CODES AND CONVENTIONS

Introduction

In order to start planning for our music video, Clementine and I identified the music genre of the track we have chosen, and did some research into the codes and conventions of the genre. We had placed the song "Under The Table" in the alternative genre, perhaps alt-rock or alternative/indie. When we conducted our target audience research , our participants came to a similar conclusion with most placing it as alternative pop/rock. We used this to look through music videos of similar artists and tracks, so we could decide from there whether we wanted to make a conventional music video or try something more eclectic.

Research

Clementine and I decided to start with artists similar to Fiona Apple. Conveniently, on the digital music service Spotify, there is a feature that allows you to explore different artists. Under Fiona Apple's profile, there is a section labelled "Fans also like", which provided some related artists. We used this to find performers who would have a similar style.

 

Additionally I found a website "All Music" which had a page on Fiona Apple and listed similar artists. Using a combination of these resources I picked a few singers to compare with Fiona Apple and looked at some of their well known songs and selected a few to analyse their music videos.

For each music video I selected, I looked at the representation of the artist, what clothes they wore, how they were lit, and whether they were objectified. I then looked at the narratives of each music video, whether they had plots, and whether the imagery matched the music. I then looked at mis-en-scene, Iconography, and camerawork. To compare the lighting and colours used in each video, I made colour palettes for each.

Mazzy Star - 'Fade Into You'

This music video made use of slow motion shots and slow cross fades to match the relax pace of the music. This creates a nostalgic effect, as if looking back at memories. This is also created by the soft, warm lighting that is consistent throughout most of the video, apart from the shots of the musicians, who are performing under blue lighting.

 It creates the effect that the artist, Mazzy Star, is looking back on memories of a happier, relaxed time. The music video also makes use of hand held shots, and a lot of close ups, which also adds to the intimacy of the 'memory scenes'. This is further reinforced by the quality of the footage which seems like it has been filmed on an old video camera. The mis-en-scene is kept quite basic throughout the video. There are only two locations, the space in which Mazzy Star is performing, and a desert-like open space in which a couple are driving. The props are very simple, with just the car, a train which is featured in the video, and the instruments for the musicians. Similarly, the clothes worn generally have muted colours and are kept quite simple. The one exception to this is a female standing in the desert wearing a red shirt, who appears to be reflecting on the memories being shown. The warm tones of the desert are also muted, and throughout most of the music video the scenes have a low saturation, as if the memories are faded with time. Overall the impression created by the video is that performance is quite personal and nostalgic. 

Regina Spektor - 'Us'

Regina Spektor is the main focus of the music video, delivering a performance while singing along to her song. The video makes use of interesting effects, mimicking a stop motion film at time.

 Similar to Mazzy Star's video, very muted colours are used with a low saturation, so the colours are flat and quite close to grey (apart from her red lipstick, which stands out despite being faded). The main colours used are greys, dark blues and beiges. Throughout the whole video, a vignette effect is used. This, combined with the outfit chose, creates a vintage look. Unlike the other examples I looked at, this music video was more experimental with its techniques and settings. Although the song is performed in one room, Regina Spektor is also filmed in an imaginative and unusual surrounding that seems to be made of newspaper cut-outs, which match the lyrics "rummaging for answers in the pages".

The music video alternates between long shots, medium close ups and extreme close ups. The camera movements are also quite dynamic at parts, to match certain parts of the song. The video relates to the lyrics of the song. One example of this is when Spektor sings "They'll name a city after us", as a city grows out of the floorboards. Another example is when the words appear on screen in time with the music, as shown below.

There isn't a clear narrative to the music video, however it turns the simple act of unpacking an decorating a room into an abstract concept that matches the seemingly unrelated lyrics of the song. Rather than having a narrative, the whole music video seems to be a performance for the audience, as Regina Spektor spends a of time singing directly to the camera. There are a lot of props involved, but the main object which she interacts with is the piano, which remains a recurring theme within the video.

Mitski - 'Washing Machine Heart'

Unlike in the other music videos, this one is devoid of colour, and is purely greyscale. The background is very plain, and only simple props are used. The focus of the video is on Mitski, making it more of a performance for the audience. There is no clear narrative, however lyrics are related to the actions to some extent. One example of this is when Mitski sings "Baby, though I've closed my eyes",  and she closes her eyes in the video. 

The imagery within the music video is quite elegant, an impression created by Mistki's clothing, the black and white colouring and the simple and plain props.  This contrasts the alternative/rock genre of the music and the sexual connotations of her movements.

 Most of the video is made up of footage of Mitski singing along to the song, however there is also interesting imagery to draw in the audience's attention, such as a match being blown out.

Fiona Apple - 'Across the Universe'

The music video opens with a slow zoom on a colourful mural, which is soon broken. From there on the whole video is in black and white. The bold opening captures the audience, and the theme of violence continues throughout the video in the background, while Fiona Apple calmly sings to the relaxed pace of the song. Similar to the other music videos I analysed, there isn't a complicated plot to the video, there is just an action (the destruction of a soda shop) that is carried out without any context. However there are points of the interest to maintain the audiences attention, such as an interesting camera movement, or the slow motion shattering of glass. 

What is also interesting, is that the men destroying the shop are moving in slow motion, while Fiona Apple continues to sing at normal speed. Her actions also seem to remain independent from the narrative of ransacking the store, which once again makes it more of a performance for the audience.

Observations

Overall, all the music videos I analysed stuck to muted colour tones that were consistent throughout the video, there were no bright or vibrant colours. Generally, they had quite simplistic props and backgrounds so the focus was on the artist singing, however this did vary, as in the case with 'Us' by Regina Spektor. This video was a lot more experimental, and was more complex to match the faster tempo of the music. Each of the music videos didn't have a clear or complicated plot, and they chose to have a narrative that was conveyed through imagery and the lyrics of the song. The performances were directed towards the audience, as the artists all chose to sing directly at the camera. They also all wore simplistic clothing that didn't draw much attention. There were also similarities in the shot types. There were a lot of close ups of the artists in each video, once again keeping the audience focused on them and their lyrics.

From my observations, I plan to carry across some of conventions into the filming of my music video. I would like to experiment with a more varied use of colour, which seems to be unconventional, and also implement a basic plot. However, I will keep the camera focused on our artist so that their identity is clear. I also plan for the actions in my video to relate to the lyrics, so that the song is still the main focus rather than the narrative. To keep in line with the performance being for the audience's benefit, I will incorporate scenes when the artist is singing directly to the camera.