EVALUATION: Question 3 - What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

What have you learnt from your audience feedback?

We collected a study group of 6 of our friends, aged 17 and 18, who had completed our audience expectation interview and survey. We showed them our completed version of out music video, and these were their thoughts:

1. Firstly, what genres of music do you listen to?

We especially wanted a range of music lovers to evaluate our music video so we would have am idea of how much our Indie Pop/Rock music video would appeal to people favouring other genres. Interestingly, we found that everyone in our study group listened to some form of Indie Rock/Pop, even if it wasn't their preferred genre.

2. What genre would you class our video in?

All but one person described our music video as Indie Pop/Rock, accept for Avneet, who said it was more like a pop video as she thought there was 'nothing indie about it' although everyone else disagreed.

3. Would you agree that our music video would fit in our genre?

Everyone agreed that it could/did.

4. Who do you think the video is aimed at?

The general consensus was anyone, mainly young adults.

5. Do you think the video matched the tone of the song?

Yes.

6. How effective is the performer?

"Fabulous", "Brilliant", "A very good actress" - A quote from herself

6.5 .... the settings?

All appropriate and well decorated, the woods being an especially relevant idea.

7. What did you enjoy about the music video?

The music video was interesting with the variety of different scenes and the stop motion. Some thought some elements were funny and that it was a feel good song and video, with Mollie portraying a positive vibe. One viewer, Miranda, thought the shots of Mollie walking in the woods was especially good.

8. What would you change about the music video?

This question brought up much discussion. Emily, our other media student commented on how the music video didn't have much progression, not ending on a completed plot line. However, the rest of the study group and us, disagreed, saying that the song didn't really have a progression lyrically, and thought that, combined with faster editing at the end would look strange and that they (the audience), preferred the longer shots at the end.

We asked a group of year 9s (aged 13-14) who absolutely loved the quirkiness of our video and the diversity of location. A class of year 11s (aged 15-16) said: good,  like the barbie bit, clapping, felt happy, change: no, watch it again yes, 9-8/10.

We showed music video director Terry Hall, a cut of our music video. He said that he loved our quirky ideas, especially the shots of Mollie spinning in stop motion. He noted we had kept a good connection with the audience and our performer with our frequent use of lip syncing and close ups. The choppy-ness of the close up of our performers lips that flip up and down really added to our theme.

Audience Psychographic Profiling

Psychographic Profiling: is the study of personality, values, opinions, attitudes, interests and lifestyles.

To create this collage representing my audience, I used my audience expectations, some pre-audience research (i.e. my friend) and myself. I concentrated on bands and musicians that both parties liked but also threw in a few films, clothing stores and a TV show that came up often while researching. I notice that overall, the main theme is black, interesting...

Audience Expectations

Interview at least four members of your 'target audience' about what they expect or would like to have included in your music video. 

We also carried out a survey on SurveyMonkey. Here are  the results:

What popular Inide Pop/Rock songs can you list? 

American Idiot - Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Coldplay, The Kooks

What  would you expect in this artist/band's music video(s)?

Guitars, crowds, parades, dark lighting, representing the album's meaning, e.g. Jake Bugg's second album was about his home town and how hard it was growing up there so was set in Clifton, Nottingham, Both are usually in a natural, urban or city like environment. For the mellow songs something chill, minimal aesthetics. For the upbeat, them jumping around, a field rave type of atmosphere and just really happy vibes;

What do you think typically happens in an Indie Pop/Rock music video?

Person singing about how they feel and walk around different places, an unusual storyline that goes with the words of the song, violence, storyline

What would you like to see in our student music video?

INNOVATIVE IDEA

Typical Synopsis of 4 Indie Pop/Rock Music Videos

The 1975 - Settle Down 

The music video is completely black and white and is set in a working class industrial town. The video features 3 main scenes, two include a storyline following two boys who are being kept by their parents at home or with them at work. The other scene is of who we can assume is the lead singer. I think he is one of the older boys grown up, walking back through his old town, reminiscing of the shots shown. I interpret the story line as the two boys being in love, and despite the gay prejudice they receive from their parents who are trying to keep them apart, and the church, they still want to be together, defeating them (the falling). This gave me the idea of maybe using a child to represent my artist in some shots of my music video.



