OCR will expect candidates to be able to utilise narrative theory with regard to coursework/films/media texts and productions.
Story: the story of cinderella is....
Narrative: order the story is told but also the style it uses and representations.
Fims with different narrative structures: Pulp Fiction, loop narrative; Donnie Darko; Loop Narrative; Slum Dog Millionaire; Love actually, parrelel and convergent narrative.
Why do we have different narrative structures and styles?
Part of the human condition is that we don;t dream or remember or imagine events (real or not) in linear order.
The human mind needs narrative to make sense of things
in everything we seek a beginning, a middle and an end.
we nunderstand and construct meaning using our experience of reality and of previous texts. Eachtext becomes part of the previous and the next to through relationship with the audience.
Narratives do not take place in real time but many telescope out i.e a slow motion replay of a goal.
BARTHES CODE;
What he nasically says is that a text is like a tangled ball of threads which needs unravelling. So we seperate out the colours. Once we start to unravel texct, we encounter an absolute plurality of potential meaning. We can start by looking at a narrative in one way, from one viewpoint, bringing to bear one set of previous experience, and create one meaning for that text.
Audiences bring diffferent psychological and socialogical/cultural baggae to text. Conttext and where you view a text is important.
TODOROV's Theory;
Equilibrium - Disequilibrium - Equilibrium
High Plains Drifters
PROPP's Theory;
Influenced by fairy tales. The characters have a specific function; applies to action/adventure films predominantly.
CLAUDE LEVI_STRAUSE;
Constant creation of conflict/opposition propels narrative. Narrative can only end on a resolution of conflict. Opposition can be visual (love/hate, Control/panic), and to do with soundtrack. Binary Opposites.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Textual analysis of Muse’s Dark Star
Music video by Muse performing Dead Star: Videowith John Cornfield [Producer], Muse [Producer](C) 2002 Motor Music/ Taste Media Ltd.
Media Forms and Conventions:
Muse are an alternative rock band who create a mix of electronic rock music to rock anthems and ballads. The song Dark star is a heavier darker rock song in which the video reflects by using certain techniques and conventions. The most notable reflection of this is the use of lighting. The director has chosen to shoot almost all of the video using back lighting to create an almost chiaroscuro effect that highlights and outlines the three band members as well as other focused points of interest in the mise en scene and props. The chiaroscuro effect is added to by the use of the bands costumes who all wearing either black or white clothing as well as Matt’s white guitar, Chris’ black bass guitar and Dom’s black drum kit. The Lighting that creates a sense of darkness and coldness that is unified with the ‘gritty’ and desolate location are both well combined with use of a blue filter either on the camera or post production that fits the cold and dark feeling of the song.
The quick cutaways and pace of the video reflects the pace of the song with each cut in sync with the song. Also the cutaways produce a feeling of disillusion and hostility that reflects the distorted song’s style and muse’s self image. Also the effects used with the camera and via post production reflect the sense of surrealism and adverse settings such as hand held cameras that are unsteady and with tracking movements and tilts create a feeling of surrealism as the audience may not know where they are being put in relation to the location. Also the use of quick zooms and stopmotion makes the audience uneasy. Also the use of blurred shots, short takes, focus pulls and other visual effects reflects the distorted guitar and heavy rock sound of the music.
The use of extreme close ups, close ups and zooms in and out produce a complex and confusing structure that lacks any narrative structure other than the band playing in a dark secluded basement. The use of the basement and hand held cameras as well as a chiaroscuro lighting and a blue filter may be a reference to the film ‘Blair Witch Project that’s soundtrack includes artist not to dissimilar to Muse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAiVszTl0vA
Media Forms and Conventions:
Muse are an alternative rock band who create a mix of electronic rock music to rock anthems and ballads. The song Dark star is a heavier darker rock song in which the video reflects by using certain techniques and conventions. The most notable reflection of this is the use of lighting. The director has chosen to shoot almost all of the video using back lighting to create an almost chiaroscuro effect that highlights and outlines the three band members as well as other focused points of interest in the mise en scene and props. The chiaroscuro effect is added to by the use of the bands costumes who all wearing either black or white clothing as well as Matt’s white guitar, Chris’ black bass guitar and Dom’s black drum kit. The Lighting that creates a sense of darkness and coldness that is unified with the ‘gritty’ and desolate location are both well combined with use of a blue filter either on the camera or post production that fits the cold and dark feeling of the song.
The quick cutaways and pace of the video reflects the pace of the song with each cut in sync with the song. Also the cutaways produce a feeling of disillusion and hostility that reflects the distorted song’s style and muse’s self image. Also the effects used with the camera and via post production reflect the sense of surrealism and adverse settings such as hand held cameras that are unsteady and with tracking movements and tilts create a feeling of surrealism as the audience may not know where they are being put in relation to the location. Also the use of quick zooms and stopmotion makes the audience uneasy. Also the use of blurred shots, short takes, focus pulls and other visual effects reflects the distorted guitar and heavy rock sound of the music.
