Summer Project: coursework planning

1) Research: music videos

You need to write a 150-word close-textual analysis of SIX music videos that will inform your production work. The music videos you analyse are up to you but focus on a different aspect of media language for each one (see guidance below).  

Music videos

Music Video 1: Narrative
How is narrative used in the music video and what impact does this have on the audience? Can you apply any narrative theories to the story in the music video?

In the music video Seven (feat. Latto) by Jungkook we are presented with a storyline of two lovers who are seen to be having a fight between their chaotic settings. This is followed by where Jungkook continuously follows the girl in order to win her back which sets a vision for the audience on what the lyrics are about. The way the music video is layout makes it feel like we're observing the couple throughout the week or even watching a movie impacting the audience to hope they reconcile to get a happy ending. We can apply Todorov's Equilibrium theory to this as the mv begins with the restaurant scene of them eating as an equilibrium. Quickly we move into the disequlibrium for most of the video where Monday to Friday there are destructive situations  accruing as if its the cause of their fight however Jungkook is persistent in following the girl and winning her back. The new equilibrium begins when she finally accepts him back as they walk away in the rain. Barthes Enigma and Actions can also be applied throughout the whole music videos from start to end by the roof falling to the disastrous weather to Jungkook's wild and dangerous actions. This makes the audience question how far he intends to go for love making them more eager to watch in order to see the end of his relationship. We many be able to see Levi-Strauss Binary oppositions from the contract of love and hate between the two fictional characters as they both have different feelings for each other.

Music Video 2: Camerawork 
Look for particular camera shots and movement - remember that movement is a critical convention of most music videos and camerawork can contribute to this. 

The music video Lunch by Billie Eilish is seen to have very fast paced camera movements and a range of shots switching very quickly. Her most used and very effective shot was the low angle of her doing different activates like dancing or playing cards. This shot was able to give her a more powerful view and dominance against the audience watching to emphasise the fact that she is in control. There was a lot of close ups and panning shots to swoosh in on the action. It was to give a view on the fast movements of Billie dancing. Most of the shots seemed unusual like the fish cam and even the different crane shots especially where the camera turned upside down. This could communicate the artists state of mind and distortion when it comes to the song showing the craziness behind the creation. She might have wanted the music video to be loud by the different shots to get the audiences attentions and to keep them watching. This communicated the tiktok attention span where most kids need shorter faster videos to keep watching.  There were many more shots such as medium, long, vied to empathise her clothes/accessories and the setting.

Music Video 3: Mise-en-scene
What do you notice about the use of mise-en-scene to create meanings for the audience? Use CLAMPS to help you here and think in particular about how mise-en-scene is used to communicate the genre of music and the personality or brand identity of the band/artist.

Rockstar by Lisa use of Mise-en-scene helps the audience create a sort of theme for the music video and make out what aesthetic she intended to go for. Lisa and her backup dancers costumes are seen to be streetwear style with a lot of silver jewellery, chrome accessories and star shaped items. It gives genres of pop and rap mixed as well as a sci-fi theme in a few of the shots to empathise a more modern appeal. There is a lot of top lighting used to accentuate Lisa's features to look like a start and appear more glamorous. The back lighting is used to create a silhouette especially when they use a variety of colours to communicate different things. This can include the variety of light shined on different characters in a rang of colours to look like a party or even lighting shops.  In the music video there are many backup dancers wearing identical clothing to match the performance aespect as well as characters placed to give the video a sort of narrative for the audience to figure out. Make up is very bold on Lisa where she is heavily made up which can reinforce the male gaze which can attract a wide male audience, however her makeup is seen as bold and harsh as if she is expressing herself. She uses a range of props in the mv to help set the scene of the Tokyo setting where they performed on the streets. There are items like motorcycles, cars, carts mostly things you'd find at a local market. The other settings look like a shopping centre escalator and a plain white room. Maybe to show how ordinary places can be used to create and perform in.

