Music video timeline and institution research

Website research

If you are unable to see these glogs then use the following links which will take you directly to the website where you will be able to view them:

http://rwatso10.edu.glogster.com/halsey-website

http://rwatso10.edu.glogster.com/chvrches-website

http://rwatso10.edu.glogster.com/hayley-kiyoko-website

Record label research

Music video director

Music video director - Woodkid

Digipak research

Target audience research

Analysing the audience's feedback

My questionnaire is comprised of 10 questions that cover a range of topics, including finding out more about the person answering the questions, such as age and gender. This will help me find out what the people in my target group like and look for in music videos, therefore allowing me to create something that will appeal to them the most. Other questions elaborate on their viewing habits and preferences for certain effects and style.

Question 1) How old are you?

The age groups that I selected were: under 15, 15-21, 22-30 and 30+. This is because 15-21 is the target age group that my music video will be aimed at, and so it is important to get the majority of the data from in this range (and 60% of the respondents were from within it), but also it is interesting to gather results from outside it as well in order to see how the opinions and preferences differed from that of the target demographic.

Q2) What is your gender? 

90% of the respondents were female which again suits my needs as the target audience will mostly be girls.

Q3) How often do you watch music videos?

I found that younger people watched more videos than older people. For the two participants who were over 30, they answered "very occasionally" whereas everyone else said that they watched them a lot more frequently. 30% of people watched music videos more than once a day and the same amount watched a few every week. These results coupled with the fact that no one said that they never watch music videos shows that music videos are a key part in young people's consumption of music and that attention has to be paid to their content.

Question 4) What genre of music appeals to you the most?

There was quite a range in music genre taste amongst the respondents, with the majority of people being fans of the same type of mainstream music including indie, pop and rock.

Q5) Where do you watch music videos?

It is clear that YouTube is the predominant platform on which music videos are viewed. This is most likely due to the extremely quick and accessible way of using the website as well as because most young people spend more time on the internet and less in front of the TV. However, the two people who were over 30 said that they mostly watch music videos on the TV, which shows that there is still an audience (usually of older people) who watch them on platforms other than social media.

Q6) What type of music video do you prefer?

70% of the responses were in favour of a more varied form of video. The options of performance, narrative, concept and studio were each appealing in their own right to audience, but the two options that proved most popular on their own were narrative (20%) and performance (10%). It stands to reason then that the respondents that prefer a mix would have favoured these options as well, and so a combination of narrative and performance is what I will base the style of my music video on.

Q7) Do you prefer to see music videos filmed in more than one location?

It is clear that audiences like to see a variety of locations in the video, and this will especially work well with the combination of performance and narrative. Narrative stories most often take place in a few different locations so as to more obviously tell a story or a progression, as well as add visual interest and keep audiences engaged.

Q8) Do you listen to electropop music?

80% of the respondents listen to and are familiar with electropop music. This is relevant information to have as electropop is my chosen genre, and therefore I need to know if my target demographic (in terms of age and gender) are interested in it. The data suggests that they are, as the 10% "No" and 10% "Unfamiliar" responses were from the 30+ demographic and the affirmative was from the younger ranges. Audiences familiar with the genre will therefore have more informed opinions about what they should expect in electropop music videos and what they want to see when watching more.

Q9) What would you most like to see in a music video? (multiple options)

This was an open question where people could tick as many boxes as they wanted, and so this was about seeing which ideas were the favoured the least and most as opposed to previous questions that just asked them to select one answer that was a reflection of their primary view. The results show that the most popular elements to include were an interesting colour palette and cinematic shots, with 90% of respondents liking the idea of these visual inclusions. The least popular was animation effects with only 20% of people wanting to see this. However, the other options were also quite popular, with transition shots receiving a 70% favourability rate and non-linear storyline receiving 50%.

Q10) Is it important to you that the video and the music fit together?

