Potential Tracks

Record Labels

Major Record Labels 

The music industry is dominated by four multi national corporations;

 Universal 

Sony Music 

Warner Brothers 

EMI 

These are referred to as ‘The Majors’. The majority of these are backed by conglomerates with stakes in other industries such as; Film, TV and Electronics. 

Major Independent 

Most of these ‘Majors’ own, or license, a series of smaller subsidiary companies in order to reach different kinds of audiences in different kinds of genre. These include: 

Columbia

Island

Syco

RCA

Virgin

These companies are known as ‘major-independents’. 

Independent 

•There are a huge number of small companies with little or no financial connection to the majors.

• These companies often concentrate on a small number of acts, within specialised niches in the industry.

•These are called ‘Independents’. An example of a highly successful independent  is ‘Domino Records’.

•It is often that record labels begin as independents, but then are bought by a major and then become major-independents.

Styles of Music Videos

There are many different types of music videos that fall into 8 different categories which include: narrative, cinematic, studio based, intertextuality, parody, pastiche, animation and live.

Narrative 

A narrative is a music video with a storyline. The story line progresses through the video along with the music. In this video , the narrative follows an unfaithful husband. 






Cinematic 

A cinematic is a music video that is of high production and has a film like quality. They similar to narratives but  are on a large scale. An example is sing by My chemical romance which has aspects of a movie that makes it a 'mini film'. 






Studio based 

This is the type that is filmed in one location and does not change throughout. For example little things by one direction.







Intertextiality

These are vidoes that refer to other texts. For example Iggy Azalea 'Fancy' to the movie clueless.




Parody

A parody is a video that makes fun of other texts , for example all these small thinsg by blink 182




Pastiche

A pastiche works seriously with another genre or time frame , example This is war by 30 seconds to mars.





Animation 

This style does not feature the band or artists.




Live

A video that is made of a live performance.

Purpose of music promo videos

The main purpose of music videos is promotion and publicity in order to making money which means generating high sales. It promotes the artist's single or album , persuading the audience to buy and download the artists music.

Another reason is product placement where a product is advertised in a video. A good example of this is  Mike WiLL Made - 23 ft Miley Cyrus , Wiz Khalifa , Juicy J 

Mike WiLL Made-It - 23 (Explicit) ft. Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, Juicy J in which they advertise a number of things or example the 'beats pills' which is also seen in other video's such as 'Miley cyrus w cant stop'. Another product shown is  the iPhone and Jordan shoes which are a main theme in the song. 

Synergy

A great amount of this is videos featuring films as a way of promoting.This is because if they like the song and they watch the music video and find that it is a soundtrack to a film, they may want to go and watch that film. It can also be vice versa if they like the film and the music is played in it, they may want to go ahead and listen to more. For example the band wet wet wet's soundtrack for the film four weddings and a funeral that features clips from the film. 

Mirrors are used often in the video to show images of the film. Therefore it conforms to Goodwin's theory there is also the use of editing to the beat of the music. 

Don't go breaking my heart

During the construction of this video we we filmed with whole takes of 10 different shots , some of which include high angle shots , low angle shots and close ups. We got our performers to sing aloud along to the sound of the track so that the lip synching looked more realistic and we could ensure that it would go along with the track.

During editing I synced all the takes of different angles to the music and then layered them then it was easy for me to switch footage/angles by cutting off certain layers.This was a very effective method and it sped up the process. However it is a gamble to cut of the footage because you are not able to retrieve it after without damaging the process.

Sometimes the performers were late in singing therefore it made it difficult to synch the footage to the track. Some of our footage could not be used because the performers were out of the shot. I have now acquired the editing skills needed for the video. I understand the important of making sure I have sufficient and satisfying footage.  

Animatic

What we had to do ? 

We had to make a story board of the first 40 seconds of 'the pretender' by foo fighters. We were story boarding every time they used a different shot in the video and putting down how long they used this shot for. 

What we learned by doing this 

In 40 seconds we found that they were 23 different shot changes. We also found that the avarage time a shot lasted was 2 seconds. This made us realise how fast paced the editing in Videos are. They do this in order to keep the video visualiy intresting for the audience




How is editing a music video different from editing a thriller 

The editing is a thriller is much slower and presice than that of a music video. In a thriller it is  common to have to be filming from one angle for a long time. However with music videos you always constantly  have to be changing the angle of footage. There is a basic story line and usually a set chronological order in thriller , therefore the use of continuity editing is vital. However with music videos the lacation of footage can change at any point without it seeming strange.

