Serj Tankian- Harakiri

Serj Tankian- Harakiri

This video is alternative rock however the video is a little different from what you would stereo-typically expect from a rock music video because his music video is all about making a stand and saying a message. I have chosen to continue to look at this video however because there are certain elements that make the video enjoyable to watch and interesting and educational all at the same time.

How goodwins Theory applies to this music video

because of the nature and meaning behind this music video finding a theory to apply to it is difficult however there are some elements of the video that can still be related to goodwins theory. For example There are obvious direct links between his lyrics and his visuals as he sings about 'the black birds they fall from the sky' to then show an image of a dead blackbird however he also shows the facts this one being that on new years eve 2011, 4500 black birds died. Good wins theory can also be applied because even though there isnt really a 'story' being shown theres still footage used and the video cuts from scenes of the footage to the singer and this is demand of label so the artist is represented for the audience to look at and enjoy watching.

Mise en scene: The setting where the artist is placed is an abandoned house in the middle of a desert. The fact that he is place in an abandoned house with graffiti on the walls creates an immediate recognizable scene for veiwers as this is a popular used setting for alternative rock band music videos for example the 30 Seconds To Mars video and the Linkin Park video both used abandoned warehouse r just house in general and the Linkin Park video also included graffiti on the walls. The video mainly consists of added footage to go with the facts he is singing about this is to aid visualization for the veiwers and to help them make the direct link and concentrate on what the artist is trying to say. We also see that the music video with the artist involved is all black and white until near the end of the music video. This could be him coming into the light and standing up an speaking about what he believes in and that he wants to be seen as an individual and an inspiration.

 

Camera Angles and movement: Alot of close ups are used on the artist himself this is to make him a focus point and also allows veiwers to see the extent of his emotion when he sings his song. This is also to make him look visually attractive to his audience as we can see the whole of his face. A lot of low angles are used aswell throughout the music video so we seem to be looking up to him. This also makes him look powerful and intimidating as he sings about all the problems in the world and challenges the government. There is slight camera movement in the video as rolling shots i think this is to make his lyrics and music seem more chaotic and this helps grab viewers attention more to concentrate on what he is singing about.

Editing:  The obvious editing would be all the different video clips used within the music video. He has used these clips so he can visually shows all the problems he is speaking about to make it more understandable and make his lyrics more relevant to his video. Another piece of editing is with all the birds falling down in a circular motion. This will all be computer generated but helps the audience have a main focus point of where the sun is and this also looks visually attractive in a cruel way. Has also included the facts to be written up with his clips about what he is singing about. He has also included a quote to further support the beliefs he is singing about and i think this is very powerful and useful as he is suggesting he is not the only one who thinks we needs change ' Man is fully responsible for his natures and his choices'- Jean-Paul Sartre. There is a scene where we see a bucket full of bullets and the birds falling and then a cyclone. These images are all circular and it creates an attractive visual pattern within his video and allows the viewers to focus on the center and also proves his point of how all problems are related in the smallest of ways.

MCR (My Chemical Romance)- I Dont Love You

MCR (My Chemical Romance-I Dont Love you

How goodwins theory applies to this music video:

There is a link between the music and the video as we hear the chorus 'I Dont love you like i did yesterday' and towards the end of the video the characters literally fall apart ( a scene were they both just crumble) as he leaves her after everything after we the viewers have seen the relationship develop in the end he just leaves her standing. There is a contradiction between the music and the visuals however because we see a very delicate peaceful setting with a woman who is made to look almost porcelain and fragile and delicate and the music consists of strong guitar and very strong almost harsh vocals. We also hear all the instruments come together to clash and create the peak of the song whilst on screen we see two characters sharing a tender moment of falling inlove however the song is about what happens after love when they decide they dont love you anymore and want to leave.
          Also with the fact that a woman is included in the video supports goodwins theory as women are represented in the video however she is not being presented to the audience in a sexual matter however she is still there and involved within the video itself to help attract an intrigued male audience and provide them with something to look at and focus on as a character aswell as the band and the narrative of the video. However in saying that a male character is also represented in the video. The story line also cuts from the narrtive to shots of the band so demands of the label is shown aswell as the band are being represented as there own label to try and sell the music video and themselves as musicians. The music video also follows genre characteristics as they start to smash up there instruments and throw them around which is a slight contradiction to the narrative side of the music video however this seems to match the music more.

Archer theory

The music video fits into Archers theory because there are cuts from the narrative to the band so people can follow a story behind the song itself. Also a close up is used quite alot of the lead singer to aid visualization for the viewers and to also make him relevant in the story he is telling and the song he is singing.

John Stewart Theory
Close ups and the use of high key lighting is used through out the music video to help advertise the band by making them look and seem more appealing especially on the main close ups on the lead singer. This is to make him seem more flawless under the high key light and attractive to veiwers.

Richard Dyer Theory

His theory applies to this music video because with the use of their instruments they are placing themselves into the alternative rock genre as this is a popular action we would see take place in alot of alternative band rock videos such as 'Linkin Park-Papercut' video i looked at earlier. They are gaining audience by making themselves part of a mainstream category with a large audience base.

