Video music analysis

Indie Music Video Analysis

Regina Okeke6718

Music Videos : A Brief History

- A music video is a short film or video which is merged with a song. It is mainly used as a form of publicity and marketing device intended to promote the sale of a single, album and sometimes a film.

- Music videos are almost vital for an artist/band success. It is used as a platform to promote and distribute an artist/bands music, to a mass audience therefore gaining recognition, acknowledgement and publicity.

- A music video is a short film or video which is merged with a song. It is mainly used as a form of publicity and marketing device intended to promote the sale of a single, album and sometimes a film.

- Music videos are almost vital for an artist/band success. It is used as a platform to promote and distribute an artist/bands music, to a mass audience therefore gaining recognition, acknowledgement and publicity.

Music Videos Indie Genre

- Indie/pop is an alternative to indie rock music. It is much more melodic, less abrasive and angst-free.

-Wiki- The term “indie” derives from ‘independent’

as originally this style of music was owned by independent record labels.

- Over time this has developed and now a huge part of indie music is the image and the concept .

- Indie music represents independence within an individual, and embracing uniqueness through the lyrics and visuals.

- Independent record labels usually produce low-budget, inexpensive music videos focusing on visuals of the artists/bands, dancers and scenery as opposed to expensive extravagant Hollywood style music video concepts, such as fast cars and money.

- Jessie Wares 110% reflects this aspect of the genre as she is under the independent record label PMR records. The music video is shot in Painshill Park which has a small entry fee.

- The simplicity of the location choice leaves a blank canvas for creativity for gathering ideas. This draws focus onto the visuals and concepts.

- In an indie music video I expect to see many visuals including short clips of scenery, close ups, obscure angles, experimentation with focus and of the artist dancing, singing and performing live possibly in slow motion.

Jessie Ware-110%MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

Artist & Record LabelBackground

- NAME: Jessie Ware- HISTORY/BACKGROUND:- English Singer/Songwriter- Signed to PMR Records- 1985, United Kingdom- SINGLE RELEASE DATE: April 13th 2012- PMR HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: London Based- PMR ARTISTS:- Jessie Ware - Two Inch Punch- L-vis 1990- Julio Bashmore- Javeon McCarthy

- Jessie Ware’s music videos are not big extravaganzas, usually they are shot in inexpensive locations, for example; Painshill Park

Jessie Ware:Goodwins Theory

Music Video Demonstrates Genre

Characteristics -Within the indie music genre there are

characteristics such as focus on the artist/bands whist in performance. i.e

singing, dancing

- This is demonstrated in Jessie Ware's 110% through the short clips of her singing and

dancing in slow motion.

- The interesting use of slow motion draws attention to the artist and the particular

details of the lyrics


Relationship Between Lyrics

& Visuals- There are moments when this is illustrated, for example;

“But I'm still dancing on my own” At this point she is literally dancing by herself

-However, when the lyrics say “Wont dance, not without you” She doesn't dance; this is also illustrative

-The relationship is also amplified where she sings “Make me come to you/Although I'm coming close to you” Jessie Wares walks closer and closer to the camera; coming close to the audience. By the end of the song this is illustrated as she finally gets to the boy she's been

walking towards

-Finally, the artist sings a contradictory line “You keep me wishing in the dark” this is interesting as the music video

takes place in the park, whilst the sun is out and in the sunset


Relationship Between Music & Visuals

-The relationship is illustrative as when she begins singing the camera focuses on the artist to show

she is the solo artist

-The relationship is also amplified by the fast cutting rhythms, when the music speeds up the cutting

rhythms also does and the same for when it slows down


Demands of The Record Label

-The demands of the record label are met by brandishing a certain style throughout the music video. Jessie's hair, makeup, and outfit are shown through the use of medium close up shots, close ups and medium long shots. The shots show the

artist is of the indie music genre

-Also, some obscure angles and interesting shots are used to create a sense of mystery so that the

audience want to find out more about the artist, therefore creating a following


Voyeuristic Treatment-There is voyeuristic treatment of the female

artist throughout the music video. There are close up shots of her body, focusing

on her neck, hair and chest

-There is also a shot filmed from an angle to see the artists reflection in the water.

