The Nextmen - Thinking Man's Session Q1-50
1.Genre Characteristics
The genre of the song is rap. I believe this video very accurately presents and represents many conventions in the rap genre and culture.
The street setting of the 'gang' of boys directly exemplifies the environment in which gang culture and the genre of rap are set.
The clothing worn by all characters is highly associated with rap and hip/hop. They are all wearing casual sports clothes; shorts, jogging trousers, hoodies, basketball vests, ect. This ties in to another characteristic of rap, the association to sport and dance. This is also featured withi the video as in many shots, the group are playing basket ball and the main artist is performing modern hiphop dance and breakdance (1:28)
The saturated colours also flaunt the characteristics exemplified in this video. A key element to the gang culture associated to rap is the display of material possesions and clothing. By hightening the brightness of primary colours, it clearly emphasises the value of clothing in gang culture; a characteristic of the genre.
2. Lyrics/Visuals
As the primary directive of this video appears to be to sell the artist and emphasize gang culture, the need for lyrics to relate of visuals is minimal. However, in accordance with the bodily movements of rappers when they are rapping, some of the lyrics are 'acted out' with slight hand gestures. For example at (1:48) lyric: to write rhymes, the artist mimes writing on his hand. This is also a characteristic of many artists in the rap genre.
3. Music/Visuals
The editorial reactions to musical ornaments within the record are highly effective in this music video. The most interesting element of the editing of this video is the use of image 'shuffling', example: (0:11), when there is a disk scratching effect on the record. This creates the feel that the video and soundtrack are closely linked. I feel that this hightens the interest the veiwer has in the video as it gives a sense that the accompanying video is a necessity, or even that the music was written to the style of the video as opposed to the video being produced to support the music.
4. Needs of Record label
Clearly, due to use of branded clothing and centralisation of the artist, the needs of the record label were in high regard in the production of this video.
5.Voyeurism
6.Intertextuality
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Editing - 18/10/11
daymn.
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Analysis of Lyrics to Jack Johnson's "Sitting, Waiting, Wishing"
Well I was sitting, waiting, wishing
You believed in superstitions
Then maybe you'd see the signs
The opening lines of the song set the theme of 'waiting, wishing'. We assume the 'you' is a reference to a lady (male singing) and the basic story is that she doesn't love him and is ignoring him. 'The signs' could be seen as a reference to his own actions. This gives the listener the idea that he has been dropping clues to her that he is not happy with the way he is being treated.
The rhyming pattern of the verses are the first two lines rhyming and the last not. It has a regular beat in 4/4 timing with a line to each bar, this is a usual layout for popular songs as it means that the song is easy to listen to and has a fluid motion as it is easy to predict due to the simple layout.
The Lord knows that this world is cruel
I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool
Learning lovin' somebody don't make them love you
These lines emphasize the desperate feeling of the last resort. It is clear that the singer has had enough and references 'The Lord'. A god is generally turned to in a time of need, further emphasizing the desperation of the singer to get attention from the lady.
The use of 'fool' as a term referring to himself was an inspiration for the central character of the video being a mime as they are typically associated with foolery and clowning. This also makes the character laughable and lighthearted, which coincides with the light feel of the song.
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
The chorus has the feel of begging due to the use of 'must i always'. It is a direct plea to the lady but almost seems to speak to the listener. **
I sang your songs, I danced your dance
I gave your friends all a chance
This part shows the effort the artist has put into this love of his. He seems to have tried his hardest to fit in to certain aspects of her life, even if they don't fit in with his own life.
But putting up with them
Wasn't worth never having you
This show that he is feeling let down and angry because obviously after giving her friends a chance it turns out they are not pleasent to him, This will obviously hurt.
Maybe you've been through this before
But it's my first time so please ignore
The next few lines cause they're directed at you
This shows that he is naive to the chance that this love may not work, because he's never felt like this before, so it may just be an infatuation. This links to the part in our video when the mime sits down with the artist, who eventually shows him the mime girl whom he falls in love with.
I can't always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
**
I keep playing your part
But it's not my scene
Want this plot to twist
I've had enough mystery
Keep building it up
Then shooting me down
But I'm already down
This part shows us that he's finally getting fed up and not losing interest exactly, but starting to realise that this may not go his way in the end. Also the link to "plot" and "scene" is very theatrical and links directly to the mime and also "Les Enfants du Paradis" where the mime is on stage with the beautiful woman, whom the mime is madly in love with, and rejects him. breaking his heart.