The use of extreme close ups, close ups and zooms in and out produce a complex and confusing structure that lacks any narrative structure other than the band playing in a dark secluded basement. The use of the basement and hand held cameras as well as a chiaroscuro lighting and a blue filter may be a reference to the film ‘Blair Witch Project that’s soundtrack includes artist not to dissimilar to Muse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAiVszTl0vA
textul analysis of Muse's 'Hysteria'
The video is totally narrative based with no performance element. The video starts with a long shot down a corridor of a hotel with a hotel maid at the end. The use of blurred shots, sudden pace change in music and editing, hard to define images and ellipses reflected the man’s fatigue and shock as he awakes when the maid tries to open the door. The following shots are establishing shots for the rest of the video in which the protagonist is seen looking around his trashed hotel room looking worried and confused and finding a hand held camera on the floor. Through the use of the cameras play back through the Hotel TV the music video shows the man stalking a woman whilst through cross cutting and ellipses the man is seen become more angered, with a e/c of the man’s face as he goes from calm to shacking violently and gritting his teeth. The video within the music video reveals how the man seems to stalk the girl and get her back to his hotel room but then appears to hit her and she leaves whilst cutaways show the protagonist smashing the hotel room’s TV and pictures. The last minute of the song shows a combination of the man trashing the hotel, the woman running away now in normal camera view ( rather than hand held camera), the man screaming in an e/c of his face, the woman being filmed as she seductively strips for the man and the man filming the incident. The use of a hand held camera on the TV and normal camera views help the viewer workout the time scale of the narrative as in the recorded footage would suggest being recorded yesterday etc. but as the video goes on the point in which she runs out and he is smashing up the room suggest the time scales have become parrelel as the camera changes from hand held to normal camera for the womans shots. This parallel editing creates a converging narrative structure although beforehand it was flashback based.
The band use inter-texuality and reference other media texts such as the first long shot of the hotel maid with a vacuum cleaner along a long corridor that the camera tracks down is a reference to rock legends Pink Floyd and their film ‘The Wall’ in which the same composition of a shot of a hotel maid with a vacuum cleaner is used as the first shot of the film. Also the film references the films protagonist who is seen trashing a hotel room.
The lyrics of the song reflect the narrative of the song as well as the title itself as the man creates hysteria within the hotel room. The chorus goes as follows;
'cause I want it now
I want it now
give me your heart and your soul
and I'm breaking out
I'm breaking outlast chance to lose control
Which almost seem to sum up the narrative of the song in which the protagonist stalks and wants to have this woman so much so that when he can’t have her he looses control.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Attic location shots
The Attic space we are going to use is suitable and fitting for the alternative rock genre, as well as the dark lyrics of the song. This due to the dark lighting as well as the chairoscurro effect produced by the roof windows. Also the brick wall could be a reference to another influential alternative rock band 'Pink Floyd' and their album and film 'the wall' from which the iconic white brick wall originates from.
Aesthitically the attic may appeal to the audience as it is a derelict place and seems cold and gritty. The dusty floor and old beams also give a individual and unusually appealing look to the attic that the audience may enjoy.
using the attic is also beneficial for effects and practicalities. Due to the small space in the attic the performance shots will look claustrophobic connoting a gig like atmosphere. The lighting in the attic not only include the nature lighting from the windows but also a bright back light to produce sharp shadows and highlight the band. The back light also connoting a gig like atmosphere for the performance element of the video as it acts much like lighting on a stage.
Sunday, 11 October 2009
How are contemporary media issues changing ‘the music video’?
The invention of music videos is normally accredited to 1970s band Queen, who, in November 1975, found they were unable to appear on BBC TV's Top Of The Pops due to tour commitments. Their solution to the problem was to spend two days and under £4,000 on recording a video for their latest single, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' to be shown in their place. It was a decision that inspired many other acts to do the same and by the early 1980s. But Queen were not the first band to do this. To attain that accolade they would have had to travel back a decade before.
The Beatles were always at the forefront of the technology of music. The same group that pioneered backward loops, the sitar, and feedback can also be said to have invented the music video. Therefore, on 23 November, 1965, they make a series of promotional films specifically designed to be broadcast by television companies throughout the world. Videos of 'We Can Work It Out', 'Day Tripper', 'Help!', 'Ticket To Ride' and 'I Feel Fine' were filmed. Less sophisticated than the segments that appeared in the film Help, they nevertheless managed to capture the energy and sense of humour that the Beatles were famous for.
