Blog 2 – Exploring Music Video

This blog should include analysis of four very different music videos from the documentary screened in the lessons at the end of the AS year. You should put a link in to the videos on YouTube and write brief comments on each commenting on: genre, representation, narrative, audience and how the video communicates a meaning. (OPTION: Instead of typing your comments into the blog you could record them and upload as an audio clip or video presentation)

Thriller – Michael Jackson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_MuUcxHATo

Lady Gaga - Just dance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Abk1jAONjw

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guDDPXcdmUI

Vogue – Madonna:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuJQSAiODqI

Every Breath You Take - The Police (1983):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMOGaugKpzs



Thriller – Michael Jackson:

Thriller was a fourteen minute music video released on December 2nd 1983. It was voted the most influential pop music video of all time and referred to as the greatest music video ever. It was top of the top 50 best music videos of all time. The genre being dance and funk. The budget for Thriller was $500,000. The evidence for this is on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/michael_jackson%27s_Thriller
By watching this music video, a lot of hard work and dedication has gone into the cinematography, editing and mise-en-scene. The settings of this music video all consist of dark and eerie places. This allows the atmosphere to follow with the genre of the music video. This way it draws the audience in because with the setting, it allows the thrills to start kicking in. Especially with every detail of the video fitting in with the music. Also, having the affect of extra sounds in the song, like ‘Wahaha’ and a different sound of music for a small part of the song. The extra sounds are not in the song when you hear it from Michael Jackson’s album or the single of it. It’s only in the video, to add extra affect. Thriller follows a story where Michael Jackson is not what he seems; he’s in fact a werewolf to begin and then it turns to be ambiguous because it was only a movie at first. The editing used for the formation of the werewolf is preeminent. The affect which appeals the most to the audience, apart from the costume, is the use of editing to make it seem very realistic that he is in fact turning into this form. A close up of his cheek is shown in order to emphasize and appeal to the audience. It also brings horror to the audience. Another affect in this scene is the sudden change of eyes and a close up has bought the attention of this. Again, to give the audience thrills. The same goes when the zombie comes out of the hole in the end. Pretty much the whole of the video is supposed to bring horror. This is what made it so successful. It had a narrative, a genre and an idea of who it was appealing to. After the movie, Michael changes and soon becomes a monster; a zombie to be precise. Then a pack of zombies come out of the grave; dancing to Thriller. The choreography is incredible and has had a big impact in the music industry, because almost everybody knows the dance of Thriller. One of the things that made it as successful as it was. The mise-en-scene on the other hand fits in with the mood and draws the attention of the audience, because it has began to get pretty grim after what seemed to look like a movie is becoming reality. Drawing the attention of the audience to be thrilled and engrossed into watching the movie. It also leaves it to the audience’s opinions at the end of it because a mid-shot is soon shown of Michael and his change of face from the friendly male who was helping the female because of the nightmare she had. First, it’s a movie, then it’s a dream and lastly, it’s up to the audience what happens next. Leaving it open for their own assumptions. This shot is also supported by the voice over of ‘Wahahaa’ an evil laugh. At the ending, there is also a point of editing where the shot has been freezed and zoomed in to form a close up of Michael. This music video was clearly set out for a different type of genre formed in the music industry. Bringing thrills to the audience and horror. Also bringing out a full story based on a song; which for sure, people will listen to and remember the video just as well.


Just Dance – Lady Gaga:

