On Tuesday 9th November our whole media class attended a music video conference at RickMix Theatre in Bethnal Green. The conference 'MTV to YouTube: Studying Music Video' gave us a look in to the creation of music videos from the eyes of an chief examiner, former teacher and an author, a music video commissioner and a director.
Pete Fraser spoke to us first, he told us that our music video "needs to be visually memorable and worth repeat viewing". We learnt that our music video needs at least 75% of close up shots of our artist, although the bigger the artist the more close ups. Also, he recommended that our video "needs to be a performance more than a story" after the talk to us Pete showed us a variety of videos from different periods of time.
1930s Experimentation= The experimental film video ' A Colour Box' made by Len Lye is the origin of music videos. Len Lye is a British painter, animation and a film maker which is clearly expressed in A Colour Box. The experimental video put film to music, which was supported by the post office as A Colour Box became an advert for them. Len Lye scratched and painted a film reel and then put it in the projector, this was the first for its time.
Below is a video of A Colour Box by Len Lye.
The Go! Team- The Go! Team used a similar method to Len Lye- A Colour Box, whilst making the video to Ladyflash. A film is projected in the background of the music video, the fun fair shots is hand held which shows the variety of camera techniques. The double dutch is used because it use to be very popular, double dutch is used in modern music videos such as DJ Fresh- Gold dust.
Below is a video of The Go! Team- Ladyflash.
Soundies (1940s)- There were music video promos during the 1940s which is still used today, they are used to promote the video and to attract a wide audience. Seven hundred diners and bars in America played music videos, this is shown in the Nat King Cole- 'Frim Fram Sauce'. This video used voyeurism which is screen within a screen, so Nat King Cole watches himself perform. A tilt down of the camera is used to look at a woman's body, however the camera withdraws which shows that she is too expensive. Nat King Cole is wearing a black and white suit and the music video is in black and white, which suits that era.
The video is of Nat King Cole- Frim Fram Sauce.
Scopitone- The scopitone is a jukebox that was made in Paris, France. The scopitone played European and American music. Scopitones were placed in bars and diners so the customers were able to choose a track that they wanted to watch and the scopitone even became available in schools.
Below is the video to A Hard Days Night by The Beatles.
1970s- Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen was number one for seven weeks, the visuals in the music video became iconic and it pulled in the consumers.
Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody
1980s- MTV played music video promos around the clock to gain promotion for the channel and the artist. The first music video ever played on MTV was 'Video killed the radio star' by Buggles, many British artists and directors were featured on MTV. A break through artist in America was Madonna as she spent a big budget in her music videos. Many American record labels knew the importance of music video promos, so many popular American artists had music video promos. MTV originally did not play black artist music videos as an assumption was that they were only aiming at a white audience, however MTV played Michael Jackson- Billy Jean this was the first black artist music video played on MTV. Thriller by Michael Jackson was a big production as it was directed by Jon Landis who is a film director. I believe that Thriller is the best music video ever made.
Below is Michael Jackson- Thriller
2000s- 50 Cent- Candy shop is typical of a big budget R'n'B music video as it is sexist and humorous. The music video is all about dreams, it has classic conventions of wealth such as expense, wealth and sexuality of women.
Below is the video to 50 Cent- Candy Shop
99 Problems by Jay Z was directed by a rock genre director, so him filming a music video for a rap song was very unusual. The music video had over three hundred cuts and the camera is used to dramatise the shots such as the tire and the flat shots. The expensive camera style contradicts the narrative of the music video.
Below is a video of 99 Problems by Jay Z.
Genre: Boy bands such as Westlife music videos usually has dancing and the video interlinks with the song.
: Rock bands for example, Guns 'n' Roses music videos there is emphasis on that the band can play their instruments and the location is usually at a gig.
: Country music videos are usually set out doors in day. The mise-en-scene is usually cow boy hats.
: Star image- Close ups shots of the artist in all genres.
Visuals relationship with lyrics and music- Candy shop metaphorically amplifies representation. 'Our House' by Madness has the band dressed us in a house. Thriller by Michael Jackson amplifies the horror representation.
Voyeurism- 'The Look': Candy shop comes to life. Jay Z sings in to the camera. Madonna always looks in to the camera to emphasise women's superiority and to show women are in charge.
Intertextuality- Geri Halliwell has intertextuality of Flashdance. In 'Material Girl' by Madonna there are references to 'diamonds being a girls best friend'. In Michael Jackson- Thriller there is a horror voice over.
User Generated Content- Budgets has decreased in the UK music video industry. Ten years ago indie radio play was £80,000 now maybe £7,000.
Liz Kessler spoke to us about working in the industry and commissioning and producing music videos. She worked and helped produce many music videos such as, Paolo Nutini- Pencil Full of Led and Wiley- Money in my Pocket. She explained to us that in the industry there are heads of departments which are very important, the director and the producer is the most important and they need to trust each other.
Corin Hardy also spoke to us about working as a music video director, we had a Q & A session with him as well. Corin spoke to us about his challenges as a music video director and the difficulty coming up with a plan when you have a specific brief from the band. Whilst directing God and Satan by Biffy Clyro he got the brief from the band that the video has to feature Voodoo, a religious feel and to able to show on TV. Corin had the idea of including the Mexican day of the dead which has a feeling of death and celebration.
This is the video to God and Satan by Biffy Clyro which Corin directed.
Corin told us that he always made his own films and scripts and over all he has made thirty films. It took him five years to make his animated short film called 'Butterfly' which was shown at Edinburgh Film Festival. Keane (the band) watched Butterfly and they wanted Corin to use footage from the film in there music video, Corin decided that he wanted to use Butterfly in Keane- Bedshaped.
Below is the video to Keane- Bedshaped.
Corin Hardy directed the music video to 'She is the New Thing' by The Horrors, Corin wanted to experiment in this video and she wanted to use a technique which reflected the grunge genre. Corin drew on film, he told us that he had to do seventy drawings a day and in the music video there were 1500 drawings. It took a month to complete the music video.
Below is the music video to She is the New Thing by The Horrors.
Over all, I learnt a lot from this day such as information about the industry and after speaking to Pete Fraser, Liz Kessler and Corin Hardy I have been even more inspired to work in the industry.
0 comments:
Post a Comment