Organic and Synthetic

Ogarnic


The term organic is used to describe bands where the music comes first , they make the kind of music they want to make and then the record labels try sell this music to have the correct market segment. Organic music often appeals to a niche audience , but an appeal to a mass audience too. A good example are the beetles who first formed at the young age of around 15. They were together for many years playing and making their own music and refused to sing songs that weren't their own. They ended up achieving major success because they were one of a kind.

Sythetic 

The term synthetic refers to the 'xfactor' methodology , and its record labels that sit in the during seat. A gap in the market is identified and then t is exploited by the development of music , and often the artist , to suit this gap. Money is usually the ultimate goal. The monkey are an example to you they were manufactures to specifically be similar to the beetles. One of the members was english in order to attract an english audience. They ended up making a lot of money.

A Modern example of this is 'one direction' who were manufactured on the popular television show xfactor. They were voted into the final round being an attractive group of young boys they appealed to a wide female audience after that they had incredible success. 

A-ha - Take on me

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Take On Me A-Ha music video was produced twice, once with the band performing with a blue background however the second video was directed by Steve Barron, this video is much more famous than the first video and is what the band is most famous for making it.The lyrics and the visuals in the video do have a relationship with each other yet it is less unseen that some music videos, the main theme of the video is a romantic fantasy narrative, which comes across in the video. As the first time that the song lyric ‘take on me’ is said the cartoon strip that the women is reading comes to life and she takes his hand therefore taking on him. The lyrics again have a relationship when they are running away from the police and holding his hand whilst running again taking on him.
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In the video close ups and extreme close ups are constantly used to emphasise the the artist for promotional use. There are also pans , dolly track shots and tilts are used to follow the artist or band. There are a lot of jump cuts used in the video to cut between reality and the animated world. Rection shots are also used as part of the narrative to show the relationships between the girl and the lead singer.

The unique narrative was something that had never been seen before and it made the video stand out and till this video it is one of the greatest music videos ever made.

100 Greatest Music Videos

Michael Jackson: Thriller
Peter Gabriel: Sledgehammer
A-ha: Take on Me
Queen: Bohemian Rhapsody
Madonna: Like a Prayer
Robbie Williams: Rock DJ
Michael Jackson: Billie Jean
The Verve: Bittersweet Symphony
Madonna: Vogue
Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit
Coldplay: The Scientist
Michael & Janet Jackson: Scream
Pink Floyd: Another Brick in the Wall
Christina Aguilera: Dirrty
REM: Everybody Hurts
OutKast: Hey Ya
Blur: Coffee & TV
Beyonce: Crazy in Love
Madonna: Material Girl
Gorillaz: Clint Eastwood
Queen: I Want to Break Free
Justin Timberlake: Cry Me a River
Britney Spears: ...Baby One More Time
Radiohead: No Surprises
Madness: Baggy Trousers
TLC: Waterfalls
David Bowie: Ashes to Ashes
Foo Fighters: Learn to Fly
Electric Six: Gay Bar
Weezer: Buddy Holly
Eminem: Stan
Chris Isaak: Wicked Game
U2: The Sweetest Thing
The White Stripes: Fell in Love with a Girl
Sinead O'Connor: Nothing Compares 2U
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Give It Away
Guns N Roses: November Rain
Fatboy Slim: Weapon of Choice
Pulp: Common People
Missy Elliot: Get Ur Freak On
The Spice Girls: Wannabe
Bjork: It's Oh So Quiet
Dire Straits: Money for Nothing
Kylie Minogue: Can't Get You Out of My Head
Aerosmith: Crazy
Adam & the Ants: Prince Charming
The Prodigy: Firestarter
Johnny Cash: Hurt
Jamiroquai: Virtual Insanity
Paul Simon: You Can Call Me Al
Run DMC & Aerosmith: Walk This Way
Massive Attack: Teardrop
Wham: Club Tropicana
Daft Punk: Around the World
Fatboy Slim: Praise You
Eminem: Without Me
Meatloaf: I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
The Cure: Close to Me
Abba: Knowing Me, Knowing You
Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams
The Prodigy: Smack My Bitch Up
Blur: Parklife
George Michael: Outside
Bjork: Human Behaviour
Aphex Twin: Windowlicker
Bob Dylan: Subterranean Homesick Blues
The Beastie Boys: Sabotage
Madonna: Ray of Light
Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Two Tribes
The Police: Every Breath You Take
Bjork: All Is Full of Love
Robert Palmer: Addicted to Love
Basement Jaxx: Where's Your Head At?
Wu-Tang Clan: Gravel Pit
Duran Duran: Rio
The Beatles: Strawberry Fields
MC Hammer: U Can't Touch This
Godley and Creme: Cry
New Order: True Faith
Radiohead: Just
Ultravox: Vienna
50 Cent: In Da Club
Shakespear's Sister: Stay
The Boomtown Rats: I Don't Like Mondays
Sid Vicious: My Way
The Streets: Fit But You Know It
Talking Heads: Once in a Lifetime
Elton John: I Want Love
Smashing Pumpkins: Tonight Tonight
The Pet Shop Boys: Go West
The Specials: Ghost Town
Herbie Hancock: Rockit
The Rolling Stones: We Love You
Bonnie Tyler: Total Eclipse of the Heart
The Cardigans: My Favourite Game
So Solid Crew: 21 Seconds
Cornershop: Brimful of Asha
Bronski Beat: Smalltown Boy
Supergrass: Pumping on Your Stereo
Musical Youth: Pass the Dutchie

