Audience demographic for tilted smile
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Sunday 12 December 2010
Monday 6 December 2010
Explain What 'Find Your Tribe' Implies About The Concept Of Identity In Todays World
After going through the findyourtribe quiz numerous times, a number of factors about identity become clear. With the explosive rise and flourishing of these tribes due to such factors as growing urbanisation, new tecnology and stemming of new sub-genres of arts such as music, film and fashion it is difficult for the multiple choice question website to easily differentiate their questions to cover these new 'tribes', which forces, as a result, the quiz must adopt a stereotypical attitude. An example of this generalised attitude occurs with the 'whats in your bag?' question, with one possible avenue to delve further into the quiz being a 'crappy old phone so I don't get jacked too much' which implies an attitude that the user is afraid of being attacked on the street rather than (a much more feasible occurence) the user simply not having much intrest in new technology or having better things to spend their money on.
It is with this generalised attitude that findyourtribe proves ineffective, the user may listen to Nirvana, for example, but that does not mean that he/she "automatically appreciate an artist after they passed away." These fixed taglines and attitudes fail to take into account the concept of fragmented identities which are much more feasible than the tribes included, which in many instances seem to be plucked out of thin air.
The ideas of Michael Maffesoli seem to apply in many aspects, who talks of mass culture in his book 'The Time of Tribes.' In his book Maffesoli argues that modern tribes are not permanent groups, but shifting and always changing and qualify non-permanent membership; this ideal seems to reveal the shallow way young people, who are forming an identity, seem to move from one group to another by observing what is the most popular style depending on what is shown in front of them or around them, whats in the magazines or in the group of people around them. Another concept of what Maffesoli calls 'identity politics' stresses the faux-importance of identity in competition with one another and reveals the hollowness of modern identity in this tribal enviroment, the idea that someones identity, taking in factors of style and attitude, can be superior over anothers is pathetic. Maffesoli underpins this hollowness, who states that social existence is conducted through fragmented tribal groupings, organised around the catchwords, brand-names and sound-bites of consumer culture, this argument reveals how social existence, just like consumer culture, is forever changing and that a persons fashion, music taste and even speech may be influenced by what is stylish at the time, for example slang such as 'safe' or 'phat' has broke into consumer culture from West-Scene rap into British society within the 'chav' tribal grouping, with lower-class youths attracted to the glamour of rap music organising their social existence to these sound-bites.
This changing consumer culture and its impact on the apparatus of a persons lifestyle is represented in findyourtribe, whose multiple-choice questions may be shown to emphasise a 'pick-n-mix' tribal lifestyle, which gives all power to the user to determine his/her identity. However multiple run-throughs of the quiz say differently, as soon as you pick an establishing question in the beginning of the quiz (for example saying you enjoy guitar music) thrusts you into a stereotype which findyourtribe pushes you further into, which makes it impossible to be labelled a chav or a clubber- thus reflecting the flaws in the multiple-choice structure which findyourtribe attempts to use to create appeal.
It is with this generalised attitude that findyourtribe proves ineffective, the user may listen to Nirvana, for example, but that does not mean that he/she "automatically appreciate an artist after they passed away." These fixed taglines and attitudes fail to take into account the concept of fragmented identities which are much more feasible than the tribes included, which in many instances seem to be plucked out of thin air.
The ideas of Michael Maffesoli seem to apply in many aspects, who talks of mass culture in his book 'The Time of Tribes.' In his book Maffesoli argues that modern tribes are not permanent groups, but shifting and always changing and qualify non-permanent membership; this ideal seems to reveal the shallow way young people, who are forming an identity, seem to move from one group to another by observing what is the most popular style depending on what is shown in front of them or around them, whats in the magazines or in the group of people around them. Another concept of what Maffesoli calls 'identity politics' stresses the faux-importance of identity in competition with one another and reveals the hollowness of modern identity in this tribal enviroment, the idea that someones identity, taking in factors of style and attitude, can be superior over anothers is pathetic. Maffesoli underpins this hollowness, who states that social existence is conducted through fragmented tribal groupings, organised around the catchwords, brand-names and sound-bites of consumer culture, this argument reveals how social existence, just like consumer culture, is forever changing and that a persons fashion, music taste and even speech may be influenced by what is stylish at the time, for example slang such as 'safe' or 'phat' has broke into consumer culture from West-Scene rap into British society within the 'chav' tribal grouping, with lower-class youths attracted to the glamour of rap music organising their social existence to these sound-bites.
This changing consumer culture and its impact on the apparatus of a persons lifestyle is represented in findyourtribe, whose multiple-choice questions may be shown to emphasise a 'pick-n-mix' tribal lifestyle, which gives all power to the user to determine his/her identity. However multiple run-throughs of the quiz say differently, as soon as you pick an establishing question in the beginning of the quiz (for example saying you enjoy guitar music) thrusts you into a stereotype which findyourtribe pushes you further into, which makes it impossible to be labelled a chav or a clubber- thus reflecting the flaws in the multiple-choice structure which findyourtribe attempts to use to create appeal.
