music video: an introduction

Music Promo Video: An Introduction

ADVANCED PORTFOLIO IN MEDIA

An Overview of Key Terms

Major Record Labels The music industry is dominated by four multi

national corporations;

• Universal• Sony Music• Warner Brothers• EMI

These are referred to as ‘The Majors’. The majority of these are backed by conglomerates with stakes in other industries such as; Film, TV and Electronics.

Major-Independents Most of these ‘Majors’ own, or license, a series of

smaller subsidiary companies in order to reach different kinds of audiences in different kinds of genre.

Columbia Island Syco RCA Virgin, These companies are known as ‘major-

independents’.

Independents There are a huge number of small companies

with little or no financial connection to the majors. These companies often concentrate on a small

number of acts, within specialised niches in the industry.

These are called ‘Independents’. An example of a highly successful independent is ‘Domino Records’.

It is often that record labels begin as independents, but then are bought by a major and then become major-independents.

Types of MusicArtists can be divided into two clear categories Organic Synthetic

Organic The term ‘Organic’ is used to describe

bands where the music comes first, they make the kind of music they want to make and then the record labels (if signed) try and sell this music to the correct market segment.

‘Organic’ music often appeals to a niche, but can appeal to a mass audience too.

Synthetic The ‘Synthetic’ refers to the ‘Xfactor’

methodology, and it is the record labels that sit in the driving seat.

A gap in the market is identified, and then it is exploited by the development of music, and often the artist, to suit this gap.

Money is the ultimate goal in this operation. Acts such as; The Spice Girls, McFly and JLS are good examples of “manufactured” artists.

Synergy The Music Video exists as only one strand

of a multimedia campaign, and is just one way in which a song is promoted.

The industry as a whole has a complex relationship with a number of different media and purposes; Radio, TV, Print media, Film, New Media.

There is often a clear sense of synergy across a number of platforms.

Music Promo video

What is the purpose of a music promo video?

Purpose of a Music Promo video

Promotional Extension of income Extension of outlets (music channel,

direct DVD and CD sales, website, download)

Synergy (films, TV programmes)

Promotional Advertisement Illustrates the song Appeals to a visual audience Expresses an individual’s emotions Tells a story Markets an image Creates a brand

Creating a Brand Often artists/groups are sold as a brand and

the music video acts as a product of the brand, in the hope that the audience will be inspired to “buy into the brand”

For some artists the ‘image’ is of greater importance than the quality of the product. The Spice Girls are a good example of this.

Other times it is the song and the meaning of the song that is sold, and the artists ‘image’ has little to do with the sale of the song.

Marketing an imageCompare the two artists

Lady Gaga

Bad Romance http://www.youtube.com/w

atch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I

Adele

Someone Like You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLQl3WQQoQ0

STAR THEORY RICHARD DYER

Stars As Constructions Dyer believes artists are constructed

through artificial images such as advertising, films, magazines and music.

He claims that consumers prefer artists to convey their true emotions themselves and not be groomed by record labels who try to create a fake image for them.

A “real” artist can use this as their unique selling point.

Industry And Audiences Richard Dyer also believes that stars are

manufactured to make money for their record labels by appealing to target audiences.

As a result of this record labels have to market different artists to cater for certain target audiences as there are both niche and whole markets.

Examples of record labels doing this can be seen through Mirror branding, both Rage Against The Machine and Joe McElderry are signed to Sony Music.

Ideology And Culture Another one of Dyers beliefs within his Star

Theory is that artists become trendsetters in the sense that audience members will imitate hairstyles and artists clothing styles.

Artists may have certain religious beliefs and cultural values that audiences may also pick up on if shared by the artist.

The internet has meant audiences now have far greater access to the “personal” lives of stars.

Character And Personality Presented as 'real' human beings Stars support hegemony/dominant

ideology of their time/ generation - glorified versions of 'us'

Stars are representations of the contradictions/reinforced ideas of the music industry.

