RESEARCH
Both the academic community and the public at large have begun to understand the value of research more and more recently. In order to progress knowledge and create new technologies, research is essential. It aids in our ability to comprehend our surroundings and resolve issues.
Research has a wide range of advantages. It aids in our ability to comprehend our surroundings, solve issues, and create new technology. Additionally, it is essential for the growth of knowledge.
Research is essential to the growth of knowledge. It enables us to expand on our existing knowledge and learn new things.
KEY RESEARCH:
Not all music videos are made equal, and guess what? It isn’t a bad thing. There are different types of music videos that work best for different artists and different types of music. This is the rundown of the different types of videos and where I’d say they’re placed best.
1. Performance music videos
A music video that focuses on performance may have dancing, lip-syncing, and band members performing on various instruments. In certain instances, it can even be a recording of them performing live. Performance music videos are easier to film than other types of music videos, making them ideal for bands looking to make a low-budget video. Prior to the rise of various styles of music videos, it served as the de facto norm. As a result, most old music videos focus on performances.
2. Narrative music videos
A music video with a narrative focus is one in which the artist or artists are attempting to tell a tale. Essentially, it is a short movie based on music. Music videos with a storyline often have a beginning, middle, and end. Additionally, the videos typically do not feature musical performances or lip-syncing. The words are used by the band to develop a story that relates to the subject of the music. Depending on the kind of narrative music video, there may be deviations. Music videos typically employ one of three narrative strategies: illustration, amplification, or disjuncture. A music video where the story is only focused on the song is produced by the director if they employ illustration. The lyrics will typically be directly referenced in the video.
When making the music video with amplification, the filmmaker will draw on their inherent creative abilities. Here, the lyrics and music video are still tightly related. Complementary situations that link to the themes and deepen the song's meaning are possible—they don't have to be in the lyrics. Disjuncture occurs when the story separates from the song's message. In this case, the video's director decides to convey a fresh meaning or topic. It is primarily a narrative video, so the first time you watch it might not make much sense.
3. Concept music videos
Concept music videos lack a narrative and frequently have nothing to do with the lyrics. The artist's vision is typically the foundation of the concept music video. It may be viewed as a means for them to broaden the scope of their musical imagination. The performance or narrative in a concept music video usually keeps the listener from becoming completely lost. The videos often have no structure, despite the possibility of a brief plot.
4. Lyrical music videos
Videos with lyrics are exactly what they sound like. Music videos that display song lyrics on-screen as the song plays. Even though they were frequently published by a third-party source without the proper authorization, these videos were incredibly popular in the early days of YouTube. Windows Movie Maker films with a blue background and the lyrics displayed on the screen were the first form of lyric videos. However, the industry gradually embraced it and began creating official lyric videos with complementary typefaces and colours. They have evolved from a contemporary karaoke-style video to something more imaginative and unique.
The font used in lyric music videos often reflects the song's theme or genre, as well as the background and font colours, in addition to the lyrics. In some circumstances, the words can be animated to enhance the musical meaning. Outside of that, the lyric video typically features a lot of motion, so it's not just text that is displayed in a static manner.
Take Shot Me Down by David Guetta as an example. The lyrics are shown in a text bubble and the animation is animated like a comic book. Along with a narrative animation story, the lyrics are animated.
5. Animated music videos
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An animated music video can be anything from simple 2D graphics to stop motion or CGI. Animation-based music videos frequently follow the same structure as other types of music videos. The animated video clip may be considered a hybrid in several ways.
The cartoon persona of the energetic band Gorillaz penetrates every facet of its branding. Another favourite of fans is the Gorillaz music video for 19-2000, in which the band can be seen traveling through the desert in a car. Gorillaz released an online browser game in addition to the music video, allowing players to navigate much like in the video while the song played in the background. It shows yet another way to create a unique music video using a variety of platforms.
WHY DID I CHOOSE A PERFORMANCE MUSIC VIDEO
I chose performance music videos as they would allow me to showcase the musical talents, display a unique style, and connect with the audience with the music video. Performance videos are an effective way to bring music to life, create an emotional connection, and promote a song.