Wednesday 1 December 2010
How Does Nirvanas Video 'Heart Shaped Box' Convey Themes Of The Genre?
Nirvana are a much celebrated band that are seen as the pioneers of the grunge movement in Seattle in the early 90's. 'Heart Shaped Box', taken from their last album 'In Utero', was directed by Anton Corbijn and conveys many themes of the grunge genre, isolation, alienation and a fragmented existence that was set to destruct at any given moment.
The next setting comes in at 15 seconds into the video and is only the forth shot in, the slow editing emphasising the sombreity of the verse and, in turn, the genre itself. The theme of morality using religious imagery is again apperent with the use of the crucifix, symbolising death alongwith judgement. The use of mise-en-scene in that the crucifix is wooden embellishes the bleakness and harshness of the image alongside the fact it is included with the connotations of immorality and death with the crows and a ladder which makes it apparent that the victim must create his own demise- emphasising the bleakness that comes with the image. The endless barron location of the desert also reveals the desolation of the video whilst the adjusted vibrancy of the colours makes the location seem much like a dream-world, which envokes the idea of oblivion and escapism which is common within the genre. The imagery of an emaciated old man also reinforces the desolation of the image, stripped of everything he has except for a santa hat: ironic in the warmth and happiness the image would usually convey and, with the red colour imagery, instead connoting pain and death. The use of the colour red also fits with the poppies on the floor, which as well as emphasising the imagery of the hat also hints at the use of heroin: used for escapism and numbness in seperating the user from the real world which makes it widely affiliated with the grunge movement- it is well known also that Cobain himself was a heavy user of the drug.
The music video displays a moral ambiguiety throughout, a battle between good and evil. This is displayed by use of binary opposites, a common opposite within the video are the aspects of black and white. The most reccuring example of this are the use of the white (above) and the black (bottom) KKK outfits, which is an extremely strong case of moral ambiguiety considering the actions of the KKK, who were incrediably prejudice towards African-Americans and are infamous for their white outfits, the inclusion of a black outfit sets a mass of confusion and ambiguety, especially as a child is wearing it, whom looks remarkably like Cobain.
The video also effectivly uses narrative structure to convey the themes of the genre, using non-linear and abstract scenes which are slightly different from each other and linked only by mis-en-scene, which creates the sense of disconnection and escapism alongside a moral emptiness which comes with the fact that we are not, as an audience, invited into the video.
Grunge as a genre is radiated throughout the video, the elements and themes of escapism, isolation, alienation and moral destruction very apprent by use of mis-en-scene, camera shots and imagery within the video.
This establishing shot (above) sets the scene very strongly in envoking a sense of morality, a theme which is dealt with throughout the video. This is achieved with the colour imagery of the black curtain and cross, the curtain creating a sense of being surrounded by the immorality the curtain connotes. The cross conveys a religious aspect to the scene which is reinforced by the birds-eye camera shot: together combining to emphasise an aspect of judgement from a higher power, which empowers the sense of morality within the scene alongside the stream of light breaking through which is positioned onto the band, strengthening the aspect of judgement upon them which fits into the sense of purgatorty that comes within the mis-en-scene of the chairs. Alongside the black and white the only notable colour shown within the setting is red, connoting violence and rage which is a theme of the genre.
The next setting comes in at 15 seconds into the video and is only the forth shot in, the slow editing emphasising the sombreity of the verse and, in turn, the genre itself. The theme of morality using religious imagery is again apperent with the use of the crucifix, symbolising death alongwith judgement. The use of mise-en-scene in that the crucifix is wooden embellishes the bleakness and harshness of the image alongside the fact it is included with the connotations of immorality and death with the crows and a ladder which makes it apparent that the victim must create his own demise- emphasising the bleakness that comes with the image. The endless barron location of the desert also reveals the desolation of the video whilst the adjusted vibrancy of the colours makes the location seem much like a dream-world, which envokes the idea of oblivion and escapism which is common within the genre. The imagery of an emaciated old man also reinforces the desolation of the image, stripped of everything he has except for a santa hat: ironic in the warmth and happiness the image would usually convey and, with the red colour imagery, instead connoting pain and death. The use of the colour red also fits with the poppies on the floor, which as well as emphasising the imagery of the hat also hints at the use of heroin: used for escapism and numbness in seperating the user from the real world which makes it widely affiliated with the grunge movement- it is well known also that Cobain himself was a heavy user of the drug.
Once the performance shots incurr, the setting changes dramatically, in place of the yellow and blue is red, which connotes the rage and frustration which is intertwined within the dynamic of the song and with the genre itself, which becomes much more louder and ragefull as the chorus begins, the editing also becomes more fast and chaotic: consisting of variations of an extreme close up of Cobain, which strengthens the sense of anger. The backround consists of blurred and distorted images of the previous setting and of the rest of the band, which connotes the aspect of alienation and seperation from reality and society which is a theme of the genre.
