Thursday, 31 March 2022

Contextual analysis 2- Numb (Men I Trust)

 


The music video by the band 'Men I Trust' effectively uses filters and cameras in order to produce an 'old-school' look, complementary to the slow pace of the song. This is something I would like to adopt in my own video , at least at some points, as I feel like it will add an extra dimension to the video and separate from the narrative I wish to create. In this case they have used the filter throughout which works with the song and video on whole as there is no set narrative. 

Editing: As mentioned above for this video set editing has been used throughout in order to create a subtle '90s-00s' camera theme, the band themselves are an indie/alternative
band meaning their audiences may find comfort and familiarity within the alternative editing methods. The filter they have used over the video makes the video seem grainy and adds 
character, they may also be attempting to mirror the quality of old tape recorders. With three 'frames' being seen in shot at one time gives the effect that it has been recorded on a tape recorder and transferred onto authentic film. As well as this they have decided to use small, yellow subtitles for the lyrics, this is reflective of that in old school 80s movies and videos and further provides a sense of authenticity that they were attempting to create.

Mise-en-scene: In terms of the mise-en-scene they have kept it quit simplistic, I'm guessing this is what they were aiming for as this simplicity is reflected through the narrative and editing style also. The video starts with the artist getting on a train and then walking
down a street. Majority of the video is styled in this way with no extravagant use of props but simply 'using what's already there'. The lead singer, Jessy, is the only character shown other than passers by and is not shown in any unnatural clothing, this is further extending the simplicity they are trying to create. As well as this, in a scene of the artist walking down the street she is seen wearing 'retro' lightweight headphones, reflecting the simple and vintage look they were aiming for. To follow on with the realism, throughout the video the day is passing chronologically, this is evident through the sky getting gradually darkening when approaching the evening. Further scenes are showing in more naturalistic setting such as on the train, in her house with a change of clothes indicating a different day and later on the beach in the evening. The video then ends with the sun setting, adding a sense of closure for the narrative that seemed to just be the simplicity of her day. 

Narrative: This video lacks a solid, obvious narrative but could arguably have underlying messages that could come under the umbrella term of 'narrative'. There is not set story or multiple characters, no problem faced that the characters have to resolve. However, the naturalistic and authentic mise-en-scene and lack of performance could present the idea that the purpose of this music video is for audiences to appreciate the simplicity and focus more on the editing.

Camerawork: In terms of camerawork, alike other aspects of the video there is an authenticity they are trying to withhold. Therefore, the camerawork is purposefully 'unprofessional' to match the editing and 'old-style' filter, specific camera shots can still be
identified but aren't as 'clean cut' if filmed professionally. The videos starts with close up shots of the artists, mimicking a video filmed by a romantic partner through the breaking of the fourth wall and direct eye contact. This is then followed by shots of artist, Jessy, walking down the street, this could be correlated to Massive Attack's 'Unfinished Sympathy' with the one continuous shot of Shara Nelson on the LA street. However, this differs slightly with the breaking up of shots with different scenes and perspectives. Within these walking scenes mid + long shots are used, in order to establish the mise-en-scene, props/outfits as well as adding depth and dimension to the video 


Contextual Analysis 1- Maniac (Conan Gray)

 

This music video for Conan Gray's "Maniac" has similar use of lighting and camerawork to that I would like to do within my own music video. There is a strong set narrative following Conan and his friend Jess as her zombie exes show up to the movie theatre they work at, throughout they end up 'defeating' all of them resulting in a resolved ending to the video. The use of powerful colourful lighting is something I wish to incorporate into my own video as well as the use of both lighting and camerawork to create effecting shots.

Mise-en-scene: There are three main settings throughout the whole video, starting with the American movie theatre, established through a long shot with the old-style writing of 'Maniac- Conan Gray's1 written across allowing audiences into the main area of the video. This is then followed by the inside of the theatre, where Conan and Jess were working and later encountering Jess' 'zombie' exes. Keeping within close proximity the next few scenes are shot behind the theatre with the rubbish bins, the lighting at this point has darkened and camera shots are lower to enhance the 'darkness' of the scene. From this point onwards the mise-en-scene switches with the pace of the song, between both characters and in and

around the movie theatre. Conan is now taking on more of a performance aspect within the theatre which I will discuss more when talking about performance and camerawork. After more characters are introduced the 'exes' Conan extends his performance into one of the empty movie screens with an old-school SubZero SZ-V1 vintage microphone to reflect the 80s theme of the video as a whole as well as the 80s-based movie theatre. About 3/4 of the way through the video the pace of the music gets quicker which is then reflected in the pace of the switches in scenes, Conan and Jess are 'reunited' to formulate the resolved ending to the video together. The performance aspect is further enhanced nearing the end of the video with props such as broken glass, an 80s LED clock and an old sweet jar to solidify the narrative. 

