Media Studies- Update

Our group felt from the feedback that we had to expand and create a variety of ideas. By using the preliminary scoreboards and research, our group has decided to expand on research by including more on theorists, genre and miss en scene also including more meanings, representational codes and theorists towards our storyboards allowing us to make our music video more specific and show a lot of clarity. So with our new expansion of ideas and thoughts, our group will succeed our task and allow us to discover more of the ideas and values behind the band Muse, compare them to other leaders of the alternative rock genre and to figure out the overall form of our media product to show the intentions of the audience and apply or challenge the traditional conventions of the music video genre for our band.

Research Muse

MUSE

Background

Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy (lead vocals, guitars, piano, keyboards, keytar), Christopher Wolstenholme (bass, backing vocals, keyboards, guitars, harmonica) and Dominic Howard (drums, percussion, synthesisers, sampling, harmtar).

Research MTV

Sam Hulme and Luke Parker                18^th October 2011                                               

Research- MTV

MTV was first established New York City on August 1, 1981. The original purpose is to publish music videos guided by on air hosts such as VJs. MTV has used on impact on the music industry and popular culture. The concept of MTV was popularized sue to the idea of a dedicated video based outlet for music was introduced for both artists and fans. MTV’s moral influence on young people includes issues related to censorship and social activism has been a subject of debate for years. MTV focus more on non music programming has been contested relentlessly since 1990’s demonstrates the channel’s previous impact on popular culture. MTV plays music videos 24 hours a day, 7 days a week guided by video jockeys and several spinoff channels. Videos can be played on demand at their website as well.  MTV’s format after top 40 radios was hired to host the network’s programming and to introduce videos being played. Many VJS involved became celebrities in their own right. A large number of rock bands and performers of the 1980s were made popular by MTV such acts range from new generations of hard rock and heavy metal bands such as culture club and prince. Besides music videos, MTV expand programmes to centrepiece its programming. MTV present a variety of non music related television shows aimed primarily at 12 to 18 year old demographic. MTV video music awards show is used to develop into a music industry showcase marketed as a more relevant youth targeted antipode to other award shows. MTV’s award show with similar success also creates it success across Europe.  MTV is widely considered as the first television network to develop its brand with an unified vocabulary, Voice and visual identity. MTV’s logo from the large M to the graffiti style superimposed and quickly became instantly recognizable in popular culture.  This therefore created change for the evolution to MTV’s iconic image and branding of the network. MTV have spread its popular culture for 30 years become an iconic channel to become the centre of the ongoing debate over the cultural and moral influence of music and television on young people and society. The channel also found itself criticism by various groups about programmes, social issues, political correctness, sensitivity and moral influence on young people. Beyond MTV it has distributed to many additional properties beyond the channel to other sister channels in the US, from the satellite television to HD channels such as Palladian and MTV Hits/Jams.  MTV have also created a website in order to experiment and create a new voice of recognition. The service has brought additional content towards society and new divisions of the company.  MTV.com expands the channel’s broadcasts by showing content to its viewers and service supported by commercials. This promoted advertising and announces digitalisation such as cell phone, ipad, computers and other digital devices.

MTV's target audience consists of young adults of 12-24 year olds including the website. MTV is a highly rated network in most other demos.  Therefore the median target audience says around 21 to increase potential. The network mostly focuses on youth with new shows, good ratings and endless potential deals. MTV offers advertising packages to MTV2, allowing credit and availability, which targets slightly more male and also contains its promotional deals with comedy central, VH1 and UPN. However MTV faces challenges with media buyers upfront. Its current line-up is heavily on female targeted programmes while trying to balance male and female viewers. The network is constantly burning through programmes through and uneasy sense making MTV feel responsible for their own actions and obligations towards society. And finally MTV have a long social, political and environmental activism in  young people.