The music video displays a moral ambiguiety throughout, a battle between good and evil. This is displayed by use of binary opposites, a common opposite within the video are the aspects of black and white. The most reccuring example of this are the use of the white (above) and the black (bottom) KKK outfits, which is an extremely strong case of moral ambiguiety considering the actions of the KKK, who were incrediably prejudice towards African-Americans and are infamous for their white outfits, the inclusion of a black outfit sets a mass of confusion and ambiguety, especially as a child is wearing it, whom looks remarkably like Cobain.
The video also effectivly uses narrative structure to convey the themes of the genre, using non-linear and abstract scenes which are slightly different from each other and linked only by mis-en-scene, which creates the sense of disconnection and escapism alongside a moral emptiness which comes with the fact that we are not, as an audience, invited into the video.
Grunge as a genre is radiated throughout the video, the elements and themes of escapism, isolation, alienation and moral destruction very apprent by use of mis-en-scene, camera shots and imagery within the video.
Thursday 25 November 2010
Shot List
1) *Toilet* panning feet
2) verticle tilt up to CU of abdomen and face
3) ECU of toilet roll being pulled *Credit Opt*
4) Ariel Shot of swirling flushed toilet *Transition*
5) *Living Room* Ariel Shot Of spoon stirring tea
6) ECU of tea being drunk
7) Character 1 sitting on sofa: CU of abdomen and face
8) Over shoulder shot of Character 1 watching telly
9)*Hallway* ECU of letters coming through letterbox
10) Character 1 picking up letters: filmed through letterbox
11) FPV ECU of looking through letters- sees credit card and attached note *Music Begins*
12) ECU of C1 grabbing keys
13)*Outside* ECU of C1 going out of home: over shoulder shot
14) ECU of locking door: over shoulder shot
15) ECU of going into car: over shoulder shot
16)*Car*- ECU of starting car
17) Reversing whilst texting: over shoulder shot
18) ECU of phone sending text to rest of the band
19) CU of driving from passengers seat- side profile
20)*Graveyard* panning establishing shot
21) canted high angle shot of C2 aproaching car
22)*Car* ECU of car closing
23) Low angle canted shot of performance
24) ECU of neck of bass guitar
25)*Pub* CU of pub sign 26) CU high angle shot of C3 getting thrown out of door
27) CU high angle shot of C3 catching drumsticks that are thrown out of the door
28)*Car*- ECU of car door closing
29) Low angle canted shot of performance
30) ECU of snare drum being played
31)*Outside* Panning high angle shot of car passing corner
32)*Car*- ECU of C's
33) Over shoulder shot from passengers view of driver running over guitarist
34)*Outside*- floor shot of dazed guitarist
35) guitarist steps into location shot
36) canted backsteat perspective, over shoulder shot of guitarist banging on window
37)*Car*- ECU of car door closing
38) ECU of wheels spinning
39) ECU of lisense plate as car speeds off
40) ECU of C1 singing *Transition*
41)*Flat* ECU of singer
42) ECU of neck of guitar
43)*High Street* Faded timed shots of the C's walking down street, verticle tilt, crosscutting
44) ECU of ATM
45) ECU of card going in
46) ECU of pin
47) ECU of money coming out (repeated, various cants) *Transition*
48)*Poker Table* Money going into dealers pocket
49) Ariel view of chips being thrown across a table
50) High angle shot of hand grabbing chips
51) ECU shot of cards being shuffled and dealt
52) Clockwise Panning shot of table, ECU of faces
53) Anti-Clockwise Panning shot over shoulder of cards
54) ECU of spinning chip
55) Clockwise Panning shot of C's drinking and smoking- Zippo Trick
56) ECU of C blowing smoke ring *Transition*
57) Ariel Shot of money being put into pot
58)*Flat* Crosscut to performace shots/fades- ECU
59) Canted high angle shot of performance
60) Singer pushing lead guitarist- slo mo
61)*Party* Real time transition from party mosh to slo mo
62) Canted shot of pushing into crowd
63) ECU of guitarist's face as he walks through crowd *Transition*
64)*Poker Table* ECU of guitarist's face as he puts down cards
65) ECU of smoke coming from mouth into nose
66)*Flat* Performance: Close up of strumming gutair
67)*Flat*Performance: Midshot of bassist swinging away after hitting note
68)*Poker Table* ECU of mouth doing shot
69)*Party* High up shot of people 'bouncing'
70)*Flat* Performance
71)*Poker Table* ECU of smoke coming out of mouth
72)*Flat* Performance
73)*Poker Table* Side profile CU of bassist 'Ghostying' smoke:- Exposed over the top of following shots -
74)*Party* ECU of bassists face as he walks through crowd
75)*Poker Table* Side profile CU of bassist doing shot *Super Fast Cuts*
76) *Flat* Headbanging
77)*Party* Flash of Hands rising
78)*Poker Table* Chips being reeled in
79) *Flat* Gutair smashing swing
80)*Party* Legs dancing
81)*Poker Table* Cards laid down
