Intertexuality in Music Videos

Intertextuality means to shape a text’s meaning by referring to other texts. In a media sense of the word, it means to create a media by referring to other Medias. For example, Madonna’s hit 1985 hit ‘Material Girl’ is a “mimicry” of Marilyn Monroe’s performance of the song ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’ from the 1953 film ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’.

  Another example would be when an episode of The Simpsons was modelled on the 1980 film ‘The Shining’. Also within the Simpsons, in an episode called ‘The Simpson Files’ which is derived from the television series ‘The X Files’there are two references; the main one being that the episode is cross referenced from the ‘The X Files’, but also from the 1960 film ‘Psycho’, where the trademark violin scraping when the woman is in the shower, can be heard when the school children are on the bus.

   One of my intertextuality influences is the 1998 neo-noir film ‘Following’ in which a man follows strangers around a city. It is shot in black and white, as most films in the film-noir genre are. This film could be adapted to my music video, as Indie videos work well in black and white and the ‘following’ aspect could link well to the lyrics of the song I am using, “Lost at Sea”, and how when you feel lost you try and stay close to someone, or in this case, follow someone. Also the ‘lost’ part could refer to the mass of people and the lonely sensation you can feel while still surrounded by many.

    Another influence is the setting of many a film; Hyde Park in London. This location has been used in films such as the Anthony Horowitz film ‘Stormbreaker’, 2003’s ‘Johnny English’ and ‘The Mother’ with Daniel Craig. All three of these films are British and feature Hyde Park in Autumn, when the leaves have fallen. I think this is because it creates a dramatic backdrop, when the season is clearly defined and gives off a ‘British’ air. I could use this idea in my video as it is now autumn so the leaves are dropping, and I have access to many a large park.

Codes and Conventions of Music Videos

Codes and Conventions construct meaning in media products in two ways:

Technical:

§         How equipment and technology can construct meaning

§         Camera-angles, shots

§         Editing- pace etc

§         Sound- diegetic, non-diegetic

Symbolic:

§         Creates meaning beyond what is visible

§         Specific facial expressions

§         Following a line of vision to an object etc

Types of music videos:

• Performance- the band/singer play and sing
• Narrative- tells a story
• Mixture-narrative and performance combined
• Cameo- band/singer feature in the narrative but don’t perform
• Animation- with the singer/band’s voices

Most commonly used camera techniques in a music video:

• Close ups
• Extreme close ups- to show lips/ eyes/ an instrument being played
• Crane shots above the singer/band
• Low angles
• Long shots and extra long shots- to show band/singer’s surroundings
• Pan- to show different singers
• Tracking- to follow the band/singer as they move

Editing and sound commonly used in a music video:

• Editing made to match the pace of the video
• Cutting matches the rhythm of the music, or the words
• Diegetic sound in the beginning/ end/ pause in the music
• Change in volume of music i.e. fading at the end
• Transitions into another shot
• Split scenes/ CGI
• Colour editing-black and white, colour enhancement, sepia etc

Music Video Genres

Here I will explain some of the common genres of music from today’s charts. Some of these include;



Lady GaGa FT Beyonce- Telephone



Pop:

The videos for pop music are generally up-beat and bright, with fast paced-editing to keep the audience’s attention and to appeal to the target audience- the younger generation. But if the lyrics and pace of the song are slower and more poignant, then the pace of the video will also be slowed down, but keeping with the bright clothing. If the song is slower then the artist(s) will usually be in more formal clothing than a happier song. The focus of the video is usually the band/ singer, who will be performing in some way, and lip-syncing all or part of the lyrics. Also, there would perhaps show the artist doing some sort of dance routine, fitting in with the lyrics/tempo of the music. The clothing, as I mentioned, is usually very bright and modern, with many changes to outfit throughout the video. There wouldn’t usually be any instruments shown, as most pop singers don’t play their own instruments. Close ups are used to show emotions on the singers’ faces, normally positive such as happiness or excitement. A panning movement would be used to follow the actions of the singer.



Keri Hilson- Energy



RnB/ Hip Hop:

The RnB genre generally has two types of video; a party or a dance routine. In both there can typically be found young women in skimpy bikinis and men in clothes which show off their muscles. There is often a showcase of expensive items such as jewellery, cars, houses and electrical gadgets. The videos are mostly in fresh colours such as white, which emphasises the expensiveness of the ‘bling’, and compliments the usually dark skin tone of the featured artist. In the dance videos, the colours are also bright and fresh, but the background is simple to draw attention to the routine of the singer. They will usually have back-up dancers, who will be wearing a similar, young, modern outfit to that of the artist. The target audience is young people and teenagers, which is shown through the use of up-to-date gadgets, clothing and lyrics. There aren’t any instruments usually present, as the music is not often generated through the ordinary instruments. Quick and slow editing is used, and changes with the beat of the music. Close-ups are used to show the expensive items, and pans are common in party videos to show the whole of the room.



