Music Video introduction

1) What is the purpose of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to advertise the song and make people want to buy it, If it happens to be a particularly bold music video which is likely to bring attention to the song it may be done to increase the amount of revenue which is gained by the artist and company. It may also be displaying the artists vision.
2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

The digital age has allowed many artists who may not have received much attention to get a lot of attention and views, therefore a lot of revenue, this is due to them being able to produce the videos much more easily by recording through smartphones and editing at home through professional applications and being able to upload it to youtube rather than having to secure a distribution deal on TV which may have been rejected due to the companies thinking that they are not going to receive much attention, however now people can upload it themselves for free even if it is towards a niche audience.

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

Universal Music group 
Sony Music Entertainment
EMI
4) What are the key conventions of a music video?

Locations
Attractive models 
Expensive items
Jump cuts 
Close ups
The artist
Narrative

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

Narrative can be used in Music Videos to tell a story or a tale along side the music, which will often fit in with the theme of the music which is being played, an example of this is "Shiros Story".
6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

Rudeboy- Rihanna

Christina Aguilera- Genie in a bottle

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

They feel nostalgia towards the first time they have witnessed a media product and when they view it a second time around they remember all the things about the first one. They feel like they are receiving an exclusive experience as they have seen the original and will understand the references.

8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:


Shiro's Story
There is a clear narrative over the music video which often explains what is going on and makes things clear to the audience and the artist is never actually seen in the video, as he is the one narrating someone else life.

The intertextuality in this music video is actually the other music videos which this artist has previously made and references to within this music video and some key techniques which he has used in the past.

The representations in this music video are that they are in fact young males who are struggling to make money and have to resort to dealing drugs and taking part in illegal activity to earn their money.

I think that there is a wide target audience, however I think that it particularly targets a younger teen age audience as they are more likely to be able to relate to the music video and may recognise some of the actors or the main artist as he has created many similar videos which tackle the topics which the youth may be facing.

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?

This video set the conventions of hip hop music videos to this day as this is still what many rappers use for their music video concepts as it makes us want their life style and shows us that they are in some what elite and listening to this music and watching this music video will make us somewhat like them and part of their brand.

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2018? Are music videos essential to a band or artist's success?

Music videos are a statement of what the artist thinks of their own music, therefore if the music video does not meet expectations, then perhaps it may signify to the audience that they do not even care about the content that they are creating.

Music Video index

1) Music Video - introduction and factsheet questions
2) Music Video theory and This Is America analysis
3) Common - Letter to the Free context and analysis
4) Michael Jackson - Billie Jean context, analysis and MM article

Common - Letter to the Free

1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?

Common and John Legend had paired up to create a soundtrack.

2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?

The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime.
3) What were the Black Codes?

The Black Codes were laws passed by states in 1865 and 1866 in the United States after the American Civil War with the intent and the effect of restricting African Americans' freedom, and of compelling them to work in a labor economy based on low wages or debt.
4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?

Black people were then introduced to mass incarceration and lead to them being imprisoned so that they would be forced into labour due to them being criminals and lead to the continuation of slavey.

5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?

She wrote it in hopes that it may evoke some type of revolution within what people think about whilst thinking about the situation and showed great interest in how companies were exploiting these black workers even after the removal of slavery and was inregued about the prison system being run by private firms and how they are actually profiting from this.

6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?

I think that the 80's and 90's were a crucial time for hip hop culture and really set the standard with a lot of quality artist releasing music and there being a lot of competitiveness so that the quality of the music that was being produced increased.

7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?


8) What album is Letter to the Free taken from? What was the critical reception for this album? You'll need to research this - the Wikipedia entry for the album is a good place to start.

The song comes from the Black America Again

Close-textual analysis and representation

Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:

1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).

The letter to the free music video uses medium and long shots throughout the video as it shows peoples full body but does not attempt to show off their body as they would in most music videos but perhaps to show that they are not actually free to do what they want as they are imprisoned.

2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?

The consistently moving camera may be showing the passing of time and as there is no change in the video which may be indicating that there has been no change in real life situations and that slavery still exists, simply in another form.

3) Why is the video in black and white?

The video is in black and white perhaps to show that there are no differences between races and that what they are trying to show is a very serious matter. They may also represent the time period in which they are talking about.

4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?

The music video is shot in a prison which may represent how they are imprisoned and how mass incarceration has not only occurred but is also a very big problem.

5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?

 'Slavery's still alive, check amendment 13'

6) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.


7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.

8) How can Gilroy's idea of black diasporic identity be applied to Common's Letter to the Free?

9) What other theories of race and ethnicity can be applied to this video? E.g. Hall, Rose or Dyson.

10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video?

Music Video theory

1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?

There is a narrative in the video where they are trying to convey a message and there is a video of the artist performing in the music video.

2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

This video could also perhaps be saying that gun violence and racism is seen as something which isn't dealt with as seriously, which is why the video is shown to be some sort of joke or mockery which is used to display how what is going on in America is a mockery and that it is not in anyway being taken seriously.
3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. 

Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.

4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'?