Music videos then took a different direction with Michael Jackson’s short films, in the 80’s.Such as; Thriller, Moonwalker, and Bad.Michael Jackson’s music videos all included a narrative structure that appealed greatly to his target audience and started a convention for music videos to come. Due to these elaborate films the expenses were very high. This was money well spent as the video’s advertised his music to a wide audience.
As time has gone on and technology has developed music videos have become less necessary to bands and artists due to various other mediums such as spotify, last.fm, MP3 players and social networks. For example Radiohead’s album ‘In Rainbows’ had no official videos and left it up to the fans to create animated videos of any track on the album. This shows that normal music videos are not so exciting any more for alternative bands to make it different and challenging for audiences.
Michael Jackson appealed to a wide audience however today with contemporary media issues changing music videos are tending to be targeting niche audiences.For example, sites such as Blogoteque and Guerrilla Videos, are creating music video for unique alternative bands such as fleet foxes and arcade fire, in unconventional locations such as in a lift and in the back of a black cab, for less money and which takes less time to make. This is an original idea and make it new and appealing for the bands particular audiences. Also this give more power to the band and their fans, ie Daft Hands (made by a fan), and less power and control to the record label, who used to organise all music videos for the artists.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Shooting Maps
The shooting maps shows in order of above; the wherry street bridge that is imitating the bands promo pictures. The secound is the establishing shot that connects the band to the girl in which we will hopefully use the brick chimney to act as a fake wall in which we will shoot the band on oneside and the girl on the other. The next is the girl standing at the window of the attic looking passed the camera with the natural light coming from behind producing a profile shot of the girl. The next shot is of the girl at her desk with only a desk light and a light to the side the shot will be quite dark but hopefully highlighting the girl and drawing focus to her. The next shot is of the drummer in which the the camera moves to the right and pivots to keep focus on the drummer. With the lighting from the back left behind and behind right the lighting will draw focus to the drummer and produce a clear shot of the drummer. The next shot is the shot of the band set up in the attic in which we will have lighting from behind to show the band but have no back light so the band are not in profile.
Audience Appeal
- Identification with who you want to be, who you don't want to be and who you are not.
- The girls mise lead identification and aspiration to be like the band creating a weird and interesting character.
- The mise en scene is also aesthictically pleasing. We will hopefully use lights to create dark and light spots in the shot to draw attention to certain aspects of the shot. Also the use of a dark attic will hopefully feel claustraphobic and close in creating dark atmoshphere.
- May also appeal to the audience through the girl's aspiration to be like the band in which the audience may also aspire to be in a successful rock band.
- Escapism as everyone has someone they aspire up to be even though not reflected in the same manner as the girl.
- The use of the 2 other locations other than the attic may also add to the interest of the video.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Treatment
The song we chose was 'Ignorance is Choice' by the Norwich based band 'Kapok' who are a 4 piece rock band who consist of Joe Mazzei, Marcus Gooda, Alex Munford and Olly Kirby all of which will be performing in the video along with the only other character played by Tess Little. We chose the song as it is the song the band hope to release as a single/EP as well as the vibrant change in tempo and structure of the song which will be challenging but hopefully succeesful to edit to choreograph the music with the video. The video like many rock band's videos has an element of performance in it as well as a short narrative that is both linear and parallel with use of the band and narrative as well as being interweaving and circular at the end as both the performance element and narrative congeal and converge as well as referring back to the first shot in the video. We also use flashbacks/dreamsequences in the video in which the band are seen performing at certain locations from which the girl in the video has pictures of the band in those locations.
In the naarative we have a girl who is obsessed with the band and with an unhealthy addiction the girl is reluctant to see how truly close the band are with them being next door to her strange kapok themed office/room. With the band in the know about there number one strange fan the band spy on there stalker whilst the girl gazes at pictures of, writes letters for and cries over the band. Throughout the video we see the girls collection of band memorabilia that we see the girl add to as well as gaze over in which we see pictures of the bands promotional shots in which we then go from still images to moving pictures, sometimes using stopmotion to connote pictures, and seeing the band in these locations. With the end few shots and enigma answering scene in which the girl is gazing at a picture of the band and finally notices Joe ( the lead singer) looking back at her and she drops the photo bringing the video into a full loop as the first shot is of the girl looking at a picture but we do not know who is in the picture but the last shot reveals it is a shot of the band at the wherry bridge in norwich as the picture smashes on the floor.
The connotations of narrative refer back to the title and lyrics of the song as the girl is closer to what she wants than she thinks, thus connoting her ignorance, but always not quite in reach connoting the lyrics;
War, in your mind,
ruthless means to fight,
this knowledge that we hide.
