What is the Purpose of Music Videos?

1. What is the Purpose of Music Videos? The purpose to a music video is; Sell the song, and invoke a reaction so it leaves you remembering the song To give the listener a better understanding of the song. (if the video is narrative) To entertain (to show off other talents the musician may have, for example dancing or acting) To sell CDs and DVDs to viewers. Creating a memorable visual for the song increases its chance to sell Marketing for the purpose to exposure and expansion of the artists profile Despite all of these being factors in why music videos are important, some people argue that the end result still has to serve one purpose: promotion. The music video is a promotional tool for the artist. It sometimes serves as a conduit to attention from a label, but more often it is a catalyst for CD sales or artist song downloads.

2. Examples of Successful Music Videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA

3. Artists Popularity Ratings Due to a Music Video • Michael Jacksons 13 minuet video (short film) ‘Thriller’ is a prime example of making a song popular because of the video. It was MTV's first world premiere video. Voted as the most influential pop music video of all time. Guinness World Records listed it in 2006 as the "most successful music video”. This video is know world wide. MTV payed £250,000 for Thriller to be aired on their channel.

4. Types of Music videos There are 3 types of music videos; Performance, Narrative and concept based. Performance based Video These are music videos that feature the artist/band/ group performing the song through most it not all the video. Its probably the easiest to do on a budget provided you can get a suitable location for filming. A good example of this would be ‘I bet that you look god on the dance floor’ by the arctic Monkeys. The whole video is performance based camera – different angles and different shots. Editing – style of the video but also the pace. Sound – diegetic/non diegetic and the genre

5. Narrative based Video • A narrative based music video contains mostly footage that attempts to tell a story through the moving image. Usually involving actors, the story is sometimes linked to the lyrical content of the song, but this isn't always the case. This type of music video tends to be popular for a song that’s featured in a movie and you will often see scenes cut into the music video. Examples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_L4Rixya64&ob=av2e Foo Fighters – Best of You

6. Concept Based Video This style of music video that is based around a single concept or idea. These types of videos tent to be fairly unusual or utilize a particular editing or filming commercial world demands things to be a bit more accessible Example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmZexg8sxyk MGMT – Electric Feel

7. Modern music videos were originally made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings, they are often called ‘promos’

8. The earliest music videos were filmed in the 1950s. In 1956 Tony Bennett was filmed walking along The Serpentine in Hyde Park as his song ‘Stranger in Paradise’ played. This was distributed to TV stations in the Uk and US

9. The Beatles first major motion picture ‘A hard Days Night’ in 1964 arguable set out the basic visual vocabulary of todays music videos

10. In the Uk the importance of Top of the Pops to promote a single created an environment of innovation and competition amongst band record labels as the shows producers placed strict limits on the number of videos it would use, therefore a good video would increase a songs sales

11. Theoretical frameworkAnalysing Music videos (Andrew Goodwin) Andrew Goodwin identifies 5 key aspects of music videos. • Synaesthesia A Seeing the sound • Narrative and Performance • The Star Image • Relation of Visuals to Song • technical Aspects of Music Video

12. Synaesthesia: Seeing the sound in your head • Step 1: look at the music itself. We must take into account the structure of the song for example Chorus/Verses • Step 2: the voice of the song. The artist voice is extremely unique and forms identification or trademarks that work well with the start image. • Step 3: Songs can be seen as stories and the artist as the storyteller, the music video as a communication devise, telling the story and the people listening.

13. Star Image • The star image is another vital aspect of music videos. Major labels will expect close ups of their star. The video forms part of a broader ‘narrative’ of the star persona. • Example

14. The Technical Aspects of Music Videos • Technical aspects hold the music video together through use of camera work, movement, angle,mise- en -scene editing, sound and special effects lighting and colour help set moods and emphasise key moments of the song for dramatic effect Mise-en-scene, the setting of music videos is vital, it needs to look authentic to attain professionalism .Beats, music videos cut on the beat to add emphasis to the audio track. (50 -80 cuts per minute average) • Mise-en scene: • Props – equipment or merchandise • Costume – distinctive outfits • Location – Hall, Club, Streets • Facial expressions

15. Use of Synergy • Bryan Adams – everything I do (I do it for you) the soundtrack to the film Robin Hood Prince of thieves was at UK number 1 for 9 weeks. The music video was produced purely for the film as the video was filled with clips from the film, this promoted the film as the film promoted the song. This is a good example of the use of synergy.

16. Use of Synergy • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAK5d9VO1VU • Another example of synergy is the Cadburys advert with music by Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight. Using the songs make you remember the advert and vice versa.

17. Discussing the Important of Music Videos by Chris Parr • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3XEWnEgSv4 • An entry point to listening to the music • Imaging of the Artist • Express themselves

18. The Importance of Music Channels • Music channels are just as effective as listening to music on the internet or anywhere else. MTV or Up your Viva announce the songs that will be played and it give you a chance to see artist videos

19. Narrative and Performance • People tend to make up their own idea of what is being told in a song not what is the actual meaning of the song • Narrative is most important when a music video is being advertised

20. Another video would be Ashes to Ashes by David Bowie. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0 • This video made bowie get his first number 1 in 10 years

21. The last example I will use is Gangnam Style by PSY • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH1XGdu-hzQ • This video reach a billion views within a matter of weeks because of the video even though that actual song and lyrics are awful.

22. Conventions of a Music Video • Indie/Rock: • Tends to be black and white • The artist/band I shown throughout the video • Use of extreme close ups and long shots are popular • Dark locations • Faced paced • Some use of special affects • Examples: • Kings of Leon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnhXHvRoUd0&feature=kp • Artic Monkeys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK7egZaT3hs&feature=kp • Rap/Hip Hop: • Low angled shots • Close ups • Money • Expensive cars and clothes • Physical strength • Anger • Power • Gangs • Guns • Examples: • 50 Cent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qm8PH4xAss&feature=kp • Notorious B.I.G: • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbSm6HsX_ek

23. Rap/Hip Hop Video • For a rap video the performer will rap towards the camera in the centre of the shot almost like they are talking to the audience. This show that the rapper is dominant or giving of the impression. A lot of the time in a rap video the camera will be at a low angle to make the rapper look powerful and intimidating. The shot cuts are normally fast paced depending of the tempo of the song, longer cuts will be used to jump in time for the narrative of the video. Often the cuts will match the beat of the song which supports the idea of Andrew Goodwin's theory of ‘thought beats’. • Its common for the artist to talk (rap) about their wealth such as money and expensive sports cars and occasionally guns. Wearing expensive clothes Fast cars Rapping to the camera Showing off their money

24. The artist/band I shown throughout the video • Arctic Monkeys Live performance/ dark location

25. Dark lighting Live performance Black and white • Kings Of Leon Shows each band member Close up of the singer

26. Even if these music videos had no sound you would be able to tell what genre it is just by the conventions of the video. For 50 cent window shopper you would be able to tell that it is a rap video by the flash cars and expensive clothes and showing off their money. The same goes for the Kings of Leon video and Arctic Monkeys by the live performance shots and the dark lighting and the band members shown through out the video.

27. Visuals and Lyrics Lyrics: “The top feels so much better than the bottom” • 50 cent Window Shopper Saying those lyrics whilst driving and expensive car in Monaco The lyrics and visuals do match as he is implying he's at the top because he's so rich