Focus Group - What we found out

Having held our focus group, we found out various identical ideas from our target audience, as well as various other and improved ideas that would be interesting to create within a music video of this genre, and it was interesting to hear their understanding of media terminology as five of them were not Media Studies students.

Having played the target audience of six members our track and gave them a few moments to gather their ideas, We asked them a series of questions, similar to those in our focus group planning blog entry, and our planning folder. After asking five questions and heard their initial thoughts and reactions to the track, we showed them our mood chart and storyboard and then listened to their extensive feedback on both items, as well as any improvements to their own initital ideas and any new thoughts that came to mind.

Although some of the audience did not enjoy the song, which is common in any genre of music, their ideas were similar to that of our initial planning ideas. They agreed and gave strong ideas about the performance part of our video, and agreed that it would not be a video of this genre if it did not have a performance in it. A few thought that the entire video should be performance, until the idea of a part-performance, part-concept video arose, when they changed their mind and suggested that the video should hold the chorus for the performances and the verses for the concept part of the narrative structure, and bring one into the other as the video came to a close. They also liked the idea of a black and white video, some suggested colour, some a mixture as this pattern varies throughout the genre.

The idealist narrative of the track would be a relationship problem between the singer or another male protagonist and a female co-star. the main theme or narrative would be that the female is never there and leading another life behind the Male's back and he is striking out at her, claiming she's never there, displaying his emotion and anger. One member of the audience suggested a car chase as they all agreed that the video needed to be fast paced through action, not necessarily quick-cut editing, although trying to stage a car chase and stay within safety limits may be hard to do! Another member of the audience was persistent that we change our track to a song by the band, Paramore who feature in our storyboard, who's shot from the video, 'Decode', we will manipulate in our own video yet unfortionatey we could not meet his demand!

The contrast of ideas amongst the audience was interesting but overall, the ideas were similar to that of our initial planning so hopefully, we're on the right track!

Institutional Context Part 2 -What Impact Has The Internet Had On Video Production? - Sam Dubery

In way, the online environment of the future is a logical extension of postmodernism within video production. As previous video programmes, such as MTV, most of our images come from the media, where the images are processed and recycled. In an online world, from radio to television generation, we can see the progression of increased pace of a number of senses that contribute to video consumption.

"Postmodern art relies upon the recycling of images from the past, and the strong assertion of intellectual property rights will remove much material from the hands of future artists and serve to limit social, political and artistic commentary."

Video is rapidly becoming the medium of choice upon the Internet and embedding your video within programmes, such as flash player, 96% of Internet users can view material within a click of their mouse, making the concept of video production addictive. Video is increasingly becoming an effective deliverer of images to the institutions target audience. institutional research shows that organization, creativity and the ability to think visually are important qualities of video production, which allows video to develop as a script.

The Internet allows video editing to take place, allowing creative use of music, video graphics and voice-overs which contribute to a videos success upon its' audience.Internet now becomes a form of broadcast television, allowing the audience to explore the Internet and video, against traditional paths of discovery and they can navigate through webs of information and make 'serendipitous discoveries'.

The Internet allows for a small amount of information to reach a significant amount of people or a 'mass' audience, where programmes designed for mass consumption will be favoured above those of a narrow appeal, making viewing videos and images on the Internet alot easier for the audience.

Matthew Grainger 13B - Technical Analysis and Deconstruction of a Music Video Conclusion

3 Doors Down - It's Not My Time (2008) Directed by Shaun Silva

I deconstructed the video shot by shot in order to see the planning and storyboarding required when creating our group music video. The video is a fast paced 'running' video so the director mostly uses 1 and 2 seconds shot in order to set the pace of the video and the narrative. The video is a mix of narrative and performance. However in order to create a greater sense of reality the performance and narrative are both filmed in the same city and locations.

Throughout the video the director uses a wide range of different shots, angles, frames and landscapes. He uses all the length shots( Xtreme close ups, close ups, mediums, long shots, Xtreme longs etc) in order to mainly set the scene and put emphasis on such things as the time, traffic lights, instruments and also facial expressions. The quick editing used to blend all of these shots together has been intricately binded in a way to create a link between the music, lyrics and the visuals. As wells as these the director uses over cranking, aerial shots and also deep focus shots. In keeping with most performance/narrative videos the screen time is divided between the two relatively evenly. However what i found with this video is that where in most videos the lead singer is very much at the forefront of the performance section of the video in the 3 doors down production all the other members of the band have just as much screen time as the lead singer. This could be argued to be a way the director promotes the band as well as the song itself.
Whilst the director does use a range of shots i found that the majority were 1 second 'quick' shots of a medium range. Virtually all of the performance was filmed with these shots whilst the narrative frequently used them. In the narrative however i found that this was where the more unusual shots(over-cranking, aerial, deep focusetc) were used in order to give the story body and a climax.
The way the music has been weaved into the video provides an eye catching video which was nominated for numerous video of the year awards. I found by analysing other music videos in the post-grunge genre that by following the conventions of the genre, as Silva did, you can create a conventionally stable video by using costumes, dark or grey washes over the shots and landscapes.

Institutional Context Part 1- How Do Audiences Consume Videos?

Due to current developments in technology music videos can be consumed through vast amounts of different types of media.
Some of these include:

• Youtube - Accessable via the internet, mobile phones and some iPods.
• MySpace Videos - Available through the artists MySpace pages.
• Music Television Programmes - Available mainly on digital and sky television via channelse such as kerrang! and Scuzz.
• Some videos are made available as extras on the artists singles and albums on CD.

However videos can be consumed in different ways inside the media. On youtube you tend to searhc for a specific artist or song and watch the video. However with music television channels you do not know whos video will be playing so apart from the radio this is arguably the most likely place that you will find new artists and songs that the audience like. Also the channels are usually categorised by genre. For example Smash Hits, Kiss, MTV and Bubble Hits are predominanly Pop Music. Q, NME and MTV2 are predominantly Alternative/Indie music, while Scuzz and Kerrang! are predominanly heavier rock. This makes it easier for the audience to consume videos of the genre they like.

Brief planning of location, costumes, props etc. for our video

Our video for 'Hoobastank' - "Never There" is part concept-based, part performance-based video, possibly in black and white film using a variety of characters and locations.

