Progress, chooosing a band and looking at the genre

So far we have chosen the genre of music that we are going to focus on, this is the rock genre. We have also looked at unsigned bands and have finally chosen one, Scar, a band from Malta that are in the rock genre and have an array of songs already lined up to be produced. The song of theirs we have chosen is the song called "As long as you know", we have also found the lyrics (see Scar - "As long as you know" lyrics) to this song of theirs and have deconstructed. Through this process we have decided what the focus of the song is and how we could use this to start coming up with ideas. We looked at how the song describes a relationship and how this could easily give us the basis for an illustrative video. We also looked at the biography of the band (see Our chosen unsigned band "Scar"), looking mainly at their band members, instruments and general feel that they have. Being a foreign band their lyrics did prove to be slightly odd to us however they do provide the basis for some good narrative, this mixed with the instruments that we have looked into using and numerous band members, we will be able to have plenty of performance as well as narrative.

Other progress is research into similar bands and their videos, this is where we got some of our ideas for our video. The idea of relationships has cropped up quite a bit and videos with narrative that is based on the idea of relationships. Similar bands like blink 182, sum 41 and bowling for soup are very similar bands that do very similar videos yet still follow the conventions of a rock video. Looking at these videos we were able to gain an understanding of some of the conventions that our genre has, things like quick cuts when looking at the performance, and match on cuts and other fancy editing tricks when looking at narrative are often the case. We were also looking at clothing, setting and mise en scene. When looking at these we realised that there was either a more serious video that would feature darker locations and have less focus on narrative, or a funny light hearted video that features lighter locations and would heavily focus on narrative that would be funny/cheesy.

Scar - "As long as you know" lyrics

"As long as you know" lyrics

If I can’t see you, I want to know now
It’s already as hard as it is
‘Cause I can’t leave you, don’t even know how
And if you tell me to go

Just the thought that makes me ill
When I can’t fill my hands with you
Don’t know what I’d do
Don’t know where I’d go, do you?

As long as you know
Been as far as I can be, away from you
As long as you know
I want to hold you in my arms, I’ll stay, so close

I’m letting you know
Time goes by as sprinting miles
Just as long as you will know
I can’t take it anymore

Why are you with me? It doesn’t make sense
Go ahead and knock yourself out
You don’t deserve this, you’re better off without
But if you want to hang out

I can think of things to help make up
For all the things I’ve done
I can’t let you go, I get cold inside
Do you know?

As long as you know
Been as far as I can be, away from you
As long as you know
I want to hold you in my arms, I’ll stay, so close

I’m letting you know
Time goes by as sprinting miles
Just as long as you will know
I can’t take it anymore…

Been as far as I can be, away from you
As long as you know
Been as far as I can be, away from you
As long as you know
I want to hold you in my arms, I’ll stay, so close

I’m letting you know
Time goes by as sprinting miles
Just as long as you will know
I can’t take it anymore…

• All lyrics suggest a relationship
• Questions in lyrics could be used in the video, maybe a subterranean homesick blues take and use text to show these questions
• lots of repetition could play on this throughout the video,maybe repeat a certain clip
• song title repeated throughout the lyrics - could be used for an amplification video
• Lyrics suggest the idea that this is a person that ant be without the person that they are singing about - presents opportunity to do an illustrative video
• The lyrics could allow us to follow a serious illustrative route or a comical route - e.g Bowling for soup "1985" or "Girl all the bad guys want"
• repetition of the word know - could present opportunity to play on the idea of the brain, maybe a serious video that shows something like amnesia or similar brain disorders.

Our chosen unsigned band "Scar"

Scar – Bio/history

http://www.unsigned.com/scar - far right for the song "As lond as you know"

Formed in mid-2001, SCAR recorded their first two demo-tracks with well-respected local producer, David Vella. The end result was very encouraging – “Time to Know” topped the Maltese radio charts and was given top billing on Italian radio station RAI UNO, also being used for three months as a signature tune for one of their programmes. SCAR’s second track “Calling Out” had an even better response, remaining on local radio charts for over 12 weeks, whilst also being play-listed on an American radio station for over three months.

