Althussar's Theory

In Althussars theory, ideology, represents the imaginery relationship of individuals to their real conditions of their existence. In other words, Althussar believes that the audiences' ideologies are circulated and created by the meida (in this case music videos) and help contruct peoples identities. However, due to the subtleness, members of society fail to undertand.

Althussar believes that we are controlled by a ruling class, their ideologies and concepts of what is right and what is wrong, what should or shouldnt, what we can or cannot do is inflicted upon us. This ideology is seen heavily in music videos, especially in hip-hop music. If an artist is seen in a music video wearing luxurious clothing, the artists glamourous look will make it seem as the clothing you must wear; this goes hand in hand with trends, as soon as one is made people will follow the trend and attempt to replicate it to the best of their ability. This is how individuality is lost. This can also explain the pre-defined ideas about gender class ethnicity and sexuality.

Althussar believes that there are several establishments in society that reinforce sterotypes and discrimination; these are called ideological agencies. These include : religion, education, family, the mass media and popular culture. From this althussar goes on to say how ideology interpellates us we are the subject that are categorised. The theory then suggests that we begin to join groups to be others who live by the same rules.

Althussars theory can be eaily applied to modern day hip-hop music; for example, from 2013 a rapper by the name of 'Cheif Keef' was signed to Interscope records. Cheif Keef is a hip-hop artist who originates from Chicago, Illnois. He is seen as one of the people who started the sub hip-hop genre known as 'drill music'. Drill music consista of lyrics that involve commiting crimes and the sound of the song is usually quiet sinister. Due Cheif Keefs fame, the hip-hop audience have started to categorise themselves within the genre. For example, a well-known trait of Cheif keef are the dreadlocks that he has, the baggy clothing that he wears and the way that he wears his clothing. its not oonly the apperence that has changed, the type of lingo that is used is now used widely. It has not just spread in the US but also in the UK.

Director Case Study

DRE FILMS 

Dre films is the main director for the Hip-Hop music group MMG (Maybach Music Group). In All of MMG's music videos there are luxurious and lavish items, for example, they may have foreign cars, fur coats, gold and diamond jewellery. Dre films will also use close ups and unorthodox camera angles to put the items in good display for the viewer to see. The main thing that stands out in Dre Films music videos is the editing. Most of the frames will be moving on time with the beat of the music; this makes a big difference on the music videos as Hip-Hop music tends to have fast and heavy beats, which makes the beat memorable. In most of Dre Films music videos for MMG, he would incorporate models (which could be referring back to  'the male gaze' theory) who are dressed in revealing clothing and also dancing in the background. Here are some example of the music videos that Dre Films has done.

Editing: The editing is extremely fast paced, each shot lasts around 3 - 5 seconds and most of the shots are synchronised on beat with the beat of the music. A lot of lens flares have been added after filming; this is because lens flares make things appear more glamourous.

Camera Angles: The camera angles used are mainly wide angle shots and some close up shots. The close up shots may be used to show specific items which may be expensive clothing, luxury jewellery, things of that nature. The wide angles shots are used in order to show the viewer the type of scenery; in this music video it looks like its filmed in a desolate building, which can suggest a ominous presence which links back to the title of the song 'Black Magic'. The wide angles shots are also used for the purpose of the male gaze; in a lot of the shots there are models who are dancing which very little clothing, which is a common stereotype in hip-hop music. A lot of pan shots are used as well as the artist performing tends to move around a lot as the song is very fast paced.

Mise-en-scene: As said before the mise-en-scene is a desolate building which would look as if it has an ominous presence which links back to the title of the song 'Black Magic'.

In Dre Films music videos, there are repetitive effects and editing he uses, which is possibly why MMG chose to stick with him as a director due to style of music videos he creates. Here are a couple of other music videos which have been done by Dre Films for Maybach Music.

