RESEARCH: DIVERSE MUSIC VIDEOS

RESEARCH: GONDRY AND CUNNINGHAM’S DIVERSE MUSIC VIDEOS

What does Diversity of Music Videos mean?

Diverse music videos refer to the ones that stand out of the norm or challenge conventions and therefore are likely to appeal to niche audiences. Some genres are more likely to create diverse music videos because they tend to identify with such traits or have different views and are not afraid of standing out from the norm. These include:

• ·         Rock
• ·         Indie
• ·         Alternative
• ·         Dance (Rare)

These genres are known for controversy and originality, which will not upset their audiences, however could confuse or upset the mainstream. Diverse music videos are likely to be concept but not always. This is because many are surreal and experimental. However, some are also narrative as they can portray a story which stands out of the ‘norm’ and is therefore diverse. Diverse music videos are important to the industry and audiences because they help to satisfy even the most specific tastes and can show that music in general is a diverse and flexible industry where everyone belongs.

Most diverse music videos are directed by auteurs who are known for creating such videos and specialise in challenging conventions.

Chris Cunningham

Chris Cunningham is a British filmmaker who originally directed music videos for electronica and ambient music. He also made art installations and then created short movies. He has worked alongside Bjork, Madonna and Aphex Twins. His video ‘Windowlicker’ was nominated for the Best Video Award at the Brits Awards 2000.  

Chris also directed Madonna’s video, ‘Frozen’ which became an international hit and won the Best Special Effects Award in 1998 MTV Awards.

One of his most famous works in Bjork video ‘All is Full of Love’, which won multiple awards and has become an icon for diversity in music videos for its originality.

After a seven-year break, Cunningham decided to direct a video for a British rock/indie band The Horrors.

Because of the unique and indie ideas, Cunningham’s videos may appeal to niche audiences, however his legacy and style has influenced the mainstream artists and is the revolution of music videos.

These are some examples of popular music videos directed by Cunningham.

Bjork- All is full of Love

Cunningham has directed Bjork’s video and created a world full of robots and technology. This imaginative concept has a relatable narrative of two creatures who fall in love and embrace their feelings. The mainstream audience are likely to react with uncertainty and confusion as the video is quite surreal and lacks clear message, which can make it hard to understand for people who like simple music and music videos. However, niche fans and Bjork’s loyal fan base are likely to enjoy the video as they are used to innovative style and surrealism Bjork likes to associate with as an indie artist. She enjoys provoking audiences mind and challenging them. Bjork enjoyed working with Cunningham as both of them shared a passion for obscure videos and experimental imagery. Cunningham’s previous works also impressed her and both started working on the project. The song's video gained acclaims from critics and is still regarded as one of the best music videos of all time and a milestone in computer animation. It challenges the common conventions by withdrawing real characters, which is unusual especially for mainstream audiences. I believe that it is a unique video and shows that niche ideas can also influence the music industry.

Aphex Twin- Come to Daddy

Cunningham directed Aphex Twins video and created a world full of rebellion and riot. This concept has a clear disequilibrium but at the same time, it is a concept-based video. This is because the characters with male faces but bodies of girls are surreal and obscure. The mainstream audiences may react with disgust, fear or confusion as the imagery can be received as frightening and ‘unnatural’. However, niche fans and Aphex Twin’s loyal fan base can appreciate their innovative video and originality. As an artist they enjoy to provoke audiences and express themselves through surrealism to stand out from the mainstream music videos. Aphex Twin also enjoyed Cunningham’s original style and allowed him to take initiative. It is the only music video in the top 50 of The 100 Greatest Scary Moments as voted by Channel 4 viewers in 2003.  The video was also named the number one video of the 1990s by Pitchfork. I think that the video is terrifying but at the same time it intrigued me and showed how experimental and unique Cunningham is and how diverse music videos are. 