Paramore - Ain't It Fun
This music video has more of an unconventional story with the band trying to break as many world records as possible in a music video- for example: fastest time to smash 30 clocks with guitars, most vinyl records broken in a minute and most cartwheels done in 20 seconds while wearing boots. There are some lip synced shots including all 3 band members not doing any tasks but this is the only deviation from the main goal of breaking world records. (The record is now 10.) I could use these types of tasks seen in the music video as shots in my own to add some un-conventional themes to the story line. 



Coldplay - Midnight
A 1920s tune in the introduction introduces the plot of a 1920s magic show. The lyrics link to the plot line of the video as the lead singer talks about 'not want[ing] anyone else but you' as he is in love with his boss (the magicienne) but unfortuanetley, he cannot be with her until he makes her husband disappear. At the end of the music video, there is a dramatic plot twist, that he can actually perform magic instead of tricking the audience by using allusion - I could use this same idea in my own. 


5 Seconds of Summer - She Looks So Perfect 
There is no direct link (like Paramore's video) to the lyrics and the videos plot line accept for the in the chorus the line 'in my american Apparel underwear' where people strip to their underwear. The music video has a 'self pride' message with people of all ages, sexes and sizes striping near naked, exuberating with confidence.
Lots of close up shots of each band member lip syncing / playing are what we inter to do for out music video. 

9 Frame Analysis of 'Foundations' by Kate Nash

Kate Nash - Foundations

• 1s long
• The first shot appears on first beat and then changes quickly on next
• Cassette tape - very retro which links to the genre

• 1s long
• Appears on the second beat and changes quickly on the next
• The blue and pink toothbrush represent a male and female - linking to the theme of lyrics

• This is a longer shot lasting 3s
• This time there is an action in the shot appearing on beat changing the pattern shown previously
• This shot of her shoes lined up neatly are ruined by his football introducing a theme that runs throughout the video of their confilcting relationship

• 1s long
• The shot changes on the beat
• Represents two characters, one on the right we are yet to see. 
• They are playing a game - this may represent that they are playing a game also in their relationship

• 1s long  
• The music contradicts visual (rule 4) because the tempo has quickened while the video shows the woman looking bored.
• Close up of artist abides by rule 6 - demands of the record label. 
• Her exasperated look confirms the earlier suggested theme

• 2s long
• The action in this shot is a dice hitting a table on the beat, emphasizing it 
• The action of the die hitting the table is quite violent and emphasizes the lyrics which have the theme of a slightly violent, argumentative relationship. 

9 Frame Analysis of 'Don't Stop' by 5 Seconds of Summer

Collage - 'Indie-Rock'

In our music video we plan on showing shots of real action playing of instruments, performances of the 'band' playing the song and having 'qwerky' ideas to portray the lyrics like in the images above of The Killers (middle) and Kate Nash (left).

Award Winning Indie-Rock Music Videos

LORDE - Royals 

Award Show: MTV VMAs 2014
Award: Best Rock

In Lorde's video, it follows the basic narrative of the song; about their life being so mundane and basic.The first shot is an establishing shot which is circular as it is also at the very end but reversed, showing how their life repeats itself.

There a several shots of just her against a plain background lip syncing but everyone is different: either from different angles or distances making the video more interesting.

There is an awkward long shot near the end of the song at 2:18 that lasts for 26 seconds while she makes awkward eye contact with the camera. I've called this 'awkward' because it was very awkward to watch being used to the quick editing beforehand. However, we liked this idea and many use it in our video but maybe not for so long.

30 SECONDS TO MARS - Up in the Air

Award Show: MTV VMAs 2013

Award: Best Rock

At the beginning of the video we see the musicians dramatically walking towards their instrument, matching the tempo and tone of the introduction- setting a mood for the audience.