A$AP Rocky

Unlike most directors, Asap Rocky is not only a director but also an artist himself, and directs all of his music videos. In most of Asap Rocky's music videos he adds the sense of 'hood' or 'street credibility'. This is usually due to the references he makes about his home city of Harlem; for example, in the song 'Peso' he shows in the music video a corner shop where him and his friends would hang outside of, he also showed the painting on the wall of a famous rapper (also from the same area) named Big L. Asap Rocky will also incorporate slow motion shots of him doing certain activities or slow motion shots of his jewellery, however unlike Dre Films, Asap Rocky shows his jewellery more implicitly.  In some of Asap Rocky's Music video, instead of doing a performing based music video he may do an abstract music video, for example a music video was done for a song called 'Long Live A$ap'. Here are some examples of Asap Rocky's music videos.

Editing: The editing used in this music video is fast paced similar to Dre films however it is a little bit slowed down, maybe this is due to the music video being a abstract/performance video. Also the music video is set in black and white; the fact that it is black and white adds to a significant part of the music video where there are two models, one black and one white, and they mirror each others movements. Although there skin colours differ, they are wearing similar clothing; I believe that this part links to the lyrics 'Who said you cant live forever' as it is denoting how no matter what changes are made to your life you will live forever. There are also other things added on after filming on software, for example, the use of the shadow of a grim reaper, also links back to the lyrics 'Who said you cant live forever'

Camera Angle: A range of different camera angles are used in the music video, for example, in the shots where the two models are mirroring each others movements wide angles are shown to the viewer to give a clear view of the mirroring actions; other shots like low angle shots from behind one of the models shows the other models perspective of things which suggests that no matter what 'universe you are living in' you will always be the same person and you cant change that, I think that is what the use of the black and white model is for, to suggest two people from alternate universes.

In order to make my music video look as proffesional as the examples I have given I will need to similar traits from them, for example, I will need to make each shot 3-5 seconds long, I will need to synchronise some of the shots with the beat of the music, this will make the song more memorable, If i choose to create an abstract music video I will need to decided on what sort of editing after filiming I would like to use.





Costume Analysis

As I am going to be filming a Hip-Hop & RnB music video, the clothing will have to be anything that is trending at the moment. Of course I would add all the typical things which would be found in Hip-Hop music video. I'm going to analyse a Hip-Hop music video which shows the type of costumes which are worn in a music video, theses items are usually shown to impress viewers; for example, a close up shot of jewellery will be shown to show how expensive their lifestyle may be. The song I am going to analyse is Lifestyle - Rich Gang (which is trending Hip-Hop song).

 

Also I would also have to incorporate urban type clothing and clothing which is trending in fashion within the urban category. These things may be snapback caps, bucket hats, cargo pants, sneakers etc.

 

Lighting Analysis

The first music video that I am going to analyse is a song called Lifestyle, which is performed by a group called Rich Gang. The song is about the group talking about their lavish life and their luxurious possessions; in the song they also speak about how they came from rags to riches and how they never always lived this luxurious life.

Throughout the whole music video, there is use of natural lighting that is coming from the sunlight; although this may be very hard to control, depending on the scenery, natural sun lighting can create a beautiful picture and also make natural unedited flairs. This is shown in this screenshot taken from the music video. Most of the time, natural lighting is best recorded either at dusk or dawn when the lighting is at a minimum and not excessive. Depending on the lighting, the RGB may be changed to change the filter of the picture.

Their is also use of key lighting in this music video, however it is not used in many scenes, it is only used in one. Although it is only used in one scene, the key lighting allows the viewer to see the luxurious items that the artist performing may own; for example, in this music video that would be the red Ferrari, and the clothing that the artist is wearing (fur scarf, designer jeans etc).

Another music video that I analysed was a song called "Im On One", which is performed by Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne. In this music video they use the combination of low-key lighting and key lighting. In the song, the artist drake says in his lyrics "two white cups and I got that drink, could be purple it could be pink", in these lyrics he is referring to alcohol. In these lyrics he is talking about the night life in extravagant cities that are known for their exciting nightlife. Low-key lighting could be used in this music video to Connote the night life and highlight bright lights that may be in the background, which could be caused by cars, street lights etc.

