There are many different styles of music videos and they often depend on the genre or whether there is a message to the song. Each style has its own conventions and this helps the audience feel comfortable and understand better as they know what to expect. The main styles of music videos that I want to research are:
Narrative
Illustrative
Interpretive
Parody
Performance
Surreal
Pastiche
Abstract
NARRATIVE MUSIC VIDEOS:
ILLUSTRATIVE MUSIC VIDEOS:
INTERPRETIVE MUSIC VIDEOS:
PARODY MUSIC VIDEOS:
PERFORMANCE MUSIC VIDEOS:
There are 3 types of performance videos, which include band performances, singing or dancing.
To keep organised, I have planned what I will be doing in my four extra hours of media work in the next two weeks:
30/10/15
In this study period before my lesson I will be researching styles of music videos.
4/11/15
In this study period after my media lesson I will begin to research the mise-en-scene within 90s hip-hop music videos.
5/11/15
In this free period, I will be completing the mise-en-scene research before my lesson begins.
10/11/15
In this free period I want to research and take advantage of the 'how to' videos on YouTube, to plan the editing and camera shots in my music video.
I have looked at music videos done by previous students to help me gain more of an idea of how to get the best grade. These four videos have been put out by the exam board to show examples of videos in Level 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Level 1 music video
This video is clearly very basic. There are very few types of camera angles and shots used, and the filming isn't steady at all which makes it look extremely unprofessional. The little mise-en-scene elements and basic editing has not been used to create any meaning within the video. Not a lot of thought and planning has been put into the video, the boys have obviously just filmed a night out, with no link to the song at all.There is no storyline and or interesting elements. In fact, in can be argued that the video is condoning drink driving, as they are under the influence of alcohol in the car and could be driving it.
Level 2 music video
Although we can see a difference between the level 1 and 2 videos, this is still very basic. There is a little bit more of a camera shot range, however they predominantly only use close ups and long shots, and they are often unstable. Few interesting camera angles are used. There is a significant difference with editing though and it looks like they have put some effort into it. There is more of a link to the song through the use of the lip-syncing, however the actors are very unbelievable and don't fit the mood of the song. The mise-en-scene, if any, is very irrelevant. They have filmed random shots of streets which have no meaning. Level 3 music video
Again, we can see an improvement from the level 2 video to the level 3, with an increased use of camera shots as well as locations, however the locations and other mise-en-scene in the video creates no meaning. The camera shots are steadier to look more professional. There is more of a link to the song and they capture the tone of it better, however there isn't a storyline or anything of much interest. The actor also isn't very believable during the lip-syncing, and the other actor has little relevance to the video. The editing is varied and must have helped increase the grade of this video.
Level 4 music video
This video has the highest grade out of the four but I would assume it is a low level 4. There is a wide range of different camera angles and shots however I think they should use different locations or have a storyline, I find lip-syncing in the same location throughout boring. Some camera angles are not steady which looks unprofessional. The location fits well with the lyrics of the song though, however no meaning of the lyrics has been created through it, nor the mise-en-scene. The actor is quite believable but the lip-syncing isn't. The use of the words appearing on the screen shows their creativity.
From researching the artists listed in my previous blog post, I have chosen some of their music videos to analyse to be able to determine the codes and conventions of them. At the beginning of the year I researched the conventions of pop, rap and alternative music videos by looking at the technical and symbolic techniques in each of them, so I am going to do a more in-depth version of this with my chosen genre: 90's hip hop.
Below I have included videos from this genre which demonstrate the codes and conventions in hip hop videos.
