed the comical use of reversed male gaze which I thought was an interesting thought provoking concept for what could have been a stereotypical video. I would like to consider creating a concept based video myself, however, I will first have to come up with an idea which will be interesting enough to feature throughout the video.
Through watching Dua Lipa - New rules, I have found many codes and conventions of the genre. Firstly, the use of an upper class location is very representative of the pop genre. Pop artists are seen as role models as it is arguably the most listened to genre by a younger demographic. Therefore, in order to appeal to the target demographic pop artists may surround themselves with things a young audience may approve of. Dua Lipa's location in the video is an excellent example of this, as a younger demographic may envy and admire her for living such a lavish life style. The costume used in this video is also very significant. This is because of her influential status as a female pop singer, the clothing she wears may become part of a trend. It is clear to see that the artist recognises this and therefore, the bright popular clothing she wears in the video has been chosen carefully. The use of camera, in particular a wide shot of the female protagonists demonstrating their friendship. The video focuses on friendship and putting men aside and the use of this wide shot clearly illustrates that. This convention was used appropriately to make Dua Lipa appear admirable and appeal to a female demographic resulting in an expansion of her fan base.
Hip Hop
In comparison to Dua Lipa's video, Azealia Banks' video uses a brick wall as a back drop. This use of a working class location is very representative of the hip hope genre which is often associated with streets and cities. The basic background brings the viewers attention back to the artist and their music which is stereotypically more gritty and down to earth unlike pop. The male gaze is also demonstrated throughout the video. It is most evident when an extreme close up of the female artist lip-syncing is used. This illustrates that Hip Hop may be considered less progressed in comparison to pop which focuses on female unanimity rather than women as sexual objects. The focus on sex is constantly illustrated throughout the video. This is evident through the use of a performance based video showing the female artist dancing and singing. This differs hugely from the pop genre video which focuses on friendships and getting over breakups. This implies that the demographic for Hip Hop may be considered more diverse as the music is aimed at a male and female audience.
House
The house genre could be considered to consist of 'feel good' songs. The codes and conventions used in the video to tend to reinforce this upbeat feeling however, because of the use of a narrative based video this video does differ slightly. An example of this is the jump cuts used when the male protagonists enters the house, it is used to show his distress and urgency during a time where the equilibrium has been disrupted. Another editing technique used was a wipe. The wipe was blurred and disorientating which could be considered to be a quality associated with clubs often playing house music. This creates the more upbeat atmosphere which may often be associated with going clubbing or partying. The location used in this video is used wisely to appeal to a teenage demographic. Because of the growing use of You Tube, it is essential that the music video appeals to You Tube's largest audience; teenagers. The use of an American suburb may appeal to an American teenager who can in turn, identify with the male protagonist in the video because of his location.
Learning comment
From this is have learnt the importance of codes and conventions. I have learnt that using multiple codes and conventions which are not suitable for the genre of music can spoil a video. I have learnt that certain codes and conventions are specific to certain genres. However, one of the areas i found which was not specific to any genre of music was camera. I found that despite the genre, many music videos used similar camera angles so this is not something I will need to be concerned about when making my own video. However, one of the key aspects was mine en scene. The costume and location used in each video all varied drastically and showed a clear means of identifying each genre. When making my music video I will have to consider whether my idea are appropriate for the genre of music and whether they will fit with the song.
