Well, I am having a break now for a week as i'm off on holiday!
So when I get back, my next step is to compare between my work and the research that i've carried out and to show how i've applied my research.
Friday, 23 August 2013
Linking Narrative & Genre Theory to 'Please Don't Say You Love Me' - Gabrielle Aplin
Narrative Theory
Straight away, this music video links to Todorov's theory as there is a clear structure of a beginning/middle/end. There is a clear equilibrium as the couple happily drive along into the country together, however disequilibrium strikes when they breakdown and it all seems to continue to get worse as they go into a local bar and have trouble with a boy, which causes their relationship to become unstable, however a sense of new equilibrium is apparent when the girl takes control and helps the couple return safely on their journey. Although narratives don't always end well, this one clearly did.
Vladimir Propp could also come into play here, as there are a few of his characters present. The girl would be classed as the princess, the boy would be the hero as he ends up getting the princess back, however the boy would interrupted their relationship would be the villain. These archetypes are a fundamental part of everyday life and the villain acted as a 'hiccup' in the relationship, which can occur with anyone.
Genre Theory
I would define this song as very similar to the sweet song which was 'Bubbly', however they do have totally different meanings, the sound is very similar. This song would appeal to teenagers as they have confusing thoughts/feelings about love and relationships, which is clearly shown within this song and music video, so teenagers would be able to relate well to this and understand what Gabrielle Aplin is singing about.
I mainly chose this music video because I loved her style of music and the way that she sang. I think it related a lot to the singer/songwriter world, much like KT Tunstall's also did.
But I think overall, this song had a large amount of narrative and the generic appeal was very much based around teenage love and relationships.
This video doesn't show a typical love story, however it does show a normal relationship, as they start off happy and then something gets in the way, yet they resolve those issues, linking in very well with Todorov's theory of the three stages mentioned above. In terms of the genre and the narrative, they both link very closely as they're both to do with teenage love and feelings. This then allows the interpretation of the song to become very clear as it shows that new relationships are always weak to start with, as they haven't grown together and got stronger yet as they still both need time to establish their feelings for each other and what is going on in their life. This suggests that Gabrielle could've possibly experienced a relationship similar to this and possibly her partner rushed into things too quickly and she wasn't ready to speak her feelings, however they were. This allows the audience to realise that actually, everyone experiences different relationships and that's ok, possibly making them feel a little bit more 'normal' because even a famous singer has experience it.
Straight away, this music video links to Todorov's theory as there is a clear structure of a beginning/middle/end. There is a clear equilibrium as the couple happily drive along into the country together, however disequilibrium strikes when they breakdown and it all seems to continue to get worse as they go into a local bar and have trouble with a boy, which causes their relationship to become unstable, however a sense of new equilibrium is apparent when the girl takes control and helps the couple return safely on their journey. Although narratives don't always end well, this one clearly did.
Vladimir Propp could also come into play here, as there are a few of his characters present. The girl would be classed as the princess, the boy would be the hero as he ends up getting the princess back, however the boy would interrupted their relationship would be the villain. These archetypes are a fundamental part of everyday life and the villain acted as a 'hiccup' in the relationship, which can occur with anyone.
Genre Theory
I would define this song as very similar to the sweet song which was 'Bubbly', however they do have totally different meanings, the sound is very similar. This song would appeal to teenagers as they have confusing thoughts/feelings about love and relationships, which is clearly shown within this song and music video, so teenagers would be able to relate well to this and understand what Gabrielle Aplin is singing about.
I mainly chose this music video because I loved her style of music and the way that she sang. I think it related a lot to the singer/songwriter world, much like KT Tunstall's also did.
But I think overall, this song had a large amount of narrative and the generic appeal was very much based around teenage love and relationships.
This video doesn't show a typical love story, however it does show a normal relationship, as they start off happy and then something gets in the way, yet they resolve those issues, linking in very well with Todorov's theory of the three stages mentioned above. In terms of the genre and the narrative, they both link very closely as they're both to do with teenage love and feelings. This then allows the interpretation of the song to become very clear as it shows that new relationships are always weak to start with, as they haven't grown together and got stronger yet as they still both need time to establish their feelings for each other and what is going on in their life. This suggests that Gabrielle could've possibly experienced a relationship similar to this and possibly her partner rushed into things too quickly and she wasn't ready to speak her feelings, however they were. This allows the audience to realise that actually, everyone experiences different relationships and that's ok, possibly making them feel a little bit more 'normal' because even a famous singer has experience it.
Linking Narrative & Genre Theory to 'Invisible Empire' - KT Tunstall
Narrative Theory
In terms of this music video, I really don't think it has any narrative at all as it is based on solely performance, as I analysed the acoustic music video.
