Music choices

The first song we decided to look at was Comeback by Ella Eyre. We wanted to look at this song because it was both up tempo but had some slow bits throughout the song. It incorporated the genre of pop and dance which is what we wanted our music video to be like as well. I liked the style of this video and the various shots that were used. The colours used were not too dark but not too light which was something we wanted to incorporate in our music video as we wanted to use muted colours. As a group, we liked the style of the artist, Ella Eyre, and thought this was something we could include in our video but mess with the style of the artist and make it completely different. I think the reason we didn't decide to use this song was because after a lot of thinking, it didn't exactly represent the genre we wanted to go for. It is a very closed song compared to the other songs we looked at which we could take on in different ways and produce a unique video. 

We then decided to look at Come & Get it by Selena Gomez. As a group, we decided to look at this song because we liked the style of the video and how it had been filmed. It had dark colours which we were thinking about incorporating in our video but it didn't have any muted colours which is what we wanted from the very beginning. Most of the colours that were used were dark and very dull which wouldn't represent our genre very well. I think the reason we decided to look at this video was because the beat of the song was yet again up tempo as we didn't want to go for a song that was ballad like as this limited the images we could portray in our music video. 

Here For You by Gorgon City ft. Laura Welsh was the next song we decided to look at and this was because we all liked the song and the genre of it as it was similar to our chosen genre. When watching the music video I liked the colours that were used as they were muted which clearly represented the genre of the music video and how the artist wanted it to be portrayed. This type of colour scheme is what we want to use in our music video as the genre we are going for is tropical house. The reason we didn't use this song for our music video was because we felt it fitted our genre more and there were other songs that we have looked at that what portray our genre more clearly.  

The next song we decided to look at was I Do by Felix Jaehn because the song fitted the genre we wanted to look at. Our genre, Tropical house, is a very unique genre and not many people have attempted it. We thought because this song doesn't have a video, it would be better to create a video as our ideas would be fresh and wouldn't be similar to anything else. We liked the up tempo style of the song and when listening to it we knew there were many things that could be done to represent the song. We thought we could use a mixture of slo mo shots and time lapsed shots.

Codes and conventions of a tropical house music video

Tropical house is a mix of catchy, melodic chimes and good vibes. Artists like Thomas Jack and Kygo are the type of artists that express this in their music and their music is based around this genre. The artist, Thomas Jack, used the term 'tropical house' to describe his style of music he creates.

When discussing the codes and conventions of a tropical house music video there are many that come into play like many music videos of this genre tend to have messages about dancing, love and drugs which are all underpinned with a steady bass drum beat. Another code and convention of a tropical house music video is that there are usually women dancing seductively and wearing clothes that reveals most of their body so it can attract a male audience.  

A common code and convention that is used in a tropical house music video is that there will be lots of shots of people dancing in a club and listening to the DJ perform live whether it be at a club or a dance festival. Both of these scenes are very common in tropical house music videos. Also most of the time, the DJ who produced the song won't appear in the music video and whoever sings the vocals of the song will appear in the music video.

The song 'Firestone' by Kygo ft Conrad Sewell displays some codes and conventions of a tropical house music video. This is because the narrative of the music video is that this guy is fixated on this particular girl and will do anything to have her. She is obviously the way to get a male's audience attention as she is skinny and attractive and will be pleasing to the eye for most of the audience that watch this video. Also the music video ends up being shot in a music video displaying images of the DJ, Kygo, playing live at a festival which is a common code and convention that is used in a tropical house music video. 

When we start to shoot our video we hope to include live sets of the song we have chosen as this will add more a tropical house feel to it and clearly represent the type of look and genre we are going for. 

The song 'Rivers' by Thomas Jack has elements of the codes and conventions of a tropical house music video and is classed as this type of genre which was why I decided to look at him when researching into codes and conventions. Through its entirety the music video follows a couple when they are on holiday. The video has a dreamy feel to it which fits the genre perfectly and even though it is only two characters in the video, the video has a strong narrative. 

Yet again, the lady character is wearing kind of revealing clothing and the guy in the music video is attractive suggesting there is a mixed target audience for the music video. When creating our music video we want to have a mixed target audience as it will broaden the popularity of our video. Throughout the video there are close ups of the character's faces which indicates their moods and what is happening in the video. Some shots are slow mo which yet again goes well with the music and the type of genre it is. 

