ANSWERING AN EXAM QUESTION

MUSIC VIDEOS...

component 1A) Media language and Representation  

component 1B) Audience and Industry 

music video definition-

• montage of clips with song in background
• visual representation of song 
• short film that accompanies the music 
• video that gives context to the sound
• advertising the song!

Where do we see them?

YouTube

Vevo

KEY TERMS-

Modes/ language/ polysemy/ meaning/ conventions/ intertextuality/ audience/ representation/ audience response/ ideologies/ construction/ processes/ stereotypes/ social and cultural context

social and cultural context= whats going on in society at the time

construction= building of a represention by the producer

music videos are significantly shorter than other forms of visual media eg. Tv shows and films.... 

AUDIENCES RESPONSE- audience tend to be very protective over there favourite artists 

what can people do with their fave band/artists?

• aspire to be like them
• buy there merchandise eg. posters 
• represent yourself through them 
• connect to them through social media 
• see them live 

SCOPEYTONE music video=

France Gall- Baby Pop 1965

audience would have been impressed as music videos are not common 

poor quality but good for the eire

appeal of new technology, advanced for its time 

How is France Gall represented

young, pretty, can't dance, beauty icon

use of close up and mid shots gives a direct mode with the audience  

mise-en-scene of baking dancers shows 'friends' and lively atmosphere 

REBECCA- Vanity Angle 1989

the editing is beat matched 

fast pace with every 80s cliché possible

white and black backing dancers- creates ethnic diversity- excitement and exotic 

Pulp- Babies 1994

clear narrative with sisters to match lyrics 

conventional and unconventional with multiple captions

presentation of ironically cool British kids   

self deprecating 

Convergence= coming together of two previously seperate industry 

eg. film + music = music video

Benefits

target broader audience 

can utilise advising

choose specific audiences 

new art form 

This is called SYNERGY= The interconnectivity of media products leads to a result of more of the sum of its parts eg. merchandising tie-ins 

On of the reason younger audiences are also targeted is because they have a more expendable income than the older generation  

MTV:   

(music television)

Music Videos 

1. short timing around 3 mins
2. may not include narrative
3. can stream for free
4. lower in cost
5. lower expected levels of engagement
6. expected to watch many times 
7. prioritise sound track over narrative
8. made after music has been made
9. audience less likely to make effort to watch
10. form of advising/ promotion for the artist
11. rely on intense visual effects 
12. stand alone product
13. based around the song
14. faster pace editing (average shot length 1s) 

Cinema

1. usually between 90-120 mins long
2. always have a story line
3. able to purchase after realise 
4. very high production rate. need big team
5. higher expected levels of engagement 
6. may watch once or twice 
7. priorities narrative over soundtrack 
8. music made to fir film 
9. audience go out of there way to watch
10. form of art/ are the product
11. don't rely on intense effects  
12. can be part of a franchise eg sequels 
13. can be about anything 
14. slower pace editing (average shot length 4s)

CELEBRITY

"attribution of the glamorous or notorious status to an individual in the public sphere"

-can be a derogatory term

-known by the public 

-somebody who holds a significant amount of notoriety 

-well known for something specific 

-owns a lot of cultural capital- value through reputation

-must have mainstream appeal 

-currently notorious  

Lady Gaga -Applause 2013

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pco91kroVgQ

she is encoded by the producer 

what makes her a celebrity?

lack of makeup- subversive celebrity 

lack of clothing- catches attention 

many close up/mid shots- emphasise her emotion 

 stage setting- connotes performance aspect 

high key lighting- looks like spot light 

• Celebrity provides audience with the gratification of surveillance 
• They are also an escapist fantasy
• Role models to look up too and idolise   
• to entertain and give an objective in life 
• used to advertise and promote 

Metanarrative= over arching or system of beliefs, basically living your life through a system and routine 

• some narratives of life are religion- gives you rules and routines to follow eg. go to church weekly and love your neighbours 

• some narratives of life are science- understand people and the world we live in eg. medicine

• some narratives are of marriage- metanarratives change eg. olden days you had to marry a virgin whereas now days thats not the case

CELEBRITY CAN PROVIDE US WITH AN IDEOLOGY: "BE YOUR SELF"

The Film Industry - regulating films

Regulating films:
Regulation- 'are rules made by a government or other authority in order to control the way something is done or the way people behave. Regulation is the controlling of an activity or process, usually by means of rules.'

British Board of Film Classification- Wiki

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), previously the British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organization, founded by the film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of films exhibited at cinemas and video works (such as television programmes, trailers, adverts, public Information/campaigning films, menus, bonus content etc.) released on physical media within the United Kingdom.^[1][2] It has a statutory requirement to classify videos, DVDs and, to a lesser extent, some video games under the Video Recordings Act 1984.^[3]

Basically an organisation which controls and classifies British visual media with suggested age appropriation certificates.  

• Uc- 
• U- universal eg. suitable for all, traditionally ages 4 and over. Any minor references to drugs, violence, sex, nudity or threat will be extremely mild within a positive framework.

• PG- parental guidance eg. for general viewing however children under the age of 8 are could still be unsettled as it is advised that a parent should consider the content or accompany child.    

• 12/12A (cinema only)- ages 12 and over eg. sex, nudity and drug use must be discrete or not glamorised. Threat and violence may be moderate but not sustained. Parents are heavily advised to consider films content before taking under 12 year old to view.  

• 15- ages 15 and over eg. no one younger than 15 may view, rent or buy a film. Can contain strong language, moderate sex, violence, horror or threat however mostly not to graphic. 

