Music Video Comparison of Conventions

Below I will be making comparisons of features of both Amy Winehouse's music video 'Tears Dry On Their Own' as well as Rosie May's 'Morning Blues'. Both videos have a lot of the same uses of conventions.

 

 

Both Amy and Rosie are situated against colourful and vibrant walls as cars pass behind and infront of them. This is a signifier of the urban and built up locations they are both in which adds to their urban and edgy star images.

 

 

 

 

 

The convention of close ups and extreme close ups is used in both Amy and Rosie's videos. The viewer is able to see the similar styles of makeup that the artist's use. The use of cat-flick 60s eyeliner is evident in these beauty shots and therefore gives the audience a sense of their retro and vintage star image as well as showing their appearance more clearly.

The shots above are incredibly similar and again signify the fact that both videos are shot in urban, city based locations. The use of the shots shown above help to indicate the journey that the artist is going on through out the video as they are literally seen to be journey by walking through the streets. The shots also help to accentuate Rosie's likeable and 'girl next door' character as she blends in and is one of the public in her video, enabling viewers to relate to her, especially young girls.

 

 

Above is a slightly wider shot of the surroundings of both of the urban locations shown in the videos. This helps audience members to envisage the setting more clearly and provide an image of the people, props and setting that help to generate the urban and edgy star image that Amy and Rosie both share.

 

 

 

 

 

Above, both videos incorporate the artists to be walking through the streets, looking at shops on either side of the pavement, giving the viewers an indication of their alternative style. Rosie and Amy's videos are depicting them to both be in urban locations, surrounded by the public.

 

 Both videos depict a use of artificial lighting in the architecture of the setting. Amy's video depicts a use neon flashing lights as signs on a motel building whereas Rosie's video shows the flashing lights of Brighton pier. This helps to accentuate both of the artist's urban star image.

 

Both videos depict a journey through the day visibly shown through the use of lights. Amy's video starts in the morning, showing her to be situated in a light and airy bedroom without any lights on and also walking through the street in broad daylight. When the video is coming to the end her motel lamps are on, as show above, as well as the sight of her walking down the street in the dark. Rosie's video shows the setting sun at Brighton seaside. Similarly Rosie's video follows a journey, partially seen through the transience of daylight. The video starts in the morning with overexposed white natural daylight and ends with artificial lights of the pier and the setting sun.

Conventions of our Music Video

Conventions in any media text make it easier for the audience to understand what they are consuming. In the case of a music video it allows them to situate a song and artist within a musical genre. The purpose of a music video is to sell the song and the star along with it so if the conventions work correctly the promotion will be successful due to the artist and their work fitting into a specific genre easily.

There are technical and symbolic codes within a music video. Technical conventions relate to styles of camera, editing lighting and sound. Whereas symbolic conventions relate to mise-en-scene being the costumes, props, location/setting, colours, makeup, arrangement of band members and performance.

TECHNICAL CONVENTIONS

Camera

The most common conventions for a range of different genre music videos are:

• Close ups and ECUs (extreme close ups)
• MCUs and mid shots
• Tilts, pans and tracking shots
• Longs shots and wide shots
• Crane shots

In my group's music video we used a variation of shots, being all of the above except crane, tilt and tracking shots. This therefore gave the audience multiple views of our artist for different effects. The close ups helped to build recognition of the artist, establishing her star image, whilst also emphasising the link between music and lyrics, having a close up on the lip-syncing. We also used MCUs and mid shots to show body language and costume of the artist to emphasise her attitude and enjoyment of the song. The whip pan shots were filmed unintentionally on the shoot day, by still recording when not wanting to film, but made for an ideal effect in our final cut as it matched the pace of the music and created a high energy buzz for the song, maintaining the audience's visual interest. The long and wide shots were also used to show our artist in her full surroundings to give the audience a better idea of the location and star image.

Extreme Close Up Shot

Extreme Close Up Shot

Medium Close Up Shot

Wide Shot

Editing

• Usually synced with the song lyrics
• Matched to pace of the song
• Cut in sync with beat
• Discontinuity editing, jump cuts, division into repetitive chapters to mimic the verse-chorus-verse structure.

My group conformed to all of the above conventions for various reasons. We cut in sync with the beat of the song in order to emphasise the rhythm. We matched the visual clips to the pace of the song in order to create a comfortable viewing for the audience and also to emphasise the tempo and emotion of the music. We also synced the shots of Rosie May's performance elements to the song in order to mimic a live performance. We also employed discontinuity editing in order to create high energy in the song.

