The album cover to a great single/ep is very important. It is the
first point of view from the audience’s eyes, thus it needs to be captivating
and catch their interest instantly. It is more than a marketing device, it
creates the music visually. The Sex Pistols Iconic album – Nevermind the Bollocks, was a very
popular album. The publicity that the sex pistols already held didn’t make it necessary
to include their faces within the cover. The design of the album was supposed
to be made to look “easy and fun”. Reid the designer called the art “cheap hype”.
The ransom note lettering that he used was increasingly imitated by other bands
of a similar genre.
Another popular band was – The Clash. They performed their album “London
Calling” on September 21st 1979 at New York’s palladium. Simonon was
seen smashing his bass guitar up at the concert due to him thinking that the
show wasn’t going as well as he planned. They took a photo of him doing this
and put it onto the front cover of their album, interpreting a more performance
base display of the band rather than considering art form like The Sex Pistols.
However the most famous album cover of all time would have to be
Nirvana’s Nevermind. The album cover displays a young boy in a swimming pool,
with a dollar floating beside him. The boy in the photo never received anything
from Nirvana for being in the cover, at the time of being photographed, Nirvana
weren’t that popular. However now Spencer Elden has recreated the cover to
celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Nevermind” - Elden was interviewed at this celebration and he was asked his
opinion on the album and the band, his response was “I like Nirvana a lot and
there are no songs that I don’t like — they all have a special place for people”.
The reason for the album cover was because Kurt
cobain had seen a T.V. program on water births and thought it was an
interesting image. After the picture was taken he thought it would be cool to
add the dollar on a fish hook.
A Day To Remember – What separates me from you?
The album cover illustrates the name of the album. The man trapped
illustrates his separation from the crowd that surrounds him. The glass between
him and the rest of the audience acts as a barrier, in that they belong
together and he is isolated. The band were interviewed and they were asked what
made them choose the album cover – “We've had a different person do almost
every record. I go with the person I'm feeling for the project. I wanted the
artwork for What Separates Me from you to be a little more serious. It has the
vibe of a painting.” The image connotes a message across to the audience of the
album. It might attract an audience that feel the same way as what is displayed
in the image – a subculture that feel isolated from others. Also the fact that
A Day To Remember are of rock genre, which tries to isolate itself from
mainstream culture also could be linked to the album cover. The singer Jeremy
McKinnon said “It's
like you're separated from everybody else. It was definitely important and I'm
always conscious of stuff like that.” Reaching out to that audience, creating
another subculture almost, that feels isolated from the rest of society.
As you can see, most of these album covers have a similiar style. Most have used a computerised/cartoon effect to create the photo. This is what I plan to do for my digipack for "Stay Young"
Fish Tank (2009) is an independent film produced by the BBC – Andrea Arnold. It shows a 15 year old girl struggling to cope with living in an estate in Essex. Katie Jarvis, who plays Mia, had never acted before this film. A casting director spotted her having a fight with her boyfriend at a train station and offered her the role.
The main purpose of Fish Tank is to see Mia’s development of her identity within this setting and to see whether she acquires the same pathway that her mother took. Throughout Fish Tank, Mia has little hope of escaping and the representation of the horse (held in a gypsy camp) could signify that she is trying to be free, however near the end of the film the horse is then shot (to save it more pain) thus Mia could be linked to the horse, that although she will spend her life trying to escape her path, she will never truly win.
Fish Tank is a strong and unpredictable film because Mia is a resilient (but not perfect) character who refuses to allow her miserable circumstances to decide her pathway in life and growing up.
The ending of the film suggests freedom within the shot of the balloon floating away in a vast space.However this is only within Mia’s character and not her sisters. Mia has escaped her mother’s pathway and that environment but consequently left her sister to go through the same lifestyle Mia has and we as the audience are left to wonder whether she too will escape once she turns 16.Mia’s escape isn’t perfect in the sense that she is running away with someone of the same lifestyle and class as her, but it’s a better lifestyle than she has been used to. We are left wondering whether they will make it together and start a better life.
