Previous years have found it helpful to incorporate styles or intertextual references that have led to a more complex video and printwork and made it easier to discuss styles and theory.These have included:
Pop Art
Social Realism
Folk art
German Expressionist Cinema
Genre related cinema (e.g Science Fiction/ 60s British ‘kitchen sink’)
The Found Footage Genre
Social Protest texts
Classical Hollywood
Film Noire
Silent Cinema
50s Television Situation Comedy
Task 1
Groups are given a theorist. Your job is to produce a presentation in which you outline his theory to the class offering your own examples to illustrate the theorist's points.
Andrew Goodwin
Goodwin’s structural analysis of the video provides an effective framework.
He identifies the following key features that distinguish the music video.
1. A relationship between lyrics and visuals (visuals either illustrate, amplify or contradict lyrics)
2. A relationship between music and the visuals (visuals either illustrate, amplify or contradict lyrics)
3. Particular music styles have their own video style and iconography (such as live stage performance in heavy rock)
4. A demand on the part of the record company for lots of close ups of the main artist/vocalist
5. The artist may develop their own star iconography, in and out of the videos, which, over time, becomes part of their star image
6. References to voyeurism , particularly in the treatment of women, but also in terms of looking (screens within screens, binoculars, cameras, etc)
7. Intertextual references either to music videos, tv or ads
He identifies the following key features that distinguish the music video.
1. A relationship between lyrics and visuals (visuals either illustrate, amplify or contradict lyrics)
2. A relationship between music and the visuals (visuals either illustrate, amplify or contradict lyrics)
3. Particular music styles have their own video style and iconography (such as live stage performance in heavy rock)
4. A demand on the part of the record company for lots of close ups of the main artist/vocalist
5. The artist may develop their own star iconography, in and out of the videos, which, over time, becomes part of their star image
6. References to voyeurism , particularly in the treatment of women, but also in terms of looking (screens within screens, binoculars, cameras, etc)
7. Intertextual references either to music videos, tv or ads
John Stewart
- The music video has the aesthetics of a TV commercial, with lots of close-ups and lighting being used to focus on the star’s face.
- He sees visual reference in music video as coming from a range of sources, although the three most frequent are perhaps cinema, fashion and art photography.
- Stewart’s description of the music video as ‘incorportating, raiding and reconstructing’ is essentially the essence of Intertextuality, using something with which the audience may be familiar, to generate both nostalgic associations and new meanings.
Subcultures and Urban Tribes
Sarah Thornton, "subcultural capital" as the cultural knowledge and commodities acquired by members of a subculture, raising their status and helping differentiate themselves from members of other groups.ide which ideologies they will respond to
The study of subcultures often consists of the study of symbolism attached to clothing, music and other visible affectations by members of subcultures, and also the ways in which these same symbols are interpreted by members of the dominant culture. According to Dick Hebdige, members of a subculture often signal their membership through a distinctive and symbolic use of style, which includes fashions, mannerisms, and argot.[4]
Was your video or advert or cover targeted at a particular subculture?If so, how did you address the various demands of this particular subculture, whether in terms of ideological messages or through the ways in which they present their collective identity in terms of behaviour, location and costume or even in stylistic terms.
The study of subcultures often consists of the study of symbolism attached to clothing, music and other visible affectations by members of subcultures, and also the ways in which these same symbols are interpreted by members of the dominant culture. According to Dick Hebdige, members of a subculture often signal their membership through a distinctive and symbolic use of style, which includes fashions, mannerisms, and argot.[4]
Was your video or advert or cover targeted at a particular subculture?If so, how did you address the various demands of this particular subculture, whether in terms of ideological messages or through the ways in which they present their collective identity in terms of behaviour, location and costume or even in stylistic terms.
Uses and Gratification Theory
The uses and gratifications theory The theory discusses how users proactively search for media that will not only meet a given need but enhance knowledge, social interactions and diversion The approach suggests that people use the media to fulfill specific gratifications. This theory would then imply that the media compete against other information sources for viewers' gratification. McQuail isolated four primary factors for which one may use the media:[15]Diversion: Escape from routine and problems; an emotional release [16]Personal Relationships: Social utility of information in conversation; substitution of media for companionship[Personal Identity or Individual Psychology: Value reinforcement or reassurance; self-understanding, reality exploration[18]Surveillance: Information about factors which might affect one or will help one do or accomplish something
Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall explored how producers encoded texts with messages which were then decoded by the consumers, thereby suggesting an interaction with variables dependant on audience particulars which could create alternative interpretations or readings.
He also discussed how the audience interpret the text and in doing so may draw different meanings from it. He categorises these readings as either :
preferred : e.g that 50 cent's materialistic lifestyle is attractive
negotiated : e.g that some aspects are attractive and others not
oppositional : that he is not an aspirational figure but instead is a ridiculous and reductive stereotype
How you have encoded your text with messages that the target audience can then decode. These may be classed as dominant, preferred or negotiated readings
He also discussed how the audience interpret the text and in doing so may draw different meanings from it. He categorises these readings as either :
preferred : e.g that 50 cent's materialistic lifestyle is attractive
negotiated : e.g that some aspects are attractive and others not
oppositional : that he is not an aspirational figure but instead is a ridiculous and reductive stereotype
How you have encoded your text with messages that the target audience can then decode. These may be classed as dominant, preferred or negotiated readings
Richard Dyer
Richard Dyer : ‘A star is an image not a real person that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials (eg advertising, magazines etc as well as films [music]). ‘
From a psychoanalytical perspective stars can be classified as ‘objects of desire’,whether the audience desires them or their lifestyle or specific attributes we admire. The star is presented as an object for the spectator and is viewed voyeuristically. Unlike theatre, cinema separates us from the performer in time and space. Richard Dyer suggests that stars can be studied as ‘texts’ whose images are formed out of a series of signs which carry particular ideological meanings, e.g, Arnold Schwarzenneger signifies masculinity and Americanness.
From a psychoanalytical perspective stars can be classified as ‘objects of desire’,whether the audience desires them or their lifestyle or specific attributes we admire. The star is presented as an object for the spectator and is viewed voyeuristically. Unlike theatre, cinema separates us from the performer in time and space. Richard Dyer suggests that stars can be studied as ‘texts’ whose images are formed out of a series of signs which carry particular ideological meanings, e.g, Arnold Schwarzenneger signifies masculinity and Americanness.