Research
The history of music video
What is a music video and the different type/styles
A music video is extra content that a music artist creates for their fans. The main purpose of a music video is to boost the sales of a track that has already been released. There are multiple ways a music video/music can be accessed, streaming, vinyl and CD are some ways music can be accessed. There are many different types of music videos. The main forms of music videos are performance, storyline, experimental and interpretive, animation, surrealist, Pastiche, parody and homage
Controversy - Using controversy is one effective way of grabbing the audience's attention. Making a music video in this style will offend some members of different communities or cultures. Overall, this style will get people talking about the music video there for it is an effective way of getting the audience's attention. An example of a controversy music video is, Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box. This music video is controversial because it has disturbing imagery.
Entertaining - Making an entertaining music video is another way to get the audience's attention. This is because there are multiple different ways to engage with the audience, this could be done with animations or having specific people in your music video such as a comedian. P!nk - So What.
Demographic - a demographic music video is a good way to keep the views attention. This is because the content that is creates is made for them and is meant to appeal to that target audience. A strong example of this would be LITTLE MIX. This band has a younger target audience, and they appeal to that audience very well.
Thought provoking - Creating a thought-provoking music video is a very good way of getting lots of attention on your music video. This is because the whole purpose of the style is to get the audience to think about the topic you have chosen to cover within your music video. With this style you can cover any topic, a light topic that doesn't include anything extreme or you can choose a very heavy topic that many course some of you views discomfort. For example, America by Motionless in white. This covers the topic of society in America.
Major Label - A major Label is a large company that will have a very big budget for videos. Also working with a larger label will give you more chance to work with other artists to create a song that will sell very well. Another benefit with work a major Label is they will help with advertising the song you plan on releasing. This makes it so more people would be able to see that you have worked on something. As major Labels have a massive reach when advertising.
Independent Label - A independent label would have significantly less budget so they would be less overall flashy things in the music video. Artists under this type of label will have to be more creative within their music videos. Also, with some independent labels they will only focus on one type of genera, for example drill.
Artist Produced - A artist produced music video will be significantly cheaper to film compared to a major label because there will be less over the top flashy things. However, the artist will have complete control over the project. This many appeals more to their fans as the music video many give them so deeper insight on their artist, give the audience a change to connect with the artist.
Styles of music videos
A performance music video is where the artist will be singing along with the music. These music videos can involve multiple locations but will always have the artist in frame singing along with the music, a popular song is the format is Kendrick Lamar - HUMBLE.
A storyline music video would have a narrative throughout the video becoming a short movie with music overlapping with the acting. The music video would relate to the lyrics in some way, an example of this type is Hozier - Take Me To Church.
An experimental music video is not like the other two types of music video. The experiment type normally has no narrative and does not have the artiest singing all the way through the music video but can be a mix of both performance and storyline. Within this type of music video there is a lot going on that most of the time does not mean anything. An example of this is OK Go -Obsession.
An interpretive music video would use the lyrics to influence the music video. In some cases, this would turn the music video into a short film similar to a storyline music video. An example of this would be Michael Jackson - Thriller.
An animation can be broken down into two different types stop motion and CGI. Both of these types are very time consuming to create but you will have creative freedom. Doing an animation allows you to create thing that the human body cannot do. A good example of this would be Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc
Surrealist is a term that originally started off within the art field. This would reference to things that make no sense and some artist transferred this into music music's. The reason some artists use this style is because you can easily make the viewers unsettled and give off strange feeling within your music video. An example of this style would be Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun
A pastiche style is taking ideas/inspiration for other people's work. For example, the director of the music video could take inspiration from a move and could have small hints to the movie like recreated a shot that was in the movie. This pastiche is a reference to a movie called Falling Down, having similar scenes. Some pros of this style are many people many want to revisit the content that has been referenced. Cons, some people many do not understand the references as they have not seen the original content.
A parody is taking fun of something this could be done to mock the specific thing that is being referenced or just in a way to jock about the subject/topic. Normally these types of music videos would not be taken seriously. Some pros of this style are promoting the other topic/subject. Some cons are many people could not enjoy the video if they are fans of the topic/ person.
A homage is similar to a pastiche but pays tribute/respect to the subject they have decided to use. The main purpose is to reference the subject that have chosen. This song references Happy Days an old tv show. This style has similar pros and cons to the pastiche style of music video.
Artist Research
Artist Name: Motionless In White
Formed/Created: 2005
Exclusive Trait: They are very interactive with their fanbase and like to do live events on streaming platforms. With the evolution of social media platforms many members of the band stream themselves playing games.
Music Focus: In the early stages of the band, they mainly did heavy metal an example of this is the album Created. This album was released on the 12th of October 2010, a majority of the songs on this album where heavy metal. As the band evolved, they would focus more on rock and release songs with more emotion and meaning. One of the more recent albums they have released is Disguise, released in 2019.
Song Example: Disguise - is song primarily focuses on finding yourself. For example, some of the lyrics in the song go "I found myself by losing hope". The song is all about the inner battle that many people face at many different stages of life.
Artist Name: Three Days Grace
Formed/Created: 1992
Music Focus: This band mainly does rock but has done many other types of music. For example, the band has done many different covers for other songs or replied to a song of theirs in a different genus. Some of their songs have been highly rated; Painkiller is a song of there that was highly rated in 2020.
Exclusive Trait: The band is known for having two different lead singers and still producing popular music with the new singer.
Song Example: Painkiller - this song is all about being there for someone. For example, "I can be your painkiller" implying that they can take away some of your pain because they are there to help you through anything.