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Another link to begging for attention "just wait a minute" makes it seem like he's asking the girl to stop and listen for once instead of ignoring all his moves.
Well, if I was in your position
I'd put down all my ammunition
I'd wonder why'd it taken me so long
This the final point in the song where he realises that this is not right and loses his naivete. He realizes that this girl is not the person she though she is and as he says in the next verse, that she is "cruel" for playing him like this.
But Lord knows that I'm not you
And if I was, I wouldn't be so cruel
Cause waitin' on love aint so easy to do
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
**
No, I can't I always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
This is where he denounces himself from following this "cruel" girl about. This links to the point in our video where he holds hand with the mime girl, the person our mime should be in love with, someone who shares the same interests who has also been mucked about.
You believed in superstitions
Then maybe you'd see the signs
The opening lines of the song set the theme of 'waiting, wishing'. We assume the 'you' is a reference to a lady (male singing) and the basic story is that she doesn't love him and is ignoring him. 'The signs' could be seen as a reference to his own actions. This gives the listener the idea that he has been dropping clues to her that he is not happy with the way he is being treated.
The rhyming pattern of the verses are the first two lines rhyming and the last not. It has a regular beat in 4/4 timing with a line to each bar, this is a usual layout for popular songs as it means that the song is easy to listen to and has a fluid motion as it is easy to predict due to the simple layout.
The Lord knows that this world is cruel
I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool
Learning lovin' somebody don't make them love you
These lines emphasize the desperate feeling of the last resort. It is clear that the singer has had enough and references 'The Lord'. A god is generally turned to in a time of need, further emphasizing the desperation of the singer to get attention from the lady.
The use of 'fool' as a term referring to himself was an inspiration for the central character of the video being a mime as they are typically associated with foolery and clowning. This also makes the character laughable and lighthearted, which coincides with the light feel of the song.
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
The chorus has the feel of begging due to the use of 'must i always'. It is a direct plea to the lady but almost seems to speak to the listener. **
I sang your songs, I danced your dance
I gave your friends all a chance
This part shows the effort the artist has put into this love of his. He seems to have tried his hardest to fit in to certain aspects of her life, even if they don't fit in with his own life.
But putting up with them
Wasn't worth never having you
This show that he is feeling let down and angry because obviously after giving her friends a chance it turns out they are not pleasent to him, This will obviously hurt.
Maybe you've been through this before
But it's my first time so please ignore
The next few lines cause they're directed at you
This shows that he is naive to the chance that this love may not work, because he's never felt like this before, so it may just be an infatuation. This links to the part in our video when the mime sits down with the artist, who eventually shows him the mime girl whom he falls in love with.
I can't always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
**
I keep playing your part
But it's not my scene
Want this plot to twist
I've had enough mystery
Keep building it up
Then shooting me down
But I'm already down
This part shows us that he's finally getting fed up and not losing interest exactly, but starting to realise that this may not go his way in the end. Also the link to "plot" and "scene" is very theatrical and links directly to the mime and also "Les Enfants du Paradis" where the mime is on stage with the beautiful woman, whom the mime is madly in love with, and rejects him. breaking his heart.
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Another link to begging for attention "just wait a minute" makes it seem like he's asking the girl to stop and listen for once instead of ignoring all his moves.
Well, if I was in your position
I'd put down all my ammunition
I'd wonder why'd it taken me so long
This the final point in the song where he realises that this is not right and loses his naivete. He realizes that this girl is not the person she though she is and as he says in the next verse, that she is "cruel" for playing him like this.
But Lord knows that I'm not you
And if I was, I wouldn't be so cruel
Cause waitin' on love aint so easy to do
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
**
No, I can't I always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
This is where he denounces himself from following this "cruel" girl about. This links to the point in our video where he holds hand with the mime girl, the person our mime should be in love with, someone who shares the same interests who has also been mucked about.
Artist Research
Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson is an american rock folk artist who was born on the 18th of may 1975. He grew up on the north shore of Hawaii where he took up the sport of surfing, following in the footsteps of his well known father Jeff Johnson. His career as a professional surfer took him to the surfing finals in Oahu where he became their youngest invitee ever. His surfing career was short lived however as he suffered a surfing accident the week after.