The film is hopeful in youth in a way that it suggests although Mia is stuck in this rut of lower class and poverty, she can create a way to handle them and even though it may not be the most direct route to handle the cause she is getting by. It suggests that youth hold more responsibility than adults as most of the time Mia is displayed as the more motherly person in the family compared to her actual mother who spends most of her time with her boyfriend (Connor) or drinking. This rubs off on Mia but only slightly as we see her stealing the bottle of vodka at her mother’s party. Thus suggesting to the audience that Mia is holds somewhat the same traits as her mum but also wants to change the way people perceive her. It shows that youth hold ambition in her dancing audition, and that they have goals whilst we see her mother slowly ruining what is left of her life.
At the ending of the film there is a scene in which all 3 family members dance in a line together, connoting that they are all similar in some aspects, but this is right before Mia runs away, therefore maybe suggesting that they will always be family but Mia doesn’t want to belong to them anymore.
While She Sleeps are a British hard-core band from Sheffield, England. They formed in 2006 and are now a very popular group in their genre of music. The band consists of Lawrence Taylor (Frontman), Sean Long and Mat Welsh (Guitarists), Aaran Mackensie (Bassist) and Adam Savage (Drummer). While She Sleeps are signed to Search and Destroy records (UK), The End Records (US) and Shock Records (Australia).On 7th June 2012, While She Sleeps won an award for Best British Newcomer at the Kerrang! Awards 2012. They have recently toured around the UK, support coming from Bury Tomorrow. The two bands are closely linked in genre and style, thus by touring together they appealed to the same audience, gaining more popularity from one another.
Their song Crows is one of the most popular songs they’ve recorded. The song comes from the album “The North Stands for Nothing” which was their first debut “mini” album.
This is While She Sleeps live at the Impericon Fesitval.
This is While She Sleeps live at the 02 academy in Sheffield.
Goodwin’s Theory is based on 8 principles to analyse a music video, therefore I am going to discuss each factor for the video to the song “Crows”.
The name of the song itself has a symbol/meaning. The word “Crow” means death. Many multi-cultural myths have included the crow and related it to being mischievous, cunny and also linked with the goddess of war and death –Morrigan. By illustrating that the song is called Crows straight away connotes to the audience that this song has a negative vibe. The lyrics “This is the end” backs up my point. Goodwin suggests that there is a link between the lyrics and the visuals and I think this is true for the music video, as the lyrics mainly illustrate how they’re trying to escape their death and “rise against it”; the background of the music video suggests corruption and a broken life. It could signify that everything has been crushed and creates the atmosphere of impending doom. The lyrics “I’m reaching out to you” could link to the open spaces that they are performing in, suggesting to the audience that they are isolated from everyone else.
The building they are standing in front of has been knocked down and destroyed, however if you look in this shot you can see in the background that the other buildings are still standing, but they are far away from the performance. Suggesting to me that they are stuck in a rut of being unstable and out of reach from them is the chance to escape and become established again.
As the music begins at the start of the music video, the main vocalist (Lawrence) jumps to synchronise himself with the beginning of the song. I think this is quite effective as it’s an interesting way to start the music video and connects him more with the music. The quick edits right from the beginning again compliments the music as it is fast and hard edged. It creates chaos which links with the space in which they are performing in and the sound that they are trying to create.
The slow motion effect that takes place at 0.26 combined with the blurred camera shot disconnects with the music, as this creates a more calming effect rather than a chaotic one. I think this is to contrast the two different types of shots that are continually in the music video.
The black out at 0.29-0.30 goes along with the song as there is a very short break and then the music begins again, this is to signify a break before the vocals come into the song. This is effective as it co-insides with the music and creates the song visually rather than just hearing the lyrics.
At 1.03-1.04 the visuals on the music video amplifies the song as the guitar builds up and the camera shot creates a confused effect, making the visuals look blurred.
The genre characteristics of “Crows” have to link with the hard-core category. Flannel shirts were always linked with the rock/hard-core genre and the drummer in While She Sleeps wears a flannel shirt to connote that he is within that specific genre and displays the right characteristics. For example if you look at other hard-core bands, you will see they wear the same type of clothing.
You can also see that many band members of this genre are covered in tattoos. In the 1960’s, these were associated with thugs and skin heads; they were a sign of rebellion. To have a tattoo was to go against the mainstream culture, thus as rock/hard-core tries to avoid being a “sell out” (associated with mainstream), tattoos signify that they are breaking the normality.As the pictures I stated above linked with clothing, they also linked with the idea that most hard-core bands will have a member with a lot of tattoos to show the audience that they are not connected with mainstream music.