The use of key lighting in this music video is to highlight the luxurious items that they may own, which is similar to the previous music video. You will find that this is recurring factor in Hip-Hop music videos. 

Another music video uses Low-key lighting but for a completely different purpose. In a song called "Terrorist Threat", which is performed by Ab-Soul, he talks about conspiracy theories. Low-key lighting is used to create a ominous scenery which is in relation to what he is saying in his lyrics.

Analysing Music Videos Within The Hip-Hop Genre

'MANY MEN' - 50 CENT

Camera Angles: A lot of wide angles, perhaps to show the 'grittiness' of his hometown. Use of close ups to show faces of significant people of the storyline in the music video. There are a lot of awkward camera angles which makes this music video stand out allot.

A wide angle that shows the scene where 50 Cent is getting shot by his enemies. I shows the mise-en-scene (which is in relation to the genre of the song). The mise-en-scene is a stereotypical street corner which would typically describe a place a drug dealer would perform his illegal conduct. It also gives a good perspective of how 50 Cent is shot and how brutal the attack was. The lighting in this shot is mainly provided by the sunlight has they are outside, however, RBG editing has probably helped to decrease excess lighting and any shadows.

This close-up shot is effective as it shows the facial expression on 50 Cent's face, after the incident where he had been shot. In this scene, 50 Cents confronts one of the culprits who were involved with the attack. The viewer would be able to connote that 50 Cent has a large amount of anger built up within him which he is planning to take out on the culprit. The close-up also shows the plasters and bandages which were put of him as a result of the incident. The lighting in this shot is extremely low-key, which can denote to the viewer that 50 Cent has evil thoughts of revenge in his mind which are going to be performed on the people that put him in the predicament he is in now.

Lighting: The lighting throughout the whole music video was low-key. Perhaps this was intentionally done to emphasise the dramatic crimes that were occurring in the music video. In addition the low-key lighting gives a sort of 'feel' to the music video.

Editing: The editing of the music video gave it a crime-noir theme to it which emphasised the lyrics in the song, which were mainly lined to homicide, extortion, drug dealing etc. This was accomplished by the transitioning being fast-paced which led to consequential events.

For example, in these two shots (one of a bottle of wine being popped open and one of 50 Cent being shot) the editing was done to show a butterfly effect. The editing was done so that when the gun shots go off it shows a bottle of wine being opened but also quickly transitions back to 50 Cent being shot (which takes a lot of single frame editing). As wine is usually opened during celebrations, this can denote to the viewer that who ever ordered the hit on 50 Cent, is now celebrating on his death. This then goes on to the next shot of his enemies celebrating with alcohol and girls, at the same time these lyrics are said, "Many men, wish death upon me, blood in my eye, dawg and I can't seem, I'm trying to be, what I'm destined to be, and n***** trying to take my life away".

In these two shots, it shows 50 Cent getting retribution after one of his friends tried to order a hit on him; it also shows the 'friend' tied up to a chair in a very low lit room. At the same time these lyrics are played, "Slim switched sides on me, let n***** ride on me I thought we was cool, why you want me to die homie?"

'GIRLS CRY' - CAM'RON & VADO

Camera Angles: In this music video there is a use of allot of cinematic camera angles, which are used to show some sort of dialogue between two people. Which is basically what the song is; a dialogue between two people in a relationship

Lightning: Throughout the whole music video, the lighting was high-key lighting, again which is a cinematic effect.

