30 Seconds To Mars- Up In The Air

30 Seconds To Mars- Up In The Air

How Godwin's Theory can be applied to this video:

We see intertexual reference right at the very start of the video with the words 'Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams'. This Is actually a form of advertising as the name of their new album is 'Love Lust Faith and Dreams' so this is demanding the record label as well as seeing the band themselves performing in the video. The links between the music and visuals is that we seethe band members playing their instruments. Lyrics and visuals we see a lot of links between the fist words we saw appear on the screen for example Love, We see a lot of images of lips which can be commonly used to represent kisses. Lust we see a lot of women used in the video wearing next to nothing to draw in the male audience (Gaze Theory). Faith we see a 5 pointed star which is actually associated with Satanism and is classed as a faith. Dreams we see a lot of surreal imagery such as the pale naked man covered in bees. Surrealism can create dream like atmospheres within imagery.

We then see a scene of a band member walking around some women dressed in barely anything and then we see a close up of some lips this is segmentation of the women and voyeurism of the women supporting Goodwin's theory.

The narrative of the whole music video seems to be a circus scene as we are presented with common circus attractions and some of the characters in the video seem to resemble 'circus freaks'. I think this is to present viewers with a recognisable scene to watch and enjoy.

The Gaze theory can be applied to this video as we see cameras linger on women's curves and tilt camera movements are used up and down the women's bodies to create the sense of looking. Also a lot of close ups are used to force viewers into looking at the women as see them as the director wants you to see them which is sexy and irresistible.

The Archer theory can be applied to this vide because we see the narrative being fragmented as cuts are used to and fro of the band to the performance. They have a performance within the video of them performing which also include other people performing...There are also obvious visual references to the circus.

First 3 minute Evaluation:

The Video all together is over 8 minutes long so I have chosen to just look at the first 3 minutes to see what I can establish from it.

Camera angles and movement: In the video we see immediately a low angle used as the band members walk up to their instruments and this gives them a sense of power and can also recreate an experience for fans who have been to see them live and gives them the feel of looking up to them on stage. Tilts re used as well up the bodies of the models and the band members to create that sexual tension and create and obvious sense of looking. Zoom is used a lot within the video as well to help create a main point of focus for the viewers to look at and also to create dramatic impact on some scenes. Close ups are also used a lot to segment pieces of the models bodies to focus on such s there eyes or lips this will attract a male audience but could also intimidate a female audience and encourages them to look and carry on watching.

Mise en scene: We see a man wearing a very creepy looking rabbit mask this can intrigue viewer's because they are faced with something that looks unnatural and in fact quite interesting and viewer's could also be questioning the real identity of the person underneath the mask. We are also shown a Gym
nast who is shown often throughout the video. I like how she represents swift movement and the elegance the human body can achieve. Gymnasts are also a popular circus
attraction sticking to the theme of the video.  Another woman is dressed up all in pink glitter and has a mock up rodeo bull behind her she reminds me of a 60's pin up and she is also shown
little and often in the video and she can strike a target audience of viewers who like vintage theme. We then see another woman who is positioned in front of a huge backdrop of coloured spots this makes her more attractive and easier to look at because there are no distractions in the background except from the complimentary high key lighting.

We also see a short scene of a man covered in bees and a woman covered in butterflies. I think this is to target people who feel maybe limited in movement in fear they may disturb those who are dependant on them for example if the man moved the bees would sting him and this enables maybe an older audience to connect to the video. We also see scenes of a band member pointing towards the camer
a acknowledging his audience and supporting his fan base he also is wearing no shirt this will attract female viewer's and allows him to show his own confidence within his self and put himself on show for his viewers.

Editing:  Slow motion is used frequently in this music video to create a sense of drama and this also allows veiwers to piece up the video with this extra given time and also keep their attention on the music. The slow motion can also create a Dreamlike feel. At the start of the video we see quick flashing images this can seem like an overload of information to the viewer's and encourages them to look at each image as they are explained further throughout the duration of the video. Some parts of the video are also played in reverse I think this creates and effective visual illusion and makes scenes look strange and adds to the 'circus freak' atmosphere.

Linkin Park - Paper Cut

Linkin Park- Paper Cut:

How Goodwin can be applied to this music video:

I found a link between the lyrics and visuals and this was presented quite literally as on the walls in this other dark mysterious room words are written and the first word we are shown is 'Watches' we then later here a band member whisper the phrase 'and watches everything' in response to a previous lyric 'a face that laughs every time I fall'.

