Music video analysis

This is a music video composed by Motion City Soundtrack and is entitled "This is for Real", it was released in 2007 as part of the album "Even if it Kills Me".

The video begins with a close up of the band which lets the audience know the artist of the song is, the band appear to be lounging around on the sofa not doing anything in particular which dennotes that the band are average everyday people which connotes to the audience that the audience are not inferior to the band in any way. The camera angle is also at eye level with all members of the band which helps reinforce the previous connotation of the band being as important as the audience.

There is then a close up of a bowling ball which gives the audience a setting for the narrative this is then followed up by an announcement on a bowling screen saying "tournament of champions", this gives the audience context surrounding the narrative which serves to keep the audience interested.  The next shot is a low angle medium shot of a group of men who are dressed in outfits that would be associated with explorers/adventurers, the low angle helps reinforce their dominant connotation  and the distance between the camera and the group also helps reinforce this as you wouldn't stand really close to a group of intimidating men.  This is followed by a jump cut to a group of men dressed in what would be stereotypically laccsociated with scouts. The camera then cuts to the band who are getting ready to play and as they chorus begins the band starts playing adding emphasis to the chorus. There is then yet another jump cut to a third person shot of the scouts and explorers accidentally bumping shoulders, which gives the connotation that neither group is backing down to the other. The camera then cuts back to the band and then consisting of various matched cuts of them playing their instruments, however one notable shot is of the singer/guitarist which is a worms eye view shot giving the impression that he is powerful and that the audience is weak.  The next shot consists of another group of men appearing, this time a group of men sporting big beards, sunglasses and denim jackets which again is a stereotypical representation of another social group, this time of bikers. The camera then cuts back to the band again with various different shots, including eye level third person shots which makes the audience feel like they are part of the band. The camera cuts back to the narrative which is a tracking shot of a black man shining shoes, which gives a connotation that black people are inferior to the other characters in the narrative. The camera then cuts to characters bowling, then to the singer/guitarist as the note that begins the second verse is played, this helps to emphasise the beginning of the second verse which may represent a new scene in the narrative.

 In the second scene the camera is focused on a bowling ball knocking over pins, there is then a matched cut to characters' reactions, then to a medium close up of two people who are dressed to be stereotypical representation of a commentator team, the camera then cuts back to the characters who are bowling and a close up of two characters high fiving each other which connotes that they are happy and therefore doing well. The camera then cuts to the band who are still playing their instruments and then back to the narrative in order to set a new scene which is a low angle shot of the explorer about to bowl, the camera then cuts to an old man who is doing stretches connotating that he is in the bowling tournament as he is doing warm up exercises.  The camera cuts back to the band as the begin to play the pre chorus which shows the audience where they are in the song, the camera then cuts back to narrative to low angle shot of one of the bikers bowling, the camera then cuts to a close up of the ball and then cuts to the ball knocking over all the pins. The camera then cuts to band to signify the chorus and then cuts back to the bikers' reaction which is a third person shot of him using finger guns which connotes that he is pleased. The next shot is a tilt up of a old man with a striped sweater and thick rimmed glasses with a cigar in his mouth, the appearance of the old man is very stereotypical like the other characters, but while all the younger characters are showing off and being very reckless the old man is being calm and collected which arises the connotation of with age comes wisdom. The camera then cuts to an asian scout and then   to another low angle medium shot as he throws the ball (which appears to be the angle and shot of choice when the characters throw the ball) then cuts to the band then back to the low angle medium shot in which the asian scout throws his hands out as if to spiritually influence the ball, which may be adhering the the stereotype that the japanese are very spiritual. The camera then cuts to the commentators who make hand gestyres while talking as if they are analysing the japanese scouts technique, this adds a slight degree of humor and may give the impression that the narrative is mocking the japanese in some aspects. The camera returns to the band again with a variety of close ups on the bands instruments and their faces, which leads into the next shot which is again a low angle medium shot which makes the audience feel inferior and distant from the action, this time of the old man cheering and then to a close up of him high fiving his teammates,  which again adds a sense of humor as you wouldn't see an old man high fiving people. The camera then cuts straight to another character without cutting back to the band which appears to be unusual as that has been the pattern so far, next is a shot of another scout, this time one with glasses (portrayed as a "nerd") who throws the ball with little effort, the camera then cuts to a side on close up of the scout pushing his glasses up his face which connotes that he is intelligent.