This question was designed to see what the audience's opinions about the relationship between visuals and music were, and if this plays a major role in whether or not they enjoy the video as a whole. 50% said that it was important that they fit together, showing that a significant portion of the audience want there to be some kind of link while 30% didn't mind either way. The 20% who think that a purposeful choice to disconnect the two would be a positive was interesting however, as they came from different age groups and therefore showed that this type of larger style preference depends completely on the person rather than the demographic that they are part of. As the results are quite varied, I will consider a combination of ideas but will have a predominant focus on relating visuals and music as the majority of the audience would find this more suitable.

Genre research

 

If you are unable to see this glog then use the following link which will take you directly to the website where you will be able to view it: http://rwatso10.edu.glogster.com/genre-research

Location research

If you are unable to see this glog then use the following link which will take you directly to the website where you will be able to view it: http://rwatso10.edu.glogster.com/location-research

The Male Gaze

Laura Mulvey - The Male Gaze Theory

Even the cover art of many films only allows the
audience to see the women in a sexual way- the
only part of them visible here are their legs

The male gaze is a theory made popular by feminist film critic Laura Mulvey in 1975 that explains the way that films, literature, and other media often present women. 

Mulvey talked about how the audience is predominantly put into the mindset of a heterosexual male by the camera, and are therefore forced to view women from that perspective which usually means that the women are seen stereotypically or as objects of sexual desire. The male gaze consists of 3 perspectives: how men look at women, how women look at themselves, and how women look at each other. 


The theory also suggests that the male gaze denies women their own identity as they only exist in relation to how men see them, meaning that women can only really watch these films from a secondary (man's) perspective. Because of this, the man ends up being the dominant power both within the film and in the audience, as it is predominantly their desired view being presented, further enforcing patriarchal statuses between men and women. Due to the fact that women are usually displayed on two different levels- as an erotic object for the (male) characters within the film, and the audience- it furthers this idea of hegemony by having the woman in a passive position receiving the gaze and the man in the active role giving it.

The Bond films include many
examples of the male gaze,
especially due to the inclusion of
'Bond girls' who exist only to be looked
at or to further his character/story

Featuring characteristics

It is clear that the male gaze is prominent in a piece of media if:

• The camera lingers on the curves of a woman's body
• The events which the woman is involved in are presented in the context of a man reacting to them (therefore enforcing the idea that a man needs to approve of how a woman does something for it to count for anything)
• Use of editing techniques such as slow motion or cut-aways to the man's reaction

Scopophilia

Mulvey's theory also incorporates ideas based on Freud's concept of scopophilia (meaning "love of watching") in order to show how women have been forced to view film through the male gaze for as long as film has been around. Freud described scopophilia as: "pleasure that is linked to sexual attraction (voyeurism) and scopophilic pleasure that is linked to narcissistic identification (ego)", and the way that it occurs in cinema reinforces gender roles. This is because it furthers the objectification that women face by denying them human identity and putting them in the position of only appearing as objects to be admired physically or for male sexual desires/fantasies.

The theory suggests that the frequent use and normalisation of the male gaze in the media often results in women taking on the same gaze and objectifying/judging women based on appearance just as the male gaze forces them to when watching films and looking at adverts.

Analysis of music video no.3 - the male gaze

Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne

This video clearly displays both Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze and aspects of Goodwin's theory about the voyeuristic treatment of the female body. Despite being made and released in 2003, many of the same features of sexualisation that are predominant in modern videos can be seen here. Even the song itself conveys an idea about the narrator observing and fantasising about the titular character.

There are two elements to this music video: the narrative involving the characters, and the performance involving the members of the band (which is typical of pop punk music videos). Not only this, but the comedic and 'goofy' portrayal of the characters and the situation that they are in is another genre characteristic of pop punk videos, especially one where the accompanying music is just as laughable and doesn't take itself too seriously. There are plenty of shots in the video of the band performing with their instruments and lip-syncing, but has been edited so as to appear as if this performance is part of the narrative as well, such as the band members being on posters or the TV that the characters are watching. It is a clever and interesting way of linking the two elements of the video together. The bright pink makes the shots stand out as the colour is in stark contrast to the mostly neutral colours of the setting, and immediately alerts the audience to what they should be focusing on in those shots. All of these features link to Goodwin's theory about the demands of a music video in showing genre conventions and artist identity.