As this is a video based on performance only, it allows the audience to be drawn into the way the song is structured, rather than the narrative structure. So, if I was to base the song as a the narrative, i'd say that that in itself doesn't actually have a structure either, however it really does work. Although it doesn't hold any narrative, the way that it has been filmed does fit with the lyrics, as the CU's of the guitar work well when there is fingerpicking happening.
So this video does subvert expectations of a beginning/middle/end because it is solely based on performance, however the actual music video for this song is very strange! It does have a beginning, as she is galloping along the seafront in her armour, dressed as a knight, possibly preparing for battle.
I think that the song does have narrative, however I think it is a metaphor mainly for her fathers death and how she is fighting against the world and her feelings with her "invisible empire", however the video does show her fighting alone.
Much like my video, the lyrics fit well to the narrative. When she sings "I wear a rusty crown" this is shown:
So this links a lot to Todorov's theory because there is a beginning/middle/end and there is an equilibrium (galloping along the beach, happy), disequilibrium (fighting, where she could get hurt), then new equilibrium (she won the fight and is now ruling).
In the end, she is shown as a ruling kind of figure as she won the battle and defeated the bad guy (sort of like a metaphor for feeling/devils and demons).
Propp could link into this also as KT was the hero and the villain was the person she defeated and although that was quite explicit, it could also be implicit because I didn't notice it to start off with, which just proves that Propp's theory is also apparent whether it is clear or not.
Barthes' codes can also be brought into this music video because there is action and the enigma that is apparent here is when the audience are unsure what is happening at the start with the beach setting and the flame, which is dragged out until KT reaches battle and they realise that she is fighting with her 'invisible empire'. The semic objects of the armour do suggest that she is a knight, however the symbolism is much deeper than that as the audience realise that she is fighting against her thoughts/feelings.
Genre Theory
I would define this song as more of a metaphor, rather than a song based around trying to make a narrative journey. I personally link that more middle-aged people would listen to this song, as it's more grown up and deserves to be appreciated, due to it's underlying metaphor. It may also give the audience hope/faith to carry on if they've had a family member/friend pass away.
I chose to analyse this song because I think that it was really beautiful and captured the songwriting element, as I knew that it was written by KT. This really linked in well with my music as I have also written all of my songs, so it was really nice to appreciate her work and break it down into simpler terms.
I don't think think this is what the audience would expect, because I certainly didn't expect it, however when you do look at the deeper meaning and know the background of the album and song, then the audience are able to appreciate the meaning and the metaphor. I did show this to a few family members and it wasn't what they expected either, however they said that it did fit into KT's persona and style, however they weren't sure of it when it first started to play.
After reading into KT's life and the background to the song/album, I think that the song is a metaphor for her fathers death, however as I analysed the acoustic version, the whole black and white persona linked to the dark atmosphere and the moarning stage that she must be currently going through. Also the out of focus shots and the changing, disjointed nature of those could also link in with the whole metaphor idea. This also links in with my video as the narrative was shown in black and white because it was quite dark and rebelish, which isn't the right way to act, thus kind of showing a 'dark side'. So, the whole idea of the equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium links in well with the interpretation of the song as this kind of tells the story of her mourning process and the feelings in which is she going through and dealing with and how at the end she battles through them and ends up conquring them, showing she is an extremely strong character and can get through the toughest times. This allows the target audience to really begin to engage with KT's personal life, if they know her background, however even if they don't, it shows that she is able to get through anything and anyone can get through hard situations if they put their mind to it. This gives a large sense of hope to her fans/target audience, which is a lovely feeling.
In terms of this music video, I really don't think it has any narrative at all as it is based on solely performance, as I analysed the acoustic music video.
As this is a video based on performance only, it allows the audience to be drawn into the way the song is structured, rather than the narrative structure. So, if I was to base the song as a the narrative, i'd say that that in itself doesn't actually have a structure either, however it really does work. Although it doesn't hold any narrative, the way that it has been filmed does fit with the lyrics, as the CU's of the guitar work well when there is fingerpicking happening.
So this video does subvert expectations of a beginning/middle/end because it is solely based on performance, however the actual music video for this song is very strange! It does have a beginning, as she is galloping along the seafront in her armour, dressed as a knight, possibly preparing for battle.
I think that the song does have narrative, however I think it is a metaphor mainly for her fathers death and how she is fighting against the world and her feelings with her "invisible empire", however the video does show her fighting alone.