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

'Smells like teen spirit' was filmed in 1991. It was aimed at 16-19 year olds who typically are romers who look to music for the purpose and meaning of life. The genre of the music is grunge rock. The music video follows the Goodwin's theory and is a performance. During the video there are many close ups and mid shots of the lead singer Kurt Cobain. This done as a way of establishing his 'star image' he is seen vigorously playing his guitar with intense facial expression. This makes him seen very talented and passionate. The star is presented as entertaining many young teens who are stereotypically head banging in the crowd the young audience related to the title of the song 'teen spirit'. The stereotypical image of teens being wild and violent is continued as at the end they are shown trashing the bands equipment. 

At the start of the video there is pan that shows cheerleaders which suggests that the video is shot at a high school pep rally.These cheerleaders appear transgressive as on their outfits is the circle-A which long predates the anarcho-punk movement, which was part of the punk rock movement of the late 1970's. This somehow puts across the representation that the band, and the punk rock/grunge music of that time, was somewhat of a great deal to teenagers. It represents the band as influential and powerful as they influence many teenagers with their music. This suggest that the band wanted to encourage teenagers to embrace their violent and rebellious nature. 

The music video is very fast paced this emphasises the intense and dramatic atmosphere of the music and the video. The illusive smoke paired with the low key lighting adds to the essence of rock and roll. The star of the video is dressed in normal baggy clothing and has love shabby hair. This image makes he easily relatable to other teenagers because they are able to identify with him. 


This concept is still being used by many bands and has become a conventional rock vidoe setting. A morden example is Sorry You're Not A Winner by Enter Shikari  

Andrew Goodwin's Theory of music videos

Music videos intend to have some cliche trends and stereotypes when it comes to genre characteristics. These is used to distinguish what kind of artist is performing. For example stage performances are typical for metal bands , dance routines for boy and girl groups and girls with bikinis at the a pool and flashy cars for a rap artist. 

Music videos can also link to film genres this is knows as intersexuality. For example heavy metal videos may be influenced by horrors for example the kill by 30 seconds to mars which is based on the film the shining while pop songs would be influenced by rom coms. 



Storyline and Performance 

Songs do not give us a complete narrative. We only usually get a glimpse of the meaning then we make up our own idea of what it means. Goodwin explains that music videos should ignore common narrative because it is important in their role of advertising. Music should coherent repeatability. Narrative and Performance work hand in hand to make it easier for the audience to watch over and over without loosing interest. The artist acts as both a narrator and a participant which helps t increase the authenticity however the lip sync and other mimed actions remains the heart of music videos. The audience need to believe this is real. 

Intertextuality Reference 

There are sometimes intertextual references (to films and tv programmes) this allows the audience to have a much clearer understanding of the music video meaning what its related to. A goof example is Demi Lovato's song Let it go for the film Frozen. And Beyonce's Listen for the  film dreamgirls.


Lyrics and Visuals 

There is a correlation between lyrics. The lyrics are represented with images that are either illustrative , amplifying or  contradicting. This used to make clear what the artist is singing about. For example they might have the artist acting out what the lyrics are saying.

• Illustration is the simplest and easiest concept to a music video. An example of illustrative ideas is fireflies , when the artist says 'fireflies' the world fireflies some up on the screen to a little toy gadget. 
• Amplification keeps the links with the lyrics/songs however constructs complementary layers of meaning. For example scientist by coldplay
• Disjuncture intentionally ignores the content of the song and genre of the music and tries to create a whole new set of meanings. These music videos don't tend to make a lot of sense and can often use abstract images. An example is chandelier by Sia which has gone viral. 

Star Performer 

The stars image is a vital part of the music video. This summarises who the star is and what makes them different from other stars.

Voyeurism 

Voyeurism is widely used to sell the artists music through sex appeal , a recent example being Miley Cyrus. This is usually seen from female artists.  