Codes and conventions of a digipak

Front:

The most obvious convention of the digipak is the title of the album and the artists name which is on the front panel. The front of the digipak will have some aspect of what the artist presents and what their genre is. The digipak also shows the creative approach that the artist is taking throughout their music. 

Back:

On the back of the digipak, there will be an image which usually relates to the ongoing theme throughout the digipak. On the back, the track listing will be shown and with the track numbers and the length of the tracks. On the back, there may be information about the artists' website or the social networking sites that they are associated with. The audience will also usually see the logos for recording labels that contribute to their album as well as the CD identification number. 

Inside:

With the inside panels, the audience is more likely to see more background images that relate to the theme of the whole digipak. Sometimes, there may be details such as song lyrics but this may depend on the genre of the artist/band. As a special feature to the inside of the digipak, there could be behind scenes pictures from tours or the actual making of the music. 

Benefits of the digipak:

Digipaks benefit the artist and their music because it is a promotional aspect of the music industry and it helps bring awareness to the artist which then sells the artist and encourages audiences to buy and listen to their music. Some may argue that buying a digipak could establish your loyalty to the specific artist. 

Independent vs. mainstream record labels

An independent record label is a record label that operates without the funding of outside major record labels. Most bands or acts begin their careers on independent labels. However, mainstream record labels like Warner Music Group, Sony Music and Universal Music Group concern with acts who have developed a fanbase but will back new acts they have faith in. The publicity or promotional push that an artist will receive at a major record label could be benefit them a lot but it depends on the kind of artist that they are. Mainstream record labels are owned by people who own large sums of money and dominate the music industry. 

An independent record label releases are usually distributed by smaller distributors but sometimes this type of record label will arrange a 'pressing and distribution' deal with a  major label that will help to get the artist's record into stores. This type of record label lack the big marketing and distribution power of a mainstream record label but this may allow the artist to build on the niche appeal which wouldn't turn the artist into a mainstream act. 

Adorno and Horkheimer theory

The culture industry-

Adorno and Horkheimer adopted one term 'culture industry' to argue that the way in which cultural items were produced was analogous to how other industries manufactured vast quantities of consumer goods. Adorno and Horkheimer then argued that the culture industry exhibited an 'assembly line character.' Which could be observed in the synthetic, planned method of turning out products. 

Adorno and Horkheimer linked the idea of the culture industry to a model of 'mass culture' in which cultural production had become a routine, standardised repetitive operation that produced undemanding cultural commodities which in turn resulted in a type of consumption that was also standardised, distracted and passive. 

They came up with the idea of cultural elitists which are individuals that don't like anything mainstream and think it has no value. Adorno and Horkheimer's view is that they say to much rubbish on TV and music and there is no point of any of it. 

They also thought that money makes it all go round. They want money so they can put out music people would find entertaining to listen to. When someone gets used to one popular type of music they start to reject anything that is different to this. Adorno and Horkheimer said the 'cultural industry' works the same way as manufacturing industries. The music industry just continues to make the same thing which can be compared to how a factory makes their products. 

All the products that are produced by the culture industry exhibited standardised features like:

• making the same things which results in nothing being unique
• all about the money 

Cross media case study on Taylor Swift

This is my cross media case study on Taylor Swift. In this power point I have spoken about how her website is designed and how it portrays her as an artist. I then wrote about her album artwork and explained how that portrays her as an individual and how she sticks to the same theme within both her album and website. I then wrote about various events that she did to promote her new album when it was about to be released. I applied Todorov's theory to her new music video Wildest Dreams and explained how the story line fitted this theory. Goodwin's theory was then also applied to her music video. 

Goodwins' Music Video Analysis

Goodwin's Music Video Analysis

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics 
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals 
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style)
5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body
6. There is often inter-textual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc)

Applying this music video analysis to Taylor Swift's Wildest Dreams music video:

• The relationship between the lyrics and visuals: one of Taylor's lyrics 'even if its just pretend' relates to the music video because she is playing a part in a movie and is in love with her co-star and is pretending to be love with him as they are acting but in reality she wants to be with him. 
• There is a direct gaze between Taylor Swift and her co-star Scott Eastwood. 
• The relationship between the music and visuals: As the tempo of the music picks up, more images start to appear faster compared to the beginning of the video when the tempo wasn't as fast. 
• There are close ups of Taylor Swift throughout the video as she is the solo artist and is the main focus of the video.
• The music video is set in the 1950s which could contain some inter-textual references as Taylor's latest album is based around that kind of era. 

