Music video survey

Here is a link to my music video survey on SurveyMonkey.com

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6MLYSHW

Florence and the machine magazine advert analysis

This is a single page advert for the debut album Lungs by Florence and the machine.


The band name is right at the top of the page so that the reader can imediately know what the advert is about. Florence and the machine are a Indie rock band that features the lead singer Florence Welch and the backing band The Machine. 


The advert also features a picture of Florence Welch with a Lung shaped prop under her shirt. Florence and the machine are known for there unorthadox styling and this is relevant to the album title Lungs. "Lungs" are also relevant to Florence's big voice and vocal range.


The album title is in the centre of the page. This helps readers know exactly what to look for when buying the album in a shop or searching when downloading music online. The lung prop also helps them remember the album name.The use of a black background makes the white band and album name stand out more. The white text is also eye catching and helps draw attention to important information such as the release date. The date under the album name so the fans can know when it is on sale or so they can pre-order it via music downloading sites or shops that allow this such as Amazon or HMV. The genre of the artist is easily recognisable as Indie through this poster. This is conveyed through the use of dark colours and unique illustrations and images. There is also information regarding what you can buy the album on. The album is on vinyl due to this recently becoming a big  characteristic of indie music.


Finally at the bottom there is a web address of where fans can find relevant information on the album and news of the bands tour dates as most bands tour after releasing an album. These clever ways that record companies create there bands adverts all help to sell as many CD's and tickets as possible.

Magazine adverts

This is a single page advert from the band Green day.

The band name is in a particular font that looks like spray paint. This font interprets the specific genre of music that green day associate themselfs with. The introductory sentence 'The wait is finally over' signifies that there has been an excitement for the release of the album. The rough outline of the text shows a sense of rebellion that appeals to teenage youth. The central image is the same as the album cover. This image shows romance as the album title '21st century breakdown' is a single in the album and is a slow tempo song about a couple. The release date gives fans a date as to when they can buy the album. The web adress gives fans a option to find out more about the album, band and news of the up and coming releases.

'Incudes the single Know your enemy' is written in two different colours making the song title stand out. This also can appeal to those who have not heard much of Green day but like the song Know your enemy.

Digipak research

I will be analysing a few Digi pack front covers of the particular genre of our music video. Electronic rock.  


Enter Shikari's single Anything can happen in the next half hour was released in 2007. The front cover artwork is focusing on the greys and greens and gives the 
medieval look about it. The faces with differing expressions are like the theatre with the happy and sad facial expression masks. Enter Shikari's trademark 
title is at the top. This is the same for most of there
recent covers. It gives it a distinctive look that would be easy to find in a music shop. Before this cover they 
were just a title name and one single colour
background. These new covers establish Enter shikari in a new and unique way.

Cage the elephant's debut album was simply called Cage the elephant. The album was released in June 2008 by Relentless records.

The album never reached high in the charts until it was re-released by Red-ink records in 2009 when it reached number 38. The cover is a mix of many different things. The child like mess on a album cover is like when a 3 year old gets hold of a box of crayons. This makes the cover very colourful and stands out well. The skull in the centre has a string like look to it. This gives the cover a man made look to it unlike most other covers that are made in Photoshop. The brain looks like a radioactive sign and gives the cover a sense of danger about it. This is good because there style of music needs to be shown in the cover and i think that this cover does it well.


This is the front cover of the first self titled album from Kasabian which was released in 2004. I think that this cover has the connotation of mystery and rebellion in the form of a masked man. This man could well be a rebel fighter or assassin. This type of violence and free will is shown in Kasabian's music with there videos and lyrics. Kasabian showed that they were not a some mainstream pop group that want to dominate the charts with there simplistic rhythms and boring lyrics. In 2004 nobody had heard of Kasabian. This makes the album cover good as it shows the mystery of the new band called Kasabian and now 7 years on they are one of the most influential bands of the 21st century with many bands copying there style like The king blues and The Cribs. 



Celldweller music video analysis

music video analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQg4C5l9aPk

Band: Celldweller

Album: Switchback (single)

Photography: Within the music video the main images feature the band playing the sound soundtrack, but also a young girl side story. This type of photography creates a narrative which is very common with music videos as the band is the main focus point while a side story relative or not flows along side. The way the band members are standing is a stance that has been taken up by the metal media as they stand together or in a line, in this case behind a transparent sheet. Also the lead singer is singled out and is the main character to be viewed as he is selling the band. This way or organizing the band image is easily recognized by the target audience so they realize it’s a band of a certain genre without giving much thought.

Colour scheme: The colour scheme for these music video variants throughout. At the very beginning the images are black and white. This is easily recognized in a metal genre as this technique has been seen many times before. But within the video the colours are mainly dark when the story line is flowing as it matches the metal side of the genre. As the dark music style should reflect the colours to show a clear link between the two. But at the same time bright flashes of blue light show when the band is playing this fits well with the electro aspect of this genre of music. This style would attract the target audience because this colour scheme is what they are expecting and look forward to viewing in this type of genre.