• Locations : Concept - The concept based part of our video will be set in the streets and rooftops of a town and city location to match certain generic conventions of music videos from bands, such as Lostprophets. The camera will follow the protagonists and antagonists through the streets and areas via a subjective and POV shot, with strong but single light sources. We will generally aim to have most of our film filmed at night.
• Locations : Performance - For the performance-based part of our video, we will use a dark, isolated room that is blacked out to film the whole band performance, whereas the solo performances of the band could be from this dark room, to public toilets shouting in a mirror to rooftops singing over a cityscape image to a riverside in London.
• Costumes - All performers in the video will wear generic clothing, such as jeans and T-shirts, particularly the band during the performance, although the protagonists and the singer during solo performances will be wearing hoodies and possibly hats to reinforce the stereotypical 'hoodie' youth within our video.
• Props - The main prop within the video will be the band instruments. we would like to stick to a four man band; a singer, a guitarist, a bassist and a drummer so the basic props would be a microphone, a guitar, a bass guitar and a drum kit. We will also take advantage of street furniture at our location(s) and the use of strobe and other lighting available to us.
• Colour - The match the generic conventions of this band and similar videos that we have watched, the video will be filmed in black and white, the create a more visual effect, as well as a stronger emphasis on the light source we use.
• Lighting - During the concept parts of our video, we will use street lighting and strong torches to get our desired lighting effect, to strain emphasis on facial expressions and convey moods to the audience. We will aim to use large, simple strobe lighting to highlight the series of band performances.
• Camera shots to include - (Extreme and mid)Close-ups, mid-shots, (mid) long shots, low angle and high angle shots, aerial shots (when possible) rotating images evolving into a montage, POVand Subjective shots etc...

Technical Analysis of a track - What I found out...Sam Dubery

The track that I chose to deconstruct, shot by shot was again, 'The Used' - "Pretty Handsome Awkward". the director, Lisa Mann, uses various shot including; (extreme) close-ups, mid shots, mid long shots, long shots, aerial shot, low angle shots, high angle shots, rotating shots, subjective shots and a vivid use of montage and fade out techniques to create a repetitive and attractive video.

The video contains vast amounts of quick cut editing and montage that provide two, and sometimes 3 shots per second, as well as using various camera techniques, such as over-cranking, cross fading images and deep focus. The video focuses on a part concept-based, part-performance based narrative structure, evolving around an aftershow party at a Night club. The singer takes up the majority of time within the video, both in the concept and performance parts of the video, as he provides the 'meat' of the video to the audience, espeacially as he is the most recognisable face within the band and the voice of the band.

This goes hand in hand with Barthes theory, 'Grain of voice' because the director, Lisa Mann creates here voyeuristic and masculine images by using the singer's voice as an expressive instrument tocreate associations within the lyrics, hence creating the realtionship between the lyrics and visuals. Atleast a third of the images are mid shots or close-ups of the singer and his face or body, where he breaks the fourth wall by talking to the camera (audience), creating a first person mode of address.

The song provides catchy hooks which attract the audience and provide a picture in mind when you listen to the song, creating a psychological process of building visual images for the song (synaesthesia) , as the relationship between the lyrics and visuals is based on the process of visualization. The collection of images used by Mann are an example of 'illustration' as the meaning of the lyrics are conveyed through this literal set of vivid and attractive images. Despite large amounts of camera time focused on the singer, the other three band members (guitarist, bassist and a drummer) all have a significant role in the video, as the bassist is dressed as a transvestite during the climax of the video and each member has his own detailed role in the perofrmance and concept parts of the narrative structure, which isn't always conventional within the genre, where the singer has the most camera time in both the perofrmance and concept based areas of the video.

Moodchart

James Wakeling - Are music videos a site for challenging dominant ideologies, or do they simply reinforce simplistic stereotypes?

Public Enemy – Can’t Truss It

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CLhuv-kLj_I

Representations of slavery – members of the band in chains at auction
Strongly portrays the contrast between 19th century, and modern, American society – makes statement about connections – equivalent behaviour
Social commentary
Equal split between band performance and employed narrative/concept
First person mode of address – breaking of the fourth wall
Challenges social issues in regard to ethnicity - racism (in particular), rape, injustice/inequality, prejudice
Intended to provoke audience opinion/reaction – shows hanging scene at the end and has equivalent for modern period
‘Meat’ – several close ups of all band members
Illustrate


Jay Z – 99 Problems

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=b8TROSXUMBQ

Makes issue of inequality – police/judicial bias
Social commentary - American economic situation – inner city ghettos – more associated with black citizens
Reinforces representations of unjust society in terms of ethnicity
Culturally positioned
First person mode of address – breaking of the fourth wall
Illustrate – provides images for specific lyrics
Contains elements of commodification


Bjork – Hunter

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AfwBoumNpmc

Goffman, Jhally and Kilbourne
Challenges convention of women in music videos – completely bald
Unconventional mainstream female attractiveness
Challenges ‘artificial look’, commodification
Grain of voice
Significant disjuncture
Reinforces her position as ‘the other’/avant-garde – niche, alternative
‘Meat’ – one long close up held throughout
First person mode of address throughout entire video
‘Narrative Fuzz’?
Culturally positioned
Transformational power – CGI effects


Amy Winehouse – You Know I’m No Good

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=A8TwNEDo6kY

Goffman, Jhally and Kilbourne
BOTH – challenges and reinforces representations of women
Opening shot reminiscent of mob boss role – desk, whisky
But encourages male attention – male gaze – costume/performance
Incorporates elements of ‘dismemberment’
Unconventional female attractiveness – tattoos etc.
First person mode of address – breaking of the fourth wall
Combination of performance and concept
Illustrate/Disjuncture
Grain of voice
Challenges ‘artificial look’
Incorporates ‘Ritualization of subordination’
Reinforces her position as avant-garde – niche, alternative

James Wakeling - Auteur Analysis

Auteur Analysis – Marc Klasfeld

He is an American music video director who has made over a hundred music videos for a variety of artists – he has written and directed independent films and documentaries and has also worked in television on the American series Oz. He is also the founder of Rockhard Films, a production company that houses directors Ray Kay, Tony Petrossian, Phil Griffin and Rob Pearlstein, and is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts.
Foo Fighters – Times Like These

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WG294M_kYWM

Video Information:
"Times Like These" is the second single released from the Foo Fighters' fourth album One by One. It was released on two main discs in 2003. It is in 4/4 time but includes 7/4 irregular time signature timing in the main riff. The chorus of the song is also grouped in bars of 3 rather than the regular bars of 4. The song is sometimes listed by its full original title, "Times Like These (One-Way Motorway)." The lyric "I'm a new day rising" is a reference to the album New Day Rising by Hüsker Dü, one of Dave Grohl's favorite groups.
After the album version ended its run on the charts, a solo acoustic version of the song performed by Grohl was released and had some success on pop and adult contemporary radio. The entire band performed a version of the song with jazz pianist Chick Corea during the Grammy Awards in 2004.
The song actually has three different versions of a music video:
Version 1 - Directed by Liam Lynch
The band is performing the song against changing backgrounds, consisting mainly of brightly colored kaleidoscopic forms similar to those found in music visualization, giving the video a psychedelic, hopeful, joyful mood. In the end, the backgrounds blink out to reveal that the band is performing against a greenscreen in a studio. This version is often referred to as the "UK version" and received little airplay in the US as the band ultimately opted to film another video shortly afterwards.
Version 2 - Directed by Marc Klasfeld
Version 3 - co-directed by Grohl and Bill Yukich
A music video was produced for the acoustic version. It consists solely of clips of Grohl recording the song's vocal, guitar, and piano tracks in the studio.