How does the camera work and editing effect the music video?

Camera movement, angle and shot distance all need to be analysed when it comes to music videos. Camera movement can be used to create a more dynamic feel to stage performance. When used a close up shot does predominate and it emphasises half of the commodity on sale which is usually the voice as it is what most viewers focus on. 

Editing:

Editing can be used in a variety of ways when making a music video. The use of fast cut montage is effective because if many images are being used in the video then it is impossible for the viewer to grasp on the first time they watch it. This then means the creator of the music video is ensuring that there is multiple viewing. Some music videos in the industry use slow pace and gentler transitions to establish mood. Often enhancing the editing are digital effects which play with the original images to offer different kinds of pleasure for the audience. 

Researching into music videos and how they have evolved over time.

The invention of film and cinema brought the possibility of combining music and moving images. 

Music videos have been around since the 1920s. 

1970: The record industry discovers the shows as a great opportunity to promote their artists. Short 'promos' music videos started to replace live performances of the artist on the TV- stage. 

1975: Bohemian Rhapsody was released by Queen and this music video marked the beginning of a new music video era. 

1980: By this time releasing a music video to accompany a new single had become standard and necessary. 

1990: During this time, there were a number of technical codes that were being used more often in music videos: 

• fast cut montage which ensures multiple viewing 
• split screens 
• lack of edits
• non-representation techniques

Below is a timeline that shows how music videos have progressed over the years. 

What is a digipack/the purpose/ and why is it important?

A digipack is a type of packaging for CDs or DVDs that is usually made from cardboard with an internal plastic holder for one or more discs. The purpose of a digipak is to show consumers the re-occurring theme of the artist or group through their CD's and other products so it is easy to see who it is and it appeals to the right people that are interested in the artist or group and want to buy the digipak. 

A digipak helps tell the consumers a bit more about the album and the artist within it so they can get involved more and understand that they aren't just paying for the album they are paying for the digipak as well. Through the art of the digipak cover the artist can portray their message that they want their target audience to receive and they can understand the music more. Digipaks also help attract people outside of the artists' fan base so they are able to appeal to a wider range of audience which means they can increase their sales and the publicity surrounding the artist will increase as well. 

What is a music video/the purpose/ and why they are important?

A music video is a short film that integrates a song and imagery that is produced for either promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are usually made and used as a marketing device that are intended to promote the sale of the artist's music.

The purpose of a music video is to sell the song and invoke a reaction on the audience so they remember the song. If the video is narrative, then it gives the listener a better understanding of the song. Music videos are used to market for the purpose of the exposure and expansion of the specific artist's career. The music video is a promotional tool for the artist and is usually a catalyst for CD sales or artist song downloads. 

Music videos are important because they are an entry point because different genres are viewed by different people by the way this particular artist has presented themselves and the music video. Giving the audience imagination to different ways music videos can be made broadens the artists fan base. Music videos are also important because they are incredibly valuable for the imagery of the artist because they way the viewing sees them in this music video may be the way they see them throughout their entire career. For example, when Taylor Swift released her first album it was completely country and that is what people know her for as an artist. But her latest album is completely pop and some people may be unfamiliar with her as an artist because for instance the first time they heard of her was when she was completely a country artist. As a consumer, an artists audience decides what they are going to spend their money on and if they enjoy one of the music videos that the artist puts out then they will most likely spend their money buying the artist's other music which creates more publicity for the particular artist. Music videos are important because they let the artist express themselves in this type of visual. For example, if an artist is looking up to another artists music then when they release something the artist is going to try and compete with it. 

What our coursework is about?

This year for our coursework we have to create a music video using a song that is five years or older. We also have to create a digipack and poster to promote our music video and album. This is called a promotional package and having this package could help artists when approaching record labels, promoting your own music and trying to get a gig.