CD Covers- convergence cultures

When analysing album covers:
Media forms
Institutions
Genre
Representation
Audience
Ideology
Narrative

Music is an aural art form, but the packaging for the recordings has a distinct aesthetic.

No binaries:
Hepworth (2011): in an article about the resurgence in vinyl record collecting, observes the hybrid, convergent nature of his-and fellow collectors'- preferences for how they consume music in the digital era.

People either want their music fast and portable or slow and cherished but often find a place for both. 'Slow and quick, portable and tangible' duality can be seen with the vinyl record. Many people keep their music in the cloud for quick access and preserved on vinyl for its cherished antique status. (Digipaks in vinyl records)

 

Asking audience

I will be handing out this questionnaire out to different people


Questionnaire

Age:

Gender:

Describe your music taste:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Do you actively watch music videos?

Y/N

Name 3 artists you are currently listening to:

_________________________________________________________________________

Do you watch their music videos?

Y/N

If so, are there any running themes within the music videos (e.g. Blonde wig in Sia music videos)?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Name your favourite music video and why:

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Do you think music videos should provide more than just entertainment (e.g. political statement)?

Y/N

Why?

_________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

Here were the responses:

A common theme I've found amongst the questionnaires that I gave out was that a lot of people seem to acknowledge the power that music videos hold in pop culture today: this is illustrated through their circling of the 'Y' after the question : "Do you think music videos should provide more than just entertainment?" and also the qualitative answers which they give afterwards, such as "I think music [videos are] an easy and creative way of providing a widespread population with a message". 

Textual analysis of A2 music video

Textual analysis A2



The music video's pace is matched with the visuals, with the camera cuts increasing as the song progresses. In terms of the lyrics and the visuals, there is a high-angle shot repeated when the lyrics say "You're giving me the look" of the boy lying down looking up at the camera. Also with the lyrics "We're always in small circles" there is a superimposition over the subject of a spinning theme park ride going around in a circle to match the words. 

The song is calm and melancholy which is matched by the location of the music video, on a bright day on a shore with saturated colours of blue, green and yellow. The music video is solely a performance piece and appears to have no intended meaning encoded within the text- so in terms of Hall's reception theory, a preferred reading from the audience simple to achieve in this music video.  

The music video begins with a tilt up shot of the tide on a sunny beach with a simplistic thin font in sans. This fits with Goodwin's 'Genre conventions' of a music video as the song is a low-key electronic song which has an arpeggio tone (light and upbeat). 

The editing shows different shots to slide into 
view, and the editor uses this technique to show the progression through the day from the beach during the day to the theme park in the night. 

Representation and the Media video

- 

In this video Stuart Hall talks about to visual representation of groups in the media. He outlines how a representation represents an idea which is already there (also known as a hegemonic idea). This is a useful video to consider in the planning of my music video as I am aiming to play on the representation of vampires in my music video but counteract the representation by showing the main character to subvert or comically adhere to the stereotypes of vampires. 

Stylisitc influences

As a preliminary concept, I have been a inspired by the alternative genre of music videos and, more specifically, the themes of horror films within certain music videos, that often work ironically or satirically. In researching various branches of music videos I found myself drawn to darker music videos sometimes a bit gory but generally violent or gruesome for comic effect: such as Kasabian's 'Vlad the Impaler' or Yeah Yeah Yeah's 'Heads Will Roll'. Both of these music videos were directed by Richard Ayoade, whom I did a case study on, outlining he aspects of his directing which I have been inspired by: Richard Ayoade case study. Though my music video story has been heavily altered since the beginning of the year, I still maintain these influences and I hope that they will be apparent in my final music video at the end of this year.

Changes to concept

Recently I have had a meeting with my media tutor to discuss changes to my music video concept, as we both agreed it may be too big a concept to fund and organise as a student. Though I am disappointed that I have not been able to produce the exact ideas I have been developing this year, I am however pleased that I am now a great deal less anxious about production of my media product. 

My altered concept is more of a condensed version of my original idea, with the same underlying message about media stigmatisation and self-fulfilling prophecy, but rather than having an organised outdoor concert (unfeasible due to unpredictable winter weather; organising a mass of actors, and filming in one day) the vampire in my music video will do a cross narrative and performance.

 Also, rather than having a gang of vampires running around a quiet neighborhood at night, the vampire in the video will be a loner, which will, in fact, reinforce the idea that the public does not like them. 

My music video will still maintain its indie/alternative conventions (in terms of challenging and conforming) and still has the infrastructure of my desired concept, just with a production that I can better work with. 

Textual Analysis- Laura Mulvey 'Male Gaze'

Laura Mulvey - Male Gaze

Mulvey's theory depicts the vast majority of media productions to be constructed for the consumption of a 'heterosexual male' audience. The theorist describes how women tend to be shown within media to be products of the male character. The key points within her theory, illustrated in 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' are: 

1.The representation of women as a sexual fantasy and from a heterosexual male point of view

2.Scopophilia- the pleasure involved in looking at other peoples bodies 3) Objectification of female characters

3.Patriarchal society

4.Objectification of female characters

5.Active male and passive female

6.Men – controlling subjects

7.Women as an image

8.Men do the looking and the women are there to be looked at

9.Needs of the male ego 

The video begins by showing a male as a controlling subject over a female as he physically restrains her whilst she tries to break free. This is furthered by the lyrics "You're hogging her". The word 'hogging' implies that the female is an object to be used by males and that in this instance the controlling male subject is using her too much and not allowing for the other males within the video to use her as well- I liken this to a group of dribbling 4-year-olds fighting over a Playmobile truck. 

One of the final shots of the music video shows a male riding a motorbike into the sunset with a female on the back- this fulfills the need of the male ego as they are often shown within cinema to be hyper-masculine, slick and cool, seemingly impartial to the attention of other males and solely interested in speed, possessions, attractive women (could be listed under possessions) and designer brands. It makes me queasy. 

The video also adheres to the 8th criteria of the Male Gaze: 'Men do the looking and the women are there to be looked at'. This is shown via an eye match that shows a close-up of Pharell Williams as he sings "Look at your girl- she loves it" followed by a cutaway to a close-up of the female subject dancing in the middle of a revolving stage: epitomising the notion that females in cinema are 'on show' to the male audience. As harmless as this may seem, these conventions have indoctrinated society into believing that women need to expect the attention and objectification of males and have also brainwashed men into believing that there is little consequence in treating a female as a possession or a prize. But there are consequences- a full can of lager over the top of them being one of many.