Literal Videos: Bonnie Tyler, 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'

Firstly, this video is one of the best examples of a literal music video as it runs smoothly for the entire video and every single part of it works brilliantly. For example, the video starts with the new lyrics, 'Pan the room', 'Random use of candles, empty bottles, and cloth', which is taking everything that happens in the video literally. The use of intertexuality works well also, refering to people such as The Fonzies and Ringo Starr.

Lip Sync Excercise

In preparation for the lip sync excercise, we split up into groups and we were given a brief reminder and introduction on how to use the camera's and new technology such as the dolly track.
Whilst we were in the studio we began filming Jacky and Tek moving along lip syncing the track, 'Shake it Off' by Taylor Swift. This was probably the most interesting part of the morning as it introduced us to the dolly track and how to use it correctly.

Next, we moved onto using a standard camera with a fixed lens, and in using this we shot from different angles of myself, James, Bertie and Tyler lip syncing the track. Following this we used a simple shot of all but one of the group standing infront of the green screen.

Finishing the shoot, we went up to the editing suite where we linked the music to the video, this was tricky however once we had the timings matched we were able to have a smooth running and authentic looking lip sync.

The excercise on the whole was useful as it reminded me how to film and cut shots together correctly. The most useful part of it was certainly learning how to link the music to the video.

Comparing Wordpress and Wix

VS

What is better, Wix or Wordpress?

I began using Wordpress last week in order to make a website for an artist of my choice. I chose Grime artist, Devilman. On creating the website I did not find it particularly easy as everything was quite complicated and very vague.  From these screenshot's it is difficult to get across what I am saying, however the cover is about as far as I managed to get in an hour and ten minutes. This is due to the complicated nature of the programme.

In comparison to Wordpress, Wix is far easier to use. The templates are sorted into catagories that allow you to distinguish which one would be best for what you are advertising. Having chosen the music catagory, I then entered the next stage of choosing 'singer/songwriter', followed by the template titled 'performing artist'.

This was far easier as it was much more drop and drag, a click to edit the text in the ready available text boxes. I was able to create tour dates far more easily, and add soundcloud and music videos from my artist, Kanye West.

Synthetic album cover: Justin Bieber- Believe

In this album cover, Bieber is looking over his shoulder, with his eyes angled down slightly. This suggests that he is look toward his fans, acknowledging them. The typography is cut out of a white banner, this allows it to stand out as it is in big writing and against a stark contrasting background. The colour scheme around it is a dim reddish glow, with a bright light shinning in the bottom corner, which highlights his stardom and acts as the lights that shine on him during performances.

The lighting on the left hand side of his face is very bright, which again emphasises the bright light glowing in the bottom left corner of the album cover. The other side of his face is turned away from us slightly in a darker light. This implies a shy side to him, which is presenting us with part of his star image.
His costume in this cover has clearly been styled for him, for example we can see gold shoulder plates, and gold collar studs, which stands out to any one looking at him, just like his music makes him stand out.

Here is a music video from his hit sing, Baby:

Andrew Goodwin: Illustration, Amplification and Disjuncture

Amplification

"See you again" by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth is a good example of an amplification music video as it enhances the meanings that are already pre-existing in the lyrics. 

For example, the video's content focusses on actor, Paul Walker's scenes from the Fast & Furious film franchise. This informs the audience who the lyrics are talking about. The some of the lyrics are:

[Charlie Puth:]
It's been a long day without you, my friend
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
When I see you again
(Hey)

[Wiz Khalifa:]
Damn, who knew?
All the planes we flew
Good things we've been through
That I'll be standing right here talking to you
'Bout another path
I know we loved to hit the road and laugh
But something told me that it wouldn't last
Had to switch up
Look at things different, see the bigger picture
Those were the days
Hard work forever pays
Now I see you in a better place (see you in a better place)

They are discussing he loss of a 'friend', and it talks about they 'loved to hit the road and laugh'. We then know that the song is about Paul Walker by the content of the video through snippets of screen play from the movies. 

