Music Video: Theory

1.

• There is an element of performance is several areas of the video. We can see some dance routines and some lip syncing.
• Camera is always moving throughout the music video.
• There is a narrative in this music video and a message.

2.

The message from the video tells us that there will always be racism and discrimination to the black. The media may say that this is not true but people who live in American experience this first hand yet there is nothing they can do about it.

3.

Gilroy - In the video, there are different groups of people (choirs, dancers etc). This could be a link to Gilroy's word about the liquidity of culture.

Hall - The Music video doesn't have a set social class determination or anything in specific detail to mean that this applies to not only a certain group but over a large group.

Rose - Rose said that new hip hop reinforces the stereotypes of young black (normally males) conducting violence and criminal actions. 

4.

• Donald Clover uses dance to mislead/ misdirect the audience
• Donald Clover is going to stand up and take on the police force
• He is 'Jim Corw'

5.

Comments are made about the danger it is for a black person to live in America because of things like the media who reinforce the idea that black people are all criminals that conduct violence and other illegal activities. Most of this news has been twisted to make it sound as if black people are to blame for every incident.

Music Video introduction blog task

1.
They were originally used in order to promote an artist or a band but as time went on, the meaning changed and now it has become an artform that is used in order to communicate with audiences.

2.
The digital age has grown so much that people are now able to post their music on all sorts of platforms to get views, likes and subs. Platforms like YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify have done very well with this where it allows people to create their own content and publish for the public to see worldwide.

3.
VEVO is a video hosting site mainly focusing on music videos.
The three major record labels are:

• Sony Music
• Universal Music
• Abu Dhabi Media

4.

The key conventions of a music video contain movement (of an object or from camerawork), Narrative (a storyline within the music video), some sort of performance clip (by the artist or band) and intertextuality (references to something).

5.

Majority of music contains lyrics. Music videos tend to reflect the lyrics to create a visual narrative for audiences while they listen to the matching audio narrative. It makes it almost feel as if it was a very short movie without dialogue but with meaning.

6.

The Blink 182 video had references to pop videos by using clips from music videos by groups and artists such as back street boys and Christina Aguilera.

7.

Audiences are able to recognise the references which enhance the viewing experience and make the audience members gratified.

8.

Music Video: Taeyeon - I

Conventions:

Narrative - There is definitely a narrative within this music video since there second shot of the main character working in a café of sorts is the beginning of the narrative. At 2 minutes 28 seconds, there is a scene of her looking into the distance followed by a facial expression that looks like realisation. Then at 2:50, we see the character then quit her job. Without the other clips, there is clearly a narrative of some sort.

Movement - Movement is seen throughout the music video. In the very first shot we see a drone pan shot by the seaside with the view of the sea and some of the mountains as in introduction to the song. Throughout the narrative above, there is camera movement while the character is working. Besides the narrative, every other shot has either camera movement or movement from the character' characters.

9.

The video consists of a more modern view of what hip hop is therefore including things like sports, street wear and gag related actions/ This video was also one of the very first hip hop videos that point out political problems and views.

10.

I think that music videos have lost the meaning to them as time went on. Modern music videos almost have no real meaning to them and their only purpose is to act as a collage of moving images for the pleasure of an audience. I don't think that music videos are majorly essential to an artists success as even now, if a song is released and not liked, it doesn't matter how good the MV is, it would have been classified negatively.

Film & TV assessment learner response

1.
WWW:

• Q3 is impressive: good focus on question with an extended response showing knowledge of both CSPs. The challenge now is to reach that level consistently then build on it.

EBI:

• Q1 + Q2 are weaker: revise the terminology and CSP
• Basic errors: spelling promotion wrong even though it is in the question; saying D83 is 1960 even though the year is in the title.
• More social/cultural context required for top levels in Q3

2.

Q1 - The distinction between actors and characters is arguably breaking down as films allude to stars previous roles or reputations or deliberately plat an actor against type.

Q2 - Film festival awards include Edinburgh, Busan, New Hampshire, Palm Beach and Julien.

Q3 - There is explicit reference to recent events and social contexts (global financial crash, increased fear of terrorism, free movement of people, debates about immigration, London house price inflation).

3.

Bricolage - The juxtaposition between old and ew texts, images, ideas and narratives to create new meanings.

Pastiche - Media products that imitate a style of a different text, artist or time period presented in a positive light unlike parodies which take on a more negative side to it.

Intertextuality - References to other media texts within a media text.

4.

Film festival awards include Edinburgh, Busan, New Hampshire, Palm Beach and Julien.

Small cinema release in arthouse cinemas appropriate distribution for the film - a British social realist drama.

5.

Question - to what extent do the representations in your selected TV drama Close-Study products reflect the social and cultural context in which they were produced?