Just Dance is a music video by Lady Gaga. It was produced and co written by Redone. The genre of this music video is dance pop and electro pop. The music video was released on the 8th of April 2008. The evidence to back this up can be found on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/just_dance. The music video ‘Just dance’ is completely different to Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’. Firstly, it’s not set in the past, but instead, it’s set in the present time. This is shown by the characteristics, the colours and the mise-en-scene used. Firstly, the video is set in a house. It’s oblivious to know whose house is. With use of props, it shows a party which are these days. With a mid shot of an older woman, a prop is used to emphasise that it’s set in 2006. Which was only a few years back but then another shot is later shown with the same woman, with 2008 glasses. This represents that it appeals to the audience that in years to come, you can still party. The atmosphere starts with the party being complete; everybody’s wasted and all just laying around; turned out dull after a good night. The party soon gets up and running again as if though it’s rewinding back to the start of the party, though it’s not. This means that the party has turned out to be more lively and upbeat with the music. A lot of shots are shown of the lead singer, this is to emphasise to the audience who the lead singer is. Who Lady Gaga is, if unknown. Shots are also shown of Colby O’Donis and Akon to represent they were also a part of the song. The other use of shots are used on a variety of different extra parts. People chosen to represent themselves having fun and going wild. Throughout most of this music video, Lady Gaga has a blue lightning bolt across her eye. This was in inspiration by her idol, David Bowie. Which means that she has artists which have inspired her, so she will take that inspiration and use it in her own way. As the video goes along, it starts to become livelier as the alcohol and possibly drugs have kicked in. Editing has been used to quicken shots up to emphasise that everything is becoming more heavy and lively.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a music video by the rock band Queen. This music video was released on the 10th October 1975. The labels which produced and supported these are EMI, Elektra, Parlophone and Hollywood. It is also a song which has allowed others to do remakes. For example; the Muppets have recently done a remake of the music video. Evidence to support this can be found on: Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/bohemian_rhapsody. The music video starts with the four men together hidden in the shadows. It first looks as if though their is three men, but when the faces are soon shown, it shows that there are four. These are the band. I reckon that the line at the start fits in well with the music video because when it says ‘Open your eyes’ the faces are soon illuminated with lights as if though its telling the audience to open there eyes and then bam, they are seen. The editing used in this music video had a big impact to the audience because of the editing used. It was the first music video where they built it all together. The faces that is. Shots are shown with the band playing the music as if though it was live. There are many cuts which fade into each other and also allow overlaps of different shots. It continues like this throughout the video for a long period of time until the music changes into a different beat after three minutes into the music video. Another shadow shot is revealed of the lead singer in a pose. Though, it is not clear who this is, it represents that it is by the costume that he is wearing. Even though it is a shadow. It soon cuts into the other three members in a huddle. This is to show the audience who is the leader of the band and also representing who is singing at each particular time. This soon cuts into a very popular shot where these four members are edited into many copies of themselves on the screen. This appeals to the audience because it is a different form of editing which in the 1970’s hadn’t been done. Once this shot is complete, it is cut into shots of each singer who is singing at the present time of the song. Another form of editing has been used when the close up head shot of the singer is used and then an edit of several blue heads fly across the right of the screen. The music video soon continues with the same affects used previously. Using the incredible editing which had been used. The edit of several blue heads and the shot where their are plenty of them around the screen. This targets the audience because it is a new form of editing which is amazing to watch; appealing to the audience because of how affective it is.

Vogue – Madonna.

‘Vogue’ is a music video created by Madonna. This song topped the charts in over thirty countries. Including Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. As well as the other countries which can be found on the internet. This music video was released on the 20th March 1990. It was recorded between December 1989 – January 1990. The genre of this being Pop, House and RnB. The label being Sire and Warner Bros. A little information on the music video: It was listed as the 28th best music video of all time. It was also number five in the top one hundred videos that broke the rules. In the music video, it shows photography in the background from the golden age of Hollywood with use of artwork by Art Deco artist Tamara De Lempicka. Though, most of the scenes are recreations of photographs taken by noted photographer, Horst P. Horst. Though, he was reportedly ‘Displeased’ with Madonna’s video because he never gave his permission for his photographs to be used and received no acknowledgement from Madonna. Their are two versions of the music video. The regularly aired television music video and 12’ remix which was extended over three minutes long. This music video won nine MTV music video awards. Being best direction, best editing and best cinematography. Lastly, the hit television show ‘Glee’ did a remake of the music video on an episode of one of the series. This episode starring Jane Lynch (Sue Sylvester) who creates a shot for shot tribute video of Vogue. Evidence to support this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vogue_(Madonna_song). The whole of this video is in black and white. It is full of glamour and smart outfits. Their is many mid shots and long shots of different people and many mid and close up shots of Madonna to represent that she is the lead singer and she is the idol in this music video. The costumes used in this music video represent that they are smart and look to be an upper class. The main theme of the music video is about beauty. There are many quick shots in this music video; it fits in with the music. It also narrates past and present idols of Madonna’s which she has mentioned because of there glamour and success. There are a lot of quick shots which make it appeal more to the audience because it flows with the beat of the music.

Every breath you take – The Police.

Every breath you take by the Police was one of the biggest best music videos in 1983. It topped the billboard hot one hundred for eight weeks. It was also in the UK single charts for four weeks. It was a very successful hit. It was on the billboard top rock tracks for nine weeks, as well as number eighty four on the Rolling Stones five hundred greatest songs of all time. Also, number twenty five on the billboards hot one hundred all time top songs. This was ‘Polices’ signature song. Released on May 20th 1983. Recorded in December 1982. The genre of this being new wave and Soft Rock. This music video was directed by duo Godley and Creme and praised for its black and white cinematography. MTV and VH1 named it one of the best music videos ever. Placing it sixteenth and thirty seventh respective top one hundred lists. Evidence for this is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/every_breath_you_take#music_video. This music video is quite similar to Madonna’s ‘Vogue’. Though, this music video is at a slower pace and it shows more instruments and like Madonna’s video, the music video keeps in time with the beat. Though there are many different shots cutting into each other and there is more editing used in this than ‘Vogue’. For example; two shots colliding into each other. This makes it appeal to the audience because it is interesting. Also use of zoom is affective.