Music Video 4: Editing
For editing, analyse pace, transitions, the number of shots and juxtaposition. How does the music video create pace and excitement - or does it create a different effect for the audience?  

The music video Gods menu by Stray kids has 65 shots take where each scene is presented by the next through different transitions. It has quite a lot of shots that are very faced paced, confusing the audience that a couple of shots it still the same scene. There is a lot going on through the music video especially in the background where there is either people dancing, a car race or even people cooking. The continuity editing is also used a lot where it confuses the audience in making out the events where they are joined together by multiple transitions like a swipe where one of the members uses their hand or jump cut to one of the objects behind them. The music is loud and upbeat with a lot of guitar and drums to create that sort of excitement. The video itself uses lights of different colour and settings to attract the audience. The build up of music slowly from the start to the chorus can also build some anticipation whilst the switch from singing to raping gives the audience a variety to watch. This can cause the 

Music Video 5: Conventions

Think back to our Introduction to Music Video and our work on Andrew Goodwin's theory on music video conventions as part of the Ghost Town CSP. How many key conventions of music video can you find in your fifth music video example?

Applying Andrew Godwin's theory to Sabrina Carpenters music video Espresso, we can see that it contains a lot of the key convention's he states. We can see how the song is classified as a dance pop and nu-disco genre giving us a genre characterisation as this is usually associated with late 1970s disco and European dance music styles. This is presented through the vide where we see the artist Sabrina dancing with movies related to those years. This empathises the intertextual reference to 90s beach vibes usually seen in movies which gives a nostalgic feel to the whole music video by the way the beach is set up with umbrellas to the one piece swim suit. We can also see how there has been some dreamy summer tint placed over the video to give the cinematic olden feel. Mulvey's male gaze is applied here for the objectification of female where Sabrina Carpenter uses herself and a few other actors to attract the attention of the male actors and the audiences by the close ups on her body and face. The concept of the whole video to impress a male audience and to even show that is is for the actors is shown clearly through the constant camera switches and shots of each person. It includes demands of record label with the close ups of the lead singer Sabrina Carpenter where she lip-syncs with her iconic blond hair and makeup. Finally, the music video uses a sort of performance of her and others dancing and even a small narrative/ concept of a day out at the beach meetings people or watching them.

Music Video 6: Visual effects, intertextuality or product placement

Choose a video that has interesting visual effects or intertextuality and analyse the effect this creates and how it is constructed. Alternatively, you could look at product placement here and see how a band or artist has incorporated a brand or product into their video. 

For this aspect of your summer project, write a basic treatment that gives your reader a good idea of what your three-minute video will look like. The most important thing is to keep in mind the brief - the music video must feature the artist or band (likely to be a performance element) plus a focus on footwear for the sponsorship deal specified in the brief.

The music video Stick of gum by Nemahsis is introduced with a shaky handled shot that zooms out following her as she climbs the stairs. We can see the artist has stayed authentic and filmed in her home town in Palestine where we are presented with ancient and aged building commonly seen in the past and commonly seen in Asia. The pan from her mother to her shows a generational difference showing effects of time. The nest few shots feel as if they are filmed on a more olden camera to empathise that there are past videos. The film shows a few glitches and hints of sun before showing grainy footage of the surrounding area and the people of residency. There is an intertextual feel from most objects such as the hanging laundry, the water tanks, pavement and shoes that hang from the wires to help viewers feel nostalgic or even feel a sense of recognition from their own homeland. Familiarity also comes with the shots of street food that comes from a variety of traditions and cultures especially from Palestine as seen with the many flags. Setting can also spark references to more hotter countries through the clear skies and palm trees that are not seen in many areas.

You can find a range of notable music video examples in this blogpost or you are free to select videos of your choice. You may wish to write more about one video than another but as long as you have 800+ words of music video research in total you will be fine. Feel free to use bullet points if this is helpful.

