27 – Music Video Research Portfolio (2010’s)

‘Brennistein’ shows us just how much technology is available to film makers in the present day. This video uses a lot of different techniques and mold them together really well (but perhaps too much) This music video is both narrative and performance, which is very common in music video’s now. The first piece of technology that caught my eye was the contrast of colours. The word ‘Brennistein’ means Sulphuric, better known as ‘sulphur’ (which is a yellow colour) This is why their is so much yellow/green in the video. This is the only colour that you see throughout. Music video’s can be made simplistsic, but at the same time, they can require so much work, but have a massive pay off at the end, like this one. The lighting is really good in this video. This is successfully used because it is a high tech camera. Filming in HD and viewing in HD, makes so much of a difference, to modern day music video’s, depending on what type of music video, you want to make.

‘Ain’t No Grave’ is quiet unlike any music video that I have seen before, and I guess this does not support the analysis of the other music video’s, but in a way it does, becuase it shows what technology is available to anyone in the present day, and how easily something can be done. But I wanted to talk about this video because I really like it. I had not come across this video myself, but was told about it by a friend when asking for some of their favorite music videos. I personally really like this music video. However I think that this might be a hit/miss music video because, I can understand that some people may not like it. I have not seen a music video like this before. I think that it is the sort of music video that comes round once in a while. This was not the official music video for the song. The song was released  many years before this video was made. This video was made by the community of Johnny Cash fans, who decided to make this music video in tribute to him. I really like how this music video was created my many people from all over the world and not just a small group of people. And that it is a really simple idea, but one that works really well in my eyes. Because it is something which you an just watch through to the end, before talking about it. Because it is unlike any other music video, we are memorized by it and pay a lot of attention to it.

‘On Melancholy Hill’ shows us that many effects are still used in music video’s, but they don’t necessarily have to done on the camera or in the editing studio. Instead they can be done from scratch, my making a cartoon video. These cartoon’s are apparent in all of the Gorillaz songs. This shows just how far music video’s have progressed. And that their isn’t a need for filming anymore either. We have so many more options available to us as film makers.

‘Isolated System’ also back ups my point about simple ideas and that their isn’t a need for lots of effects, or flashy images. It is a simple video that works with the tempo of the song. But it also shows us that simple ideas can be combined with effects, to create a greater outcome than ever before.

‘Ain’t No Grave’ Johnny Cash (The Johnny Cash Project 2010)

‘On Melancholy Hill’ Gorillaz (2010)

‘Straight Up and Down’ The Brian Jonestown Massacre (Boarwalk Empire Introductory video 2011)

‘Run Boy Run’ Woodkid (2012)

‘Everybody’s on the Run’ Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (2012)

‘Isolated System’ Muse (2012)

‘Brennistein’ Sigur Ros (2013)

 

27 – Music Video Research Portfolio (Naughties)

The music video’s of the naughties are a good mix of genre music video’s, editing techniques, creativeness and a lot more.

The music video’s of the 1990’s took a decline in the amount of money that was being spent on them, and actually took a step forward in creativeness and simple movie making.

‘Fire’ is a very good example of this, because the music was not necessarily tailored to a specific genre of music fans, so they made a very fun and simplistic video. Not many video’s like this were made in the 1990’s because, this was the decade of ‘exploration’ if you will, in what amount of money could be spent on a video, and how major and blockbuster the video could be. The video is completely narrative and has been treated almost like a film.

‘Not Fair’ is a very clever music video, because it shows how music video’s have developed from the 1960’s and offers a current view on what music video’s were like during the 1960’s. Because it had been fifty years since the 1960’s, people would have more stereotypical and guessed views on what the 1960’s were like. Much like ‘Fire’, it is again a very simple idea, but also a very effective one. The video is slower paced, less flashy, more formal (the restrictions were tighter and the videos were less controversial)

’99 Problems’ shows that the street music still continued, but more predominantly sending messages in the early 2000’s. This video shows off street life, and social messages. This video also tailors itself to a certain audience, by showing life on the street, as a ‘street’ song. This also supports the theory about messages, and shows off the opinion of others, based on those who live on the streets. And their view of a ‘broken’ society. Street music had evolved as less of dance music and it had channeled off into more predominantly ‘rap’ music.