 Another word we see written on the walls of the scene is 'Paranoia' and this word is often repeated in the lyrics showing links between lyrics and visuals even though this method seems to be quite literal.

We see a link between the music and visuals as we see band members playing the instruments we also see genre characteristics as some of the band members appear energetic creating a pumped up atmosphere linking to the music of the song.

Another genre characteristic is the appearance of two alternate worlds or a 'dark' side and a 'good' side. These two contradictions are shown a lot in alternative rock videos to help show there personal battles and to help represent 'good' and 'evil' visually to the audience.

Archers theory can be applied to this video as well as we see the narrative being interrupted by scenes of the band as the video s demanding a record label (Goodwin) and this helps show audiences a story and also the band themselves to keep a fan base interested.

The mise en scene of the video shows different props and scenes to aid visualisation. For example:

Ant and flies:
Insects are a common fear and can make people feel discomfort and in a way paranoid and aware to what is around them. Also these insects can be related to decay as they are often linked to death and help to allow thing to decay by devouring the flesh of what ever is rotting away.

Bath tubs: We use bath tubs to wash ourselves in however in recent years the bath tub has become a common representation of suicide. The bath tub in the video could be representing this common disaster and as the band sings about being paranoid maybe they are suggesting a new fear. A fear of loosing a loved one so close to home because of common cause. Including the bath tub in the video helps create the sinister atmosphere within the other rom.

Lighting: We see immediate contrasts through the use of lighting because quite simply we are faced wit one dark room and one light the light room is made to fee me homely with the use of backlights however in this dark alternate universe the person within this room Is only lit by what sees to be a single spot light.

 

Camera angles and movement: We see a lot of close ups used to empathise the events occurring during the narrative of the video and to also single out members of the band. This could be linked to John Stewarts theory. The camera movement can also seem quick and sharp to create a sense of panic and awareness again suggesting Paranoia which is a main focus point for the video. Some scenes have also been sped up to create the illusion of fast movements. There also seems to be quick changes from shallow to extended depth of field this is to distort images and make viewer's feel disorientated and maybe even confused to the sudden changes and this also helps maintain the surreal feel to the video.

Altrnative Rock Bands

So I figured I would be quite blunt with this and I literally just typed into Google 'Alternative Rock Bands' and surprisingly a string of suggestions came up and there were plenty of bands suggested that I am familiar with. I have chosen to look at the following and apply the theory's I have researched to their music videos and see what I find and how I can use these theory's and bands as inspiration for my own music video!

Bands/Artists I have chosen to look at:

• MCR-(My Chemical Romance)
• Radio Head
• Linkin Park
• 30 Seconds to mars
• Serj Tankian

John Stewart Theory

Stewart Theory:

• Same techniques used in the music video as in T.V adverts.
• Includes close ups, lighting to help focus viewers on the stars face.
• Visual references such as cinema, fashion, art and photography.
• Mise en scene can be used to represent more of the stars lifestyle than a stage performance.

Steve Archer Theory

Archer Theory:

• Shows strong relationship between performance and viewers.
• Cuts between the story and band/artist.
• Aid visualisations with a dance.

Examples of this theory in motion would be 'Eminem-Love the way you lie' as it switches a lot from the narrative to the artists.
And an example of strong elements of performance and dance would be Lady GaGa as her music videos are very performance and dance based which she can also show on stage.

Laura Mulvery Gaze Theory

Gaze Theory:

• Film makers are mostly male and use women a lot for 'display' matter.
• How audiences view people.
• How men look at presented women.
• How women look at other women.
• How women look at themselves.
• Forcing viewers to view women as men do.
• Camera's lingers on women's curves and objectify the women.
• The audience feel the narrative secondly after viewing the bodies used.

Richard Dyer Star Theory

Star Theory:

This theory suggests that stars are constructed with the help of objects. They help create a persons image and makes them recognisable to the public and this helps build up fan base through easy recognition. The music industry benefit from this theory as artists are more independent on choosing there genre and representing themselves to the public. The film industry however will struggle to follow this theory as an actor is controlled by roles and scripts they are given even though they may have there own genre.  An example of this theory applied to somebody in he music industry could be Michael Jackson and his white glove or even punk rock bands smashing up their equipment.

Goodwins Theory

Goodwin's Theory:

• Applied to grime/R+B music.
• Links between lyrics and visuals.
• Links between music and the visuals ( either complimentary, contradicting or amplification.)
• Genre characteristics.
• Intertextual references.
• Notions of looking (objectification of women.)
• Voyeurism direct gaze, other people looking at artist, insight into artists life (screens or mirrors).
• Demands of record label (representation of artist).
• Performance based, narrative based, concept based music videos.

