Audience Theories

 Audience Theories

Audiences may consume different types of media because they could find it entertaining or informative. It may also be to distract yourself or as a form of escapism, as well as creating and feeling social interactions. It can also be used to help inform your own personal identity by relating to a piece of media or character

Uses and gratification theory.

Uses and gratification theory states that there are four different needs that audiences have, which they try to fulfil through media products. The most basic is escapism/diversion, where an audience is looking for entertainment and excitement. Another is the want for personal relationships and social interaction, both through looking vicariously at character relationships, as well as providing a topic for socialisation and discussion in the real world. Audiences also want access to surveillance (information) both through informative media and by looking at how other people live and interact. Finally, people use media to try and better understand their own personal identity. This can be through relatable situations, or through identifying with different characters and their personalities. 

Representation

 Representation.

In earlier theories of representation, people thought that everything has a true meaning, which can then be changed and represented by the media in different ways. However in Stuart halls view, he shows that most issues don't have a true positive or negative meaning, as these meanings are created by the media with the views and opinions of the people who create it. This itself can have varying consequences, as media can inevitably influence the opinions of some of the people who consume it. This can lead to peoples opinions on even groups of people changed, which can lead to hatred and violence if media is used for this purpose. These media productions are often created by the hegemonic (or socially and politically dominant) groups in society. 

Reality->Mediation->Media

Mediation is the filter that reality goes through to be re-presented as a media product. Media produces are there'll called the mediators. 

P1-Response to the brief.

Rebel records holds a music video festival every year in February, broadcasting new music videos to all audiences, so they cannot have a rating higher than 12A, and cannot be for a song that has a video already.  We have been hired to create and edit a music video by the 25th of January, that uses at least 70% original footage, and takes into consideration the conventions of the genre. It must be exported as HD and 25 fps, and have two final master videos a full HD version and a compressed mp4 version. An early version must be given by the 13th to have feedback given before the final version.

I would like to use a unique or unusual visual style. Could get a fog machine and project on smoke to give unique visuals. May want to either find a local band or look for more alternative songs that most people wouldn't know of, to try and either raise awareness or show people something they haven't seen before.

Analysis of historical music videos.

Performance/Concept songs from the...

 Last 10 years

The 2015 video for “Stressed out” by twenty one pilots is a narrative/performance hip hop video directed by Mark C. Eshleman. The video shows a version of the formation of the band, showing them as children playing the song and how they progressed to where they are now. The use of this, and purposely using the adult band members to play children, show the songs themes of the progress of time and how childhood and adulthood clash against each other. This also helps with hip hops generally darker tone, showing themes of losing youth and relationships with family through the whole video.

Between 10 and 20 years

The 2002 video "Fell in Love with a girl" is a concept/performance Rock video directed by Michel Gondry and released by the band the White Stripes. The video Uses fast Paced stop motion Lego animation to show the band performing the song, using the childlike imagery to compliment the songs energetic and fun sound. This lends itself to the songs length and genre, since the song being under two minutes means they need to make every second count, and the energetic rock and punk genres lend itself to this kind of exciting and experimental style of video.

More than 25 years

The 1981 video for "Once in a Lifetime" by The Talking Heads is a concept/performance new wave song directed by Toni Basil and David Byrne. The video shows the main singer performing the song, accompanied by religious footage and erratic dancing, to compliment the songs existential themes and strange, emotional talk singing. These strange images blend perfectly with the new wave genre, which builds itself using unusual and rarely used sounds, as well as the lyrics which leave you to paint your own meaning rather than give a clear picture.

History of Music Videos

 1940's

In 1940 Walt Disney released Fantasia which accompanied famous pieces of classical music with animated visuals. This was one of the first times that a piece of music was accompanied by a visual interpretation at the same time.

1950's

In 1956, singer Tony Bennet was filmed walking in Hyde park  accompanied by his song 'Stranger in Paradise.' This was one of the first times that an artist was shown without the band in a video, and is considered one of the earliest music videos ever made, although sadly no footage of it can be recovered.

1960's

At the hight of their popularity, the Beatles used feature length movies and clips to show off their songs without having to show up in person to interviews. The way that these videos were shown and shot influence many of the music video conventions that we still use today

1970’s

Top of the pops videos became an important way to advertise singles, so producers placed a greater focus on innovative and interesting music videos.

1980’s

In 1981, after the launch of MTV with "video killed the radio star" the importance of videos began to grow, with almost every new single or release getting its own music video. Stars began to use them to build their personas, as the videos became more and more sophisticated and complex.

Up to now.

In the present, every video in the charts has a video as they become easier to make. The popularity of a video helps propel songs to new heights, as video services such as VEVO on YouTube makes videos more profitable and easily accessible than ever before.

A hard days night.

The band develops their image by having a large part of the plot be devoted to how much the band is loved and adored, being swarmed by fans the moment that they get off of the train. They also try to make the band seem friendly and approachable, as the band is shown constantly having fun and cracking jokes. Since the film is advertised as "an average day in the life" it can be assumed that the Beatles always act this way, furthering their positive image and encouraging the audience to continue to support them in everything they do.

Music Video Styles

 Performance

A performance video is in a concert or band setting where you see the band playing the song, it looks as if the band is performing. Either a live performance or lip synching to the recording.

Concept

Videos without a story and instead focus more on the visuals. More abstract than other types of videos. Based on a specific idea. Left field choices and striking visuals.