This combined with the obscure angles and use of pull focus creates a sense of

voyeurism, as if the audience are watching her through the trees and the

grass

Florence & The Machines-Shake it Out

MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

Artist & Record Label Background

ARTIST NAME: Florence WelchHISTORY/BACKGROUND:English Singer/SongwriterSigned to Island RecordsActive since 2007, United KingdomSINGLE RELEASE DATE: 14th September 2011RECORD LABELS-ISLAND RECORDS: Founded in Jamaica, bought by Universal Music GroupMOSHI MOSHI: Small, London Based ARTISTS:The Rakes Bloc PartyHot ChipKate Nash

Florence & The Machines are signed by Moshi Moshi, IAMSOUND and the most prominent, Island Records. Island Record s is owned by Universal Music Group and therefore can afford to make a music video on a larger and more extravagant scale

Florence & The Machines:Goodwins Theory

Genre Characteristics- The filming style of the music video includes a

hazy effect and a kind of film grain effect, this reflects the genre characteristics as it links in

with concept of indie music; indie music is different and unique and is closely linked with a

vintage image, therefore the effects demonstrate the music videos relationship with

the genre’s conventional film style.

-Also, the costume and make up also reflect the genre characteristics as in music videos the

costume, hair and make up are usually dramatic and differ from pop music videos distinctively. For

example, in this indie music video, the costumes and make up are quite animalistic with feathers and masquerade masks, and Florence’s (the main artist) make up makes her appear ghostly with a very pale face and bright Ginger hair. This matches the genre

characteristics as Florence is presented as a very unique individual with an independent style and

that is what the indie genre is all about.


Relationships between lyrics & visuals

-The lyrics “shake it out” are illustrated in the chorus through

the free and dancing of Florence and the dancers. The lens glare

and bright lighting creates a whimsical atmosphere which

connotes the freeness of the song and lyric.

-When Florence sings “the ghouls come out to play” the men

dressed in black tuxedos and with fancy masks come out. The

masks and black costumes signify a darkness therefore

amplifying the meaning of “ghouls”

-The line “I can see no way” is contradicting as when she sings

this, a bright hazy light is shone onto her face. However, the line

is reinforced by the following lyrics “Ive been a fool & I’ve been

blind” which also shows an amplified meaning as the light is so

bright it could symbolise her being blinded by the light and a

symbolic false optimism.


Relationship between music & visuals

-The relationship between the music and visuals is illustrative at

some points, for example, as more instruments are added into the

song, more dancers and people appear, therefore illustrating the

music through visual effects.

-At the bridge, Florence sings harmonious notes which is amplified

by the visuals, she is dressed in white clothes and the bright, white,

hazy light shrouds over her, these signifiers create the effect of her

being presented as angelic. Also as she sings the chorus louder the

video becomes a lot brighter and the lens glare becomes more

prominent.

-There is a reoccurring drone which is low pitched and creates a

tone and mood of darkness and sadness, the drone is still apparent

however, when she is dancing and partying where she is shown to

be having a good time, this effect is contradictory.


Demands of the Record LabelThe indie music genre requires a unique and stylistic individual who usually

represent a minority. Therefore, record labels of this genre usually steer away from

generic, ‘pretty’ popstar looking artists and opt for an artist who looks very different

with a strong independent style.

Florence embodies this requirement and the record label emphasise her special

look with the use of :

-MAKE-UP: Her hair is bright ginger and in some videos bright red, she has unusual

make up which makes her face very pale in contrast to her bright hair, making her

appear ghostly

-COSTUME: She had an array of striking costumes of bright red to a serene sparkly,

white dress, this in conjunction with the upward tilt of the camera evokes the idea

that she is an angelic entity who is almost untouchable to the viewers

-LIGHTING: The lighting throughout most of the video is very bright and hazy, this

emphasises the sense of mystery and makes the audience want to see more of her,

it also adds to the whimsical mood which she evokes throughout the video.


