Finding A Band For My Music Video

I initially posted a blog on my photography Myspace profile asking for any band who would be interested in a free music video shoot. I only had replies from bands outside of Cornwall which would be inconvenient due to lack of funds. I then messaged a local band called Kaideka, who i have previously done 2 photography shoots for. They seem very interested at this point because i have expressed that the music video shoot will be completely free of charge and i am friends with the band.

Hadouken - Get smashed, Gate Crash (Full analysis)

LYRICS: http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858707330/

the video starts with horizontal flicking lines across the screen which I would compare to a television which has lost its reception. The whole of this video is very jumpy and non-sesiqual. The video was recorded on hand held camcorders possessed by each of the members of the band on a stereotypical teenager 'binge' evening out. The editing is very jumpy, dark and doesn't really follow continuity editing. A lot of the shots are different to fathom out as to what they are and what is going on. the main themes of the video are sex, drugs and drink. The video is largely non-sesiquical as its so jumpy, dark and blurry that it is difficult to understand what is being filmed. i do not want to film my video in the hand held documentary type fashion. i think that the fact they have broken the 180 degree line ruins the feel of enjoying and understanding the video and also makes the viewer feel voyeuristic in the content and aspect of the video. it almost feels like a university students video documentary on an evening out with their friends which cements the nosey voyeuristic side of the video. i want to create a video with simple yet effective ideas which are easily understandable with a defined storyline, so i do not think i shall be taking any inspiration from this video as it isn't the context in which i want my video to be.

Professor Green feat. Lily Allen - Just Be Good To Green (full Analysis)

LYRICS:http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/professor_green/just_be_good_to_green.html

The stereotypical 'RnB' persona is used and exploited through out this music video. The story of the lyrics explains that the male (professor green) is promiscuous or was promiscuous before he met (Lily Allen) though because of his racey past she doesn't know whether she can trust him. Professor green plays a jack the lad type personality where his reputation is more important than anything else. whereas Lily Allen plays a headstrong woman who believes she will change him.

I think this video is from the point of view from Professor Greens mind which would explain the plain prop-less scenery. It also contains 3 points which are professor green himself, Lily Allen and the other women.

The way professor green slouches back in his chair shows his blase attitude towards sleeping with women. It also shows that the women have to come to him which means he thinks he is higher than them. Further on in the video the women crowd around him meaning he has the choice of who ever he likes. Its all about his feelings and choices and disregards those of the women around him. The leather studded chair he is sitting in also connotes gentleman's clubs which women would be seen once again as mere objects.

The start of the video shows Lily Allen standing on the rotating platform which instantly makes her look like an object not like a woman. Although, she is fully covered up and is modestly dressed through-out the video and away from the male gaze yet the platform looks like a prize podium and Lily Allen is the prize. The main colours of the video are black and white which I think represents the white purity of the woman and the black, dark promiscuous side of the male.

When Lily Allen or Professor Green are in a two shot its normality one or the other which is in focus showing that Lily Allen is in the background of his thoughts or vice versa. This is one of the few insights to Professor Green thinking about anything other than the other women. I suppose this video also views men in a very stereotypical fashion in the way that all they think about is sex, women and promiscuity.

The close ups and extreme close ups of the scantily clad women are all sexualised and have a very apparent male gaze which is a theory pulled from Laura Mulvey. You can see the three stages of the male gaze. One would come from professor green himself as this shows that this is how he views them, secondly from the camera because of angel and level of these shots specifies exactly what the audience should be viewing which leads me to the third gaze of the audience and how they perceive these women in a un-humanised way.

The shot of professor green directly addressing the camera through the legs of the women on the conveyor belt connotes sexual activity because his head is between their legs. It could also be perceived that professor green has had sexual activity with these women which is why he is comfortable with this shot or sexual activity is something he wants to do. The fact that all the women in this video (including Lily Allen) have featured on a platform or conveyor belt enforces quite defiantly that these women are objectified. The connotations of a conveyor belt would normally been seen at shops or supermarkets, which makes me feel that these women are objects or even cruder, just meat.

the section near the end of the video of the female dancers in the light boxes makes them look like podium dancers because of their risque dancing and the focus is trying to be taken away from Lily and onto them. Their costume consists of a males white shirt and underwear which also suggests 'the morning after' look meaning that these women have slept with professor green and are wearing his shirt from the night before. This gives the impression that these women are 'easy' and have a disposable nature because of the sheer amount of women in the video.

I do like some of the hand made feel special effects to the video where the women look like they are cut outs from a magazine and them come to life. I would like to do some clever effect with my video as it keeps the audience interested and makes the video different from others. Another effect i like if the folding women at the end of the video. This is the point where Lily Allen has taken control of the video to a certain extend and is removing these women from professor greens view. the pushing them to make them old like paper which makes me think that she is removing these thoughts from professor greens mind only leaving herself.