As the girl is in a despondent mind set in which she hides away from the fact that she is so close to what she wants.
The locations we are going to use are my attic, wherry street bridge and the UEA campus. With the performance element in the dark and small attic as well as the girls room in the attic and then the flashbacks/dreamsquences in the UEA and wherry street bridge.
For costumes we are going to use conventional rock band outfits for the band themselves and for Tess we are going to use smudged make up and torn and tatered clothing to show her oddness and despondency. This is also going against conventional and stereotypical representations in music videos and other media texts. The male gaze won't be a representational issue hopefully in the video as we see the girl in tattered clothing as said above going against stereotypical 'slutty' outfits and costumes that women wear in music videos. Also the fact that the girl is the stalker and the band as a whole is being stalked is an odd representation and going against normal representation in which men are the antagonists and a girl is the one being stalked.
Videos that influenced our music video are muse's 'hysteria' and 'dead star', Reverend and the Makers''open your window' and Radiohead's 'There, There'. Muse's 'hysteria' was influential due to it's use of fat cuts and narrative structure. The fast cuts and editing is influential as the 'Hysteria' has the same sort of tempo and quickness that makes the video and song exciting. The narrative structure itself follows a man who follows and stalks a girl and brings her back to his room in which the narrative uses a parallel strucutre to sshow the man wrecking his motel room after watching back the video of him and the girl that he stalks. The narrative and structure influence are own video with its use of a strange antagonist who is stalking a girl. The 'dead star' video by muse influenced us due to it using a dark and claustrophobic area in which the band was performing to the same fast cut and quick edits that we want to use in our video. Radioheads' 'There, there' influenced us with the use of stop motion camera work that we want to use in our flashbacks/dreamsequences to connote pictures being taken at the UEA and the bridge. Reverend and the Makers' 'Open your Window' influenced our narrative as the band and the protagonist actor in the narrative are next door to each other and merge and converge towards the end of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAiVszTl0vA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7la0SndoCI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BumUKjZFOtw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs1DX32t38c
In the naarative we have a girl who is obsessed with the band and with an unhealthy addiction the girl is reluctant to see how truly close the band are with them being next door to her strange kapok themed office/room. With the band in the know about there number one strange fan the band spy on there stalker whilst the girl gazes at pictures of, writes letters for and cries over the band. Throughout the video we see the girls collection of band memorabilia that we see the girl add to as well as gaze over in which we see pictures of the bands promotional shots in which we then go from still images to moving pictures, sometimes using stopmotion to connote pictures, and seeing the band in these locations. With the end few shots and enigma answering scene in which the girl is gazing at a picture of the band and finally notices Joe ( the lead singer) looking back at her and she drops the photo bringing the video into a full loop as the first shot is of the girl looking at a picture but we do not know who is in the picture but the last shot reveals it is a shot of the band at the wherry bridge in norwich as the picture smashes on the floor.
The connotations of narrative refer back to the title and lyrics of the song as the girl is closer to what she wants than she thinks, thus connoting her ignorance, but always not quite in reach connoting the lyrics;
War, in your mind,
ruthless means to fight,
this knowledge that we hide.
As the girl is in a despondent mind set in which she hides away from the fact that she is so close to what she wants.
The locations we are going to use are my attic, wherry street bridge and the UEA campus. With the performance element in the dark and small attic as well as the girls room in the attic and then the flashbacks/dreamsquences in the UEA and wherry street bridge.
For costumes we are going to use conventional rock band outfits for the band themselves and for Tess we are going to use smudged make up and torn and tatered clothing to show her oddness and despondency. This is also going against conventional and stereotypical representations in music videos and other media texts. The male gaze won't be a representational issue hopefully in the video as we see the girl in tattered clothing as said above going against stereotypical 'slutty' outfits and costumes that women wear in music videos. Also the fact that the girl is the stalker and the band as a whole is being stalked is an odd representation and going against normal representation in which men are the antagonists and a girl is the one being stalked.