2) Planning: music video treatment

A treatment is like a script for a music video - it tells the band or artist exactly what will happen in the video and the kind of style or effect the video will have. You'll need choose what song you are going to use at this point - remember, you can use an existing artist's work but it needs to be appropriate for the brief. 

You can find further music video treatment guidance here plus an example of a genuine director's treatment for the brilliant alt-J video Breezeblocks. 

  -Warm tones for most scenes, cooler tones when in imagination.

Verse 1

Scene 1: In bedroom attempting to play electric guitar, music is yet to start. slowly zooming is while dark room + light up with fairy lights. Close up on phone (Tiktok) with 99+ messages. Camera follows as actor gets up to close windows- night time at the moment.

Scene 2: Transition from opening curtains- day no. Close up of grabbing shoes.

Scene 3:multiple shots of waking in different settings. (sponsored shoes shown).

Scene 4:slow motion of running in grass, camera following and foggy sunlight filter cover to over exaggerate. Hand reaching from behind camera.

Verse 2(chorus)

Scene 5: More cool tones switched to imagination. Inform of Tv another Tiktok trend  with background flashing colours (purple). Song freezes before chorus and another Tiktok trend of heart shape lettering across screen. Spamming photos of friends. Transition ends with photobooth video of me grabbing off wall and putting in box.

Verse 3

Scene 6:sinking down behind closed bedroom door still in imagination. Camera slowly panning back and spinning round to give disorientated feel.

Scene 7: Lower angle of actor playing games where lights are shining on face from screen. lollypop as prop in mouth. Shoes placed beside whilst glancing at them and close up on them just sitting there.

Scene 8: Back to reality of warm tones. Hand held shot of sitting at table and laughing/talking can be looking into camera. Medium shot of whole table to reveal conversation with stuffed animals. (close up on teddies and actors face of realisation).

 

Verse 4

scene 9: Back to a main verse where actor staring into camera lip-syncing whilst falling back. transition into falling onto grassy field, warmer tones.

scene 10:music muffled at end of verse (headphones on) camera propped behind objects as actor reaches to grab something. camera in trolley so low angle as being pushed. angle of tiptoeing to reach object above close up on shoes again. Looks down at shoes and smiles.

Verse 5

scene 11: slow motion shots from different settings. ends with final shot of walking past guitar and shoes, sighs and walks back grabbing shoes.

3) Statement of Intent

Write the first draft for your genuine 500-word Statement of Intent. This will be submitted to the exam board alongside your media products and is worth 10 marks of the overall 60 marks available.

The original AQA brief is here: NEA Student Booklet - Brief 4.

We also strongly recommend you look at our Statement of Intent questions to consider document too (you'll need to log in with your Greenford Google account to read this).  

931 words

(My 3 minute music video will be based off the song 'In My Mind' by the original artist Lyn Lapid that is seen as a pop indie genre.)

(As written in the brief I will be including the sponsorship element of collaboration with a footwear brand-New balance)

(Alongside all this, I will also be creating my very own original magazine that will be called 'Minality' hence combing my middle name and the concept of reality as shown through the music video narrative.)

3 Minute music video

song: In My Mind

artist: Lyn Lapid

genre: pop indie

sponsership: New Balance

I aim to argue that this song that I have chosen is mainstream due to its popularity and frequent use on the social media platform Tiktok. It was a highly used audio to a trend where initially the chorus 'if only you knew what goes on in my mind' was presented on screen in a heart shape before a bunch of photos followed. The song was released at the end if covid becoming a sensation online as people wanted to connect and share their thoughts after the pandemic. This isn't the first time Lyn Lapid has become know online as her song 'Producer man' was also a hit at the start of covid, another trend that people used. I wanted to use my own name 'khaterah' as my very own original artist to give myself self identity and recognition just like Lyn did. This will also be shown through my very own logo that I will design for my artist in order to reinforce these ideas. This music video will follow a completely different narrative than the original one as I intend to do a spin off on distancing yourself from reality and the people close to you. I want to focus on the consistent switch from someone's daydreams to real life portraying this by playing with colour and lighting.

