Case Studies: Music Videos

 

Basic info	Artist: Jesse James (Solomon) Producer: Ayo Title: Came in the name of Video director: Heckor Dockrill
Synopsize the video	The video is a reflection of the artist’s words and the artist life. The video shows certain events of the artist’s life such as him spending time with his friends, showing scenes of London showing where he is from. Scenes shot in the tube station also show where the person is from. The video is very mellow and sad this shown by how the rapper was rapping looking out the window, not facing the camera in some scenes and sitting and rapping in the dark.
The videos concept (meaning behind the video)	This video has a concept it has links to the lyrically content for example when talking about smoking blunts he’s actually doing so. Jesse James makes references of his love ones and in the video it seems like he with love ones as he’s surrounded by many people who are laughing and enjoying themselves. When he’s making references about cars he’s in car driving. Some of the shots are performance based where Jesse James is lip synching.
Themes	Expressing and showing his lifestyle and concepts of life. Repetition of the song title which shows the video is based on the title Jesse James says ‘Came in the name of love, waved in the name of drugs’ – which sums up passion, pain and pleasure. He refers to love and he’s surrounded by friends and showing people enjoying themselves as well as the pain people and the world which causes him to smoke until he’s somehow set free. There’s a motif in the video in the start of the video there is a radio extract of a Stevie wonder song when he’s in the car and at the ending of the video it continues and ends with the same radio extract. Starts and ends with a close up of him looking away.  The use of the radio extract could be used because he is a fan of Stevie wonder. It also a time of sequence a motif that follows. As it starts with it and ends with it. Its an indication that the song has begun and the song has ended.
Representation of the star	In this video Jesse James is represent as a intelligent individual because of his lyrically content and word play. In a lot of the scenes he’s in he’s  always looking out the car window or looking down this could be because he has a lot on his mind and he’s trying to get his words out or even trying to find meaning. He is represented as a mellow, relaxed guy. Towards the end of the video he was sitting in the dark which gives the feel of him being awkward and dark but also that he has a lot on his mind and wants to release some stress this links with the drug theme.
Camera work, editing, special effects, mise en scene	Mise en scene: Casting: Jesse James (black male, urban style clothing – slim jeans, trainers, bucket hat, etc), females (bamboo earrings, trainers, skinny jeans, etc), other males (urban style). They are wearing urban clothing because of the genre of the music it is expected.  In some scenes the boys were wearing hoodies this links with the genre of rap music. Props: Car, chair, studio equipment, blunts. The use of the car is to show the city and the lights it also links with the radio extract as the video started in the car. The studio equipment in the music studio shows his life as an artist and what he does. The blunts show how he is a mellow person and uses it to relive him from stress. The chair is just part of the scenery. Lighting:  Day time(natural light) and night time (natural and street lights,etc) low lighting. The night light shows the beauty of the city and creates an effect when using the tracking shot. The low lighting creates a slightly darker mood to the scene; it links to the pace of how he is rapping. The use of artificial lights in the club has got to do with the location and atmosphere they are in. Location: London (outside the street), club, studio, house and car. The city views to show the atmosphere and the location the rapper is in and to simply show where he is from. The concert scene shows that he is an artist and what his occupation consists of same with the club scene. The studio shows him working (showing parts of his life). Camera work: Establishing shot used to introduce the setting as well as this it could also mean that from this car journey the view are going to see certain parts of his life after that shot so it’s a introduce of his life. Close up shot were used to see the emotion of the artists face and how his saying the words (expression). Over the shoulder shot in the car showing the view from the back and side of the artist. High angle when the girl is walking through the field and when people are dancing in club/ concert scene using the high angle shows that there are many people there. Dolly – driving through London. Canted shot when they were at the tube station. Mid shot was used to show his emotion and him rapping as well as showing his body language this scene seems as if he was upset and that he was troubled. Editing: Match shot was used a few times e.g. concert scene the dj and then a shot of the crowd this was to show the hype of the crowd and also just to show the location and where they were. Straight cuts and jumping cuts were used to show different elements of his life. Special Effects:  Cropped screen effect was used, mirroring images was used, blurring of lights (out of focus) and radio extracts sounds,etc.
Who are the target audience	The target audience for this genre of music is people who are into rap/alternative rap. People that are into slow music. This song relates to youth as him himself is a youth
What ideas do you get from this video	The ideas I got from this video was to shoot scenery shots of London at night and using effects such changing the focus of the camera to get the blurred lights effect. I also like the cropped screen effect and the fish eye bird-eyes effect I would consider using it in my own video.

           

