Harrow College | 2013-2014 | A2 Media

10 May 2014

9 May 2014

Music Video Preliminary Exercise - Skills Development

GROUP PITCH PRESENTATION

Artist/Genre Research - Everything Everything

Simulacra and Simulation - Jean Baudrillard

Jean Baudrillard, a French sociologist, philosopher, cultural theorist and photographer, focused his works on post-modernism and particularly post-structuralism. He was notoriously known for predicting that the first Gulf war of 1991 would not occur. His best work is the analysis of the modes of mediation and technological communication. These social issues include consumerism, gender relations and other social and political agendas. His ideas focuses around how social relations are determined by communication that society employs. His 1985 book "Simulacra and Simulation" is a discussion on symbols and signs, Baudrillard believed that our current society has replaced all our reality with these symbols and signs and the human experience is a simulation of reality. According to Baudrillard 'Simulation' is a hyper reality. The concept of Simulacra questions the concept of reality and how we understand it, He argues that today, there is no such thing as reality. An example he gave of this, is the production of nuclear weapons, he considered it a Simulacrum because essentially the weapons are only there as a reproducible and never meant to be used. Baudrillard's concepts of blurred boundaries between reality and simulation can relate to the media's influence on our society, and the human experience and how we communicate is through the media, effecting how we communicate through the use of various media products.

Analysing Music Videos - You Me At 6 - Stay With Me

You Me At 6 from Jazz Piakan

Analysing Music Videos - Everything Everything - Cough Cough

Applying theory to this music video, features that are included are performance shots of the band, with iconography of a typical rock or indie genre video, like the drums they are playing. This demonstrates their own instrumental and musical skills, also in aid to develop star persona as indie musicians. The wide performance shots are essential in showing that, though these performance shots are not in a concert or arena setting, but in a dark lit warehouse room. Most of the video is in Black and White, giving a quite timeless and maybe more serious tone to it, which may and probably does relate to the theme of the song and lyrics, though there is a colour change in the chorus to a bright orange, signifying enlightenment and coming out of the dark. There are also close-ups of the band members establishing their persona and frequent close-ups of the main vocalist, while he lip-syncs and mimes to the track. We as the audience are aware that he is the main vocalist, as he has a lot more screen time and is shown lip-syncing in various different settings/lighting effects. For example, while miming with his band mates with the drums and a scene of him in fractured light (like Venetian blinds), which is very cinematic and conceptual and definitely a theme which runs throughout, ‘Dark’ concepts. Close ups of the instruments themselves and the miming creates authenticity to the video, anchoring the fact that these guys are actual musicians, it also creates a sense of atmosphere and involvement for the audience, as performance videos tend to do despite the fact it’s not a concert setting, it’s still quite powerful along with the fast editing cuts and special effects.

There is a montage of photos through the video, which is more conceptual. Images include petrol hose, gas mask, gun, bomb and these are shown in black and white, so very dark against a white background making it stand out a lot. As there is no direct reference to these images through lyrics in the song or on screen, it is left to the audience really, to contemplate and interpret the message or meaning behind it and as to why it was included in the video. As there is no stated interpretation of these images from the band themselves, it makes it more powerful, the images alone, no words.

Quite uniquely, this music has some of the lyrics on screen in different fonts. There is a strong relationship between the lyrics and the visuals and the music and visuals, which is very effective. The editing cuts with the music and the lyrics are complimented by the visual effects. There is also archive footage showing burning buildings, oil rigs and the police. The relevance of these images relate to the theme of consumerism and capitalism. So the images and footage play the part of the narrative in this video, which is fragmented in the sense that there are quick clips shown. It is non-linear and also enigmatic with no clear narrative structure i.e. beginning, middle and end. The combination/cutting between the narrative and performance is repetitive and fundamentally enhances the audience experience through viewing.

Jasmine.

Band title – The title of their band is right at the top of the poster which is essentially there to capture the audience’s attention and inform them what band this poster is from.

Record label– There is a record label here which presents the tour where the Smashing Pumpkins will play.

Background – The background is colourful and vibrant, displaying the trees and environment. This might have been used to illustrate where they are going to play and perform so it can easily inform the audience about this. However we don’t have an image of the band which might mean that they are sort of bands that aren’t bothered about image portrayal.

Tour dates (information)– These tour dates tell us where the band is playing and it is at the bottom which is the norm when many other posters I have analysed all have the vital information at the bottom of the poster.

Tour (information) – We have vital information about what this poster is informing the audience and so this right at the top of the poster, which easily tells the audience what kind of tour this is.

Tickets – we have information here about the tickets, this not only informs the audience about when it comes out but also is a way to promote their band and music/tour.

Album sale – Right at the bottom we have the date of when the album is out. This might be hard to see but they are using the usual conventions of how a poster promoting their album is laid out.

Record/sponsor– This is the last information which people might not recognise but it is one of the most important information which tells people about who is sponsoring the bans and the tour

Do you think the video works well with the chosen track? WHY?

Yes because the variety of lighting and camera filters gave the video an overall dark and eerie atmosphere.

Yeah. The interpretation of “my mind” really worked well, complimented by the transitions and camera angles.

I really like the way that it cut on the beat with the music, this gave a sense of satisfaction as after the start, I was expecting it to continue this.

This music video tackles the theme of insomnia. Do you feel this is portrayed well?

I think it does but in a conventional way, instead of experimenting with the illness and developing the idea from real life experiences.

Do you think the visual effects add to the genre and theme representation?