1. Toyin Giwa Media Studies
Results from Focus Group
In order to gain a more detailed response form my potential target audience I
had carried out some focus groups, this way allowing people to emphasize
on their answers. I firstly wanted to gain an idea of what image people think
of when listening to the song that I have chosen. Some people had
mentioned that they were thinking of a happy bright environment, with the
typical birds in the trees and the Sun shining. This therefore gave me the
idea to start my music video in the ‘morning’. I had decided this because
before actually doing my focus group I had already had a basis of what I
wanted my music video to be based on and so I really done this focus group
to see if there were any extra details I could include. Starting my music video
in the morning, I think would give the Impression that the audience will be
seeing how my artist usual day would be. This was also backed up from my
second question from asking where the music video should or mainly be
filmed, and the majority of those who answered had mentioned it being shot
on the streets. The reason behind this would be because it is more diverse,
being film with normal people walking around who help make the music
video appear more natural and real. As well as, again, allowing the audience
to believe they’re getting a behind the scenes video of what the artist life
would be like.
The reasons behind the locations I had chosen would be firstly, for Erith prier
I was planning on mainly shooting my artist by herself in this location; getting
her to look out at the view as well as some performance scenes in this shot.
This way it could emphasise the lyrics in the song as being an emotional
person. The next location would be Brixton market; some of those who had
answered this question were also bale to see my point of view as the
environment being fit for an R&B singer who came from a rough
area/upbringing and so I wanted the background of my artist to also fit this.
Therefore choosing a busy location where a lot of African and Asian people
are mainly walking around. In order to ensure that my convention was true, I
had done some research of my own on YouTube in order to see how these
people are represented, so that I could get an idea of where and how they
are positioned. I found numerous music video as which are all meant to give
the impression of showing their audience the area in which they were
brought up as well as the people they were around. These examples include:
- Beyoncé – XO
- RITA ORA - Shine Ya Light
- Rae Sremmurd- This Could be Us
- Jennifer Lopez - Same Girl
- DeJ Loaf - Try Me
The main video which would hopefully be a reflection of what my music video’s goal
would be Jennifer Lopez’s song Same Girl.
Dressing the artist was also one of my main reason for the focus group, since when I
had carried out my questionnaire the majority of people had answered that they
would many be interested in the artist’s clothing and make-up. The main piece of
clothing that those in my focus group had mentioned was ripped. This therefore gave
me the impression of the type of look they were expecting me to create. Although
one piece of clothing may not be a lot to some, I thought that it straight away help me
2. Toyin Giwa Media Studies
as well as reminded me of the type of appearance I was planning on going for. My
artist image came for the research I had done, considering Laura Muvley’s Male
Gaze. This straight away led me towards allowing my artist to show some skin in
order to mainly appeal to the male side of my audience. From following this theory it
said that most music videos featuring female are meant to be mainly for the male
audience. Which then leads to women wanting the same attention which men seem
to be giving the females in music video, and so the female side of target audiences
also watch the music video and try to follow the ‘trends’.
When it came to the typical shots I would be carrying I will be using Andrew
Goodwin’s theory. This theory consists of the music video containing 5 key areas
including: narrative performances, relation of visuals and star image, which are the
main points of the 5 I’ll be concentrating on. In order to do so, I think these aspects
will be easier to perform through the angles and movements of the camera. In order
to relate the lyrics of the songs to the visual which the audience will see, I
concentrated on the main words that are repeated in the songs which are ‘love’ and
‘me’. By doing do I will be able to film the artist smiling and even talking to some of
the people in the market, this way the audience will be able to connote the artist as a
comfortable person. Someone who doesn’t judge people for what they may look like
or come from. When it comes to the star image I’ll be recording the artist with various
angles and shots including long and medium close-ups, this way the audience will
also be able to gain a full image of what the artist is wearing compared other
surroundings.