Lighting

• Artificial lighting used to give the artist a glow of perfection and also create a tone or atmosphere needed in the music video.

Our group subverted from this convention as we could not employ the use of artificial lighting as we were filming in the streets of Brighton. We simply shot in natural daylight. Therefore there was no mood, tone or atmosphere created through artificial means. However, this depicts our artist effectively as she is new on the music scene, starting out. She is young, fresh and vibrant and the use of natural daylight complements and emphasises this fact.

SYMBOLIC CONVENTIONS

Costume, Hair and Makeup

• Take influence from different trends in society and can also start new trends
• Can indicate membership to a subculture: cultural group within a larger culture, often having separate beliefs or interests to one another.

In our video our group dressed our artist in a black lace jumpsuit which delivers viewers with an effective image of her retro style. The black colour of her jumpsuit positively represents her timelessness as an artist. Additionally, we had decided for her makeup to be based on a natural look. The one exaggerated feature of her make up is her liquid eyeliner. Here we were inspired by Amy Winehouse's trademark makeup style. Also her hair is modestly styled with a few braids in her gently curled hair with a slight beehive hair do, derived from a 60s style which conforms to her star image.

 

 

Props

• Instruments are symbolic in order to fit into a category and genre.

As our group filmed on location in Brighton we did not bring any props with us. However, in Brighton we spontaneously used the props of clothes on rails outside vintage clothes shops which helped to confirm the artist's alternative and urban star image. The visiting of thrift shops in Brighton was a significant element to Rosie's journeying process in Brighton, being a narrative strand to the music video. Therefore, the incorporation of the clothes as props was essential.

Sets and Locations

• Help to establish the domain of the artist, where they belong, maybe being their hometown.
• May also feature locations familiar to their target audience to enable them to identify with the artist.

Before shooting the video, our group primarily wanted to film in East End London on a rooftop overlooking London and in a warehouse that Rosie had previously visited to do a couple of photo shoots. Since she lives in East End London this would have made sense as this location is special to her as an artist and is a part of her identity and therefore would help the viewers and potential target audience members to understand and prepare to relate to this urban aspect of her. However, in the end we had to use various locations in Brighton. To our surprise this turned out to be a complete success and allowed us to play on the fact that many of Rosie's musical idols were formed and recognised in Brighton, being the mods and rockers scene. Brighton is also where Rosie's father lives and where she grew up so ultimately was her hometown and still is to some extent. One of Brighton's attractions, being the seaside and pier therefore also became a part of our music video and made for a beautiful and essential visually aesthetic finish. This links to the 'About' page on her website and she wrote herself that she loves the seaside, therefore by using this location and incorporating this text in our website allows viewers to relate to our artist. We were also able to find the much needed urban locations in Brighton as well as many other locations which provided for a convincing and understandable journeying aspect. Our locations were: the market scene, the rooftop, the art graffiti wall, Brighton promenade and the balcony. These therefore all provided a successful portrayal of our artist's urban, rebellious as well as youthful and lively star image.

 

Colour

• Can represent the mood of an artist and their music - bright colours being feel good whilst dark colours are down beat.
• Neon colours relate to artificial environments being the city and urban life.
• Black and white can have connotations of 'classic artists'.

Our group decided to incorporate a heavy use of light leaks within the video, providing a vintage and alternative view and style. This links to Lana Del Rey's retro feel and use of filmic footage, light leaks, grainy and scratched filters in her music videos. Lana Del Rey is incidentally one of Rosie May's favourite artists and therefore this inspired her to incorporate similar music video technicalities. Also the use of various graffiti artworks and patterns displays the use of vivid colour which provides the music video with an urban and youthful sense.

 

Comparisons of Conventions in the Website

Below are comparisons of both Rosie May and Valerie June's website pages. They are both organic and fairly unknown artists at the moment but both have a lot of talent. They seem to share certain conventions in their websites which help to portray them as organic artists, which I will expand on below.

 

 

 

Both artists possess a tour dates page on their websites. The pages display a lengthy list of dates which signifies their passion for playing music as well as their eagerness to communicate and see people who could be potential critics of their music. However, since these artists are new to the industry they will not have a dedicated fan base yet therefore by getting out and playing gigs as much as possible this will help to broaden their audience and listeners and will ultimately get their music heard.

