I compiled a prop-list of all the things that we would need
to pull of the video re-enactment, all the props can be seen below. The code
next to the props is who in the group were relying on to bring it on shooting
day, C= Connor, J = Jack, A= Archie and X= All of us.
There is a long introduction with a variety of slow shots in the summer heat. There are close up shots of different flowers of which were roses, white and red. There a series of still static shots in the build up. The song does not officially start until 2 minutes into the video. At the start of the video the male is seen as having power over the women as he is above her in the frame and looking down on her. This links to the stereotypical, male gaze which is associated with music videos. Voyerism often plays a major part especially in relation to females, this can be shown in the video above. Lady gaga is also in a pure white outfit which suggests that she is vulnerable and that she is like an angel/saint. There is a wide range of mise en scene throughout the video and various uses of different costumes. The representation of women in this shows her with very little clothes on in seductive positions. In this pop music video there are a variety of different performances with many back up dancers around Lady gaga who is always in the centre of the frame as she is the most important person. There are quick transitions between different shots.
This creates a star brand as its communicating to her audience that she is so big that one day she will be on the front of the dollar bill, aswell as her being bigger than america, with "the united states of Lady gaga" rather than "America". There is a continuous link towards different forms on advertising Lady gaga herself and this is also shown in the close up towards the newspaper article, which also says, reaches the top yet again. The lyrics also match this as money and newspapers are huge forms of parazzi. There is also some bad publicity which links with the lyrics of the song as paparazzi find positives and negatives of every main star.
Below are the lyrics to our prelim song and the RED is being lip synced by Connor and Yellow is being lip synced by Jack.
"Gangsta's Paradise"
As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I take a look at my life and realize there's nothin' left 'Cause I've been blasting and laughing so long, That even my mama thinks that my mind is gone But I ain't never crossed a man that didn't deserve it Me be treated like a punk you know that's unheard of You better watch how you're talking and where you're walking Or you and your homies might be lined in chalk I really hate to trip but I gotta loc As they croak, I see myself in the pistol smoke, fool I'm the kinda G the little homies wanna be like On my knees in the night saying prayers in the streetlight
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Look at the situation they got me facin'
I can't live a normal life, I was raised by the streets
So I gotta be down with the hood team
Too much television watching got me chasing dreams
I'm an educated fool with money on my mind
Got my 10 in my hand and a gleam in my eye
I'm a loc'd out gangsta set trippin' banger
And my homies is down so don't arouse my anger, fool
Death ain't nothing but a heartbeat away,
I'm living life, do or die, what can I say
I'm 23 now, but will I live to see 24
The way things are going I don't know
Tell me why are we so blind to see
That the ones we hurt are you and me
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Power and the money, money and the power
Minute after minute, hour after hour
Everybody's running, but half of them ain't looking
What's going on in the kitchen, but I don't know what's cookin'
They say I gotta learn, but nobody's here to teach me
If they can't understand it, how can they reach me
I guess they can't, I guess they won't
I guess they front, that's why I know my life is out of luck, fool
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Been spending most their lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spending most our lives, living in the gangsta's paradise
This week we were given a task at which we are asked to replicate a music video. I was put into a group with fellow class members Connor and Jack at which we were given the music video of:
Coolio - Gangsters Paradise
In this prelim task we are asked to do a logical cut off point at which is around a minute long in this case we are replicating just over a minute with this song. In this video there are three main characters at which the roles are shown below:
We decided early on that we would allocate roles and this worked perfectly as we are in a gorup of three with a video with three people in.
Archie - The women
Connor - Coolio
Jack - the other male man
In this lesson at first we were given the lyrics on screen and we listened to the song at which we were then asked to create our own example of a music video that we would come up with which went with the song.
"No Rest"
I used to be a king alone
Like Solomon or Rehoboam
And in the eaves, the Corvidae
Did jealous keep my picture frames
And everything did oxidate in place.
But then you came, a single cell
With astrolabe and carousel
And algebra and symmetry
And none of this was lost on me
And I could see how still I’d been before
If I don’t eat, I don’t sleep at all
Like limbs in procession,
Like so many birds
Stampeding like oxen,
Our hearts are a herd
I loved you in the best
I loved you in the best way possible
I loved you in the best
Did you see the light in my heart?
Did you see the sweat on my brow?
Did you see the fear in my heart?
Did you see me bleeding out?
I loved you in the best
I loved you in the best way possible
I loved you in the best way possible
I loved you in the best way possible
I loved you in the best…
We also had to identify:
Whether it was a band or solo Artist
What the lyrics meant
Is there a narrative behind the song that could be found
The genre
Its audience - what they would expect
Together as a group we identified each of these at which we all thought that it was a Band at which was Rock-indie and had a target audience of late teens and middle aged people however it is a niche Market. The lyrics showed us that it was a relatively sad song about someone who had a great life to now having a sad life alone, this shows heartache.
At which we split into two groups of three where we pitched our ideas and picked the best two. I was in a group with Issak and Tom at which we picked mine and Issak's idea of our music video to pitch in front of the other group.
My Music Video idea was a slightly abstract music video at which did not have a narrative however it matched the lyrics of song at which i wanted the male lead singer to be on an empty carousal at which is mentioned in the lyrics. I wanted to have an onstage experience aswell as when the pace of the song increases i wanted to create the dark sad feel at which i felt during the song. I wanted to create a sad effect at which also linked in with the lyrics.
Many other ideas from other groups included hints within the song with one person coming up with the idea of water having a lead part.
There was also anthor idea of a snowglobe effect at which the start of the song would be like a nice snowglobe however things gradually get worse as a couple would continuously argue creating a sinister sad effect.
