Music Video introduction blog task

Music Video introduction blog task

1) What is the purpose of a music video?

Its purpose is to sell products, the most obvious of which is the song featured in the video. There are also other connected products that are also marketed by a music video. For example, the album the song is featured on, the film the song is part of the soundtrack for, an upcoming tour by the artist and merchandise like t-shirts.

2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

The development of new media technologies meant that music videos, and the songs along with them, were more widely available at any time. Videos could be uploaded to video hosting sites like YouTube and viewed using portable media devices such as mobile phones and iTouch devices, allowing audiences to see the video and hear the song whenever and wherever they liked.

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

 Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Abu Dhabi Media. It is a video hosting site specifically for music videos. The content of Vevo is syndicated to YouTube.

4) What are the key conventions of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to encourage viewers to purchase a copy of the song featured and other products associated with the artist.

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

The storyline may relate to the song’s lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell a different story. An example would be Dilemma by Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland.

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

Such references may be very obvious, such as the way that the Blink 182 video for All the Small Things makes references to videos by pop artists such as Back Street Boys (I Want it That Way) and Christina Aguilera (Genie in a Bottle) by directly copying scenes.

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

References can also be more esoteric and obscure, allowing the audience to feel pleasure when they recognize the reference.

8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist) - The song 'Thinking out Loud- Ed Sheeran' is a music video made to promote the product; being the song and also the artist who sang it as it features him in the video. He is seen lip syncing to the song in the music video so that people are aware it is him that sung the song.

• Intertextuality - The music video intended to promote the song itself, the artist who sang the song and the album that the song was a part of. 

• Representation - Ed Sheeran is shown throughout the whole music video as he is the main artist. He is seen dancing with another woman as it links to the storyline as if he is singing the song for her. They are being represented as a couple as the song takes on a romantic genre. 

• Audience - The target audience for this song would be a bit more of mature audience over the age of 16 as they would more likely enjoy this type of slow, romantic music. Most of their audience would also most likely be middle class white people as they have only shown white people in the music video which may be to connote who their target audience are.

• Institution - 'Thinking out Loud' was released on YouTube by VEVO as they are the main distributors of music on YouTube and Google especially in the UK.

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?

The music video mainly featured the artist and the storyline was based on what's happening in his life and what he's singing about in the song. 
This music video has also set a thug, gangster representation for hip hop music where it started off with a family, then slightly showed audiences life on the streets, black stereotypes when the police start following them, then when to a funeral followed by a woman being represented as a sex item. They have used conventions to represent what's known as the hood life or how black people were thought of being in those times. 

 

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2018? Are music videos essential to a band or artist's success?

Music videos are important in these days as it allows artists to promote their music by including visuals, sometimes even if the music isn't great is audiences enjoy the visuals in the music video, they may still watch it. Audiences are also aware of who the artist is by watching music videos as it easier to remember artists by how they look rather than by name this would also help them find other songs made by the same artist. Music videos are also used a sort of teaser to promote one or some of the songs in an album so that customers can then purchase the album to listen to the rest of the songs if they enjoy the song they heard for free.