This is simple minimalistic cd case design and is similar to how I would have my design for the cd case, however there are certain issues with this case compared with a generic cd case; for instance, there isn't alot possibility to have a booklet with the album art cover on it, because there would be nowhere to slip it and in order to draw attention to the case, there would have to be bright obvious artwork on the front of the cd.
conventional plastic cd case
This cd case is more of a conventional design; it is more practical design, and compared with the previous cd design displaying album artwork and including a booklet will be easier. In order to make the cd case interesting and appeal to audiences, the album artwork will have to be eye-catching. However, the case is fairly conventional, and although the most practical, I don't believe it looks as professional as the other cd cases. Millions of these cd cases are sold every year, and therefore I don't think they express 'Blighters' individuality.
3 panelled CD case
One of the more practical designs for designs for cd cases is the three-panelled case, as there is enough room for artwork on the front and within the inside of the case, also there is enough room for a booklet to be placed inside as well, or to have the information on the insides panels instead of having a booklet. I like this design as it's more professional, however if this was on sale it would normally have more than one cd inside it, because of the amount of space created by the panels.
Cardboard cd case with inside pocket
Although, this is a digipak, if it could be made into cd case size it would be appropriate, because there is the practical aspect in the plastic holding for the cd - so it doesn't slip out. The inside pocket of the case is practical and convenient as slipping the booklet inside it is easier than in a plastic cd case, however because there isn't anything holding a booklet into place when opening the cd case it could slip out.
The 'male gaze theory' is an idea that feminists believe draws attention to the imbalance between male and females, due to living in a predominately patriarchal society and has analysed how women are viewed by men, and because of the what the men believe: how women view themselves.
"Mulvey identifies three "looks" or perspectives that occur in film which serve to sexually objectify women"
1. how the male characters view the female characters
2. how the spectators view the female characters
3. the male spectator taking on the perspective of the male character; this is essentially joining 'look one' and 'look two'.
The third way of viewing ('look three') enables the male spectator to become the male character within the film, and therefore allows him to have the female character as his personal sex object, because he is viewing her in the way that the male character is.
"Mulvey is best known for her essay, "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema", written in 1973 and published in 1975 in the influential British film theory journal Screen. It later appeared in a collection of her essays entitled Visual and Other Pleasures, and numerous other anthologies. Her article was one of the first major essays that helped shift the orientation of film theory towards a psychoanalytic framework, influenced by the theories of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan. Prior to Mulvey, film theorists such as Jean-Louis Baudry and Christian Metz had attempted to use psychoanalytic ideas in their theoretical accounts of the cinema, but Mulvey's contribution was to inaugurate the intersection of film theory, psychoanalysis, and feminism.
Mulvey's article engaged in no empirical research on film audiences. She instead stated that she intended to make a "political use" of Freud and Lacan, and then used some of their concepts to argue that the cinematic apparatus of classical Hollywood cinema inevitably put the spectator in a masculine subject position, with the figure of the woman on screen as the object of desire. In the era of classical Hollywood cinema, viewers were encouraged to identify with the protagonist of the film, who tended to be a man. Meanwhile, Hollywood female characters of the 1950s and 60s were, according to Mulvey, coded with "to-be-looked-at-ness." Mulvey suggests that there were two distinct modes of the male gaze of this era: "voyeuristic" (i.e. seeing women as 'whores') and "fetishistic" (i.e. seeing women as 'madonnas').
Mulvey argued that the only way to annihilate the "patriarchal" Hollywood system was to radically challenge and re-shape the filmic strategies of classical Hollywood with alternative feminist methods. She called for a new feminist avant-garde filmmaking that would rupture the magic and pleasure of classical Hollywood filmmaking. She wrote, "It is said that analysing pleasure or beauty annihilates it. That is the intention of this article."
Some feminists criticized "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," claiming that, while Mulvey believed that classical Hollywood cinema reflected and shaped the "patriarchal order," the perspective of her writing actually remained within that very heterosexual order. The article was thus said to have contradicted its "radical" claims, by actually being a covert perpetuation of heterosexual patriarchal order. This was because, in her article, Mulvey presupposes the spectator to be a heterosexual man. She was thus felt to be denying the existence of lesbian women, gay men, heterosexual women, and those outside of these identities.
"Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" was the subject of much interdisciplinary discussion among film theorists that continued into the mid 1980s. Critics of the article objected to the fact that her argument implied the impossibility of genuine 'feminine' enjoyment of the classical Hollywood cinema, and to the fact that her argument did not seem to take into account spectatorships that were not organised along the normative lines of gender. For example, a metaphoric 'transvestism' might be possible when viewing a film – a male viewer might enjoy a 'feminine' point-of-view provided by a film, or vice versa; gay, lesbian and bisexual spectatorships might also be different. Her article also did not take into account the findings of the later wave of media audience studies on the complex nature of fan cultures and their interaction with stars. Gay male film theorists such as Richard Dyer have used Mulvey's work as a starting point to explore the complex projections that many gay men fix onto certain female stars (e.g. Liza Minnelli, Greta Garbo, Judy Garland).