He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, and graduated with a degree in film. This was where he developed his passion for music, and played rhythm guitar for the party band Soil. Johnson's influences include Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, Otis Redding, G. Love and Special Sauce, Ben Harper, Sublime, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Neil Young, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Jack Johnson is an american rock folk artist who was born on the 18th of may 1975. He grew up on the north shore of Hawaii where he took up the sport of surfing, following in the footsteps of his well known father Jeff Johnson. His career as a professional surfer took him to the surfing finals in Oahu where he became their youngest invitee ever. His surfing career was short lived however as he suffered a surfing accident the week after.
He attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, and graduated with a degree in film. This was where he developed his passion for music, and played rhythm guitar for the party band Soil. Johnson's influences include Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Radiohead, Otis Redding, G. Love and Special Sauce, Ben Harper, Sublime, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Neil Young, and A Tribe Called Quest.
Jack johnson released his debut album Brushfire Fairytales in 2001. He followed this up with five other albums:
- On and On (2003)
- In Between Dreams (2005) (includes the track Sitting, Waiting, Wishing.)
- Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George (2006)
- Sleep Through the Static (2008)
- To the Sea (2010)
On July 22, 2000, Johnson married his college sweetheart Kim. They have three children, two boys and a girl and live on the North Shore of the island of Oahu in Hawaii.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Inspiration
Les Enfants du Paradis
Les Enfants du Paradis or The Children of Paradise in cludes a mime being rejected in its plot. In detail, the mime is on stage and dancing for a "beautiful woman" and she end ups rejecting him completely. This film was made in 1945, in France, by Marcel Carne and writted by Jaques Prevert and is French with English subtitles. Apart from a good cup of tea one cold morning (the moment of Rachel's epiphany), this film inspired us as it has a wonderfully classic feel and is one of the first filmed appearances of a traditional french mime.
Friday, 7 October 2011
Keep, Grow, Change - music video intro task
Overall I feel that our music video intro went well but there are things that I would change and other things I wish to grow on.
Firstly in the research and planning stage it is clear from our blog that we did not do enough of this. Although we did look up the lyrics I would have liked to do more research into the artist and how he as a singer put himself across to other people because I think this would have helped us in the filming stag. I would also plan our video more even though we did have a rough idea as he how we would go about filming our intro we did not do a story board and prop list which would have been helpful.
The filming stage went well and I would keep the way we filmed in different locations all the way through the song so when it came to editing we could pick and choose what we could keep I would also keep the different shot types we used throughout. However I would now try and use more locations maybe use some outside to add a bit of variety to the video. We had a music problem so I would change the way we got the music; instead of using our own track I would Bluetooth the track from the computer to a phone so the editing and lip syncing would go together well.
We did not do an evaluation of our intro so I would definitely add this in the future as I thing it would show what we learnt throughout the process.
I learnt many skills throughout the project one was the lip syncing on the computer which was something new and will be very helpful in the next music video we do.
Firstly in the research and planning stage it is clear from our blog that we did not do enough of this. Although we did look up the lyrics I would have liked to do more research into the artist and how he as a singer put himself across to other people because I think this would have helped us in the filming stag. I would also plan our video more even though we did have a rough idea as he how we would go about filming our intro we did not do a story board and prop list which would have been helpful.
The filming stage went well and I would keep the way we filmed in different locations all the way through the song so when it came to editing we could pick and choose what we could keep I would also keep the different shot types we used throughout. However I would now try and use more locations maybe use some outside to add a bit of variety to the video. We had a music problem so I would change the way we got the music; instead of using our own track I would Bluetooth the track from the computer to a phone so the editing and lip syncing would go together well.
We did not do an evaluation of our intro so I would definitely add this in the future as I thing it would show what we learnt throughout the process.
I learnt many skills throughout the project one was the lip syncing on the computer which was something new and will be very helpful in the next music video we do.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
folk rock genre
these are some videos from the folk rock genre by Bon Iver. This style of video is common in this genre. The lighting and colours through out the video are dark showing the emotions of the songs and the way in which the artist wanted to show his feelings through a video rather than just the music itself.
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing original video
This is the video by Jack johnson of his song sitting, Waiting, Wishing. We looked at this at first to get a genral idea of the style of the song and then we have adapted the lyrics to come up with our own idea for a video.
Location Shotlists
Because we had so many different locations with different shot, which appear at varying times in the music video, we grouped the shots together in which location they appeared in, so our filming was more organized and ran smoothly.
Possible Magazine ad Photos
These are the pictures we took on a still camera while on the video shoot in Cambridge. They will be used in our digipak as images for our magazine advert and the other products.
Friday, 30 September 2011
Photos of our locations
These are the photos of some of our locations for our music video project.