Aerosmith- Don't Wanna Miss a Thing



Rock/ Metal:

Rock music videos tend to use a darker mise-en-scene, with low lighting and dark backdrops, to coincide with the heavy music sound and lyrics. The artist is usually a band so many instruments will be shown including electric guitars, drums and basses. The band will wear dark, outlandish clothing; sometimes make up to darken their facial features. They could have numerous piercings and tattoos, which will add to the scary, ‘hard’ look. The videos will typically show the band performing with their instruments, or a narrative to compliment the dark, edgy lyrics. Close ups are used to show the stereotypical rock features such as the tattoos and piercings, and zooms to show the changes in emotion. The target audience is usually young people, not often young teenagers, but does range from 18+, as the top end of this scale could perhaps be older people trying to ‘re-discover’ their youth. The video sometimes will end with the band ‘vandalising’ the camera in some way, which links with their reckless, rock metal behaviour. There are usually some special effects used, often fire or another destructive force, which adds to the rock theme.



LMFAO- Champagne Showers



Dance:

Dance videos are almost always set in a club or party, with many dancers, and the main one being a woman in a skimpy dress/ outfit. There will be a dance routine, and the singer is not always shown in these videos. The lighting is low, often with flashing strobe lights, to simulate a hip club. Young people and teenagers are the target audience because this is the generation who go out to clubs, where these songs are often played. The outfits vary in colour from dark to light, and there is typically a striking statement made by the main dancer such as interesting sunglasses or jewellery. The editing is fast paced to link with the music, and the shots are generally a long shot so the audience can see the whole of the dancer’s routine, but with close ups to show the interesting statement piece. In the video there are frequently alcohol bottles, and sometimes a dancer will pour it out, either over the floor or onto other people, who consequently won’t mind so much, as everyone there is having a good time.



Ed Sheeran- The A team



Indie:

The videos for indie music can vary between a performance by the band or a narrative. When using a narrative, the videos are often more symbolic than literal, using a variety of icons to represent what the lyrics are saying. The colour schemes can fluctuate between bright and dark colours, with many videos being in black and white. The costumes are typically casual, representing a stereotypical young person, which appeals to the target audience of young people, as they can empathise if the narrative is a common adolescent incident, including a problem or emotion,  which they usually are. The pace of the editing always links with the tempo; slow or fast, and there is a variety of shots used, including long, mid, and close up.

Andrew Goodwin and Laura Mulvey Theories

Andrew Goodwin and Laura Mulvey’s Music Video Theories

Andrew Goodwin’s theory states that there are a number of features which distinguish the music video as a form. These are;

• A relationship between the lyrics and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics

 -Illustrating; music videos use a mix of images to illustrate the meaning of lyrics and genre. This is the most common. E.g. in Beyonce’s ‘If I were a boy’, the video shows her behaving as a man would

 -Amplifying; alike to repeatability; meanings, effects and images are continuously shown throughout the video and driven into our vision. Like in Jay-Z and Alicia Keys’ ‘Empire state of mind’, images of New York are constantly shown throughout the video

 -Contradicting; this is when the lyrics of the song are completely ignored within the music video. For example, in the band All Time Low’s video Coffee Shop Soundtrack, the band members are seen causing havoc in a steam room and a toilet, when in fact the lyrics are all about a woman who the lead singer once had an affair with.

 In my music video I think I will use the Illustrating point, as I am to film by the beach, relating to the song lyrics ‘I am lost at sea’ etc. Also I may use Amplifying, with many images of the beach or Ben himself to create meaning and so that when the audience sees a piece of the video, they will immediately know which song it is for, as it has been forced into their minds.

• A relationship between the music and the visuals, with the visuals illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music

 -Illustrating; when the music changes in a way that is reflected in the music video. For example in Lady GaGa’s ‘Judas’ video, the part where the tension is building before the final chorus is silent apart from a low rumbling of music and water, and the lighting is very low as well so as to build up the tension

 -Amplifying; when the music is emphasises through visual means. Some music videos nowadays use techniques to emphasise the way the music is heard by showing it across the screen. E.g. the music video ‘Crazy’ by ‘Gnarls Barkley’ is done in the style of the Rorschach inkblot test, where animated inkblots danced and pulsed across the screen in time with the beat of the music, emphasizing the pulse of the music

 -Contradicting; where the video in no way relates to the music itself. This is seen in many music videos today, for example the video ‘Lego House’ by Ed Sheeran relates in no way to the music, only the lyrics.

