Music video assignment

By Harry Burbidge
Brief history of music videos:
In the 1920s, Oskar Fischinger (animator/director)
applied musical scores to his animated films.
Electoral Records (german record label) made a
contract to include their records to his short
animations, forming the pinnacle start in music videos.
Oskar Fischingers' short 'An Optical Poem' cleverly used
cardboard cutouts to resembles planets and animated
them in a dancing fashion to resemble a voyage
through outer space.
He cleverly demonstrated synchronisation with many of
the beats in the composed song. For example when
beat effects occurred, a circle would suddenly appear
on screen conveying a dramatic effect to the circles
arrival.
Oskar Fischingers' use of incorporating songs into his
animations gave songs a more meaningful effect for
audiences in using the song/musics capability to tell a
story and thus making the song/music more memorable
for audiences.
The Beatles music videos in 1966 began using
sophisticated editing techniques, including reverse
effects, slow motion and rhythmic editing (e.g. 'Rain').
This allowed audiences who could not watch the
Beatles perform live, be able to watch them from their

own home. Seeing the 'Beatles' perform in their own

music video would intrigue fans more, while the effects
made the visuals more captivating and thus the song
memorable.
In 1967 the Beatles song 'Penny lane' used dramatic
lighting, bizarre camera angles and colour filters.
These techniques gave music videos a more authentic
identity.
In the 1970s music videos applied cheap and easy to
record editing and recording equipment. This was due
to it occurring around the 'DIY Ethos', when people
were more self sufficient and relied less on professional
assistance. This made it more quick and easier for
promotional films to be made. It could have also
captured audience's imagination into making their own
music videos, as the common people would likely be in
possession of cheap and easy to use cameras.
However music video editors began using 35mm film,
which became a preferred medium, still being used
today.
In 1981 a video channel named 'M.T.V' was launched,
allowing music to be available to audiences 24 hours a
day.
Now music was available through this outlet, songs
could be made more noticeable to wider audiences and
gain artists more recognition.
In 1956 films began centering on music more
significantly, as films including 'Rock around the clock',
applied a musical performance from Bill Haley and His
comets into one of the scenes.

This enabled music videos to gain more recognition as

they were now being incorporated into the popular
medium of film.
In 1962, U.K T.V invented shows including 'Top of the
pops' and 'Ready Steady Go', which showed the singers
performing live on stage, intriguing audiences into
wanting to see their favourite singers, at the comfort of
their own homes.
In 1968 Rolling stones collaborated with ;Jean- Luc
Godard' on the song ;Sympathy for the devil'.
Nowadays many artists collaborate to make
songs/music videos, engage audiences interests more,
as the idea of audiences two favourite artists making a
song together is intriguing in how it will sound (with the
hope of it being very good).
In 1968 'The Monkees' released a full length movie
'Head', introducing the genre of musical films.
This genre intertwines song and dance performances
into a narrative with key characters. They typically use
expensive but stunningly visual backdrops and
sceneries.
For example Mama Mia incorporates a tropical beach
setting with crystal blue water and people dancing
around the water.
In 1970 the record industry promoted artists by
producing short promotional videos, which replaced
performances of the artist on a T.V stage.

In 1974 promos were used more innovatively by 'ABBA'

who used camera angles, effects and less static motion
in their promos.
For example Abbas video for their song The Winner
Takes It All used fade transitions and intriguing visuals
of a close up of the performer's face and her reflection
next to a piano while there is also someone playing the
piano keys. Tracking shots were used too.
These visuals made the shots more intriguing due to
there being more than one element, for example the
singer and her reflection on the piano in one shot. The
use of multiple elements in one shot would retain
audiences attention spans and hopefully make the
music video memorable more.
In 1975, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (by the queen) sets of
the pinnacle for modern music videos,. It is considered
one of the first to use advanced visual effects.
The visual effects included the band members faces
slightly stretched out and in front of a background of
smoke. This visual was quite surreal and would make
the band members identities more memorable due to
their faces being the highlights in the background.
In 1981 'MTV' the first 24 hour satellite music channel
launches in August. This became a major hit and
cultural icon. Initially it used Cable T.V promoters.
In 1984 Michael Jacksons 'Thriller' was released.
Other than being a music video, it was also a short film
with the beginning of a Werewolf attacking a girl,
making the music video captivating on first sight for
audiences, especially for youths, whom enjoy watching
horrors.
However, the twist of it being a couple watching a

