Music Videos: Introduction

 

This week's work requires Media Factsheet #69: Music Video. You'll need to log in to Google using your Greenford Google account to access this. Read the factsheet and answer the following 10 questions:

1) What is the purpose of a music video?
To sell products (the song in the video)

2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?
Record companies allowing music videos to be uploaded under conditions such as links to ITunes and sites so it can be downloaded legally because regulation of youtube is very time consuming so they work around it.

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

Universal music group, Sony music entertainment and EMI.

A world leading music video platform and network that hosts and distributes music videos.

To monetize music videos more effectively.

4) What are the key conventions of a music video?

Movement

Performance or narrative element

Visual effects

Intertextuality

Promotional device

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

Narrative in a music video is when the story line relates to the lyrics or displays a story of some sort. 

e.g. Dilemma by Nelly

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

Blink 182 video: all the small things make sense

made reference to Back street boys ( I want it that way) and Christina Aguilera (Genie in a bottle) 

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

They feel pleasure once they recognize the reference.

8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice for each of the following headings and explain how each one links to the heading:

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)

Movement: Lots of dancing and visual performances not just singing

Narrative: Scenes about moving on from ex such as the scene with Jennifer C. ( and others)  linked to the lyrics about moving on from past relationships.

• Intertextuality

All the movie references in order to tell the story such as:

Mean Girls

Bring it on

13 going on 30 

Legally Blond

• Representation

Represented high school children as not having a mind of their own and always wanting to follow trends or be like the popular girl/ person. 

Represented the online presence audience may have with the vast range of highly popular films.

Represented women is high class and trend setters, as well as independent with a mind of their own. (Positive representation as well as subverts)

• Audience

Target audience were people who has watched those films which were comedy/drama films. Which is also a mainstream genre so shows the wide range of people it is targeted.

The films were also typically chick flicks which represents Ariana Grande's fan base who are mainly women or gay men.
9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?

The conventions of a Hip Hop music video isn't the typically conventions of 'normal' music video. For example in Ice Cube's music video there wasn't much movement. However, there was narrative, much more than there was a performance element. The music video matched the lyrics, as do other hip hop music videos, and it is linked to a represent real life rather than fiction. It also wasn't typical because it seemed like he was telling his own story rather than promoting his music, although, the music video itself does that naturally with out him having to put emphasis on it.

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists today? Are music videos still essential to a band or artist's success? You need to form your own opinion here.

I think music videos are important in the sense that it has become apart of the music culture, to have a music video for the song, however, considering attention spans has decreased over the years due to apps like TikTok and activities like Youtube shorts and Instagram Reels; the length of the music video matters and determines how much of the video is watched. 5 minute music videos are, arguably, lengthy and would be watched less than 2-4 minute music videos. Despite this, many songs still come with meanings and lyrics that are ambiguous and could leave listeners confused or curious of the deeper meaning, if there is one. Therefore, they would watch a music video to find out the meaning and/or purpose/ message of the song (if its a story or fiction). So, yes, music videos are still essential for an artists'/ bands' success.