Much like my video, the lyrics fit well to the narrative. When she sings "I wear a rusty crown" this is shown:
So this links a lot to Todorov's theory because there is a beginning/middle/end and there is an equilibrium (galloping along the beach, happy), disequilibrium (fighting, where she could get hurt), then new equilibrium (she won the fight and is now ruling).
In the end, she is shown as a ruling kind of figure as she won the battle and defeated the bad guy (sort of like a metaphor for feeling/devils and demons).
Propp could link into this also as KT was the hero and the villain was the person she defeated and although that was quite explicit, it could also be implicit because I didn't notice it to start off with, which just proves that Propp's theory is also apparent whether it is clear or not.
Barthes' codes can also be brought into this music video because there is action and the enigma that is apparent here is when the audience are unsure what is happening at the start with the beach setting and the flame, which is dragged out until KT reaches battle and they realise that she is fighting with her 'invisible empire'. The semic objects of the armour do suggest that she is a knight, however the symbolism is much deeper than that as the audience realise that she is fighting against her thoughts/feelings.
Genre Theory
I would define this song as more of a metaphor, rather than a song based around trying to make a narrative journey. I personally link that more middle-aged people would listen to this song, as it's more grown up and deserves to be appreciated, due to it's underlying metaphor. It may also give the audience hope/faith to carry on if they've had a family member/friend pass away.
I chose to analyse this song because I think that it was really beautiful and captured the songwriting element, as I knew that it was written by KT. This really linked in well with my music as I have also written all of my songs, so it was really nice to appreciate her work and break it down into simpler terms.
I don't think think this is what the audience would expect, because I certainly didn't expect it, however when you do look at the deeper meaning and know the background of the album and song, then the audience are able to appreciate the meaning and the metaphor. I did show this to a few family members and it wasn't what they expected either, however they said that it did fit into KT's persona and style, however they weren't sure of it when it first started to play.
After reading into KT's life and the background to the song/album, I think that the song is a metaphor for her fathers death, however as I analysed the acoustic version, the whole black and white persona linked to the dark atmosphere and the moarning stage that she must be currently going through. Also the out of focus shots and the changing, disjointed nature of those could also link in with the whole metaphor idea. This also links in with my video as the narrative was shown in black and white because it was quite dark and rebelish, which isn't the right way to act, thus kind of showing a 'dark side'. So, the whole idea of the equilibrium, disequilibrium and new equilibrium links in well with the interpretation of the song as this kind of tells the story of her mourning process and the feelings in which is she going through and dealing with and how at the end she battles through them and ends up conquring them, showing she is an extremely strong character and can get through the toughest times. This allows the target audience to really begin to engage with KT's personal life, if they know her background, however even if they don't, it shows that she is able to get through anything and anyone can get through hard situations if they put their mind to it. This gives a large sense of hope to her fans/target audience, which is a lovely feeling.
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Linking Narrative & Genre Theory to 'Brave' - Sara Bareilles
Narrative Theory
This music video is very similar to Colbie's in terms of narrative, as there isn't a clear linear structure, however when you look closely, there is one. The story builds up towards the end and follows each individual person showing their 'brave' to the world and their journey building up to that.
I would say that this music video links mostly to Barthes, as there is a slight enigma throughout this music video, as the audience aren't really clear what's going to on to start off with as there are just a number of different people dancing around in different places, however there is an underlying message/story and the ending shows this in a great way and allows closure for the audience as each individual encourages other people to show their 'brave', when the old lady joins in dancing and the women gets up from the chair and starts to dance with the man. The story basically denotes people dancing, however when you look deeper the narrative does connote a beautiful message of 'be brave and be who you want to be'.
I guess this video does link to Claude Levi-Strauss' theory, as there are clear binary oppositions with the brave people and the rest of the public, showing their beliefs/values through being brave and dancing. The meaning of the video allows the audience to feel more comforted and happy as there is an underlying story.
Genre Theory
I would define this song as more of a message rather than a typical song. It encourages people to be who they want to be and to see the other people in the video gaining pleasure and recognition from doing so, it allows the audience to want to do the same. In terms of the type of target audience who would listen/watch this music video, I think it'd be those who're less comfortable with themselves, trying to gain ideas and confidence to become who they want. Again, they're comforted with the fact that it's ok to do that.
I think the narrative has been done very cleverly, as there isn't a clear structure like a beginning/middle/end, however the enigma within the music video captures the audiences attention more I think because there is a deeper meaning. The genre also expresses a really lovely message to the audience, as it allows those who're less comfortable with themselves to start just being themselves and show their inner 'brave'. I think this allows Sara Bareilles to be shown as a strong, outgoing person, who isn't afraid to say what she thinks and be who she wants to be. I think this alone will influence the target audience because if they think that a famous person can be who they want to be and express their beliefs, then they too can be themselves and not be afraid.