Madona - Like a prayer

Narrative

The narrative of the video is a woman who witnesses the murder and rape of another woman.She stands by while a black man who has also witnessed the crime goes to help. When the police arrived the black man is falsely accused for the crime.  The white woman runs off to a church where she seeing a statue of a black man that resembles the one who was falsely accused , she then says a prayer and the saint is seen crying. Then she falls where a woman tells her to do the right thing. Then the statue comes alive kisses her on the forehead and walks out of the church. The woman then cuts her hand with a knife.When the dream has ended she goes to the police and tells the police the black man is innocent. The video ends with the entire cast taking a bow as the curtain close.


Evaluation

There are a number of factors that made this video stand out in its time. One of them is race , Madonna Is shown having a relationship with a black man which at this time would have been courses controversy at this time. The fact that the video suggests that a 'holy figure' was a black person also outraged a lot of people at the time.

There is a lot of sexual content in the video , the show of the woman being raped showing the objectifying of women and violence also  madonna herself dancing quite sexually and showing some skin. The song lyrics can also be iinterpreteda sexual way for example "I'm down on my knees I wanna take you there" this could mean a sexual act or the act of prayer. The burning crosses that are shown suggest the klu klux klan.

All these controversial  things caused a moral panic meaning people spoke more about the video and it became popular. Till now this idea of controversy being a unique selling point is still being adopted the most recent example is Miley Cyrus's 'Wrecking Balls' were half way through the video she swings from the wrecking ball almost nude.

Music

 Because of copyright laws I cannot use copyrighted music without the artists permission first hand. There it is more ideal to be able to find music that is uncopyrighted.

Copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work. Copyright does not protect ideas, only their expression or fixation. In most jurisdictions copyright arises upon fixation and does not need to be registered. Copyright owners have the exclusive statutory right to exercise control over copying and other exploitation of the works for a specific period of time, after which the work is said to enter the public domain. Uses which are covered under limitations and exceptions to copyright, such as fair use, do not require permission from the copyright owner. All other uses require permission and copyright owners can license or permanently transfer or assign their exclusive rights to others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright

Getting started

I am now brainstorming ideas of interesting things that I could include in my music video.

I was thinking about settings and music videos that stood out me when I thought of this. 'I can feel the love' by rudimental was the first one , the concept of young people partaking a sport is so simple yet its refreshing , pleasant and interesting to watch. I also thought of 'Somebody to you' because its got a setting that's typically associated with 'fun' the beach.

What came to mind in my music video was a skate park because its a place that's unique and interesting yet it still incorporates these ideas.





Another setting that came to mind was the victoria embankment gardens its a very beautiful setting that could produce some beautiful and interesting shots.



Another possible setting interesting setting could be a stage.





I am  now currently looking for  music , so far it has been difficult finding a song that matches the criteria of  my ideas.

I have also now found some performers who are willing to be in my video.

Music Video Analysis

Rudimental feel the love ft Sam Smith 






 This is a very unconventional music video , unlike other music videos there is no lip synching in this video and there isn't a storyline that links to the lyrics.This music video is filmed on the streets of philadelphia and it takes a look at lives of the members of the fletcher street urban riding club a youth group. This is a youth group that has been running in the in the community for over a hundred years. The business and of the video is a great match to the dubstep torn of the song. The lyrics 'I can feel the love' go well with the videos positive representation of the black youth. This is what makes this video standout. Videos like this have become increasingly popular over the past couple of years. Other examples include David Guettas "titanium" ft. Sia  and stigmas 'nobody to love' these videos have gotten a lot attention.
















The Vamps - Somebody to you ft. Demi Lovato 







This video is very good because its got mixture of the typical band setting with instruments , however its also follows a certain a young group of people in an exotic setting and has a sub storyline that correlates with the lyrics and theme of the song well. The shots of all the young people just having fun and laughing make the video fun and pleasant to watch therefore the video if very effective.

The brief

The task is to create a music video that is up to 5 minutes long. I will also need to create a a six panel digipak for a CD release and a magazine advertisement for the digipak. I will then finish of by producing a critical evaluation for my work. 

There are a lot of things I need to consider when before constructing my music video: 

What makes a good music video ?

• An interesting concept or story line 
• Lip Synching 
• Mise en scenes: Props , setting , hair and makeup , costumes  
• Fast paced editing 
• A range of interesting shots and camera angles 
• Appropriate performers  

What should you consider when planning a music video ? 

• Is the message of the song being portrayed ?
• Who is the target audience ? 
• Where will it be set ? 
• Who will be the performers and do they have the right image and style ?

Welcome Post

Hello everyone , I'm Ropa and this is a blog about my journey into the research and construction of    music video. I'll be sure to constantly update it with all my progress.