My Music Video - Research & Audiences

As I intend to use an original song I do not have the option to conduct audience research into the artist; however, this does mean that I can have more freedom in the ways I choose to present my artist and what I create with my music video.

Of course as is the case with any business, a brand new product is very risky to invest in, so there needs to be evidence of success in other similar products if the decision to risk the new one is to be taken.
The song I intend to use is most similar to the work of indie-pop group Wild Belle, a brother-and-sister duo who formed in 2011 and mix the genres of folk, dance, reggae, and psychedelic into their music.

The sound of the song for this video is most similar to the original I intend to use; the concept for this video is curious, but relates in no way to the plan I have for my music video. 

The music video for Wild Belle's "Backslider" is however very similar to my proposed concept, in as much as the video features Natalie Bergman (vocalist) standing/singing/dancing in front of screen onto which various images are projected. I intend to use the same concept in my own video (although the projections will be of film, and related to a story.) 

 

I had actually come up with the concept for my music video before I began looking into similar artists and their music videos, so it was comforting to find this music video as it confirmed that my ideas where appropriate to the genre.

Audience
Based off of my intended song/music video style/artist's similarity to Wild Belle, I chose to conduct my audience information research using the information I could turn up about their audiences. I attempted to use YouGov but was met with unsatisfactory results as they had nothing registered under Wild Belle. I then tried to look into the group's wikipedia page and at their website for more information, but it was to no avail - the band are simply too unknown to provide substantial information into audience trends.

However, as a teenaged female, I have spoken with others in my demographic and I know that this style of music is relatively popular within my age group and gender, and this is why I have chosen females aged 14-28 to be my primary audience, whereas my secondary audience will be males within the same age range. The reggae genre mix of my intended song opens my audience up to potentially link with those living in the Caribbean, although as a genre indie-pop generally encourages a large enough fan base of all ethnicities and nationalities.

My Music Video - Alternate Song Potentials

As there is a degree of risk when collaborating with a novice artist (which may result in complications that lead to failure to produce the song) I am considering as a back up option the song "Counting Stars" by One Republic.

The reason I am considering this song is because the lyrics have potential to link to the visuals (at least in relation to the themes and ideas of the song) and also as the fast pace of the song would pair nicely with what I envision my editing pace to be (fast and exciting to elicit an emotional response from the audience.)


I'm also considering the song "River" by Bishop Briggs. I feel that the mood of the song can tie in nicely with the concept of my music video.

Music Video Codes & Conventions

Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Theory: 

"Dancing in the Distraction Factory" 

To briefly summarise, Goodwin published a book called "Dancing in the Distraction Factory" in 1992 that explores his theory of music videos. Goodwin's theory is as follows; that music videos are often constructed by the link between the visuals, the song, and the artist.

Just like all media products, music videos follow a set of codes and conventions - Goodwin focuses on 7 key points in his theory:

1. All music videos have certain genre characteristics, depending on the genre of music.
2. More often than not there is a relationship between the visuals and the lyrics.
3. There is a relationship between the music and the lyrics.
4. The demand of the record label will be evident in the video.
5. Artist Iconography
6. The notion of looking
7. Intertextual

1.) The Genre Link

This point argues that the visuals we see within a music video are going to be appropriately chosen to suit the genre of the song itself. For example, if you look at the song "Teenagers" by My Chemical Romance, you'll see the video has a link to the genre of the music which is punk rock and in the video the people are dressed in the grunge fashions associated with this genre.

2.) The link between lyrics and visuals

It's considered the norm for the lyrics of a video to have a direct link to the visuals, meaning that the visuals can either enforce or contradict the point the lyrics are trying to put across (depending on the intended message of the song/video.) 

For example, in "Chasing Pavements" by Adele, we see the subjects of the video shot from above enacting their meeting; they're laid on a pavement (which is an artistic exploration of their memories, while their positioning is due to a car crash) while Adele sings out "should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements".

3.) The link between the music and the video

To match the tone and atmosphere of the music with the visuals simply makes sense, because otherwise audiences are likely to fail to see the link and the music video will be pointless. In "TiK ToK" by Ke$ha for example, the dancey pop music is matched appropriately by the visuals showing it as being played in a houseparty/rave at the end of the video, while the coloured club lighting and glitter further anchors the party atmosphere.

4.) Meeting the label's demands

The record label are 99% of the time the source of the video's funding, which means that ultimately they get control of what happens. So it's very common that the label will often make executive decisions about what an artist does/how they appear (they're only the label's product right? They're obviously not actual humans with emotions or anything, oh no, they're just marketable goods.) These decisions aren't always beneficial to the artist as an individual, and occasionally lead to public backlash, but most of the time everything's 'just fine!' 

5.) Iconography

Continuing with the idea of selling the artist as a product brings us to branding! The quickest way to create a memorable brand for an artist is to find their unique selling point, and then find some visual to use in association with them, such as Sia's wig or the unnerving, mickey mouse-esque head that DeadMau5 never takes off. 

DeadMau5

Sia

Daft Punk

6.) Voyeurism 

Screenshot from "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke. An alternate
version of the video was released, featuring the women fully nude.

Voyeurism, to put it simply, is the pleasure people feel when viewing someone sexualised. Basically, this links to the constant sexualization of women and Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' theory; music videos are as equally guilty as film and television for playing on these tactics, as evidenced in videos such as Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" video or Justin Bieber's "Sorry" video.

Screenshot from "Sorry" by Justin Bieber

7.) Intertextuality
Intertextuality is the referencing of other media's or events, and while it can be/is often used for humour it can also facilitate the linking of the video to a certain theme/idea/concept.
For example, intertextuality was used within the music videos of the songs released for the Suicide Squad soundtrack, such as "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots, and "Purple Lamborghini" by Skrillex and Rick Ross. These videos included intertextuality by recreating the film's atmosphere (e.g. sets), using the actors in character, and including actual clips from the film.