Videos that influenced our music video are muse's 'hysteria' and 'dead star', Reverend and the Makers''open your window' and Radiohead's 'There, There'. Muse's 'hysteria' was influential due to it's use of fat cuts and narrative structure. The fast cuts and editing is influential as the 'Hysteria' has the same sort of tempo and quickness that makes the video and song exciting. The narrative structure itself follows a man who follows and stalks a girl and brings her back to his room in which the narrative uses a parallel strucutre to sshow the man wrecking his motel room after watching back the video of him and the girl that he stalks. The narrative and structure influence are own video with its use of a strange antagonist who is stalking a girl. The 'dead star' video by muse influenced us due to it using a dark and claustrophobic area in which the band was performing to the same fast cut and quick edits that we want to use in our video. Radioheads' 'There, there' influenced us with the use of stop motion camera work that we want to use in our flashbacks/dreamsequences to connote pictures being taken at the UEA and the bridge. Reverend and the Makers' 'Open your Window' influenced our narrative as the band and the protagonist actor in the narrative are next door to each other and merge and converge towards the end of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAiVszTl0vA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7la0SndoCI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BumUKjZFOtw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs1DX32t38c
Initial ideas and developement of ideas
Initially we wanted a chase scene in a post war/apocalyptic mise en scene with a couple trying to seek refuge at the bands' safehouse/gig. But due to this being very hard for us students to create/locate a satisfying and realistic location. So this lead to us wanting to change the location to a forrest, thetford forrest as a location, but however with a weak link in with the narrative to the band and potentially a loss of interest by the audience we wanted to change the narrative but keep the gritty and dark location where the band would b performing. This lead to us wanting to a create a character who was obsessed with the band and followed and stalked them everywhere.
With an unhealthy addiction the girl is reluctant to see how truly close the band are with them being next door to her strange kapok themed office/room. With the band in the know about there number one strange fan the band spy on there stalker whilst the girl gazes at pictures of, writes letters for and cries over the band. With the end few shots and enigma answering scene in which the girl is gazing at a picture of the band and finally notices Joe ( the lead singer) looking back at her and she drops the photo bringing the video into a full loop as the first shot is of the girl looking at a picture but we do not know who is in the picture but the last shot reveals it is a shot of the band at the wherry bridge in norwich as the picture smashes on the floor.
With an unhealthy addiction the girl is reluctant to see how truly close the band are with them being next door to her strange kapok themed office/room. With the band in the know about there number one strange fan the band spy on there stalker whilst the girl gazes at pictures of, writes letters for and cries over the band. With the end few shots and enigma answering scene in which the girl is gazing at a picture of the band and finally notices Joe ( the lead singer) looking back at her and she drops the photo bringing the video into a full loop as the first shot is of the girl looking at a picture but we do not know who is in the picture but the last shot reveals it is a shot of the band at the wherry bridge in norwich as the picture smashes on the floor.
Cast
We will be using Tess little as our protagonist/antagonist and the band members themselves for the music video.
Tess little will play the girl who is in love with the band and stalks the band to an unhealthy and extreme manner. We chose Tess due her quality as an actress as well as her ability to act strange and disturbing as well as her agreeing to dress and look crazy and weird.
Joe Mazzei, Marcus Gooda, Alex Munford, Olly Kirby. We want to use the band members themselves so the band themselves are promoted as well as for practical reasons as they are best at playing their own song.
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Marcus Good: The movement and motion blur in this picture suggests the energy that the band and Marcus express in their music. With the vigourous intensity and movement in there performances, such as above, that will be reflected in the performance element of the video.
Tess little will play the girl who is in love with the band and stalks the band to an unhealthy and extreme manner. We chose Tess due her quality as an actress as well as her ability to act strange and disturbing as well as her agreeing to dress and look crazy and weird.
Joe Mazzei, Marcus Gooda, Alex Munford, Olly Kirby. We want to use the band members themselves so the band themselves are promoted as well as for practical reasons as they are best at playing their own song.
Tess Little:
As the picture may suggest, Tess can be a little more strange than expected. The picture connoting the perfect actress we need for the video which is a strange and obsessive girl, much like the picture shows, how is caged in to her herself and the band.
.jpg)
Marcus Good: The movement and motion blur in this picture suggests the energy that the band and Marcus express in their music. With the vigourous intensity and movement in there performances, such as above, that will be reflected in the performance element of the video.
Olly Curby: As the picture shows, Olly's style of playing is more confined and self indulgent concentrating on the technicalities which will appeal to many of their target audience who would see this concentration on technicalities as an expression of his talents, although, as the picture also suggests, there is not much energy to Olly's playing.
Alex Munford: With the 'Avenge Sevenfold' T-Shirt suggest Alex could himself be a perfect candidate foe the potential audience for Kapok. As well as the T-Shirt and Alex's fashion preference, the picture shows the movement of Alex's playing.
Joe Mazzei: With Joe's closed eyes in the picture whilst singing, this connotes the expressionism and energy within Joe's performances and the emotions in Joe's lyrics. Joe is a very energetic performer who has become famed for his movement around the stage. This movement and energy we hope to catch in our video.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Costume
Olly: Olly's costume is a simple white t-shirt, perhaps with a motif on it, dark skinny jeans, a white belt and black plain trainers. I think this reflects olly's less diverse and flamboent personality as he is the shyiest and most 'layed backed' of the band.
Marcus: Marcus' iconic hat and necklace is a feature of all of kapok gigs and he also oftens wears polo shirts and jeans along with them.