Shot List

Shot Number	Type of Shot	Explanation
1	Medium Shot- Flag	The flag represents hope and justice, therefore the medium shot is used to make it different groups. This is linked to being different towards society.
2	Long Shot- Rebellious gang	The long shot is used to represent community and teamwork making it show resistance and contrast of upper and lower classes.
3	Montage- Long, medium and close up- Band members	Band are represented as leaders of the resistance making them show power and dominance, they express their own beliefs and views in a democratic and independent value.
4	Medium Shot- Smoker	Shot is used to represent smoker as an opposite- linked to Levi Strauss’s theory of binary oppositions, this makes the audience surprised and feel unusual with unsuspecting change.
5	Close up- Cigarette	Close up of cigarette represents it as a tool of destruction and demise towards our society. This enforces the rebellious and argumentative atmosphere. This can make audience members feel very patriotic and feel proud for others expressing their values and beliefs.
6	Medium Shot- Smoke	The medium shot is used to represent the smoke as mysterious and unravelling which creates confusion for the audience.
7	Medium Shot-Person with the Baseball Bat	The medium shot of the person with the baseball bat is represented as strength and masculinity showing a sense of pride and anger from the lower class against the upper class. This creates a greater contrast and challenges stereotypical views of class.
8	Medium Shot- Person with baseball bat swinging against the object	Object represented as upper classes’ material possession showing destruction of hopes and dreams for the upper class of society. This therefore makes the audience feel scared and intimidated by the fact that the lower class has started an alliance against the upper people.
9	Multi Shots- Band consisting of extreme close up, medium shot and long shot	Montage of shots represents the band as powerful and strong therefore re strengthening the image and dominance. Band members also create fear for the audience because it breaks their typical life boundaries.
10	Medium shot- Baseball bat	Baseball bat is representing as weapon of destruction and threat to society. This therefore causes society to feel weak and lose their links between members. The baseball bat is represented as a catalyst of damage.
11	Medium Shot- Person swinging baseball bat	The medium shot is used to represent person associated with baseball bat therefore re establishing the independence and open minded lower class.
12	Close Up- Object broken	The close up of the object represents the destruction of the object in a more emotional and dignified form. This therefore represents the breakdown of the upper class’s image.
13	Close up- Singer	The close up of the singer combined with the lyrics makes the atmosphere very climatic and chronic. Therefore the audience feels worried about the fate of society.
14	Over the shoulder- Person observing table	The shot clearly shows stereotypical lower class’s associations of drugs which makes the contrast reinforced.
15	POV shot- CCTV camera viewing	The CCTV makes it more realistic and link to events which show memorial aspects. The CCTV also represents as an observer of crime which also links to society’s security.
16	Tilt Angle and Medium shot- Policeman	The shot of the policeman is used to represent the upper class’s defence and security showing few independent values. This therefore begins the upper classes power.
17	Multi Shots consisting of medium and long shots- Band members	The montage of medium and long shots make it an unstable and loud background. This therefore challenges the upper class and starts a war of the classes.
18	Tilt angle and close up- Man with suit	The close up and tilt of the suitman makes him feel more dominant and power due to his sophistication and formal attitude. This also challenges the level of intelligence between the contrasts of classes.
19	High angle, Pan shot- Hanley shopping centre	The shots of Hanley shopping centre is used to represent community and regular society. This therefore calms the audience which provides them the ideal society.
20	Long Shot- Person exiting shop	The shot of the person existing creates mystery and confusion for the audience. Therefore the person can be representing as a potential threat due to his unidentified profile.
21	Close up- Suitman	The suit man’s close up is used to re establish his intelligence and formal ability.
22	Close up- Rebellious Group	The group are represented as members of the resistance making it very informal and powerful background. Therefore the group can also establish a relationship between the audience members due to similar class or status.
23	Two Shot- Between shaking hands	The two men shaking hands show relationship and cause shock to the audience that although the two men show a different contrast of classes. They still have connections with each other which help the audience members to feel very connected.
24	Medium Shot- Between two men with the flag in the middle	The flag is represented as pride and community, therefore creating the relationship of classes making them feel together and joined as a big group.
25	Long Shot- Man breaks into car	This uses aspects of stereotypical vandalism from the lower class which still reconciles the contrast of class. However this doesn’t create new beliefs for the rebellious resistance which makes the audience members feel not surprised. They expect this sort of behaviour from poorer families.
26	Close up- Cymbal from Drum kit	The close up of the cymbal makes the atmosphere feel very strong and creates echos across to the audience. This therefore also echos the rebels’ message of redemption and retribution.
27	Over the shoulder shot- Drummer	The shot of the drummer represents his views between his and their class. Therefore creating a stronger independent value for the drummer. He’s also represented as the power and might the lower social class have against the upper class.
28	POV- Person driving car	The shot of the person driving the car is used to make the lower feel bright and intelligent due to the use of mechanical objects and technologically. This also shows the lower class having a part of the upper class’s intelligence which challenges the stereotypical views.
29	Long shot- Car impact on another person	The long shot represents the car crash as shock and horror for the audience making the audience feel horrified and mortified of the death of the male character. This, therefore, is used to represent the development of the upper classes’ downfall.
30	POV- Driver	The driver’s POV is used to represent the twisted and maniacal opinions of the lower classes opinions. This also uses the stereotypical criminal character which makes the lower class represented as villains.
31	Long Shot- Person’s death	The long shot is used to represent again the person’s death making the audience feel very unrelieved and unsuccessful due to the upper classes’ pain.
32	Medium Shot- Group of youthful criminals	The medium shot is used to represent the criminals as powerful and traditionally disrespectful against society.
33	Close up- Guitarist	The close up is used to represent the guitarist as insensitive and unusual due to his loud and echoing music. This also catalyses the conclusion to the contrast of the classes.
34	Extreme close up- Foot slams on ground	The extreme close up of the foot is used to represent the atmosphere as a conclusive ending. Therefore this causes the audience to feel disrespected and appalled with the amount of refusal from the lower class.
35	Two Shot-/ Close up- Two hooded Men	The two shot of the male characters represent them as team working and loyal to their class. This therefore shows to the audience that they need to join together and make the final stand.
36	Medium Shot- The two men fight against the formal male character	The medium shot is used to represent it as the final devastation to the upper class by eliminating the intellectual and representative characters of their social community.
37	(Fades to Darkness)	This is used to represent the upper classes’ destruction of neurological beliefs. The happiness and security of the upper class has been destroyed and been replenished by the lower classes ideas.
38	Long Shot- Formal male’s death	The shot of the male’s death reinforces the fading of darkness’s representation in order to provide a knockback effect for the audience.
39	POV- Formal male’s eye, irises shot	The POV shows the upper class’s emotions and sadness. This makes audience members feel very broken and deeply scared due to the spread of the lower class.
40	Long Shot- Band	The shot of the band is used to represent the conclusion of the classes and to make their message very clear and loud. This is a similar technique compared to the close up of the singer and drummer.
41	Extreme close up- Flag	The final shot is then used to represent the lower classes triumph and victory over society. But however this also symbolises an never-ending story therefore maintain the flow of contrast between the lower classes’ rebellious values and the upper classes’ intellectual icons.