The skinny black trousers that all of the band members are wearing in the video is largely linked with the punk/rock scene, even though now in modern times they are more commonly found within indie genres etc. However in the 80’s “drainpipes” as they were called were only worn by popular rock groups. Again most hard-core bands will have the same fashion style so that they can all be compared to one another, to show that they belong to the same type of genre.
Along with the fashion elements in the video connoting their genre, the way the music video is set out also goes along with the punk/hard-core style of things. Many bands that are associated with this genre will focus their music video mainly on their performance, some may include footage of them performing live at a venue, and others like While She Sleeps will have them performing in a different location to get a message across to the audience. For example if you look at these music videos, you will see that they too include a lot of performance shots. (Bury Tomorrow and Architects)
A lot of the bands base their music video in wide open locations, mainly outside, to signify that they are separated from other genres, in a sense that they are in their own music category, away from everything else.
In both music videos (While She Sleeps and Bury Tomorrow), they have their action responding to the music.
The genre of this music has most commonly been linked with sex and drugs. It is said that the rock and roll lifestyle revolves around these two factors. Many stars of this genre are hard edged and reckless. Punk has often been illustrated on the streets through vandalism (spray paint) to get across their political views and beliefs. They’re often controversial opinions, focusing upon individualism and free thought. Some may wear certain clothing (second hand) or have a particular tattoo to put across their belief. The Clash was the first obviously political punk rock band, introducing socialism to the punk scene.
In religion terms there isn’t a wide variety within Punk/Rock. Atheist or agnostic are the most common religions within this subculture, however certain bands have broken out from this norm and promoted Christianity, Islam etc.
Rock fans often try to escape the paradox of “selling out” (that rock music is mainstream) they would rather prefer to be in their own small subculture and not involved in the commercial world.
Jon Sabave described this subculture as “bricolage of almost every previous youth culture that existed in the West since the Second World War”
Visual art was an important aspect of punk lifestyle. It is characterised by considered violation, for example using cut out letters from newspapers and magazines, (previously associated with kidnap and ransom notes)
The Mod subculture originally started in London, England in the 1950's. The most iconic elements of this subculture was their fashion and music choice (Jamacian Ska and British Beat Music)
Dick Hebdige claimed that he thought mods "appear to have been a group of working class dandies, possibly descended from the devotees of the Italianite [fashion] style". Hebdige is a theorist who focuses upon the modern approach to identity.
The original style for Mods was a slim-fitting dark suit, combined with a lighter coloured shirt, a plain simple dark tie, and to match dark shoes. As the popularity of this subculture grew, their fashion style developed into a more casual approach. In the 60's it was known to wear levi jeans (turned up at the bottom), a fred perry top (commonly known to make an appearence in This Is England) and desert boots.
The Who was the prime example of a mod group, their music mostly listened to by this subculture.
After spending a few weeks editing my music video, and playing around with its order; I got opinions of classmates and my teacher and decided that it is too complicated to have 2 plotlines within the video, thus I am now focusing soley on the dramatic story line of the nightmare between the boy and the girl. I think this is a much more interesting approach as it will allow me to concentrate much more on the tension that builds and create a atmosphere within the music video that will interest the audience more than a perfomance from the band.
I plan to do more shooting as I have cut the perfomance out of my music video completely and shoot the girl (Jess) inside the house, which is where we first saw the boy, adding a element of confusion for the audience, to question whether this nightmare is true or not? I will shoot close up shots of her to add dramatic effect and highlight the emotions in play.
I thought of an idea that consists of shooting with the girl upclose at the start of the music video and as it progresses, her background widens and you get a whole picture at the end. This would be vice versa for the boy, beginning with midlength shots of him and at the end you would see his face close up which would allow the audience to identify his feelings. I think this would be a good idea as it has to the mystery of the music video. It would also symbolise that the boy is being trapped by the girl, an idea that she is "closing in on him"
Young Guns are a British rock band who forms in 2008. They are from Buckinghamshire and London.eo is o their ong Bones. I picked this music video to analyse as it has some link to the band I have chosen and also they have in cooperated both performance and also a plot line to the video.