Differing from Lorde's, the shot changes with the beat, sometimes staying on the same shot for two counts at a time.

When the chorus is played "I wrap my hands so tight around your neck with love", the actor/ess in the  shot it miming the words and acting out the action of placing their hands around their neck. This is the only time where the video directly imitates the song.

COLDPLAY - Paradise

Award Show: MTV VMAs 2012

Award: Rock

The music video has a comedic value with the main character dressed as an elephant, escaping from a zoo and running around London. 

The chorus turns the video into a lyric video with the character holding up pieces of cardboard with lyrics on it as the song plays that line or phrase. We may want to use this technique during our verses. 

Like the 30 Seconds to Mars video, the shots change with the beat of the music. This seems to be a current occurrence sue to the genre having such a definite beat and rhythm. 

The video is also illustrative of the music, talking about escaping to a 'paradise'. We plan to take this approach quite literally in our music video. 

History of the genre: Indie Rock

Research the history of music videos for your chosen genre. Look at at least five music videos from 10 years ago to the present and comment on how the videos (and product) have developed.

MTV or 'music television' was launched in 1981 was the first real station to produce music videos or live performances (beside Top of the Pops). In 1984, MTV launched the first music video awards show - later named the VMAs.

Indie rock or alternative rock originated in the 1980s in the UK and USA and has many sub-genres such as punk rock, pop rock and punk rock. The term indie-rock comes from 'independent', describing the small and relatively low budget labels with a do-it-yourself attitude of the bands and artists- with a very 'filmed in your parents garage' feel and lyrically, a defiant, nonchalant attitude.  The genre indie-rock only hit mainstream in the 1990s with one of the most well known bands - Nirvana.


1980s INDIE-ROCK



NIRVANA - although a more punk rock band, in the 1980s, they were set under the genre of indie rock, due to the genre being so new. Comparing to Kate Nash however, they seem world apart. The lyrics although, have a very similar, meaningful and poetic base to them.
Comparing 'Smells like Teen Spirit' son the right, to Kate Nash's 'Mouthwash', this music video has a much more grunge feel, showing that the genre is diverse. The quality of the music video filmed over 20 years ago has a dirty sheen over it due to it's age. Although we don't want to use a basement as our main location, we want to have the same layout the band has- with several band members in a triangular format.

GREEN DAY's 1990 album 'Dookie' was said to have change music forever by defining indie-rock in the 90s.  The music video to 'Basket Case' would be classed as a that of a punk rock band, but again, the genre has changed and developed over the years, becoming more 'soft'. A common occurrence is also that the genre centres around a band more than an individual artist.
Green Day's music video has an electric vibe and uses numerous, interesting angles on close ups on the lead singer as well as other band members. This is typical of indie-rock music videos and is something we intend on using throughout our video.



1990s INDIE-ROCK

OASIS' released their single 'Wonderwall' has a very aged theme. Although released in 1995, has a very 70s theme; especially with the cutting of the frame to look like an old TV set. The use of turning the shot on a pivot gives the sense of confusion which fits in quite well with the lyrics of our song and would be affective.








2000s INDIE-ROCK

THE FRATELLIS' 2006 single 'Chelsea Dagger' is what I would call a classic indie-rock music video. With the alternative theme of vintage burlesque and shots of the band playing, however, it doesn't have that low budget feel which shows the genres progression into the 21st century. Having only three scenes: the burlesque stage, changing room and spotlight does throw the video back because it produces a narrative which is common feature of indie rock videos that has stayed throughout the genre's development.






MGMT's 'Kids' was released in 2009 and is a
clear opposite to what the genre would have been described as 10, 20 years ago. The music video, dramatic makeup and costume (costing a lot) is used to create the monsters. This contrasts with the typical indie-rock music video of being very instrumental and band based, however, there are shots of the band but they are dressed in very 'silver' outfits - not typical of the 'baggy t-shirt and jeans' genre.