This music video is very similar to Colbie's in terms of narrative, as there isn't a clear linear structure, however when you look closely, there is one. The story builds up towards the end and follows each individual person showing their 'brave' to the world and their journey building up to that.
I would say that this music video links mostly to Barthes, as there is a slight enigma throughout this music video, as the audience aren't really clear what's going to on to start off with as there are just a number of different people dancing around in different places, however there is an underlying message/story and the ending shows this in a great way and allows closure for the audience as each individual encourages other people to show their 'brave', when the old lady joins in dancing and the women gets up from the chair and starts to dance with the man. The story basically denotes people dancing, however when you look deeper the narrative does connote a beautiful message of 'be brave and be who you want to be'.
I guess this video does link to Claude Levi-Strauss' theory, as there are clear binary oppositions with the brave people and the rest of the public, showing their beliefs/values through being brave and dancing. The meaning of the video allows the audience to feel more comforted and happy as there is an underlying story.
Genre Theory
I would define this song as more of a message rather than a typical song. It encourages people to be who they want to be and to see the other people in the video gaining pleasure and recognition from doing so, it allows the audience to want to do the same. In terms of the type of target audience who would listen/watch this music video, I think it'd be those who're less comfortable with themselves, trying to gain ideas and confidence to become who they want. Again, they're comforted with the fact that it's ok to do that.
I think the narrative has been done very cleverly, as there isn't a clear structure like a beginning/middle/end, however the enigma within the music video captures the audiences attention more I think because there is a deeper meaning. The genre also expresses a really lovely message to the audience, as it allows those who're less comfortable with themselves to start just being themselves and show their inner 'brave'. I think this allows Sara Bareilles to be shown as a strong, outgoing person, who isn't afraid to say what she thinks and be who she wants to be. I think this alone will influence the target audience because if they think that a famous person can be who they want to be and express their beliefs, then they too can be themselves and not be afraid.
Linking Narrative & Genre Theory to ' Bubbly' - Colbie Caillat
Narrative Theory
This music video didn't really have much of a narrative and it kind of subverted the expectations of a linear structure, as there wasn't really a beginning/middle/end. There wasn't really any sort of structure really, it just worked, somehow, however the more I look at the video, it does build up their relationship and they get closer and closer until they cuddling on the beach, so it does kind of fit into the basic, beginning/middle/end.
As there isn't much narrative, Claude and Todorov's theories don't fit with this video, however Propp's theory only slightly fits. I would say that Colbie's boyfriend/lover would be the hero as he makes the princess (Colbie) happy and wants to make things work by the end that they act together and show their love. This is a very basic breakdown of how the narrative could fit with this video because there isn't really anything else that I could say.
Genre Theory
I would define 'Bubbly' as being a very sweet and innocent song, connoting a precious relationship to the audience, much like Taylor's video, however a lot more simplistic. Again, in terms of the generic appeal, I think that the type of audience to listen to this song would be teenage girls and women as it's more of a girly song, however men may like it too.
I don't think that the audience would expect this sort of layout and structure because it's very unusual and the audience really prefer a solid structure and an outcome, leaving them slightly unsettled, as this video doesn't have an outcome.
I think that Bubbly has been shot the way it has because I think that the narrative reflects Colbie's life and happiness, showing how content she is with life. In terms of genre, I think it works really well together with the narrative because the target audience is teenage girls/women and they always dream about a happy, content life with no cares and also to have a happy relationship, which the video shows. This doesn't really affect the interpretation of the song because I think the features of the music video already connote that message to the audience, however the due to these factors, the audience probably feel closer to the artist, Colbie, as they feel like they know her on her a more personal level as they can see her expressing happiness, thus thinking that she is a happy, outgoing, laid-back person. This allows her fans to feel more content with their life as they know that she is happy.
This music video didn't really have much of a narrative and it kind of subverted the expectations of a linear structure, as there wasn't really a beginning/middle/end. There wasn't really any sort of structure really, it just worked, somehow, however the more I look at the video, it does build up their relationship and they get closer and closer until they cuddling on the beach, so it does kind of fit into the basic, beginning/middle/end.
As there isn't much narrative, Claude and Todorov's theories don't fit with this video, however Propp's theory only slightly fits. I would say that Colbie's boyfriend/lover would be the hero as he makes the princess (Colbie) happy and wants to make things work by the end that they act together and show their love. This is a very basic breakdown of how the narrative could fit with this video because there isn't really anything else that I could say.