Video Analysis
The band is shown performing the song on location, below and in front of a bridge. A girl wanders onto the bridge and eventually tosses her Game Boy Advance at them. Gradually, more and more people arrive at the bridge and start throwing other inanimate objects (including appliances, instruments, and furniture) behind and around the oblivious band members. The items never hit any of them, though they come close, and the motivations and intentions of the people are never made clear.
Two cars are then simultaneously dropped off the bridge and behind the band, resulting in clouds of smoke and fire. This is followed by an entire house (only with walls and roof) being dropped onto the band by a crane, and the walls falling onto the ground without anyone getting hurt. This scene is reminiscent of a similar one featured in Buster Keaton's silent comedy, Steamboat Bill Jr. A continuity error occurs at the end: when the house falls apart, the roof is missing.
1 – Goodwin
· Band performance
· Concept narrative
· Link between lyrics and visuals – girl walking alone on bridge at start
· Other characters acknowledge bands existence – throw objects off bridge at band
2 – Visual techniques
· C/Ups of each band member
· Mid shots/Aerial shots from bridge
· Editing - Quick cuts between members
· over cranked shots
· Mise-en-scene – performance underneath a bridge, dry yellow grass, dusty road at start
· Long shots to showcase this climate
· Use of handi-cam
· Tracking shot – objects falling off bridge
· POV – from inside car, over cranked
· High + Low angle - Dave Grohl singing
3 – Band Representation
· The band are easily recogniseable – wearing informal costume – ‘rock band’
4 – Intertextuality
· Buster Keaton's silent comedy, “Steamboat Bill Jr.” - the walls of the house falling onto the ground without anyone getting hurt

5 – Postmodern features
· Social commentary – critique of consumerism? – destroying TV’s, Game Boy, consumer goods etc. + cars and house
6 - Social Groups Representation
· Asian girl at the start
· Large varied crowd – but mostly white
7 – Ideological discourse
· Critique of consumerism? – destruction of consumer goods
· If not there is also a possible reading of criticism of the masses – the crowd throw items as people they don’t even know
8 – Video Consumption
· The video (and track) would probably have been aimed at teenagers/young adults – the bands appeal for them as well as the relevant past history for other fans of Nirvana (Dave Grohl – drummer)

James Wakeling 13B Media Studies - Music Video

The video I am analysing is Underclass Hero by Sum 41 as it is closely associated with the genre (post-grunge) that the track we intend to use for our video is part of. It contains the prominent punk-rock/grunge themes of anti-establishment and anarchy, and is about the struggle of the class system in society. It was released on the 15th May 2007 on Island Records and reached No.4 on the MuchMusic Countdown

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=i1bTsaIf2ww

The video for “Underclass Hero” premiered on the 29th May 2007 on the bands website
it features a group performance of the band playing behind a large group of teenagers, with fireworks, a marching-band and a bonfire in the background - it signifies rebelliousness and chaos and there is an almost comedic element of having a mascot, in a foam anarchy symbol suit.
The video was co-directed by Marc Klasfeld and Sum 41 drummer Steve Jocz.
The band are playing outside in a field to a crowd of teenagers circled around a huge bonfire, with one dressed up in a comic foam Anarchy outfit. There are cheerleaders performing routines whilst a brass band appears to play – there are several people acting over-excitingly, one sliding around a plastic slide then spraying beer over himself and people nearby. At the end the lead singer performs to the camera in front of the crowd acting hysterically in the background
1 – Goodwin
Band performance – main attraction
Concept narrative – young people acting wildly in a rebellious manner
This is the result of a type of formula to give deliberately give continuity to the bands meta-narrative and star-status as ‘young, rock stars’
The video illustrates on the songs lyrics about authority and corruption by portraying the young crowd members as rebelling against ‘the establishment’
Klasfeld also gives Amplification by using recurring elements of his work, particularly camera techniques such as 180 degree movements around the lead singer/members of the band and mid shots whilst performing, combined with low angle shots reminiscent of his other work – e.g. Foo Fighters – Times Like These
2 – Visual techniques
· C/Ups of each band member
· Mid shots whilst performing to show instruments
· Editing - Quick cuts between members
· over cranked shots – mostly of crowd
· Mise-en-scene – performing in a field at night, lit by a bonfire and fireworks
· Long shots at the end – show size of crowd
· Use of handi-cam
· 180 degree movements from side to side of performers
· Tracking shot – character moving on plastic slide
· Low angle – lead singer singing
· First person mode of address – both lead singer (at end) and crowd members in front of bonfire – breaks the “fourth wall”
3 – Band Representation
· The band are easily recogniseable – wearing informal costume – ‘rock band’
‘Grain of voice’ – almost shouty quality reminiscent of late 90’s/early 00’s and American Pie films (as they were in soundtrack)
4 – Intertextuality
· Use some elements from other work by director – mainly camera techniques
· Some self-reference – e.g. crowd in ‘In Too Deep’
5 – Postmodern features
Represents questionable behaviour to some aspects of society
6 - Social Groups Representation
· All young – probably students – mainly white – ‘good natured’
7 – Ideological discourse
· possibly tries to confront conventional stereotypes of young people as being irresponsible – they are acting wildly and being anarchic but do not do anything illegal
· critical of authority/social structures
8 – Video Consumption
this video would be aimed at young audiences of a similar age to the characters in the video – has similarities to some peoples lifestyle

Audience Research - Focus Group

Methodology (Quantitative or Qualitative) - We are going to use qualitative research so we can get opinions and in depth analysis on current ideas and new ideas for our music video. We would like to obtain critical analysis from our target audience to help improve our initial ideas for our music video.