horror movie would intrigue audiences further into

wanting to know what the actual narrative is.
Michael Jackson himself was a distinct figure, due to
applying a range of complicated dance moves such as
the 'Moon walk' and 'The Robot'. He was also the first to
apply dance moves to pop and rock music, which
nowadays is a common factor applied in music videos
of these genres (e.g. all about that base - pop).
His singing voice and style has sparked an influence
upon many different artists. He changed music videos
from being of musical performances to actually having
a story involved. This concept has been applied
frequently in todays music videos (e.g. Not the only one
by Sam Smith involved the story line of a husband
having an affair and the wife secretly knowing).
In 1985 'Ahas' "Take on me" was released. It used live
action and rotoscoping animation, giving a surreal and
original piece of imagery, which would make the song
well known. Additionally the narrative of someone
entering a comic strip which comes to life is rather
humorous and surreal, appealing to

How do music videos represent an

extension of income for bands and record
companies (when they get played they
get paid)?
Song records use to earn a lot of profit. However songs
on their own earn less profit due to visual mediums
including film and T.V being more preferable, especially
to todays youth generation, who like to see something
visual like an image or video.

Despite some older generations still buying C.Ds

or downloading songs, it only covers a small
percentage of individuals, who are less likely to
buy songs in their spare time. Youth however
have more free time and like to spend time
surfing the web on devices including smart
phones or tablets.
According to the 'Pew Internet Survey' Youths are
believed to possess a low attention span, due to
their extensive access to a variety of
technologies. Music videos now a days
incorporate colourful back drops, intriguing
angles/shots with quick cuts (depending on songs
pace), and varied elements going on in a single
shot. These give a lively tone to the music video,
capably retaining youths attention spans into
watching the full video.
For example 'Michael Jacksons' 'Thriller', as well as his
other music videos, transformed the medium of music
videos into a more artistic form, by intertwining it with
the medium of a short film, giving audiences more
intrigue. The music video involved zombies converging
toward the couple, appealing to youths, whom often
like watching horror films. Additionally, Michael Jackson
suddenly turned into one, creating a twist and furtherly
when he continued singing and dancing along with the
zombies, giving a humorous approach. This music video
gave diversity in the range of genres that could be
intertwined within a music video as well as the different
formats (e.g. narrative short film).

Music videos are now a solid outlet of promoting songs,

as nearly all audiences watch television, a medium
which programs like M.T.V broadcast music videos onto.

How can music videos extend the outlets

through which music can be heard?
Music videos are able to be advertised to audiences
through a variety of mediums, including online via
websites, downloads (e.g. 'I tunes'), music channels
(e.g. M.T.V) and direct D.V.D
However todays society rarely download music from
app stores or buy a C.D, due to it costing a lot of
money. Today people mainly use sites such as
'YouTube'. YouTube channels such as 'Vevo' or other
advertising companies have music videos created by an
artist/company, published online. The number of views
can be significantly large (E.g. Gangham Style earned 1
billion views on 'YouTube') enabling YouTube to serve as
a revenue stream in which the company can
accumulate automated profits (I.e from each videos
view) from the viewers.

How can music videos be linked to

films/T.V programs and form a cross
promotional strategy?
'Synergy' (interaction/cooperation between two or more

organisations to produce a greater product than a

product produced by their separate selves).
Music videos can effectively form cross promotion
strategies by tying in with T.V programs, or films. The
advantages to this is that both parties earn a fair profit
and are more likely to reach a target audience.
Cross promotion usually involves one product
promoting something similar. For example a mobile
phone network working together with a popular music
artist.
E.g. advert about 'Samsung Galaxy S6' advertises it
wireless charger. It collaborates with famous singer
'Rita Ora', by having a commercial of her singing her
new release as well as using the charger for her
'Samsung Galaxy S6' phone.
Music videos usually exhibit a particular vibe or mood.
E.g. 'Uptown funk' conveys an upbeat, stylish, carefree
and young considerable 'cool' chilled out lifestyle.
Therefore its mood and vibe has the potential to
coincide with a T.V program/film of a similar mood.
The narrative in the music video, or elements from it
(e.g. character in costume/location) could be
incorporated into a scene of the film/program, or vica
versa.
Thus audiences would be familiar with the setting of
the music video, or song and the correlating mood
between the promoted film and music video would
hopefully make the commercial memorable.

