JANUARY 9 2008
After spending countless hours constricting a sexy looking blog, I finally finished. Creating tremendous work is my specialty…
Having already had the knowledge on what music videos contain, I took on a simple task that required me to watch numerous music videos that I myself wouldn’t sit and watch if they were to ever come on.
The videos I watched contained “Rockers” such as Linkin Park, Kid Rock and Tommy Lee. I found that Rock Videos seemed to have a lot in common with Rap Videos. There was allot of similarity interns of what they where showing. Rap videos tend to have that high spirit edge in showing ass shaking; flashy cars and that out of this world life style: quote “the hip-hop life”.
On the other hand Rock Videos that I watched contain similar themes, girls where shaking there ass’s, the videos included flashy cars and the artists tended to place them selves in an out of this world situations.
One video that I analyzed closely was a Kid Rock video, the video captured the artists inform of himself as a “normal human” non celebrity living in the country. The video itself showed us how his life would have been if he not been a famous rocker. I feel that these sorts of videos hold a message, which makes them interesting to watch. This is to make us realize they came from nothing, this is important cause we are them able to relate more to the artist and become attached to what where watching.
Music being my highest interest I am truly looking forward in working in all the tasks provided in this assignment but to creating and having total control on my own music video is the one.
WATCH OUT PEOPLE.
JANUARY 11 2008
Chris Cunningham
Origin: Reading UK
Genre: Dance music
Occupation: Video director
Years active: 1996–present
Label: Warp Records
Chris Cunningham is an acclaimed English music video film director and video artist. He was born in Reading, Berkshire in 1970 and grew up in Lakenheath, Suffolk. His film The Work of Director Chris Cunningham was released in November 2004 as part of the Directors Label set. This DVD includes selected highlights from 1995-2000.
MUSIC VIDEOS
Cunningham has had close ties to Warp Records since his first production for Autechre. His infamous video for Aphex Twin's "Come to Daddy" is perhaps his most well known. His video for Björk's "All Is Full of Love" won multiple awards, including an MTV music video award for Breakthrough Video and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video. It can still be seen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His video for Aphex Twin's "Windowlicker" was nominated for the "Best Video" award at the Brit Awards 2000. He also directed Madonna's "Frozen" video.
Cunningham has an individual outcome to how he wants his audience to view his work. This is important because his able to separates himself from other directors who tend to copy other directors. I will take through and consider using Cunningham’s technique of individuality, maybe then I’d be able to create an outstanding music video but definitely not in the same line of his music video. Those girls are ugly, come on man should have created some out of this world sexy models. Maybe he likes UGLY girls?
JANUARY 14th 2008
ROCK VIDEO
Simple Plan
Genre: Pop punk
Years active: 1999 – present
Label: Lava, Atlantic
Simple Plan is a French Canadian pop punk band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band has released two original albums: No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002) and Still Not Getting Any... (2004); as well as two live albums: Live in Japan 2002 (2003) and MTV Hard Rock Live (2005).
The band is due to release their self-titled third CD in February 2008.
Having no notion to who “Simple Plan” are now I know. In today’s lesson we sow two interesting video from the band “Addict and also “I’d do anything” which was one of my favourite video out of two. Not being a big fan of rock, I found the bands music to be interesting and energetic.
Both music videos made me bop my head a little, just a little.
In a way both music videos tended to hold the same antics. The first had the band entering what seems to be an apartment of an unknown character that was asleep throughout the video. We view the band in one scenario [the apartment] where they rock so hard the bands damn near destroy everything in the house. Most music videos tend to clearly illustrate more on what’s been shown and narrative all the characters included in the video but somehow I found this video hard to analyze. So I decided to closely watch the video again using you tube at home, knowing me I wouldn’t watch a rock video twice without having a major reason in doing so. What I was confused about was why the characters in the couch didn’t wake up and beat them up. Hahaha, seriously though I was comparing the lyrics to what I was watching. Using my own notification towards the music video I think the character who was sleeping while his house was been wreaked is the person who had coursed the break-up. Using there heavy metal rock instruments the band seek revenge towards the character. The song [lyrics] is dedicated to a girl explaining how heartbreaking the break has been.
I noticed that lyrically and visually both video mad sense. This is important to hold a relation towards people like me who wouldn’t know who and what the band is about.
Whilst switching through both videos as a whole class, we also talked about:
Star Image
Star Vehicle
Star power
“not being a big fan of rock” quote. After watching the music video am now a little fan. Shout out to rap.
JANUARY 16th 2008
Focusing on 2pac Shakur.
