The document summarizes and analyzes the music video for R. Kelly's song "Ignition". It notes that the video shows two different house party scenes, appropriate for the hip hop genre. It also finds a relationship between the lyrics "Beep Beep" and scenes of a car driving. The video frequently shows closeups of R. Kelly, demonstrating the record label's demand to highlight the artist. It presents voyeuristic treatment of scantily-clad women. The video is primarily a performance-based promotion of the artist and song, without a narrative story. Formal analysis cites Strauss' formal vs informal distinction and references Todorov's and Propp's narrative theories.

1. Stage 1 research 2
Tom Stone
Music video: Ignition- R. Kelly
Jive records

2. 1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
In the music video, we can see that there is
two different types of house parties going on.
This shows that because the song is part of
the hip hop sub genre of rap, the 2 different
scenes are appropriate for the type of song
that is being played.

3. 2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals
On multiple occasions during the music
video, the artist says “Beep Beep” as a
car strolls onto the screen. There is a
relationship between the lyrics and
visuals as those words are the same
noise that a car horn makes which
shows to us that there is connection.
This is repeated throughout the video
but only when the chorus comes on,
there isn’t any other times that the
lyrics and videos show a relationship.

4. 3. There is a relationship between the music and visuals

5. 4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist might develop motifs
which recur across their work
On multiple different occasions in the music video, the artist is
shown via many closeups. This shows to us that the artist
wants us to know that they are the most important in the
video.

6. 5. There are frequent references to the notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body
In the music video we can see that the women are
dressed in revealing clothes that show a lot of skin.
This shows to us that there is a voyeuristic
representation of the women in the video and that
they are there for men to look at as they would be
attracted to the women.

7. 6. There is often intertextual references

8. 7. Whether the video is primarily performance based, narrative based or concept based and how each element is used in it.
The video is primarily performance based
as there isn’t a story being told, it’s been
made to promote the artist and his work. It
shows off him hosting a party and
everyone at the party having fun.

9. 8. Todorov, Propp, Strauss
Strauss-Formal vs Informal
Todorov- There isn’t a distinctive narrative to the music video as there is only a bunch of party scenes
Propp- The main artist seems to be the hero. His friends following him round could be the helpers. There
isn’t a distinct princess. There isn’t a villain or anti-hero.