Popular Culture - Music videos
A Music video is the combination of a song and images that are designed to promote the sale of music recordings and artist profile. Music videos use a wide range of styles, genres and production techniques. The approach taken by the film maker can vary from a live performance of the artist, interpretation of the lyrics into a story or an idealistic theme.
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History of music video
1950's Musical Films lead to the creation of short form music videos.
“Diamonds are a girls best friend” from the film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" featuring Marilyn Munroe is an example of an early short music video |
1957 saw the birth of one of the first music videos in the USA. Elvis Presley's Jailhouse Rock was a hugely popular song of the time and the music video which aired on American Bandstand was cutting edge at the time.
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1960's and early 70's were the era of promotional clips. The Beatle's stared in their first feature film in 1964, "A Hard Day's Night" set the bar for others to follow in the production of music videos. The idea of shooting on location is very new and was originally started to make the films more interesting rather than the studio shots of the band playing the songs.
The Beatles Hard Days Night
This was the band's first attempt at creating a promotional video for their song. It would be fair to say they look like they enjoyed making it and consequently went on to make many more. Do you think the fans would have enjoyed watching these videos? and why? How does this video promote the band? How has the video represented the Beatles? What elements of film have the production team used to tell the narrative? |
The Beatles second feature film for the song "help" filmed in 1965 was more elaborate. In this video we can see the emerging style of performance music video, with the combination of contrasting long shots and close-ups, usual camera angles and focal lengths and rhythmic cross cutting between shots. The Beatles began to distrubute their promotional clips to other countries so they could promote thier upcoming albums with out having to travel there in person to promote the sales.
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1974-1980 Music Television is born
Two Australian television shows Countdown and Sounds both aired in 1974 and were instrumental in the development and popularisation of the music video genre. For the first time bands were able to stream their music into the living rooms of their fans. Band members became household names and fans felt like they had a more personal relationship with their idols as these videos immersed them into the band's constructed world of the music video. Molly Meldrum soon realised that the music video was instrumental in the marketing of new artists and music. One memorable video produced by the show was ACDC's "It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll".
Top of the Pop was another hit TV show in the UK and in 1980 David Bowie had his first hit in 10 years due to the production of his video clip for "Ashes to Ashes". It was becoming apparent that the music video had the power to create more fans and sell more ablums.
Looking at these two videos consider how the style has changed, what techniques have been developed as technology changed. Within 6 short years the style evolved and became a more sophisticate way of telling the narrative.
Two Australian television shows Countdown and Sounds both aired in 1974 and were instrumental in the development and popularisation of the music video genre. For the first time bands were able to stream their music into the living rooms of their fans. Band members became household names and fans felt like they had a more personal relationship with their idols as these videos immersed them into the band's constructed world of the music video. Molly Meldrum soon realised that the music video was instrumental in the marketing of new artists and music. One memorable video produced by the show was ACDC's "It's a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll".
Top of the Pop was another hit TV show in the UK and in 1980 David Bowie had his first hit in 10 years due to the production of his video clip for "Ashes to Ashes". It was becoming apparent that the music video had the power to create more fans and sell more ablums.
Looking at these two videos consider how the style has changed, what techniques have been developed as technology changed. Within 6 short years the style evolved and became a more sophisticate way of telling the narrative.
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1981-1991 Music Videos go Mainstream
In 1981 MTV was launched in the US, it was the begining of a 24 hour a day channel devoted to music and the music video. The first song to air was "Video Killed the Radio Star", this very aptly written song was the turning point for musicians and fans. Now the television was the way to hear and see new music. The videos began to have impact on popular culture like never before, fans were dressing and acting like their idols. This was very apparent in the 80's with the flamboyant outfit worn by artists being emulated by the fans in the mainstream population.
In 1981 MTV was launched in the US, it was the begining of a 24 hour a day channel devoted to music and the music video. The first song to air was "Video Killed the Radio Star", this very aptly written song was the turning point for musicians and fans. Now the television was the way to hear and see new music. The videos began to have impact on popular culture like never before, fans were dressing and acting like their idols. This was very apparent in the 80's with the flamboyant outfit worn by artists being emulated by the fans in the mainstream population.
Duran Duran and Madonna also owe most of their success to the thought provoking and seductive appeal of their videos. Thanks to development of better quality and more potable compact cameras and editing equipment video producers were able to get more creative in their compositions and produce the videos more cheaply. Micheal Jackson's video Thriller was released in 1983 and is regarded as the most iconic and influential music video of all time. Having cost $800,000 to film this 14 minute long video, it set the bar for video production. Micheal Jackson was the first Black American to have his music aired to mainstream television and was a groundbreaking event for rights activists and equality in music. In 1986 Peter Gabriel's video for his Song "Sledge Hammer" was released, it is a good example of how cutting edge computer graphics, special effects and animation techniques could propel the song into success winning nine MTV awards.
