PLANNING: RESEARCH INTO SIMILAR VIDEOS

PLANNING: RESEARCH INTO SIMILAR VIDEOS

Introduction:

In order to gain a clearer understanding of the indie/ soul genre we have identified music videos and artists that are similar to the one we will try to create for our campaign. This allowed us to see what factors are crucial to consider when making own product and what did the successful videos do in order to achieve a profit. We looked at content and visual style, artist representation, and structure because these elements are that make up an artist and a music video.

Content and visual style 

Inspired by:

• ·         Adele - Someone Like You
• ·         Ed Sheeran - A Team

When looking at the visual style and content of these videos my peer and I were particularly captured by the simplicity of the content and how effective it was. Both of these artists are globally successful despite their simple music videos. We identified key elements that influenced our music video and the overall campaign:

• ·         Setting: Adele uses an empty location next to a river where she performs the song. The setting is similar to the one we plan to use. In her video it is very effective as it makes the whole performance look like a reflection on Adele’s past and makes the audience reflect on themselves. This is one of the responses we plan to draw from our video and provoke the audience. Furthermore, Ed Sheeran uses the location of a busy city to emphasise on the character’s isolation which is something we plan to use in order to convey our character’s loneliness and helplessness.
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• ·         Black and White Filter: Both videos use a black and white filter to create a serious atmosphere or address an issue. It helps to attract a mature audience, therefore my peer and I are planning to do the same in order to portray the important issue of addiction and self-disruption.
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• ·         Character Representation: In both videos both characters seem troubled and alone. They show this through their troubling and regretful facial expressions and overall narrative/ concept of the video. They reflect on their past and clearly want a change. This is something our artist will represent. She will address the issue of troubled adults who, despite being financially stable, still struggle to feel fulfilled.
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• ·         Editing: Both videos use predominantly slow paced editing which enables the audience to absorb the complex meanings behind the videos and match the slow song. We intend to do the same for our music video and allow the audience to create own meanings and understand the video at their own pace.
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• ·         Themes: The theme of hope is very common in both videos. It is shown through the facial expressions and lyrics. This is similar to our idea as we plan to portray hopelessness though our character and her struggles.

Artist Representation

• ·         Paloma Faith- Only Love Can Hurt Like This
• ·         Lana Del Rey-  Young and Beautiful

While looking through different alternative female artist, we found Paloma Faith and Lana Del Rey particularly interesting in the way they represent themselves.  Despite being niche, both of these have their own original look and a loyal fan base. Lana Del Rey is known for her femme fatale or ‘dark’ look which she identifies with, similarly to Paloma who is classy yet familiar to the audience through her simple costume, hair and make-up.

• ·         Costume, Hair and Make-Up: Both singers have a light make up on their faces but highlighted lips to convey their sophisticated nature.  This helps to show their class but at the same time doesn’t glamourise them, unlike pop stars, because they manage to remain unique and original through their overall image. Their costume is not provocative which is conventional of indie female artist who don’t sell their music through nudity but the actual content of the song and sounds. We intend on using light make-up for our artist in order to convey her class and wealth. It will imply that she is successful and therefore ‘should be happy’. In addition, we plan on using a black coat and boots to further emphasise her class.
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• ·         Body Language and Facial Expressions: Both of these artists have an inert facial expression. They lack a lot of face movements to create a sense of mystery. This is unlike pop where females will ‘lure’ the audience with their smiles or happy facial expressions. Both Lana and Paloma have straight faces while singing which can also convey their miserable emotions. When it comes to their body language it complements the facials as the body movements are also quite stiff and often lack choreography. This is used to further compliment the indie genre and place the focus on the music instead of the artist. In our music video we intend on using the same body language and facials in order to highlight the overall message and the music rather than use the artist as an attraction.
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• ·         Other: Both artists seem somehow desolated which is often shown through their blank facial expressions and limited movement. When performing to the audience it is hard to pin point what they’re feeling exactly which allows the audience to interpret the video for themselves. This also helps to focus on the narrative more as the artist doesn’t bring attention to themselves which is conventional for a blues/ indie artist. In our music video we intend to make our artist seem blank due to her loneliness and lack of love which will link to the narrative and allow the audience to possibly identify with her feelings.