‘Lose Yourself’ backs up the point that street music had split into sub genres, with rap evolving as one of those sub genre’s. This also shows that video’s were illustrating social life and also moving away from the high budget, high effects video’s. And that narrative video’s were the most popular video’s on the market. Rap music, is literally more about really fast paced vocals that are at times hard to understand. Whereas people who listen to rock perhaps, might look and street music, rap music and pop music and call them the same thing. Because their are just so many more genre’s of music, now than in comparison to the 1960’s.

‘Lose Yourself” Eminem (2002) http://youtu.be/bmXumtgwtak

’99 Problems’ Jay Z (2004) http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2473580

‘You Know My Name’ Chris Cornell (2006)

‘Stronger’ Kanye West (2007) http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2473598

‘Goodbye Mr A’ The Hoosiers (2007)

‘Open Your Eyes’ Snow Patrol (2007)

‘Boom Boom Pow’ The Black Eyes Peas (2008) http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2473523

‘Beggin’ Madcon (2008) http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2473566

‘Single Ladies (Should have put a ring on it)’ Beyonce (2008) http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2473572

‘Poppiholla’ Chicane (2009) –

‘Fire’ Kasabian (2009)

‘Not Fair’ Lily Allen (2009)

 

27 – Music Video Research Portfolio (90’s)

Music Video’s in the 1990’s went very much went along with the kind of the music that the song was. Also meaning, that like films, their were more genre’s of music video’s as well. This was because their was a rise in the amount of dance and club music that was coming through. So in the music video’s, the artists would wear clothes that would resemble themselves. A lot of messages would be put into songs as more street music would be coming into the fold as well. So often the ‘street music’ video’s would be made to satisfy their audiences. Because they would be aimed towards other people ‘off the street’, they would feature things like, women, cars and drinks. As well as this, the 1990’s again saw a drop in the amount of video’s that would be performance (or at least 60’s like performance, and discounting things like massive festivals)

‘The Next Episode’ is the perfect example of how music video’s made by ‘street artists’ would be aimed towards other people similar to themselves. This is where you can see a clear difference between music video’s of the past and music video’s of the near present. The sheer amount of exploitation in music video’s wouldn’t have been accepted in the 1960’s (even though it shouldn’t be now either). The restrictions of things that would be in music video’s, was less strict in comparison to the past. One reason being, because the music video’s were being tailored to their audiences.

‘Gangster’s Paradise’ in a good example of the type of music that was coming off the ‘streets’ and how both the songs and music video’s would be putting across messages in music. In the past, the music video’s were not so. It was harder to do so, but from the 70’s forwards, their were more messages being incorporated into songs, in response to society and big world events, such as the Vietnam War.

‘2 Unlimited’ is a good example of the visual aesthetic of dance music, in the clothing that is worn in the video. It is again, one that is tailored to it’s genre of audience. It is fast paced and flashy. Much like many of the dance video’s of the decade. These kinds of songs were put under the category of ‘dance’ because either the choreography was important in the music, or that it was music that was meant to get the audience/viewers to dance. This again shows how the music video’s have become more active over the years. And how they try to make the most out of the audience.

‘Victory’ is one music video that show’s both, how much was being invested into the production of the video, and the actual content of the video. This video contains lots of explosions, helicopters, famous actors. The 1990’s was probably the decade in which, the most amount of money was being spent on music video’s. At this point, comparing a video like this, to a video from the 1960’s, would be like comparing the empire state building to a London flat. They have moved forwards so much, both for the good and the bad.

– 2 Unlimited ‘Get Ready For This’ – 1991

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468406 – House of Pain ‘Jump Around’ – 1992

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468386 – Haddaway ‘What is Love’ – 1993

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468588 – Rob Dougan – ‘Clubbed To Death’ – 1995

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468432 – Coolio ‘Gangster’s Paradise’ – 1995

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468579 -Eiffel 65 – ‘Blue (Da Ba Dee’) – 1998

‘Angel’ Massive Attack – 1998

=QZXc39hT8t4 – Dr. Dre ft Snoop Dog – ‘The Next Episode’ – 1999

8 of the top 10 highest costing music video’s of all time were all released in the 1990’s.