Artist Name: Papa Roach
Formed/Created: 1993
Music Focus: Papa Roach is mainly a rock focussed band but has created songs in different genera. For example, the band has done acoustic versions of some of their songs. The band was quite popular in the early 2000s. This band is based in America therefor they may not be as popular in other places such as Europe.
Exclusive Trait: The band is most well-known for creating the song Last Resort and for paying respects to a fan that passed away in live preferments.
Song Example: No apologies
Camera production - single camera and multi camera
Example of multi camera. The main formats that use multiple cameras are, game shows, soap operas and talk shows. These are normally filmed with multiple cameras because some of the forms of media are performed live. However, filming with more camera costs more money as you will need more people to man the cameras. (Tipping point)
Example of single camera. The main sources of media that uses single camera are movies and some tv shows. This way is significantly longer but is a lot cheaper in the long run as u don't need to hire multiple camera operators.
Codes and conventions
Symbolism, this can be used in many different ways to show lots of different symbols that mean specific things that relate to the real work. For example, Katy Perry - Dark Horse the symbolism within the music video is it refers to ancient Egypt. There are many other references made within the music video such as illuminati symbols. Using this within a music video can be very beneficial because you can refer to something specific and bring light to a topic that may be sensitive.
These are the main four ways that symbolism can be used in videos.
Facial expressions
Gesture
Poses
Subliminal imagery
Technial Contventions
Colour Theory
Colour theory is understanding how some colours can affect specific emotions or how a colour could signify or hint to something in any form of media. Some colours can create tension or harmony by making a character's colours match up with how they want the audience to feel. They are many colours but some that are easy to understand are red and blue, red can connote anger, passionate, warm. Blue can represent, cold, sad, calm. There is two main ways to use colour in music videos, one way is trough props and outfits and during post-production. Monochrome another term used for black and white this can give off a specific tone within your video. For example, it can give off an older feeling in you video. The music video example I chose is heavily relays on the colour red and black leaning into the darker emotions like anger and hate as this song is all about an inner battle with yourself.
Audience Classification
Lil Peep target audience
Social economics. I believe that the normal income rate for the Lil Peeps fanbase would be on the lower end. This is because the music is more catered to those people, as the music is about problems that lower class people would have; For example, substance abuse issues. Because of the low income rates the audience would have the minimum standard in education as they would have no way to obtain a higher education because of financial problems that they may have. As this social group may have some financial problems, they would not have a high paying job I. The younger audience would only have part-time jobs. While the older audience would be in a low-income job. Community safety, the areas that these people would live in would not be the safest this is because members in these communities may do illegal activities like drugs, vandalism, or assault. The support that these people would get would be a far amount due to the area that they will be living in. The people would get benefits from the government to help with some of the problems they may have while living in a troubled area.
Ethnographic. The environment that this target audience could live in would potentially be negative. This is because the areas may be filled with crime such as drug or gang related. The behaviour of these fans could possibly be a negative experience relating to problems that these members may have. The culture around these artists and genus is popular and somewhat positive as artists do features often. However, the communities promote drugs sometimes, this is done by the artists talking about it and posting about it on social media sites. The emotions that is community would have would be somewhat negative. This is because a large amount of the songs is about problems they may have.
Psychographics. Members of this target audience would like similar hip hop artists and similar theme music. For example, people that like Lil peep would like Lil Tracy as they have similar music and did create a lot of music together. People in the community would dislike, music like rock and other types that are the opposite to hip hop/rap. Relatability, anyone that has similar problems to the lyrics will easily be able to relate to it which many make them like the music as they can relate too.
Geodemographic. Lil peep is was born in Long Beach New York and joined GothBoiClique an Emo Rap based in Los Angeles. "It was formed in 2012 by Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Cold Hart, and Horse Head. The group's name comes from a beat that Cold Hart sent to Wicca Phase Springs Eternal.[1] In 2016, the group released a mixtape, Yeah It's True." (Information found on Wikipedia). The group still has known artist lil Tracy that performed often with Lil Peep. Throughout Lil Peep's career he joins two labels FAE grp (First Access Entertainment Group) and Columbia Records. Both studios helped him reach much more people. Lil Peep's fanbase would have originated in America in areas such as New York or were Emo Rap is popular. The different labels Lil Peep joins helped him reach much more people as Columbia Records has had may popular artist that they have worked alongside.
Information was found on these sights
Music video tropes
A trope would be a common feature that appears within the music video. For example, within the rock genera most commonly the artists would be wearing primarily black and will have makeup on. Every genus would have different tropes that would relate to that category. Other examples include expensive cars in the background for the rap/drill and having expensive jewellery.
Camera Movement
Camera movement plays a key part in all forms of media production. Using camera movement can make the footage more appealing to the viewers along with effects added in the editing stage. There are multiple forms of camera movement. All these camera movements can be explained as a pan. However, they all have a separate name. With all camera movement you can also use the lens (zooming in and out) to help with the effect you are trying to create.
Sound in Music videos
Sound within music videos relates to diegetic and non-diegetic sounds. Diegetic is all the sounds within that world. For example, people walking, cars and many more sounds that you can see the source that it originates from. Non-diegetic is all the sounds not in the world, this is all the sounds added within the editing stage. Non-diegetic sounds include music that you cannot see where it is coming from, a narration and sound effects. Below are two examples of both types of sound. Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World, this is footage of the band preforming live so it would be diegetic as you can see the instruments being played by the band. An example non-diegetic sounds in a music video would be Billie Eilish - bury a friend. This is because all the sounds are added in during the editing stage.