The camera then cuts to the band as the enter the bridge and focuses on the keyboardist who is head banging to the music which shows that he is passionate about the music. The camera then cuts to a middle aged tourist, who is beginning to go bald, overweight and holding a can of fizzy drink, which adds gives the audience a negative view of tourists. The camera cuts to the electronic board which has "final round" written across it letting the audience know what is happening within the narrative, then to a medium shot of the old man who is getting ready, this denotes to the audience that he is in the finals, the camera then cuts to band then back to the old man but this time of a close up of him walking, then a cut to a medium shot of him  about to throw the ball, then cuts again to a close up of him injuring his hand, which reinforces the stereotype that old people are fragile. The camera then cuts to the  commentators then to a medium close up of the scout rushing to the old man, this is followed by a shot to the commentators gain with one of them putting his hand over his mouth implying he is going to be sick and then turning, this adds more humor as the commentator makes the old mans injury to be something hard to look at and very sickly but in fact is a minor hand injury. The camera cuts to a medium of the scout trying to help the old man, then to a low angle medium shot of the biker running to the old man, then to a close up of him making finger guns indicating that he is mocking the old man because he is injured, giving the connotation that the biker is going to win. The camera then has a low angle shot of the explorer and other characters mocking the old man as well, then to a close up of more characters laughing at him which gives a connotation that old people are not well liked or that it is funny when a old person is injures themselves, the camera then cuts to a birds of view of the old man who is looking up in the air in pain. The camera then cuts to an extreme close up of the singer, and then to a low angle shot of him taking his guitar off and walking away, the camera returns to the narrative and focuses back onto the commentators who look surprised, and lip sync "who's that?". The camera then cuts to a low angle shot of characters moving out of the way, as this happens the camera pans and reveals the lead singer, there is then another cut to his face but the emphasis is on the surprised look of the explorers face, there is then a cut to a medium shot of the singer about to bowl, then quickly cuts to a close up of him bowling, then cuts to the ball rolling then back to band which builds up suspense, then to a slow motion shot of the ball knocking over the pins, this is then interuppted by a cut to of the lead singers face to show his anticipation, then the camera cuts back to the ball knocking over all the pins. The camera then cuts back to the lead singer who celebrates, then to the commentators who celebrate, the camera then cuts to the old man rolling on the floor in pain then back to the band.     

Music Video Questionnaire

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10 iconic bands

This is a short prezi on ten iconic bands that have shaped the way in which we view music today. In addition to my target audience these bands have influenced my decision on what genre of music my music video will be.

Digipack and advert analysis

'Even If It Kills Me' is the third album released by the pop punk band Motion City Soundtrack and was released in september 2007. Standout tracks include 'Point of Extinction', 'Hello Helicopter' and 'This Is For Real'.


The digipack consists of mainly lighter and darker shades of blue, a masculine colour, and pink, a feminine colour, which represents the two different genders shown, this is consistent throughout the whole digipack. This connotes that this album is aimed at both genders. The text is white which connotes purity and innocence which may relate to the topics of the tracks

The characters featured on the digipack are whispering in each other’s ears, which connotes secrecy. In addition to this the women are standing next to the men which may connote relationships. Both of these points may connote what some of the tracks are about.

The tree in the background may connote nature and peace, and the window may connote that the tree is outside, and that the characters are inside or unable to have peace, which connotes that there may be conflict of relationships presents in the song tracks.


Some of the characters are shown behind the text which connotes that they are not that important or are hidden, while other characters are shown in front of the artist text making them appear more important than the artists. In addition many of the characters are looking towards the reader as if there staring into space which may connote dissatisfaction.

This album cover for Primal Scream is very simplistic and seems to represent working class youth culture because it shows two women/girls from the waste down in a garden with what looks like a council estate wall behind. The mise-en-scene hints that the album was produced and made in the 1960s because the woman in the foreground looks like she is wearing 60s cloths, however Primal Scream are a Scottish Alternative band who formed in 1982 which means they are just using this style to connote the band/album (product) represent youth culture because the 60s was seen as a time of change when youth culture developed into a "A time of rebellion" (Hall). 