Aphex Twin- Flex

Flex is a 15-minute film loop directed by Cunningham. It depicts a naked couple who are floating in darkness and trying to embrace. However, once they do embrace, both start to hit each other and become violent. This imagery is accompanied by Aphex Twin music. The mainstream audiences might react with disgust, due to the explicit nude content, as well as confusion because the video is surreal and lacks clear narrative which can irritate the mainstream viewers. On the other hand, niche fans are likely to react positively to the video. This is because they are used to the innovative ideas Aphex Twin associates with and know that previously they engaged with Cunningham’s original filmmaking style. Flex was first displayed to the public in 2000 as a part of the Apocalypse: Beauty and Horror in Contemporary Art exhibition and later at the Anthony d'Offay Gallery. It was given an 18 certificate by the BBFC, with no cuts from its original form.

It is evident that Cunningham’s music videos have reoccurring characteristics and patterns which distinguish his works from other directors. These include:

• ·         Suburban or unknown location
• ·         Deformity and inhuman creatures
• ·         Lack of or unclear star image
• ·         He works alongside niche musicians

These characteristics are unlikely to feature in a mainstream music video for several reasons. First off a mainstream artist always features in his/her music videos because the audiences need to get to know them and the artist has to present himself in order to create a bond with the viewer and ‘sell’ themselves and gain recognition.  This is one of the reasons why diverse music videos are so different from the mainstream. Despite criticism, Cunningham is a respected director who won few awards and gained recognition for his diverse ideas, especially in his music videos. In my opinion Cunningham deserves even more recognition as his music videos are truly mesmerising and innovative which is what today’s music industry lacks.

Michel Gondry

Michel Gondry is a French independent filmmaker and producer. Gondry is famous for his innovative style of film making and interesting manipulation of mise en scene. Michel won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay as one of the writers of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a 2004 film which is usually considered one of the better films in the 2000’s.

His other surrealistic films include The Science of Sheep (2006) or The Green Hornet (2011)

He is also known in the music industry. Gondry is known for his works with Bjork, The Chemical Brothers, Sinead O’ Connor, Rolling Stones, Daft Punk and many more.

Gondry is famous for his unique and innovative film making and working with some mainstream artists who wanted diversity in their music videos to possibly appeal to a broader audience.

These are some of the videos Gondry directed:

Kylie Minogue- Come into my world

Gondry directed Kylie’s Minogue video and created what looks like an average mall/city but has been edited to create a series of copies of the artist. The video is a repetitive shot of the female artist who is singing and dancing. The star image in this video is less apparent and she is not as glamourized as in her other music videos, which is part of the diverse music video idea. In addition, the prolonged use of cinematography and crane movements or panning shots help to convey the diversity of the music video. This was done with other effects which took the editors approximately 15 days to do. On the other hand, the video is still appealing to the mainstream audience because of the artist belonging to the pop genre. The video received a Grammy Award for the Best Dance Recording in 2004 which shows how the video has also conquered the mainstream audience despite being directed by Gondry who associated with diverse and niche concepts. I think the video is interesting as it shows that diverse music videos don’t have to appeal to a niche audience but can also reach a broad and global appeal.

Gary Jules- Mad World

Gondry directed Mad World video, which is dominated by aerial shots throughout the viewing. It starts with a bell ring and children running out of the school building. The kids then make shapes and images on the pavement with their bodies as Jules stands on the roof and watches from above. What’s interesting about the video is the lack of cuts in the footage. This could be one of the reasons why Mad World is considered diverse. On the other side the imagery made by the kids can also make the video diverse as it is unusual and people are not familiar with such techniques, which is what makes this video stand out from the others. There is a star image evident when the artist sings from the roof, which allows the viewer to create a bond with him but there is no specific focus on Gary. The video is concept and performance based, without clear narrative. The video is successful and was included in a video game ad, ‘Gears of War’ in 2006. It also peaked to third position in the UK Singles. I think that the simplicity of the video is what makes it diverse and interesting at the same time.

Daft Punk- Around the World

Gondry also directed a video for Daft Punk, ‘Around the World’. It begins with a long shot of an unknown room with fluorescent lights and dancers with surreal costumes. The video focuses on the movements of the dancers and their choreography. The video is surreal because of its lack of narrative and clear message, which could be one of the reasons why it is considered a diverse music video. In addition, the general use of Mise En Scene is also very distinct and original, including the swimming suits, astronaut attire, neon lights or the ridged body language. There is no clear star image, which can also be a diverse factor. This is likely to confuse the mainstream audience, as they are usually displayed to an artist who tres to ‘sell thmselves’. Gondry claimed that the different dancers were meant to represent certain instruments. The video reached number one in the dance charts and received an MTV Award for Best Video in 1997 and a Grammy Award in 2000.