This first shot I have chosen shows the band performing. I think the shot is rather good because they are a heavier band and the lighting creates shadows on the band members which could show darkness within the video. The fact that the lead singer is reaching out into an open space with the position of the bright light just above his hand could symbolise reaching out to a more bright future. It could signify that he is stuck in a dark hole and is trying to escape. The isolation of him at the front of the band represents that he is alone and an outcast.
Also including the band playing goes along with the generic aspects of this genre. Most rock/punk bands have a lot of footage of them performing.
The fast editing throughout the video could reflect the chaos. It also highlights the emotions in the video, the idea that the girl who we see a few seconds into the video shows heartbreak and loss. Therefore the sharp editing and quick cuts could reflect that her thoughts are muddled and she has lost herself.
Throughout the music video there is a sense of masculinity in the actions; due to the band being an all male cast.
This is the first time we see the girl. (0.36s) the mise en scene of this shot shows the corruption which could link to the breaking of her mind. The fact that again there is minimal gloomy lighting also shows that she is stuck in a dark place. This could be linked with the main singer reaching out which would refer to her reaching out for help. The lyrics also reflect this idea: “Praying to whoever would listen to me.” I researched into depression and one classic symptom of the illness is isolation. This shot reinforces her isolation as its wide shot showing the empty space around her, and although she is in a building it is in ruins.
The solo within the song compliments the action on screen, as the music beat increases the action on screen also gets faster and the cuts between the two get quicker.
This shot also reinforces her isolation from society.
The editing also co-insides with the music. The fact that at the start of the music video everything was fast and quick but as the music calmed so did the editing. For example at 1.19s the pace of the track has relaxed and the movement of the girl is also slower. The level that the girl is on is also important. It shows that although she is on top of a big building she is still small in the shot. Again it is a wide shot of her and it belittles her in a sense that the rest of the background is so vast. Throughout the music video the girl is dancing, the type of dance she is performing is ballet. This could link with the idea that through dance she feels a sense of release from her pain and freedom. Its like shes letting herself go.
The action that is shot on screen contradicts the music genre of the video. The rough edge song combined with the slow ballet movements contrasts eachother.
The last movement by the girl is of her jumping from the top building. Her shape is much like a bird with its wing spread which again could signify her freedom. That she is finally escaping the city below her. The lyrics "We're all architects of our own private hell" could symbolise that below her feet is her hell. (New York etc) By jumping she is disconnecting herself from it.
Close up shot of the boy drinking from a glass of water. This is to illustrate that he is trying to calm himself down.
Shot of the boy walking towards the bathroom.
I choose to do this shot as I think it symbolises the boy going into the darkness, the fact that he is turning the light off could show that he is trapped. Linking to the nightmares he has been having.
He is walking from the darkness into the light, maybe trying to escape .
Craig (Left) is playing the guitarist in my band and Rowan (Right) is playing the lead singer (front man). These photos were taken when I was about too start filming and Rowan is tuning the guitar up.
Close up shot of Rowan. Rowan conveys the typical band singer for this type of genre. He has a lot of piercing that is viewed by society nowadays as an act of rebellion, although it is becoming more commonly accepted, it is still viewed in a negative light by the older generation. This links with the clothing worn in the 1970's.
(The Models) As you can see the most seen colour worn by people who associated themselves with rock/punk is black. Therefore by getting Rowan to also wear black, the audience can make the reference to the type of genre.
Close up shot of Craig.
The clothing that Craig is wearing isnt so conventionally typical of the genre, however the black skinny jeans were very popular in the 1980s with heavy metal rock bands. Even though the band I am using isnt heavy metal, it has an element of rock throughout the song. Bands such as Slayer and Meticalla supported drainpipe trousers. By the 1990's artists such as Freddie Mercury and Bon Jovi had also converted to wearing the slim fit jeans. Thus by Craig wearing these types of trousers there can also be a link to the genre.
Tuesday 16 October 2012
Nowadays identity is recognised through a series of different aspects of social life e.g clothing, music, brand names etc. We live in "The times of the tribes" meaning that almost everyone belongs to a subculture. However subcultures arent just one set of ideas and behaviours, they have adopted a "pick 'n' mix approach" (Postmodernist) Identity is made and recognised by language and the brands that people wear, rather than just the type of clothing or style you have, its much more than that. People are now creating a whole image of themselves around a certain subculture, starting with the clothing, but also their attitude and beliefs. All subcultures have now become fragmented and many cultures have become disentergrated, creating smaller, more selected groups that the youth want to belong too.