Alex: Alex often wears band t-shirts as well as other more typical 'emo-rocker' type clothes such as skinny black jeans, converse or hi-top shoes as well as long hair. From an audience perspective, Alex's fashion sense is perfect for the genre and is conventional to the genre so the audience can identify with him and music.
Joe: Joe's more simplistic outfits, often only plain t-shirts, black jeans and plain trainers is the antithesis of Joe's own performances as his stage presence is anything but plain.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Locations
- Jonny's attic
- UEA Campus
- Wherry Street Bridge
The attic will be used as the main location for the shoot. Due to most of the video being shot in attic. The attic is fitting for the genre as well as narrative due to the attic being a small, claustrophobic area in which we can create a cramped atmosphere. It is also good due to the lighting that is available as we can make the room dark and smokey or lit with natural light from the roof windows.
We are also going to use the UEA campus as a location and King street/Wherry street bridge for the same reasons. As both have been used as the bands photoshoot locations we will use them as a location for reference to the bands photography as well as a place for the girl to try and find the band.
Both the two main locations, the attic and the UEA campus, are fitting for the genre as well as narrative structure due to them being dark location in which we can manipulate the lighting to create an opportune setting, maybe connoting the darker thoughts in the girl's erratic mind. The use of the wherry bridge may also connote a feeling of connection that the girl wants with the band following her despondent tracking of the band.
The attic will be used as a performance area for the band in which we will shoot close ups, mid shots and long shots of the band in the attic. It will also be the room in which the girl plans and arranges activities surrounding her strange obsession with the band who she is following, even though ironically the band is next door. This insinuating things you want always being closer than you think but still just out of reach.
The Girl's room in the attic will hopefully attract the audience's eye as it will be filled with newspaper clippings, photos and notes etc. of the band all looking very messy and disrupted. The UEA may also appeal to the audience due to the strangeness of the surrounding buildings and overall grime and despondent aesthetics of the area.
As I've already mentioned the lighting for the attic should hopefully be accessible and manipulative enough for us to create the correct atmosphere and produce healthy and interesting looking shots. The attic will also help us establish a connection between the band and girl as we can use the existing chimney wall as a mock wall between two rooms so creating an effect of having two rooms in the attic. With one having the girl in and the other the band. The UEA campus is also a practical place for shooting as much of the bands photography was shot in more disused locations. Hopefully with the natural light and heavy shadows from the tall concrete block buildings of the campus and UEA site we can again create the correct feel and shots for the video.
Another location we thought we might use is Thetford forest due to its beauty, especially at dusk or dawn with the sunshine pouring in through the pine trees, as well as remoteness in which we could show the loneliness of the girl as well as as her outcast mentality.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Props
Band instruments; Guitar x 2
Bass guitar
Drum kit
Mic
Mic stand
Amps x 4
Bass guitar
Drum kit
Mic
Mic stand
Amps x 4
other props:
Picture Frame
Vent
Pins
Clipboard
Newspaper clippings, poster, pictures.
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Ignorances is choice - Kapok LYRICS
VERSE 1
Change, too late
Try to learn the rules
that you appreciate
War, in your mind,
ruthless means to fight,
this knowledge that we hide.
CHORUS
we save
we save
VERSE 2
Control the news
we're so confused
why tell us that
we know that crap
so why hold it back?
it's hard enough
to fuss about
the way we live
the shit that holds us back down
through the youth
you will never know
unless you solve out truth
build on mistakes
trying to save
whilst man recreates
CHORUS
Change, too late
Try to learn the rules
that you appreciate
War, in your mind,
ruthless means to fight,
this knowledge that we hide.
CHORUS
we save
we save
VERSE 2
Control the news
we're so confused
why tell us that
we know that crap
so why hold it back?
it's hard enough
to fuss about
the way we live
the shit that holds us back down
through the youth
you will never know
unless you solve out truth
build on mistakes
trying to save
whilst man recreates
CHORUS
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
The online age is enhancing the music industry
The online age is both enhancing and destroying the music industry. it is enhancing the music industry as music is now readily available with MP3 downloads, online radios, social network sites and online advertising space. With social networking sites bands can self promote their own material. Although many MP3 downloads are done illegally bur the bands material is still being promoted.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
Music Investigation
Spotify
Is a free music streaming application, also available with a monthly subscription payment for advert free streaming. The user can access over 6 million records through searching artists, track or album or from the charts or through genre based radio. An application is currently under production for the ipod touch and iphone. The application could affect the music industry in the future in many ways. It could be very good for the industry as it can advertise music to a potential audience with an inclusive link to the artists for download etc. Also allows the user to listen free of charge to there choice in music with the adverts, which only last between 15 to 30 secounds usually, paying for the music. So may be a way to punch out illegal downloads. But on the other hand may overly abused by people much like illegal downloads have to gain access to free music sources so making CD's etc obsolete.