Structure and further artist representation:

• ·          Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
• ·          Amy Winehouse – Rehab

Whilst analysing these two music video, we were particularly interested in the structure and character representation as well as the narrative. 

• ·         Performance from the characters: The main character in these two videos is the singer herself. In ‘Back to Black’ video Winehouse lip syncs throughout the music video as well as in ‘Rehab’. In both of the two music video Amy Winehouse perform a subtle narrative which complements the lyrics. However, the performance isn’t there to glamourize the artist but help build a connection or ‘introduce’ themselves to the audience.  We plan to do the same and have lip syncing in order to establish a relationship with the audience and build a connection.
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• ·         Concept: In the music video ‘Back to Black’ the concept is quite original and interesting because the message is ‘when you've finished a relationship you go back to what's comfortable for you’ meaning that when Amy Winehouse broke up she started doing drugs. However, the message can be individualistic due to the content being very subtle and open for own interpretations which allows a mass audience to relate. Similarly, in ‘Rehab’ it is still unique and controversial because the meaning of the video is about not going to rehab, which is a true issue and addiction of the singer. However, the concept is again portrayed through subtle hints which makes it individualistic and relatable for the audience.  Our concepts will be portrayed in a subtle way too throughout our narrative, which will allow the audience to find their own meanings and understanding.
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• ·         Narrative within the video: In ‘Back to Black’ the video is in black & white, then we see the artist singing while walking in a graveyard making the audience believe that someone close to the artist died. However, when we see the character burring a mystery box it makes the audience feel confused. This is an original narrative because it leaves the audience in suspense and yet again the narrative is simple enough and eerie for the audience to identify with and connect to. In ‘Rehab’, the narrative is simple as we see the character in different locations such as hospital, in a psychologist room and her house. This simple narrative allows the audience to find their own meanings and interpretations which makes it individualistic and familiar. We plan to have a simple narrative too as it will allow the viewer to find their own interpretation and therefore relate with the character which can help when building the connection between the artist and the viewer.

Character representation: 

In each of the videos, the character is represented quite similar, however, the video ‘Back to Black’ has the theme of mystery where the character is shown as someone unhappy and miserable, whereas in ‘Rehab’ there is the theme of addiction where the artist is portrayed as someone rebellious. In both of the music videos the character is presented as someone the audience can relate to. 

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• ·         Back to Black: The character seems to wear black clothing connoting her sorrowful and depressing feelings.  Her facial expressions are serious and determinate, which shows her emotional and physical strength. The colour of the video is black and white connoting the good and bad times the singer has experienced. The make-up of the artist is quite heavy with bold eyeliner perhaps conveying her tears. The setting of a graveyard connotes death which also refers to the singer as she could feel really miserable after an occurrence in her life. The main iconography of this music video is a box, which is then buried, which leaves the audience questioning what was inside the box. 
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• ·         Rehab: In this music video the main character is presented as someone rebellious. Her facial expressions are determinate and carefree. She seems to be wearing everyday clothing thus connoting her miserable life of addiction. The setting changes from a house to a hospital to a therapy room where she expresses her addiction to drugs and alcohol.  Her make up is not as heavy as she used in Back to Black to show that she is not caring about her image too much due to her alcoholism and careless behaviour to life. 

As a result, we will be using similar ideas, as we will also portray our character in a mysterious and unpredictable way, similar to the way these music videos do. We will do this through dark coloured costumes, upright postures and miserable facial expressions which connote innocence and unhappiness. This evokes compassion and pity from the audience as the character will disappear at the end of the video.