GENRE OF THE SELECTED MUSIC VIDEO
The genre of the music video, Broken by Jonah Kagen is pop. The most popular music singles are produced by the pop genre. Music that sells a large number of copies is considered a hit, and the most recent songs are listed each week in the charts. A song must be published as a single in order to reach the charts, even if the majority of singles are also included on albums. Some characteristics commonly referred to as the pop music formula, are virtually always present in songs that go on to become hits. They are simple to memorise and sing along to, have a captivating melody, and have a decent rhythm. They often feature two or more verses and a chorus that is repeated numerous times. Most pop songs last two to five minutes and typically have lyrics about the pleasures and troubles of life.
INTO SELECTED MUSIC VIDEO GENRE
Down below are some famous pop music videos over time:
‘Runaway’ - Kanye West
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The most ambitious example of the artist's cosmic vision is maybe this short film pop song, which gives Ye's nearly universally acknowledged masterpiece, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," a massive visual narrative. The video, which stars Kanye, features visuals of circus fireworks, a huge bust of Michael Jackson, expressive ballet dancers supporting an opulent ballroom dinner party, and more. In the movie, Kanye strikes up a strange affair with a phoenix that descends to earth as a huge fiery meteorite. It's breathtaking, dramatic, magnificent, and most importantly, it has a heartfelt quality that is as showy and excessive as the artist—a good example of what made him so alluring.
‘Humble’ - Kendrick Lamar
Take 2011's "A.D.H.D," which offers straightforward imagery of the rapper pedaling bikes around the city to leave the room and highlights his quicksilver lyrics. Kendrick's early music videos were refreshingly modest. In 2017, despite the protestations of this song, K.Dot has given up on humility. In "Humble," there is a lot of religious imagery, including a spectacular reenactment of The Last Supper and an opening scene of Kendrick dressed as the Pope. The gloomy variety of shaved heads bobbing to his flow, or the horde of faceless bodies tied in blazing rope, are two other unforgettable sights. Underneath it, all is a strong thread of using Black symbolism to undermine traditional pictures.
‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ - Nirvana
The title track from Nirvana's monumental album "Nevermind" in 1991, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and its accompanying music video helped establish Nirvana as The Only Band That Made a difference. With the action taking place at a punk campaign rally, complete with tattooed cheerleaders bearing the anarchy symbol, director Samuel Bayer successfully conveyed the band's grungy, dirty style. Kurt Cobain's unstoppable artistic talent also shines through; he re-edited this video after being dissatisfied with Bayer's initial version to add the iconic close-up of his trembling Joker grin, and it was based on his instructions that filming came to a conclusion with a filled to the brim pit.
SOCIAL ISSUE
‘Sabotage’ - Beastie Boys
In the cheesy parody of cop dramas in the vein of Hawaii 5-0 by the Beasties, 1994 becomes 1974. A debut for Spike Jonze, who would later go on to helm critically acclaimed full-length films like Adaptation and Her, this musical video also shows MCA, Ad-Rock, and Mike D donning designer duds, apprehending criminals, and indulging in doughnuts. Together, the song's frenzied grunge-rap intensity and the bizarre video helped its parent album, "Ill Communication," reach triple platinum status.
‘Karma Police’ - Radiohead
For this masterwork of dark abstraction from 1997's "OK Computer," Radiohead once again collaborated with director Jonathan Glazer, who earlier shot their video for "Street Spirit (Fade Out). The film's ominous backroad backdrop is reminiscent of moments from Blood Simple and Fargo by the Coen brothers, and like those movies, striking violence is only around the corner from amicability. Till the violent conclusion, Thom Yorke's diplomatic piano chords and cleverly hilarious lyrics defy the on-screen tension.
ANALYSIS OF LYRICS
[Verse 1]
I'm broken, tell you I'm fine
But you wouldn't believe me if you knew the things that crossed my mind
And I'm hurting, but I show no sign
Because I'm afraid to give in, break down, and waste your time
Analysis: When you're depressed, you feel as though everything is going wrong, and the thoughts that are racing through your head are so harmful and even terrifying that you find it hard to believe they came from your own mind. But it's simpler to claim you're "just fine" when someone asks than to explain all of the sorrow and pain, and occasionally it may get so awful you believe you can frighten someone away, which unfortunately happens occasionally. Jonah is saying that when people are depressed or unhappy, they frequently conceal their emotions and are skilled at doing so. People who are depressed fear appearing needy and the criticism that "they aren't sad enough." He doesn't want to take up their time with a pointless discussion.
