Music Videos

These notes will help me when it comes to analysing my format research.

Lyrics-

Lyrics tend to help establish a general feeling, or mood, or sense of subject matter rather than offering a coherent meaning. Key lines may play a part in the visuals associated with the song but very rarely will a music video simply illustrate the lyrics wholesale.

Genre-

Some music videos transcend genres, others can be more easily categorised. Some, but not all, music channels concentrate on particular music genres. These channels use many different aspects such as recurring colour schemes, mise-en-scene, themes, performance, camera and editing skills.

Intertextuality –

This is the idea that by drawing upon existing texts can spark recognition from your audience. Not all audiences will automatically spot the reference and this will not significantly detract from their pleasure of the text, but a greater pleasure may be derived from those who do recognise the reference.

Intertextuality in Practice-

It is not surprising that a large number of music videos draw upon cinema as becoming big. Intertextuality is basically using shared knowledge into practice. TV shows, Books, Comics, other music videos, celebrities, fashion and photography are all aspects which are used into practice as well.

John Stewart –

Stewart describes music videos as ‘incorporating’ raiding and reconstructing and this is the essence of intersexuality. He has many theories with regards to music videos. Recently he spoke about how the influence of computer games on the younger generation has generated more plasticised looking characters i.e. Robbie Williams – Let Love Be Your Energy.

Narrative + Performance-

Narrative in songs, like in poetry, is rarely complete and is often fragmentary. Music videos tend to have storylines or offer complex fragments in anon-linear order, leaving the viewer with the desire to see them again. The video allows the audience more varied access to the performer than a stage performer can. The close up, allowing eye contact and close observation of facial gestures, and role-play within a narrative framework, present the artist in a number of ways which is not possible in a live concert.

Mis-en-scene –

As a guarantee of ‘authentic’ of a bands musical virtuosity; to establish a relationship to familiar film or television genres in a narrative-based video; As part of the voyeuristic context by suggesting a setting associated with sexual allure, such as a sleazy nightclub. John Stewart suggests this is to emphasise the aspiration lifestyle, as the current emphasis on the latest gadgetry.