For example, this shot (wide angle) is effective in the music video as it shows the composition of the two people within the shot. It also shows facial expression and body language which helps the viewer denote what the situation is within the current scene. In this shot Cam'ron is having a argument with is girlfriend and his girlfriend is agitated and infuriated by the thought of Cam'ron being unfaithful. This is denoted and connoted as Cam'ron is sitting as if he is uneasy or agitated. His body language shows that he is more on the receiving end of the argument. However, his girlfriend seems to be the one bombarding him with questions of him being unfaithful. And also in this shot the RBG settings look like they have been altered to give the picture a cinematic look.

This shot is another wide angle, and is effective as it shows a friend explaining his story and problems to his friend. Again the camera shot goes hand-in-hand with the composition and also by the body language of both of them.

This is a close up shot of Cam'ron. The lyrics that are being played on this shot are, "I went to the door, turned around and I said baby, you my one, no other, but discovered undercover that you're jealous of my mother, baby, so from here girl I blow a kiss and it's me I know she miss cause when I left I told her this". This shot is effective in showing how the artist is really feeling has the expressions are seen through his face and body language (for example in this shot as he is pointing his finger at her with an aggressive manner).

This is a point-of-view shot, which shows the view of one of the actors/actresses; this shot can be extremely effective in getting the viewer to empathise with the artist more as it seems as if the artist is speaking directly to them. For example, in this shot the lyrics that are played are "We got beef? Go ahead, speak your mind (talk!), like I was with you before, when you ain't had a dime", the main point of these lyrics is that the artist is expressing how much he cared for his girlfriend and how devastating it is for his girlfriend to be unfaithful to him. Furthermore, the emotion of guilt is increased through his body language; for example, in this shot as he says those lyrics he points at her with his hand which in can somewhat denote the far extents his love went to for her.

LIL SNUPE/MEEKMILL FREESTYLE PART 3

This is a music video which I aim to reconstruct in my final piece. The main feature of the video which I enjoy is that it is not scripted and is free flowing. This differs from most music videos, creating a different perspective for the viewer. Also it gives us a sense of being"behind the scenes" which draws the audience closer to the artist.

Camera Angles:  There are relatively few camera angles and different shots. The song itself is from the Hip-Hop genre where often music videos are fast paced and have on beat editing. The lack of this in this video can be considered to be quite draining and boring for the audience as it damages the flow of the video. Therefore I intend on using more camera angles with the transition from shot to shot being much quicker than in this video.

Lighting: There doesn't seem to being any external lights which have been put in place to enhance the lighting in the video. It all seems to be just lighting from the surrounding areas. Again this adds to the basic and free flowing feel of this video.

Goodwin's Theory

Goodwin's theory about music videos can be split into 8 different sections:

LINKS BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS

In this section, this is where the lyrics of the song have a direct link to what is going on in the music video. An example of this can be a music video done by 50 Cent called 'Many Men'. In the lyrics, Curtis talks about drug dealing and relying on his partners for support but later on being betrayed by them only to survive the ordeal. In the music video a scene is shown of him getting shot on a street corner overlaying lyrics that say "many men, wish death upon me".

 

LINKS BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS

The link between the music and the visual can be one of three things; these things are - complimentary, contradictory or amplified. This can be portrayed through the editing or the type of music video that it is . An example of this can be a song called "Good Morning" which was written and performed by Kanye West. This song would be classed as contradictory and that's due to the editing and type of music video it is (which is narrative, although the whole music video is animated). In the chorus he continuously says "good morning", which is suggesting a positive message, however in the music video the main character of the music video is having a bad day, which can in someway amplify the meaning of the lyrics. 
 

 

GENRE CHARACTERISTICS

The characteristics can be depicted as the certain traits associated with a specific genre of music; e.i if the song was a rock based song, the music video would include a performance of from a live band. However, as I am looking to do a music video for a song which is done in a Hip-Hop & R&B, ill give an example of a music video done for Hip-Hop. An example a song called "A.D.H.D" which was done by Kendrick Lamar. The music video consists of people who are performing in urban clothing e.g., Hoodies, expensive trainers. Some of it is performed on a street, which is meant to amplify the "Neighbourhood originality". In a song called "Purple Swag" done by A$AP Rocky, in throughout the whole music video he was wearing his gold grills, which were meant to imply he's wealth. The genre of Hip-Hop is to illustrate how good you are at something, which can also be known as 'Flossing' or 'Flexing'. The same characteristics are seen in his music video that was done for "Purple Swag". In a song done by him called "Peso" all of the video is done in his hometown of Harlem, New York. Again this describes and implies the originality of his music.

