1. In what ways do your music video and
ancillary products use, develop or
challenge forms and conventions of real
media products?
Evaluation Question 1- Louie Clark
2. Part 1- Music Video
There are conventions that all music videos are said to follow if not entirely then
certainly in part. These have been defined by numerous media theorists
although I have focused on Andrew Goodwin and to a lesser extent Stephen
Archer as they seem most useful in analyzing my own work. I will not only be
looking at what they said however, as in order to fully answer this question I will
need to offer my own interpretation of how music video has used : Genre
conventions, narrative, representation and music video conventions in general,
in order to emulate existing professional texts.
3. Genre conventions
Challenged:
Seeing as the genre of my song was categorized by the artist as alternative metal, I
saw the loose conventions and specific parameters of that sub genre as an
opportunity to challenge some of the conventions of traditional metal music
videos.
They often contain aggressive performance footage of a whole band, this is a genre
convention of heavy metal, as the music it’s self is often aggressive fast paced and
powerful in it’s delivery music videos of this genre will often represent the music in
this way visually. As seen below in the music video for Slipknot- Duality…
4. Continued…
I have intentionally broken this convention
opting for an individual performer, sitting
down, playing an acoustic guitar. I have done
this to illustrate the unconventional nature of
the song within metal music and allow for
some originality to shine through. This also
provides me with a link between the music
(acoustic verses) and the visuals, an element
of music videos in general established by
Goodwin. This one way I have constructed a
music video that does not convey generic
metal sub genre mise en scene. Some music
videos from this genre will try and incorporate
humor into videos whereas others may not, it
is more conventional not too as the music is
considered to be very serious. I have
attempted to inject humor into my video
however with the use of characterization and
costumes, making for an even more
unconvetional metal music video. The
breaking of conventions in this way could be
considered post modern as well.
5. Continued…
Used:
I have also made use of some genre conventions,
namely with my choice of setting in some scenes,
opting for the location of a graveyard. A graveyard will
always have connotations of a gothic nature; death,
darkness, the super natural. These connotations fit the
narrative that I was constructing in my music video, if
not lacking the somewhat humorous aspect. They are
also images and issues that the genre of metal music
seems to have an obligation to address and represent,
and so they are seen here in my video. One of the
characters a ghost that reveals himself to the other in a
classically gothic setting. Although light hearted my
music video does indeed tackle some serious subject
matter that features quite regularly in both rock and
metal music, the use of narcotics, and a possible link to
depression. This convention has been upheld and used
as an accessory to the story, the protagonists addiction
the main reason the ghost cannot crossover.
6. Continued…
Lastly, although unconventional in the acoustic nature and solo style, I HAVE
included some performance, which is a proven convention of most metal
music videos. Performance is also one of the main three categories (narrative,
performance and abstract) that Goodwin defined meaning it is more
conventional in this way. The main reason for the performance aspect is to
increase the connection between the music and the visuals, which I feel I
have achieved.
7. Narrative
Music video could technically be considered a narrative performance, as it contains both
a narrative and footage of the music being played. As it in fact contains a story it is
interesting to examine the way in which it is fragmented. Stephen Archer spoke about
fragmented narratives in music videos and in mine we can see that there is one.
One of the ways in which it is fragmented is through cutting to clips of performance, this
separates the periods of time within the story that the audience is witnessing. This way
of interpreting a narrative can also be called post modern, as the full story isn’t
important it’s the portrayal of certain images which give a brief picture of the songs
subject matter.
8. Continued…
The video can also be read as a post modern text in the way that it addresses grand
narratives or meta narratives. Lyotard said that there are no grand narratives and in
showing a different interpretation of the steps between life and death, or going
from this life to the afterlife, I have demonstrated the pluralism involved in the
construction of these ideas.
I connected the music video to these themes and gave it a narrative that centered
around them due to the connection given by lyrics ‘Why won’t you help me lay my ghost
to rest, why won’t you buy me a piece of heaven?’ Therefore the story follows the ghost
of a seventies cop attempting to help someone with their substance abuse, and in doing
so he hopes to achieve the right of crossing over to ‘heaven’. By constructing this
narrative I have deviated from grand theories and narratives and therefore this text can
be considered post modern beyond the realms in which all music videos can be.
The narrative also shows a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals in my
interpretation of other lyrics in the song…
9. Continued…
…’There’s something black coursing through my veins’ and ‘You drink my wounds as you follow
me down’ are the two phrases I used to justify my interpretation of the song in turning it into a
story. The ghost’s role is to prevent the smoking and drinking mainly of the protagonist, and
stop him sinking into an early grave. Having directly related the metaphorical implications of the
lyrics to the music video, I have strengthened the connection of the narrative and it’s visuals to
the lyrics even more, giving even more fortitude to the claims of Goodwin and presenting an
unconventional almost buddy comedy (nothing is original- Jameson) about substance abuse
and transcending purgatory, into a conventional music video. With the filmed performer
forming part of the narrative at the end, giving it an almost circular structure, but not quite.
10. Representation
Most striking, as appears to be a trend in music, is my representation of gender. In this
case I have included no women in my music video, and whilst that was due to casting
restrictions limiting the scope of my actual idea, I intend to discuss how this could be
interpreted. Seeing as my genre is often considered to be male dominated my video
could be accused of under representation of different genders, it also has a similar view
of men as many crime dramas, often depicting the male characters as emotionally
crippled, in need of help and turning to substance abuse for some kind of escapism.
However it is arguable that in not representing women I have avoided common place
problem when they are of their sexualisation and what the feminist known as Tuchman
called ‘symbolic annihilation’, the portrayal of women through the ‘male gaze’.
12. Representation
My research into digipaks told me that unlike some cd covers, digipaks are much more
likely to portray characters and tell a story. The multiple panel design allows for
imagery and creativity to be applied, which has the effect of offering more for the
consumer to feel involved in. Seeing as my music video was very narrative based I
decided to convey some main features of this through photographs of the main
characters.
The use of these characters further shows the representation of men in my
coursework, one can be seen to be in a position of power in each shot
The effect this has
(one character
holding a gun) is to
maintain the light
hearted appeal of
the image whilst
tying it in with typical
metal band imagery
which often aims to
be confrontational
and overtly
13. Audience
The target audience I named for the promotional package was 18-24 year olds as it
seemed they were most likely to identify with the music and more mature themes.
At the same time it was my hope that they would appreciate the light hearted
humorous aspect of what I was doing. One of the ways I aimed my ancillary products
at my target audience was by editing the photographs to make them seem older, this
gives them a ‘gritty’ vibe and a fashionable retro element.
14. Narrative
Most notable is how I have conveyed narrative on the two inside panels of
my digipak design, giving a before and after effect which ties in with the
initial encounter of my two characters and there friendship at the end of
my music video.
Before After