Subculture
Is a culture within a culture of which the group of people within the subculture in someway differentiate from the larger main culture. Subcultures are a useful way in seeing why and how people consume music as you may be able to see correlation within genres and their subcultures and events or activities in which music is consumed by the culture. An example could be raves for rave, techno or dance music etc or opposed to a heavy rock gig. The subcultures are associated with a type of music as well as a way in which to live or behave which may be appealing to people for both the music and the activities that surround them.
last.fm
Is a UK based internet radio station. The users taste in music is built up and reflected by the radio by the radio choosing playlists that may suit your taste. This is called 'audioscrobbler' and is a music recommender system of which last.fm and audioscrobbler websites merged in 2005. Contains over 3.5 million tracks for the user to have audioscrobbled for them. Last.fm is an important area for debate in media studies due to its potential audience with an almost effortless contribution from the audience new and different music that they could potential like can be played to the user free of charge, with few adverts, and potentialy having a large enough impact on the user so they will buy the music. also last.fm in 2007 warner bros with all of warner bros music becoming available.
Urban Tribes
Are micro groups within society that share a common interest in metropolitan areas. Within the groups they usual have similar views, dress sense and behavior patterns. Urban tribes can be linked to how audiences consume music due to groupings of these small groups may often identify with and listen to similar music. Also it may be an important area of debate in media studies due to the representation of these micro groups and the stereotypes that may surround them and how it may be possible to identify someones music taste from their fashion sense and behavior.
'Subcultures [ can be seen to be] symbolic or ritualistic attempts to resist the power of the bourgois hegemony by consciously adopting behavior that appears threatening to the establishment. [on the other hand] youth culutre is inherently consumerist and integral to the divide and rule strategy of capitalism. They argue that [youth culture/ subculture] creates generation gaps and pits groups of youth against each other [mods/rockers], especially as youth culture is the dominant culture in the west.
The above quote shows two distinctive theories on how and why subcultures develop, especially in youth culture. The first argues that the youth or subculture seek out a different or disruptive path against the normal system and main culture to try and break away from or break apart the system. This points out a conscience decision to try and go against the system unlike the second theory. The second theory argues that due to the main system, a mainly capitalist society within the west, sub cultures are create from it without a conscience decision to do so. It argues that due to the nature of capitalism and competition within the social behavior of capitalism this is spread amongst the youth and is inbeded within them creating opposition and subcultures in youth culture. Both theories shows how subcultures can be seen as an inevitable byproduct of the main culture either by a need to show opposition to the system and conscientiously do so or showing characteristics of the main culture that are reflected in an opposing or mirroring subculture.
Is a free music streaming application, also available with a monthly subscription payment for advert free streaming. The user can access over 6 million records through searching artists, track or album or from the charts or through genre based radio. An application is currently under production for the ipod touch and iphone. The application could affect the music industry in the future in many ways. It could be very good for the industry as it can advertise music to a potential audience with an inclusive link to the artists for download etc. Also allows the user to listen free of charge to there choice in music with the adverts, which only last between 15 to 30 secounds usually, paying for the music. So may be a way to punch out illegal downloads. But on the other hand may overly abused by people much like illegal downloads have to gain access to free music sources so making CD's etc obsolete.
Subculture
Is a culture within a culture of which the group of people within the subculture in someway differentiate from the larger main culture. Subcultures are a useful way in seeing why and how people consume music as you may be able to see correlation within genres and their subcultures and events or activities in which music is consumed by the culture. An example could be raves for rave, techno or dance music etc or opposed to a heavy rock gig. The subcultures are associated with a type of music as well as a way in which to live or behave which may be appealing to people for both the music and the activities that surround them.
last.fm
Is a UK based internet radio station. The users taste in music is built up and reflected by the radio by the radio choosing playlists that may suit your taste. This is called 'audioscrobbler' and is a music recommender system of which last.fm and audioscrobbler websites merged in 2005. Contains over 3.5 million tracks for the user to have audioscrobbled for them. Last.fm is an important area for debate in media studies due to its potential audience with an almost effortless contribution from the audience new and different music that they could potential like can be played to the user free of charge, with few adverts, and potentialy having a large enough impact on the user so they will buy the music. also last.fm in 2007 warner bros with all of warner bros music becoming available.
Urban Tribes
Are micro groups within society that share a common interest in metropolitan areas. Within the groups they usual have similar views, dress sense and behavior patterns. Urban tribes can be linked to how audiences consume music due to groupings of these small groups may often identify with and listen to similar music. Also it may be an important area of debate in media studies due to the representation of these micro groups and the stereotypes that may surround them and how it may be possible to identify someones music taste from their fashion sense and behavior.
