Research task 1 + 4.pptx

1. Research task 1
and 4

2. Music video brief
https://www.beggars.com/
On the website for “beggars” it shows a range of music and artists. They promote
underground, alternative artists. This is shown as the kind of music made and
shown on the website are not neutral music for a huge audience but for a specific
listener. The main genres used are rock, alternative and This is why I would say it’s
niche. The website promotes these alternative artists as it draws in people who
enjoy that music, different to the usual artists that are shown everywhere you look.

3. The first music video
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJwTSTlpsak
• Friday I'm in love by Yo La Tengo
• This music video follows a narrative structure. A narrative structure is one
that conveys a story through the music video. The target audience for this
video is for young adults upwards (21-50+). This is because it is a cover of an
old song by The Cure which is why the older generation may like it and this
was released in 2015 so it could appeal to young adults also, not younger
than 20 as the video itself is very abstract and is not "traditional" for
younger audiences.

4. Genre conventions in Yo La
Tengo's Friday I'm in love music
video
• Alternative rock music videos typically feature the band performing the song, mixed with a
narrative story with a deeper meaning throughout. This video follows this convention as the
video has a narrative story with a deeper meaning in relation to the song. This is shown as
the video shows a woman singing the song while the Earth is being destroyed by hearts, this
coincides with the lyric that is common, "heart attack" taking the literal meaning making a
story out of it. The whole video follows the song's lyrics and interprets their meaning and
implements it in a metaphorical fashion. As it is an artistic video it may not have a deeper
meaning but up to the viewers, but I think it's about loving the end of things, everyone looks
forward to the end of the week, in this music video it's the end of the world. Therefore,
showing why the woman is unbothered. The toys I believe is to signify innocence in the
destruction. This version of the song however is not classified as a rock song because of
instruments used, nonetheless the song itself is a rock song. However, these tropes align with
the same factors for this version, which is an alternative folk-rock cover, which generally
follow similar themes. This is shown in another genre convention it follows which is slow
paced camera movements to not distract from what the video is trying to convey.
• A way in which this video is unconventional to the genre is that the protagonist is an older
lady which doesn't occur often in music videos about love and other themes this
video portrays. Usually, an older woman would be shown as weak, useless and nothing to do
with the song, this changes the narrative on that as she is shown as the only calm one and
strong mentally.
• Overall, I can infer that the video is very conventional, however, it has
unconventional aspects to the video.

5. Media languages in the video
• Camerawork: There is a range of shots used, mainly full shots and medium close-up shots. This
helps keep focus on the video and allows the narrative story to flow and show in full affect what
the artists are attempting to portray. All the scenes are in one take as the camera follows the
singer and every so often pans to the background to show what is happening.
• Editing: The video uses jump cuts to different scenes where it is all in one take, so it doesn't
need much editing. However, there are a few transitions between scenes which helps make the
video feel smoother and easier on the eye.
• Soundtrack: The video goes along with the song and the events in the video align with what is
said in the song. For example, when the song says, "I don’t care if Monday's black" as it cuts to
the world in darkness.
• Mise En Scène: The scene is set in a city, which is familiar with audiences, this makes it almost
relate to audiences as they have been to places like that, it is an everyday sighting as many
people live there. Attracting the audience to the video more.

6. The second music video
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659pppwniXA
• Pretty pimpin by Kurt Vile
• This is a conceptual video that shows a short story about a constant
question of identity, a self-reflective piece on melancholic existentialism in
this video. The targeted audience is young men and older teens (16-25) as it
is all about finding yourself which is something all young people feel, this
video represents this. It can still apply to those older who still don’t know
who they are. This is an alternative folk-rock song, so could apply to an older
audience as it is a modern take on an old genre. Which would be the
secondary audience.

7. Genre conventions for this music video
• In folk-rock/ alternative rock music videos generally, it shows the artists to clearly show who the
music is from, giving a face to the voice of what they're watching. The lyrics typically from this
genre convey emotion, so the video should reflect the emotion visibly for the viewers to
experience, no flashing images or effects just a narrative story. These genre conventions are
ones that this video follows. The video applies to these conventions as the video has the artist
shown and a story progressing in the video, establishing emotion and relatability quickly so
audiences connect to the character and be absorbed by the story. Another convention that this
follows is that adapts a narrative from the lyrics and follows it but manipulates it, so it isn't
blatantly literal.
• However, one convention it does not follow is that it focuses all on the character and less about
the environment. Although all the scenes are in places everyone goes to, like the shops and
their own home, the focus is mainly on what the character is doing.
• Overall, the video does follow conventions of folk-rock music videos, but does make it original
and unique by being unconventional in certain places.

8. Media languages in the video
• Camerawork: The camera follows the artist during the singing,
would cut to shots of surroundings and other instruments when
they're played. A huge range of shots doing full shots and close-up
shots and a lot of medium range shots this allows the video to
show what it is trying to portray.
• Editing: The video has cuts throughout to needed scenes and shots
yet doesn't distract from the video. Another clever piece of editing
is the scenes where there are multiple versions of the character in
one scene making it very abstract but adds to the video.
• Soundtrack: The video's story follows the lyrics making it an
interesting watch. It makes the video immersive and engages the
viewer as it follows the narrative and makes sense while watching.
• Mise En Scène: It is in familiar settings, like shops the street and
general homes. This creates a sense of relatability and makes the
viewers more attracted to it, the lighting is quite dim in scenes to
create the emotion it wants to provoke.