[Chorus]
(One, two, three)
Now I'm begging you to come and pull me out of the fire
Come and save me like you did when we were young
Oh, please, come bring me out
From my lowest take me higher
Can you see me through the ashes and the smoke?
Analysis: Their own minds and all the issues they face are represented by "The Fire." The same is true of your ideas and self-discipline. Fire is dangerous and untamed, and you may actually lose command of it. They can always count on this person to come to their rescue because they have constantly had their back, even when they were little. A fire that spreads out of control can become deadly, burn everything it comes in contact with, and produce smoke and ash. Again, everything is a metaphor for problems that are either psychological, cognitive, or physical. It's difficult to understand who they truly are or where they are underneath all of their troubles because they have caused so much havoc and their thinking is so fogged. As a result, they have lost some of themselves.
[Verse 2]
I'm lonely, it's been so long
Since I felt love, to smile, felt strong
And what can I do when I'm not friends with my reflection?
When I don't understand affection like you do
Analysis: You have reached the point when you loathe yourself ("my reflection") and your mind is at its boiling pitch. You can tell you like someone and care for them if you are their friend. Therefore, when you don't become friends with "your own reflection". It demonstrates how little you love and just how much you simply despise yourself. This passage can be construed in a variety of ways, but it's possible that he simply lacks the ability to comprehend what it means to be loved, to feel strong, or to experience real joy because his negative emotions are so pervasive that they undermine what little hope he still has, in contrast to the person he is referring to, who appears to be fine and has "no problems."
[Bridge]
You say that you'll help me, tell me I'm worth it
But I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it
It's easy for you 'cause you know you're perfect
And I need your hand but I don't want to burn it
There's blood on the counter and tears on the pages
While I write you a letter and then I quickly erase it
I'm shattered and beat down, broken, weak now
Analysis: He cannot believe those who tell him they love and care for him because, in his eyes, they are worthless. He is yearning to reach out to others for support, love, and assistance but is too afraid to do so for fear of upsetting them with his suffering. This is what Jonah means when he says that they are physically injuring themselves in some way. When you are in such a delicate situation, you just overthink everything, even the tiniest things like a letter. You can sense the anguish in his tone and how the emotion increases slightly on this bridge. The letter may also be seen as a reference to how, when someone is contemplating suicide or is going to harm themselves, they may write a letter to say goodbye; in this situation, however, the person still experiences suffering.
IDEA DEVELOPMENT
With the help of the lyrics' interpretation, this music video depicts depression and sorrow and shows how although we all experience these emotions, some of us are simply better at hiding them than others. The accusation that "they aren't sad enough" and appearing needy are two things that depressed people worry about. He doesn't want to monopolise their time with an idle conversation. They have wreaked so much destruction and their thinking is so clouded that it's hard to know who they really are or where they are underneath all of their issues. They have consequently lost some of their identity. When Jonah claims that they are harming themselves physically in some way, he really means this. You simply overthink everything when you are in a delicate situation, even the little things like a letter.
MUSIC VIDEOS SIMILAR TO
'BROKEN'
SOCIAL ISSUE
Depression is a serious social issue that affects millions of people worldwide. It is a common and debilitating mental health disorder that can cause feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a loss of interest in life. Depression can have a significant impact on an individual's quality of life, relationships, work performance, and overall well-being. Additionally, depression can lead to other serious health problems such as substance abuse and suicide.
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The stigma surrounding mental health often prevents people from seeking help, but it is important to recognize that depression is a treatable condition and there are effective ways to manage it. Increased public awareness and education about depression, as well as access to quality mental health care, can help reduce its impact as a social issue.
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According to a research brief published today by the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of anxiety and sadness surged dramatically globally during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The executive summary also identifies those who have been most impacted and outlines how the epidemic has influenced access to mental health treatments and how it has changed over time.
