I have a vast collection of Kerrang /RockSound magazines I recently re-discovered. Due to our genre of Indie Pop/Rock not often featured in magazines such as Cosmpolitan or Vogue, I thought it best to look for more pop artists featured in these typical alternative rock magazines.
Images of some album covers we found in the magazines above. We expected to find more album adverts than we did; instead, loads of tour adverts with dates were being advertised. This might link to the fact that a lot of these magazines were spring/summer editions, so advertising for tours over the summer occurs a lot.
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...
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?
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.
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.