Explanation On Types Of Music Videos

There are three types of music videos: Performance, narrative and abstract.

 

PERFORMANCE

Performance based videos show only the band/artist performing the song. It is the most inexpensive out of the three and easiest type of video to make, providing you can find a suitable location. A variety of shots need to be used in quick alternation in order to keep the video interesting, as there is a risk it could look boring with only performance. In most music videos every shot must be between 3-5 seconds before it transitions to another shot. An example of a performance based music video can be a song called 'Diary Of Jane' which was performed by Breaking Benjamin. In most of the shots, it is shots of the main singer singing and playing the guitar. The unique thing about this music video though (alike with other music videos) is that they chose to perform in a scenery which could connote a certain message, which some would argue that it is a mixture of abstract and performance. Of course the video cannot just be performed in any place however, it should somehow link to the content of the song that is being performed.

 

NARRATIVE

 Narrative based music videos contain footage that shows a storyline that runs throughout, or sometimes several storylines running parallel to each other. With actors and sometimes with the artist themselves, the story will either link to the lyrics of the song, or just the overall theme. If a song has been featured in a movie, the music video will often show clips of film footage cut into the music video. Sometimes, narrative music videos may come off as cliché or unoriginal and even in some cases, boring if the narrative were to follow the lyrics too closely.. This style of video is excellent for suggesting themes to the audience, however it is more difficult to film, and there is more to consider; such as location, actors, mise-en-scene, composition etc, and it would be more expensive to organise. An example of a narrative music video would be a song called 'Dilemma', which was sang and performed by Nelly and Kelly Rowland. The benefit with narrative music videos (which this music video takes advantage of well) is that the narrative storyline of the music video may finish at a unresolved state, which gives the artist a chance to the write a 'follow-up' song, relating to the same issue as the previous song but on a different beat and different lyrics etc. This is beneficial to the artist as it builds up their reputation and builds up there attention from the audience. Some artists may find that they make more profits on the follow-up song as people are intrigued to find out what happens in the end. Narrative music videos can also relate to the audience as some songs speak on issues that happen in real life circumstances.

 

ABSTRACT

Abstract videos are based around a single concept or idea. This type of video is unusual and are a lot harder to film, mostly being done with editing and Special FX, and would therefore be not only harder to do, but also more expensive. These types of videos also aren’t very popular as they are not very easy to relate to, so very few videos are purely conceptual. These videos are made for people who appreciate the art of things and look for the deeper meaning of things; this may mean that video may include some subliminal imagery which may not be acknowledged at first glance. Abstract music videos are usually made for artist who are well established and already a household name. An example of this kind of music video can be a song called 'The Spiteful Chant', which was written by Kendrick Lamar.

 

Richard Dyer's 'Star Theory'

 

Richard Dyers star theory is the idea that icons and celebrities are manufactured by institutions for financial gain. He believes that stars are constructed to represent 'real people' experiencing real emotions. Stars are manufactured by the music industry to serve a purpose; to make money out of audience, who respond to various elements of a star’s personality by buying records and becoming fans. A stars persona may be constructed to the current trend of the audience. Richard Dyer split this theory into three sections:

1. Audience & Institutions 
2. Constitutions
3. Hegemony

Audience and Institutions

 

The 'star' is constructed upon current trends, by institutions, which appeal to a specific audience. This is done to build a household name for the artist and to also receive more reception for the artist which will thus increase the institutions profits and gains. For example Lady Gaga, according to Dyer, was modelled around fashion forward people so the audience can relate to her as a person and also her music. I can incorporate this section into my work by analysing the genre of music I am planning to make a music video for and research more into the target audience. Constitutions does not differ very much from audience and institutions as they talk about mostly the same things.