2) verticle tilt up to CU of abdomen and face
3) ECU of toilet roll being pulled *Credit Opt*
4) Ariel Shot of swirling flushed toilet *Transition*
5) *Living Room* Ariel Shot Of spoon stirring tea
6) ECU of tea being drunk
7) Character 1 sitting on sofa: CU of abdomen and face
8) Over shoulder shot of Character 1 watching telly
9)*Hallway* ECU of letters coming through letterbox
10) Character 1 picking up letters: filmed through letterbox
11) FPV ECU of looking through letters- sees credit card and attached note *Music Begins*
12) ECU of C1 grabbing keys
13)*Outside* ECU of C1 going out of home: over shoulder shot
14) ECU of locking door: over shoulder shot
15) ECU of going into car: over shoulder shot
16)*Car*- ECU of starting car
17) Reversing whilst texting: over shoulder shot
18) ECU of phone sending text to rest of the band
19) CU of driving from passengers seat- side profile
20)*Graveyard* panning establishing shot
21) canted high angle shot of C2 aproaching car
22)*Car* ECU of car closing
23) Low angle canted shot of performance
24) ECU of neck of bass guitar
25)*Pub* CU of pub sign 26) CU high angle shot of C3 getting thrown out of door
27) CU high angle shot of C3 catching drumsticks that are thrown out of the door
28)*Car*- ECU of car door closing
29) Low angle canted shot of performance
30) ECU of snare drum being played
31)*Outside* Panning high angle shot of car passing corner
32)*Car*- ECU of C's
33) Over shoulder shot from passengers view of driver running over guitarist
34)*Outside*- floor shot of dazed guitarist
35) guitarist steps into location shot
36) canted backsteat perspective, over shoulder shot of guitarist banging on window
37)*Car*- ECU of car door closing
38) ECU of wheels spinning
39) ECU of lisense plate as car speeds off
40) ECU of C1 singing *Transition*
41)*Flat* ECU of singer
42) ECU of neck of guitar
43)*High Street* Faded timed shots of the C's walking down street, verticle tilt, crosscutting
44) ECU of ATM
45) ECU of card going in
46) ECU of pin
47) ECU of money coming out (repeated, various cants) *Transition*
48)*Poker Table* Money going into dealers pocket
49) Ariel view of chips being thrown across a table
50) High angle shot of hand grabbing chips
51) ECU shot of cards being shuffled and dealt
52) Clockwise Panning shot of table, ECU of faces
53) Anti-Clockwise Panning shot over shoulder of cards
54) ECU of spinning chip
55) Clockwise Panning shot of C's drinking and smoking- Zippo Trick
56) ECU of C blowing smoke ring *Transition*
57) Ariel Shot of money being put into pot
58)*Flat* Crosscut to performace shots/fades- ECU
59) Canted high angle shot of performance
60) Singer pushing lead guitarist- slo mo
61)*Party* Real time transition from party mosh to slo mo
62) Canted shot of pushing into crowd
63) ECU of guitarist's face as he walks through crowd *Transition*
64)*Poker Table* ECU of guitarist's face as he puts down cards
65) ECU of smoke coming from mouth into nose
66)*Flat* Performance: Close up of strumming gutair
67)*Flat*Performance: Midshot of bassist swinging away after hitting note
68)*Poker Table* ECU of mouth doing shot
69)*Party* High up shot of people 'bouncing'
70)*Flat* Performance
71)*Poker Table* ECU of smoke coming out of mouth
72)*Flat* Performance
73)*Poker Table* Side profile CU of bassist 'Ghostying' smoke:- Exposed over the top of following shots -
74)*Party* ECU of bassists face as he walks through crowd
75)*Poker Table* Side profile CU of bassist doing shot *Super Fast Cuts*
76) *Flat* Headbanging
77)*Party* Flash of Hands rising
78)*Poker Table* Chips being reeled in
79) *Flat* Gutair smashing swing
80)*Party* Legs dancing
81)*Poker Table* Cards laid down
Wednesday 24 November 2010
Monday 22 November 2010
Audience Research, Media Theory
Uses and Gratifications
During the 1960's, as those who had grown up with television became adults, it became apparent and important for media theorists to disect how and why audiences viewed texts. Instead of a mass collected audience passivly viewing homogeneosly, it was shown that the audiences individually viewed texts for many different reasons. In 1948 Lasswell suggested that media texts are viewed for the following functions and reasons:
Surveilance: Viewing media texts to gain information which could be usefull for living (i.e weather reports, financial issues, advertisment) however with the rise of surveilance programs such as Brit Cops: Zero Tolerance, revealing the law-flouting underbelly of society; it is possible that these shows are viewed to provide caution and safety to those at home.
Shows such as Brit Cops: Zero Tolerance attempt to provide surveilance gratification, a warning of the crime on the streets alongside morbid curosity and a wish against blissfull ignorance for the audience.
Correlation: Viewing media texts to provide yourself with a reflective of yourself, identifying your own personality and characteristics alongside those of people you know.