Genre Theory
I would define 'Bubbly' as being a very sweet and innocent song, connoting a precious relationship to the audience, much like Taylor's video, however a lot more simplistic. Again, in terms of the generic appeal, I think that the type of audience to listen to this song would be teenage girls and women as it's more of a girly song, however men may like it too.
I don't think that the audience would expect this sort of layout and structure because it's very unusual and the audience really prefer a solid structure and an outcome, leaving them slightly unsettled, as this video doesn't have an outcome.
I think that Bubbly has been shot the way it has because I think that the narrative reflects Colbie's life and happiness, showing how content she is with life. In terms of genre, I think it works really well together with the narrative because the target audience is teenage girls/women and they always dream about a happy, content life with no cares and also to have a happy relationship, which the video shows. This doesn't really affect the interpretation of the song because I think the features of the music video already connote that message to the audience, however the due to these factors, the audience probably feel closer to the artist, Colbie, as they feel like they know her on her a more personal level as they can see her expressing happiness, thus thinking that she is a happy, outgoing, laid-back person. This allows her fans to feel more content with their life as they know that she is happy.
Linking Narrative & Genre Theory to 'You Belong With Me' - Taylor Swift
Narrative Theory
The narrative fits in well with the idea of a "normal narrative" as there is a beginning, middle and an end, which allows the audience to feel safe and secure, knowing that there has been an outcome. As the mass audience to prefer to have a very clear villian/hero, problem, closure etc, this music clearly does that, linking in very well with audience expectations.
Linking Claude Levi-Strauss' theory to Taylor's music video, values and beliefs have been expressed through the use of the binary oppositions, as there is a clear protagonist (evil girlfriend) and antagonist (Taylor). Taylor also meets the needs of Claude's theory in her video with Ed Sheeran, Everything Has Changed. There are extremely clear binary oppositions shown, as the two children play together and then the rest of their class is shown to be of completely different beliefs/interests.
Not only can Claude's theory be applied, but Todorov's theory can also be applied to this video. Todorov believes that there are 3 stages to any story/narrative: Equilibrium (everything is normal), Disequilibrium (something happens to disrupt normal life) and New Equilibrium (everything returns to normal). That is set out in a very basic format, however that is how Todorov beliefs that narratives work. This links to Taylor's video because at the start, both Taylor and the boy are living perfectly normal lives and they begin to chat, however his girfriend gets in the way and gets jealous etc, but in the end Taylor turns up at the ball and they kiss and live happily ever after. So Todorov's theory links extremely well to this video I think, because it fits into his beliefs perfectly.
Vladimir Propp's narrative theory suggests that there are about 8 different characters within every story and sometimes narratives can subvert expectations, however Prop's point was that these archetypes mainly exist because they link into the real world and they're always there. To link this to Taylor's music video, there is a clear distinction of characters and the hero could be classed as Taylor or her lover as he wants to get the princess (Taylor), however as the evil girlfriend would be classed as the villain, she struggles against the hero, so that why Taylor could be classed as the hero. She does kind of 'save' the boy from a horrible relationship. I understand now how Propp's theory can be linked to everyday life and how the characters that he defines will always be apparent. Taylor could also be classed as the donor, as she 'gives' the hero (boy) a sense of hope and happiness by writing to him through the window.
Genre Theory
This song would mainly be defined as a 'love song' and a very romantic gesture if it was to be played to a couple. In terms of generic appeal, I think that the target audience for this song would be teenage girls or younger girls as they have a dream to fall in love like they do in the movies and it'll all be perfect and they'll live happily ever after, linking explicitly to the stereotype of love. This video links to the generic codes of a pop/rock genre, as the songs that are normally categorised into that genre are about love and happiness. This doesn't subvert expectations.
In terms of narrative, I think that the video is the way it is because the target audience of this sort of music and artist are young children/teenager, so therefore needs to have a beggining/middle/end, allowing the target audience to understand the storyline in a simple way. I also think this is why Claude's theory links in well because there are three stages within the video, which include Equilibrium, Disequilibrium and New Equilibrium. This is because it links in with the simpliciy of a beginning, middle and end. Considering this, the genre works extremely well because this is a love story which needs a clear story, allowing the audience to follow the story. This does effect the interpretation of the song because already, I have targetted it as a simple video and a long song, so this is how the target audience will label it. The implications for representation of the artist are apparent because due to Taylor's type of songs and videos, she is classed as an artist who's music mainly targets younger audiences, which mainly classes very young. As she is growing older now and she is in her early 20's, it's hard for her to get out of the loop, much like Miley Cyrus, meaning that a bold statement and change needs to be made to if she wants to change that perception that people have of her.