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90% of the countries polled had previously incorporated mental health and psychosocial support into their COVID-19 response plans due to worries about a potential rise in mental health issues, but there are still significant gaps and worries.
PLANNING
MOODBOARD
The purpose of a mood board is to communicate a particular mood or concept, so a mood board for depression should aim to accurately and sensitively convey the experience of this mental health disorder. In my mood board, I wanted to show feelings of depression and sorrow and how can a person gets affected by these emotions they feel daily that they hide from everyone else around them.
CONVENTIONS
The style, camera, sound (both diegetic and non-diegetic), mise en scene, editing, and stereotyping are often the codes and norms of music videos. However, these norms can vary slightly based on the genre and manner of the video. In order to provide the viewers with a basis or framework they can understand and to help them get comfortable with a certain genre, music videos use codes and conventions. A video typically lasts for the duration of a song, while more narrative videos may feature extra sequences to expand on the plot. Additionally, it ensures that a song's message and lyrics are depicted in the video. As a result, a heavy rock song's video will have relatable, stereotyped themes rather than something wholly unexpected.
The majority of music videos either adhere to traditions or make an effort to subvert dominant norms. Especially in pop or hip-hop music videos, voyeurism of ladies is a popular theme. This can be demonstrated by the choice of attire and camera positions, such as a close-up of the lips. Due to how simple it is to comply with preconceptions in music videos, the majority will almost certainly do so. Technical and symbolic tactics are the two sorts of strategies used to juxtapose meanings in the codes and conventions of music videos.
Some examples of codes and conventions;
Depending on the type of music, different music videos have different codes and norms. The following are some of the most typical rules and guidelines for music videos:
• The method (performance, concept, narrative)
• The sound effects; (non-diegetic, diegetic)
• The camera;
• The editing (transitions, quick, slow)
• Setting the scene (props, lighting, costume, hair, makeup, locations, setting, colours)
• Illustrations (stereotyping)
Camera angles:
The technique the camera is employed in a music video is crucial for creating meaning. It can help to create various effects depending on how it is utilised, for instance, angles and movements. Below are several angles and actions that make the video distinctive.
• The focus remains on the artists standing in front of the scene or location, but a very wide shot is employed to show the viewer where the artist is.
• Wide shots typically focus on the performer, but the setting of the footage can still be seen by the viewer.
• A medium shot is midway between such a mid shot and close-up and displays the viewer the actor's chest and head.
• A mid-shot focuses primarily on the subject while still giving the audience a sense of the place and surroundings.
• Closeups show the subject's face or an item in the shot in greater detail. This shot can reveal more about the mise-en-scene because the subject's expressions, clothing, and cosmetics can affect the video.
• An extreme close-up will concentrate on the artist's face, such as the eyes, nose, and lips, in order to recognize something or to give the film more context and impact. It may also be used to demonstrate lip-syncing in the video. In a narrative-based music video, the over-the-shoulder shot works well since it shows the artist's point of view while still having them in it. If the artist is speaking with someone, it can also serve as a reverse shot.
• Cut-ins are frequently used in music videos to match the lyrics. If a song has a line that, for instance, describes an object, the object might then appear in the song.
Sound:
Diegetic and non-diegetic sound are the two types of sound that can be found in music videos. Non-diegetic sound is audio that can be added during editing while the diegetic sound is audio that has already been included in the video. The vocals used by musicians can be altered and given varied effects using sound editing. When the audio matches the tone of the video, this is called a sound parallel. For instance, it is possible that the theme and tone of a song will be depressing if tragic fallacies like rain and gloom are used, along with sluggish editing.
Mise-en-scene:
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Depending on the type of music, different music videos have different mise-en-scene. The mise-en-elements scenes are. In music videos, it's employed to portray particular characteristics as well as to emphasise how important people are.
• Location – in which the musical video is shot
• Lighting – how the scenario is produced
• Props – objects, and items in the frame
• Costume – what the performer is donning
• Hair and Makeup – style of the performer
• Color – particular colours reflecting particular emotions and atmosphere
FORMAL RESEARCH
The first two questions were introduced to collect demographic information, such as the age and gender of our viewers.