Original magazine

Name: Minality

combing my middle name and the concept of reality as shown through the music video narrative.

In order to met the brief for my 3 minute music video, I wanted to use mise-en-scene as a reference point to meet the requirements. I plan on filming in at least 2 locations:

-bedroom

-local park

-lidle supermarket

They are easily accessible and are able to link to my original concept that would portrayed by ideas of being alone and overthinking.

Using a range of camerawork, especially:

-close-ups

-continuity

-wide shots

-low and high angles

to show movement through my character reinforcing the storyline is a way it can be interpreted without words. As said before, lighting will initially shape the whole music video as I play with warm and cool tones whilst the scenes switch to match the indented mood whilst there will be pops of colour as a way to reinforce genre as a whole. For costume I will choose to follow the retro, vintage, indie aesthetic that can hint at iconic mainstream fashion as I will be using myself to style the concept. This also includes makeup that will also follow bright vibrant 80s inspired to complete the look in the imaginary side.

props:

-fairly lights

-electric guitar

-headphones

-shoes

I plan to meet the brief for the music magazine starting with the front cover which of course will include my own made up title and a huge image including two smaller ones and a minimum of 5 cover lines to promote the music video. All of this will have original photography with seven more photos spread out on the inside of it with written words to promote my artists tour. For the inside photos I was to include a concept of a photobooth as it was introduced in the 80s as a way people could take pictures and it would be a good idea to match the music videos vibe.

Narrative theories:

-Todorovs equilibrium=music video introduces the scene of me peacefully playing electric guitar in my bedroom, the disequilibrium starts from the 99+ messages seen on my phone to packing away all of photographic memories, new equilibrium is seen at the end at the super market where I bump into a friend.

-Barths enigma and action codes=consistency to ignore everyone is questioned by the audience and they watch my actions to distance myself from reality.

-strauss binary oppositions= imagination vs reality

Genre theory:

-Steve Neal= I wanted to raise familiarity with the pop indie genre so that is can be easily recognisable for maybe an older audience or even mainstream who uses some of these concepts as trend setting.

Reinforce stereotypes=through makeup and clothing Subvert stereotypes=through shoes and electric guitar Media theorists:

-Gauntlets second key idea=generational difference between young and old-media actively dismissing modern views -Perkins stereotypes=they are positive and true -Judith butler gender and performance-roles =crucial to rate performed practices-keep us n place Social and cultural contexts of contemporary media reflected:

-Social=influence impact society for realisation of teenagers isolating themselves -Cultural=reflect typical beliefs on teenagers distancing's themselves reflects depression -Historical=how society changed to support those in need

reinforcing mainly females however subvert with strong mindset

Target audience:

-Demographics= teenagers so 15-20 females mostly lower middle in education

-psychographics=explorer(experience) reformer(freedom) and aspire (materialistic)

Similar artists:

-Mitski

-Lauvey

-Arctic Monkeys

-Keshi

Cinematography nostalgic aspect or a tint

Like seeing 80s-90s style

Audience pleasures:

-Diversification=escape problems through narrative entertainment

-Personal identity=be able to compare to mc problems of detachment reflect itself

-Personal relationship=feel affection for mc

Audience theories:

-Stuart Hall= preferred understand characters turmoil of emotions due to distancing and overthinking

Audience will likely watch my music video product online on YouTube as it is a global digital platform to access videos whilst magazine can also be read online but perhaps also browsed and bought in store. Combining the shoe sponsorship with the music video can show digital convergence.

Record company:

-XL Recording=independent works with original artists with a range of genres.

Magazine publisher:

-Under the Radar= indie print and digital, quality of the cover stories alone cover the cost of admission.

small independent

industry context reflected through main genre of indie working with single artist who created albums

Introduction

• What existing band or artist will you use for your music video?

• What original name will you create for that band/artist – you will need to make one up.

• What footwear brand will you use for the sponsorship element?