Illustration

Illustration is the simplest and easiest concept to base a music video around as it is just a literal meaning to the song’s lyrics in visual form.

Owl City use illustration in many of their music video's, for example in "Fireflies", the lyrics are supported by the on screen action. 

 For example on the word, fireflies, all of the toy gadgets begin to light up, just like fireflies. Also, there is high use of toy's in the video, for example on some of the words, for example fireflies again, a 'type to speak' toy will type it out: 

Disjuncture

The idea of disjuncture in a music video is the idea of completely ignoring the meaning or concept in/of the lyrics and making a music video that can bring a whole new meaning to the video. They often make very little sense to the viewer.

A good example of a disjuncture music video is Of Monsters and Men's "Little Talks", which is about someone struggling. However, the music video is completely random and follows a group of animated men in a hot air balloon ship being attacked by a giant two headed Raven, and then being saved by a brightly coloured woman (contrasts massively to the dark setting around her).

Album artwork- Marlowe- Testcard- Roja

Marlowe- "it's turning me on" - debut EP

Colour scheme is dominated by red

• Focusing on a woman- eyes are down putting lipstick on. This seems to sexualise her. 
• I think that Marlowe is a male solo artist using a woman to give him a slightly different image.
• Lipstick fits with the colour, and the title, 'it's turning me on'. Red is romantic and suductive, and lipstick is red, plus lipstick is worn by women to look good and 'sexy' to 'turn on' a man.
• The typography is in white, which is put into stark contrast by the red background. This causes the name to stand out. 
• Red sometimes stands out to mean danger.

Marlowe- "darksparklecorner"

• High exposure on the boys face, which pulls him into clear sight. His facial expression suggests that he is frightened, and this is emphasised by the fact that we can clearly see him.
• There is high use of colour, and the colours suggests that the photo was taken in the late 90's or early 2000's. 
• The style of it, such as wallpaper and blanket. 
• Album name sounds dark yet magical.

Marlowe- "a day in july"

• The name contrasts the previous, this one sounds warm and joyful.
• White typography on red background, just like "it's turning me on". 
• Same font- easy to read.
• The background looks to be somewhere in India/Nepal. Suggesting maybe a more worldwide music influence.
• Children in the photo, which is linking to the previous album cover.

Marlowe- "deep breathe fake air"

• More artistic- not a photo this time.
• Black typography on the name, bigger font on the name and centralised position, which emphasises it. Done to stop the art work drawing the attention away from the picture 100%.
• Red background

Testcard- "Lines"

• Simplistic grey card like style. 
• Different shaped lines.
• Complete contrast to the previous covers, even more organic than the previous. Capital letters, all lower case before.
• Dull boring.

Roja- "Promises I should have kept"

• Spanish/Mexican.
• Totally different typography.
• 'Roja' is spanish for red, linking back to red/

Keith Negus: Organic/Synthetic

Ideologies of Creativity: Keith Negus – Producing Pop

• He identifies two distinct ways of thinking about potential artists from within the music industry.

• These ideologies shape the way in which the artists’ images and careers are developed, and the way that they are marketed towards specific target audiences.

• The organic ideology of creativity and The synthetic ideology of creativity.
• 
  
• The Organic Image

In the case of the organic image, it is something that is pre-existing and has maybe only been enhanced by the artist's record label. An example of this is Ed Sheeran, who began his career with the image of a scruffy ginger boy wearing a checked shirt. An organic artist's career also predominently focuses on their music rather than their image.

The Synthetic Image

The synthetic image is something that has been contructed by a record label so that the artist 'becomes' someone else in their image. A good example of a synthetic artist is Justin Bieber, who began his career with the cute, young boy with an amazing voice. However, as the years have gone by, his music has changed, his image has changed and his press image has changed. Nowadays he is presented as a young man always caught up in scandels and so on. 

Justin Bieber's Mugshot

Bieber aged 15