Basic info	Artist: Tyler The Creator Producer: Tyler The Creator Title: Yonkers Video director: Wolf Haley
Synopsize the video	This video is Tyler expressing his thoughts and views on life and other things. This song could seem as a diss song because of references of other artist.
The videos concept (meaning behind the video)	This video has concepts behind it I think one of the intentions of the video was for it to be a little melodramatic. Towards the end of the video Tyler hangs himself which is kind of a gruesome ending as well as this he eats a cockroach which is unusual and then he vomits it out. The video show how bizarre and care free Tyler is. This is also shown by the lyrically content and from what Tyler is doing in his video. Even though the video was kind of simple it was kind of complex in its own way for example the constant usage of the perspective control lenses. The other aim of the video was for it to have an old school film hence why it’s in black and white.
Themes	In terms of motifs there was a constant repetition changing of lenses. The main theme was for the artists to express their thoughts; it was an exhibition of his thoughts and views (word play was used).
Representation of the star	In this music video Tyler is represented as a strange person as he eats a cockroach in the video, plays with it and also vomits in the video. He’s also represent as a dark and insecure person with a lot to say. He seems like a dark person because he hangs himself at the end of the video. He’s a very care free person as he makes refers of cartoons and outspoken as he makes bold offences. Tyler is represented as a very intelligent individual due to his word play for example he says ‘I’m a f**king walking paradox, no I’m not’ which is refer to his personality. A paradox contradicts itself but could still follow the meaning,etc he could be a paradox but he’s not literally a walking paradox. In this video Tyler is lip synching and as well as performing
Camera work, editing, special effects, mise en scene	Mise en scene: Casting: Tyler the Creator (Black male, urban style clothing) Props: Cockroach, stool, hanger Lighting: Studio lighting (soft boxes etc) Location: Studio (plain setting white backdrop) Camera work: Establishing shot was used to introduce the scene and show the location, usage of zoom and reverse zoom started off as a mid shot with Tyler and the cockroach and then as he’s playing with it starts zooming in the use of this could be to show what he is doing as well as how focus he is on the cockroach and the video director wants the audience to focus on it too. Long shot was used when Tyler hung himself and his feet are dangling. Mid shot of him vomiting this was show exactly what he is doing and a full view of his vomit. Panning from side to side was used as well as a handheld was used this was used to shows him climbing the chair and him about to hang himself. By not showing his head and just show his legs dangling and his legs squirming shows that he is dying and hurting himself without showing his facial expressions. Editing: visual effects were used such as changing of lenses (Perspective control lenses, tilt shift lens), maybe elements of post production – use of the black eyes, filiming in colour etc. The perspective control lenses are used to create a dramatic effect it also creates a huge black and white contrast. The use of the blur plays with the mind and it makes it seem as if it’s not so clear.   Special Effects: black eyes, blurring, black and white video (bold contrast)
Who are the target audience	Target audience is youth who are into alternative hip hop as well as people who are into spoken word.
What ideas do you get from this video	Changing of lenses, black and white, plain backdrop sense. Name of the song and artist name at the start of the video

              

Basic info	Artists: Kanye West featuring Chris Martin Producer: Kanye West and Warryn Campbell Title: Homecoming Video: Hype Williams
Synopsize the video	The video shows where Kanye is from. The video serves as a tribute to Kanye’s hometown which is Chicago. It shows where he went to school and where he grew up in a way it’s his life story.
The videos concept (meaning behind the video)	This video has morals and story behind the song. This song is a tribute of Chicago. Chicago is known as a windy city so he calls the girl he’s talking about in his video Wendy. The concepts of this video are to show the audience his life and where he was brought up, whom and what he was surrounded with/by.
Themes	The main theme of the video was the artist is shown as an artist and who he is as a person. It’s an exhibition of thoughts and experience.  Kanye is talking about when he moved to Chicago and the events that have taken place in the city as well in his life. He explains about the things the youth get up to in the city. He talks about gun and crime so he basically telling you of the untold stories of Chicago and he’s the voice of Chicago.
Representation of the star	In this song and video represents as a loving person as he talks about his first love. Kanye west is also very intelligent due his wordplay he refers Chicago as a girl he explains his love for her and when he met Chicago (moved to Chicago at the age of 3). The girl name is a reference to the climate in Chicago. His gestures and body language in the video shows that he is passionate about what he’s saying. Kanye is trying to be successful for his town and for himself.
Camera work, editing, special effects, mise en scene	Mise en  scene: Casting: Kanye west and Common (Black males, dark clothing) Chris Martin (White male, dark clothing). I think the black clothing links with the black and white theme. I think the role of Chris Martin could break racial barriers because the video mostly consists people of an ebony race but having a Caucasian male makes it different. Also having people that do totally different genres of music merging together is different. You would expect a rap artist and an R&B artist to come together but because Chris Martin does indie music it makes the scene different.  The Little girl and boy and teenage boys link to the lyrically content. Props: Piano (Piano instrumental used to follow the motion of the track), fireworks(reference of fireworks in the chorus)  and cars Lighting: Daytime (natural lighting) Location: Chicago city Camera work: Establishing shot of the setting and location of Chicago, low angle used when showing Kanye and also the tower flats making them appear larger than it actually is. Zoom and rotate was used when Common was shown followed by a dolly. Mid shot was used. Mid shot was used this showed all of his hand gestures and body language. A long shot was used when Kanye was walking in the city (shot from behind him) he was entering something. Mid shot was used towards the end of the video where Kanye was standing with young males from Chicago this shows power as he standing slightly in front of them. This shows power on his behalf as well as influence as they are behind him. As well of this it also shows unity. Editing: Rhythm cutting was used the cuts happened fast to fit in with the motion of the music.  Match cuts of him walking and of the city, long take was used maybe it was used for the audience to see everything and to create a certain mood. It gets the audience to think about what he is saying because there are shots showing parts of the city, the slums and the youth. Jump shots from scene to scene from Chris to Kanye this was to show who is rapping and who is singing. Special effects: Cut out templates of the person’s body or body part with another video shot combined as one. Fish eye effect was used.
Who are the target audience	The target audience for this song would be people who are into rap and also indie music due to the collaboration of the artists. Also for people who are into rap music. This music would for youth as well as adults. This song could be most favourite to people from the city of Chicago.
What ideas do you get from this video	City view, use of low angles, black and white theme