 Following the success garnered by these tracks, SCAR released their debut self-entitled album in May 2003, which they launched during a surprise live performance in front of the biggest music store in Malta, and which won the “2002/2003 Best Album Production” award at the Malta Music Awards. The first two singles released from the album, “Red Carpet” and “Fences” topped the charts of Malta’s biggest radio stations for over 14 weeks, with the latter grabbing the attention of renowned Italian artist Irene Fargo who just released an Italian version of the song as part of her latest album.

 SCAR’s reputation for outstanding live performances earned the band respect and established them firmly in the local scene. Apart from various local and some foreign TV and radio appearances, SCAR have performed in most local venues. This led them to obtaining main slots at major festivals on the Maltese islands. In 2005, SCAR were selected from over 50 other European bands to obtain a main slot in a festival organized in Poland, performing to over 15,000 people.

 PRS Guitars, one of the leading guitar makers in the world, also recognised their potential in 2008, endorsing their lead guitarist and featuring the band prominently on their website as a promising upcoming band.

To maintain their great partnership and evoke similar success SCAR teamed up with producer David Vella once more for their second album “Breaking Radio Silence” which was released in 2010. This time they brought in international producer Luuk Cox of Shameboy fame to mix the tracks on the second album, bringing a fresh new sound to their music. The album was mastered by infamous maestro Frank Arkwright at Metropolis Studios in London (critically acclaimed work on Beatles and Depeche Mode back catalogues) – a first for an album released locally.

The album featured their hit singles “Mind The Gap”, “All My Life” and “Stolen”, all of which featured constantly in local radio charts, being nominated for various local music awards. The album also includes their latest hit single “White Lie” which took the local charts by storm in the summer, also being nominated for the Best Song Award at the 2012 Bay Music Awards.

 SCAR were possibly the first established local rock band to make it to the final of the Malta Song for Europe Festival in 2007 where they achieved a creditable top six finish with their song “As Long As You Know”. SCAR are very excited to be back at the Malta Eurovision with their song “Superstar” and are looking forward to rock the Eurovision stage once again.

SCAR are Konrad Pule on vocals, guitars and pianos, David Cassar Torreggiani on lead guitars, Michael Scicluna on bass guitars and Arda Baykurt on drums.




 

Blink 182 - first date - music video analysis (5 stills)

blink-182 - First Date

Looking at music videos of the same genre can give us a clear understanding of where to head when producing our own. In this post I have chosen to take Blink 182's fist date music video, a band that is in the rock genre and have produced videos of a similar context. This first still shows firstly a band shot, this is extremely commonly used in this genre of music and therefore will fit in well with our music video. This is also  the introduction to the music video, they walk in and pick up their instruments, this again is a commonly used starting point for a rock genre music video, introducing the members of the band and setting the scene is a big part to a music video by starting with this that is easily achieved. Again all similar ideas that we will use throughout our music video.

This second still is an example of yet another band shot, this time focusing on a member of the band (the drummer). As you can see the mise en scene is very relevant to the narrative of the promo, set in America and of the 1970's period the American flag and typical American décor hints to this and in doing so it does justice to the video. The video also has intertextuality in it and lots of conventional aspects, such as the band shots themselves, colours used and the use of narrative. Many if not almost all music videos of this genre (rock) are a good mix of narrative and band shots, therefore this video is very conventional.

This still depicts the narrative and is the introduction to the narrative side of the video. Using text to show time periods and location, much like a movie (and I believe that's what they have aimed for), is an effective way to add to the narrative and relate it to something the target audience will know. However unconventionally of a music video of the rock genre, the mise en scene (all though fitting in with the narrative) is not what the rock genre normally depicts, is bright, cheery and outside whereas conventionally the rock genre portraits darker colours and a more urban setting.