Purpose (What are we testing? What are we expecting from our research?) - Once we have shown the selected audience our video and ideas we will ask them about the initial response and opinion of the video to help improve and possible change our ideas. we are expecting to have a critical analysis that will give us an idea of what to aim at when creating our video from types of shots to location(mise-en-scene). We also want to find out what they think of the track itself and how they would expect the music and lyrics to link in with the visuals.

Sample Audience (Who, How many, demographic) - We will use fellow students who have a similar taste in music as to the genre that our tracks is located. We will also look to find out our audience's expectations of a video in the post-grunge music genre. We plan to use between 5 and 6 students who do not do media so we can have a good contrast and scope of results when receiving the feedback from them. We will predominantly be looking at the late teen age group as this is a typical audience age for a rock genre.

Media Stimulus (Tracks and videos) - After we have played them our selected track we will play them a sections of other videos from the genre which will reinforce our ideas for our music videos. E.g. It's not my time by 3 doors down, Jealous minds think alike by youmeatsix and take it away by the used. We will play the sections of these videos to represent both performance and narrative.

Questions (List) for after we have played our Focus Group our track and told them our initial ideas-

• What are your initial thoughts of the track?
• Based on your knowledge of the genre, what are your initial ideas for the music video...
• ... and what would you expect to see in a music video of this genre?
• Do you have any other ideas that would 'fit' the pace and structure of the track?
• If you were the singer, what words would you use to describe an emotion going through your head, that could be portrayed through actions in the video?

After these questions, we (as a group) will reveal our own mood chart and story board to see how our initial ideas and their initial thoughts match-

• After looking at our mood chart, do you have any other ideas or thoughts that could help us improve our music video?
• Would you agree that a video or this category would best suite a colour or black and white video?
• Does a concept and performance based video suite the genventions of the genre, in your opinion?
• Any other comments?

Our Chosen Music Track

We have chosen to do NEVER THERE by HOOBASTANK. We have chosen this song because we all enjoy the genre of music this group fall under but also feel that the pace and lyrics to the song will enable us to make a successful music video.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0WjpiOOrsvU

Matthew Grainger 13B - Are Music videos a site for challenging dominant ideologies, or do they simply reinforce simplistic stereotypes?

REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN:

Paramore - Misery Business http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EQeyQPD4aqQ

This video challenges the dominant ideology of males being superior over females. The main character in the video goes around a school bullying male characters which contrasts the current ideology in society. Usually teen females are meant to be glamorous and 'doll' like who bow down to male teens. As well as this the lead singer of the band is also female, the other band members being male. She is very much in the forefront of the video whilst the males are in the background. This also challenges normal conventions as she is clearly the controller of the band full of confidence. She breaks the fourth wall between the band and the audience by playing up to the camera and the audience. She eventually becomes involved in the narrative ridiculing and embarrassing the bully with an iconic shot of predominantly her in the shot with the 3 male band members standing well back in the background looking small and inferior.

Pink - So What http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9bNDr1A6dTU

Pink is iconically known for her masculine videos and this video just reinforces her as one of the most ideologically challenging artists around. In her latest video shes very much portrayed as a biter woman from a break up in which she is very much dominant. In the video she is seen playing an electric guitar and smashing it up, cutting down a tree and doing DIY, getting a tattoo and vandalising cars all of which would be associated to women before men. Also although her general look includes this she has short her which could also be linked into challenging female ideologies.

StoryBoard

Sam Dubery - Are Music videos a site for challenging dominant ideologies, or do they simply reinforce simplistic stereotypes?

Representation of Women (In comparison to Britney)

1.) Arch Enemy - "We Will Rise"
2.) Walls Of Jericho - "A Trigger Full Of Promises"

1)http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=R4Dn02bR4pg
2)http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XOzK0BiHUfo&feature=related

• Female singer breaks fourth wall and directly addresses the audience, creating a first mode of address.
• Positioned in front of her male band members, conveying superiority and strength within her femininity.
• Maintains male gaze by wearing torn 'rags' displaying many parts of her body, creating a voyeuristic viewing, but in a different manner, attracting a different audience than that of such pop persona's, such as Kylie Monogue and Britney Spears.
• Due to the meaning of the lyrics , the visuals, that can be associated with the 'feminine touch', appear more aggressive and masculine, creating macho-posturing but through the genre's own 'hardcore' dancing, rather than synchronised group dancing from pop genres.
• The singer's are seen grabbing there microphone and using it similar to that of pop princess Britney Spears, yet in a more masculine pose, as they hold the microphone upside down and at an angle, which is not typical of a female representation when addressing the audience via the visuals.
• Although the video may challenge female representation as the female musicians act more masculine, with aggressive body expressions and band posturing, yet mid shot and close-up camera angles convey a voyeuristic and pleasurable tone to the video as the female stars are seen as enjoying their role through their facial expressions which connote 'satisfaction' through their music, as Britney Spears depicts during her videos.

Ethnicity

Public Enemy - "Can't Truss It"

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CLhuv-kLj_I

• Black and white video - conventional of the genre.
• Concept - performance mixed based video - conventional of genre.
• Imagery of slavery. The video begins with a voice over narration - unconventional of genre.
• Challenges Ideology of Artist such as Jay Z, where blacks wants to over through White oppression in comparison to Jay Z working with them.
• contradicts own racial attitude by violent reactions.
• comical value as a black couple give birth to a white child.
• breaks fourth wall and addresses audience direct.

LinKin ParK feat. JaY-Z - "NUmB EnCore"

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oRNeI2oLBXw

• Mixed race and genre video - hybridised.
• Dominant Ideologies show Black Artist video containing a dominant black audience yet this hybridised album when Rock band, Linkin Park combine their mellow songs with Jay Z's Rap music create a ideology of brotherhood which reinforces another ideologues and myth of brotherhood, yet challenged the ideologies of black communities.
• The Video is part narrative and part-performance, Rather than concept based, reinforcing the structure of simplistic stereotypical 'black rap' music videos, ye the theme and representation of black and white artists working together openly challenges the idea of black musicians working in black communities as past videos may have represented.

Textual Analysis of Our Music Track - Goodwin's Theory

Name of Track - 'Never There'
Artist - Hoobastank

Genre Characteristics

General Examples - Part-Performance, Part-Concept video, Focus on Band members throughout the video, concentrates upon singer seen singing to the camera, use of quick cut editing and under-cranking to create pace and suspension within the video narrative, psycho and mature narrative.

Detailed Example in our video - The video Will switch from the concept, narrative based part of the video to close-up and mid-shots on several band members, breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience, whilst the audience feel and see the narrative continuing.