The music itself is illustrated throughout with direct relation between the lyrics and the visuals, so much so that often sequences of shots are repeated to amplify the meaning behind them. For example, in the first verse the lyrics "we can hang around by the pool" are sung just as the shot cuts to a wide angle of a swimming pool, establishing a scene change that parallels the story conveyed in the lyrics. The second verse does the same, cutting to a garden when the lyrics "do you remember when I mowed your lawn" are heard.

The relationship between the visuals and the music is less obvious than that of the lyrics, as it mostly doesn't cut on beat apart from specific occasions where the beat is particularly strong. However, at the begninng the opening shot is of somebody's feet which are tapping to the rhythm of the guitar strums. It is an effective opening shot and builds anticipation as well as connects the music and the video. One of the only times that cutting on beat is particularly noticeable is when the song is transitioning into another verse and there are three percussive hits that go along with three quick shot changes. The shots themselves mimic the the look of a telescope as they are focusing on one detail in a circle surrounded by black. This is just one of many elements that come together to create a very voyeuristic video that has numerous and repeated references to 'watching' and the male gaze.

Before her face is even show we are shown several shots of
her body

The whole point of both the song and the video is to show how the woman who is the focus of both of these- Stacy's Mom- is being observed and her actions commented on by the narrator (who in the video is represented by a young boy). In both cases she has little to no power to prevent this, and often her actions are interpreted by the narrator as deliberately sexual or flirtatious when there isn't a way for her to dispute this, particularly as it appears that she doesn't even know she is being watched. Laura Mulvey's theory about the male gaze suggests that the audience is being put in the mindset of a heterosexual male and that we are now forced to objectify and view this woman in the same way as the narrator due to his version of events being the only one that is presented to us. The camera shots enforce this as there are many lingering shots on parts of the woman's body (such as her legs and chest) and even scenes where she is in a bikini/underwear and it isn't clear if the scene is happening in real life or part of the fantasies of the narrator. The bikini is also red, connoting desire and passion, which again enforces the 'sex object' role that she has been place into. Red appears throughout the video, with the car she arrives in being and a same colour. The use of visual innuendo such as a bottle of fizzy drink spilling over show how the sexualisation of this woman happens on many different layers, as does the suggestive shot of her holding the gear stick in the car. The main criteria for the male gaze theory to be put into effect are all present in this video: she only exists in context of the male narrator reacting to her, there are editing techniques such as slow motion and cut-aways to the narrator's reactions, and the camera makes a point of lingering on her body, sometimes more so than her actual face.

Nearly all the characters (or at least all the male characters in the video) at some point are shown to be observing and appreciating the woman, often in a sexual way. An example is in the opening of the song/video when Stacy (the daughter) is picked up by her mum while the boys in her class watch. Another example is in the second verse when a man is giving the mum a massage and looks under her towel (and then smirks) when she turns over. This makes her vulnerable and at the mercy of his gaze and thoughts.

There is a scene towards the end of the video where the boy's fantasies cause him to hallucinate the mum dancing provocatively in the kitchen. The lighting of this scene is much harsher and high-key than the generally soft and orangey tone of the rest of the video and creates dramatic shadows, especially with the use of the back light. This immediately creates more of a sexual and raunchy atmosphere, especially with the props and costumes including a pole and leather corset. This scene more explicitly takes place in the mind of the boy, showing how the deeper the fantasy, the more sexualised the woman becomes. This again reinforces Mulvey's male gaze theory.


This video has intertextuality in the way that the story unfolds and is filmed, which is reminiscent of 90s films like American Pie and other coming-of-age comedies. As well as this, some shots seem to be direct references to other films, such as the shot of the woman coming out of the swimming pool in slow motion which plays out very similarly to the scene in the James Bond film Die Another Day where Giacinta 'Jinx' Johnson (Halle Berry) emerges from the sea as Bond watches.