Choose two music videos to compare

contrast and analyse:

Chosen two music videos

'All about that base' by Megan Trainer
'Take me to church' by Hozier

Music genre- 'All about that base' is in the pop genre.

The music video uses an impressionist style, which
incorporates images not so specific to the lyrics in the
song.
For example in the lyrics "No I won't be no stick figure
silicone body doll", there are shots of the dancers
moving in a rigid way, similar to a "stick figure". And
when the lyric "doll appears" we see a shot of two
young girls playing with toy dolls in a doll house.
These images reasonably correspond with the lyrics, as
despite not showing a literal stick figure and
photoshopped women (which would both be literal
elements behind the lyrics meaning of thin women), the
images of the rigid dancing women and children playing
are similar enough to convey the lyrics meaning, as
well as making the shots more visually appealing and
engaging for audiences.
The lead singer and dancers also use gestures. For
example, when singing lyrics such as "don't worry
about your size" we see the lead singer Megan Trainor

extending her arms to emphasise the word "size" in the

lyrics.
Despite the gestures not being specific images to the
lyric "size" (unlike displaying a larger women, or big
object to resemble big size) the use of gestures still
convey an expansive size and make the lead singers
more memorable in shot as she is not just singing, but
committing gestures too, making her body movement
more likely engaging for audiences.
The gestures used by Megan are very quick and catchy
movements (e.g. hunching shoulders slowly and quickly
raising arms), which when synced with the beats have
the potential to trigger audiences to develop a
tendency to want to dance.

The music video also can appeal highly to

women, due to them being represented as being
self opinionated figures, whom don't care about
what others think about them. This can
encourage audiences to think the same way too.
Particularly women who may feel lacking in
confidence.
Hoziers' Take me to church also uses an impressionist
style due to its lyrics not directly corresponding to the
lyrics.
For example when the lyrics "Take me to church" occur,
we do not see anyone going to a church in the visuals.
Instead we see the gang members dragging one of the
couples to a fire. This scenario can however relate to
how the person has supposedly committed a sin (by
being gay) and is now being punished for it, just as how
the church offers no forgiveness in any sins committed.

However it also uses a narrative format, involving a gay

couple trying to keep their relationship secret. However
in the end a gang of homosexual oppressors commit
arson to one of their houses and torture one of the
couples.
The lyrical content of the song implies a story about a
man's church being unforgiving in any committed sins
(e.g. "my church offers no absolution" - absolution
meaning forgiveness experienced during a confession
of a sin).
The supposed narrative in these lyrics corresponds
effectively with the narrative in 'Take me to church' as
the homosexual couple are clearly being punished by
the gang for being gay.
'Hozier' stated the song to be about how religious
organisations continuing to undermine people being
who they want to be as well as people being led into
believing the church is acting in their best interests.
Therefore audiences would feel pitiful for the couples
misfortune and would have a drive in wanting their
characters to stand up for their homosexuality.
The music video also uses a surreal format by
incorporating a black and white colour tone to the
music video, which emphasises the bleak and grey
scenario of the homosexual being punished for being
gay. It enables the audience to gain a pitiful
understanding for how the characters must be feeling.
The use of black and white to the video relates to the
saying not everything is black and white. Black and
white being two completely separate colours and in

context to this scenario shows an extreme example of

how some religious beliefs are shown as thinking black
and white, knowing what is ok (e.g. white - Is ok) and
what is not (e.g. black - not ok).
For example Catholic churches do not greatly approve
of homosexuality as they insist for those who are
attracted to the same gender to not engage in any form
of inter course and do not find it as the perfect example
of marital sacrament, which they feel is only possible
between a male and female.