2pac “When Ure Hero Falls”
[Chorus: I wonder if heaven got a ghetto (4X)]
I was raised, the little young nigga doin bad shit
Talk much shit cause I never had shit
I could remember being whupped in class
And if I didn't pass mama whupped my ass
Was it my fault papa didn't plan it out
Broke out left me to be the man of the house
I couldn't take it, had to make a profit
Down the block, got a glock, and I clock grip
Makin G's was my mission
Movin enough of this shit to get my mama out the kitchen and
why must I sock a fella, just to live large like Rockefeller
First you didn't give a fuck, but you're learnin now
If you don't respect the town then we'll burn you down
God damn it's a motherfuckin riot
Black people only hate police so don't try it
If you're not from the town then don't pass through
Cause some O.G. fools might blast you
It ain't right but it's long overdue
We can't have peace til the niggaz get a piece too
I want G's so you label me a criminal
And if I die, I wonder if heaven got a ghetto
[Chorus]
[Verse Two: 2Pac]
Here on Earth, tell me what's a blick life worth
A bottle of juice is no excuse, the truth hurts
And even when you take the shit
Move counties get a lawyer you can shake the shit
Ask Rodney, LaTasha, and many more
It's been goin on for years, there's plenty more
When they ask me, when will the violence cease?
When your troops stop shootin niggaz down in the street
Niggaz had enough time to make a difference
[ Lyrics found at www.mp3lyrics.org/jdG ]
Bear witness, own our own business
Word to God cause it's hard tryin to make ends meet
First we couldn't afford shit now everything's free
so we loot, please don't shoot when you see
I'm takin from the, cause for years
they would take it from me
Now the tables have turned around
You didn't listen, until the niggaz burned it down
And now Bush can't stop the hit
Predicted the shit, in 2Pacalypse
And for once I was down with niggaz, felt good
in the hood bein around the niggaz, yeah
And for the first time everybody let go
And the streets is death row, I wonder if heaven got a ghetto
[Chorus]
[Verse Three: 2Pac]
I see no changes, all I see is racist faces
Misplaced hate makes disgrace to races
We under I wonder what it take to make this
one better place, let's erase the wait state
Take the evil out the people they'll be acting right
Cause both black and white are smokin crack tonight
And only time we deal is when we kill each other
It takes skill to be real, time to heal each other
And though it seems heaven-sent
We ain't ready, to have a black President, huh
It ain't a secret don't conceal the fact
The penitentiary's packed, and it's filled with blacks
I wake up in the morning and I ask myself
Is life worth living should I blast myself
I'm tired of being poor and even worse I'm black
My stomach hurts so I'm lookin for a purse to snatch
Cops give a damn about a ne-gro
Pull a trigger kill a nigger he's a hero
Mo' nigga mo' nigga mo' niggaz
I'd rather be dead than a po' nigga
Let the Lord judge the criminals
If I die, I wonder if heaven got a ghetto
[Chorus (to :27 from fade)]
Just think, if niggaz decide to retaliate
(Soldier in the house)
I wonder if heaven got a ghetto [4X to fade]
Joy Division “Atmosphere”
Walk in silence,
Dont walk away, in silence.
See the danger,
Always danger,
Endless talking,
Life rebuilding,
Dont walk away.
Walk in silence,
Dont turn away, in silence.
Your confusion,
My illusion,
Worn like a mask of self-hate,
Confronts and then dies.
Dont walk away.
People like you find it easy,
Naked to see,
Walking on air.
Hunting by the rivers,
Through the streets,
Every corner abandoned too soon,
Set down with due care.
Dont walk away in silence,
Dont walk away.
The video itself shows elements of remembrance as “Joy Division” where the audience are made to examine the artists in their past life.
[LYRICS]
Comparing both 2pac’s “When Ure Hero Falls” and Joy Division's “Atmosphere”.
In terms of lyrics two artists sing “When Ure Hero Falls” who are never see throughout the music video but we the audience are constantly shown photographs and video clips of 2pac who the song is dedicated to. The lyrics are high and joyous “spiritual” in a sense. On the other hand “Atmosphere” by Joy Division the audience are able to relate to more when the artist is shown visually and vocally.
Searching through music videos I came across another one of Tupac’s videos "I wonder if heavens got a ghetto”.
[EDITING] [CAMERA WORK]
The video showed the same elements in terms of religious themes. The video was filmed after Tupac's death. The camera is positioned is if it were shot from Shakur's perspective. The video begins as he is walking (after being shot) to a nunnery in fictional Rukahs, New Mexico.
Observing the video closely I found that reversing 'Rukahs' spells out 'Shakur'.