Relationship between Lyrics and visuals

General Examples- The concept based part of the video will change in accordance to the lyrics of the song, creating a relationship between the two. The lyrics create a sense of psycho and tense emotions when the singer wants to break out and he needs someone with him who's never there. - "I'm filling up inside like I need to open wide and pour my heart out to you". As the lyrics change, the pace of the song therefore changes, which will be evident within our video by the the way in which we portray the performance and concept narratives.

Detailed Examples in our video - As the singer reads the above line, the camera will focus upon his facial expression and body movements to capture his breakout to the audience and convey the relationship of the lyric.

Relationship between music and visuals

General Examples- The music has three changes of pace within. The verses, the chorus and the breakdown. At all points when the song changes pace, the video will switch between the performance and narrative, similar to 'A' - Rush Song (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=YrCxbKrA4SA&feature=related). This will symbolise the meaning and pace of the music to the audience.

Detailed Examples in our video - After the increased pace of the chorus, and the inevitable performance sequence part of the text, the video will quick cut into the guitar riff of the verse switching to the fast pace of the narrative as the singer and/or protagonist walks away from the camera with the camera fol owing.

Use of Close-ups and Image Motifs

General Examples- To convey the mood of the lyrics and visuals to the audience, we will exhaustively use close-up and mid-shots to portray the band performance and narrative of the protagonist. Certain image motifs will be included, such as the spiked hair and straight fringe, as well as the conventional tattoos, which could be drawn on or real, depending on the actors within the video.

Detailed Examples in our video - Whilst the visuals switch to performance during the chorus, we will use close-ups of the singer (and other musicians) to create an image motif and conventional camera techniques to convey the song to the audience.

Reference to Notion Of Looking

General Examples- Various camera angles will be used to capture conventional aspects of the protagonists and band members to identify them within the genre, such as hair styles, tattoos and instruments.

Detailed Examples in our video - During the performance part of the text, we will use various close-ups to capture conventional aspects of the band, such as when the singer is singing, the camera will be positioned to capture conventional aspects such as his muscle and tattoos.

Intertextual References

General Examples- Throughout the video, we will contain various intertextual references to videos of bands, also from this genre. For example, we Will use a quick cut narrative used by 'A' in the above video, as well as performance indications and sequences used by bands such as 'The Used' and 'Three Doors down' where we use various camera angles to capture the performance narrative.

Detailed Examples in our video - Filters and washes used in videos by bands such as Simple Plan could be used to add depth to the appearance of the video, and appear more stylistic similar to other videos of the genre, however, more concept- performance - based videos, such as 'The Used' - Pretty Handsome awkward, will be manipulated throughout the text.

Performance, narrative or concept based

General Examples- The video will be part performance and part-narrative based where the performance of the band will link with solo performances of the singer and parts of the narrative to connote the meaning of the lyrics through the protagonists actions.

Detailed Examples in our video - The chorus will focus upon selective sequences of the band performing around the narrative, which will then Link with the concept narrative part of the video for the verses, which will include limited camera shots of the singer .

Matthew Grainger Music Analysis 2

Hoobastank - The Reason
Research :
In "The Reason," the band members stage a diversion so they can carry out the elaborate theft of a ruby gem from a pawnshop, but those facts are only clear after enough of the action unfolds, because nothing is as it seems. In the beginning of the video, a girl gets hit by a car and then turns out to be an accessory to the crime. After the "accident", while everyone's attention is diverted, the band members execute the heist. The viewer then realizes that she was in on the operation, as she gets up and rides off with an accomplice on a motorcycle at the end. The presumed owner of the pawnshop displays a look of realization, and the song ends with the band admiring their new acquisition, holding it up to the light and projecting red light-rays onto the ceiling. The accident "victim" is also present. They then hear police sirens from above, and the video fades out.
Their video Same Direction is intended as both a sequel and a prequel to the video for The Reason and further details the band member's roles, as well as shows the trouble they bring down on themselves from law enforcement.

• The video starts before the song begins with diagetic sound - car hitting a person and birds flying away
• Close up shot of lead singer in car.
• high angle shot looking down on body.
• The video repeats the narrative of the girl being hit by a car but it shows it from the perspective of lots of witnesses
• Band performance is incorporated into storyline.
• Lead singer is a character in the narrative.
• Lots of point of view shots
• Close ups of all the bend members playing their instruments making a distinction between them and the narrative
• SHows police chasing the lead singer who ran over the girl and drove off.
• 2:46 shot from inside safe showing object and character looking into the safe
• High angle close ups of girl lying on the ground
• Pace of song fits into pace of video.
• No link between lyrics and visuals

Matthew Grainger and Sam Dubery Auteur Analysis - Spike Jonze ("Sabotage and "Buddy Holly"")

Auteurs:

Chris Cunningham:
Placebo - 36 Degrees
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vXXmORBFnWQ

• Deep focus camera technique.
• Concept and performance based video.
• Relationship between music and visuals - slow and pacey.
• colour co-ordinated - blues, greens and blacks.
• Close-up shots and mid-shot of band members in narrative and performance.
• Over and under cranking evident.
  
  Michel Gondry:
  Foo Fighters - Everlong
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4H0BMfqFP9c
• Surrealist technique- dreams and large phone.
• Pastiche of High School parties.
• Concept and Performance based.
• Switches narrative between dream and reality.
• Relationship between music and visuals - more optimistic after solo when the evil antagonists are defeated.
• Contrast of colour settings - light and dark.
  
  Jonathan Glazer:
  Radiohead - Street Spirit
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BrZTNhW44-o
• Over-cranking evident.
• black and white video.
• Concept-based.
• Cross fade images.
• Simple yet effective.
• Focus on close-ups of main musician and meta-narrative.
  
