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Music Videos. Why do we have music videos? Where do we see music videos? Who makes music videos? How have music videos changed over time? What are we likely to see in music videos? How much do music videos cost and how long do they take to film?. Representations
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Music Videos • Why do we have music videos? • Where do we see music videos? • Who makes music videos? • How have music videos changed over time? • What are we likely to see in music videos? • How much do music videos cost and how long do they take to film?
Representations • Contrast – businessmen/women in smart suits – stereotypes used as in a 4 minute video there’s not that much allowance for ‘complex’ characters • Radiohead also wearing suits (Thom Yorke) but the suits are untidy. Tom Yorke wearing a leather jacket over his suit – rebellion? • Setting – drab city, very cosmopolitan (link to the businessmen) • Institutions • Radiohead – British band of the 90s, known for making obscure videos that challenge perceptions • Director of the video is Jamie Thraves, known for his experimental short films • Values and Ideology • Deliberately there isn’t a message – use of the MacGuffin – perhaps a reaction against ‘story’ music videos • Ideas of alienation – no one understands the man • Non-conformity – see the representation of the band in contrast to the representation of the business people • Audiences • Fans of the band • As it is unclear whether this is set in America or England from the video, we can assume that it’s for English speaking audiences (seen by the sub-titles and the fact that the song is in English) but can’t be more specific than that • Narrative • Contrast as there’s two narratives which converge at the end – the main ‘narrative’ with the man lying down and the singers. • Possibly the singers are featured as Radiohead were not particularly well-known when this video was made; perhaps the band are featured to ensure that people know their faces for publicity purposes • MacGuffin used – intrigue of why the man is on the floor keeps the audience’s interest. Radiohead – ‘Just’ • Language and Forms • Contrast – the movement of Thom Yorke contrasting the stillness of the people on the floor at the end – accentuates both (acts as a foil) • Soundtrack is the band’s song – rocky, dramatic, full of riffs. • Very ‘washed out’ colours, man wears grey suit, etc. The only colour is Thom Yorke’s hair, possibly to accentuate his importance. Link to Sid Vicious? • Lyrics of the song don’t particularly relate to the story, though possibly “you do it to yourself” refers to the paranoia of the main man • Subtitles used so that we can hear the music and work out what’s going on • Stillness or very little movement when there is silence – e.g. at the beginning and when Thom looks straight at the camera – so movement linked to the sound • Genre • Mystery – use of MacGuffin • Drama – dramatic ending, exacerbated by the dramatic impact of the music • Obviously within the conventions of a music video – short, featuring music and the band, etc.
Analysing “Smooth Criminal” Do a Med1 analysis, looking particularly at: • The use of colour (media language) • The narrative presented, and the link between the lyrics and the narrative (narrative) • The use of special effects (media language) • The representation of Michael, Annie and the ‘villains’ (representations) • The “message” that the clip might show (media values) • The target audience (media audiences)
