Introduction to A2

Advanced Portfolio

Course Breakdown

• Coursework 50%• Exam 50%• In the exam:

Section A: reflecting on courseworkSection B: We Media & Democracy

Music Video

• Blogging• More advanced use of technology• Creating a music video promo for a song that

does not already have a video• Creating a Digipak and Magazine Advert• Individual or group work• One term

How will it be different to AS?

• You will learn media theories and apply them to both professional products and your own work

• You will develop high level understanding of the impact media has on our everyday lives

This Term’s Aims

• To understand the language of music videos• To understand the narrative devices used in

music videos• To understand how intertextuality is used• To explore representation of artists• To understand how audiences are targeted

and how they are positioned by the producer• To learn how to use Final Cut Express!

Let’s Get Started!

What is a Music Video?

• In pairs create a mind map of all the conventions of music video you can identify

• Let’s watch these to see if you are correct!

Andrew Goodwin: Our 1st Theorist!

• A relationship between the lyrics and visuals (illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics)

• A relationship between music and visuals• Particular genres may have their own video style and

iconography• A demand from the record company for lots of close-ups of the

main artist• Artist develops their own star iconography in and out of their

videos• Reference to voyeurism (screen within screen, binoculars,

cameras…)• Intertextual references

John Stewart: Our 2nd Theorist!• 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 ‘incorporating, 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.

• The video allows more access to the performer than a stage performance can. The mise-en-scene, in particular, can be used to emphasise an aspirational lifestyle.

Camerawork

• Significant impact on meaning• Movement, angle and shot distance should all

be analysed• Camera movement may accompany movement

of performers or stage performance• Close up dominates because of the size of the

screen and desire to create sense of intimacy• Lighting to focus on the artists face

Editing

• Mostly fast-cut montage• Images difficult to grasp on first viewing• Some videos slower pace and gentler shot

transitions to establish mood• Dido, Mariah Carey…• Digital effects like split screen, CGI

Intertextuality

• Post-modern text• Drawing upon existing texts

in order to spark recognition in the audience

• Short hand• Not all audiences will spot

the reference• Pleasure• Some draw upon cinema, TV

genre, other music videos, video games…

Task 1:

• View Eminem’s Video Without Me• Note how far it proves Goodwin and Stewart’s

theories• Use the grid