As of late, there has been a rise in T.V shows such as Skins (Above) which combine the gratifications of both surveilance to an older generation in watching a media text to impead interest of those younger alongside correlation to those of the same age as the cast. Whilst Skins attempts in this fashion to hit a mass audience of all ages, shows like Shameless (Below) attempt to hit an audience of all classes using this techinque.
Entertainment: Self Explanatory
Cultural Transmission: Though it can be seen that cultural transmission is very similar to surveilance instead to learn more about another culture; a main difference is instead of the viewer being gratified it is those who impead the text- a mass showing of a culture in an attempt of boasting. An extreme example of this is the cultural transmission of America, once invading Iraq, setting up a channel showing only American shows such as Friends (Below) in an attempt to draw the civilians into their culture.
The T.V show friends can be seen to provide a very inviting example of American culture, an example of Cultural Transmission between America and the East.
Researchers Bulmer and Katz expanded upon this theory and published a much more refined version in 1974, dissecting the far too broad Lasswell and narrowing a function such as entertainment into Diversion: (escape from everyday problems and routines). They also dissected the broad function of correlation into catagories of Personal Relationships: (using the media for emotional and other interactions, i.e substituting soap operas for your family life)
Relations To Our Music Video
Due to the hedonistic lifestyle which comes quickly to a downfall in our music video, our music video could relate to alot of these functions. The factor of surveilance in our music video could apply to not only apply to those considerably older than the characters (late teens making a band) but also those of all ages trapped in a mundane routine wishing to get out- relating to the functions of diversion and personal identity in that those who cannot get out of this routine can instead watch as the characters ditch the shackles of the lifestyle they once had only to implode and return. The personal identity shown in our video promotes the attitude and psychological character of the underacheievers who would love to be part of a loved band alongside the social values of the hedonist. This aspiration is underpinned by the use of costume of the characters, relating to the bands they themselves and the audience aspire to.
Narcissim
To be a "Narcissist" is to be known as self loving and vain, the term is coined from the mythologic story of Narcissus; whom was renowned for his good looks and beauty. Narcissus was very arrogant due to his beauty, and as divine punishment was captivated by his reflection in a pool and as a result wasted away to death staring at his reflection.
The story of Narcissus has been many times reflected in poular culture, especially rock and pop music: Bob Dylans song "License to Kill" refers indirectly to Narcissus: "Now he worships at an altar of a stagnant pool /And when he sees his reflection, he's fulfilled." Punk band The Libertines also wrote a song called Narcissm, adressing the wannabe models and fashion victims of Clapham, which refrences famous narcissitic character Dorian Gray with the lyric "Wouldn't it be nice to be Dorian Gray, just for a day?"
Friday 29 October 2010
How Does 'Dont Look Back Into The Sun' By The Libertines Represent Genre?
The Libertines are a punk rock band formed in England; with Don't Look Back Into The Sun being one of their most well known singles. The music video is filmed very amatuerish and off-hand, however this cheapness embellishes the scruffy warmheartedness of the band whilst the regular camera shake connotes anarchy and the off-the-rails lifestyle the band radiate- which is also shown by the quick cutting between scenes.
This lifestyle of uncoformatity is shown by the bands costumes, the vibrant red (connoting danger and attitude) standing out against the rest of the general public.
As the introductory solo kicks in the video turns straight into performance shots; footage of a live concert which emphasises the authencitity of their music and captures the energy and chaos of the punk rock genre. This energy is shown in the camera work of the performance shots, with a variety of camera angles; particularly the use of tilt which disorientates the audience, making it clearly apperent that the cameraman was amongst the crowd at the gig.
The unpredictability and energy of the song and the genre itself is pinpointed in the performance shots, with the use of strobe lighting very effective in representing these themes; with the drumbeat in many cases being in time with the flash.
The way in which these performance shots are intertwined with the storyline of the band wondering around the city reinforces the point that the music and its audience are the most important things within the band; a very punk rock ethic- which is reinforced by the lack of equipment such as tripods and dollys and also the use of zoom which incoraparates the crowd within the performance shot, breaking the barrier between artist and fan being another punk-rock ethic. The use of a cameraman simply tracking the artist shows numerous over-shoulder shots which places the audience within the video. This intimacy between The Libertines and their audience, strengthened by their extensive use of internet forums to talk to their fans (becoming one of the first British bands to do so) alongside their frequent use of "Guerrilla Gigging"- impromteu performances taken place in a fans, or indeed the bands, flat or house.
The use of the colour imagery alongside the Britishness of a red phonebox represents an energy and pride in their surroundings that are common in the punk rock genre- particularly the Libertines.One very specific point in the "storyline" is an instant when the band steal their own single from an HMV outlet, this pointless attack on authority at themselves representing the anti-law attitude that is apperent in punk-rock alongside the audacity of filming it and distributing it for anyone with a television or computer to see.