They way this links back to youth culture is more about the ideas pertruding from the video. Just like the 50 Cent album cover it golorifies something which shouldn't be golourified, in this intance its promiscuity. This shows that is it ok for people to behave in such a way.

annalysis of 4 album covers

I have chosen to analyse 4 album covers as 3 of the album covers are around the same genre of music and one of them is from a completely opposite genre to really get a spectrum of research.

I shall firstly start with the album cover from 50 Cent who preforms in the genre of rap. The album is entitled the massacre which connotes death which is almost glorified by the image of the rapper on the front cover. This is made apparent through his sculpted body and is enhanced by the illustrated lines added to the image to make his muscles look threatening towards men yet attractive toward women. The gloves he is wearing also makes him look violent or that he has just been violent to someone because of his over bearing stature. This is involved in youth culture because of teenage gangs and the title of the album puts it into this category. the rap culture is also about excess e.g. expensive jewelry, muscular body and excessive power over others. I believe the stance of 50 cent is quite domineering as it is shot from below so hes looking down on the viewer. The font and writing on the front cover also replicate rap and the connotations of rap. the words 'the massacre' are written in a graffiti type style which would connote defacing a building or wall which would be illegal. the words '50 cent' are written in a yellow font which would connote his name written in gold and to be admired. This album cover stereotypes the rap genre instantly and glamorizes gang culture whereas i would like to do a more gritty representation of youth culture in a different genre than rap.

The second album i will be analysing is from a band called parkway drive who are a post-hardcore/metal band. the album is entitled killing with a smile which corresponds with the image on the front cover. This relates to youth culture because knife crime is highlighted between youths. This gives youth culture a much grittier and real sense because of the shocking image of a teenager slumped on a pavement who has been stabbed. You can tell it is a teenager as they are wearing stereotypical teenage fashion which are jeans and converse shoes. The namesake of the album would also suggest the that person who stabbed the victim would have taken pleasure in doing so or' killing with a smile' as such. The bands name 'parkway drive' has a distressed/smashed look to it which also ties in the un-glamorized front cover along with the 'killing with a smile' lettering which looks scratched. The colours on the front cover are quite drab and bland which makes the album cover more realistic to the scene. I would like to create a front cover like this as it captures the readers attention because of sheer reality and bring something so violent onto a front cover of a album.

The third album is from a band called green day who fall into the genre of punk/rock. The album is titled 21st century breakdown which would connote failure in the modern society which could explain the fire in the background of the stenciled image though the fire behind them could also represent the metaphorical passion between the embraced couple. This album cover is surrounded by youth culture because of the use of graffiti and the passionate embrace between the male and female. The parental advisory sticker also adds to the youth culture specification as it contains explicit language. the font used on the 'Green Day' text is also graffiti which is noticeable because of the drip marks from the paint. i believe that the iconography of the album cover also relates to the street artist Banksy because of the stenciled graffiti this is relevant because Banksy was a controversial artist would someone people viewed his work as either art or criminal damage. this may link to the misrepresentation of the majority of teenagers because of the way that the youth are viewed by the modern society. The colours on the cover are eye catching and adds to the black and white on the main focus of the couple. the red could be represented as passion, anger and rebellion.

The fourth and final album cover i shall analyse is from a welsh band called Funeral for a Friend who fit into the genre of rock. I like this front cover because it is very simple yet conveys a message simply and is a iconic and memorable album cover for me. It plays on many conventions that school would be a safe place for student to be yet she is wearing a stab vest which highlights knife crime and violence in teenage society. The face that the model is a female is also surprising as females are stereotypically seen to be involved in knife crime. It also plays on the innocence of the female because of her light complexion, school uniform and blonde hair which are linked which purity, its a juxtaposition to the stab vest she is wearing which is dark in colour and stands of protection against violence. The graffitti on the lockers behind her gives the impresent that shes in a school where the other students lack respect and disapline for their place of education and becuase of the stab vest also eachother. Blue is a signiure colour on the cover which could show calm and tranquility which would be a juxpoistion to the violence. Although, blue can also connote coldness which would show her isolation from the school.

START OF A2 LEVEL MEDIA STUDIES

Brief Chosen:
1. a promotional package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options:

a website homepage for the band;

a cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD package)

a magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD package)

i am choosing to create the music video, the magazine advertisement and the CD cover of the release album.
i am interested to do this brief as i know quite a few people in bands. these bands are also unsigned which would bypass the rights to the music with permission of the band themselves. I also have a photography business where i work with local bands and take pictures of them at live concerts this has also helped me gain contacts in the local music scene.
the brief also has to cover the theme of Media and collective identity which is youths and youth culture which i am going to try and incorporate into my video, Cd cover and advertisement.