Mise en scene: The female character wears all white and her make u has made her nearly all white suggesting she is this dainty fragile human being who needs to be taken care of. She almost looks porcelain and this gives us the impression of china dolls and delicate fragile materials. However her eyes are all black this could suggest something is different inside . inside she is broken and her appearance just conceals her hatred anger and upset. The tree used in the setting looks very dark and crooked and we can see a visual link between the black tree and her black eyes. The leaves on the tree are also falling. The tree is falling to pieces representing her falling apart because she is broken hearted.? The male character is dressed up in black however i think this

is to present the audience with a visual representation of opposites.
                      The black and white colours also help keep the relationship simple and easy for the veiwers to follow and focus on the two characters it also adds a surreal feeling to the video as everything is not normally plain and simple and they do not seem to be your average everyday couple with the help of make up costume and there body language.There is also a scene where they are sat together and he smears the black from his hands all over her back. I think this is a visual direct link to the lyric 'needless beating'.

Camera angle and movement: Hardly any camera movement is used in this music video and i think thats because of all the different shots used if there was camera movement aswell the narrative would be hard to follow and the video difficult to watch as there would be too much movement to be able to focus on the actual story behind the video and listen to the song at the same time.There is a recurring scene within the music video which is just the lead singer singing his lyrics looking up at the camera at a close up. I think this is to represent the notion of looking as he is looking directly at his audience and looking up at them they have the power and they are more important to him. The close up also helps advertise him as a person and helps make him look visually attractive to viewers. Theres also a lot of close ups of the separate instruments the different band members play this is to highlight and recognize what instruments are being used to create the piece of music and to sell the idea of playing instruments and also act as visual evidence that they create there own original material.

Editing: A little CGI has been used in this video as at some point of the video we see the two characters crumble. This is to show the audience how delicate people really are and that we all can break at some point whether it be because of love or other things. We also see at the end the female character shed a black tear his will also be computer generated.

RadioHead- No Surprises

 

 

RadioHead-No surprises

 

How goodwins theory applies to this video

 

we see a link between the music and the visuals as the music sounds very tranquil and soft and it its seems quite lulling and as we listen to the song we see water rising up slowly and a man slowly drowning. People have said that drowing is supposed to be one of the most peaceful ways to die because of how overwhelming and yet beautiful water can be. There is also a slight link between the lyrics and the visuals as he sings in the chorus 'No alarms and no surprises' and throughout the video we see just the one shot and after a while we expect something different to happen but we see no 'surprises' making this video unique and stand out.

             There is also a slight use of voyeurism as the artist is looking through the glass straight at the viewers to create the notion of looking

straight at veiwers and so viewers can feel a direct more personal connection with the artist and also the song.

 

John Stewart theory

 

The john stewart theory applies to this video because of the constant highkey lighting advertising the artists face and making him seem more appealing and angelic in the video. A constant close up in also used to create focus of attention on his face and this is very daring and veiwers will be able to see the whole of his face and be able to see his every movement and feature.

 

Mise en scene: we see the artist has his head in a glass bowl prop and this could maybe be a visual representation of how he feels iscolated whilst he works in his 'job that slowly kills him'. He seems to be wearing a blank facial expression and thats all we see and this can also allow veiwers to empathise with the artist as he sings about his observations of the people around him being miserable. It also allows the song to have deeper meaning as we see how it personally affects the artist.  The lighting within the scene changes from low key to high key to show gradual change and highlight the artists face alot more during the main part of the video.

 

Camera angles and movement: There is no camera movement within this video making it very unique and also makes me video seem very steady and allows the steady music to become a focus point instead of being completely blown out of proportion because of an excentric music video. Throughout the whole of the video however we just have the close up used throughout the whole of the video. This may seem very confronting at first however as the video develops we recognise the personal alter ego of the close up and become emotionally attached to the song and the artist because we can see all of the emotion shown in the artists face and with this well sad song we realise this real use of the close up in this video is to reflect the depth of depression in this song.

 

Editing: There seems to be no obvious editing within the whole of this music video as in no fancy pants visual effects used or any scene transitions or CGI used. However this whole video was taken using just one shot. meaning there were no transistions needed because there were no different shots used. This would have made the video exstremely difficult to film as the shot would have to be perfecct the whole way through and no mistakes could be made and also the underwater stunt would have also have increased the difficulty filming. This can also back up his lyrics as he sings 'No alarms and no surprises'. He is showing you a straight forward shot which seems to viewers very simple and easy to create showing no implications of change. Its simply just him singing about how misrerable life is.

                Another slight bit of editing i found was the lyrics of his song appeasring on the inside of his bowl and rising up almost like a script. I especially like this element of the video as he sings the lyrics 'bring down the goverment they dont speak for us' because its almost like he ios just reading the script saying what he is being told to say almost like a newsreader and this shows how little control we have as people to what is going on around us involving the goverment.

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.