'All about that base' consolidated the songs meaning of

being accepting of your size (specifically toward
women), by using engaging and not so specific visuals
to strengthen their meaning. For example in the lyrics
"silicone body doll", the message behind it conveys the
singers resistance to become like photoshopped women
who look very thin.
However, rather than showing an actual thin women
(though exceptional shots do), they instead show two
girls playing with a doll. Despite it not being specific,
the use of dolls can strengthen the lyrics, as dolls are
literally fake, extending the message in the lyrics that
photoshopped women themselves are fake and not at
all real.
Additionally showing the girls playing with them
conveys the social issue of how young girls are feeling
influenced to become like celebrities they see in
magazines or online.
Take me to church however uses physically violent
actions committed by the gang to emphasise how
oppressive some religious organisations can be toward
any of their sins being preached by people.

For example the gang break one of the couples parents

houses windows and beat his father up. This conveys
the issue of how some organisations may be willing to
do anything to stop issues (in their mind) like
homosexuality and put people off from wanting to
break any sins.
In the end, the chest the couple dug in the ground was
set ablaze in a fire. The chest may have represented
the couple's secret of being gay (e.g. photograph of
them together) and thus an object of a sin.
Seeing the gang throw the chest into the fire may
represent how organisations may wish to destroy the
sin in anyway so it never gets heard of again.
In the end one of the gay couples runs to find the other
being beaten up by the gang shortly after the chest is
destroyed in the fire.
However the man just stays helplessly watching instead
of running. Along with the lyrics Amen this may
convey the mans regretful decision to agree to the
organisations punishments for their sin, being afraid to
stand up for what he believes in.
Megan Trainors' 'All about that base' was inspired by
'Bruno Mars' 'Just the way you are'. The songs story
revolves around the singer 'Bruno Mars' persistently
telling a girl he likes how beautiful she looks and that
he would not have her change herself in any way. Yet
the girl does not seem to believe him.
This concept looks into the social issue of girls once
again being dis confident with how they look. Yet the
lyrics imply for women to be prideful of their natural
qualities, similar to 'All about that base' which conveys
the message about women being accepting of their

natural body size.

'All about that base' uses a variety of editing

techniques including 'lip sync', as during most shots we
see 'Megan Trainor' miming some of the lyrics.
Varied camera movements include quick zoom outs and
quick zoom ins. The use of zoom ins' enable the
imagery (e.g. dancers) to be more significant to the
audience's sight.
Additionally, panning shots are used too, as well as
quick cuts to retain audiences attention span.
At times many of the beats are synched with quick cuts
to make the visual more memorable. For example
during a selection of beats we see quick cuts of a
dancer doing some moves in the background.
Bright soft toned colour palettes are used to, including
bright pink backgrounds and creative back drops with
balloons and a decorated dining table with blue
cupcakes. The dancers and lead singer wear light toned
but varied colourful clothing, enabling audiences to not
be too distracted by one element in shot.
A circle transition is incorporated into the opening and
end shot too, making the start of the music video look
more intriguing for audiences watching it for the first
time. Thus likely making it more memorable.
This gives a more surreal and fun toned quality to the
song.

'Take me to church' uses a variety of camera

movements, including tracking, shaky cam and P.O.V
shots.
These movements give a realistic quality to the
scenario as though we the audience are experiencing it
for ourselves.
Cut ins, mid close ups and long shots are also used to
convey dramatic tension making the audience more
fearful for the couple's safety from the gang. Unlike 'All
about that base', it gives of a more bleak and realistic
vibe to the song.

Conclusion
As we can see both music videos show a range of
different and similar styles in exhibiting contrasting
moods, from happy to bleak as well as communication
of social issues effectively.

Bibliography:
() Hozier - Take Me To Church, Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYSVMgRr6pw (Accessed: 9th
October 2015).
() Meghan Trainor - All About That Base, Available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PCkvCPvDXk (Accessed: 9th
October 2015).

() Cross-promotion, Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crosspromotion (Accessed: 9th October 2015).

() Kids, Tech and Those Shrinking Attention Spans, Available at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diana-graber/kids-tech-and-thoseshrinking-attention-spans_b_4870655.html (Accessed: 9th October
2015).
() Music Video - A Brief History, Available at:
http://estudy.wiltshire.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=35988 (Accessed:
9th October 2015).
(29th September 2015) Michael Jackson video Vanguard award,
Available at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson_Video_Vanguard_Awar
d (Accessed: 9th October 2015).