What I Have Learnt from my Lip Syncing Task:

Digital Technology /Post - production

I learnt that several problems come with using a green screen. For example, if the natural lighting varies throughout the room, this can have a disastrous effect when applying the green screen effects later when editing due to the green either being lighter than the whole green sheet and being ignored by the computer or the sun making me look paler, therefore I sink into the background when edited. Therefore, people of darker skin would stand out against the background when edited.

Image 1

 Creating distance when filming with a green screen is difficult as you have to fit the whole green sheet into frame otherwise walls, lights etc, are not edited out easily. Because of this, we had to (poorly) film the shots with back up dancers and Snoop Dogg separately, then edit them together later. It would have been much easier to have some sort of green room to use.  

Creases in the sheet or clothing also create a dark shadow, ignored by the green screen. We had problems with this. (See image 1) 

Image 2

If clothes worn while filming were close to green (such as blue or yellow) they would not be picked up. (See image 2). To recreate the music video, we had to copy the key features of it. This music video was all in black and white. We did this by exporting out video in colour, and without the picture on picture, which we added on in a new project after exporting it. To download the original ‘Drop it like it’s hot’ music video, we had to use an online YouTube to video converter. We did the same for the music and then edited both so they would start 23 seconds in.

Creativity

Our props included ice cubes (made ourselves); a glass that was as similar to that in the music video as possible, several snapbacks, clothing changes such as t-shirts, hoodies and polo shirts; and a beard drawn on with black eyeliner.

Research and Planning

I made a detailed story board of every shot and its time in order to make editing much simpler. Whilst editing, I also referred back to the original music video very often to check that my music video flowed as well as the original.

Using Conventions

Image 3

I found the dance moves by Snoop Dogg and the backup dancers represented the lyrics in the song. For example, the lyric ‘park it like it’s hot’ the dancers and snoop dog can be seen ‘reversing a car’. There were several close up shots of Snoop Dogg and Pharrell William’s face with a harsh facial expression, common of the genre. We had to study these to recreate it ourselves. By recreating Snoop Dogg's signature facial hair with eyeliner, wearing snap backs, hoodies and baggy t-shirts, we represented the RnB/rap genre well.

Image 4

There were several shots over the 30 seconds: framing of these shots also varied greatly which added to the pace of the rap song due to the quick cross cutting, matching well with the songs tempo. When artists break the 4th wall (which is common with mean expressions such as (See image 3), it pushes the idea of a 'badman' rap image paired with the ostentatious bragging of large boats and 'bling'. (See image 4) 

Frame by Frame Storyboard - Drop It Like It's Hot

Lyrics in our 30 seconds:

[Chorus - Snoop Dogg]
When the pimp's in the crib ma
Drop it like it's hot
Drop it like it's hot
Drop it like it's hot
When the pigs try to get at ya
Park it like it's hot
Park it like it's hot
Park it like it's hot
And if a nigga get a attitude
Pop it like it's hot
Pop it like it's hot
Pop it like it's hot
I got the rolly on my arm and I'm pouring Chandon
And I roll the best weed cause I got it going on

[Verse - Pharrell Williams]
Uh! I'm a nice dude, with some nice dreams
See these ice cubes, see these Ice Creams?
Eligible bachelor, million dollar boat

That's whiter than what's spilling down your throat

Lip Syncing Task - Video Contendors

Today in class, we looked at some music videos that we had researched which within the first 30 seconds, had a lot of lip syncing.

#SELFIE - The Chainsmokers

Although hilarious, the first 30 seconds were very busy, and seemed to be too time consuming to film due to the club shots having to be filmed off site.

Pompeii - Bastille

We chose not to practice with this video due to the lack of lip syncing as it told more of a story.
















Drop It Like It's Hot - Snoop Dog ft. Pharrel Williams

We ended up choosing this music video as it mainly consists of lip syncing, has a variety of shots and scenes and we all know the song well.

Audience

Viewers, listeners and readers of a media text. A lot of media studies is concerned with how audience use texts and the effects a text may have on them. Also identified in demographic  socio-economic categories.

Representation

The way in which the media ‘re-presents’ the world around us in the form of signs and codes for audiences to read.