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468018 – Michael and Janet Jackson ‘Scream’ – 1996

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468057 – Madonna ‘Bedtime Story’ – 1994

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468063 – Guns N’ Roses ‘Estranged’ – 1993

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468100 – Puff Daddy – ‘Victory’ – 1998

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468127 – MC Hammer – ‘Too Legit To Quit’ – 1991

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468188 – Mariah Carey ft Jay Z – ‘Heartbreaker’ – 1990

http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468203 – Busta Rhymes ft Janet Jackson – ‘What’s It Gonna Be?’ – 1999

(8) http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2468260 – Celine Dion – ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me Now’ – 1996

27 – Music Video Research Portfolio (80’s)

In the 1980’s, special effects were starting to be used more frequently. As well as narrative (mixed with performance) video’s taking over as the dominant type of music video. In number 6, 5 and 4 of this music video compilation, you can see how special effects were being added into videos. Obviously, these were not cheap, but more money was being spent on music video’s, meaning artists were able to produce these big, notable music video’s.

The music video, ‘Bad’ by Michael Jackson cost around $2.2 million to make. This music video was directed by Martin Scorsese. This says something about the big starts willingness to gain more and new viewers, as well as the importance of music video’s themselves. More shots and angles are used for the music video’s and the shots themselves last longer. This video is a strange one. It is a narrative music video, but it is also a performance video at the same time. No special effects were used in this video, but often, choreography was the key to Michael Jackson’s videos.

The music video ‘Living on a Prayer’ shows the vast amount of care that was being put into the videos. You can see that that the lighting in this video was a lot stronger, which goes to show, the time and effort that was being out into the music video’s. As well as this, you can see how fast paced the music video’s are. The shots were lasted a lot shorter than in the past, which meant that it would have taken a lot longer to film the video as well.

The ‘Super Trooper’ video shows that more time was spent making video’s, as more locations would be used. One reason for this was because the storyline in the video’s was a lot stronger, so the video’s would not just be interactive to the audience, but they would be narrative. But this video also shows that the structure to the music video’s from the 1960’s was still in place, but that in this case, it cad been molded with other music video techniques, to make the video more satisfying to the audience of the time.

The ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ video, shows that the music video’s had moved forward a lot in their visual aesthetic. Their is a wide range of colours in this video, and they are not subtle. They are being noticeable. This is showing the mood, of the video’s. They are more joyful and colorful to watch. This is a music video that isn’t as you think that it might have been. you would listen to the video, and imagine that it would have a lyrical video, but it does not.

 

27- Music Video Research Portfolio (70’s)

In the 1970’s, live performance video’s were still very popular, but music video’s being produced for the individual band/artists were coming along as well. The band members and in particular, the lead singers were being more active on stage, for the performance video’s. And the music itself was becoming more lively, in the sense that it evoked the audience to get more involved with the song.

The ‘Let it Be’ music video is a good example of the continuation from the 1960’s of performance music video’s. Their were only about 10 different angles that were used in that video. Shots would be held a lot longer, in music video’s from past decades.

The ‘Imagine’ music video is a very simple one, but it is a good example of showing how music video’s were growing. Their are only about 5 different shots in the video. The video is both narrative and performance. Whereas, in the past, the video’s would be performance only. Similarly in this video, the shots are also held a long time.

The ‘YMCA’ video is also a very simple, one but in comparison to the ‘Imagine’ video, it is on a completely different level. The video is made to match the tempo of the song and be quiet and interact one because it is a very lively song. So the video is very lively with it’s choice of costumes and locations. The video looks as if it has been done on two different shoots, probably on the same day.

 

27- Music Video Research Portfolio (60’s)

In the 1960’s, music video’s were widely recognized as being live productions only. So only several camera’s and several camera angles would be used during the performances. This meant that bands/artists couldn’t put a message through in their video’s because their were none. In the 1960’s, the behaviour of musicians was very different to how it is now (not saying that everyone one has changed, but the kinds of behavior that we get from a minority of artists, and that more strange behaviors are accepted in video’s)

These vidoe’s are very simplistic. They show you just how far, music video’s have moved on since the 1960’s. Before these live performance video’s, music would just be heard on records and radios. These performances would give the audience the chance to see their band play live, and for the band to interact with their audience.