Sidney Street and surrounding area. The area just outside of Boots is perfect for setting up the scene of a mime artist performing in a street due to the openness of the front and number of people walking past to go to shops.
The streets below are perfect for shots of the mime following the girl in attempts to woo her. The picture of the alleyway with scaffolding has a dim and eerie tone giving the feel of dirty and saddening, a perfect texture for our classic mime.
Sussex Street
St Johns StreetGarret Hostel Lane. Another grainy, old town feel due to shadows given by high build town houses.
These photographs exemplify the architectural beauty around cambridge. We chose these locations as they have a grainy, old town style feel that correlates to the classic feel we wish to achieve with our mime story. 
Market Hill Christ's Pieces
Nearby Facilities
Toilets - Lion Yard/Grand Arcade
Car Park - Grand Arcade, Pembrook Street entrance
A&E - Addenbrooks Hospital, Hills Road
Supermarket - M&S, Sidney Street
Folk/Rock Genre
Stylistic Origins
The formation of the genre 'folk rock' has roots in many other genres. The most notable being Folk, Rock, and Popular. Culturally, Folk/Rock was created in mid-1960s England and United States. The very first appearance of Folk/Rock as an identifiable genre was when the Los Angeles band, The Byrds formed.
They encorporated a typical elecric rock style with tradition folk rythms and chord structures.
Instruments
Vocals, Electric guitar, Acoustic guitar (Jack Johnsons choice instrument), Bass guitar, Drums, Hammond Organ, Piano, Harmonica, Fiddle, Ukulele and all frequently used instruments in the Folk/Rock genre
NOT FINISHED. TO WRITE ABOUT
The formation of the genre 'folk rock' has roots in many other genres. The most notable being Folk, Rock, and Popular. Culturally, Folk/Rock was created in mid-1960s England and United States. The very first appearance of Folk/Rock as an identifiable genre was when the Los Angeles band, The Byrds formed.
They encorporated a typical elecric rock style with tradition folk rythms and chord structures.Instruments
Vocals, Electric guitar, Acoustic guitar (Jack Johnsons choice instrument), Bass guitar, Drums, Hammond Organ, Piano, Harmonica, Fiddle, Ukulele and all frequently used instruments in the Folk/Rock genre
NOT FINISHED. TO WRITE ABOUT
- Genre characteristics and specifics.
- Why Jack Johnson is this genre.
- Current bands and artists within this genre.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
lyrics for sitting, waiting, wishing
Well I was sitting, waiting, wishing
You believed in superstitions
Then maybe you'd see the signs
The Lord knows that this world is cruel
I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool
Learning lovin' somebody don't make them love you
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
I sang your songs, I danced your dance
I gave your friends all a chance
But putting up with them
Wasn't worth never having you
Maybe you've been through this before
But it's my first time so please ignore
The next few lines cause they're directed at you
I can't always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
I keep playing your part
But it's not my scene
Want this plot to twist
I've had enough mystery
Keep building it up
Then shooting me down
But I'm already down
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Well, if I was in your position
I'd put down all my ammunition
I'd wonder why'd it taken me so long
But Lord knows that I'm not you
And if I was, I wouldn't be so cruel
Cause waitin' on love aint so easy to do
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
No, I can't I always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
You believed in superstitions
Then maybe you'd see the signs
The Lord knows that this world is cruel
I ain't the Lord, no I'm just a fool
Learning lovin' somebody don't make them love you
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
I sang your songs, I danced your dance
I gave your friends all a chance
But putting up with them
Wasn't worth never having you
Maybe you've been through this before
But it's my first time so please ignore
The next few lines cause they're directed at you
I can't always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
I keep playing your part
But it's not my scene
Want this plot to twist
I've had enough mystery
Keep building it up
Then shooting me down
But I'm already down
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Just wait a minute
Just sitting, waiting
Well, if I was in your position
I'd put down all my ammunition
I'd wonder why'd it taken me so long
But Lord knows that I'm not you
And if I was, I wouldn't be so cruel
Cause waitin' on love aint so easy to do
Must I always be waiting, waiting on you
Must I always be playing, playing your fool
No, I can't I always be waiting, waiting on you
I can't always be playing, playing your fool
Practice Magazine ad
This is my test magazine advert as part of the Keep, Change, Grow project we did as part of the prepartion for the Music Video Project, this is not directly linked to our actual music video.