Extension of outlets Music channel Direct DVD and CD sales Website Download

The End of the Music Channel? With competition from a variety of online

platforms, music channels are no longer the strong promotional platforms they once were.

In many ways the music video channel is in danger of becoming defunct and irrelevant.

Online streaming and downloads mean that music videos are instantly accessible.

Gone are the days of TOTP!

Extension of Income Promotes the artist/single/album Persuades audience to buy –

CD/download Raises the audience awareness or

profile of the artist/group Product placement e.g. Christine

Aguillera & perfume (Not Myself Tonight)

Synergy Films TV programmes Definition – works to the mutual benefit of

both film/TV programme and artist

Sky Fall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StJLvbPIvTw Military Wives http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hR6O7VxKaQ Why is synergy a good thing ?

Music Promo video

How might we measure the success criteria of a music promo video?

Music Promo video Word of mouth Number of hits on Youtube Newspaper articles/TV reports How many times shown on television Amount of publicity Downloads (legal/illegal) Charts CD sales

KEY CONVENTIONS

Key features Andrew Goodwin

in Dancing in the Distraction Factory (1992) has identified the following features of music videos:

Key features

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (eg stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).

There is frequently reference to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos, etc).

Key features It is also worth considering: Whether the video is primarily

performance-based, narrative-based or concept-based and how elements of each are used in it.

You can use Goodwin’s categories to analyse music videos for yourself.

Relation of Visuals to Song

There are three ways in which music videos work to promote a song

Illustrate Amplify

Disjunctur

e

Music videos can use a set of images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics & genre, this is the most common

This is similar to repeatability. Meanings and effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the video and drummed into our visionThis is where the

meaning of the song is completely ignored

Narrative & Performance Songs fail to give us the complete narrative!

We only tend to get a gist of the meaning of the song

and then tend to make up our own idea of what is being told.

Goodwin explains that music videos should ignore common narrative. It is important in their role of advertising.

Music videos should have coherent repeatability. Narrative and performance work hand in hand. It makes it easier for the audience to watch over and over without losing interest.

The artist acting as both narrator & participant helps to increase the authenticity however the lip synch and other mimed actions remains the heart of music videos. The audience need to believe this is real.

What makes it memorable? To make an artistic statement – e.g. Talking Heads ‘Once in a

Lifetime’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1wg1DNHbNU

Ok Go – “Here it Goes Again” “White Knucklers” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHlJODYBLKs

Lady Gaga “Born This Way” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw

Why are these good examples of a promo video? How do they achieve a range of different promotional aspects?

How does a Music video get made?

Case study 1 Director – Jamie Thraves Made short films at University Used award-winning short film as a

‘calling card’ to get a ‘foot in the door’ with the video production company Factory Films

Began by shooting three very low budget music videos – cost about £5,000 each

Case study 1 This is how the process works: A ‘Commissioner’ from a record label

sends a track to 5-10 directors The directors then each submit a

treatment This stage is unpaid The director who has submitted the

‘best’ treatment is then commissioned to make the video

Only then is the director paid

Case study 1 As can be seen for many directors

in the business it is a precarious existence where their livelihood is dependent on each commission

Jamie Thraves submitted treatments for his two best known videos and each was accepted

Case study 1

1. Radiohead – Just £100,000 budget Shot in three days2. Coldplay – The Scientist £200,000 budget Shot in three days

Case study 1 Radiohead Just

ColdplayThe

Scientist

Case study 1 Jamie Thraves – most recent video – Japanese

Popstars – Song for Lisa Currently videos cost about £20,000 Shooting time – 2 days Jamie has used the music videos to get into the

film business Has so far shot three features: The Low Down The Cry of the Owl Treacle Jr