De La Soul - A Rollerskating Jam Named "Saturdays"
Skee-Lo - I Wish
Jurassic 5 - Concrete Schoolyard
Nas - It Ain't Hard To Tell
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Summertime
A Tribe Called Quest - Oh My God
Skee-Lo - Top Of The Stairs
I have found that the symbolic techniques in hip-hop videos are easier to identify as they are usually prominent in all hip-hop videos. For example, the use of high-lighting is almost always seen as it is very common for the videos to be filmed outdoors and specifically in day-light. It is also interesting to note that blue skies are often seen in the background which helps to create a fun and bright atmosphere, however nice weather with blue skies isn't essential to the themes of hip-hop videos. This element usually depends on the artist of the song, as many 90s hip-hop artists are American and keen to represent the area they live and grew up in, explaining why many music videos show public settings. The music video for Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince has a sunny atmosphere throughout, as the entire video was shot in Philadelphia where both artists are from, and their other videos also have the same setting. However, the music video for It Ain't Hard To Tell by Nas has evidently been shot in colder weather, as the artist grew up in Brooklyn which is renowned for its cold weather during the winters.
The artists of the songs will appear in all of their music videos where they are seen performing the song. Unlike modern music videos of this genre and many other genres, it is not common for golden age hip-hop artists to have a huge focus on women in their videos, and in many females aren't present at all. It can be argued that artists from this era had different intentions than the hip-hop artists of today, because rappers from the 90s created songs to tell stories with their lyrics, therefore women aren't relied upon to keep the attention of the audience, as the focus is on the artists and where they're from, rather than women and possessions. In fact, most hip-hop artists from the 90s were eager to stay faithful to their less wealthy backgrounds and this is why they often come across as normal/humble people in their music videos, rather than artists today who can be seen as very egotistical and boasting.
Regardless of the weather, the majority of music videos are shot in
daylight which helps to show the bright colours of the mise-en-scene in the videos. Costumes and props play a big role in adding colour to the video, which helps to establish the lively vibe of hip-hop videos. As fashion has changed since the 1990's, the costumes that the artists wear look different from the norm for the 2016 eye, however in its era the outfits are very casual and everyday, which also helps to represent their lifestyle and hometown as it adds a sense of authenticity. Baggy clothing is extremely common for the artists as this was the style that was popular at the time. In addition, sportswear such as baseball shirts and basketball vests are also common, and this could also be to pay homage to their hobbies or favorite teams. It is also very common for artists to wear hats in their videos as this is part of the hip-hop culture and was also fashionable at the time, as well as clothing with graphic text on either the front or the back.
It is interesting to note the costume of the featured singer Vinia Mojica in De La Soul's music video for A Rollerskating Jam Named "Saturdays". She wears a baggy t-shirt which contrasts greatly from the tight-fitted and revealing clothing that women are usually seen wearing in modern music videos. Also, she is captured by a low angle shot which gives her a sense of superiority, and she isn't accompanied by any males in the video which allows the audience to view her as an individual and not in relation to or as a product of men.
There are a range of props that can be seen in hip-hop videos, such as vinyl records and stereos as they were commonly used in this era. The props in different music videos be specific to the song, which explains why rollerskates, scooters and skateboards are present in A Rollerskating Jam Named "Saturdays". In addition, we see basketballs in Skee-Lo's I Wish music video, as the lyrics of the chorus mention being a basketball player: "I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller". Also, it helps to add authenticity as it shows some of the casual activities of the culture that the artist identifies himself with. In Jurassic 5's Concrete Schoolyard music video, we see many props such as a vehicle which has been made to look like a typical ice-cream van however it gives the children vinyl records instead of ice-cream. This adds to the 'schoolyard' atmosphere but makes the video more unique. We also see skipping ropes and other playground equipment to fit with the song and reminisce how the artists grew up.
In terms of technical techniques, there are a range of different camera shots used, such as long and mid shots and close ups, and I have found that mid shots are the most common. This is probably to allow the audience to see the face of the artist as they perform, as well as the mise-en-scene within the shot to hold the attention of the audience. Extreme close-ups are not very common. A lot of shots are shot from a low angle to give the artists more importance however the angle of the shots vary to make the video more interesting. Camera movement plays a key part in hip-hop music videos as the camera is often kept moving. This gives the video a hand held effect which also increases the authenticity. Panning and tracking is often used to film the video, as well as zooming. In some cases, the camera flips around, which is seen in videos such as A Rollerskating Jam Named "Saturdays". Jump cuts are the most frequently used editing technique, and the video is usually edited to a fast pace to match the tempo of the song. It is also common to see clips played in slow motion, during shots of people dancing etc.