evaluation of magazine advert to the Keep, Change, Grow project
Evaluation of Magazine advert
Our research before going out on the photo shoot showed us that we needed bright colours, so for our photo shoot we found a wall with black and white graffiti on it, which later when editing our photo we changed the black lines to pink, to fit in with the girly image of our artist. We found it difficult to find the right location as we envisaged in our minds a plain bright back ground, so we settled with this because it would have an “Avril Lavigne” feel to it, which still counts as pop, but with undercurrents of rock. We also used a bright colour for the writing so it would stand out in a magazine and draw peoples attention and also to fit in with the pop conventions of bright playful colourings. The font also mimics the “avril Lavigne” feel because its bright green to fit in with the normal pop conventions, but the outside of it looks like its slightly scribbled, to make it seem more like rock-pop.
Practise magazine advert
This is our test magazine advert as part of the Keep, Change, Grow project we did as part of the prepartion for the Music Video Project, this is not directly linked to our actual music video.
music video evaluation
Last Friday Night – Katy perry
Genre- POP
This music video corresponds to pop genre conventions in many ways. Such as the vibrant costumes and colours. This relates to the party culture as seen on television and commonly recreated by teenagers who are the target audience of the pop genre and of this video.
Lyrics/Visuals
Nearly all actions in the video relate to the lyrics directly, such as ‘there’s a stranger in my bed’ – there’s a half naked boy in her bed and ‘pictures up’ – as she is browsing though the photographic events of last night.
Music/Visuals
There are party people dancing in time to the beat of the music. Also, there is a Mexican wave type movement that tracks to Kenny G playing the saxophone to correlate with the saxophone solo in the track.
Voyeurism
Examples of voyeuristic shots would be looking over kathy’s shoulder to see the photographs of last night on her laptop, showing her embarrassing moments.
Promo image:
She is wearing a red top and red lipstick, which is often associated with seduction. The shoot only shows her lips and doesn’t show the rest of her face and she is slightly out of focus. This also gives her a seductive look along with a sense of mystery.
Her name is spelled out in a necklace across the image and is in sharp focus, which makes her name stand out and the curvy lettering adds femininity. With a tiger for the dot on the ‘i’ and gives slight glamour and a sense of danger.
This promo image shows her genre as Indie Pop as it is black and red. She also appears unique to other artists.
The image appeals to teenage girls due to gold chain necklace used to write her name as this is quite a fashionable thing to do.
Music video – Blackout
Genre Characteristics – dark colours, weird, close ups of lips,
Relationship of Video to Lyrics – ‘going home’ train going home. ‘Blackout’ theres many black scenes and dark colours and silhouettes, wearing a blindfold = blackout.
Visual and Music – Shots change on beat. End of song train slows, and beginning speeds up with song.
Demands of Record Label – First single.
Voyeurism – Mirrors, seeing lots of her. Gets shown lots of random images.
Intertextuality – there is none,.
Music Video – Desire
Genre Characteristics – Lots of red, Bright lights in dark rooms (chiaroscuro) , Holds a guitar. Scary animals
Relations of video to lyrics – desire and the colour red. Fire and candles and dilation of the pupils
Visual and music: shot changes and cuts in time with the beat,
Voyeurism: Anna looks directly into the camera, watching her play guitar from behind.
Intertextuality – there IS NONE!
Anna Calvi has released one album on June 20th 2011.
Record label: domino records.
Anna Calvi is an English musician and was a nominee for BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll.
Her self titled album reached number 40 in the charts on the 23rd of January 2011.
Practise pop genre mood bardred and evaluation
POP Genre.
We chose the genre pop. We chose this because it has obvious genre specific connotations. Pop is characterised by bright colours, clothes and make up. The women in this genre tend to be scantily clad in bikinis, hot pants and high heels, generally in bright colours such as neon pink, green, blue and orange. Use of primary colours is also prominent to create eye catching and youth orientated imagery which attracts the target audience of adolescences and young adults. Women also tend to have either brightly coloured or very big and bold hair styles and are always perfectly made up with false eye lashes, foundation, fake tan and lip stick. The pop genre is very sexually voyeuristic and uses objectification of women to attract audience. An example of this is current pop artist nicki gminaj, who usually focuses videos and song around sexual attraction between men and women. This is embodied by her video ‘Super Bass’ where she and accompanying dancers are wearing brightly coloured bras and other sexually revealing costumes. We were planning to do close up or sexy poses to characterize this genre and to advertise our artist. We are planning on shooting up against a wall covered in graffiti. We feel this will portray the artist as cool and current.
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