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1992-2004 Rise of the Director
In 1992 MTV started to list the directors in the credits for the Music video. From here the birth of may great directors took place some of which are still producing music videos today. It was obvious that the music video was an important part of the release of a new song and required the expertise of professional directors. One director reposnsible for producing two of the most expensive music videos of all time is Mark Romanek, he produced Micheal and Janet Jackson's 'Scream" which cost around $7 million to produce and Madonna's 'Bedtime Story" which cost around $5 Million. During this time MTV expanded around the world developing channels specific to local genres for example Country music, Latin American, Indian and alternate music.
In 1992 MTV started to list the directors in the credits for the Music video. From here the birth of may great directors took place some of which are still producing music videos today. It was obvious that the music video was an important part of the release of a new song and required the expertise of professional directors. One director reposnsible for producing two of the most expensive music videos of all time is Mark Romanek, he produced Micheal and Janet Jackson's 'Scream" which cost around $7 million to produce and Madonna's 'Bedtime Story" which cost around $5 Million. During this time MTV expanded around the world developing channels specific to local genres for example Country music, Latin American, Indian and alternate music.
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Shut Up and Dance is a great example of a modern video being produced to look like a video from the 1980's.
Look at the costumes and styling, editing and special effects. Think about what elements make this video look like it's from the 80"s. |
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2005- to present Internet embraces music video
The launch and development of sites like YouTube, Vevo and ITunes have allowed consumers to choose the genre they want to view, download and ultimately purchase. Today's music videos vary in style from representational stories to presentational abstract montages where the artist is not featured. One currently popular artist who chooses not to appear in her videos is Sia who has created a trilogy of music videos featuring popular child dancer Maddie Zeigler. Not only did these video's promote the Artist but they have also propelled Maddie's career as a professional dancer.
TASK: View the three videos and
The launch and development of sites like YouTube, Vevo and ITunes have allowed consumers to choose the genre they want to view, download and ultimately purchase. Today's music videos vary in style from representational stories to presentational abstract montages where the artist is not featured. One currently popular artist who chooses not to appear in her videos is Sia who has created a trilogy of music videos featuring popular child dancer Maddie Zeigler. Not only did these video's promote the Artist but they have also propelled Maddie's career as a professional dancer.
TASK: View the three videos and
- discuss the underling narratives
- What elements and techniques have been used to link the three videos
- How do these elements represent the emotions
- do you think the videos are successful
- why do you think Sia wanted to represent her music in this style
- how do the three videos link together
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Sia has a very different approach to Music video and stardom she has branded the blonde wig as her alter ego, listen to this interview to discover how she has used music video and branding to promote her music instead of her personal style and star power. In her interview she says she takes ideas from "trashy TV" to write many of popular hit songs for various artist.
Below is a video of 7 famous song you didn't know were written by Sia. Do you think there is a common theme in her writing? What message is she trying to send young women? |
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Music Documentaries
Music documentaries have always appealed to different sub-cultures because it has the ability to give fans that inside look into their idols lives, there tours, backstage antics and the process they go through in making music. Sub-cultures enjoy the opportunity to view their stars as normal people just like themselves. Rollingstone Magazine complied an article about the top 40 greatest rock documentaries ..."there's nothing like the real thing when it comes to seeing those historical musical moments, which is where documentaries come in: A number of nonfiction filmmakers saw the advantage of capturing these artists onstage, backstage or behind the scenes — partially for posterity, partially for plain old reportage and partially for the second-hand high of it all."
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/40-greatest-rock-documentaries-20140815#ixzz3ZVB9bPSh
More recently young people of today have been drawn to documentaries by Katie Perry, One Direction and Justin Bieber.
CONSIDER: Have you seen these films? Why did they interest you? And how did your perception of the star change? Can you see the marketing value of such films?
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/40-greatest-rock-documentaries-20140815#ixzz3ZVB9bPSh
More recently young people of today have been drawn to documentaries by Katie Perry, One Direction and Justin Bieber.
CONSIDER: Have you seen these films? Why did they interest you? And how did your perception of the star change? Can you see the marketing value of such films?
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Justin Beiber was a success story young people could relate to, it gave them "hope" as one girl says in the movie. Justin became a marketing phenomenon, his brand not only sold albums and movies but also hundreds of different merchandise items that appealed to his sub-culture. Can you think of other stars who have done the same thing?
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Desire, sex and power in music video
What comes to mind when you think of these three things? Can you think of any music videos you have watched recently that portray these ideas?
During this Unit we will look deeply into the stories contemporary music videos tell about girls and women. We will consider how these narratives shape individual and cultural attitudes about sexuality. We will endeavour to understand the continuing influence of music videos, as well as how pop culture more generally filters the identities of young men and women through a dangerously narrow set of myths about sexuality and gender. The aim is for us to be inspired to reflect critically on images that we might otherwise take for granted and acknowledge as acceptable
During this Unit we will look deeply into the stories contemporary music videos tell about girls and women. We will consider how these narratives shape individual and cultural attitudes about sexuality. We will endeavour to understand the continuing influence of music videos, as well as how pop culture more generally filters the identities of young men and women through a dangerously narrow set of myths about sexuality and gender. The aim is for us to be inspired to reflect critically on images that we might otherwise take for granted and acknowledge as acceptable
TASK
After viewing Justin Timberlake's music video 'Cry Me A River' have a think about the possible real world effects of cultural representations such as this. Post you thought to the blog |
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