Due to the genre of my band being punk/rock, I decided to do some research into the history of it.
The punk rock genre started developing around 1974-1976. It originated in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. The genre mainly rooted from Garage Rock, but other contributing genres were protopunk. The punk genre tried to avoid getting caught up in the extremes of mainstream rock music. Most typical punk bands had fast paced, hard edged music which were quite short and often incorporated political, anti-establishment lyrics. Although this genre of music was quite popular in the 1970's, it took on the role of DIY ethics, this meant that most bands would self-produce their recordings and distribute them.
Towards the late 1970's bands such as The Ramones (New York City), The Sex Pistols (London) and The Clash (London) were recognized as the frontline of a new musical movement. In 1977, we saw Punk become a massive cultural signifier for the United Kingdom. Even though Punk music was growing more and more popular, it still rejected being associated with mainstream music. Therefore you found bands like The Ramones playing in local scenes rather than well known locations. With this genre of music, came a punk associated subculture, known for there rebellious youth and distinctive clothing style.
In 1980, punk music had changed slightly. It had become much more aggressive with the rise of hardcore punk. Artists that linked themselves with the punk genre took a new spin on it. They created other sub genres e.g. post-punk. By the end of the century punk had finally become mainstream with the rise of bands such as Green Day.
As you can see all of these punk/rock music videos inco-oparate the band aslong with having a plot line to the video aswell, which is what my music video also does. I thought to use these ideas in my video as thgenre is very similair and then I could relate it too how even though punk music has evolved and chanthe approach and the way it is represented has not.
This picture shows the clothing and different bands that could link to the band that I am using, also Reading Festival is well known to host rock bands in its line up which is why I put that on the picture to show what kind of audience would listen to my band. The clothing they wear is all very similar, they all seem to like dark colours e.g. grey and black. Also during concert they wouold wear a supporting bands t shirt to also have a link to the same genre but different artists.
The start of my music video can be referenced too the opening of "The kids we used to be" by Your Demise. My opening shot is of Tom waking up, rubbing his eyes and checking his phone, and if you watch the first minute of this music video you will see the similarities between my idea and the footage being played. This video influenced me as it relates to the words being sung but also the genre could be linked with our band that were using. The idea that the camera is representing the mirror and filming the singer is also being used in our music video but too highlight the emotions on the main singers face. Typically in music videos of this genre the main singer addresses the audience straight on, by looking into the camera which gives the effect of them singing to us.
2nd October 2012 - Shot with Tom in the opening scenes and a couple of various different shots. E.G Drinking from the beer can.
3rd October 2012 - Shot with Jess in the asylum scenes, (these will be edited in throughout the music video as short snapshots, they are not the main feature but more to be used to shock the audience and intensify it) Also shot a few landscape views in Anglia Square, looking out from the car park, with the view of the terrace housing etc.
9th October 2012 - Planning on shooting the other shots we need. TBC
Me and Jess wanted to find a location that brought a creepy atmosphere to the music video, after searching we found that in Thorpe St Andrew there is a derelict mental asylum. It was used in the 18th century and shortly closed after. We thought that if we filmed in the early evening, the lighting would add too the effect, but also the fact that it is an abandoned mental asylum will also make the audience feel uneasy. This is going with our running theme that the lead singer is mentally unstable. With the windows boredered up it instantly hints that no one wants to go into this place. We are going to have a few shots of the girl standing against the wall with the camera zooming out slowly to show the audience the whole picture.
This location in Anglia square is perfect to film some of our lead singer. He will be isolated in this vast area, with the background being quite dim and dingy. This will emphasise too the audience that he is alone. In contrast to the shots of the band members all together in the warm cosy pub. The lighting will also be very different in the two shots. This one will be dark and uninviting; whereas the shot in the pub will have warm shades. (e.g. yellows)
The second shot will be the band performing together outside. Relatively in the same place, yet the area will be less isolated. The reason I wanted to shoot this here, was so that the band members are higher up, looking down at the housing. Showing that they are rising above everyone else.
The Rock Genre holds a more urban feel to it. It rose from the streets and was found in less popular places. The fact that they didnt want to be associated with the mainstream population highlighted that they would be performing in cheap pubs and rundown places which is why I have chosen to have the band performing in this location.