The narrative fits in well with the idea of a "normal narrative" as there is a beginning, middle and an end, which allows the audience to feel safe and secure, knowing that there has been an outcome. As the mass audience to prefer to have a very clear villian/hero, problem, closure etc, this music clearly does that, linking in very well with audience expectations.
Linking Claude Levi-Strauss' theory to Taylor's music video, values and beliefs have been expressed through the use of the binary oppositions, as there is a clear protagonist (evil girlfriend) and antagonist (Taylor). Taylor also meets the needs of Claude's theory in her video with Ed Sheeran, Everything Has Changed. There are extremely clear binary oppositions shown, as the two children play together and then the rest of their class is shown to be of completely different beliefs/interests.
Not only can Claude's theory be applied, but Todorov's theory can also be applied to this video. Todorov believes that there are 3 stages to any story/narrative: Equilibrium (everything is normal), Disequilibrium (something happens to disrupt normal life) and New Equilibrium (everything returns to normal). That is set out in a very basic format, however that is how Todorov beliefs that narratives work. This links to Taylor's video because at the start, both Taylor and the boy are living perfectly normal lives and they begin to chat, however his girfriend gets in the way and gets jealous etc, but in the end Taylor turns up at the ball and they kiss and live happily ever after. So Todorov's theory links extremely well to this video I think, because it fits into his beliefs perfectly.
Vladimir Propp's narrative theory suggests that there are about 8 different characters within every story and sometimes narratives can subvert expectations, however Prop's point was that these archetypes mainly exist because they link into the real world and they're always there. To link this to Taylor's music video, there is a clear distinction of characters and the hero could be classed as Taylor or her lover as he wants to get the princess (Taylor), however as the evil girlfriend would be classed as the villain, she struggles against the hero, so that why Taylor could be classed as the hero. She does kind of 'save' the boy from a horrible relationship. I understand now how Propp's theory can be linked to everyday life and how the characters that he defines will always be apparent. Taylor could also be classed as the donor, as she 'gives' the hero (boy) a sense of hope and happiness by writing to him through the window.
Genre Theory
This song would mainly be defined as a 'love song' and a very romantic gesture if it was to be played to a couple. In terms of generic appeal, I think that the target audience for this song would be teenage girls or younger girls as they have a dream to fall in love like they do in the movies and it'll all be perfect and they'll live happily ever after, linking explicitly to the stereotype of love. This video links to the generic codes of a pop/rock genre, as the songs that are normally categorised into that genre are about love and happiness. This doesn't subvert expectations.
In terms of narrative, I think that the video is the way it is because the target audience of this sort of music and artist are young children/teenager, so therefore needs to have a beggining/middle/end, allowing the target audience to understand the storyline in a simple way. I also think this is why Claude's theory links in well because there are three stages within the video, which include Equilibrium, Disequilibrium and New Equilibrium. This is because it links in with the simpliciy of a beginning, middle and end. Considering this, the genre works extremely well because this is a love story which needs a clear story, allowing the audience to follow the story. This does effect the interpretation of the song because already, I have targetted it as a simple video and a long song, so this is how the target audience will label it. The implications for representation of the artist are apparent because due to Taylor's type of songs and videos, she is classed as an artist who's music mainly targets younger audiences, which mainly classes very young. As she is growing older now and she is in her early 20's, it's hard for her to get out of the loop, much like Miley Cyrus, meaning that a bold statement and change needs to be made to if she wants to change that perception that people have of her.
Taylor Swift Programme For Fearless Tour
I have just been looking for posters etc. for the artists that I have looked at and I haven't been able to find anything other than the programme that I have from Taylor's Fearless tour.
Here are some pictures of this:
This is a really well made programme, including song lyrics, pictures of the tour and messages from Taylor to her fans. So, I think this really promotes her as an artist, however I wouldn't make a programme as I am not touring!
Just thought this was a great piece of promotional material.
Here are some pictures of this:
This is a really well made programme, including song lyrics, pictures of the tour and messages from Taylor to her fans. So, I think this really promotes her as an artist, however I wouldn't make a programme as I am not touring!
Just thought this was a great piece of promotional material.
Print Product Research For Previous Artists - Album Covers
This is Taylor Swift's album cover for her song 'You Belong With Me' that I analysed. It is a very simple album cover, with a MS of her, showing her bare skin and purity of her skin and face. Her hair is taking up most of the frame with the motion it is travelling in, as if it has been blown by a fan. The typography which is used for her name is very much like 'Taylor Swift'. It resembles her in a way and it actually looks like her writing. 'FEARLESS' isn't actually that bold, however it is stands out below her name against her skin. Even her makeup is very simple and natural, with smoky eyes and nude lips. The black background works well against her skin as it makes her stand out even more. The background is also out of focus, with her in shallow focus, making her stand out even more.