Camerawork: There is a variety of different camera shot types throughout Conan Gray's 'Maniac', starting with a long establishing shot of the initial mise-en-scene, being the 80s American movie theatre as seen above. This is then followed by zoomed in mid shots of both main characters, Conan and Jess, I would like to adopt this convention into my music video as I feel like it an effective way of establishing characters etc. Throughout the video the producers have used numerous mid shots from behind the artist and accompanying characters in order to enhance the alternative lighting as well as adding dimension to the video. During the scenes of Conan's 'performance' where he is using the broomstick as a makeshift microphone and breaking the 'fourth wall' through eye contact and a direct mode of address, the camera shots used are either mid or mid-long shots switching between all of Conan's profiles. For example, shot moved from one of his side profile to a straight on mid shot with direct eye contact, this is also an effective method of adding dimension to the

video. From the middle to the end of the video the lighting and camerawork is used cohesively to create a 'shadowing' effect with a bright coloured light boarder. The rest of the video is filled with similar shot types, close ups to establish new characters as well as continuous mid shots of Conan dancing to match the pace of the music itself (Goodwin).



Narrative: The strong set narrative of the video of two friends working together at the movie theatre late at night and later met by Jess' 'zombie' exes. The narrative follows the conventional path of 'status quo', 'inciting incident', 'rising action', 'all-is-lost' and a final resolution. This will be familiar to audiences and create a positive sense of expectedness and
comfort. I haven't yet decided on how cohesive and 'strong-set' I wand my narrative to be in my video but admire the effectiveness a strong narrative has on a video and an audience. This sense of familiarity is contused through a humorous side to the incident, portrayed through action-movie like typography, animated to make it seem less serious and sincere. 

Performance: The performance aspects are reflected throughout the video, mainly through the artist himself. The singing and dancing with use of props from the old-school movie theatre not only breaks the fourth wall through eye-contact with the audience but distances itself from the main set narrative in order to
add dimension to the video. This may have also been done to connect the audience further with the artist, Conan's 'star persona' is shone through within these performance scenes, possibly making his fans feel more connected to him. When moving into one of the movie screen the broomstick 'microphone' is replaced with an old-school 80s mic to add realism to the video whilst also keeping within the theme and mise-en-scene of the main narrative. 

Wednesday, 30 March 2022

Initial raw ideas for video/theme - moodboard

 


Focus group cont.

 1. On which platform do you listen to music on the most?       

Joe- Spotify

Ellie- Spotify 

Molly- Spotify

Sophie- Spotify 

Cindy- Spotify

Rob- Spotify

2. What are the genres of music you listen to the most?

Joe- hip-hop + rock

Ellie- pop + musical theatre 

Molly- pop + indie

Sophie- pop + classical

Cindy- pop + rock

Rob- punk + indie

3. On what platform would you watch music videos?

Joe- YouTube

Ellie- YouTube

Molly- YouTube

Sophie- YouTube

Cindy- YouTube

Rob- YouTube

4. Which do you believe is the most recognisable aspect of music videos?

Joe- the music/ lyrics of the song itself

Ellie- performance 

Molly- the music/ lyrics of the song itself 

Sophie- narrative

Cindy- the music/ lyrics of the song itself

Rob- performance 

5. What is the reason for you to watch music videos?

Joe- Just out of interest 

Ellie- If the performance is good 

Molly- Boredom

Sophie- The visuals add another dimension to the music 

Cindy- Not a fan of music videos on the whole, but if I do watch them it's to see the artist

Rob- To see how they transformed the lyrics into a visual video- how they interpreted their own lyrics and want to present them