I think this album will appeal to working class men and women 15-24 years of age because they will see themselves represented in the imagery and typography. I also think that Laura Mulvey's feminist theory that "women are used as erotic objects of desire" (Mulvey, 1975) to sell products can be applied because the woman in the foreground is thin and wearing revealing cloths. 

In short, I like the simplicity of this design, it follows conventions through using imagery, colour, layout  and typography to sell the product, but like many other Indie albums, does so in an artistic way. 

This is probably one of the most famous album covers of all times, it is for Nirvana's album Nevermind and features a naked baby underwater in a swimming pool looking at American bank note. The connotations for this are vast and varied but I think the main connotation is that the baby represents male youth culture and the bank note represents capitalism and how it is all about consumerism because the baby is focused on the dollar. I think this represents the anger of youth culture and shows the band is Indie and not mainstream like commercial pop stars (like Madonna) who are just products not artists. The typography and blue colours also represent the youth audience because blue and black links to depression. 

I think this album is probably one of the best album covers off all times because it cleverly reveals the bands genre through making a political statements that disaffected youths will be drawn to. 

Based on this research, I think my album cover need to use original imagery, typography that represents the target audience/genre, dark colours and mise-en-scene that represent the target audience. Due to the fact I am making the who digi pack I will also need to include the relevant track information. 

This magazine advert for Only By The Night is interesting in how it represents youth in culture. For example the advert features a digital type of font, this can be associated with youth as youth nowadays desire all the new technology such as ipods, macs etc. The choice of what songs they choose to feature on the advert can also be applied to youth, for example 'Sex On Fire' contains the word sex and the connotations that surround it, and as Stanley Hall 1904 stated that "all youth go through a time of storm and stress and that during this period they exhibit higher sensation seeking, sex being one of those activities.

The imagery is very surreal it features members of the band and what appears to be an owl (a predatory, nocturnal animal) which gives the connotation of nightlife and the band themselves being hunters which can relate to youth in the way that youth stay up later to go out drinking etc.

This magazine advert for Lungs is interesting in how it addresses youth, once again applying Stanley Halls 1904 theory surrounding storm and stress, the dark colours will attract youth because they are going through a time of stress and as such bright colours such as yellow or pink will not be attractive to them. Also by applying Laura Mulvey's theory about how women are portrayed as objects of sexual desire to the male audience it becomes apparent that this magazine advert may be specifically aimed at a   male youth.

Project Brief/Genre Choice

Brief no 1: A promotion package for the release of an album, to include a music promo video, together with two of the following three options:

• A website homepage for the band
• A magazine advertisement for the digipak (CD/DVD Package)
• A cover for its release as part of a digipak (CD/DVD Package)

I chose this brief because I enjoyed the music magazine brief for AS media and as such helped influence my decision, as I had already produced a music magazine in my first year of media studies and so I already had knowledge of how to present and attract audiences to music products in the media. Being part of a band I already have an interest in making music.

To begin my project I will be analysing three music videos in order to get a well rounded, balanced view  of what makes a good music video, I will also be analysing three album digipaks as I will need to have an idea of what makes a good digipak in order to create one myself. In addition to the other two tasls I will be analysing three album magazine articles as I need to create a magazine article for my digipak I will create and as such need knowledge on how to present and write an article for a digipak.


The genre I have decided to research and work in is Indie Rock. Rock music began in the 1950s and 1960s in the UK and USA. It developed from the rock and roll music of the 1940s and drew from other genres like folk, jazz, blues and classical. 


The genre is characterised by electric guitar, bass guitar and drums; Indie Rock, the genre I am working in moves away from this though. The themes of rock/indie rock songs are vast and varied from love to political songs. 


I found this useful timeline that shows the progression of music and the key bands who moved it forward (the source is shown at the top of the screengrab): 

In terms of institution and magazines that cover the rock/indie genre the main publications are:

Kerrang (next to each of these put up the advertising rates card information e.g. target audience profile)

Big Cheese Magazine

Mojo

NME

Metal Hammer

Rock Sound

In short, the main target audience I will be pitching my productions at is..

Gender

Age

Class

Race

Sexuality