  Spike Jonze:
  
  Spike Jonze is an American director of music videos and commercials, and an Academy Award-nominated director and producer in film and television, most notably the 1999 film Being John Malkovich and the 2002 film Adaptation., both written by Charlie Kaufman. He is also credited as a co-creator of MTV's Jackass.
  In 2006, he was nominated by the Directors Guild of America for "Outstanding Achievement in Commercials in 2005." He was nominated for a body of work that included "Hello Tomorrow" for Adidas, "Penguin" for Miller Beer, and "Pardon Our Dust" for The Gap. He was a producer and co-creator of MTV television series Jackass and Jackass: The Movie, also directing some of the segments. Jonze has acted in some videos and films; his most prominent role was in Three Kings as the sweet, dimwitted, casually racist Conrad, in which he was directed by friend David O. Russell.
  Jonze was also a co-founder and editor of Dirt magazine along with Mark Lewman and Andy Jenkins, as well as an editor for Grand Royal Magazine and senior photographer for Transworld Skateboarding. In the past, Jonze shot skateboard videos, most notably Blind skateboard company's Video Days in 1991. He also co-directed the Girl Skateboards film Yeah Right! and the Chocolate Skateboards video Hot Chocolate. In the closing credits montage of Yeah Right! Spike is shown doing a nollie heelflip in loafers. He is also co-owner of Girl Skateboards.
  Jonze has many alter egos, which have included Richard Koufey (alternately spelled Coufey or Couffe), the leader of the Torrance Community Dance Group, an urban troupe that performs in public spaces. The Koufey persona appeared when Jonze, in character, filmed himself dancing to Fatboy Slim's "Praise You" as it played on a boombox in a public area. Spike showed the video to Slim, who loved it. Jonze then assembled a group of dancers to perform to Slim's "Praise You," which was taped outside a Westwood, California movie theater. The resulting clip was a huge success, and 'Koufey' and his troupe were invited to New York City to perform the song for the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The video received awards for Best Direction, Breakthrough, and Best Choreography, which Jonze accepted, still in character. Jonze made a mockumentary about the experience called Torrance Rises.
  He also has a speaking part along with Dave Eggers in a Beck song entitled The Horrible Fanfare / Landslide / Exoskeleton from his 2006 album, The Information. He appears in the "Exoskeleton" bit.
  Currently, Jonze is directing Where the Wild Things Are, which is now in its post-production stages.
  
  Beastie Boys - Sabotage:
  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-sbqIyeed4g
  
  Video Information:
  "Sabotage" is noted for its acclaimed music video, directed by Spike Jonze and played extensively on MTV. As an homage to 1980s crime drama television series like Hawaii Five-0, Streets of San Francisco, S.W.A.T., Baretta, and Starsky and Hutch, the video is presented as the opening credits of a fictional 1970s-style police show called Sabotage, with the band members appearing as the show characters. Each band member is introduced as a fictional actor, and the names of the characters are also given, effectively making the policemen fictional fictional characters.
  The characters appearing on the show are (in order of credits):
  Sir Stewart Wallace guest-starring as himself (played by MCA)
  Nathan Wind as Cochese (also played by MCA)
  Vic Colfari as Bobby, "The Rookie" (played by Adrock)
  Alasondro Alegré as "The Chief" (played by Mike D)
  Fred Kelly as Bunny (played by DJ Hurricane)
  Some scenes had to be removed when this video was shown on MTV, including a knife-fight sequence and a falling-off-a-bridge scene. In addition, the Beastie Boys Video Anthology featured a mock interview of the "cast" of Sabotage conducted by Jonze's then-wife Sofia Coppola.
  
  Video Deconstruction:
  
  1) Goodwin:
  
• Concept based video
• Comedy narrative - genre characteristics
• No relationship between lyrics and visuals
• Pace of video is set by pace of song
• Lots of close-ups of characters but the video does not clearly define the band members as their is no band performance incorporated into the video.

2) Visual Techniques:

• Rotation Shot
• Quick Cut Editing
• Low Angle Shot - Character jumps over the camera
• Long Shot(fixed) - Character running towards camera, getting bigger the nearer he gets
• High Angle Shot to show where character is going
• Point Of View Shot
• Deep Focus
• Close up on characters faces
• Shots blurred by camera movement
• Extreme Long Shot- City Landscape
• Tilted Shot
• 1:17 Man jumping over building
• Long Shot - Characters undefinable all black
• Switch of camera focus
• Shot from bottom of the stairs looking up at character coming down them
• Freeze Frame - Character labeling
• Cross fade
• Final shot showing men walking away - slow motion

3) Band Representation:

• Although band mebers feature as characters in the video they are not clearly identifiable to a normal audience due to their costumes. However fans of the beastie boys can relate the nature of the band to the video as the narrative is pretty crazy.

4) Intertextuality:

• Intertextual Reference - Pulp Fiction Back seat shot

5) Postmodernist Features:

• Takes conventions from 80s Cop shows and incorporates them into a comedy video.

6) Social Groups Representation:

• Mainly white male characters however towards the end a black male appears although he is what some people call the 'token black guy' in the video and is used in a comedic way to portray the police.
• Making fun of police officers and criminals. Makes out that police officers are useless.

7) Ideological Discourse:

• Police making a bad job of catching criminals

8) Video Consumption:

• Due to its comedic values and references to 80's TV shows you would expect the video was aimed (back when it was released in 1994) at a predominantly male audience of 18 plus.
• Focused Viewing because the audience becomes attentive to the comedic effect and creates a deeper relationship.

"Buddy Holly" - Weezer:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FiIC5qcXeNU

Video Information:

Buddy Holly" is a song by the rock group Weezer, written by Rivers Cuomo. It was released as the second single from the band's debut album Weezer (1994) in 1994. The single was released on what would have been Buddy Holly's 58th birthday, had he not been killed in a plane crash along with fellow rock pioneers Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper on February 3, 1959. The lyrics reference the song's 1950s namesake and actress Mary Tyler Moore. It reached #2 and #34 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart and the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, respectively. It also reached #12 in the UK. Rolling Stone ranked "Buddy Holly" #497 in its 2004 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The single was certified gold by the RIAA in 2006.

The video portrayed Weezer performing at the original Arnold's Drive-In diner from the popular '70s television show Happy Days. The video combined contemporary footage of the band with clips from the show. Happy Days cast member Al Molinaro made a cameo appearance in the video. Al plugs his hometown, Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the introduction. In the memorable climax, clever editing (and a stunt double) allowed Fonzie to dance to the band's performance. The video also features brief cameos by some members of the band That Dog as dancers at Arnold's. Initially, actor Anson Williams, who played Potsie on Happy Days, objected to footage of him appearing in the video, but relented after a letter from David Geffen, founder of Geffen Records. The video was met with great popularity and heavy rotation on MTV.The innovative video scored four awards at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, including prizes for Breakthrough Video and Best Alternative Video. The "Buddy Holly" music video became so popular that it was included on the Microsoft Windows 95 CD-ROM when the operating system was first released.

1. Goodwin:

• Concept and performance based video
• Comedy narrative - genre characteristics, appearance and representation of band and audience.
• Lots of close-ups of characters to identify the mood and facial expressions of each character.
• The mood of the video relates to the pace and attitude of the song.
• Focuses on created a positive and optimistic atmosphere amongst the audience.