Inspiration- Foo Fighters

Our group has decided that from the music video by the Foo Fighters-"The Pretender" has inspired our group to choose and show rebellion, evolution and social class contrast to apply the theories of Goodwin and Morley. This music video has also inspired us to research different music videos that show maximum potential for representing youth and adult cultures with the applying of contrast of social classes.

Clearly the music video has applied a lot of codes and conventions such as using their band members as iconic representative leaders for the lower class therefore creating strength and form for the lower class. The use of the police riot squad also are used to represent the upper class's defence and boundaries against those who challenge the traditional society values. This therefore develops the conflict allowing our group to consider the technical and representative messages that are used to apply the message and structure of the media product. Also the use of loud and repetitive sounds with lyrics clearly demonstrates the representation of the band becoming more indecent therefore allowing the audience to differentiate the group's purpose and integrity. Also special effects consisting of the red change of background with the white clearly demonstrates a hybrid of emotions that surround the atmosphere across the audience's perspective. Also the media product has also shown Goodwin's theory of being synchronous therefore making it more traditional and shows similar form. The music video can also show post modernism and therefore the police riot squad are overpowered by the red mist therefore representing their weakness and their society has been destroyed by the messages and values that the lower class has influenced in the variation of audience across a local distribution. So therefore this music video clearly applies the knowledge and theories to the audience therefore allowing themselves to observe the catalyst of power allowing them to observe the propaganda and the intended truth that has been applied to their psychological minds. Also by observing the lyrics:

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend
Keep you in the dark
And so it all began

Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones go marching in... again
The need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are ever ready
Are you ready?
I'm finished making sense
Done pleading ignorance
That whole defense

Spinning infinity, boy
The wheel is spinning me
It's never-ending, never-ending
Same old story

[Chorus (x2):]
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?

In time or so I'm told
I'm just another soul for sale... oh, well
The page is out of print
We are not permanent
We're temporary, temporary
Same old story

[Chorus x2]

I'm the voice inside your head
You refuse to hear
I'm the face that you have to face
Mirrored in your stare
I'm what's left, I'm what's right
I'm the enemy
I'm the hand that will take you down
Bring you to your knees

So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend

[Chorus x2]

[x2]
What if I say I'm not like the others?
(Keep you in the dark)
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
(You know they all... pretend)
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?

So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Clearly the words are often used as strong and repetitive messages that allow the lower class to become more dominant and interpret the upper class's lies and propaganda across a more different perspective. This idea is linked top Stuart Hall's theory of reading that most audience members will clearly show dominant reading therefore accepting the message and allowing themselves to stand against the upper class's boundaries and structure that they have stablished across the UK and a global distribution. Also the music video's theme of redemption and post modernistic also conflict will allow pour group for future products to incorporate that idea. 

Introduction- Music videos

A music video is defined as a videotaped performance of a recorded popular song usually accompanied by dancing and visual images interpreting the lyrics. A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music or a song that music is integrating a song and imagery. A music video clearly also offer promotional conventions due to the fact that they are usually promotional devices. Sometimes, music videos are termed short form music videos due to being distinguished from full-length movies pertaining to music. In the 1980’s, the term “rock video” was used to describe this form of entertainment although the term has fallen into another perspective. The earliest music videos or music promos were filmed in the mid 1950’s, however, before than, as early as the 1920’s musical scores labeled as “visual music” accompanied films by animators such as Oskar Fischinger. Music videos clearly are categorized in terms of styles which consist of performance through a band or artist playing or performing, narrative which includes story and conventions, mixture where both performance and narrative are included, cameo where the band and artist features are in the narrative but don’t perform for example in Foo fighters and animation through digitally or stop frame. The camera shots also include many long shots, close ups and medium shots to create emphasis on the artist, location and emotions There are a variety of camera shots depending on the genre of the music video and a lot of low angles, pans and tilts and tracking in order to capture and interpret the movements of different performers to show a variation of perspective opinions. The use of editing also consists of the jump cutting, split screens and CGI, choosing to include diegetic sound and variety of the frequency and levels of the sounds. The mise en scene also includes props, which include performance equipment and band merchandise, costume with certain outfits, location through concert halls, venues and streets and facial expressions. There are a different variety of purposes such as extension of economic growth, outlets, and with popular music genres, in concert and footage through animation and interpretative.  A music video clearly are primarily made and used as marketing devices intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Some music videos also use a wide range of styles of film making techniques, including animation, live action filming, documentaries and non narrative approaches such as abstract film. Some music video blend different styles, such as live action and animation and abstract styles. 

Media Studies- Music Video Brief

Our brief is to create a music video that is synchronous to the music lyrics. But however the media product mustn't have the same structure to the original official music video- Muse- Uprising. During this biog, I will explain and analyse the stages of research and development of the Media Studies A2 project while discussing on the audience feedback and evaluating the entire project based on the questions on technological, feedback and conventional aspects therefore allowing us to discover more of our media product.