Intertextuality is used here where we see Jared Leto in the music video as the Joker

My Music Video - The Pitch

(Intending to use an original song composed in collaboration with Mike Galvin)

"Opening with extreme long shot of subject by river, watching it run. Cut to close up of her face, which is concealed by a mask - contemplative.
Cut to close up shot of her hands holding a paper boat.
Cut back to medium long shot of subject, looking down at river.
Fade to black.

Moment of silence/blackness.
Music starts and editing has multiple different extreme close ups of different parts of subject against a plain background appear, giving a flashing/strobe effect.

****
The pause before the lyrics shows a medium close up of the subject, standing still, looking into camera.

(cut together the rest of the footage as appropriate)

Film subject against green screen; staring at camera, dancing/spinning, watching action on green screen, looking at something off-camera in the distance

Go-pro Footage; street signs from a car window, riding bikes, climbing trees, walking a dog, jumping into water, trampoline, bonfire, mosh pit at a concert, running for a train, building a fort, reading a book, playing a record, eating pizza with a group of friends, fairy lights and candles, drawing, baking

****
Song ends and it cuts back to medium long shot of subject by the river. Subject is still watching the water, but then she sighs, and floats the paper boat into the water.
Shot of paper boat floating away.
Medium close up of subject watching for a moment; she then goes to take off mask.
Low angle shot of mask falling to ground just in front of camera, and then her feet walking away. Back to starting shot position, extreme long shot of subject walking away (fade out of focus, to blackness.)


Iconography
As part of creating a brand for a singer, it's very useful to associate certain themes, ideas, behaviours or imagery with them, as it creates a memorable impression for the audience and therefore makes them easier to sell as a brand.
I've decided that I want the subject of my video to wear a mask, as this creates a narrative enigma as to who she is. It also adds a quirky sense of 'otherness' to her, which may further intrigue audiences. Most importantly however, the lyrics of the tell the story of someone who's about to enter a new stage of their life, who feels bound by expectations and uncertainties, and simply wants to live a great life and have fun despite these fears.
I'm still toying with the specifics of how the mask can help to symbolise all of this, but I plan to cover these ideas in more detail later on.

The idea of a plain coloured mask gives potential to add colour/paint to it during the music video

The simplistic geometric animal head masks are another possibility that intrigues me. 

 

This is the first pitch I made. 

Collectively, we were underprepared as a class (although I did feel that my own 13 minute pitch answered all the necessary questions and painted a clear picture of my vision), which meant we had to do another pitch .

This is the second pitch I made.

The second pitch was also given the green light by my teacher, so now begins the hard work!

Progress Update 1

Music Video Analysis - 6.) "National Anthem" by Lana Del Rey

Music Video Analysis - 5.) "Take Me To Church" by Hozier

Music Video Analysis - 4.) "Elephants" by Warpaint

Music Video Analysis - 3.) "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots

With the release of the film Suicide Squad (David Ayer, 2016) came the spectacular accompanying soundtrack for the film. The song "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots was the film's lead single; the music video that was released for this song is - while similar to other music videos by the band - very much a promotional point for the film (as too were the music videos of the other songs on the soundtrack, such as "Purple Lamborghini" by Skrillex and Rick Ross.)

In terms of the relationship between the visuals and the lyrics, there is a strong significant theme of societal outcasts, heathens, and sinners. The prison setting provides a perfect environment to find such people, while also linking to the prison Belle Reve from the film.

Locations & Mise-en-scene

The opening shot is an aerial view of some unidentifiable and isolated backwoods marshlands, which links to the location of the prison in the film.

The next shot is a long shot of a thick concrete wall with barbed wire at the top, which we take to be the wall of a prison. The wall also has a macabre piece of artwork on it; A skeleton is pictured clinging to bars and the words "Welcome To Belle Reve", "Till Death Do Us Part", and "Special Security Barracks" which link to the prison in the film and also denotes the situation to the audience.

Intertextuality

The song for this music video was featured in the recently released film "Suicide Squad" and so this music video has heavy links to the film. For example, the location for the video is a high-security prison, like the one we meet our protagonists in in the film. More significant however is the fact that clips of the main characters in the movie are also interjected into this video; the clips chosen are from the early scenes of the movie when the characters are all still incarcerated. By having such clear links between both products, they can have a symbiotic relationship, meaning the success of one helps to feed the success of the other.

Performance Style

Like most videos, this one also features a performance by the band's two members. Josh Dun is seen singing throughout the video, but about half-way through his prison jumpsuit is stripped off revealing a yellow jacket suit as he steps onto a small stage within the prison to perform for the inmates who arrive to be the audience.




Narrative

The narrative of the video seems linear, although the editing suggests a few jumps in time. While the ending is cyclical to the beginning (with Josh Dun compliant to the surrounding heavily armed guards,) the ending is left fairly open. The intended reading is that we assume Dun remains imprisoned at the end, but his exact fate is left open to interpretation, as is the narrative enigma surrounding his reason for incarceration into a maximum security prison.




Star Treatment

The band's singer Josh Dun is repeatedly focused on throughout the video, making him the central thread to the story. While the band's drummer (and original member) Tyler Joseph is also featured, he is only seen playing his drums. Dun on the other hand behaves as his role of prisoner but then switches out to perform.




Audience
The target audience of this music video is the fans of the Suicide Squad movie, but also fans of the band. Throughout this video the two band members are featured heavily, and they perform for the other prison inmates (who in this case represent the fans of the band.)