2. Visual Techniques:

• Close-ups of band members facial expressions and instruments, providing the 'meat' of the video, representing the importance of the singer's voice within the song.
• Camera switches between audience and band members, providing illustration of the postivive attitude and meaning of the song, which is shown through a literal set of images.
• there is little evidence of editing apart from a few quick cut edits switching from band members to audience and back to band members, as part of the narrative.
• The costumes of the characters (both band and audience) represent the time period that the video is set in, and the instruments represent earlier models of current popular instruments.
• The restaurant is part of the "Happy Days" programme, acting as a conventional location for the video due to the time period, creating a Postmodern parody of the 1950's.
• Similar to Radiohead, the video is simple yet effective in connoting the mood and the representation of different groups.

3. Band Representation:

• The band are represented as High School and/or band geeks, similar to their Industrial image.
• The high strung guitar and small drum kit connote their geeky ability to play every note perfectly and apply a smart and high appearance, with a combed and precise haircut and dress sense.
• This helps sell their product because it continues their representation and image as outcasts and geeks, which is the main selling point of the band and the attractive appearance of the genre, 'Geek Rock'.

4. Intertextuality:

• Intertextual references to the original Arnold's Drive-In diner from the popular '70s television show Happy Days.
• The video combined contemporary footage of the band with clips from the show. Happy Days cast member Al Molinaro made a cameo appearance in the video.
• There're also intertextual references to High School dances and restaurant dances from 1950's films, such as ''Greece".

5. Postmodern Features:

• The video represents a parody of 1950's restaurant and High School Event by which High School (and nerdy) bands would play.
• The video also contains a parody of 'Happy Days', the T.V Programme with Al Molinaro.

6. Social Groups Represented:

• The audience represented is High School students of the 1950's (and 60's).
• They're represented as smart dressed geeks who are optimistic, happy and are out to enjoy themselves.
• The music relates to the visuals as the audience are happy and dancing as part of the narrative, and the music.

7. Ideological Discourse:

• The Ideological Discourse evident in the video is that the audience should go out and enjoy themselves at parties and dances, and stay positive and happy with themselves by having a good time to good music.
• The concept that happy music creates a happy atmosphere.

8. Video Consumption:

• This video can require both an ambient viewing and focused viewing.
• An Ambient viewing because the audience could feel that there is nothing else to do, and will watch this simple, yet effective video to help create or match the mood that they're in.
• An focused viewing because the positivity and comical parody of the video makes the audience attentive and creates a deeper relationship with the audience, by improving their attitude, and their 'geek rock' may not be the audience's usual taste but the positive tune of the song could make the audience like the song but not necessary buy the music.