Most of the time, the main angle used in these performances would have been a medium close-up of the lead singer. This gave the audience something more active to look at, because their is less to be seen, when looking at the rest of the band members.

33 – Self guided delivery on two funding strands (Compare, contrast, expore and explain)

http://prezi.com/2fqx_zp_qv9g/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share

27 – Music Video Research Portfolio (Importance of research and pre-production)

Why music video’s are important

.The video needs to promote the band. The band has to make money off these songs, and quiet often, singles are harder to remember than albums. So it is very important that they are memorable. Quiet often the music video may be more memorable than the song.

.As the music industry is a market like no other, competition is high for viral success. So, quite often, the music video will be deliberately controversial.

All of these songs were very successful, but the music video’s perhaps even more successful. All of these video’s were projected the audiences of the time. These music video’s would probably have been quiet controversial if they were released in the 1960’s. It is because they are featuring things, which are able to be shown in the current day, because the process of determining age restrictions are different now in comparison to the past.

http://youtu.be/xat1GVnl8-k – The Bad Touch (Bloodhound Gang)

http://youtu.be/yyDUC1LUXSU – Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke)

http://youtu.be/9bZkp7q19f0 – Gangnam Style (PSY)

.The music video’s need to promote the filmmakers who made them.

http://youtu.be/7bDLIV96LD4 – Headlights (Spike Lee)

http://youtu.be/H4PN7Xbexq4 – Sabotage (Spike Jonze)

http://youtu.be/dsUXAEzaC3Q – Bad (Martin Scorsese)

.The music video’s can also promote the actors/actresses in them.

http://youtu.be/dsUXAEzaC3Q – We Exist (Andrew Garfield)

http://youtu.be/wCDIYvFmgW8 – Weapon of Choice (Christopher Walken)

http://youtu.be/3Yd4GG3bed0 – Bad Boys For Life (Ben Stiller)

.The music video’s are their to make money for the band/artist, so a lot of money gets spent on music video’s in some cases.

http://youtu.be/0P4A1K4lXDo – Scream (7,000,000)

Why (music video) research is important

.Research in work is important because it means that other people can put more faith in your work. By researching, whatever it is, you gain a strong understanding. If you research something enough, you can then use stats and facts in your work, which sound better and more convincing for the people that you are addressing. If you say that ‘people spend a lot of the day on the internet’; it doesn’t sound convincing enough. If you say that ‘people spend 5 hours a day on the internet’ it sounds a lot better.

.To be able to make a point about something, you need to research both sides of the argument. If you say that ‘he hates me’ it doesn’t sound convincing. If you say that ‘he hates me because I broke his TV’ it sounds stronger and you have a greater understanding of the situation. If you take the information you gain from the first website you look at, your information is biased, and it may not be as true as possible. If you research several more websites, then you can see a more rounded picture.

.Without researching something, you may make pore choices. When choosing what College, Uni. etc you are going to go to. You need to research many, and not a small batch. This is because you many end up regretting your decision.

.Research allows you to understand how something has developed. This gives you techniques that you can use to promote your work. You can see how the matket has changed, and so you can say ‘so and so is current, why don’t we advertise with that’ it means that you can have a greater potential.

.By researching something, you can see what someone else is saying about it, meaning you can then make stronger arguments in your work. So you can cover something ‘all round’ and not just the ‘tip of the iceberg’

.By researching something, you can just improve your work in general, which means that you can see how much of a difference you have made to your overall mark, etc by adding on additional things.

.By researching, you can get in touch with people about things that you may not have been aware about, or if you have strong enough research, you can produce strong enough work, which then means that you can get in touch with people who may be able to provide you with better opportunities.

.By researching, you can use other people’s work to help you out. You can take something that someone else has said and use it yourself, if you label it. This means that you can get help from others, in your own work.