This feud with authority results with many brushes with the law; captured in this ECU shot; the bars emphasising entrapment and arrest. Pete Doherty himself has been arrested numerous times for drugs and wepon offenses.To conclude, the representation of punk rock is shown with the use of mise-en-scene, the intertwining of high-energy performance with the "storyline", fast paced editing and multitude of camera angles.
Wednesday 20 October 2010
Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels- Poker Scene
One pivotal scene within our video is a poker scene; as that displays not only the sudden wealth our characters have accumulated but also the excessive lifestyle (reflected by our genre of choice) that the characters display. A famous poker scene in British film is that of the 1998 Guy Ritchie Film 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.'
The scene starts with a pan of the raised poker table; showing a desperation to view the going-ons of the game and an inability to join the table which highlights the grandeur of the game alongside it being an efficient establishing shot: with the fame of the characters involved in the game within our video perhaps it is a technique in which we could use.
The fast-paced editing displays not only a heated game which could create an excitement for the viewer alongside reflecting the fast pace of our song and of the rock n roll genre itself. The blacked-out background not only emphasises the importance of the game but also the immoral grandeur that comes along with it- the alcohol and cigars shown highlighting the excessive lifestyle the game comes with as well as its players. The fact that the alcohol can be seen to be diminishing shows this excess alongside the desperation of the losing players.
The first person view of the dealer that shows each player throwing either cards of chips into the cameras direction pinpoints the swagger and egotistical players- a trait that we would like to show in our video, as well as allowing the viewer to be finally placed in the game, this connection with the audience coercing them to pay more attention to the scene. The use of slow-motion highlights the fact that one second can change everything in this high risk game; emphasising the fast and loose lifestyle of the players that we would contain in our video- the use of ECU reinforces the emotions of the players and reinforces the importance of a 'poker-face.'
As one player is shown to lose and be thrown out of the game, the use of a high angle shot displays his insignificance alongside the elite of those left as well as reinforcing the fact that the audience can only observe the higher importance of the egotistical characters from an unseen angle.
When, ultimately, the final cards are placed down; they are done so in time with the music: this showcases the importance of these cards within the game in a technique that would prove very useful in showing a poker game within a music video.
Thursday 14 October 2010
Location Planning 2
With the idea of attempting to cover as many sub-genres of rock as possible, another location attempting to connotate imagery of the darker side of rock (metal, goth, emo) is a graveyard; due to common imagery and themes of death, grief and dispair. The graveyard is the location we will be introducing the bass guitarist; the graveyard we have chose is logistically sound, just a few minutes walk from our school on Colman Road with free parking. Wednesday 13 October 2010
Costume Planning
This tee shirt is one example of the costume of the rock genre- the studded logo an example of the D.I.Y punk ethic of clothing. The logo itself can be seen to represent sexual debauchery and attitude, the band 'The Rolling Stones' infamous for excessive events; taking the life of former guitarist Brian Jones at the young age of 27.
The jeans are skinny fit, a common costume for the rock n roll genre; like the shirt the skinny fit represents sexual debauchery and audacity alongside emphasising the common poor background of punk ethic with their small size- revealing the inability to buy jeans that fit.
The shoes are scruffy and dirty, representing the little care for appearance and hygiene from those who influenced our planning; the brand Chuck Taylor Converse is very popular amongst rockers and fans of the genre- one example being American rock star Kurt Cobain who was rarely seen without them on.
Tuesday 12 October 2010
Which demographic would most identify with the life style and generic style of the British band "Foals?"
Viewing the photograph of math-rock band Foals in The Independent article, the polo shirt and cardigan costume hint at a student following, indeed the band themselves are ex-students of the prestigious Oxford university; this intellectual yet rebellious and laid-back ideaology is also reinforced in the reasonably unknown genre "math-rock" which has found itself as a label for the band- and perfectly sums up this ideaology of intelligance and subtle anarchy.
This student demographic can also pinpoint the age-group of the following, identifying itself with the illustrious lifestyle of a group of late teens to early twenty year olds dropping out of one of the reputably best university in the world, living together and crafting a band to create, as The Independent claim to be, "exhilarating, diverse and innovative music." Certainly the article aims to create a rebellious yet highly intelligent aura around the band, introducing them in the statement "the palid lead singer of art-house punks Foals, is smoking a cigarette as the rest of his bandmates drink coffee and the read the papers inside."
It is this aura that can reveal a lot about the demographic that the article is targeting white, middle class youths, like the band themselves, who are spurred by the lifestyle Foals portray to release the shackles of what The Independent state to be "parently approved careers" and getting "thrown into the rapid decadence of the music industry." To attempt to bring rock music out of the mundane lad-rock of the lower classes and show that you cannot choose which class you are born into. The demographic, as well as the band, aspire to be abstract and exciting, taking "abstract lyrics, vocal barks, funky bass-lines and disco drumbeats and layered them into math-rock bass-lines." The music video for one of "two hit singles" 'Balloons' displays many of the bands enticements to their intellectual, middle-class demographic: drinking tea in front of a pale-green background- displaying a Britishness alongside a laid-back, confident aura amongst the abstract back-and-forth performance shots and the use of the crow (intelligent, not traditionally sexually appealing and rebellious- just like the band and reflecting a male-dominant demographic) imagery reflecting the lyrics "we fly balloons of this field called love."