Fonts: The only fonts on the video is short flashing screen images which look like or some type of coding that suits the style of the song there is little to say about this area. In some areas of the music video the black is broken as white clashes against if for the text, this colour choice is enable the viewer to notice this appearing and recognize what is going on within the frame.

Layout: When looking into the video itself I found out that Celldweller himself didn’t personally like the video, and hasn’t produced another since. But he did consider a lot of stereotypes that are found within an electro metal music video. The positioning of the band is very metal as the singer is the closest to the viewer bending and churning as he sings to give of a specific type of vide. Also the positioning of the band is similar to many I have seen before in my research. The band are positioned further back behind screen that match the dark story line that is playing alongside. But as the story develops, and pace quickens the band members become clear and fast to match the speed of editing from the side story. This technique inflicts an emotive response to the viewer as the fast music matches the faster cutting image thus creating excitement and thrill when listening and watching the music video.

Post –Production: When looking at the post production to the video I broke it up into these categories:

Editing video footage: The editing within this music video is very common in metal genre music videos. I noticed that the pace of editing quickens much like the style that you would see in an electro band. But there are also other techniques of editing that match that of a metal genre music video. I noticed the slow pace followed by fast cutting matches that of a metal genre.

Editing the soundtrack, adding sound effects: Throughout the music video I noticed the sound effects in the background sound electronic almost alien. This robotic sound matches the genre of the band and gives of a specific message when viewing the music video in a sense that you can instantly recognize what type of genre the video is aimed at.

Adding titles and graphics: During the music video I noticed a lot of references to the electro genre.

Adding special effects: As the band is playing there is a screen that displays images that follow the genre of music such as sound waves which suit the electro aspect of this genre. As I mentioned before that the genre has links with robotic sounds, these images back up that comment as they compliment these sounds and further make the genre of the music clearer. Also I noticed during the music video there was a moment when the lead singers face was covered with a box. This blurred his identity for a second. This looked strange and un-human which matches my comment about the robotic aspect of this music video.

Mise en scene:

Costumes: The costumes within the clip are consistent throughout the hole of the clip. All band members were a certain type of clothing which shows a certain type of dress sense in this case a type of black robe you would see in metal songs. Also a bit more obvious is the colour of the costumes are dark can suit the type of genre of music.

Lighting: The lighting is a mixture of dull light shining through cracks in the walls. To bright flashing blue lighting when the back is playing. This area of the mise-en-scene sparks a certain type of emotion on the viewer. As the song gets more upbeat the editing gets faster so the lighting has to match that of the editing so I also gets brighter and quickens.

Setting:  When looking at the settings, the environment they are standing in are dark and run down run which makes the overall look more gothic and serious. The target audience would like to see this type of layout in a magazine as the sinister environment matches the genre of music they are into. Because this type of music is a mixture of two genres so the music video needs to represent both equally. This music video has the best of both the dark slow pace of a metal band, with a run down environment as the setting, which is a gothic strange style. But also the bright and fast editing of an electro band which has flashing imagery and multicoloured lighting.

Props: When it comes to props there is not much i can evaluate. There is a use of rope to tie the women’s arms behind her back during the video. The meaning to this isn’t clear but the reaction to having this prop produces a reaction which is commonly seen in metal music videos, as she starts slamming into walls and braking objects which is a clear link to that of a metal genre.

Characters: The characters are the stereotype metal band members to certain extent as they are anti fashion as they are wearing all black clothing that many people would consider to be strange and different. This matches the metal characters look as they are rebellious and dark but. When it comes to the hair it is not long like other metal bands it is short and colourful like someone out of an electronic band. So this is a clear link of a mixture of genres. As well as a rebellious look with characters there is a sexual references as the women is dressed with the purpose of looking attractive and appealing. This sexual intake in metal music videos is very common.

Overall look: The overall look would attract the target audience because of areas such as the images being dark and alluring to the metal side of the viewers, but at the same time attractive the audience that enjoy listening to electronic music with the bright and fast paced images and editing. These codes and conventions are clearly noticeable by fans of this type of music which watch and listen to hear this type of style. The gothic dark look would attract the target audience as they would find this look interesting and attractive, with images you can easily pull the viewers attention to the music video. To conclude I feel this video has ticked many boxes that clearly show the genre of the magazine but I can see many areas which can be improved and changed.

Video analysis Pendulum showdown

Pendulum-Showdown

Directed by Nick Bartleet

Genre-Electric rock/drum and bass

Showdown was released of MySpace TV on December the 12^th 2008.  

The video is set in a old abandoned warehouse. The video shows parallels from dog fighting focusing on a fight between the main character of the video who is a young girl. Dogs have been replaced by girls to create a very controversial video as they are treated like animals and are put in cages and kept on a chain leash.

