Music videos lessons

Music Video

Lesson 1

Lesson objectives

• Understand some key attributes and the purpose of music videos

What is a Music Video?

Complete the sentence• “A music video is……………………..”• Discuss

• Brain storm

A music video is not

• A 3 part text• No Todorov

What is the purpose of a music video?

• Brainstorm• Promote

Artist Music

• Financial• Artistic?

Watch a MV

• Rock DJ - Robbie Williams• Analyse• Shot count

Music VideoLesson 2

History of MV’s

Lesson objectives

• To understand the history of the evolution of the MV

• To reinforce lesson 1 especially relating to the purpose of MV

How it all started

• 1900 Gramophone invented• 1920 Fischinger sound/vision

synchronisation• 1927 1st sound film• 1940’s Hollywood musicals• 1939+ Panarom• 1963 Ready Steady Go (ITV)• 1964 TOTP (BBC) + Beatles

How it all started

• 1981 MTV +Pop clips on Nickelodeon• 1983 CMTV + Thriller• 1984 Music Box in Europe• 1985 VH1 begins + MTV take over• 1987 MTV Europe to 1.6 million

homes

MTV Europe

MTV UK weekly reach %

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997 99

819

9920

0020

0120

0220

0320

0420

0520

0620

0720

0820

090

2

4

6

8

10

12

MTV UK weekly reach %

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997 99

819

9920

0020

0120

0220

0320

0420

0520

0620

0720

0820

090

2

4

6

8

10

12 Factors for decline• Proliferation of pop

channels• Proliferation of cable TV• YouTube

MTV Europe subscribers 2001

• MTV Central 33, 208, 517 • MTV Italia 15, 866, 816 • MTV European 10, 547, 850 • MTV UK & Ireland 10, 149, 761 • MTV Spain 8,029,854 • MTV NL 5,385,120 • MTV Nordic 5, 279, 559 • MTV France 5,261, 625 • MTV Poland 1,620, 325 • Hotel Room 218,235 • Total Free To Air 4,580,000 • Total 100, 147, 662

MTV in decline?

• Blog link to Guardian article

View and discuss

Music VideoLesson 3

Analysing Music Videos

Essay title

The evolution and changing role of the Music Video from 1900, and it’s likely development in the future.

• 800 - 1000 words• Word processed • Illustrations allowed• Referenced • Copy on blog + Paper copy for feedback• Deadline Friday 29th June• Details on blog

Lesson Objectives

• To understand the key characteristics of an MV

• To begin to apply formal analytical techniques to MVs

Background

• Are there styles of MV?• Discuss

Content

• What are some of the typical elements of a MV?

• Discuss

Andrew Goodwins Analysis

• Andrew Goodwin• Dancing in the

Distraction Factory• Published 1992• Suggests 7

characteristics of MVs• Not all MVs show all 7 -

but many do

1 Lyrics and visuals

Relationship between lyrics and what is shown on screen

• Illustrating• Amplifying• Contradicting Eg - Showing an image of a dead dog

when the lyric “dead dog” is sung.

2 Music and visuals

Relationship between music and what is shown on screen

• Illustrating• Amplifying e.g. pace• Contradicting• Cutting visuals in time to music • Shot-count v bpm is relevant

3 Genres exists

There are MV genres• They are often associated with specific

musical genresExamples of genre include• Stadium performance• Studio performance• Location• Narrative based• Others?

4 Artist close ups

Record companies require that the main artist is strongly featured (in close up?)

• Artistic branding• Celebrity making• Artistic portrayal• Implications on looking good

5 Star iconography

Artist may develop their own star iconography

• Branding• Style• Brand values/USP e.g. Spice Girls

6 Voyeurism (esp in treatment of women)

Concept of seeing something you should/would not usually see

• Nudity/near nudity/revealing clothes• Exhibitionism • An intimate location e.g. bedroom• Screen within screen

Mirror shot Door/window framing Cameras or binoculars

Voyeurism

• What is acceptable?• Too much - limits audience• Too little - uninteresting

Voyeurism - Frame within a frame

• Not overtly “sexual”• Image surrounded by something

acting as a frame eg. Doorway, window etc

Frame within a frame

Voyeurism

Mirror shot

+

Scanty clothing +

Private setting

Voyeurism

Subject framed by • door• window or • other frame

7 Intertextuality

There are often intertextual references to

• Other MV• Movies• TV texts• etc

In addition

Normal conventions apply• Camera angles• Camera movements• Editing

• etc

Examples

• Watch the examples and identify the 7 factors

Summary

Further activities• Practice applying Goodwins to a MV

of your choice• Visit Blog link to see detailed

Goodwins analysis of a Rihanna video• Remember Essay due in Monday

Music Video

Lesson 4Analysis of MV

Essay title

The evolution and changing role of the Music Video from 1900, and it’s likely development in the future.

• 800 - 1000 words• Word processed • Illustrations allowed• Referenced • Deadline Monday 30th JuneREMINDER

Aims

• Understand the practical application of Goodwins Analysis

• Try the application

Review sheet

Example for analysis

• It’s Raining Men Geri Halliwell

Activity

• Plan an essay - bullet point the following paragraphs

• Intro• 1 para for each Goodwin point• Conclusion

Music Video

Lesson 5Analysis of MV 2

Aims

• To gain further experience of the analysis of MVs using Goodwins as a framework

• Understand that some MV’s exhibit some aspects even at the expense of others

Aims

• To gain further experience of the analysis of MVs using Goodwins as a framework

• Understand that some MV’s exhibit some aspects even at the expense of others

Preparation

• Rule up “goodwins sheet”

Examples for analysis

• Jennifer Lopez • Discuss

Examples for analysis

• George Michael• What are the main characteristics

and creative elements of this?