It is evident that Gondry’s videos have reoccurring patters, which help his works stand out from other music videos and directors. These include:

• ·         Use of large groups or duplicas in his videos
• ·         Choreography
• ·         Unknown locations/ Small budget settings
• ·         Repetition
• ·         Lack of star mage

These particular characteristics are what make Gondry’s video diverse and unique in comparison to other music videos. These traits have enhanced Gondry’s filmmaking style and made him famous in both the film and music industry. These characteristics are unlikely to feature in mainstream music videos because many popular artists try to feature in their music videos in order to sell their image to the audiences. They are also unlikely to use repetition, as they are afraid of losing fans because they can get bored of seeing the same things. In addition, they are unlikely to create duplicas because they could confuse or disorientate their audiences too much. Therefore, Gondry is associated with niche music videos. In my opinion, Gondry is a good director with an innovative style.

Out of Gondry and Cunningham, I think that Cunningham appeals to my tastes more. I enjoyed his surreal and innovative style. I like the way he interprets songs and creates a completely new meanings. He is not bothered about appealing to niche audience; instead, he builds on his loyal fan base and continues to work with unique artist.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Diverse Music Videos.

These are the different advantages of creating diverse music videos and working with innovative directors:

• ·         Unique interpretations of songs- diverse music directors come up with new meanings in their videos and allow audiences to explore these for themselves.
• ·         Thought provoking- many diverse music videos are thought provoking and make the audience think ‘outside the box’
• ·         The artist associates with diversity and intellectuality which can gain them audiences
• ·         Allows to explore broad ideas
• ·         Entertaining- allow the audience to watch something out of ‘the norm’ which can entertain them
• ·         Abstact- allows audience for escapism
• ·         Brings further audiences who enjoy niche ideas
• ·         Gives the artist a specific look or style they can associate with

Despite the advantages, these are the disadvantages of creating diverse music videos:

• ·         Underrepresentation- many of the diverse music videos are underrepresented, especially by music video channels, this is because stations are afraid that diverse music videos won’t sell
• ·         Controversy-many diverse music videos cause controversy and can upset audiences which is risky for the industry and an artist as they can lose their fans
• ·         Misunderstood- some of these videos are misunderstood and therefore audiences are not interested
• ·         Audiences- most of these only appeal to niche audiences and sometimes it is not enough to bring profit or gain recognition
• ·         Censorship- if a diverse music video is too controversial it might be censored or banned
• ·         Discomfort- some videos can disturb the audience and make them feel uneasy
• ·         Reputation- if the artist hasn’t got an established fan base then creating diverse music video is not a good idea as they are unlikely to breakthrough to the mainstream audience

Diverse Music Videos and the Mainstream Music Culture.

Many argue that diverse music videos should stay away from the popular culture and mainstream audiences. This because of the many disadvantages that come with the diverse music videos. However, I believe that diversity in the mainstream music video industry is very important. First off, diverse music videos would gain more recognition if they are categorised as mainstream and therefore have more audiences and maybe most of these will not feel bizarre or obscure but experimental forms of art. In addition, diverse music videos deserve to take an active part in the music industry. Right now, the mainstream music videos dominate the charts, which makes the niche audience feel neglected. In addition many mainstream music videos still have aspects of diversity therefore it is hard to label these and shouldn’t be banned from the mainstream culture as they take an active part in the evolution of music videos.

Conclusion

To conclude, I have gained knowledge about diversity in music videos and how these distinguish from mainstream works. After looking at the two directors, I was able to identify some of the characteristics they share in order to create a diverse music video. Both of them use unknown locations, surreal editing and often lack of star image. I think I am likely to use some of these characteristics because indie music associates with diverse music videos because it is an experimental genre and often allows for niche ideas and diversity. Therefore, in my final product I would like to create a diverse music video in order to provoke my audience but at the same time stand out from the typical music videos, which can gain me some recognition.