Since hip-hop was found to be the most popular genre for my target audience in my questionnaire, I am going to investigate some of the most popular hip-hop acts during the 90's to start my research of the codes & conventions of hip-hop, (also known as the 'Golden Age of Hip-Hop'). When I typed this into Google, I was shown many different artists:
I wanted to research more about what the 'Golden Age of Hip-Hop' entailed. Information from Wikipedia states that it is "a name given to a period in mainstream hip hop music, usually cited as the late 1980s to the early 1990s. It is said to be characterized by its diversity, quality, innovation and influence." From reading this, I know that my music video has to have an element of these four characteristics of 90's hip hop music.
Artists such as LL Cool J, Slick Rick, Run-D.M.C., Public Enemy, Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Eric B. & Rakim, De La Soul, Ultramagnetic MC's and the Jungle Brothers have been listed as the artists most commonly associated with the phrase. It is interesting to note that many of these artists were also listed above by Google as some of the most popular hip hop artists of the 90s, such as A Tribe Called Quest, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, De La Soul, Beastie Boys and Slick Rick, so it might be worth me focusing particularly on these artists which have been mentioned in both lists.
Wikipedia also says that "Releases by these acts co-existed in this period with those of early gangsta rap artists such as Ice-T, Geto Boys and N.W.A, and party-oriented music by acts such as Kid 'n Play, The Fat Boys, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and MC Hammer", so it may be worth researching some of these artists too.
With further research I have found more hip hop artists of this era that are less well-known, such as K7, Luniz, Skee-Lo, Biz Markie and Jurassic 5.
Based on the people who took my questionnaire, my target audience is definitely young. This means that I will need to make a product that satisfies the needs of 15-24 year olds. As I have the advantage of belonging to this age group it is naturally easier for me to understand what people my own age are interested in, e.g. if my target audience were middle aged it would be more difficult to understand their interests. Also, it means that I have access to a range of different young people, such as my friends, siblings and media class, so I am able to obtain feedback from young people easily.
In terms of ethnicity, I am aiming my product to appeal to a range of different ethnicities within youth culture, as I wouldn't like my final product to satisfy the needs of only some groups of people.
My target audience belongs to a working class background, as I am making the video on low/no budget therefore it will not be flaunting wealth and possessions - similarly to the audience of my video which means that they can relate their everyday life to the video.
daylight which helps to show the bright colours of the mise-en-scene in the videos. Costumes and props play a big role in adding colour to the video, which helps to establish the lively vibe of hip-hop videos. As fashion has changed since the 1990's, the costumes that the artists wear look different from the norm for the 2016 eye, however in its era the outfits are very casual and everyday, which also helps to represent their lifestyle and hometown as it adds a sense of authenticity. Baggy clothing is extremely common for the artists as this was the style that was popular at the time. In addition, sportswear such as baseball shirts and basketball vests are also common, and this could also be to pay homage to their hobbies or favorite teams. It is also very common for artists to wear hats in their videos as this is part of the hip-hop culture and was also fashionable at the time, as well as clothing with graphic text on either the front or the back.
It is interesting to note the costume of the featured singer Vinia Mojica in De La Soul's music video for A Rollerskating Jam Named "Saturdays". She wears a baggy t-shirt which contrasts greatly from the tight-fitted and revealing clothing that women are usually seen wearing in modern music videos. Also, she is captured by a low angle shot which gives her a sense of superiority, and she isn't accompanied by any males in the video which allows the audience to view her as an individual and not in relation to or as a product of men. 