Narrative

The video is telling a story through its visuals. Can be simple or complex. Can either match or contrast the music and lyrics of the video. The story develops throughout the video. Can match the themes of the song.

Hip hop video conventions

• Performing into the camera. Gesturing
• Camera focused on main artist throughout
• locations: in cities, their homes, studio, clubs, minimalist
• crowds of people
• use of alcohol and brands
• displaying wealth and status
• power over people
• References in lyrics to other media
• can use monochrome colours

Rock video conventions 

• narrative elements
• Abrupt editing in time with beat or lyrics. Fast paced
• visual symbolism
• slo mo
• use of performance aspects
• locations: on stage, urban setting,
• messages: passionate and emotional, anti establishment or society
• High octane or tense
• emphasis on fans
• use of instruments 
• lots of jumping, often in time
• appealing to youth
• backstage
• shows bands friendship
• casual black clothes
• backlighting
• cross cuts between story and performance

Intertextuality

Allusion: when a text refers to another to help the audience to understand the message

Pastiche/homage: A text refers to another as a sign of respect for it

Parody/satire: When a text mocks another or tries to subvert it

Plagiarism: attempting to copy another piece of work illegally

Music Video Conventions

 In his book "Dancing in the distraction factory:, Andrew Goodwin theorises that there are seven key conventions to all music videos.

These are:

1. That there is a relationship between the videos visuals and its lyrics (used to show, contradict or amplify.)
2. That there is a relationship between the visuals and music (such as using the same style or things happening to the tune or beat of the music.)
3. That particular genres have their own tropes, style and iconography.
4. A large amount of focus placed on the main artist.
5. The main artist has a particular iconography and style which is shown in and out of the video.
6. References to voyeurism, i.e looking or being filmed by others.
7. References to other forms of media, either as large parodies such as of horror movies or references to specific pieces of media.

        Pop music

Pressure-Billy Joel

1. During the video, there are a few shots of the lead singer lip synching with the music in the middle of the action.
2. Many of the loud moments in the song are accompanied by large accompanying visuals, and a lot of the editing is synched with the audio, such as using freeze frames during moments when the main focus is the audio.
3. This video doesn't use much genre specific imagery, instead using imagery more unique to billy Joels music.
4. Most of the video focuses on the perspective of the main singer, and he takes part in the most impactful and eye catching scenes.
5. Billy Joel continues to follow the themes and images of everyday life being used to tell an extreme or exaggerated story, as he does in most of his videos. This also applies to how he presents himself in his videos, dressing in everyday clothes which you would expect to find on anyone.
6. A lot of the video focuses on the images of looking at people through a TV screen and being observed by others.
7. This video doesn't use many intertextual references, instead focusing on its own imagery.

Thriller- Michael Jackson

1. The early sections of the songs lyrics influence the songs horror themed imagery, whereas the speech that takes up a large chunk of the ending lyrics directly narrate the story of the music video.
2. The music focuses on trying to make a song around the horror genre, using organs and abrupt sound effects, s the video also uses many of the imagery also popular to the genre.
3. Horror has a style that uses darkness and a slow buildup towards a big finish, all things that the music video uses.
4. Michael Jackson is the focus of most of the video, leading the dance and being shown singing the lyrics.
5. Michael Jackson continues his growing personal style of using extreme costumes and dance styles to create an easily recognisable personal identity.
6. The beginning of the video focuses on looking at themselves through a movie screen, whilst the iconic end of the movie focuses more on the symbol of eyeballs being used.
7. This video contains many references to the popular subgenres of horrors, such as zombie and werewolf movies, adapting their imagery for a new medium.

                                                          Take me out- Franz Ferdinand

1. The lyrics of the video are shown written out on screen and made into a part of the animation as it begins to get more elaborate.
2. Every part of the visuals are synched with the beat of the music, from the animation to the way the camera angles change to the lyrics appearing on screen.
3. This video more chooses to focus on its own unique visual styles than any of the genres famous images or styles.
4. The intro features admittedly too many repeated images of the main artist from a repeated high angle, before transferring to the animated style.
5. The video uses many repeated images of machinery and paper cutouts, while the musicians all wear the same casual suit outfit.
6. There are multiple references to eyes and different eye-related imagery.
7. Although the band name decides to reference important events in history, the video and music itself make little reference to anything outside of itself.

Representation.

1. Pressure- This song features representations of many ages which are not often seen in music videos at the time, such as children or old age, as well as women, although only as background characters. Apart from this the video doesn't feature much representation, since it. mostly focuses on Billy Joel himself interacting with his surroundings and the videos strange scenes.

2. Thriller- This video features representations of many groups, both as main characters with Michael and his girlfriend, as well as the diverse set of background dancers in the song, with members of all races and genders represented as characters.

3. Take me out- The only people seen in the video are the band members, so there isn't any representation of groups outside of the band. Since most of the video focuses on objects instead of individual people or groups, no groups are specifically represented in the video.

About me.

 I have a background in media after studying it for my GCSEs and have an intrest in going into media as a career, either through creating media or any roles focused on writing and coming up with ideas. 

I enjoy this video because of how it is able to show an incredibly large amount of information in a short amount of time, whilst also being able to remain incredibly entertaining and understandable. I also enjoy how it is able to use its incredibly simple visuals and animations to convey incredibly complex subjects in a parsable way to people of all ages and educate people about history they may not have heard of before.