In the video "Heaven Gotta Ghetto", the license plate of the car that he gets in with the older man reads "61671". Another obvious occurrence of the number seven and the sum of seven (6+1).In the video for "I Wonder if Heaven Got a Ghetto" the town it takes place in is called Rukahs. The room he goes into with the girl is room number 7. The clock in the background at the end is at 4:03...the same time he officially died.
[MUSIC VIDEO]
*Lyrics
*Storyboard
*Shooting Schedule
*Call Sheet etc.
TREATMENT
LRYRICS
MUSIC DECONSTRUCTION
STORYBOARD
kryptonite......big boi,purple ribbon allstars
EVALUATION
ARTIST: Big Boi ft. Purple Ribbon
My interest in music began from a young age. By listening to different genres such as soft rock, country, classical to gangsta rap I had channeled myself to take interest in every aspect of music and to acknowledge music genres as a whole. So when I had the opportunity to show how much I enjoy music by creating a music video I was determined to demonstrate my inspiration [rap] and illustrate all the techniques learnt throughout the two years in using Pinnacle.
Under unit 23: Video Music Production - grading criteria [1.1; 1.2; 1.3] we as a class had been set a task of planning and producing a music video using a single song of our choosing. I decided to use a track that I felt had a high elevated up beat instrumental and very interesting lyrics. I was determined to use a track that would stick to the audience and wouldn’t be irritating if heard over and over again. So Kryptonite was the choice.
Big Boi performs the song with two more artists from a group called [The Purple Ribbon All-stars]. I knew from the beginning by selecting a song that included more than one artist would be a challenge and very difficult in terms of filming and editing. So to set myself a side from recent music videos created by past media student, I decided to take on the challenge. To assure myself that my video would have that individual outlook from my fellow classmates I decided to do numerous researches on music videos [how they are filmed, characteristics needed from the artist, locations, lighting, camera angles etc.
As part of the grading criteria we were also required to do a presentation on two music videos demonstrating our understanding on the meaning of the selected videos. Apart from gathering information from the Internet I myself was able to organize a day where I was able to visit a real music video shoot in Croydon on group of up coming UK artists. The video shoot helped me develop techniques on how I’d shoot my music video in a basic organized manner without wasting time or imitating other music videos.
Whilst at the shoot I was able to capture thirty minutes worth of footage using one handheld camera, showing how a music video is shoot and the sort of people involved in making a video. Although it wasn’t a highly professional video shoot I felt that it set basic standards of how most videos are shot.
I can genuinely say that visiting the shoot had guided me to plan more of how I wanted my video to look. I found that probably the most important step in the whole process of creating a music video is to plan exactly what needs to be included in the video, for instance shots, props, characters, mood for example how the character will interact with the camera to make the audience feel as if he’s directly [singing] to them. I realized planning all my shots that I needed guided me to create an outstanding music video that I myself feel that it was at a high quality in terms of the black and white look and camera techniques.
The basic idea was to create a visually strong music video that matched together with the track [lyrics]. I found out that most songs, especially rock music, have a mix of milder verse and more "explosive" choruses. I need to navigate myself on creating a lively music video that flowed with energy throughout.
I contracted a well-visualized storyboard that also helped me follow on the camera movements I’d use, location to where the character will be shot, props, number of characters in a scene and the performers [artists] interaction with the camera. The whole visual aspect of my music video simple came from my storyboard. The black and white threshold effect stood out in a way that you could see the background, facial expression and clothing worn by the characters. Even though this effect created that individuality I felt that it needed more. So whilst still on the process of editing my video I came across an effect that would professionally give my video that extra kick to that near professional look. Using another effect on Pinnacle [light flare] I was able to apply the effect and add colour to the black and white making the video realistic and giving it that last polished professional look.
I decided to construct a music video that had no storyline [narrative] due a simple fact that it would be more lively and interesting to show the characters at their pace and own style. In the opening seen its simple easy to tell that it had included a small narrative to where the character is woken up by his alarm clock, followed by shot after shot reveling small forms of [dressing up]. I felt that it was necessary to include this in the opening scene as an introduction to one of the characters.
I feel that the music video as a whole was a complete success.
Working in this unit has widened my understanding of music videos in every aspect. Although the project was very stressful and hard at times I truly enjoyed every part of it. The downfalls went through in creating the music video were lack of footage that would have given the video that extra momentum. I also enjoyed editing the music video but realized once I began editing it was difficult to stop.
As part of my video feed back I decided to exhibit a small [2min] sample on internet using Facebook where I receive numerous feedbacks from not only my friends but also people I didn’t know. I considered the comments made and made a few adjustments to the video. To get more feedback on my video I also created a small questionnaire which I gave out randomly to people who had viewed my video.