'Subcultures [ can be seen to be] symbolic or ritualistic attempts to resist the power of the bourgois hegemony by consciously adopting behavior that appears threatening to the establishment. [on the other hand] youth culutre is inherently consumerist and integral to the divide and rule strategy of capitalism. They argue that [youth culture/ subculture] creates generation gaps and pits groups of youth against each other [mods/rockers], especially as youth culture is the dominant culture in the west.
The above quote shows two distinctive theories on how and why subcultures develop, especially in youth culture. The first argues that the youth or subculture seek out a different or disruptive path against the normal system and main culture to try and break away from or break apart the system. This points out a conscience decision to try and go against the system unlike the second theory. The second theory argues that due to the main system, a mainly capitalist society within the west, sub cultures are create from it without a conscience decision to do so. It argues that due to the nature of capitalism and competition within the social behavior of capitalism this is spread amongst the youth and is inbeded within them creating opposition and subcultures in youth culture. Both theories shows how subcultures can be seen as an inevitable byproduct of the main culture either by a need to show opposition to the system and conscientiously do so or showing characteristics of the main culture that are reflected in an opposing or mirroring subculture.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Music Videos Analysis
Learn to fly by Foo Fighters
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdX-RX5IHAU
The video portrays a parodying version of 80's film 'Airplane'
The video has conventional and conventional features. Some conventional features are the whole band are featuring within the video as actors for numerous characters and also as a live band singing which is shown on the airplane monitor. In which the band are shown with conventional mise en scene such as props such as guitars drums ect as well as a live setting with long shots of the vast audience as well as seeing Dave Grohl sing. The video also stars Jack Black and Kyle Gass much like other music videos such as Fat Boy Slim's weapon of choice using Christopher Walken. The video also has a conventional narrative structure which is simple and funny to follow and also within the context of the lyrics.
The video is also has unconventional elements. The editing is not as fast paced and quick as we would expect from a music video with steady slow shots. I think this is due to the emphasis on the plot of the video but it is broken when we see the band playing live as the shots are become more handheld and unsteady and with more fast edits. This is also evident towards the end of the song when all the passengers are intoxicated and the camera shots and movement and more fast paced editing creates a feeling of fear and uneasiness. Also the use of an airplane as the setting is unconventional although is within the context of the song.
I like the video due to its humorous setting and i like seeing the band getting involve.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdX-RX5IHAU
The video portrays a parodying version of 80's film 'Airplane'
The video has conventional and conventional features. Some conventional features are the whole band are featuring within the video as actors for numerous characters and also as a live band singing which is shown on the airplane monitor. In which the band are shown with conventional mise en scene such as props such as guitars drums ect as well as a live setting with long shots of the vast audience as well as seeing Dave Grohl sing. The video also stars Jack Black and Kyle Gass much like other music videos such as Fat Boy Slim's weapon of choice using Christopher Walken. The video also has a conventional narrative structure which is simple and funny to follow and also within the context of the lyrics.
The video is also has unconventional elements. The editing is not as fast paced and quick as we would expect from a music video with steady slow shots. I think this is due to the emphasis on the plot of the video but it is broken when we see the band playing live as the shots are become more handheld and unsteady and with more fast edits. This is also evident towards the end of the song when all the passengers are intoxicated and the camera shots and movement and more fast paced editing creates a feeling of fear and uneasiness. Also the use of an airplane as the setting is unconventional although is within the context of the song.
I like the video due to its humorous setting and i like seeing the band getting involve.
Monday, 15 June 2009
Music I HATE
I thought it may be easier to write about music i dislike than like as i like most music.
The exceptions would probaly be genres such as R 'n' B, not to be confused with true Rhythm and blues, disney pop, very very very hard heavy metal, emo music, atmosphere and ambience music, euro disco dance music, musicals and boy bands!
My favourites:
Music video: The prodigy's Smack my **** up
Artist: Jimi Hendrix
Album Cover: Pink Floyd's Darkside of the Moon
Song: Pink Floyd's The great gig in the sky
live band seen: Roots Manuva or Muse
The exceptions would probaly be genres such as R 'n' B, not to be confused with true Rhythm and blues, disney pop, very very very hard heavy metal, emo music, atmosphere and ambience music, euro disco dance music, musicals and boy bands!
My favourites:
Music video: The prodigy's Smack my **** up
Artist: Jimi Hendrix
Album Cover: Pink Floyd's Darkside of the Moon
Song: Pink Floyd's The great gig in the sky
live band seen: Roots Manuva or Muse
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