Voyeuristic Treatment-The obscure angles of the camera, such as the close

up shots from a low angle create the effect of the viewers looking up to her.

-The camera movement of the upward and downward tilt creates the impression that the viewers are

scanning her body.

-The extreme close up shots and close ups of her face, focus on her eyes and lips , the constant use of lens

glare and a hazy light also mystifies her and creates an effect of watching her from a distance.

The Smiths-Panic MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

Artist & Record Label Background

ARTISTS/BANDS NAME: The Smiths

HISTORY BACKGROUND: English indie/alternative band,

Manchester 1982, signed to Warner Music Group, Sire Records,

Rough Trade Records, Warner Bros Records

SINGLE RELEASE DATE: 21st July 1986

RECORD LABEL BACKGROUND (ROUGH TRADE): Based in

London formed in 1978

ARTISTS:

Buzzcocks

Desperate Bicycles

The Libertines

The Strokes

The Smiths: Goodwins Theory

Genre Characteristics-The video is shot almost entirely in black & white and this highlights the

idea of it being a low budget, home-made music video. This is a

characteristic of the indie genre as bands under independent record

labels usually create inexpensive music videos to focus on the lyrics,

visuals and concept.

-The outfit of the main artist is very plain and has a retro look, this is a

characteristic of the genre as indie bands/artists usually want a look that

defines them or makes them relatable to their young audience; in an

interview with I-D Magazine on clothing and image, Morissey (vocalist)

said- “The don't have the relevance they once had, like in the '60's you

could look at someone and assess their personality. That's not the case

anymore. Clothes are no longer the window of the soul."

Relationship Between Lyrics & Visuals

-The line “panic in the streets” is illustrated by the main artists stood in the street looking directly into the camera with a look of

anxiousness while the camera shakily pans around him

-Another illustrative line is “burn down the disco” as at this point a photograph of a building is being burned, this line is also amplified

as the burning image is in colour which stands out against the contrasting black & white video

-Returning to the line “panic in the streets” the line is amplified through the use of the immensely shaking camera and increasingly

fast paced editing, the camera and editing technique builds the level and feel of anxiety and panic in the video

-The line is also contradictory as on the streets there isn’t any real sense of panic, the actual surge of panic is caused by the editing and

camera techniques

Relationship Between Music & Visuals

-The camera moves rapidly and shakily and matches the extremely fast paced editing

-There is a repeated motif of music and this is matched with the repetitive actions of the editing of the main

artists

-Other motifs such as the waves, the flames and the children dancing, jumping up and down, move in sync

with the rhythm of the melody in the song

Demands of the Record Label

-The video being in black & white with the reoccurring motifs begins

to look very conceptual rather than narrative or performance based,

the main vocalist is in the video, but doesn’t do any singing, this

shows how the record label wants the band to be presented. The label

want to emphasise that this band make music to present a conceptual

idea rather than focus on the performance which is very generic for

most bands.

-The shaky camera work and the fast paced editing indeed create a

sense of panic and anxiety in the video, the techniques make the

video seem homemade and this presentation, emphasises the band

are an indie/alternative band who work independently.

Summary

Through analysing these three indie/alternative pop/rock bands I have found a sufficient amount of

research in order to create my own indie/alternative music video. Using Goodwins theory to analyse the

music videos I have been able to highlight the generic codes and conventions which I should use such as:

-Creating a relationship with the lyrics and visuals with an amplified meaning using mise-en-scene

particularly lighting and the visuals I select

-Focusing on editing and the pace of it, playing around with cutting rhythms to ensure that there is an

amplified or at times contradicting relationship between the music and the visuals

-I have learnt that in indie music videos, the voyeuristic treatment of the female artist is done in such a

way that it creates a sense of mystery about her instead of sexualising her for the audience which is more

generic in pop music video

-I have also found that there isn’t usually any use of intertextual references in the music videos

MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS

Video music analysis

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