 

Hegemony

 

This is also known as 'culture'. It is the idea that the audience relates to the ‘star’ due to the fact that they share a certain or a number of traits with the ‘star’. Some fans may attempt to replicate the star in their behaviour, personality and appearance. However, this could also be a negative impact as some stars often are heavy drinkers and drug abusers. For example in the 60's and 70's there was an increase of illegal sales of cannabis due to The Beatles being open about using it; this is a clear example that the audience was heavily influenced by the Beatles behaviour and in a sense the stars actions can be seen as the actions to follow. Stars represent shared cultural values and attitudes, and promote a certain ideology. Audience interest in these values enhances their 'star quality', and it is through conveying beliefs, ideas and opinions outside music that performers help create their star character to their fans. A star may start a fashion trend, with masses of fans copying their hairstyle and clothing. Stars benefit from cultural discourse for example, via their Twitter feed. Now more than ever before, social networks give ‘stars’ the opportunity to establish their own values outside their music. Lady Gaga tweets frequently about issues, and expects her “Little Monsters” (The name of which Lady Gaga calls her fans) to engage with that discourse just as much as she expects them to listen to her music. I can also incorporate this into my own work by analysing the type of culture that exists within the genre of music I pursue to make a music video in. I can explore in what ways I can exploit the culture traits into my work.

Analysing A2 Music Videos - The Good & The Bad!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History Of Music

Purpose Of Music Videos

A music video is a short film involving both the song and imagery, generally produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos primary use is for marketing, to increase the sale of the music of the artist. An artist may choose to create a music to express the true meaning of their song, through an artistic approach. Synergy across different products. For example, a soundtrack to a film, such as 'The Low' by Flo Rida, who's video includes clips from the film. A music video can create a lasting image of an artist, so when the audience thinks of an artist they think of their video and visa versa. Music videos also help to gain popularity of the song.

Development Of Music Videos

Music videos started in the 1930's with videos such as Elvis Presley's first TV performance. This was very typical at that time, musicians would sing in live action shows. This continued until 1980's when MTV was launched. The first video that played on the channel was 'Video Killed The Radio Star' by the Buggies. After this point videos began to be created where the video accompany or represent the song and would help to boost sales. For example Madonna's video greatly influenced her career. MTV has impacted music channels such as VH1, 4Music etc, have gained more attractions as a marketing tool. 

New Technologies

The biggest technology development that has excelled music video is the Internet. So much that unsigned artists can make a music video for their music. An example of this can be the UK rap scene. YouTube channels such as GrimeDaily, SBTV, LinkUpTv, have all contributed to the rise of a lot of UK artists, such as Scorcher, Giggs, Wretch 32 Etc. The internet has allowed fan of artists to download there new latest song as they are released. 

Introduction

Hello Everyone! Thankfully I have been successful in making it into A2 Media studies! In this final academic year I will be focusing on creating a Music Video. Now there is a big difference in making a thriller opening to then making a music video, however, one has learnt how to improve my work due to last years project. One thing I exceedingly did well was my editing. My knowledge in design software has improved throughout my academic years and also in my personal time. I have great understand on how to function programs such as Photoshop, After Effects, Dreamweaver, basically the whole Adobe Creative Suite! However, the one thing i definitely could have put more time and effort in was my theory. I believe i spent too much time thinking about how the end product will look, instead of looking at the theoretical side of the product. This year I will make sure that I have a steady balance between designing and theory which will improve the quality of my work. In addition, the communication between our group was not satisfactory; there was not really a sense of leadership or organisation between any of us, which also effected the quality of our work. Hopefully all will be amended!