Case study 1 Jamie’s TipsUse the lyrics but try not to be too literal

Most importantly – go with the emotion of the lyrics

CASE STUDY 2 Emil Nava Began as a

runner for film production companies

Worked for Blink Productions

Now freelances for OB Management

CASE STUDY 2 After working as a runner graduated to

Assistant Director (A.D.) where he would manage the video shoots

He signed to Academy – who are the biggest music video production company

Then worked for Between the Eyes and now works mainly for Pulse

CASE STUDY 2 Has now begun to make adverts, which

generally have a far higher budget and production values but which allow for less creative freedom

CASE STUDY 2 At his busiest Emil has made 24 music

videos in one year When he began shooting videos for

independent labels the budget would be as low as £5,000 to £10,000

His most expensive video to date has been for Jessie J and the budget was £160,000

CASE STUDY 2 Emil’s first budget was for the band Kid British

and the track Our House Budget - £20,000 Location – Manchester Cast – local people 1 day for filming 2/3 days for editing 10 days pre-production Demonstrates the very tight timescales

involved

CASE STUDY 2 Kid British – Our House

CASE STUDY 2 – OB Management

OB Management work as agents for music video directors

Their aim is to: Nurture talent Work with production companies Work with record labels Match the right director to the right artists

CASE STUDY 2 Some of the Production Companies that

OB work with are: Pulse Films Rocket Agile Films Friends Wonda

CASE STUDY 2 – Emil Nava’s Videos

Paloma Faith ‘30 Minute Love Affair' Client Sony - Director Emil Nava http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0O2DfNRxv4

CASE STUDY 2 Paloma Faith 'Picking Up the Pieces' Client Sony - Director Emil Nava Cost - £80,000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijel4Vcqd9g

CASE STUDY 2 Ed Sheeran 'Lego House' Client Atlantic - Director Emil Nava http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4BLVznuWnU

CASE STUDY 2 Jessie J 'Do It Like A Dude' Client Island - Director Emil Nava Cost - £25,000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOf3kYtwASo

CASE STUDY 2 Rita Ora 'RIP' Client RocNation - Director Emil Nava http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1l9WST5lXM

CASE STUDY 2 Ed Sheeran 'You Need Me' Client Atlantic - Director Emil Nava Cost - £35,000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXvzzTICvJs

CASE STUDY 2 Jessie J 'Price Tag' Client Island Director Emil Nava http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI

CASE STUDY 2 Emil’s Top Tip Use Extreme Close

Up on faces wherever possible

Do not shoot whole of video in medium shot/long shot

Example – Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares to U

Godley & Crème - Cry

CASE STUDY 3 Alex Southam Also freelances for

OB Management Trained as a lawyer

but decided to go in a new direction and work in film

Began making music videos to learn ‘the trade’

CASE STUDY 3 Has worked for Agile Films who describe

him on their website as: ‘Alex Southam is an exciting new talent,

working in a dizzying variety of styles across live action and animation. Entirely self-taught, his inventiveness and creativity have caught the eye with a series of diverse promos for the likes of the Walkmen, Alt+J and Lianne La Havas. Alex joined Agile in August 2012.’

CASE STUDY 3 To begin with

Southam undertook all the tasks on his videos

Camera Lighting Editing Now uses a

Director of Photography

CASE STUDY 3 Southam likes the format of music

videos as, ‘you can try new techniques and can have real artistic freedom’

He is less keen on commercials as they allow for ‘much less freedom’

He uses Vimeo to showcase his videos – this is becoming an increasingly important platform as it is considered to have ‘higher status’ than YouTube

CASE STUDY 3 His

breakthrough came with the video Tesselate for Alt J

Budget £10,000

1 day shoot Large cast Special effects

– used AfterEffects

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg6BwvDcANg

CASE STUDY 3 Chase & Status – Lost and Not Found £50,000 budget Filmed Los Angeles Used Steadicam Filmed at 36 frames per second then slowed down Influenced by Massive Attack’s Unfinshed

Sympathy Went for an early 1990s VHS video look Only three shots in whole video – can you spot the

edits?

CASE STUDY 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-w1n

mEQ7IM