A2 Media Studies Coursework

1. DIRECTOR RESEARCH
By Lewis Pike

2. INTRODUCTION
A music video director will create a film video idea from a brief. If the client then
likes this concept the music video will then go into pre-production. Then choosing
locations, casting, working with the art department and the camera shots, can all be
decided. The director will have the final say and once the filming begins, the
director will want to make sure that artistically and visually they are satisfied with
the final video production. In this task I will be looking at a variety of directors and
finding out information on their work. I will also be looking at what inspiration their
work can help me to create a successful production.

3. DAVID WILSON
 David Wilson is a director and is best know for his music videos, he crosses the disciplines between animation and live action,
and sometimes combining the two. His work includes:
 Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna know? Using animations
 David Guetta - Titanium, which uses live action and tells the story of a disruptive young boy with special powers.
 Tame Impala- Mind Mischief: The storyline of the music video is a sexual fantasy crush of a student on his school teacher. The
music video incorporates two types of video, narrative and animation. The video starts with a narrative story, whilst he is in
class, he is fantasizing about his teacher. The video then becomes animated when he is fantasizing about having sex with his
teacher. The song ’Mind Mischief’ is a ‘old school’ song and is aimed so it sounds outdated but also stylish. The young boy
smoking a joint is symbolic as this shows he is spaced out. This video is stereotypical behaviour for young males and are
able to relate to this, this age group is the songs target market, this can also be linked to the Uses and Gratification theory of
Personal identity. I believe the audience of this music video is niche, a niche audience is a smaller group and caters for a
particuar groups needs, the young males would relate to this video.
 David Wilson has won over 30 awards his most recent 5 awards are as follows:
 GOLD in Film Advertising - Cannes Lions - Nike - Made Of
Film Advertising - D&AD 2017 - Wood Pencil - B.E.N. the Robot
Music for Film Advertising - D&AD 2017 - Wood Pencil - Nike - Made Of
Best Director - UK Music Video Awards 2015
Best Rock/Indie International - UK Music Video Awards 2015 - Tame Impala - Let It Happen

4. ALEXANDRE COURTES
 Alexandre Courtes is known for his visual identities. His work includes: Willy Moon - yeah yeah, Janiroquai –
(don’t) give hate a chance, U-2- Vertigo, The White Stripes – Seven Nation Army.
 His latest music video was Cassius ft Car Power and Pharrel Williams-”Go Up” in 2017: This music video is actually
cool and really clever. The concept is actually simple, two images are put together which are completely
different on a split screen. This creates a collage with new images constantly changing. They are too quick to
digest, which keeps you watching. Personally although the song is not great, the images and the way in which
each picture, gives a new meaning from there original pictures. This does draw you in and the video does make
you laugh, some of the images are a little rude. This links with the Uses and Gratification theory of Diversion as
this allows the audience to escape from reality and to forget their problems, as it does draw your attentions
away from what may be happening in your life and does make you smile. This particular video movie has been
voted one of the best music videos of 2017. I believe that the target audience for this music video is mainstream
appealing to a mass audience.
 Alexandra Courtes has won 3 awards, he won the award for Yeah Yeah, Willy Moon as the UK’s Music award
2013 for best pop video. He then went on to win the award for the Dead Living things, Jackson and his
computer band Art Directors video 2013 and finallly the Cochon Ville, Sebastien Tellier: Art Directors club 2012
award. He was also nominated for the UK’s video award 2012.

5. CAMERON DUDDY
 Cameron Duddy is a music video director who has directed Pretty Girls, Worth it, Hold On, Feel
right and is most famous for directing Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, where he
was awarded an EMA and VMA. Cameron’s work has been viewed by 4.6 billion.
 His music video Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars in 2014 is a narrative based video,
consisting of a storyline relating to the lyrics. The music video attracts a mainstream audience,
appealing to audience members of both genders and different ages. The genre of the song is a
mix of funk, disco and pop. The video is very upbeat, with funky dancing from Bruno Mars and
band members. The video also has a very 70’s image, clothing, jewellery, set and classic American
cars all contribute to this era. The music video relates to the Lyrics “Livin’ it up in the city” as Mark
Ronson is dancing down the street, looking at girls and having his shoes polished where in the
“normal life” you would have to polish your own shoes, but was typical of the 70’s. Linking to the
Uses and Gratification theory, I feel that this video is part of the Surveillance activity because we
are looking back in time at another culture.

6. USES AND GRATIFICATION THEORY
 The theory is a approach to understand the mass communication, which suggests that the media
audience plays a role in interpreting media in our lives. In the Uses and gratification theory there
are four activities, the audiences are assumed to take part in.
 Diversion: Used as a emotional release and to escape from life’s problems. In terms of music music
videos, the audience go onto online sites such as MTV so that they can escape and relax.
 Personal Relationship: This is watching music videos which allows the audience to relate to families
through the lyrical themes.
 Personal Identity: Self Understanding, an example linking to music videos is that the young
audience could relate to the characters in the music video and the lyrics.
 Surveillance: Using the media to see what is out there, an example linking to music videos is that
the audience can learn about culture.

7. CONCLUSION
 To conclude, this task was useful for me as I have been able to look at current director’s work and see
how they can inspire me for my own production. I have looked at narrative and animation music
videos. All of these music videos have inspired me in some way, I have been inspired by Go Up music
video as they have the split screen, combining two images to make it look like one image. As I am
doing a music video to the track “Living in America” I could use this concept, combining photographs
from which I will be taking from my visit too America this august. I will be looking at further possible
images for this idea, as they need to be in relation to modern America today, but want them to be
funny and not offensive. Looking at the music video of Uptown Funk the music is very similar to the
style of the Living in America track, I intend on having dancing scenes in my music video because
very often music videos with a signature style move are often very successful when we look at music
videos such as Michael Jackson’s, Moon Walk these have become some of the most successful videos
and videos such as Beyonce, Single Ladies, PSY, Gangnam Style are all examples of this. The music
video, Mind Mischief out of all the music videos I have looked at. I do believe that this one will help
me the least but do like the way It tells the story and obviously I will be telling a story of life in the
United States of America but do not intend on using animation.
 I will make sure that my production stands out from the crowd as I will be using real life footage from
America, which I intend on filming on my vacation to Miami. At present I’m not entirely sure what to
expect only what I have learnt from the internet and particular locations that I would like to film at.
But I promise that I will show America, how America is today and will not be editing the film, so that
all the viewers see is a utopia world.