• 18- suitable for adults eg. film can contain graphic or disturbing content. no under 18 year olds can purchase, rent or view film.  

• R-18- specifically licensed viewing eg. sex shops, or specific cinemas to adults only. Explicit works legally restricted normally centred around sex or extreme violence (porn) 

• E- unofficial rating eg. applied to video titles released in the United Kingdom which are exempt from being classified by the British Board of Film Classification

"regulation of film in the UK has largely become pointless due to the rise of digital technologies like the internet"

yes, because it is so easy in this digital age to access any film of any content without parental permission. However on the other hand to view films in cinemas it is still very necessary to have age certificates in order to give some sort of guidance to parents and viewers. Therefore it is not pointless and should continue. 


(12A certificate is to please distributors)    

Age certificate guesses-
'Gummo' 1995-12/PG (18)
word 'Queer'- could be discrimination 
boys clearly high, no drugs clearly shown

'Harold and Kumar escape from Guantanamo Bay' -12 (15)
word 'bitch' -mild/moderate language (gendered swear word) sexist?
aggressive swearing
racism references, used in jokey way 

'The Land before Time' 1988- PG (U)
clear death of mother presented in cartoon way 

The Film Industry - Marketing Films

Marketing Films:

'Valerian and the city of a thousand planets'

2017 Fantasy/Science fiction film 

cast include: Cara Delevingne, Dane DeHaan and Rihanna

• Traditional advertising (eg billboards)
• Teaser trailer    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNrK7xVG3PM
• Theatrical trailer    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPeqNTqZNN0
• Social marketing/social media
• Fan marketing (eg memes, fan accounts, and fan fiction)
• Viral marketing 
• Merchandise (eg toys, clothing and soundtrack album)
• Official website (make sure you explore it properly!)

AUDIENCES: sifi film fans, children and teenagers, fans of the original comics or animations  

The marketing used for this filmed started at least a year before the film's release therefore promoting and creating anticipation for fans or general public.This hype created around the film increases the audience as more people will hear of or see advertisements for the film.   

N.W.A

N.W.A 'fuck the police'

-racial profiling 

-message= don't trust society, police not fit for purpose 

-skits= narrative between verses of speech, white police officer dragged away 

-rap genre 

-aggresive, angry, violent and sweary

-highlights gun law issues and obsession in US

-rebellious representation 

-young black men are represented as gangsters and rough 

-reapportion of N word (taking ownership of word) 

-controversial

Straight out of Compton was produced by Legendary Pictures who entered partnership with Universal Pictures (films distributor in 2014)

Universal is owned by NBC universal, a Comcast company

Straight out of Compton full trailer:

purpose of trailer is to advertise film and sell tickets to specific audiences.

purpose of this trailer shows a biographic view from the bands point of view.

includes sensory of swear words and radio edit.

totally conventional trailer: action, sex, politics

does not have a voice over as the use of speech explicitly shows what its about.

fans of the band will already know what its all about 

use of hermetic code in arrest and jail sentence 

lack of actors names just the names of the band names 

AUDINCES:

teenagers- rebelion and aspirations 

boys- violence 

young working class- like rap and hiphop 

black people- majority black cast- white characters play bit characters

fans of N.W.A

fans of biopic films  

WHY DID THIS COME OUT IN 2015???

police brutality in US and racism is a very big topic and massive issue 

sexual violence or some adult themes are glossed over

Synergy= where two media industries work well together eg film and music  

TRADITIONAL 

TRADITIONAL

VIRAL 

SOICAL

  

FAN BASED

  

The Film Industry

The Film Industry

Introduction

purpose of any media product= to make money!

'Classical Hollywood Narrative' refers to several typical characteristics that typified film making ideology

-emphasis continuity (the audience always knows where they are)

-temporal continuity (audience always knows in what order the events happen eg. flashbacks are clearly signposted)  

-realistic (must not make reference to other filmic or popular texts) 

The Studio system - 

Production - how something is produced, the making of the product 

Distribution - handing it out 

Exhibition - showing or displeasing 

Conglomeration - group of businesses dealing in different products eg. Disney channel, Disney land, Disney merchandise 

Horizontal integration - where a company buys other companies in the same sector to reduce the competition for audiences eg. Disney buying Star wars 
Vertical integration - where a company buys up other companies involved in different stages of the production and circulation eg. producer buying up actors, cinemas ect 
Digital technology - anything that involves a computer to function 

Regulation - rule that has to be followed

Convergence - coming together of different media mediums 
Company Ident - the distributors or producers logo 

Digital technology: mobile phone, digital camera, computer, scanner, printer, 

Traditional way in which film is distributed is in the cinema (theatrical theatre)   

Theory 14, Theory 12

how have things changed????

how are things now distributed???

social media -connection between fans and stars

                      -advertising

                      -conversation abou film 

Pirating- mega share/pirate bay/put-locker

recording films -blue ray/DVD/ Videos tapes

Streaming sites- net flicks/youtube

Universal Pictures 

Universal Pictures (also referred to as Universal Studios or simply Universal) is an American film studio owned by Comcast through the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal.^[2] The company was founded in 1912 by Carl Laemmle, Mark Dintenfass, Charles O. Baumann, Adam Kessel, Pat Powers, William Swanson, David Horsley, Robert H. Cochrane, and Jules Brulatour, and is the oldest surviving film studio in the United States, the world's fourth oldest after Gaumont, Pathé and Nordisk Film, and the oldest in terms of the overall film market