• What will be the name of your original music magazine?

Media Language

• How do you plan to meet the brief? (Brief 4: Music video and music magazine). Look over

the minimum requirements in the brief and make sure you address them:

o Three-minute music video: two locations, a range of camerawork, lighting and mise-

en-scene, music genre codes and conventions, appropriate editing for genre and

style etc.

o Music magazine: front cover conventions, original photography – one main image

and two smaller cover images, at least five cover lines; additional page with relevant

content to target audience (e.g. contents page); two-page feature of 400+ words

promoting tour and music video; original photography – minimum of seven original

images in total across all the print pages, feature pages to be A4 sized and use

conventions of music magazine etc.

• Focus on music video and music magazine conventions in particular: how will you use media

language choices to communicate the style and genre of music? Think about mise-en-scene,

camerawork and editing – using media terminology throughout.

• Can you apply narrative and genre theories to your production plans? Is there an element of

genre hybridity to your artist or concept? What narrative codes will you use?

Continued >

Media Representations

• How will your music video and music magazine reinforce or challenge stereotypes in the

media?

• Can you apply any media theories to the representations you plan to create in your

production work? E.g. Gilroy, Gauntlett, Mulvey, Butler, van Zoonen, bell hooks etc.

• Think about how your coursework will reflect the social and cultural contexts of

contemporary media – will your products reflect recent changes in society? Are you

deliberately challenging or referencing certain stereotypes, viewpoints or debates in the

mainstream media?

Media Audiences

• Your target audience is specified in the brief: mainstream music fans. Expand on this

audience: demographics, psychographics, interests and lifestyle. What other bands, artists or

products would your audience enjoy? How will the construction of your products target this

specific audience?

• What audience pleasures will your music video and music magazine offer? Apply theory here

too (e.g. Blumler and Katz Uses & Gratifications theory).

• You may wish to apply other audience theories here if relevant e.g. Stuart Hall’s Reception

theory or media effects theories.

Media Industries and digital convergence

• Digital convergence refers to the way we can use one device to access and engage with a

range of media. How are your audience likely to watch/read your products? What examples

of digital convergence can you build into your plans? Perhaps think about the footwear

sponsorship here.

• Consider industry contexts: the brief states the artist has record company backing – which

record company would suit your artist? Why? What magazine publisher would publish your

music magazine? Major conglomerates or small independents? How will these industry

contexts be reflected in your production work?

4) Ignite presentation

Prepare a 5-minute, 20-slide presentation using the Ignite format in which you present your coursework project. In effect, this is your statement of intent in presentation format. You must cover:

• Your music video and music magazine concept: your new original artist, genre, song and music video treatment. Then, your print brief: music magazine title, double page feature, additional page, photoshoot etc.
• Media language: how you will use music video conventions and music magazine conventions - e.g. camerawork, editing and mise-en-scene to create meanings for your audience. 
• Media representations: how you will use or subvert stereotypes in your music video and music magazine; applications of representation theory; social and cultural contexts - how your coursework will reflect contemporary media culture and society.
• Media audiences: your target audience demographics and psychographics; audience pleasures - why they would enjoy your music video and magazine; audience theory if relevant.
• Media industries and digital convergence: the potential record company that would promote your band or artist; the publisher for your music magazine; the brand identity for your artist; how fans would engage with your products etc.

Ignite presentations have very specific rules: you must create exactly 20 slides with each slide set to 15-second auto-advance. This means your presentation will be exactly five minutes followed by questions and comments from the class. You will deliver your presentation on your coursework planning in the first week back in September.

Your Ignite presentation will be marked out of 30 on the following criteria (each worth a possible 5 marks):

1) Research (through the presentation AND your blog - make sure it is posted before you present) 
2) Coursework concept
3) Language: terminology and theory
4) Representations / social and cultural contexts
5) Audience and Industry / digital convergence
6) Presentation delivery

You can find more information about Ignite presentations - including examples - in this Ignite

Ignite presentation