Types of music video abstract

Abstract Music Videos
 An abstract music video, unlike a narrative music video has no real connection to the lyrics and in many cases is quite artistic and distinctive. This allows the music video to be memorable and impressive to the audience. An example is Gary Jules’ cover of ‘Mad World’ which has children holding hands to make pictures from a bird’s eye view shot. It also has aspects of a performance video, but the main focus of attention is on the more abstract aspects. The video also relates largely to the song's lyrics, singing often about school and children which relates to the setting. But on the other hand the songs main meaning is of conformity and the tediousness of life, which is parly seen through the dull colour-scheme but is also contradicted due to the originality of the video. The music video is quite memorable due to its simplicity and originality. I think that an abstract video would be suitable my chosen genre(electronic) music video as its purpose is to stand out and be original, much like many indie bands which purposely stray from the ‘norm’.

Types of music videos performance

Performance Music Video

 A performance music video is a band or artist who performs the music video while lip-syncing to the recording song above. This is the most common kind of music video as it allows artists to advertise themselves as a brand and the audience to familiarize themselves with them. A performance video can be used by all genres of music as all artists wish to promote themselves through their self image. An example of this is 

Types of music video Hybrid video

Hybrid Music
Video A Hybrid music video is a combination of aspects from the other three video types, these are narrative, abstract, performance  This is extremely common in most music videos as many artists like to both tell a story and promote themselves at the same time. Having a hybrid video allows the audience to connect with both the band’s image and also the lyrics. An example of this is Blur’s song ‘Coffee and TV’ has aspects of all three genres. I would like to make a hybrid video as it would allow the video to be more interesting and memorable as it has aspects which would appeal to everyone.

Representation

Representation

• Representation in the media is how a person is branded to give them symbolic power.
• Everyone in the media is a representation of reality. How they are branded and created by producers is a technique used to sell an artist as a brand and appeal to a specific person in society.
• A way in which a celebrity is portrayed is through symbolism and signs which are read by the audience to portray a certain aspect of a person’s life.
• Representation is a two-way process: producers position a brand in relation to reality and audiences assess a text on its relationship to reality.
• The concept of representation began in the 1960s, new socialist movements were make such as feminist and civil rights movements. During this time the concept of a teenager was created.
• Many social groups were downgraded due to misrepresentation in the media and other institutes.
• Research by Busby: ‘Sex Role Research in the Media’ was feminist research and highlighted misrepresentation in the media.
• There was the question whether the media is fairly representing social groups in reality.
• The audience don’t have to follow the symbols the brand made, but may follow certain aspects of it.
• The Theory of Practice, Bourdieu. The relationship between knowing and doing, interpreting and using.

Chosen Genre and background information

For my chosen genre I have chosen Electronic music, this is because it encompass a wide range of different genres, with use of guitars, rap vocals, and several other cross overs it is one of the most diverse genres in use today, artists such as the prodigy, beck, Beastie boys, daft punk have shown how electronic music can range from almost all aspects of other genres whilst still being electronic music.


Electronic music, any music involving electronic processing, such as recording and editing on tape, and whose reproduction involves the use of loudspeakers. Any music produced or modified by electrical, electromagnetically, or electronic means can be called electronic music. Historically, electronic music is one aspect of the larger development of 20th-century music strongly characterized by a search for new technical resources and modes of expression.Electronic music is represented not only by a wide variety of 20th-century works, and not only by serious concert pieces, but also by a substantial literature of theatre, film, and television scores and by multimedia works that use all types of audiovisual techniques. Perhaps the most important development in electronic music is the use of digital computers. The kinds of computers employed range from large mainframe, general-purpose machines to special-purpose digital circuits expressly designed for musical uses. 

Star Image

Star Image

All Pop stars have a certain identity or persona which is not restricted to their musicianship. A true pop star has a lasting significance and has ‘brand awareness' among a wider market over a long period of time.

A stars image becomes a a recognized sign that is used through many different media forms. Artists use this to their advantage and will use their image as a meaning of allowing it to be used for advertising purposes.

Example-

Eminem continues this font throughout all of his advertising and merchandise; therefore his fans will be drawn towards these things if there is an existing image that he uses throughout his music.

Richard Dyers Theory-

1) Stars are artificial images which are constructed purely because they will know it will appeal to their target audience. Artists can be copied or parodied because of this certain image the artists are portraying.

'A Star is an image not a real person that is constructed (as other aspects of fiction is) out of a range of materials'

2) Industry and Audience

Stars are made to appeal to the audiences with will generate revenue for the artists record companies. Record companies nurture their stars, they shape their artists to what they think will appeal most the the artists target audience and to the general public.

'Stars are commodities produced and consumed on the strength of their meanings'

3) Ideology and culture

Stars promote a certain ideology by the shared cultural values and attitudes that they represent. The audience will have interests in these values which will then enhance their 'Star Quality'. If the artists convey certain beliefs, ideas and opinions outside the music, it helps to create their star persona.

4) Character and Personality

The artists are simply constructed into stars. A star first begins as a 'real' human but they are then transformed into a star (construction). The stars provide audiences with a focus, which will make them appeal to the public. It is much easier for a pop star to establish their personality and character than a film star for example, purely for the fact that they have much more consistency. A pop stars persona is constructed but is continually reconstructed and reassessed. Second album syndrome is when an artist is unable to sustain their particular persona overtime.

Star image will be relevant to my work because we will consider many of these aspects when producing out music video, digi pack and magazine advert. When choosing our band members, we will need to think about what image they would have and what style would suit the band and appeal to the target audience. We will also need to think about what sort of a recognised sign that our band will use throughout all their albums and merchandise so that they will instantly be recognised by their fans.

We are going to support the theory of Star Image by using the same font throughout our digipak which will be widely recognised and associated with the band.

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