I
Above is the real music video at which the band filmed.
Below is three songs at which i listened to when i was at a young age to now at which reminded me.
The first song is Kylie Minogue - Can't get you outta my head
This is a song at which i listened to at a young age, this reminds me of my childhood as i used to sing this song wherever i went! This is my first memory of music at which reminds me of being at a young age. This was the first music at which i liked and listened to.
My Second Song is David Guetta - Memories
This is a song at which reminds me of my first year in secondary school. It is a song at which i didnt really used to like in the sense of genre however this song opened up this style of music to me at which now i really like.
My Third Song is Wiz Khalifa - See you again Ft. Charlie Puth
This is a song at which i really like now at this specific moment because it links to one of my favourite films aswell. It is a song at which i like to listen to wherever i am.
Below are three Music Videos at which each song are of different genre. I will then use the the music video theorists, Andrew Goodwin and Carol Vernallis theories and put them to use on each individual video that I analyse.
Walk the moon - Shut up and dance
The genre of this song is Pop
In this Music video the editing is extremely important as it matches the beat this is Goodwins theory at which in this music video the relationship between the music and the visuals in shown especially when the pace of the song quickens this link is highlighted by quick transitions.
Goodwin and Vernallis theories show that there is a relationship between lyrics and visuals and this is amplified by the use of special effects such as the arcade heart.
In this music video it also relates to Goodwin's theory of the genre related style is shown using iconography. During this clip there is various different colour lights at which signal the Pop genre. This is further highlighted through the costumes at which also link to the genre.
However Goodwin's theory that voyeurism often plays a major part this is not at all shown in this video as there is no divide between men and women.
The male lead singer has multiple close ups at which helps to promote the brand image by the use of a variety of shots of the lead male singer, this therefore in this video links to Goodwin's and Vernallis theories that the lead singer has a variety of camera shots promoting the brand.
Flo Rida - GDFR
The genre of this song is Hip Hop
In this music video iconography plays a huge importance through the use of the costumes and props with Flo rida wearing chains around his neck and with the Bugatti Veyron in the background. In this Music video they also have Udonis Haslem who is a professional basketball player in this video at which links to the video of which is a women basketball team.
Voyerism is used in this video with various close ups to women areas at which also links in with the genre. Many other music videos in this genre also use voyerism, to attract male viewers.
Flo rida the singer has many close ups which highlight he is the star role this shows that goodwins theory is correct.
The thought beat in this song is shown by the amount of shots there are. Where the pace quickens there are more shots at which highlight this pace.
However although there is a narrative in this music video in the sense of a basketball match however there is no link between the lyrics and the music video.
The Killers - Mr Brightside
The genre of this song is Rock
In this music Video there are a wide variety of costumes at which are all quite extravagant in the sense that women are styled in retro dresses.
The thought beat of this song is linked in with the amount of shots which are shown.
The lyrics are hugely interpreted in the sense that there is a huge voyerism in the lyrics at which link into the song aswell. The use of the background Eagles on the side of the wall link to the lyrics.
There is a on stage band at which show the lead singer in mutltiple shots at which show he is the star performer.
As a class group we watched this music video and we were asked to analsye the video but first we all were asked to describe the video in one word:
Random
Mesmerising
Slow Motion
Strange
Invigorating
Psychedelic
Soporific
Thom Yorke is the lead singer in Radio Head and in this video he is given a star image through the use of goodwins and vernallis theories at which suggest that the lead singer is given star image to promote the brand and to show us that this person in this case Thom Yorke has a high prevalence.
The Setting of this Video is in America and in a caravan park this is determined by the style of caravans but this is also showing to its audience that it is although a British band it is Worldwide Band.
Throughout the video there was very strange moments at which the lip syncing wasn't in place deliberately, this is similar to the random mid shot where the lead singer had no arm. There was an abstract feel throughout the whole video.
The song is a very sad song at which is very dark and mysterious in the sense that there was no narrative throughout the video it was very abstract this is also shown by the use of editing at which made various slow motion shots which were contradicted with normal paced shots. This idea was so that it made the audience feel disorientated at which also linked into the depressing lyrics of the song which are shown below:
"Street Spirit (Fade Out)"
Rows of houses, all bearing down on me
I can feel their blue hands touching me
All these things into position
All these things we'll one day swallow whole
And fade out again and fade out
This machine will, will not communicate
These thoughts and the strain I am under
Be a world child, form a circle
Before we all go under
And fade out again and fade out again
Cracked eggs, dead birds
Scream as they fight for life
I can feel death, can see its beady eyes
All these things into position
All these things we'll one day swallow whole
And fade out again and fade out again
Immerse your soul in love
IMMERSE YOUR SOUL IN LOVE
He has a music Video theory at of which his theories are below:
Goodwin has six music video theories-
A Relationship between the lyrics and the visuals which illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics
Thought beats: seeing the sounds (the relationship between the music and the visuals, which illustrate amplify or contradict the music)
Genre-related style and iconography present
Multiple close-ups of the main artist or vocalist: the creation of a star image to promote a recognisable brand image.
Voyerism often plays a major part especially in relation to females.
Intertextual References to other media texts to present, especially in humorous videos
Carol Vernallis -
She has a music video theory at of which her theories are below:
Carol has four music video theories-
Narrative - the narrative could support the lyrics of the song however the video may not have a narrative.
Editing - A certain style is attained throughout the video by editing. This can be done in many types of methods such as jump cuts and continuity editing
Camerawork - Frame angle and movement are used and are important in creating a brand. They must be distinctive shots.
Diegesis - The world in the video is shaped by lyrics in song e.g. sad song can be dark setting like in Radiohead - street spirit
