Summer Project: coursework planning

 1) Research: music videos

  
You need to write a 150-word close-textual analysis of SIX music videos that will inform your production work. The music videos you analyse are up to you but focus on a different aspect of media language for each one (see guidance below).  

Music videos

Music Video 1: Narrative
How is narrative used in the music video and what impact does this have on the audience? Can you apply any narrative theories to the story in the music video?

Panic! At The Disco - High Hopes

Narrative used in this video is quite interesting as the opening is a man getting out of a car and then the music playing whilst he is lip syncing to the words and starts walking on the pavement with people budging into him and not caring about what's going on (normal equilibrium - Todorovs equilibrium theory) . This is unique as it shows that no one cares about no one else other than each other which links to the lyrics that "we wanted everything" which can create meanings that the people in the music video do not care about anything else other than themselves and their objectives. However the narrative shifts and changes and displays a problem (distribution in the equilibrium)  a massive building blocking the mans path. He then begins walking on top of the building showing that he's got ", high hopes and always had, high hopes" which he carries on singing while conquering the building. Eventually, the man gets on top of the building accomplishing his goal (new equilibrium) which can help impact on an aduience watching this if they put their minds to it they can do anything. 


Music Video 2: Camerawork (shots, angles, movement)
Look for particular camera shots and movement - remember that movement is a critical convention of most music videos and camerawork can contribute to this

Wham! - Bad Boys

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The use of the medium close up shot at the beginning of the video for the boy running to his father shows that he loves his parents very much which shows he respects and adores his parents very much. However later on in the video it shows a extreme close up shot between the times 1:12-1:20 of the boys little legs running away from committing a crime which then cuts and transitions into a tall boys pair of legs running away from something which can create meaning of a shift in time and that the boy has grown up. Later on in the music video we see a lot of long shots of the teen boy wearing a black leather jacket with jeans the stereotypical bad boy look and hanging out with a group all wearing similar clothes. Towards the end we get an extreme close up shot of the teenagers face who's wearing glasses and having a tough guy look on his face which can be in contrast to how he looked in the beginning when he was such a sweet and innocent boy. 

Music Video 3: Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Use CLAMPS to help you here and think in particular about how mise-en-scene is used to communicate the genre of music and the personality or brand identity of the band/artist.

Imagine Dragons - Believer

The use of mise-en-scene such as Costume which is of two muscular people wearing boxing gloves and shorts links well to create meanings to the audience as it shows two men beating the heck out of each other in a "fight to the death" style which links to the song Believer as it can create meanings of 'who believes in themselves and believes they can win". Furthermore the use of the lighting such as the dominant colour of red throughout the video creates meaning to the audience that this is dangerous and shouldn't be attempted. In addition to this the use of the Setting is subversive as normally a boxing match is done in a ring but this is done in somewhere that looks like space and gives off a sci-fi look which helps back up this idea with the blue lighting affect in the music video throughout as well. 

Music Video 4: Editing
For editing, analyse pace, transitions, the number of shots and juxtaposition. How does the music video create pace and excitement - or does it create a different effect for the audience?

PSY - GANGNAM STYLE

  

The pace used for this video is that it's very fast and upbeat as it starts off slow but gradually speeds up. This music video especially creates excitement due the amount of random and funny actions and locations PSY uses with him in the beginning of the video walking into a building where horses are kept and starts dancing right in the centre of it. Furthermore, the use of the editing is amazing as when the music begins to gradually build up with the beat going fast the use of the dramatic fast paced editing with the fast cuts between PSY and the young woman walking towards him is funny as they take such a normal thing and make it look like a major accomplishment. Towards the end of the video, the scene cuts from PSY singing in front of the girl to him singing in the toilet with his trousers down which can create a humorous affect for the audience as its so random but funny. 

Music Video 5: Conventions

Think back to our Introduction to Music Video and our work on Andrew Goodwin's theory on music video conventions as part of the Ghost Town CSP. How many key conventions of music video can you find in your fifth music video example?

LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem ft. Lauren Bennett, GoonRock

I feel like this video has got everything that Andrew Goodwin's theory has to offer. This is because this has a clear link between the visuals and lyrics as they need to dance to stay alive and the lyrics are "Everyday I'm Shufflin'" which shows in order to stay alive you need to dance. This also contains a lot of performance as the whole time throughout the video we see the two main characters lip syncing to the lyrics and dancing. Also, the use of the objectification which is seen in this video as the females are wearing shorts and showing off their legs which helps support the idea of the male gaze. Furthermore, this shows a clear demand of the record label as we see who the main lead singer is the guy in the Afro as most of the times the camera is focused on him when it comes to the signing mainly.  

Music Video 6: Visual effects, intertextuality or product placement

Choose a video that has interesting visual effects or intertextuality and analyse the effect this creates and how it is constructed. Alternatively, you could look at product placement here and see how a band or artist has incorporated a brand or product into their video.

Olly Murs - Moves ft. Snoop Dogg

 

This video is wonderful when it comes to intertextuality it has so many different media texts you can relate it back to such as having a celebrity guest featuring in the music video Rowan Atkinson who is best known for playing as Mr Bean in his comedy show who again doesn't fail to make viewers at home laugh when it comes to this music video. Furthermore the use of the can product called "Moves" played an important part in the music video as it shown that whenever Olly Murs drank out of it it would transform him from the stereotypical geek boy who doesn't get any girls to a smartly dressed handsome man in suit. This shows that the product which is the can held great powers for Olly. In addition, another intertextual reference we could make due to the setting of it being in a nightclub with music and dancing is the hit film "Saturday Night Fever" which starred John Travolta and can relate to Olly's dance moves being similar to Travolta's winning the dance floor away. 

  

You can find a range of notable music video examples in this blogpost or you are free to select videos of your choice. You may wish to write more about one video than another but as long as you have 800+ words of music video research in total you will be fine . Feel free to use bullet points if this is helpful.

2) Planning: music video treatment

A treatment is like a script for a music video - it tells the band or artist exactly what will happen in the video and the kind of style or effect the video will have. You'll need choose what song you are going to use at this point - remember, you can use an existing artist's work but it needs to be appropriate for the brief. 

You can find further music video treatment guidance here plus an example of a genuine director's treatment for the brilliant alt-J video Breezeblocks. 

For this aspect of your summer project, write a basic treatment that gives your reader a good idea of what your three-minute video will look like. The most important thing is to keep in mind the brief - the music video must feature the artist or band (likely to be a performance element) plus a focus on footwear for the sponsorship deal specified in the brief. 

Start your treatment with the following key details: 

1) Artist/band and song you will use for your video: 

Artist/Song: Sia - Unstoppable 

2) Original name for artist/band you have created - MUST be completely original

Artist/Song: Mew B - Unstoppable

 

My music video is going to be about a teenage boy who gets picked on in school by 2 guys and then ends up in a fight getting seriously hurt and losing. Later, the boy changes his clothes puts on his shoes (sponsorship) and starts to go to the gym and tries to get stronger and then gets back his revenge and wins in a fight when the 2 bullies provoke him again. There are going to be loads of high key lighting in my video which will be shown when the boy gets beaten up and then begins patching up his bruises so my audience can get and see the full affect of the blows and injuries. I will also use low key lighting when it comes to the boy working out in the gym to give off that grit and serious kind of look and going to show the pure strength and determination the boy truly has to offer. 

For example, Ed Sheeran - Shape of You is the artist and song you plan to use but your original name for your artist will be John Smith - Shape of You.


3) Statement of Intent

Write the first draft for your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.

The original AQA brief is here: NEA Student Booklet - Brief 4.

We also strongly recommend you look at our Statement of Intent questions to consider document too (you'll need to log in with your Greenford Google account to read this). 

This is just your first draft of the statement so try and keep it under 500 words if you can. That will leave a bit of room to add later when you do your next draft.

Introduction

The existing artist I'm going to use and the song is called Unstoppable by Sia which will be changed to Unstoppable by 'Mew B' as my artist name. The reasons why I am choosing this song is because I feel like I can create a lot of interesting narratives with this song as this song is based on the key message of anyone being able conquer past anything as long as they have hope and confidence within themselves which I feel will also send out an influential message. Also, the genre of this song is 'Electropop' which is a popular music fusion genre combining elements of the electronic and pop style. The sponsorship of the footwear that will be shown in my music video will be of 'Nike' as they are a sports related clothes company who specialise in making sport clothes which will fit in well with my narrative when it comes to the main character working out in the gym and getting fit. 