This still is very relative to the idea that we have for a music video, as it is in the rock genre we have used this as inspiration. The still is a mid shot of a female character within the narrative of the promo. This female character is being depicted in a sexual way, and is depicted to be desired by the male characters that are in this video. The relationship is often a subject of music and is commonly a subject used in the rock genre again making this a conventional aspect, however the costume of the character and the colours seen are not conventional, in comparison looking at the Bowling for soup - girl all the bad guys want (seen in a previous post of mine) shows a female character in darker, stereotypically "punk" outfit.

The last still I have included is again more relevant to what we plan to do. In videos when looking at the idea of a dream sequence and reaction/expressions the close up on the face is most commonly used. As shown in this still using the close up allows the audience to get an idea for the feelings of the character seen, this is used effectively throughout this video not just in this one shot. In terms of conventionality this shot is commonly used in promo videos and in all genres including our chosen genre rock. When looking at a dream/fantasy sequence this shot is frequently used before hand and after to show the dazed look that comes with imagination, this is usually accompanied with a blur or fade effect.  

Music video - Bowling for soup

Bowling For Soup - Girl All The Bad Guys Want - Another band of the same genre and this video of theirs is along the lines of something we would want to do.

This band are again of the rock genre, probably more so than Arctic Monkeys as the Arctic Monkeys have an indie trait to them. The conventions of a rock video are all present in this video and many of the other videos that this band have made. The common theme of darker colours e.g purples, reds and black and the often reoccurring urban locations are in this video, again staying within the rock genre music video conventions.

Another theme that is a key part to this video is the idea of a fantasy relationship. We decided that this idea could be used to our advantage, blur effects and fade to and from black /white is an effective edit that is commonly used when looking at dreams/switching to and from reality. This idea also gives us the capability to have more of a narrative with some band shots mixed in, rather than a lot of band shots with some smal amounts of narrative. We would like to have more narrative as we feel that the lyrics can be easily portraited and would give us more to work with than a band shot prominent video.

The band shots however are important to include. We felt that most music videos in the rock genre stick to the convention of having band shots throughout, this is obviously to keep reinstating who the band are and what insrtuments are being played and when to emphasise the fact that they are playing the music. Sticking to the conventions, we feel, is the best way to produce a successful music video so in our video band shots will still be included and relavent. This paticular video very much stays to the conventions, band shots that are included stick to the shot types, for example mids and close ups, and all the common camera angles, low angles high angles. The colours are again the conventional colours of the rock genre, dark colours, purples, reds and black.

 

Another idea that we liked from this video is the idea of using the band members as the characters in the narrative side of the video, in this case the fantasy relationship depicted. In this picture above you can see that the character being shown is just the lead singer dressed up, and he is playing a stereotyped character. This allows the video narrative to be interlinked with the performance (band shots).

music video - Arctic Monkeys

 

 

The Arctic monkeys video being in the same genre is a good example of how we could use disjuncture in our video. Random themes that have no relation to the lyrics of the song, but still staying within the conventions of the genre is what this video show. The urban location and the darker colours used throughout are conventions of the rock genre. The slightly satanical and violent nature of the video can also be related back to the  rock genre, referring to the fact that clowns and gangsters are beating each other up, however this convention would be related to the heavier rock and heavy metal rock. Fast pace cuts to each shot and the disjuncture make this a good video to look at for ideas when looking into making your own rock video, the conventions are stuck to and the disjuncture is a prominent feature of this music video.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma9I9VBKPiw

conventions of music videos

Conventions of music videos

When looking at music videos there are many conventions that are often seen, however many music videos are set out to break these conventions.

camera editing:

The editing is usually fast paced, and sometimes many effects are used to make the video  interesting, the Beatles strawberry fields forever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r4mJ3aEhHo) is an example of a video that has used lots of edited effects. Its usually band videos where the editing is a lot of quick normal cuts to each band member playing the instruments, the type of shots used will normally be close ups to mid shots as the legs are not often needed to be seen, however this is only normally seen in videos aren't narrative videos, but full on performance. In narrative videos the editing can be very varied, usually as its telling a story the cuts are slower but it will  still keep in time with the music. The types of shots used will be similar, so mid shots and close ups, but will often include long shots to show movement and location. In both narrative videos and performance videos emotion is the key focus of the editing and shots. Common camera movements used will be tilts, pans, tracking and crane shots are also sometimes used.

mise en scene:

mise en scene is the location, costume and where abouts items are placed in the shots. In purely performance based videos the mise en scene will be focused on the location of the band, where abouts each of the band members are placed when performing, the conventional set up being drummer at the back, lead singer at the front and guitarists either side, however this can be varied depending on genre of music and number of band members. The costume as well, dark clothing for darker usually heavier music etc. all of these aspects are used to focus the video on the emotion the band are trying to portrait and make their fans feel.

In the narrative versions of music videos all the mise en scene will be again very varied depending on the story being told but also very much influenced by the genre of the music. The location and the costume of the characters will be key to telling the story, darker clothing for telling a darker story, and then a dark location to create the atmosphere that the artist wants to get across. If the story is a happier or funny story the location will usually be outside, lighter colours will be used. When doing a narrative video it is very similar to doing a short film but to music, an example of this will be Michael Jackson's thriller (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA).

     Technical terms list:

•Performance clips and band shots

•Fast-pace of editing

•Mainly straight cuts

•Bright lighting

•High angle/low angle

•Bright colours against black and white background

•Panning

•Editing to reflect pace of music

•Special lighting effects

•High lighting

•Equal division of shots upon band members?

•Whole band shots

•No real sound effects

•Colour effects – often monochrome

•Dubbed sound

•Zooming out / in

•Shadows

•Mise-en-scène reflects atmosphere

•Animation

•Montage

ILLUSTRATION, AMPLIFICATION, DISJUNCTURE, INTERTEXTUALITY   •Illustration – the promo basically illustrates the ideas / narrative in the song lyrics      Owl cities fireflies is a good example of an illustration music video.   •Amplification – the promo uses a key idea / image from the lyrics and develops it. Coldplay - The Scientist, is a good example of a video that uses amplification.         This still of coldplay's scientist video shows some of the conventions of a lot of popular music videos. The urban setting, not so well seen on this still, is definitely a common theme in popular music. The use of the main character in the illustration and narrative of videos is also a common theme, they are almost seen as the main character nearly always in music videos. Whats unconventional from this video is the lighter colours being used, especially this contrasts with our chosen genre which is rock, often using darker colours.    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1oM3kQpXRo - Taylor Swift - everything has changed ft. Ed Sheeran       This is a good example of amplification as it takes one idea and amplifies it throughout the video. It takes the idea of childhood friendships and amplifies it, showing the two main characters, which unconventional are not Taylor swift or Ed sheeran, doing activities together.   •Disjuncture – the promo bears no resemblance to the lyric or its meaning; often seen as unconventional / ‘arty’ videos                  Red Hot chili peppers cant stop is an example of disjuncture as nothing is illustrated and none of the lyrics are represented in anyway. It just features the band messing around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfOdWSiyWoc  This video bares no resemblance to any of the lyrics. Conventional urban setting and clothing are used for the type of genre that this band are part of. Band shots are also present again following conventions.       • Intertextuality- This refers to the process where one media text may take ideas from another existing text– it may be a carbon copy, a pastiche, a parody or homage – e.g. a music video may borrow elements from a well-known film. Song from film: ‘Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend’ Marilyn Munroe’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PluRW3_FEt0 ) and Madonna ‘Material Girl’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX1Q48Uqses)