Research Into Similar Products: The Bridge

                                                  

'The Bridge' is a documentary about the result of a year of filming the Golden Gate Bridge in 2004, which within in has captured a number of suicides as well as some filming off interviews with the families  and close friends of those identified. The inspiration was acquired from an article titled 'Jumpers', written by Tad Friend, which appeared in The New Yorker magazine in 2003.

This documentary is an interesting one as it raises the question of what should be shown in the media and more specifically television. 'The Bridge' focuses on the subject of suicide which is a very controversial subject to be shown on television and so has raised the question of whether these people's suicides should have been shown on tv. Would these people who have taken their own lives really want their last moments to be shown on television?


Another text that raises similar questions is 'Don't Call Me Crazy' that was shown on Channel 4.

                                               

This is a programme about youth with mental illness. Again, the question of if this sort of thing is suitable to be shown on tv and whether it is right to show these subjects.

In my music video I will need to bare in mind the sorts of things that are suitable to show in my music video, if they will cause offence to the audience or cause controversy.

Research Into Similar Products: Jaws/Target Audience Research

Today we looked at the emotional responce that certain films try to create and avoke in an audience as it is these emotions that connect the audience with the situations in the film they are watching and with each other.

This clip from Jaws is a classic example of how film makers create an emotional responce from the audience. Through out this clip there are many small things that all add up to the overall amotions that the audience feel.

Through out the clip the marshall is placed right on the edge of the screen at points and this creates the feeling that he is on the edge and on the edge of everyone else, as he is quite literally shown to be on the edge. However, he also seen to move more into the shot at points and this creates a feeling of carm and relax for the audience.

It also uses the use of music to create a sense of fear and dread in the audience by playing the music before the shark, Jaws, has even been shown to be around, but you have this sense that it is coming from the music, triggering your response to fear. 

Research Into Similar Products: 'Seen It All' - Jake Bugg

Here is the music video for 'Seen It All' by Jake Bugg:

This music video has a very clear character through out it and this is what I find interesting about it. All the way through this video we see things going on which get the viewer watching to ask questions, such as the police at the start, but are then explained at the end as we find out that the character is actually dead and is seeing the goings on of his death.

                                     

This video for 'Lego House' by Ed Sheeran also has a very clear character within it. The things that are happening to him and the things he is doing also get us asking questions, why is he in these places? Why is he doing what he's doing? 

I'd like to take this use of a misterious character and use it in my own music video. I can use a song which can have different enterpritations with a clear character within the song so that the visual character in the video can also be open to interpretation and raise questions. 

Research Into Similar Products: 'Tighten Up' - The Black Keys

Below is the music video to 'Tighten Up' by The Black Keys. Please watch the music video then have a look at the comments I have made on it.

This video is interesting because it doesn't show the actually singer of the band to sing the song, instead it shows two small boys to be singing the song as they try to impress a girl. I liked this because it gave another way to look at the songs meaning but added a comical affect to the video by taking something that is usually seen in adult behavior and putting it with small children, making it surreal.

In my music video I will try to take this idea of making real life surreal by taking something otherwise normal and that happens within something and put it happening in something else.


'A little Soul' - Pulp

This is another video that shows the vocals of the song to be sung by children, again showing the song from another view point.

I'm always interested in what other people think of the research I have made so please leave a comment on your thoughts and advice!

Main Product: Music Video

                                                          

The song I have chosen to do a music video for is 'Lost' which is a song I have written and recorded. As I am the owner of this song I do not need to seek permission. However, if I were to be using another band's/artist's song I would need to seek permission from them via email.

Here is a mock email that I would have sent in order to seek permission for using a song:

Dear Sir or Madam,

                                I am a student at the Marlborough School in Woodstock in my second year of alevels. I am studying Media Studies at A2 and for the coursework in this I have chosen a brief that means I need to create a music video for a song. I would like to ask for your permision to use your song 'Lost' as the song for my music video, it is one that I have really enjoyed and have a wide range of idea that I could use for the video.

Thank you,

Yours faithfully,

Ben Pilston


Here is a link to my Soundcloud, have a listen to 'Lost' then come back and see what I've said:

Here is the lyrics to 'Lost' :

Ben Pilston

Lost

Small hole, crumb clues of a needle,

Heavy eyes peer into pierced soles,

He’s not the one you used to know,

He’s lost his wits he’s out of control.

See all imagination’s waterfall,

Dried river beds of your weak and tattered veins,

He’s not the one he used to know,

He’s lost his all to the white powdered gold.

Lost in a world of a belt strapped round your arm,

These choices don’t mean anything anymore,

Gave all he could just for some more.

Oh you’ve seen him round these places long before,

And he’s terrified of the things inside and more,

He knows he’ll have to socialise but they’ll only remind him of himself.

Lost in a world of a belt strapped round your arm,

These choices don’t mean anything anymore,

Gave all he could just for some more.

 

© 2014 by BEN PILSTON.

In this song I feel there is a sense of the elements, the first verse can be linked to Earth, the the second verse can be linked to water, the choruses can be linked to air and the middle 8 linked to fire. This will be tricky to portray but I look forward to trying techniques out and will keep posting examples and samples as I go!

Genres

Today in the lesson we looked at genres in music videos. Have a watch of this video then read what I have said about music video genres.

From this I have clearly distinguished that there is roughly six genres for music videos:

• Performance

- This is where the artist is shown to be performing the song throughout the video. An example of this genre is Palma Violets' original video to 'Best Of Friends':

                                     

• Special Effects

- This is where special affects are used to make the music video more interesting and sometimes give the music video a surreal effect. Trance/Psychedelic artists tend to use the special effect genre. An example of this genre is The Chemical Brothers' 'Let Forever Be':  

                                      

• Story Line

- This is where the music video follows a character or a subject through a story, mostly related to the song. Indie Rock artists tend to use the story line genre. An example of this genre is Daughtry's 'It's Not Over':

                                      

• Dance

- This is where the music video shows a choreographed dance my one or more persons. An example of this is Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill': 

                                     

• Animated

-  This is where parts or all of the video are animated, sometimes with animation in with real film footage. Psychedelic artists tend to use this genre. An example of this genre is Gorillaz's 'Feel Good Inc': 

                                   

• Conceptual

- This is when what's being shown in the music video has no real relation to the actual story of the song. This is used by a wide range of artists. An example of this is Blink 182's 'First Date':

• Browser

- This is when an artist/s use internet sites to make their music video interactive. A good example of this is Arcade Fire's music video to 'We Used To Wait'. Here is a link to the video, check it out then come back and see what else I have to say! http://thewildernessdowntown.com/

For my music video, I will have to take these genres into consideration, thinking which will best suite the bands genre and what the target audience will be expecting to see.