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'? 

Film and TV : Learner Response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

20 - D

WWW
- Very good knowledge of shown - if you can add politics/ ideology to your answers you'll do even better.

EBI
- Revise/Learn postmodernism!
- D83 much weaker than Capital... clearly an area to revise.
- Question focus: Q2 starts in quite a misleading way and Q3 is it always focused on representations.

 2) Read the whole mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Identify at least one potential point that you missed out on for each question in the assessment (even if you got full marks for the question).

Q1) Patiche - media products that imitate the style of another text, artist or time period.
Q2) Have the facts straight before making a statement in the question and proof read.
Q3) Political arguments in question 3 would have made a more convincing argument. 

 3) The first question demanded a response using postmodern terminology. Write a definition here of the three main terms:

Bricolage: The juxtaposing of old and new texts, images, ideas and narratives to create new meanings.
Pastiche: Media products that imitate the style of another text, artist or time period.
Intertextuality: Referencing to another text.

4) The second question was on the film industry. Write down two points from the mark scheme about Chicken's promotion and distribution that you didn't include in your answer. 

Could have mentioned the struggle which they faced for 2 years in an attempt to secure a distribution deal. I also would have wrote more about their digital impact on making popularity themselves for free on such a low budget on social media.


5) Look over your mark, teacher comments and the mark scheme for Question 3 - the 25 mark essay question on your TV Close-Study Products. Write a complete essay plan for this question based on the suggested answers in the mark scheme. You can either use something similar to your actual answer or alternatively start from scratch. Make sure it is an extensive, detailed plan focused on the question (representations) and offering specific references to Capital and Deutschland 83 for each section. Try and cover the two texts equally if you can and aim to plan around 5-6 paragraphs in total.

The rise of foreign-language TV

Independent: British viewers can't get enough of foreign-language dramas

Read this Independent feature on foreign-language dramas. It features an in-depth interview with Walter Iuzzolino who curates Channel 4's Walter Presents programming. Answer the questions below:

1) What does the article suggest regarding the traditional audience for foreign-language subtitled media?

2) What does Walter Iuzzolino suggest is the key appeal of his 'Walter Presents' shows?

3) The article makes an interesting claim for the popularity of subtitles in the multi-screen age. What does it suggest?

4) What are the other audiences pleasures of foreign TV drama suggested by the article?

Now look at the bonus article - on Sherlock and how viewers are steering their favourite shows.

5) What examples are provided of how TV companies are increasingly using audiences to inform the production process?


Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on

Now read this Film School Rejects feature on the foreign TV dramas you're missing out on. This contains some particularly useful background on Deutschland 83's reception internationally. If the website is blocked, you can access the article text here. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the article tell us about Deutschland 83's release schedule?

2) The article contains important statistics on viewing figures in different countries. What were the German viewing figures for the first and last episode? What were Channel's 4's viewing figures for Deutschland 83?

3) Who are the two production and distribution companies behind Deutschland 83 and what did they announce in October?

4) What does the article suggest was the driving force behind the series being renewed for a new season (and possibly two new seasons)?

5) How does Walter Iuzzolino use social media to engage audiences in new international TV dramas? How does he suggest this has changed the reception of foreign productions in the UK?


IndieWire: The rise of international television

Now look at this IndieWire feature on the rise of international television. If the website is blocked, you can access the text from the article here. Answer the questions below:

1) What does the article suggest regarding the difference between TV and film?

2) What cultural differences are highlighted in the article - for example in turning 'Prisoners of War' into 'Homeland' when remade in the US?

3) Why do you think Deutschland 83 was able to rise above these cultural differences to be successful in the US and UK? Did this inadvertently make the drama fail in Germany?

4) What does the article suggest about subtitling?

5) What does Sopranos actor Steven Van Zandt suggest is the appeal in foreign television drama?


The Guardian: How tech is changing television

Finally, read this Guardian feature on how tech is changing television. This has some particularly useful aspects from an industry perspective - how TV is made, the different formats of TV drama and more. Answer the following questions:

1) What are the traditional lengths for TV drama and what dictated these programme formats?

2) How have streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime changed the way TV drama narratives are constructed?

3) Why has the rise in streaming led to more complex storylines and an increase in cliffhangers?

4) How have the "economics of production" kept TV drama largely sticking to the 45- or 60-minute episode format?

5) How has "permanent 24/7 connectivity" changed both the production and consumption of TV drama?

TV: Deutschland 83 case study

Reviews and features

1) What positive aspects of Deutschland 83 are highlighted in the reviews?

There is a good show of differences between the country even though they are the same country are clearly very different from one another on both parts.
There is also a very soon show of action and tension within the scenes and have a lot of these scenes which are always keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. It also states the main actor is in fact a very good actor and represents his character very well.

2) What criticisms are made of the show?

