Statement of intent

1. Representation:
My music video will represent the inequality between classes in the UK, (the rich and
the poor.) Due to the brief being about protest economic differences in the UK
seemed the most fitting due to the long history of conflict between the rich and the
poor. The lyrics in my chosen song, Inglorious by Slowthai featuring Skepta, Swathai
references "Don't know about the tax bracket" and "Flashbacks, flippin’ packs, it was
ketamine, huh Now I'm feeling hoarse." These lyrics represent the hard times that
the rapper had to go through to get to where he is today. Also, lyrics form Skepta
refer to racism, "I love the look on their faces when they look in the whip and it's a
black star." Both rappers talk in protest to how the government haven't helped them
through there hard times and how they are just seen as stereotypical working-class
drug dealers and criminals. In my music video I will present two characters in a
stereotypical way like the rappers themselves.
Audience:
The target audience is young adults, age 16 and above. This song will appeal to this
age group along with aspirers due to the song directly addressing to them and being
relatable to other people who have been in similar situations. All the songs in
Slowthai’s latest album, nothing grate about Britain, have the same theme of
oppression against the lower classes. For example, there are multiple references to
the EDL, The English Defence League is a far-right, Islamophobic organisation in the
United Kingdom. The constant theme of oppression throughout the album will set
audiences expectations of the content of the sons and how generally he will
represent his ideals.
Media Industries and language:
I will be using abandoned houses and other abandoned locations to create the
setting. To start the video, I will use a drone to establish the location and setting.
There will be a lose narrative made up of multiple intertextual references in the lyrics
that will be presented through props and a wide variety of camera angles, shots and
editing. I may also use a mixture of non-diegetic and diegetic sound depending on
how it sounds inside of the abandoned locations. The wide variety of intertextual
references and audio-visuals will keep the viewers' attention and make the video
more entertaining for viewers that watch the video multiple times.
Research findings:
My research of other songs with a protest theme has showed me that the songs
have changed from punk rock to rap. The ideas in the music has stayed the same
with similar issues then and now. However, the rise the internet has led to more artist
and competition leading to innovation in how the ideas are presented. Along with the
rise in Grime and Drill, along with a rise in knife crime, the lyrics have, in some
cases, become more violent and drug related. The theme of protests songs has
become broader and it seems that almost every rap song that has come out of the
UK in the last few years has had some level of protest within the lyrics.