 

 

 

 

Both websites have an option to purchase their singles as well as t-shirts and other gifts. This allows viewers to invest in their work, merchandise and star image, helping to circulate the word of them as artists.

 

 

Both home pages are seen to depict a large image of the artist in the background. This introduces visitors of the site immediately to the artist and gives them an instant image of what the artist is like. For example, Rosie prioritises her urban star image, being situated on a blank yet rustic wall. Whilst Valerie chooses an image of her playing the guitar which connotes that she is passionate about her music and therefore prioritises her music, even within the images of herself. On both websites these images are constant backgrounds for the site, being backdrops for whatever is on the page.

 

 

 

 

 

Both artists have pages that displays their music videos and Soundcloud songs. This allows viewers of the website to familiarise themselves with the artist's sound due to their new position in the industry.

 

 

 

 

The 'bio' pages on both Rosie and Valerie's websites say a lot about them as artists and people because they are organic artists and fairly new to the industry. Therefore this allows fans and audience members to get to know them.

 

Both websites also display a gallery or picture page which allows viewers to further familiarise themselves with the artists and also gain an idea of their style and personality which can impact on the viewer's opinion of the artist.

Conventions used in the making of Rosie May's Website

Conventions used in the making of Rosie May's Digipak

Andrew Goodwin's Theory

Goodwin identifies a number of key features, which distinguish the music video as a form:

• There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics).
• There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (again with visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music).
• Particular music genres may have their own music video style and iconography (such as live stage performance in heavy rock).
• There is a demand on the part of the record company for lots of close-ups of the main artist/vocalist.
• The artist may develop their own star iconography, in and out of their videos, which, over time, becomes part of their star image.
• There is likely to be reference to voyeurism, particularly in the treatment of women, but also in terms of systems of looking (screens within screens, binoculars, cameras, etc.).
• There are likely to be intertextual references, either to other music videos or to films and TV texts.

In American Hi-Fi's 'Flavor Of The Weak' there are lots of links to Goodwin's theory.

There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals as the girlfriend is seen to be getting closer to her boyfriend in an intimate way as the lyrics of "he means everything to her" are sung at 1:11, showing her attraction and love for him in the lyrics and visuals.

There are also links between the music and visuals as a student's dancing is in time with the guitar notes in the instrumental at 2:27.

Since the genre of this music video is punk rock Goodwin's theory fits perfectly with the visuals incorporated in it as a live stage is used for the band's performance element at 0:50, as Goodwin has stated as part of his theory.

There is also inclusion of many close-ups of the main singer in the band, as Goodwin also states. For example this is shown at 2:57.

There is also quite a lot of references to voyeurism as in multiple parts of the video women are seen to be sexually depicted. For example the low angled shots of the girlfriend are seen at 1:42 and also at 2:50 when the boyfriend is seen by the girlfriend to be cheating with another highly sexualised woman in his car.

Evaluation Task 1: What are Conventions?

Conventions are the familiar and predictable forms and techniques used by the media to communicate certain ideas or to convey a desired impression.

There are many forms of codes, often coupled with the term of conventions, such as technical, symbolic and written codes, when shared operate by means of conventions.

Conventions are often hidden or unspoken rules that we, as an audience, learn to accept and recognise.

Conventions can eventually become so familiar that they appear to be the only ‘natural’ way of doing or understanding something.

Conventions can be used, supported or reiterated. But groups can appear different and controversial by challenging the established ways most commonly by deliberately breaking or subverting conventions.

Codes and conventions can be applied to different media concepts such as narrative, genre or realist codes.

 

Examples of conventions within the media industry are as follows:

·         Introduction and Finalisation - TV programmes and films have lengthy introductory and closing credit sequences.

·         Time - Sitcoms and soap operas are roughly half-hour shows.

·         Layout/Format - Magazines and newspapers come in a limited range of formats with recognisable, repeated layout features.

·         Symbolic codes - Film and TV genre products are governed by certain predictable narrative features, dress codes (Western/War films), lighting effects (Film Noir), special fx and explosions (Sci-fi and Action).

·         Modes of presentation –news broadcasts are usually conducted by a middle aged, serious, upper middle class person in a suit, usually seated behind a desk and reading off an autocue.