Star Theory

Example of a star

Example of a star

Hayley Williams

Hayley Williams is the lead singer of the pop-punk band Paramore and displays many of the features of Dyers' Star Theory.

Dress sense and style

Hayley William's most recognisable fashion feature is her bright orange hair, which she established as her signature during the years following Paramore's first album release

The influence of the punk scene that her music has its roots in can be clearly seen in her eclectic choice of clothing and hair style. In the early years of her band's success she mostly wore t-shirts and jeans, giving her a very relaxed appearance and removing herself from the industry standards that female artists are often expected to maintain: either expensively and glamorously dressed or sexualised in revealing outfits. While her casual style played up to conventions in the punk/rock genre, she was still able to stand out by creating a particular look; one that featured her vibrant hair that she has since become renown for due to its changing (but still bright) colours and style. Her clothing is also continuously evolving and now features elements of other genres and influences, but still heavily features core punk elements such as ripped tights, graphic tees, mixed/matched items, and a frayed/fashionably messy finish.

Image/appearance

Hayley William's stage performance style is another good example of how she has taken genre conventions and accentuated them to form her own recognisable image. Punk bands often deliver very energetic performances and Hayley is no exception, however her status as a young woman means that she is able to take on a playful, spirited, and friendly stage presence which fans now know often includes running around the stage, kicks and jumps, and bringing fans up to sing with her or play guitar solos. A lot of artists on the punk scene play up to the the angry/angsty reputation of the music, which can give them a negative and antisocial image. However, Williams' doesn't do this and so allows the band to be accessible to many audiences while still being noticeably of that genre from her sense of style and energy alone.

Props

Her signature look does not only involve dress style/make-up, but also includes her orange microphone which she is often seen using during concerts and music videos. This is a continuation and accentuation of her famous ginger hair and personalises the band's image.

Presentation and connection to their audience

Due to starting her music career at a young age (she was signed to a record label at 14) and pretty much growing up in the industry, Hayley William's connection to Paramore's fans is extremely strong as a lot of them have been with her for years and grew up with her. This has meant that many of them have the band's logo tattooed on them in the same place as the singer to show their loyalty to both the band and Hayley herself. This logo is also on a lot of the band's merchandise, therefore showing how marketable and recognisable it is. She also has several social media accounts- most noticeably Twitter- where she interacts with fans and posts updates about the band and personal projects. This further strengthens the bond between her and her audience and allows her to present other parts of her personality that fans first glimpsed in Paramore's music and stage presence. An example of one such project was in 2013 when she launched her own hair dye and make-up brands, again taking advantage of her recognisable style and the interest of the fans. Her personal accounts also allow her to promote charity projects such as the PINKTOBER campaign to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer, again using the interest of fans for different causes.

Analysis of music video no.2

Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign - Work from Home

This video of girl group Fifth Harmony and rapper Ty Dolla $ign's song displays many genre characteristics of pop music and strongly supports Goodwin's theory. An example of this can be seen in how there are many sections of the song (particularly the chorus) where the group can be seen performing a dance routine (which seems to be specifically choreographed for this song in particular so that when they perform concerts it can be linked to the video further).

The fact that the chorus is focused on their dancing while the verses focus on each member singing (involving another part of Goodwin's theory about having many close-ups of the artists) gives a balance of individual and group shots, giving each member a personality by themselves and a place in the ensemble.

The addition of a rapper to the girl group's song is another genre convention that has been made use of here. He is also not involved in most of the video, which is typical of a featuring artist, however he is stylised to fit with the theme of the song as he is carrying a sledgehammer and wearing dungarees.

The dance moves themselves also relate to another part of the theory, which states that there is often a relationship between the lyrics/music and the visuals. Many of the moves physically show the idea of "working" as well as being to the beat of the music, which ties all three (lyrics, music and visuals) together. In fact, the whole video shows an amplified version of the lyrics, as it takes place on the construction site of a house- literally "working from home". The repeated visuals of this emphasise the lyrics, which while being about working, aren't actually about construction. In this way there is an interesting mix of illustration, amplification and disjuncture, as the visuals have been exaggerated to the point where it actually has little relation to the lyrics at all. Some examples of this are: the setting, props such as a cement mixer and a tractor, and background figures dressed as builders.