This would be a very simple album cover to recreate and there wouldn't be much to it at all, however it really works well for her type of music and the genre that I am focussing on. I don't think that this album cover links to 'You Belong With Me', as within that video Taylor is portrayed as an innocent girl and although the album cover does that, the blackness of the cover doesn't link entirely with innocence.
Again, Colbie Caillat's album cover is very similar, highlighting the purity of herself with the white scarf over her head, the white background and the simplicity of her makeup. There is a different between this album and Taylor's album as Taylor is in black, yet Colbie is white, which suggests that Taylor Swift has more of a dark side, possibly bringing out more of her rock chick within her genre/songs, yet Colbie seems to be portrayed as very innocent. Taylor looks straight at the camera, however Colbie looks above at an angle, possibly suggesting that she is dreaming of something or hoping that something will come true. I really like this cover as it is what I kind of imagined my album cover like, as mine is called 'My Dreams', the whole looking up things works well as it's as if we're praying for our dreams to come true. Instead of a MS, a CU has been used to capture Colbie's emotions, which is really nice and works well.
The typography of her name is in a teal colour, in a rather scrawly text, however it works well against the white background and stands out, with the name of her album positioned similar to Taylor's, below her name, in a browny, green. This is completely different colouring to Taylor's as both of her writing is in white, however Colbie's is in two totally different colours. Although the album cover is the face of the whole album with a range of different songs on it, this album cover does actually represent 'Bubbly' very well as it links with the whole innocent country feel.
Apart from those interpretations, I couldn't really think of why she used this 'reflective' pose as if she is thinking about something, so I did some research into the album. I found this:
"The title is inspired by the two batches of song from the album, Invisible Empire, recorded on April 2012, is the melancholic half that deals with her father's death and the theme of mortality, while the Crescent Moon half, recorded in November 2012, is full of songs that are more ethereal".
After reading that, I can now totally understand why she is in a suit and a hat because it's as if she is mourning her fathers death and the whole ethereal feeling adds to the wasteland setting, as she has space to think and reflect on the current events of everything.
I think that this album has the most meaning between Taylor's and Colbie's, as it holds a story behind it, however they're all interesting.
So far, i'd say that this album cover is the most artistic out of them all. I love the black and white background with the colourful umbrella being held up above her head. I just think it captures her lovely, soft persona and her natural songwriting ability with the natural background of the sea. Somehow, as she is not wearing any shoes, that also highlights her innocence in a way. The album cover doesn't however link explicitly to the song that I chose to analyse, 'Please Don't Say You Love Me', however it is just expressing her inner personality as a whole, showing that she is an easy-going individual with a quirky edge. The back of the album links together well with the front, as it connects with the colour scheme of the black and white/sepia tone.
I also managed to find some of her digipak items:
I love the CD design, as it links to the umbrella shown in her album cover. If I was to use one of my images of me and my guitar, I could use a CU of the guitar neck as the CD cover design.
I love how the bottom of the front cover fits with the back of the CD, as that kind of shows a flowing nature, suggesting that there is a link between her songs and the way that she sings, so I really like this.
This is Sara Bareilles' CD that includes her song 'Brave' that I analysed for one of my 5 music videos. I love the black and white theme, as that links in with Gabrielle Aplin's CD cover, however it links in with my music video as well. 'The Blessed Unrest' is an unusual name for an album, however it could have numerous meanings. To me, the first thing that came to my mind was that she has worked so hard to become a singer and make it big and now that she has made it, she never has time to rest, however it is 'blessed' because she is now living her dream. This does work well with my theme of my album, 'My Dreams', as I am singing about 'Reach Out' and how I believe that people should reach out to others, however it doesn't explicitly link to the name of the album. This could possibly be the same case for Sara and also other artists, as I mentioned earlier that not all of the album covers link to the song that I've chosen to analyse.
The typography used for this album cover is also extremely plain, like the other 4, however it really does work. I like the way it has been positioned and her name stands out in white capital writing and is unlined and underneath, the name of the album is in a sort of handwritten text, which is really nice. The writing has also been placed where there is no clouds behind the writing, possibly suggesting that she has a clear mind and thought process about her whole career and success.
I have found it hard to find some of their digipacks and the one that I could find was Gabrielle Aplin's...I think I do have Colbie and Taylor's album's in the house, so I will have a look and scan their digipak in.