Introduction - I think that Capital did a good job at representing the social and cultural contexts of its production time whereas D83 although not accurate of the production time context, was still very successful at representing the social and cultural context of the 1980s.

First paragraph -

• Focus on Capital
• Accurate views of modern London
• Skyscrapers of London like the Gherkin is shown
• The very distinctive red London busses
• Familiar sight of the busy mornings on the tube
• The problems shown within Capital still exist in today's world

Second paragraph -

• Focus on D83
• It did not reflect and represent the production time period of 2016 but did represent the time period of when it was set in the drama (the 1980s)
• The uniforms, the setting and the props were all fairly or very accurate.
• The supermarket scene is accurate in terms of what a supermarket back then would have looked like
• The supermarket also references the pop art era of 1960s
• The documents that Martin takes pictures of the confidential files are said to be the actual copies if not extremely good fakes.

Conclusion - 

• Capital was successfully represented the production time period of the drama but D83 did not. However, D83 successfully represented the time period of 1980s in which the drama was set in.

TV: Deutschland 83 - Close-textual analysis

Scene 1 - Garden/BBQ scenes:

Technical codes:

• Use of parallel and diegetic music and sound
• Formal Costume
• West seems more luxurious
• 80s fashion
• Nostalgia
• Younger generations dressed more casual
• Pop music played

Representations:

• Similarities between East and West
• Close family bonds
• East values family relationships
• Martin being shown as poor but happy
• Nescafe coffee seen differently between the East and the West
• House structures are very different
• Formal wear and atmosphere in the West BBQ scene
• Lack of male hierarchical dominance in east 
• Gender stereotypes or accurate gender representations for the time

Scene 2- Supermarket scene:

Technical codes:

• Jeans, red puma top and trainers (80s feel)
• Branded clothes
• Colourful
• Colour coordinated shelves
• Implies life in the west is brighter & more colourful
• Supermarkets don't typically look like this
• Pop art feel leads to a post modern link
• Maybe too much to make look believable

Audio codes:

• Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics playing in supermarket
• Fast paced, high tension music when Martin tries to escape
• Sweet Dreams reflect Martins thoughts
• English song, West is more Americanised

Representations:

• Bonn vs East side
• 'True luxury of the West is that no one pays attention to you'
• 'What does Annette want?' which implies women just want husband, apartment and car
• Martin vs authority 
• Police shown eating ice cream (very American)

Audience pleasures:

• Nostalgia (music)
• Visually pleasing due to the number of colours
• Diversion ( running away scene)
• Nostalgia (Shop fronts)

Scene 3- Training montage:


Technical codes:

• The way the montage is editted, not all is included
• Martin is now in danger of gettig caught
• Fast paced editing to build tension and pace
• Use of split screen to make audiences have to concentrate in more than one place which makes it seem more tense
• Jumpcuts throughout 
• Wipes are used to trasition
• Post modern style of editing
• Lots of camera shots through things which gives it a spy feeling

Audio codes:

• Narration
• 80s song (sweet dreams)
• Non Diagetic and parallel
• Music sets the scenes pace 
• Sound effects used

Audience pleasures:

• Nostalgia (the song)
• Recognising areas or evets
• James Bond link
• Diversion the quick pace edits ad cuts

Intertextuality:

• James Bond
• Coming of age makeover scenes
• Similar to Rocky training montage

Scene 4- Briefcase scene:

Technical codes:

• Close up shots
• Signatures on files (Reagan's)
• US stamp close up
• Opening briefcase shot
• Jump cuts throughout
• Fast and stylistic editig

Audio codes:

• Non diegetic music
• Creates tension
• Breathing exaggerated 
• Sound effects used

Audience pleasures:

• Diversion (fast pace editig makes audiences feel on the edge)
• Audiences don't wathim to get hurt
• Personal relationship (want Martin to take the pictures and make it out alive

TV: Exam question

"Realism is a vital component of television drama". To what extent does an analysis of your television close-study products support this view? [25 marks]

Deutschland 83 contains many aspects of realism within the drama. This is done to make the story line more believable. For Deutschland 83, the drama is based of a real event (the cold war) which means that certain aspects of it to certain audiences can be related to. Realism for Deutschland 83 is something that is important in how successful they end up becoming. This is because there are still audience members at the time it was produced that remember the cold war from being a child. This to them would be the dramas USP. Other audiences such as people who have an interest in German past history would appreciate the idea of accurate representations of the events. There are definitely scenes within the drama that have been identified as very accurate. For example, the scene when Martin had to take pictures of the confidential documents, some people say that the documents were either the real documents used back then or an exact copy of them.