Media Language 

I plan on meeting the brief by having a clear narrative set that I'm going to use within my music video so my audience gets the idea straight away of what my music video is going to be about. The narrative for music video is going to be about a teenage boy in school who gets picked on by 2 bullies who then ends up in a fight in school (location) with them over his school bag which they steal from him and ends up getting seriously bruised and beaten up. This all goes on with the song playing and the boy starts to match the lyrics with his actions and hurt facial expression when Sia says "I'll smile, I know what it takes to fool this town I'll do it 'til the sun goes down and all through the night time, oh yeah..". Later on, in my video the boy will start to go to the gym (setting) and start lifting weights (prop) and doing push ups whilst wearing gym clothes (costume) and Nike shoes which will be the sponsorship for the music video and whilst he's working out lip sync (performance element) saying "I'll put my armour on, show you how strong I am". Then finally when the 2 bullies pick on him again the boy fights them both again and wins whilst the lyrics play "I'm so confident, I'm unstoppable today" which will help create meaning to my audience that the boy is getting over the bullies and showing that he won't be pushed around and again my key message of anything is possible. 

Furthermore, I am going to use a various set of camera shots such as a medium close up shot of the fight that is going to happen as the 2 bullies will be swinging punches to the boys body and face and having a close up shot of the boys face in pain so my audience can tell how much of a mess he'll be in. Later, I'll use another medium shot of the boy training at gym and looking at himself in the mirror whilst getting an extra close up shot of the boys face (lips) so my audience can see the determination and grit on his face while he'll be lip syncing to the songs lyrics. 

Media Representation

Representations I am going to have in my music video will be Narrative theorist Tzvetan Todorov's Equilibrium Theory. This is because of the normal equilibrium being of the boy going to school like any ordinary school person and learning in class which then gets disrupted with a disequilibrium of the boy getting picked on by 2 bullies and getting into a fight which he loses. Then in order to fix this disruption the boy starts to go to the gym and get fit and then when he gets into another fight with bullies he prevails which restores balance and turns into the new equilibrium as he will have no more bullies in his life no more. Another media theorist who I am going to use is 'David Gauntlett's Theory on Masculinity: Masculinity In Crisis?' As he states that he "Disagrees with the popular views that masculinity is in crisis" which I am going to help support in my video through the representations of the two bullies the boy faces reinforcing that idea of toxic masculinity and that males are quick to act in violence instead of talking it out. 

Media Audiences

The target audience who I feel like will personally relate (Personal Identity - Blumler and Katz) to this are all school kids aged 12-18 (demographics -  age) who go to school and who have unfortunately deal with bullying and getting picked on so I think they will share a deep connection with the life the boy faces in school. In addition, this can be a good way for a Diversion (Blumer and Katz) as it can take people away from their busy lives and relax and watch my music video. 

4) Ignite presentation

Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:

• Your music video and music magazine concept: your new original artist, genre, song and music video treatment. Then, your print brief: music magazine title, double page feature, additional page, photoshoot etc.
• Media language: how you will use music video conventions and music magazine conventions - e.g. camerawork, editing and mise-en-scene to create meanings for your audience. 
• Media representations: how you will use or subvert stereotypes in your music video and music magazine; applications of representation theory; social and cultural contexts - how your coursework will reflect contemporary media culture and society.
• Media audiences: your target audience demographics and psychographics; audience pleasures - why they would enjoy your music video and magazine; audience theory if relevant.
• Media industries and digital convergence: the potential record company that would promote your band or artist; the publisher for your music magazine; the brand identity for your artist; how fans would engage with your products etc.

Ignite presentations have very specific rules: you must create exactly 20 slides with each slide set to 15-second auto-advance. This means your presentation will be exactly five minutes followed by questions and comments from the class. You will deliver your presentation on your coursework planning in the first week back in September.

Your Ignite presentation will be marked out of 30 on the following criteria (each worth a possible 5 marks):

1) Research (through the presentation AND your blog - make sure it is posted before you present) 
2) Coursework concept
3) Language: terminology and theory
4) Representations / social and cultural contexts
5) Audience and Industry / digital convergence
6) Presentation delivery

You can find more information about Ignite presentations - including examples - in this Ignite presentation blogpost here.