2. • ‘Happy’, was part of the soundtrack for Despicable Me 2. When film was
released, it became number one in the charts for a number of weeks. This
would help promote the film, and the film itself helped to promote the song.
This cross media convergence therefore had a mutual beneficial effect on
both media products. People that enjoyed the song were persuaded to go
and see the film, and vies versa. However, the music video wasn’t created
to promote the film.
• The song received an Academy award for the best original song
• It was available to stream from may 22, 2013, however it was never
intended to be a single. In November of that year Despicable Me 2 was
released alongside 24hoursofhappy.com
3. 24hoursofhappy.com
• 24hoursofhappy.com is a website that has an
interactive music video embedded; which is the
world’s first 24 hour music video. This is an example
of cross media convergence. Users of the website can
click on specific times and watch a certain section. It
was created by the French directing team We Are
From LA and produced by Iconoclast. It took two
weeks to edit together and create the website
interface. Included on the interface are markers, ‘P’,
which symbolises the parts where Pharrell is. The
website also enables users to share a particular
section via Facebook or Twitter
4. 24hoursofhappy.com
• Characters from the film
associated with the song
(Despicable Me 2) appeared in the
music video – This is an example
of an intertextual reference.
• There are 400 people that perform the
song, including Pharrell Williams and
a few celebrities.
• The filming of the video took 11 days
and 42 setups, and was shot in LA.
• Thousands of people auditioned to be
part of the video
• The 24 hour music video was aired at
Buenos Aires Film Festival
• The shortened music video edit was
later released on YouTube a few weeks
later after the website launch.
5. • Another website was created
inspired by the song,
wearehappyfrom.com.
• This webpage features 1648
videos from 143 countries across
the globe.
• Thousands of parodies and
tributes to ‘Happy’ have been
created and uploaded to the
internet. These were not contested
and were encouraged by the
record label. This user generated
content helped to promote the
song, and therefore helped the
record label. This links closely to
David Gauntlett’s Media 2.0
theory.
6. The Four Minute Music Video
Most of the shots in ‘Happy’ are well lit by
the natural light from the sun. This gives
the video a positive and uplifting feel to
the video. Although, the first shot that
tracks Pharrell down the alley is at night
and not as well lit with a green hue. This
sets quite a sombre tone to the music
video, and is a clear juxtaposition between
the lyrics and the visuals. The first few
seconds of the music video the include
text: ‘Happy’, ‘Pharrell Williams’ and
‘24hoursofhappy.com’. It is common in
music videos to state the title of song via
text like this and the 24hoursofhappy.com
is an example of cross media convergence.
The music video is shot in LA in a variety
of places, such as in a suburban
neighbourhood and a school. These
everyday locations link to Stuart Hall’s
Reception Theory, of the director’s
intended message. The message of the
music video could be that people can
spread happiness everywhere, no matter
of the location, social status or their
background. This is further reinforced by
the choice of costume in the music video.
There is no consistent costume, the people
featured in the video are wearing what
they would wear everyday. The only
people to break this general rule for the
video are the people dressed up as the
characters from the film the song is linked
to. Henceforth this music video conforms
to Goodwin’s theory about music videos
with its inclusion of intertextual
references to the Despicable Me franchise.
7. The Four Minute Music Video
• There is iconography of the genre in the
‘Happy’ music video. Pharrell Williams
wears smart casual often in the video
and this conforms to the genre
connotations of soul music videos. The
use of costume in this way helps to
make the artist more professional. The
use of close-ups and mid-shots help to
keep the audience focused on the artist,
meeting the demands of the record
label.
• Throughout the music video the people
in it continue to break the 4th wall by
looking into the camera. This is a
common feature of most music videos, as
there is often lip syncing and direct
address towards the audience.
• The editing is done in a montage
style, showing sections of people
dancing down footpaths and other
locations through tracking shots,
achieved by a Steadicam. It is fast
enough paced with a variety of shots
to keep the audience entertained.