 In my music video, I have decided to contradict the music when it comes to the visuals for the majority of the video, apart from when the tempo increases, I will increase the speed of the footage slightly so it fits with the beat more, and the same for when the music slows down, I will also decrease the speed of the visuals slightly.

• Genres are complex and diverse in terms of music video style and iconography

 -In a previous blog post I stated that within the different music genres there was often a list of codes and conventions associated with each. There are hundreds of less popular music genres, which shows just how varied the music category is. Sure enough, no two videos are the same, hundreds of thousands as there are. Therefore, the many music videos that are out there are incredibly diverse, with different iconography being used in each. Literally, ‘iconography’ means ‘image writing’, and there are many icons in music videos today. In fact, some artists have actually become icons themselves. For example, Lady GaGa’s iconography is her bizarre videos that break the mould, and she often has Great Dane dogs featuring in them. Madonna herself is an 8Os icon because of the style of music she would produce, which was very feminist-inspired and strong.

 In my music video, I have decided to stay within the Indie genre and not try to break the mould, as so many artists today are. I will try to create some iconography, by taking a still of something I have filmed for the music video and using it as the CD cover.

• The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work

 -It is typically up to the record label how the artist is portrayed in the music video; which ever direction they go in is intended to sell the most records and therefore make them the most money. For example men are often represented in a sexual manner to appeal to women more. For women the same principal is often applied, to attract the male audience. This is important in the music business, as for example, women who are more inclined to listen to urban music (which often includes an element of naked flesh) may be drawn in more if there are men in RnB videos which are portrayed in a semi-naked fashion. E.g. in the music video ‘Countdown’ by RnB artist Flo Rida, the whole video is focused on the backsides of many attractive bikini-clad women who are ‘turning around’ to be ogled by the men in the video, and the male audience.

 In my music video, I shan’t be using sex appeal to draw in the female audience, I will be relying on the quality of the song and the video alone.

• There is frequently reference to notion of looking, and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body

 -The notion of looking is using the idea of gaze, and the way someone, or a group of people are represented. Techniques include screens within screens, telescopes, eyes, a looking glass, direct and indirect address. An example of using the notion of looking is in the music video ‘Can’t be Tamed’ by Miley Cyrus. In this video, Miley Cyrus is dressed as a giant black bird in a huge iron cage. The image of a cage is associated with wanted to see whatever is inside, and the fact that she is inside it instead of an actual animal links with the notion of looking. The video ‘Don’t feel like dancing’ by The Scissor Sisters includes many abstract images and visuals, including at one point, a large face in which the eyes are cut out, revealing only glowing purple sockets, into where the camera zooms, revealing the next part of the video. This is also a notion of looking. According to Goodwin, women are often presented as ‘objects’ in modern music videos. This is voyeuristic treatment of the female body, and is often portrayed through the medium of using demeaning shots, or presenting them in a, to quote Laura Mulvey; “whore” way.

  The only female I intend to use in my video is Lucy, who will act as a mystical, dream-like character who is inviting Ben to follow him through the streets and finally to the beach before she disappears. Because of the way I intend to portray her, there is no fear of her being seen in a sexual way, as women in the modern music videos are normally not ‘mysterious’ but very full on and  forward. I shall try to use notions of looking in the way that the camera will follow Ben’s gaze in order to emphasize something of particular meaning.

• There are often intertextuality references

 -Intertextuality is used in music videos to provide further gratification or pleasure to the audience. Also it shows that the producer has seen what ever they have referred to, which, when they see it, the audience can feel a sense of acknowledgement that they have made the link.

 In my music video I will make references to the 1980s film ‘Following’ in which a man follows a man follows strangers around a city. I will have Ben following Lucy around a city/town, which immediately links to this film.

Laura Mulvey’s music theory states that;

• One part of her ‘male gaze’ theory suggests that the camera/ audience always represents a heterosexual man’s view of objectifying women in music videos. The videos linger on the women and their curves, and events which occur to women are presented largely in the circumstance of a man’s reaction to these events. The female audience must then view the video from a male perspective first.
• The second part suggests that women are only represented in one of two ways;

-either a virginal innocent character

-or a sexy “whore”

In my music video I will contradict her theory, by not subjecting the female in my video to male scrutiny. She will be wearing normal, not-sexy clothes, and will be represented in a mystical, out-of-reach manner, not in an easy, “whore” fashion, as is expected by Laura Mulvey’s theory.