Wednesday, 14 August 2013
Feedback
So, I have received some feedback for my rough edit and it was that the narrative should be more coherant and that it should flow throughout the video, rather than being disjoined and having different scenes. To act as an example, I was told to watch Ed Sheeran's music video: The A Team
I really like how this was done. It doesn't have many snazzy effects or choppy editing, it is just very plain and simple. When the girl stops and looks up to the sky and holds her arms out, like a religious figure, it doesn't really fit with the lyrics that were being sung at that time, however it worked. So this means that I could have my narrative ongoing, however it doesn't have to directly link the lyrics. Although i'd have ongoing narrative, I would still use the parts where the singer comes into it, however just less.
My task is to now have a think about how I could make the narrative ongoing and think about what else I could film and when.
I really like how this was done. It doesn't have many snazzy effects or choppy editing, it is just very plain and simple. When the girl stops and looks up to the sky and holds her arms out, like a religious figure, it doesn't really fit with the lyrics that were being sung at that time, however it worked. So this means that I could have my narrative ongoing, however it doesn't have to directly link the lyrics. Although i'd have ongoing narrative, I would still use the parts where the singer comes into it, however just less.
My task is to now have a think about how I could make the narrative ongoing and think about what else I could film and when.
Tuesday, 13 August 2013
Music Video - Reach Out
I have finally managed to get my music video edited and uploaded to Vimeo, so take a look:
Reach Out - Kathryn Dowson
I know there are still some changes to be made and tweaks etc, however I am very pleased with how it has turned out. Personally, when making a new video, I love to receive feedback, to help me change my work to the best possible standard that it can be. So please feel free to feedback on what you think.
It was extremely hard to edit this, as of course you have to fit the lip singing to the actually song and after many attempts of exporting the video and playing it back, I have finally managed to complete a finished version.
The reason the quality of the video isn't great is because I have only exported it as a tiny mobile file, so once everything is complete, I will obviously export it in the highest possible quality.
I changed the settings of the some of the footage to make them feel more eary/creepy, such as the start with the jewellery box. I think that it feels like some sort of horror film, involving a young child.
I wasn't sure whether this would work, however I think it does work well with the base layer of the black and white and by lowering the saturation and tweaking the other levels, I helped just nudge the colours to go slightly darker, which I think works well.
For some of the forest sections, where the verse and the middle were sang, I had to change some of the sliders for some of the bits so that the continuity flowed throughout and the colours were exact. I actually had the same problem with my film 'Missing', as the lighting makes it hard to keep everything exact. There are obviously still some tweaks that can be made to the video, however for now I am happy!
Reach Out - Kathryn Dowson
I know there are still some changes to be made and tweaks etc, however I am very pleased with how it has turned out. Personally, when making a new video, I love to receive feedback, to help me change my work to the best possible standard that it can be. So please feel free to feedback on what you think.
It was extremely hard to edit this, as of course you have to fit the lip singing to the actually song and after many attempts of exporting the video and playing it back, I have finally managed to complete a finished version.
The reason the quality of the video isn't great is because I have only exported it as a tiny mobile file, so once everything is complete, I will obviously export it in the highest possible quality.
I changed the settings of the some of the footage to make them feel more eary/creepy, such as the start with the jewellery box. I think that it feels like some sort of horror film, involving a young child.
I was really hoping to achieve this effect and I did! So I am very pleased.
Previously, I just had the narrative sections in just black and white, however I changed it to give off a darker, more sinister effect as the character is portraying a troubled teenager, who is going through a hard time and feels alone inside.
For some of the forest sections, where the verse and the middle were sang, I had to change some of the sliders for some of the bits so that the continuity flowed throughout and the colours were exact. I actually had the same problem with my film 'Missing', as the lighting makes it hard to keep everything exact. There are obviously still some tweaks that can be made to the video, however for now I am happy!
Tuesday, 6 August 2013
Current Update
I am fairly cracking on with my editing now and i'm getting into the swing of things! I am loving the way it's going so far and can't wait to show you.
During filming, I changed a few things that were in my storyboard. I said that i'd walk out of the house and run out of the street, however instead I open up a dressing up box and fling stuff out of there, implying that my "childhood has ended", which I thought worked well.
I should hopefully have finished editing my the end of this week, giving myself enough time to receive feedback and plan what I will do next.
During filming, I changed a few things that were in my storyboard. I said that i'd walk out of the house and run out of the street, however instead I open up a dressing up box and fling stuff out of there, implying that my "childhood has ended", which I thought worked well.
I should hopefully have finished editing my the end of this week, giving myself enough time to receive feedback and plan what I will do next.
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