Music Video: An introduction

Music Video introduction blog task

Go to our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive and open Factsheet #69: Music Video. Our Media Factsheet archive is on the Media Shared drive: M:\Resources\A Level\Media Factsheets - you'll need to save the factsheet to USB or email it to yourself in order to complete this at home. Read the factsheet and answer the following questions:

1) What is the purpose of a music video?
The main purpose of a music video is to sell a product, while the product being sold is normally the album the music video is from, but there are other products that can be advertised with music videos e.g. the film the song is apart of, an upcoming tour etc.
2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

Having a music video to advertise a song was previously not problematic, this is mainly due to the fact that the music video or song was only available in certain places, but now with the rise of the digital age, the music video or song was far more available for people to watch at any time or at any place.

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

Sony Music Entertainment
Universal Music Group 
Abu Dhabi Media

4) What are the key conventions of a music video?
The music video has to add an experience along with the hearing of the song.
Movement: 
is a good method to add an experience, the movement has to fit the pace of the song, this can be done through effects, camera movement, dancing etc.
Narrative:
Having a narrative, the narrative may represent what the lyrics are telling or could be independent of what the lyrics are presenting.
Artist:
Most music videos contain the artist or the band lip-synching to help promote the said band or artist. In some cases, the artist/band don't perform but instead act.
Intertextuality:
Since music videos have become such a mainstream norm in the music industry, having different references from classic music videos e.g. all the small things by blink 182 contains references to classic music videos by the backstreet boys and Christina Aguilera.

5) How can narrative be used in a music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

The narrative can be used to further push the narrative within the music video and even enable the audience to understand the lyrics better; e.g. Bad Blood by Taylor Swift contains a narrative that reflects the lyrics which are about betrayal, the narrative further push the idea of betrayal by having Taylor Swift visibly betrayed by her friend.

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?
The fact sheet uses two examples, one example if of  blatant and obvious references to classic music videos with the music video all the small things by blink 182, the other example od intertextuality would be the less obvious, more obscure examples that rewards audiences if they figure it out e.g. cheerleaders were used in the wildly popular smells like teen spirit by Nirvana, these cheerleaders were referenced in music video by My chemical romance called teenagers.

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

The intertextual references in media products almost as reward as not everyone may get the references present in some media products, the people who do get the audience may feel more cultured or intelligent.

8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)

The conventions are quite normal, the movement is relatively fast paced through the dancing, but the editing is not. There is no specific narrative to the video, but there is an underlying meaning showing the dark side of the common pop culture in America today. The artist performs during the video by both dancing and lip syncing 

• Intertextuality

There are a few references within the music video, one reference would be the church shooting that occurred in not Carolina by a white male, the shooter had killed over seven members of a choir; another reference is to Michael Jackson, Donald Glover performs an iconic dance move created by Michael Jackson on top of a car

• Representation

The main representation commonly picked up is the violence within America due to lack of gun laws, but as with many media products, the music video has many different representations ranging from common pop culture being too violent to the misrepresentation of black people in America

• Audience

The audience for Childish Gambino would most likely be the teen/youth demographic as the type of music and the artist himself is very popular with younger generations.

• Institution

Childish Gambino is signed by Island Records, the music video has been published on both his YouTube and Vevo account.

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?

 

Today's Hip-hop music videos are very reminiscent of the atmosphere and meaning Ice Cubes music video presents, the music video presents America in a more realistic and gritty fashion, this is also a common trait of Hip-hop videos today.

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2018? Are music videos essential to a band or artist's success?

Nowadays a music video is often seen as an event that goes along with the music video; it is almost as if the music video has become apart of the deal the audience expects when an artist introduces a new single or album. Due to the excitement, these music videos can bring to a new release record labels have used music videos as a significant strategy to promote an artist or band. Due to this, I do believe that music videos play a large part in the success of an artist or band