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/foals-why-its-creativity-not-fame-that-interests-them-773528.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHcOFmiswcQ&feature=related
Tuesday 5 October 2010
Find Your Tribe Evaluation
Find Your Tribe is many things; with culture, fashion and media all creating further and further sub-genres and cliques FindYourTribe.com can be a way for some to culturally identify yourself and find out which cliques take over your county. However, with very specific questions which change depending on your choice of age, gender and ethnicity- it can be seen that FindYourTribe can be used as a niche marketing tool. The info gathered extremely useful to determine teenagers- the prime market- preferences, wants and needs.
Monday 4 October 2010
Location Planning 1
One location that was decided to use was a certain characters house; to reflect the average mundane lives of the characters and provide a stark contrast to the fame and fortune that was about to behold them. For the purpose of easiness I have decided to analyse my room.
The first signifier of a waning for a rock 'n 'roll lifestyle is the door- a Rolling Stones poster making connections with the rock genre icons that have influenced our video. Another is the scrawling D.I.Y lyrics on the door- taken from the Manic Street Preachers' song 'Faster' of their 1993 album 'The Holy Bible'- reflecting the punk rock ethic that that has influenced our video.
The Jimi Hendrix poster is also a signifier for the excessive lifestyle the video represents; with Hendrix dying of affixiating on his own vomit at the young age of 27. The unmade bed also shows a scruffy, mundane, lazy lifestyle just waiting to be transformed.Another signifier are the guitars in the room- representing a wish to replicate the achievements of those shown throughout the room. This is also shown with items such as biographies of British punk band 'The Libertines' and Joy Division's Ian Curtis: with the former representing the rock n roll lifestyle of excess and the latter a sorry reminder of the frequent young-aged deaths that this lifestyle can claim. Song tabs can also been seen throughout the room- another signifier of the wish to replicate what the characters heroes have achieved.
Excessive lifestyle signifiers are not only represented in musical decor, posters for the film of Scarface also connotate the lifestyle and the plot shown in the video: with Scarface rising to become the biggest drug baron in California before losing it all due to his excessive lifestyle before being killed in the end of the film.
Friday 1 October 2010
Written Treatment
"Frenzied eruption of raw rock culture"
The plot for our music video starts with the band sitting at home. We show their lives to be fairly mundane and average. One member of the band inherits a large sum of money. This changes the dynamic of the group’s life. The man who inherits the money promptly drives to pick up the members of the band as the music begins (Each band member enters car in sync with the music and their instruments which they bring with them). Now The plot halves into the performance shots of the band practice after they arrive in the car. The other half which will be cross-cut in and out of the band members spending their money in extravagant ways. Such as gambling, partying, after purchasing expensive clothing. The two halves melt back together after the party has finished and the band finds they have no money just like the beginning. They pick up their instruments once again and the music cuts out just as they begin to play.
We were influenced to a certain extent by the film Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.We thought the poker scene in the film was really well composed and works well with the music. Our poker scene will be based very closely to the style of this.
We are taking on the style of a monochrome film. This will be used to bringout a certain colour which will be chosen to emphasise a certain mood by using colour connotation. This is similar to the scene in 'Schindler's List' with the single red coat.
The film Rock n Rolla has good use of lighting in it which will influence how we light our own video. The use of dark to light contrasts creates connotations of moral ambiguity and looks startling.
For the performance elements in our music video our main influence is the style of Kasabian – Underdog. The slightly slowed down performance shots carry across a lot more passion.
The plot for our music video starts with the band sitting at home. We show their lives to be fairly mundane and average. One member of the band inherits a large sum of money. This changes the dynamic of the group’s life. The man who inherits the money promptly drives to pick up the members of the band as the music begins (Each band member enters car in sync with the music and their instruments which they bring with them). Now The plot halves into the performance shots of the band practice after they arrive in the car. The other half which will be cross-cut in and out of the band members spending their money in extravagant ways. Such as gambling, partying, after purchasing expensive clothing. The two halves melt back together after the party has finished and the band finds they have no money just like the beginning. They pick up their instruments once again and the music cuts out just as they begin to play.
We were influenced to a certain extent by the film Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels.We thought the poker scene in the film was really well composed and works well with the music. Our poker scene will be based very closely to the style of this.
We are taking on the style of a monochrome film. This will be used to bringout a certain colour which will be chosen to emphasise a certain mood by using colour connotation. This is similar to the scene in 'Schindler's List' with the single red coat.
The film Rock n Rolla has good use of lighting in it which will influence how we light our own video. The use of dark to light contrasts creates connotations of moral ambiguity and looks startling.
For the performance elements in our music video our main influence is the style of Kasabian – Underdog. The slightly slowed down performance shots carry across a lot more passion.
Mis-en-scene Planning
This is a planning concept board; with the aspects covered explaining why these various choices have been made and their part in the rock genre history.