Sam Dubery 13B Media Studies - Music Video

The Used – Pretty Handsome Awkward

My group’s (Group 4) chosen track for our music video is Hoobastank – ‘Never There’, which fits into the modern rock and grunge music genre. As my first analysis of a music video in preparation of our music video, I will analyse The Used – ‘Pretty Handsome Awkward’, which is part of the same genre and provides the same forms and conventions as Hoobastank. The video is performance and concept based where the narrative switches form a strobe band performance to a drunken, rebellious concept of the band’s music.
Throughout the video, there’re various forms and conventions addressed, according to Goodwin’s analysis. Lisa Mann uses many genre characteristics, such as; band and individual musician performances, and close-up camera shots of the musicians facial expressions and instruments, connoting the ‘I don’t care’ and rebellious attitude of the video and music. This is evident in the video as Mann uses strobe lighting on and around the band members to highlight their performance as the camera technique provides multiple angles and judgements made on the musician’s attitudes and movement, connoting the mood of the music to the audience.
Mann creates a relationship between the lyrics and visuals by lip syncing the vocalist’s lip movement with the lyrics and focusing on the movement of the drummer and his ‘kit’ during the breakdown and drum solo section of the video. The pace of the music matches the concept and narrative of the video, however, Mann does creates a diverse relationship between the music and visuals as Mann uses over-cranking to effect the motion of the video in relation to the music. An example of this is as the distorted solo begins and changes the pace of the music, the camera focuses on the guitarist’s movement with his instrument to highlight his movement, showing Mann’s relationship between the music and visuals, however the pace of the video is in contrast to that of the music and the strobe lighting provides an accelerated effect as the guitar solo is quite solo, yet distorted.
Throughout the video, Mann uses a range of camera techniques to portray the musician’s facial and body expressions to the audience, reflecting their personality and providing a form of counter culture attraction to the younger audience on how to act and perform with their instruments whilst playing in their own bands. An exhaustive example of this is during the chorus parts of the song when the narrative focuses on a close-up of the vocalist as his jumps from being in a strip club in Soho to performing with his band, but the camera focuses on his face to convey the attitude of the music. These close-up camera shots of the vocalist provide the ‘meat’ of the video to the audience because it shows the singer as the most important person. During the video, the evident video motif of the singer would be during the second chorus of the video when the vocalist is starring into a mirror and Mann’s use of strobe lighting shows the singer is a drunk and paralytic state, providing a motif for the audience.
There are subtle intertextual references within the video where Mann relates the band’s performance and attitudes to that of early rock icons, such as the singer’s drunken and violent approach n his performance can be related to that of Kurt Cobain and that of Nirvana when the attitude was part of the genre mythology of ‘play dirty’, as well as the camera techniques from late Nirvana video’s, such as ‘Come as you are’ and ‘Lithium’ where the camera shot is out of focus, yet focuses on the band’s ‘wild’ performance.
Lisa Mann uses multiple visual techniques to connote the attitude and tone of the music and video to the audience. Mann’s uses close-up during both the performance and concept part of the video, emphasizing the actions of the musicians to the audience, providing a counter culture attraction, such as the benefits of being drunk, as well as the ‘interesting life’ that a rock star leads. There is little use of editing techniques besides quick-cut editing, evident throughout the whole video as Mann jumps from band to bar performance, reinforcing the ideology and mythology of (modern) Rock ‘N’ Roll , by getting ‘wasted’ in a bar, whilst enjoying fame, not wealth, to the audience. Mann’s use of quick cut editing can be linked to her use of special effects, particularly Over-Cranking and Under-Cranking. As the narrative switches from performance based to concept based, the motion of the video also changes, not always synchronous to that of the music track. An example of the link between Mann’s SFX and editing is when the video switches from a sequence of band performance, which is under cranking, to emphasise the pace of the music to a sequence of the vocalist throwing up, and switching between the two sequences multiple times between the second chorus.
The genre characteristics of the music, affects Mann’s use of Mise-en-scene. The glorious life of fame of being Rock ‘Icons’ is visualised by the band being invited to a premier party at a Soho bar, surrounded by girls and glamour, as part of the ideology whilst getting drunk, and eventually paralytic. The band are seen playing their trademark instruments and set-ups, such as the red Fender bass and the distorted guitar solo, whilst the band members are wearing ‘old-school’ band t-shirts and jeans, yet to emphasise his role and dominance within the band, the vocalist wears a white jacket over his t-shirt to show his unique personality and primary role within the video. These techniques are used because it provides the iconography of the music genre and reinforces the ideology and counter-culture attractions of a rock star’s life through actions and events, rather than just words to the audience. The concept of synaesthesia is evident as the visualised image from the band’s psychological process creates an image of rebellion and anti-social behaviour within the audience’s mind. Mann’s camera techniques imparticular, underline the emotion and personality of the rock ‘icon’ to the audience and connote the rebellious ideology of the genre, such as the vocalist’s ‘grain of voice’, when his singing voice and lyrics are more expressive than his anti-social actions.
The band members are represented in a mixture of representations, from talented musicians to drunken ‘hooligans’ and ‘anti-socials’. As the video is part performance-based and part concept-based, there are different representations of the individual members. The guitarist, bassist and drummer all play a secondary role within the text, compared to that of the vocalist. The other three musicians are portrayed as talented then drunk by Mann’s use of a handheld camera (steadicam) to move with the motion of the musician’s, to portray the state of the body, yet the vocalist is represented as a passionate vocalist, forceful in his actions yet the member who always goes over the top, such as when the close-up, over-cranked camera shot focuses on the vocalist being sick over a sexual woman who seems to be his admirer. The bassist is briefly represented as having a diverse, yet feminine side as the camera focuses on a sexy female body, which moves up onto his face on top of the body, connoting a confused state of mind and emotion within the video.
This representation adds to their meta-narrative because it portrays how the star changes throughout his state of drunkenness, as well as how his personality has changed in comparison to other videos where his personality was more immature and he did not appear as confident and violent within his music. The audience can accept the star’s new image as it addressed the conventional aspects of the Rock music genre, where a good and successful performance is followed and/or compared to a drunken evening and after show.
Within the video, there’re examples of illustration and amplification. The video addressed illustration because the lyrics and genre are providing a visual and literal set of images of the stereotypical drunken genre. In the video, when the band are performing, as well as getting ‘wasted’, the lyrics of having a good time whilst being drunk and hangover create a set of images of what the experience would be like, providing a unique counter-culture attraction. The video addresses amplification because Mann amplifies the song’s original meaning and effect by using multiple camera techniques and SFX which leaves the mark of a true music auteur. Her diverse relationship between the music and lyrics amplifies the original meaning to the audience of how plenty of drink can result in a good time, with distasteful after-effects. The change in pace of the video is equalled by the change of motion in the music, providing an interlude for the audience and allows them to experience the bands action’s and their slow occurrence.
There are various references to popular culture within the video. Part of the social context is getting drunk with your friends and not being in a state of mind when you can actually remember what you are doing or what happened, which is repeatably reinforced within the narrative. Mann’s use of handicam frequently emphasises how a person’s state of mind deteriorates as the level of drink increases, addressing today’s popular binge drinking culture. This creates meaning for the audience as it provides a set of images to the audience of how fame and drink go together to result in a good time with your friends, even if you cannot remember it, as well as meeting their expectations of the band’s music videos, prior to the appearance of their past work.
This video could be seen as art because Mann’s presentation of various ideologies and performances are represented with an artistic style, where she leaves her auteur style evident to the audience, which add ideas and pleasure to the audience’s visual pleasure. The video presents multiple challenging ideas as various themes are addressed throughout the text, such as the idea and representations of being a transvestite, creating a comical effect within the younger sections of the target audience, that finds the idea of being a transvestite humorous. The video can be seen as Postmodern because the representation of the musicians show a rebellious stance to mainstream and commercial ideas, such as rejecting the lust of women and other pleasures, as well as borrowing themes, techniques and special effects from the grunge music genre, where the handicam is evident to connote disorder and drunkenness, as well as the borrowed motion of a mixed concept and performance based video, addressing social issues.
Within the video, there is a mixture of different social groups represented. The primary social groups would be the stereotypical ‘emo’s’, which stereotypically define the appearance of the band members. This group is represented as the anti-hero(s) and the trouble makers of society, who get drunk, smash objects within their environment, get drunk to evade their problems of fame, or in society, their depression, and have no appreciation for those around them, however an oppositional reading of this group is that they go out an enjoy themselves and their music, however, the final results are not always planned or expected ones. The other dominant social groups represented within the video are women and in a rare case, transvestites. Throughout the concept-based sections of the text, the rock stars are surrounded by women, some portrayed as prostitutes, others as bystanders and friends, yet their appearance and dress connotes their sexual tone, that they are looking for sex, no matter who it may be with or how it occurs. It can be argued that the band are expressing how they are against ‘sleeping around’ o this night of ‘fun’, as the vocalist is sick over one of the women who appears to be flirtatious around him, which is a dominant part of the (meta-) narrative. As I mentioned earlier, the location of the concept-based sequences is a London Soho Nightclub, and some characters from Soho are seen as somewhat, ‘different’, this image is reinforced within the band’s representation as the bassist is vividly portrayed as a transvestite through a rising number of low and high angled shots, used by Mann.
The ideological discourse within the video is that you can go out and enjoy yourselves with your friends, without having to wreck your evening through stupidity. The band portray their time out at night as a lively and surreal outing, where drink normally does get the better of them, which challenges the ideological discourse as numerous times within the video, the musicians are recklessly smashing glasses and being sick over people around them, reinforcing the imagery of a ‘pretty handsome’, yet awkward night, however, the video could be seen as reinforcing the ideological discourse as they do enjoy their ‘night out’ and have fun by partying, which is part of the ideological discourse and counter culture attraction of being a rock star.
Having studied the video numerous times, I think that the video would require an ambient viewing. A large proportion of 16-24 year olds watch Music T.V because there is nothing else to do or they want something to watch whilst they’re doing something else, so an ambient viewing would take place because the audience is watching the music video, as there is nothing else to do, and the genre of music will suit the mood that they’re in as they are selective about which channel they watch. This Ambient T.V mode also allows a long term relationship to be built up between the artist and audience as it may encourage the audience to more of the band’s videos or listen to more of the band’s music as the audience finds that it matches their mood, which is created through repetition on TV and in the mind.