6. How often do you watch music videos?

Joe- Rarely 

Ellie- Rarely 

Molly- Rarely 

Sophie- Bi-weekly

Cindy- Rarely 

Rob- Rarely 

7.  If the artist of the song was in the music video, would that make you more likely to watch it?

Joe- I don't know

Ellie- Yes

Molly- No

Sophie- Yes

Cindy- Yes 

Rob- Yes


Primary and secondary focus groups

 

Primary Audience

Name: Joe West 

Age: 18 

Gender: Male identifying 

Area/ Location: Camden, North London

Top 3 Spotify artists: Green Day, Arctic Monkeys + Ed Sheeran 

Psychographic group: Explorer  
 
Interests: Football, Astrophysics + current affairs 

Primary Audience 

Name: Ellie Storey

Age: 17

Gender: Female identifying 

Area/ Location: Southend-on-sea, Essex

Top 3 Spotify artists: ABBA, One Direction + McFly

Psychographic group: Resigned/ Mainstreamer 
 
Interests: Genetic engineering, reading romance, greek mythology, suspense books + health and fitness



Primary Audience 

Name: Molly Webb

Age: 17

Gender: Female identifying
 
Area/ Location: Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

Top 3 Spotify artists: VOILa, Taylor Swift + Ed Sheeran

Psychographic group: Mainstreamer  

Interests: Biochemistry, painting + ballroom and latin dancing  


Primary Audience 

Name: Sophie Pieper

Age: 16

Gender: Female identifying 

Area/ Location: Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

Top 3 Spotify artists: Lana Del Ray, Sam Smith + Ed Sheeran

Psychographic group: Aspirer/ Mainstreamer 
 
Interests: Jujitsu, Dog training + Ballet  


Secondary Audience 

Name: Cindy Tyler

Age: 44
 
Gender: Female identifying 

Area/ Location: Southend-on-Sea, Essex

Top 3 Spotify artists: George Ezra, James Arthur + Blur 

Psychographic group: Resigned 
 
Interests: Reading + watching Rom-com movies, socio-economic documentaries 


Secondary Audience 

Name: Robert Tyler
 
Age: 42

Gender: Male identifying
 
Area/ Location: Southend-on-Sea, Essex

Top 3 Spotify artists: Neil Young, Radiohead + David Bowie 

Psychographic group: Explorer 

Interests: Cryptocurrency, music production + data analysis 

Tuesday, 29 March 2022

Industrial context: Sony music

 Sony Music Posts Strong Quarter as Streaming Rises 56% - Variety

Sony Music began as the American Record Corporation (ARC) and was founded in 1929 through the merging of numerous record companies. ARC was then acquired in 1938 by Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), it was then renamed Columbia Recording Corporation before changing to Columbia Records Inc. in 1947. Columbia Records was very successful in the 50s before launching a sister label- 'Epic Records' in 1953. Sony then entered the picture in November 1987, acquiring CBS Records for $2 billion. Sony then renamed the record company Sony Music Entertainment (SME) in January 1991. 

Labels + Content Divisions- Part of Sony Music Entertainment:

  • Columbia Records + Columbia Nashville 
  • RCA Records + RCA Records Nashville 
  • Epic Records 
  • Artista Records + Artista Nashville
  • Legacy Recordings 
  • Sony Music Latin
  • Masterworks 
  • RCA Inspiration 
  • Provident Label Group 
  • Sony Classical
  • Global Podcast Divison 


28/03/22- Sony Music home page 
  • Harry Styles' new upcoming album 'Harry's House' 
  • Jade Thirlwall signing solo deal to RCA Records 
  • Bring Me The Horizon + BERWYN win at the NME awards 
  • Sony Music wins the Young Music Boss awards 2022












28/03/22- Featured artists and their music/albums 
  • Bakar- Nobody's Home
  • Bad Boy Chiller Crew- Disrespectful 
  • Khalid- Scientific Drive 
  • Adele- 30
  • French Montana- They Got Amnesia 
Mainstream artists signed to Sony Entertainment Records:
  • Beyonce
  • Calvin Harris 
  • Harry Styles 
  • James Arthur 
  • J-Lo
  • SIA 
  • Zayn 
The main audiences of majority of artists signed to Sony Music have a target demographic similar to that of set brief, which was expected. This 16-25 middle market category is identifiably the target of these music producers products.