Colour Scheme and Lighting

The colour in the video is a sepia tone. This is throughout the whole video. Sepia is used to make the video have a warmer feel than black and white. This effect goes well with the lighting used. Streetlights are used to create a radiating effect that combined with a sepia editing effect makes them look and feel like the sun.

Costumes

The costumes are all Dark colours with jewellery and piercings . This insinuates that the people watching the fight are from a crime related background and are dangerous people. These costumes make the audience uncomfortable with these characters. This makes the video have the popular goody, baddy conventions with the girl being the heroine and the video has the popular chase scene that really provides tension and excitement.

Setting and props

Being set in an old abandoned warehouse means that the fight is out of the way from authority. This form of rebellion shows that the location has been broken into and that help is far away. At the end of the video the girl escapes and steals a car from one of the criminals. The car is a 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback. This car is associated with gangsters and criminals and expensive wich means that the car belonged to a succesfull money launderer. This car was also used in the popular 60's film "Bullet" where there is also a chase scene.

Post production

The fight scene has a slow motion part where the main character kicks her opponent into the air. This is a good use of editing software and these scenes are used to create tension and when combined with the slow parts in the music make the video much more exciting. 

I will be looking at Linkin’ Park’s ‘Crawling’ video in detail. The reason I have chosen to analyze this video in particular is because the general design and structure of the video is similar to the ideas that myself and my group have for our product. 

For example, our video will be fairly abstract. We are highly inspired by these images: 

All of these images are screenshots from the music video, ‘crawling’. They are all pretty abstract images, and most of the shots in the beginning section of the video are of objects, such as a desk, a music box, a dancing figure, water, a door handle, all not obviously relevant to the song, which initially gives off a abstract vibe, or as Goodwin would describe it, the visuals are contradicting the music and lyrics. 

On the other hand, the video is also representative of the lyrics.
The lyric “crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal, fear is how I fall, confusing what is real” is the chorus and is repeated multiple times in the song. These words are strongly reflected in the visuals.

“Crawling in my skin”. This could be interpreted in different ways. It could mean that the character in the video is trapped in her own mind set. But there are also times in the video when she is physically crawling across the floor, the picture to the left is example of this.

The line “these wounds they will not heal” is also reflected quite a lot in the video. An example would be when the subject (the woman) reveals that her arm has been beaten. This is shown in the image to the left. This is another example of when Goodwin suggested that the images can reflect the images in a music video.

The lyric “confusing what is real” is also reflected. You can see in the image above that the woman is looking at the lead singer of the band through what appears to be glass. She is trapped, ‘crawling in her skin’, and she cannot reach the singer. It is unobvious whether she is dreaming, or whether she is seeing him in real life, hence reflecting the lyric. The whole video could be a dream of hers, or she could really be crawling around, trapped within blue crystal, and looking at the band. But it all seems unrealistic, however, ‘unrealistic’, could be the theme that the band intended to portray in the video.

All in all, I find that this video is very reflective of the lyrics repeated in the song. We notice many examples that we can tell have been carefully thought out in the process of story boarding the video, of when the images directly reflect the music. But I noticed there was also examples where the images did not reflect the song. With the abstract images and shots that do not appear to be directly related to the song. I think with our music video that we will create for the song ‘Own little world’ by Celldweller, my group and I will use mainly abstract images. Such as shots of a gas mask, photo frames, snakes and pint glasses. This gives the audience the opportunity to interpret the video however they would like to. However, we will take an element of story into consideration. There will be a recurring theme of interrogation and pressure in our video. We will have shots of a man in a rundown interrogation room, and losing control. There will also be footage of the band playing live, and the audience forming ‘mosh pits’. (mosh pits could also be seen as another way to express anger and they will reflect the actions of the character in the video who is losing control).

We will be using narrative and obscurity in our final project.

What is a Digi pack?

Digi packs are a type of packaging for CDs made out of card or heavy paper. Digipacks were first created by MeadWestvaco and are Patented. Digipacks often consist of a gatefold (flip open like a book) like example 1 below. or can have three parts like Example 2. This type of packaging is often used for special edition CD albums or premium packaging DVDs.

Example 1.

Example 2.

Statement of Intent

My first year of the college course i researched into the music magazine industry. I then created my own music magazine using all of the similar conventions to other music magazines e.g NME and Kerrang. I looked at the arrangement of text and images, the style of font and pictures and many other characteristics that created popular music magazines. I created a front cover, contents page and a double page spread.


I created a survey on surveymonkey.com. This survey asked questions about what they liked in a music magazine to the audience of the sort of people who would buy music magazines. I used this information to create my magazine based on the answers from the survey.


I will be taking a similar approach to this years coursework. Audience research will be done to find out what people like in a music video from genres to style of the video. My research will be helped with technology such as YouTube that will help me find out what kind of video I want to do and inspire me to create new ideas that will challenge the forms and conventions of existing music videos.


At the end of the course I hope to achieve a great final project that will really stand out compared to other music videos. I also hope to learn new skills while creating my video such as production techniques and editing. I believe this will help and prepare me greatly for my course at University.

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