One location that was taken into consideration was a dirty, seedy underground club; providing the perfect backdrop to a rock gig- a place where partying and excessivness run wild. Another common place for rock infamy is the hotel room; a noteriously famous example being the myth surrounding the murder of Nancy Spungeon- with punk rocker boyfriend Sid Vicous arrested for her murder and committing suicide before his trial. Keith Moon of 'The Who' fame was renounded for his destruction of hotel rooms.
Track Details and Artist Communication
Song Name: Waiting For Tomorrow
Artist Name: Tilted Smile
Length Of Song: 4:22 (Although we are shortening it for the purpose of the video.)
Genre: Rock
We contacted the Band on Myspace asking them for confirmation to use their song in our video and to ask them for lyrics to the song.
Wednesday 22 September 2010
Rock n Roll Genre Concept Board
Exploration into the history, concept and characteristics of the rock genre
Wednesday 7 July 2010
Textual Analysis Of A Music Video: Africa Shox- Leftfield
Within the video; the choice of images truly reflects the music and the genre of house, electronica and freestyle. The grey colour pallet connotes imagery of steel and metallic glimmer, noting the electronica genre. The genre is also shown with the array of neon lights upon signs and skyscrapers; another image used is the concept of the performer falling apart almost like a robot that is unable to work.
Another genre mentioned is house; with the video showing many codes and conventions of the genre, examples being the day-glo jackets of the security guard (sharing the conventional yellow of the New York taxis where house was reaching widespread popularity), the urban settings including alleyways which emphasise underground genre and electric fences (con notating danger and excitement- especially when linked with the lyrics of electric fence, electric fence.) The freestyle genre is also displayed within the video, breakdancing having roots in Hip-Hop culture amongst African-Americans as a protest dance, ironic with the white breakdancers. All of these New-York culturally specific images conform with the genre to appeal wit
Dystopic game series Fallout; set in an apocolyptic America, shares many parralels with the ignorant and dangerous America in Africa Shoxx. The use of ghoul characters in Fallout are very similar to the black performer, fragile and ignored by a society they need to survive.
Another genre mentioned is house; with the video showing many codes and conventions of the genre, examples being the day-glo jackets of the security guard (sharing the conventional yellow of the New York taxis where house was reaching widespread popularity), the urban settings including alleyways which emphasise underground genre and electric fences (con notating danger and excitement- especially when linked with the lyrics of electric fence, electric fence.) The freestyle genre is also displayed within the video, breakdancing having roots in Hip-Hop culture amongst African-Americans as a protest dance, ironic with the white breakdancers. All of these New-York culturally specific images conform with the genre to appeal with the audience whom are already fans to the band and genre, keeping the loyalty of a core fanbase. However, the bleak settings set to portray New York in a negative light as a major city in America, seen in the location and dim, sparing, lighting to emphasise immorality.
The music and visuals link perfectly, an early example is the visual of the security guard talking through his radio amongst the statical sounds of a voice in the music. Another example follows instantly, as a fast blurred pan is seen upon the radio cut-out- automatically bringing the audience into the setting and first into the action. The performers ragged swaying, almost falling to the drop in the song, also fits together the music and the visuals, this effect disorientates the audience on both viewing and hearing the video, placing them more firmly in the scene. This effect is also used within the quickening pace and more variety of tilted, disorientating pans once the beat fully kicks in. This is a contrast to the creeping and lurking tracking shots seen in the alleyways previously.
The narrative structure of the video is linear narrative based, showing the performers struggle within the the city and, as the video progresses, makes the viewer sympathise with the performer as he struggles to find identity and help.
The use of a futuristic, metallic city hints towards inter-texuality of the sci-fi genre, the bleak and dangerous setting hinting at a dystopic and dangerous world; seen in books such as Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and popular video game series Fallout. Links to Fallout are also made with the concept of zombie-like Ghouls who are seen as subordinate and disgusting by others, very much like the black performer whom due to ignorance and poverty has been desensitised almost to zombiefication.
Dystopic game series Fallout; set in an apocolyptic America, shares many parralels with the ignorant and dangerous America in Africa Shoxx. The use of ghoul characters in Fallout are very similar to the black performer, fragile and ignored by a society they need to survive.The constant ignorance of the black performer; watched by sucessful white people as he falls apart, sets to establish the left wing policies of the band (referring to the name of Leftfield to reveal the motives.) The political ideology reflected within the video creates a couragous and fair image of the band, who are willing to show their ideology in such vivid form. This helps selling the track with the like-minded audience willing to support their ideology and fans of the genre; aiming for those intrested either/or the political aims and music of the band.
With this ideology, very negative values are comminicated of what not to follow but to avoid, the ignorant and much better off white characters ignore his literall falling apart and instead set to destroy him. This is shown in most blatent irony with the breakdancers breaking off his leg; as the white breakdancers fail to consider that their breakdancing has roots in African culture as a protest dance; the genre itself also stems from African protest music brought over due to the slavery of Africans.
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