The following inquiries helped us better grasp how our audience felt about music videos.
I discovered that pop is the most popular choice for the genre. This inspired me to make a pop music video that would educate readers about how depression can affect one's life.
I came to the realisation that my music video needed good camera angles so it would draw in almost half of the viewers. However, providing entertaining and enlightening content is also crucial.
PRE-PRODUCTION
BUDGET AND COST
RECCE
RISK ASSESSMENT
1- CASTING WISE:
There was some risk involved casting-wise as I already had an acquaintance ready to be my model but just the day before the shooting he backed out. Thus, I had to ask my friend last minute to act as my model in the music video and hopefully, he agreed, however on the day of the shooting he arrived 2 hours late, so we had to shoot everything in a hurry.
2- LOCATIONS WISE
There were a lot of risks involved location-wise as at first, I couldn't find a location but when I did, I choose an old historical site and a botanical garden. However, it was too up to par with the music video so I had to change my location and ask the permission of an old haveli owner in old Lahore to use his place as a shooting location.
3- EQUIPMENT WISE
There was no risk involved equipment-wise as I borrowed my friends' video camera to shoot the music video, and my friend knew somebody who owned a drone, so his friend helped me get the drone shots.
4- WEATHER WISE
There was no risk involved weather-wise as the day we had decided to take pictures, the sky was clear with the sun shining brightly which gave us great natural lighting to work with while shooting the video.
PROPS AND COSTUME
Ukulele:
This was used as a substitute for a guitar as I initially planned on borrowing my friends' guitar but he was in another city when we filmed the music video so we had to go with the ukulele.
Smoke bombs:
In total 5 shots in the music video required smoke bombs for the aesthetic effect and since I was replicating the music video, I had to use smoke bombs as well.
Chair:
A wooden chair was required so that the model could sit on it and lip sync. An old brown wooden chair was used as it gave the essence that the chair is very old and that the place we filmed this video in is also very old.
Black backdrop:
This was needed as during shooting we used it to achieve perfect lighting.
The costume used for the model in the official "Broken" music video was pretty simple and casual, the costume remains the same throughout the entirety of the video.
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The costume of the model in the official music video is a plain t-shirt, a jacket on top of it, sneakers, and jeans.
I tried to replicate this outfit to the best of my capabilities and tried to make it as accurate as possible, however, also keeping our budget in mind I didn't want to buy new clothes so we used whatever we have available.
My model, replicating the outfit from the original music video, wore a plain t-shirt, and paired it with a jacket, jeans, and some sneakers.
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EQUIPEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
Sony a7iii:
This camera was one of my acquaintance's, I borrowed it from him for the shoot. This camera is a new and improved model with new great features. Taking videos from this camera did produce great shots and since I was using it for the first time, it was a great learning experience as well as it was the nearest I got my hands onto a professional working camera.
Ipad Pro 2nd Gen:
On my iPad, I set all of my schedules for the video shoots and used them to keep track of how many videos I have taken. As a result, it forced me to operate in an organised manner and helped me keep track of time during the video shoot.
Lenovo Ideapad L3 Core i5:
This laptop was my brother's and it was in my house. As it includes an SD card port, which you can use to insert the SD card in your video camera and transfer videos, I used it to collect and edit every shot I took. This made the process of video transfer easier.
Adobe Premier Pro:
Since Adobe Premier Pro was already in my possession and is widely used by professionals in the media sector to create the best results, I used it for editing. It is easy to use and has all the features I need for editing. It is flexible, and I believe I can create a typical music video that is credible and polished.
AV SCRIPT
SHOT LIST
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Demographics
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Name: Bilal
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Age: 18
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Sex/Gender: Male
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Ethnicity: Pakistani
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Occupation: student
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Education: high school student
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Physical Appearance
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Eye colour: Brown
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Skin colour: olive
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Hair colour: dark brown
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Height: 5'5
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Weight: n/a
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Body type: n/a
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Fitness level: active
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Tattoos: none
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Scars/Birthmarks: n/a
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Fashion style: moderately fashionable
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Accessories: none
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Cleanliness/Grooming: clean