Reading Festival has been going since around 1985. When the Festival was first set up, it was highly influenced by the festival "Monsters of Rock" which was very popular and known to attract over 80,000 people. The festival in 1988 had a massive downfall, with the audience throwing bottles at the artists on stage, and not many thought that Reading would come back fighting.
However nowadays Reading Festival is one of the biggest going, with around 100,000 people attending every year. In my opinion it is in the top 3 largest Festivals in the UK. The genre of music that plays at the festival each year however, has not changed that much. With this year's headliners being Kasabian, Foo Fighters and so on.
Reading Festival perceives its self to be more of a metal/rock event. If you look at the layout of the line up, you can pick out a few things that hint at what kind of audience they want too attract. For instance, the oval shape around the writing Reading suggests to me it could symbolise the sun, and with the hard edged shapes around the oval could add fire. Not only the shapes they've used but the colours too also add to the effect that the Reading Sign is alight. Making the Festival seem more appealing and dangerous.
Its a simple layout, that strikes you as soon as you look at it. Its very structured and easy to understand which I think a lot of people would like as it gives off the impression that this is what you're getting and nothing more. Whereas compared to some festivals e.g Bestival, which gives off the impression that, that Festival is much more laid back than Reading.
I think the increase in popularity of Festivals is mostly due to how people want others too perceive them. A few years ago, only a collection of people would attend Latitude or Reading, but now it is shown as a necessity of your teenage summer. Different festivals have different niches they appeal too. Latitude being the more hippy people, and Reading being the more hardcore rock. I think that it is more likely that people will go too a Festival now just for the fact that they can tell others they've been there and attended. I think Festivals are starting to distance from just attracting people who love the performers. More people are going for the whole experience and not just the music.
Blake believed in this whole idea of Manichaeism, which is what I am basing my music video around. Manichaeism is a contemporary term for someone who views the world as a struggle between Good and Evil.
Manichaeism is a syncretistic form of Christianity which quickly became successful and spread through the Aramaic-Syriac speaking regions. However this belief gradually faded away within religions after the 14th century. It is now an attitude of moral dualism (a conflict) which involves the choice between good and evil.
“Light is gradually removed from the world of matter and returned to the world of light from which it came.”
William Blake was a poet born on 28th November 1757, like many poets at this time, he was not very well known during his lifetime. However now he is considered to be an important historical feature within poetry and the visual arts of the Romantic Age.
My main focus of William Blake’s work is his book “The marriage of heaven and hell”. It’s given me a good insight into how I should structure my music video and also influenced me in my ideas for the plot. I want to work my music video around his idea of heaven and hell and its differences.
William Blake believed that everyone was born with a 3rd eye. This eye was the eye of perception. He thought that every human being were in chains because they would not accept their 3rd eye and confined themselves to their 5 senses. "…there are things inside doors, outside doors, and in between the doors…”According to Blake the third eye acts as a "switch" which activates higher states of consciousness and expands spiritual visions. The chains that we are trapped in were man made in Blake’s eyes therefore we are declining ourselves of the higher powers, in other words, he is suggesting that it is our own fault we cant access this third eye unless we allow ourselves to let it open. If you can’t imagine liberty (the third eye) then it will always be impossible to achieve it.
A good example of Blake’s beliefs about the third eye and achieving freedom and liberty is “The chimney sweeper”. The last two lines of each poem represent the difference in man if he opens his third eye.
“Though the morning was cold, Tom was happy and warm; so if all do their duty they need not fear harm”. This first poem tells us how Tom, although he may be alone, he didn’t fight the spiritual powers therefore allowing him to be more happier than anyone who didn’t accept the third eye, therefore still being in chains their whole life. The second poem illustrates this difference:
“And are gone to praise God and his priest and king, who make up a heaven of our misery."
" If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is... infinite. "
This is an important quote in the book "Marriage of Heaven and Hell" by William Blake. Its suggesting to me that our perception of reality is clouded by everything evil, hinting that if "the doors of perception were cleansed" then we would see reality as it should be, in everything good. I am going too use this idea within my music video, switching between good and evil and the fine line between the two. This is going to be represented in the video when the man (the lead singer) sees the girl who has been haunting him in his nightmares in the street, suggesting to the audience whether he is actually living in reality or living in his dreams. The idea is quite in depth at first and hard to get your head around it but I believe once I have filmed it, it will have a deeper meaning than most music videos that are published nowadays, which normally focus on the meaning of love and so on.