Some criticisms made of the show are that there is a lack if actual drama and the show has made the situation which was at hand to be represented as very simplistic and not shown to be the actual real issue which was at hand and this is shown as there was a clear unpopularity in Germany who probably had a lot of people who knew the real situation.

3) Why did the Telegraph suggest that Deutschland 83 did the 'period' aspect of 'period drama' so well?

The telegraph suggested that Deutschland 83 did the "period" aspect so well is because they represented both sides of the country and appealed to a lot of the old nostalgia for people. This is also because they mainly showed the aspects of West Germany which was thought to be a much more modern part of Germany which was keeping update with the other western countries, which is why there would have been a lot of nostalgia for people who were alive at the time.

4) Find three 'below the line' comments from either of the Guardian articles. What did the audience think of Deutschland 83? Do you agree with the comments?




Interviews and behind-the-scenes video features

1) What does Jonas Nay say about growing up in a united Germany? 

He says that there really no longer is any East or West Germans any more and for the country to be united and have freedom is great, however also states when asked that if he was 25 in the year of 1983 then he certainly would have liked to have lived in West Germany as he says the one thing which he would have valued and still values in his current life is the freedom which he has.

2) The Channel 4 News interview is conducted in German with English subtitles. How does this reflect Channel 4's remit as a public service broadcaster and their target audience? (Clue: revise your work on Channel 4 and Public Service Broadcasting here!)

The channel 4 news interview is conducted in German and it even during the interview corrected himself when he speaks in English by accident. This helps them reach their target audience as their fans can experience the authenticity of the show and still understand. He speaks about how he is recognised more by fans from the UK who are in Germany rather than people who live in Germany. The target audience is clearly people who are from other countries as they seem to be more successful there. This also helps justify why they are playing foreign shows.

3) Interviewer Matt Frei asks about the current political situation in Germany. Why might this interest the Channel 4 News audience?

This may interest the audience of the channel 4 news as it may be a way to receive inside information which is unfiltered by the large UK media news outlets, however it is also because the people who are watching the News are likely to be intellectuals, meaning that they would be interested in current affairs of other countries which is probably why they are watching the news.
Behind the scenes clips
Making Of: Why Should You Watch Deutschland 83
Watch this short promotional clip for Deutschland 83.

1) Why should audiences watch Deutschland 83 - what does the clip offer viewers?

Audiences should watch Deautschland 83 as it offers suspense which audience often enjoy and receive the enjoyment from the tension of the key scenes when he is potentially about to be caught. Despite showing people what the war was like and the interesting points and view points of the war there is also humour sometimes which is often used to lighten the mood. I think that audiences should watch Deautschland 83 as it is an interesting show even if you are not interested in the war or history as there is also suspense, tension and humour at right times so there is something for everyone to enjoy.

2) Why is history an important aspect of the appeal of the show?

History is an important aspect of the appeal of the show as this is what will interest a lot of the people in UK as I think that a lot of us are not entirely sure about what happened or may only know one side of the story and may want to find out more about what actually happened.

3) What technical aspects are highlighted in the video?



Making Of: Set Design
Watch this interview with Production designer Lars Lange.

1) Why were the set design, costume and props so important for Deutschland 83?

The set design, costume and props were so important as a lot of history enthusiasts who wound have known a lot about the show would have been watching and would have been disappointed if things weren't accurate and would have left bad reviews and put other people off from watching the show.

2) How historically accurate was the setting, costume and props?

They attempted to make the the props, costumes and settings as close and realistic as possible and this was possible due to the real documents and other props being released as it had been 30 years, however some things were still kept secret and therefore they tried to make it as accurate as possible, but did kind of have  to guess for some things.

3) Why were the props, costumes and music such a key audience pleasure for Deutschland 83?

The props, costumes and music such a key audience please as the props and costumes could be made pretty accurate as the documents had been released, meaning that they could compare and make the ones in the film more realistic. The costumes were also important as it helped the audience visualise and understand what it actually was like. The music was a key element of audience pleasure as it allowed the audience to know when there was a high amount of suspense as there would be very ominous music playing when there is an incident and often a pop song not soon after this has been resolved.


Textual analysis: trailer

1) The opening of the trailer uses sound and editing to draw the audience in. Explain why this is effective.

The use of sound suggests that the series is filled with non-stop action and assures the audience that they won't be feeling bored. The use of editing suggests to the audience that this is not a normal show and sums up what the show is about as well as giving an insight to the audience of what to expect. 

2) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer? Think about Uses & Gratifications theory (Blumler and Katz).

Surveillance, people could be watching this show in order to learn more about history.The action and suspense may help audience stay interested and focussed on the entire show.

3) How does the trailer use action and enigma codes (Barthes) to encourage the audience to watch the show?

The use of the timer counting down can be seen as an enigma code because it makes the audience question what will happen when times is up. It also shows situations where the martin is in danger and we as the audience would like to find out what is happening in the situation and whether the character who we have come to know gets shot.