Further links between music and visuals can be seen in how the camera focuses on the person who is singing, showing the audience who it is that should have the focus on them in that moment. However, it still sometimes cuts to other people or things to show how the singer relates to them, for example when some of them are interacting with the men in the video, it cuts to show them and their reaction.

On a related note, the cutting itself often coincides with the beats of the music, creating an even stronger relationship between what the audience sees and hears. A good example of this is on the final few notes when the camera cuts to an individual shot of each girl before ending on one of the whole group, solidifying this as the final impression that the view leaves with.

In the video the girls are quite sexualised, as their actions and dance moves in the video are exaggerated in order for the audience (particularly male viewers) to enjoy watching them. However, due to the fact that they are the actual stars of the video (as opposed to back up dancers for a male artist) they have a degree of control over it, therefore making it not overly voyeuristic as it is their chosen actions rather than camera shots or editing that displays them like this. Also, there is an interesting reversal of typical music video roles, as it is the men in the video who are sexualised for purely audience enjoyment and given more of a voyeuristic treatment than the girls, which is likely due to the predominantly female fans and audience. 

Analysis of music video no.1

Paramore - Now

The video for Paramore’s song ‘Now’ moves away from some of the typical typical aspects of pop-punk music videos (and idea which was proposed by Andrew Goodwin) and instead is more of a visual story with the members of the band acting as characters within it. The messages in it are as much metaphorical as they are obvious, with the main idea of the video being conflict, but instead of being a typical video depicting war the two sides represent two opposing forces- hope and hopelessness, with the lead singer being the embodiment of the idea of hope. Many aspect of the video take on this idea, such as the blood of the 'hopeful' side being colourful powder paint and the 'hopeless' side trying to attack the singer and destroy what she represents.


In this way it is more in the style of a short film rather than a focus on the band as creators of the music that we are hearing, which according to the theory would be shown by having the members playing their instruments or on a stage. At the beginning there is around a 20 second introduction before the music even begins playing, showing that there will be a story unfolding as opposed to a video without an overall narrative.

The idea of hope vs hopelessness is set up here as the singer's side of the screen is more colourful and she is dressed in less formal/dark clothing when we see the close ups

However, there is still a relationship between the visuals and the music, such as having the singer frequently (but not continuously) miming to the lyrics, or illustrative visuals such as having the singer lying on the ground and seemingly waking up while she sings "feels like I'm waking from the dead".

Hayley Williams (lead singer) is initially the only character highlighted (her red hair is the only bright colour at the beginning), showing that she is the main focus

Scenes and new developments of action also take cues from the music, as they change when the song does, for example near the end when the main character (and singer) is attacked just as the song goes into the bridge, and a more frantic atmosphere builds as the music does before coming to both a visual and musical climax (the final chorus).

The addition of background colour and removal of the prominently featured washed-out grey look provided by the 'hopeless' side adds further development to the video and emphasises the climax of the story- the 'hopeful' side winning

In the video, the main focus is the lead singer, which again shows the relation between the band in real life and in this video, as her character is both the most important to the story being told and has the most time on screen. However, there are close ups and focuses on all three members throughout, which is another key convention of music videos.

While being its own story, it is clear that the video draws upon contextual factors (war) while still relating to the music. An obvious example of this is the lyric "lost the battle, win the war" which in the musical sense is a just a phrase, but in the video is literal. This is both a way of tying them together and amplifying- as the war takes up pretty much the whole of the video and the shots often display violence, therefore using repetitive imagery to convey the message.

The subject matter of the video doesn't leave much room for any voyeurism in regard to the female body, however the notion of looking is still present in the enemy soldier figure who is frequently seen watching the main character. It mirrors how the audience and viewers of the video are watching her progression, but by showing a figure inside the video doing it as well heightens the sense of importance that the main character has, as she has two different types of audience- us outside, and them inside- watching what she does.