Tuesday 11 September 2012
I cannot use the drumming footage in this video as it was filmed by the band Dora Nadine, however I mixed it with my footage to see what the outcome was, to decide whether I should recreate a drummer and mix the two together in the same way as shown below in this video.
Africa Shox - Leftfield
The genre of this particular song is mainly electro, which is commonly found in underground clubs/bars. The genre rose from the streets, associating itself with dance which is later a feature in the music video. Firstly, this shot (shown above) sets the scene, letting the audience know that the video is mainly focused in a vast industrial city e.g. New York. The environment has already been established before the music sets in. The level of this shot indicates to me as the audience that the high risen buildings could be seen as intimidating and daunting. The main focus of this video is following a black African man around the streets of New York, therefore this shot may been seen as unwelcoming to him, suggesting that he doesn’t belong in this environment.
The use of cars lights in the second shot reinforces the idea that this type of music rose from the underground and is now found in clubs, the lights symbolise the flashing strobe which is linked with this genre of music. Although the headlights are used as a symbolic meaning, this shot also highlights who is in charge, the police car moving down the road without any disturbances, with the camera focusing on it.
The first 30 seconds of this music video is showing the audience the mise-en-scene, and bringing up certain problems that occur even within a vast city like New York, for example, the show of the man, clinging onto the fence is a sign of poverty. It suggests to me that he is trying to cling onto anything safe and secure. The background behind him includes dark and glim colours shedding a negative light onto the whole video, suggesting that the city is in a time of crisis, sinking into the dirt, linking back to the first shot as even the mist is rising above the skyscrapers, engulfing the city into poverty.
The first time we see the black man, he is found in a backstreet alleyway full of old rubbish bags, suggesting to the audience that he is worthless. The music videos whole purpose is focusing on the difference between ethnicity, highlighting how white British people look down upon others. It is filmed from the both perspectives. The quick rough cameras shots of the city showing it slightly out of focus is seeing New York from the black man’s point of view, emphasizing his confusion in this unfamiliar environment, but the switch to high camera angles looking down upon the man also shows how society views on the African black race.
His clothing also highlights what sort of character the director of the music video wants us to view him as. If you look at both pictures you can see the resemblance of the clothing black slaves had to wear in America in the 1860’s. Both pictures show how they are dressed in little more than rags, this compared to the clothing of everyday people living in New York is quite different, it separates the two different kinds of people with class.
The scene in which the black man reaches out for help towards the suited New Yorker also reinforces the difference between the two communities. It highlights society’s views upon someone’s skin colour, and how that even though in 2012 we are taught to be accepting of everyone, not judging them on their nationality, there will always be a hint of racism. This shot belittles the man, with the high class New Yorker covering most of the shot, suggesting to the audience that he is more important, and that the black man is of little significance. Everyone moves out of reach when he again tries to ask for help, supporting how they do not want to aid him, or even touch him, suggesting that he is dirty, that it will cause harm to them if they come into contact with him.
The lyrics “Let’s get electrified” combined with the mid angle shot of the black man clinging onto the fence, could symbolise that he is trapped in a cage, and the word “electrified” suggests that it is an electric fence, linking back to the running theme of slavery and how they were punished for the colour of their skin. The fact that throughout the video the city is destroying the man suggests that he is not wanted here, and does not belong.
This scene links in with the genre of music, it is more commonly found that this type of dancing (breakdancing) is found when listened with electro music. The black man may feel more at home in this scene, however the fact that the white men are performing the breakdancing may take away his cultural signifier, suggesting to the audience that white British men are stripping him of his own identity, making him unknown. Again highlighting that the black man is of no importance in this environment.
The first two examples of music videos are mainly focused upon footage of the band, rather than telling a story behind the song. This is common within hardcore music, which is why it has influenced me to incorporate footage of the band within my music video, however, the song I am using is a mix of genres (hardcore and punk) therefore the example below shows a band which is less heavier than the first, more concentrating on a story rather than just filming themselves performing. Thus giving me the idea to combine the two together, to link it too the mix of genres.