In Capital, it also shows many aspects of realism within the drama. One example of this would be the scene when Roger is on his way to work and on the underground. The shot from underneath another passengers armpit onto Rogers face in the middle of a packed morning underground train is very accurate and is a very familiar sight to office workers who take the same route as Roger. As a result of the realistic side to Capital, it may have been a possible USP to the drama which attract audiences to choose to watch it. Audience members may find a sense of escapism while watching Capital since the realism is done so well that some audiences may find it hard to tell reality from drama.

While Deutschland 83 is retelling the story of the Cold war, Capital shows some of the day to day issues within todays society which means it becomes more relevant to the audience members of this current generations within this society. By recreating an accurate representation of the events of the cold war, it could attract audiences that are interested in the Cold war but not so much to a wider audience. On the other hand, everyone who lives and works in London understands the morning struggle and the issues around the society at this current time therefore allowing Capital to target not just a small group of people but a mass audience.

TV index: Capital and Deutschland

Introduction to TV Drama

Capital: Case study

Capital: Marxism and Hegemony

Capital: Applying Marxism

Deutschland 83: case study

Deutschland 83: Close-textual analysis notes

Industries: The rise of foreign-Language TV dramas

Industries: The impact of new/ digital media on television

TV: 750-word exam question

The impact of new/digital media on TV

1.
The place that creates and distributes media forms such as films or dramas.

2.
Cultural production has changed over time.

3.

• More producers are aiming their products at niche audiences
• Globalisation allowed other countries to get their products around the world which decreased the dominance of American film power.
• More and more companies are evolving into new industries.

4.

Integration of evolving and growing technology.

5.

The digital age is growing and more online streaming platforms are available for people to watch dramas and films on. This means more people are starting to watch their dramas and films on their phones, tablets, laptops etc instead of watching it on television channel by channel.

6.

Netflix will spend around $8 billion.

Amazon will spend around $4.5 billion.

Apple will spend around $1 billion.

7.

Netflix is available in 190 countries and Amazon is available in 200 countries.

8.

The 'demogorgan' from the TV drama Stranger things had different names in different countries due to what they would call the demon prince from the dungeons.

9.

I believe that as time goes on, more people would be watching dramas and films online so big companies may also choose to go into that industry in order to grow their business. Online streaming is definitely growing and will continue to grow which would allow the online streaming market to get filled within the next few years.

10.

TV dramas need to consider that people can watch the drama anywhere and anytime. Adding cliff hangers onto the end of the episode may not have as big of an effect to online streaming services because they are able to watch it straight away whereas for traditional TV, people would have to wait a week for the new episode.

TV: The rise of foreign-language television

1.
Subtitles used to be an element that could make you be seen as 'pretentious, dull and, possibly, a little odd'. As times move on, audiences have started to seek subtitles and are wanting to watch more foreign-language dramas.


2.
Walter suggests that the key appeal is his professional way of working where he would spend thousands and thousands of hours just watching foreign dramas. This leads to audiences feeling like he knows that he's doing.


3.
In the multi-screen age, we as audiences tend to get distracted by our phones with social media like Instagram or Snapchat but with subtitles, it forces us to focus on the drama and not get distracted by other things.


4.
The article also suggests that we as an audience 'develop a love for the distant world' which implies that we are taken out of reality and into the world of the drama. 'If you see something amazing set in Argentina, then Argentina itself, the houses, the people, what they wear, what their voices sound like, the language, is one of the biggest appeals. There is a huge pleasure in that' which could lead to the audience pleasure of diversion.


5.
Moffat included intertextual references in his shows like ones from Sherlock where he used a clue that could only be understood by Chinese audiences.


Film School Rejects: The foreign TV dramas you're missing out on:

1.
The show was released in the US before Germany.

2.
German figures started at 3.19 mil which then dropped to 1.63 mil at the last episode. Chanel 4's figures were at 2.13 mil at peak.

3.
Sundance TV and Freemantle Media announced the second season of the show which would be called Deutschland 86 in October.

4.
One of the aspects that probably helped was the large number of audiences that the show had.

5.
Walter uses social media platforms like twitter in order to interract with audience members all over the world to spread news about his work. He does things like posting a 'weekend pick' each week to involve audience memebers which allows him to stay relevant.


IndieWire: The rise of international television:

1.
Foreign TV dramas have found it difficult to find a market to access whereas foreign films have successfully found a niche audience.

2.
TV must have a specific aspect that enables them to attract domestic viewers. For example, in Prisoners of war, it is made to appeal to people who identify themselves as a 'prisoner to war'.

3.
D83 attracts both the UK audiences and the US audiences because of making these two audience groups feel something about the drama. For the UK viewers, the East shows a much more working class life which may be able to make UK audiences feel like they understand that side more and for the US, the West side is given more of an Americanised setting.

4.
Subtitles forces audiences to actually focus on the film instead of being distracted by anything.

5.
What matters to the audience is not language it is made in but more of the culture representations and cultural awareness.