Now I am going to apply this theory to some music videos I am familiar with.
Ok. So links between lyrics and visuals through an R+B genre music video or Grime.
A music video which presents weird representations and creatively represents the theme of the song is 'Power-Kayne West'.
The lyrics that show direct connection to the visuals are:
' No one man should have all that power.'
In the video we see the artist stood surrounded women which seems to represent Greek mythical creatures such as the sphinx and behind him in the background there's podiums which look like a popular image representation of Olympus which is the place of the gods (so the Greeks believed). We also see two men attempt to attack him and he shows strength by not even flinching. This music video also shows another point of the Goodwin's theory being 'demands of record label' as representation of the artist is shown.

A typical Grime music video would show Jewellery, narrative, lyrics being written, urban clothing, and scenes showing off the body.
A music video which springs to my mind showing lyrics being written in the music video is 'No love- Eminem'. I think this helps show the originality of artist and allows the video to show the deep connection the artist has with their music and their lyrics.
The music Video for 'Lil' Wayne- Mirror' shows him confidently and obviously showing off his body within the fist few seconds to either intimidate or attract viewers into watching the video.

Fragmented visuals showing the audience stages and pieces of the narrative help to build up a story within the music video easier with the limited time. A music video which seems to do this is 'Love the way you lie-Eminem' . We see the video change from a narrative and characters to the artist singing his own song. This also fits in with 'Demand of record label' so the artist is shown to draw a fan base in.

alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music that came from independent underground music which was around in the 1980's and became widely popular in the 1990's. Alternative rock used to mean music which included loud, distorted guitar sound however now it is related to music which has broader musical references and bands which create music that sound heavy and loud and also have a similar style to punk rock. The genre alternative rock enabled different bands to put a cultured label on there music and become related to each other and form a media group that audiences could generalize and become a fan of this would help marketing techniques in targeting an audience to promote their music to. Alternative rock doesn't have to mean a mainstream band but a band that gains mainstream recognition as they use mainstream stereotypes and become part of the alternative rock generalization.
Alternative rock is a genre of music that basically means and includes bands that are different within there sound and what they choose to sing and perform about. Alternative bands during the 1980's generally played in small clubs and were recorded by indie labels and became known by getting people to notice them on their own through their own manners and allow there audience share the knowledge of the band.
However now alternative rock bands may not have that background and will sign with mainstream labels but will still maintain an image which suggests a similar background and upbringing than the bands who were considered as alternative in the 80's. Alternative rock bands follow a pattern of singing about similar things such as drugs, social problems and struggles and also depression and suicide. Alternative rock bands tend to create lyrics about these topics more than other rock-styles it has been argued.

my track

This is the track i have chosen to base my research upon. I liked the sound of this track i think it has a surreal alternative rock feel to it and i think i could play around with how to perceive this genre of music. I think i will do well with this track as i can now start my research into alternative rock and start gathering ideas to create and base my video upon. I hope you enjoy watching my progress as i start to research into the music and its methods in advertising.

listen to ‘Track 10’ on Audioboo

creating our own music video.

For the rest of this year we have to come up with our own music video to an anonymous soundtrack. The idea of this is to research into what style we think the soundtrack is and establish how to advertise and produce a music video that will fit accordingly to the sound of the music. We will have to look into how to advertise our media product which in this case is the music video and also have to research the current audience demographics for the targeted audience of that genre. Looking at other music videos related and associated with that same genre or similar genre will also give us ideas of how to distribute the product. I think i am going to enjoy doing this and i hope i can create some interestingly weird and wonderful ideas for you to view. Hope you enjoy.

preliminary task

This is my own preliminary task that i have edited myself. I am not very happy with the outcome as we as a group did not collect enough material to create our video fully. The reason for this however was because the student we left in charge of filming left the group and actually dropped the subject and this made us in a bit of a pickle as we used his camera to film and to carry on filming with another camera would mean our video would consist of different aspect ratios and picture qualities. So we came up with the quick conclusion that we would use original clips from the Britney video and also use our own material so we could still manifest a video from the scenes we did manage to film.

Baby one more time - dance routine uncut

 We looked at this so we could learn the dance routine easier and this would make filming the routine go more smoothly if we already knew the dance routine. This also allowed us to analyse the sequence of shots and camera movements more easily and allow us to recreate similar angles and transactions to create a similar video.