Michael Shore Music Video theory

Michael Shore's Music Video theory involves the idea that Music Videos are recycled styles of previous eras. Cynically he also believes that Music videos in some way will include elements of speed, women, money and most importantly, power. The imagery is clichéd and simply tries to recreate male fantasy.

Goodwins Theory

One of the key theories that I have come across is Goodwin's Music Video theory, The theory essentially outlines that their are some key links between all the areas of the music video. Each area somehow affects and compliments the efforts of the other area. As Goodwin Writes...

1.Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

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, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

 

6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc).

 I will be keeping this in mind while planning my music video.
 

Brand Identity

Currently, alongside my piece creation, I am looking into the concept of Brand Identity. This includes other bands and how they market themselves as a brand and also how I intend to market my band as a brand as well.

FIlming the Piece

As required I need to film and edit together at least 1 minute of footage for a serious interpretation of a music video in my required genre. There are some key concepts I have already looked at and they are as follows...

In terms of the Camera Use...

 

- As seen in  the Nickelback videos the characters tend to be portrayed as omnipotent individuals witnessing a story unfold over time, it is therefore important to try to keep this illusion in the piece by not necessarily focusing on the instruments too much and instead develop a story. Examples of other Nickelback songs run with a similar concept include 'Photograph' and 'Hero' although here is a minor deviation as it shows the band playing on a downtown roof building, even so they still take a backseat to the action unfolding throughout the video.

 

In 'Photgraph' Chad Kroeger spends the video going through childhood memories accompanied only by his photographs and his guitar

 

- I would like to think that this video will include a character expressing his concern over an issue such as the way Linkin Park does in their videos, Because of this I would enjoy splicing some real life footage of some modern day issues for a narrative effect.
 



'Castle of Glass' Uses the concept of the war in Afghanistan to portray a young boys life after the death of his father, Linkin Park still aren't the key focus here in the video due to the powerful themes found elsewhere

 

- One such idea that I have in mind is showing the Miliatry individual move through a busy city street and be overcome by the noise leading to a sprint for silence.

- On another side of the video I have two strong ideas currently in development, One being the destruction of a cabinet of medals, the other is the soldier holding a medal so tightly it cuts his skin.

Media Pitch

I have recently given my pitch for my music video and it will be added to the blog shortly. For now I will add the Prezi here for viewing.

Outfits for an Alt Rock Band

In a number of Alternative Rock Videos I have seen a certain similarity in terms of the outfits, there seems to be an awful lot of casual clothing to be found in this genre.

Oasis Have a consistent theme of Jeans and Jackets

 

 

Paramore are embodiments of a more modern casual expectancy.

I think that I can put together a group of people with similar outfits like this, there appears to be a real consistency in the outfits from the old to the new.

 

Conventions of the Alternative Rock Genre

There are a number of Key Conventions to be found in the "Alt Rock Genre". To figure this out I will look at a couple of Alt Rock Music videos to look for similarities.

"Linkin Park - Castle of Glass".

Straight of the Bat the story is essentially one about a child being told that his father has died in the war. The scene then show one of the singers standing in a room that slowly turns into water, revealing a solid and clean plain area where the band is playing. The rest is of military action and how the boy avenges his father and becomes the bearer of bad news in another mans death. Certain aspects need to be ignored, for example the Game footage should be ignored as the band was simply played a large fee to add the footage to promote the game.

Notable Points

Desert/Ethereal Plain of Play

- The Scene in which the band plays is one that is quite empty, it also emphasises how they are simply narrators to a story that doesn't involve them.

-The story played out on screen is one that is quite noticeable and topical, it is no way vague what is going on.

-The Setting in the video is in a sense abnormal, the environment is incredibly peculiar as it appears they are singing on different plain.

-The Clothing Worn By the Band is quite casual but not too much, some of the band even wears nice jackets and is very well kept, I think this still makes them seem relatable in their casual gear.

-The Facial Lighting is kept so that their faces are quite dark, giving their topic quite a sombre tone to act on.

The drummer tends to stay at the back in his own space.

- There are a large number of Group Shots here as well as smaller group shots, for example the beginning of the bands entrance fully is an entire groups shot, but sometimes we can just see the guitar players and the singers. The Drummer interestingly enough maintains his own space at all times at least staying at the back of the scene.


Nickelback - Savin' Me

To get a full scope on how the industry has acted in previous years I will look at this Alt Rock video from 2005, If their are any similarities it should help me to pick up on any long lasting conventions.

The story on this one is quite interesting, it's essentially the story of a man who can see when people will die through a digital display over their heads and the panic it ensues when he see people either close to death or reducing their life span through certain actions.

Notable Points

A sombre or sad topic is covered

- It shares some notable similarities with the Linkin Park video, the scene is quite sombre in a panicked sense, their is a clear cut story and it is quite interesting, it also deals with death as a concept.

The Band Doesn't Need Instruments to tell the story.

-There is also some form of resolution at the end, or at least a repeat of the beginning, similar in each of these.

- There is a key difference between these two in that their isn't a band shown in this one, at least they don't play instruments which suggests that the story is crucial in Alt Rock