Some recent music videos from artists signed to Sony:

'My House'- Declan McKenna



'House on Fire'- Mimi Webb


'Oh my God'- Adele


*not all videos above are directly from Sony Music but from content divisions of it eg. Epic records*

Throughout these three music videos, produced from either Sony Music itself or one of their label divisions, there were some consistent and outstanding conventions. In terms of narrative 'House on Fire' withheld a strong storyline with a development in the narrative itself, 'My House' and 'Oh my God' both had a vague narrative in which they developed but focussed more on other aspects rather than a set story. In 'My House' the eccentuted feature was the alternative mine-en-scene and unrealistic props used in which drew attention to what looked like a hand-made scene as well as the secondary character made out of what looked like tissue paper. 'Oh my God' on the other hand focussed heavily on the performance aspect with a large, ethnically diverse group of performers. 'House on Fire' also had efforts towards a diverse set of performers/ actors. All three videos differed largely in terms of mise-en-scene with 'Oh my God' being set in one large hall but developing through with performers, props etc but not actually changing original setting.

Tuesday, 15 March 2022

Audience research- artists + their music






 

Audience research

 Target audience/demographic: Primarily 16-25 middle market aspirational audience of whom are emotionally engaged with the media they interact with.

The 16-25 age group, also known as generation Z or Gen-Z were raised in the time where social media was growing and developing, meaning navigational skills and competency surrounding technology and online media forms for this group of people are advanced. This all then alters the way in which these individuals interpret and use the media and therefore the way in which media producers target their products in order to satisfy them. Research conducted surrounding the way in which Gen-Z consume media was collated and this is what they found:

  • Gen-Z accounts for over 40% of consumers 
  • 85% of all Gen-Z learn about new products and media through social media platforms
These statistics imply that in order to reach this 16-25 middle market audience media producers, in this case music video producers, have to use cross-media convergence in order to make the 85% aware and interact with their products. This may include the use of exclusive media language on these social media platforms within the advertisements in order to engage the target audience. 
It was also found that many individuals as part of the generation Z have said they spend so much time consuming media products through social platforms as it "allows them to connect and have a positive effect on their self-esteem and friendships". However, it could be argued the high exposure this age group has had to social media growing up may have had some negative affects. On platforms such as Instagram young people are constantly exposed to influencers that are showing off their 'perfect lifestyles', this means young people are now seeing these unrealistic lifestyles and influencers bodies etc. as a realistic aspiration as a young adult. Things like heavily edited influencer photos set these unrealistic beauty standards on young people making them a very lucrative demographic for companies to target their products at. This results in a significant contribution Gen-Z has on economical profits due to their high levels of media consumption.

The term 'aspirer' refers to the psychometric group of whom seek status and wish to appear rich and attractive. They want to have a future status in society and have no problem invested in luxury products in order to achieve this, influence may have come from influencers they have seen on social media portraying the 'perfect lifestyle' that the aspirer then wish to have. 

In terms of the term 'middle market', this refers to the primarily middle class groups, families that do not earn a very large amount but still have a good disposable income and lack the worry over financial security. This middle-market is descriptive of the BC1 demographic groups in which made up 51% of the UK population in 2016 making them a significant audience to aim products at.

Thursday, 3 March 2022

Brief 4 points

 

  • 'The target audience was specified as a culturally sophisticated, 16–25 age group, class AB demographic'
  • 'at least two characters representing at least two different social group'
  • 'clear sense of branding across the two elements of the cross-media production'
  • 'utilising a variety of camera shots and movement'
  • 'effective material was shot at night'
  • 'access to high quality equipment – some video work was of close to professional quality'
  • 'suitable for broadcast on streaming sites such as YouTube'
  • 'minimum of two original images on the website'
  • 'best work emphasised the performance aspect'
  • 'Top end work (within the website) ensured that traffic was driven between the website and the music video'

Wednesday, 2 March 2022

I think I would like to complete a music video as my NEA as growing up I have always enjoyed watching musing videos and have been interested in how they're made and how they reflected artists and their music. I think in terms of equipment I have access to creating my own music video would be the best choice, I'm also passionate about a wide variety of music so choosing the song would be a large part of what I will enjoy also. 




Statement of intent- Final