4) Pick three shots/scenes from the trailer that capture the spy thriller sub-genre. Why might this appeal to an audience? Try and apply Neale's genre theory 'repetition and difference' (the original notes on genre theory are here).

1/ When the women holds the gun up to his face 
2/The contrasts of East and West
3/The scene where Martin has to pick the lock of the door.

I think that they may appeal to the audience as there is a clear use of suspense and this attracts the audience to want to know what happens next as they can see the intensity of the scene.

5) Pick three examples of mise-en-scene from the trailer that capture the 1983 setting the confirm the sub-genre of period drama. Why might this appeal to an audience? 

1/Ronald Reagan's speech
2/The explosion 
3/The balcony scene with the flags hanging 

6) The trailer uses the song 'Two Tribes' by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Why did the producers select this soundtrack for the trailer?

I think that these are good songs which they used as this is what they are trying to portray and their target audience was actually people from foreign countries such as America and the UK so it is good that they used a song which they may recognise as they may be sceptical about watching a foreign language TV drama.

7) The only words heard in the trailer are in English. Why do you think the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue?

I think that the UK trailer avoided subtitles or German dialogue as people may judge the show based on the fact that it is a foreign language TV drama and it may put off viewers from watching the show and they hope that if people go out of their way to watch it that they would be interested and intrigued by the storyline and the use of suspense to not care to much.


Production and industry context

1) Read this Freemantle Media press release on the worldwide success of Deutschland 83. How is the drama described by the distributor? Why was it considered such an international success?

Deutschland 83 is a suspenseful coming-of-age story and Martin Rauch is hiding in plain sight in the West German Army gathering secfrets of NATO military.

2) Read this Freemantle Media press release on Deutschland 83 becoming Channel 4's highest rated foreign drama. What was the consolidated viewing figure for Episode 1 of Deutschland 83? What praise for Deutschland 83 is included in the press release?

It had 2.5 million viewers, it's the best show of the year as it is so interesting and "gripping"."This is the next subtitled sensation"

3) How does the press release promote the Channel 4 'Walter Presents' collection of international TV drama?

Walter Presents are going to offer over 600 hours of drama that can be downloaded as well since Deutschland 83 forms Walter Presents new on demand service. 
Watch this Channel 4 trailer for their Walter Presents international drama.

1) How does Channel 4 introduce 'Walter'?

They introduce Walter as a man that does nothing but watch drama series in order to find the best ones. Walter is seen to dedicate a lot of his time to drama shows who is providing a personal view and seems to be a trustworthy person who is very educated and watching these shows very critically.

2) What audience are Channel 4 trying to appeal to with the 'Walter Presents' series?

They are trying to appeal to people who like the drama genre and possibly people who spend a lot of time watching new series, the audience can trust these reviews.

3) How does the 'Walter Presents' series reflect the changing nature of television in the digital age?

All of Walter Presents shows are going to be available for box sets for free that can be downloaded and watched anywhere.They tell the audience that box sets are available online.
Marketing and promotion

Look at the online Channel 4 press pack for Deutschland 83.

1) Read the programme information from the press pack. How does the programme information seek to interest a reader from the first paragraph?

The first paragraph creates tension and introduces the audience to the character as well as setting that Martin who is in during these series of events and it creates many questions in the readers mind like why was Martin picked

2) What does the programme information suggest the main strengths of the programme are?

The suggested strengths are that this tv show is gripping and fast paced.

3) Read the press pack interview with writer Anna Winger. How did she use the historical context and real-life events to create a successful drama?

4) Anna Winger discusses the use of music. Why might the soundtrack attract an audience?

Using the top songs of 1983 means it creates nostalgia which is an audience pleasure and it was a year where pop culture was thriving so it would remembered.


International marketing


1) How does the UK DVD cover communicate the sub-genre of the drama?

The UK DVD cover communicated a sub genre of the drama by making the audience question what the show is about as it shows two sides of the wall on either side of him and there is one side which is very bland and boring and one side which has a lot of colour and character. There is also the question of why it says at the bottom of the DVD "A gripping cold war thriller" and has the image of a man in uniform smiling, however we would expect to see people during the war to be more serious and worried for their life, which already suggests this is going to be different to all the other shows. It also shows a walk-man which suggests that it is using the nostalgia of this time period when many of their target audiences would have been very young and interested in what actually happened.

2) Analyse the mise-en-scene in the UK DVD cover. What does it communicate to the audience?

By watching the first episode we know Martin Rauch has a girlfriend in the East, however, the West side of the wall shows a couple kissing which could be hinting at the fact Martin Rauch may fall in love with someone from the West. The missiles also tell the audience that this will be action packed, which is a genre that attracts a young audience.

3) How does the American branding use font, colour and graphics to appeal to an audience?

The colours used are quite vibrant and stand out which would immediately grab the attention of viewers.

4) Why might the distributors Freemantle Media International have used different marketing campaigns in different countries? 

They may have used different marketing campaigns in different countries as this is something which