.By researching you can get better value for money. If you look at the first option you may end up buying a holiday for ‘£150’ when instead you could get the same holiday for £120. It can save you a lot of money.

.You can find what other people have said about the same thing and then they can help you out, by looking at their work or by taking to mind what they said they struggled with or should have worked more on.

.It can help you understand the true meaning of something, so you don’t mix things up and reach brick walls with your work.

.(Music) Understand what genre your music video is and who you can branch it towards. If you make a rap video that is entirely about narrative and it is about two lovers, then it would be quiet strange because you would expect to see the artist, lots of woman, booze and cars. Unfortunately that is the way it is with many current music videos.

.You can tailor your work to suit the needs of people in the present day. You can have a strong marketing plan. You can see how people’s needs have changed over the years and you can understand what they want. Then you must alter your work to match their needs.

.(Music) You can gain your own personal aesthetic for you films. Each director has their own and without your won, you will not stand out. This gives you something extra and something to be recognized by.

.(Music) It can help you understand the true definition of narrative, lyrical and conceptual music video’s. This can also help you, find out which one best suits you and your aesthetic.

.(Music) It can help you to improve your music video’s. By watching plenty of music video’s from several decades, you can see many different techniques and effects that have been used to make the music video what it is. You can gain ideas from this, not to copy from, but to explore and give your self lots of possibilities and more experience for later videos.

Why pre production documentation is important

.You can get lots of experience from it, by doing lots of pre-production you can then work out a structure to your work, which best suits you, meaning you can work better. If not then your work may not have a proper structure to it and could collapse at any point.

.By making pre-production documentation, you can then show people afterwards, where all your work has come from. In case someone thinks that you have copied your work from someone else, then you can provide them evidence that you haven’t copied. Also depending on what work you are doing, you can show documentation to examiners so they can boost your marks and so you can again show where your original ideas have come from.

.You can work out a strong schedule, so you can say ‘I am going to this, followed by this, and this and then i will finish with this’. You can have a stronger structure, which can keep you ticking. This also means that you can avoid collisions in work.

.If you plan ahead then you can work out things sooner than later, meaning you could have more time afterwards for extra work, to improve everything. So you can save yourself a lot of time, my doing pre-production.

.By making documentation, you can then refer back to it at any point, almost like a diary. So in case you forget something, you can then look back to see what you wrote or said.

18 – Analysis of the use of editing in a short sequence (500 words)

Planning – While you are filming you need to have a brief idea of what shots you want to, which you can plan out on a shot list/storyboard before hand, so that you can keep the continuity moving and that you can vary the camera angles and make the video funner to watch.

Filming – You need to make sure that you get as many shots as possible, so that when it comes to the editing, you will have plenty of shots to revert to. Quiet often you will struggle to edit, if you only get the shots which you want. Make sure that you film as much as possible.

Logging – Log all of your footage so that you then have more time to edit. This sounds strange, because logging takes up a lot of time, but not as much time as it will take to locate the necessary footage that you will be looking for, if you haven’t logged. Often I log the footage into multiple categories and colour code them. Who, what angle, what shot size.

Editing – Make sure that when you filmed, you took a clapperboard with you so that it is easier to sync up the audio/dialog with the video. If you are only editing a short sequence, then it is not as important to alter the colour of the footage or to add effects. With a short sequence, what you are looking to do, is have a variety of shots, good music and good sound effects. Also this means that you have a strong story with strong camera focus. But for the shots that you want, shoot them all from multiple angles, because if you film one angle for each shot, then the editing will be done really quickly. Is it possible to edit really quickly and have a good video? But because it is a short sequence, continuity is crucial because it is a lot easier to notice because the video is not long, and you won’t forget about it after a short while. Because you only have a short amount of footage make sure that the camera captures it well. This means good lighting, white balance, focus, exposure, etc. Because people aren’t going to want to watch it if it looks really bad, or they won’t remember what is going on, if it looks really bad. It is easy enough to edit, if you have done all of these things. But because you have captured as many shots as possible, it allows you to be adventurous and make the video more entertaining for the audience to watch.

16 – The finished caving film

(Note, the music in this video is different to the music which I originally used, as it cannot be located)