Feminist critic Gaylyn Studlar wrote extensively to contradict Mulvey's central thesis that the spectator is male and derives visual pleasure from a dominant, sadistic perspective. Studlar suggested rather that visual pleasure for all audiences is derived from a passive, masochistic perspective, where the audience seeks to be powerless and overwhelmed by the cinematic image.
Mulvey later wrote that her article was meant to be a provocation or a manifesto, rather than a reasoned academic article that took all objections into account. She addressed many of her critics, and changed some of her opinions, in a follow-up article, "Afterthoughts on 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema'" (which also appears in the Visual and Other Pleasures collection)." Source : www.wikipedia.com
Impressions of Kanye West: *Arrogant *Rude - insulted Taylor Swift
Impressions of Marilyn Manson: *weird - 'rib surgery rumour' *disturbed - music is blamed for high school massacres' *iconoclast ---> takes iconic symbols and twists them
"Gold Digger" Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx
women are represented as: *sex objects *gold-diggers *slags
Throughout the music video irony is used in order to excuse the depiction of women as the artist's says he loves the girl, so it's okay if she's a gold-digger.
SEX OBJECTS ___________
*Sexualised; close up of the girls. *Binary opposites. *Voyeuristic camera angles. *Animated pornographic magazine.
VAIN ____
*Close-ups of the woman putting lipstick on - sensual part of the body. *Lack of clothing; sexy underwear.
SELFISH _______
*One girl in the mise-en-scene; main focus of the shot, attention seeking. *"Gold-digger" - just want's the man's money, lack of emotion. *Eye contact; sirens, draws the male audience in - makes the audience members feel important.
MANIPULATIVE _____________
*Dancing close to Kanye, attempting to win him over? Keep his attention. *Figures of entrapment; half dressed, sexualised dancing.
MUTE PASSIVE ____________
*Strip club; have to please the men. *Pin-ups; normally 2D, vacant expressions - the women are 3D, yet still have vacant expressions, animated pin-ups. *Cheap women; link them to the price on the magazines. *Vulnerable - lack of clothing, have no control.
DANGEROUS __________
*"Vixen" - take on the magazine title's as their personality. *Aggressive; black costume and black background and fire.
"Tainted Love" Marilyn Manson
Women are representated as: *Aggressive - apart from the cheerleader and stripper. *Sex objects; sexualised dancing, lack of clothing. *Bedroom toys; dressed as rabbits, childhood stuffed animals. *Powerful; female leads the 'alternative' group in.
'Alternatives' are represented as: *Fierce *Powerful; take over/control over the party. *More controlling; inverted stereotypes, influencing people.
_____________________________________
Both "Gold-digger" and "Tainted Love" both have representations of women, however in Kanye West's video, it is a more negative view and it suggests that there is only one type of woman - they're all gold~diggers, manipulative, and are sex objects; whereas in Marilyn Manson's video it shows different types of women, and inverts the stereotypes because the women are shown as more powerful and in control; there is a sense of, both, stereotype conformation and opposition, because the cheerleader is seen as dumb, annoying and 'easy' but the 'alternatives' are in control of the party and a level of influence as they change some of the party goers into 'alternatives'.
The imagery used juxtapose each other throughout the video as in the start she is in a caravan which suggests a lower income situation compared with the end of the video where she is in mansion which gives the impression of a higher income situation. The contrast between these two locations implies a split in society and that there is a vast, ever growing, gap between higher income families and lower income family. In the beginning of the video, the lyrics are saying "I want to be rich, and I want lots of money" which gives the impression that the artist is representing someone who thinks that being rich will solve all their problems, this reflects how society is at the moment, and how there is a celebrity culture and that's what people to aspire to. The celebrity culture could be perceived to be directly mentioned within the song, as she sings “now everything is cool as long as I’m getting thinner” because there has been controversy in the news about celebrity women becoming dangerously thin and thinking that it’s okay. However, at 1.27 in the video she sings “but it doesn’t matter ‘cuz I’m packing plastic and that’s what makes my life so fucking fantastic” the lyrics suggests that it being rich and famous doesn’t necessarily bring happiness, this is represented through the language used “fucking.” Throughout the entire video, however, the same colour scheme is used which suggests that the rich and poor are closer than society thinks, not necessarily in monetary value but in the sense they are each poor in one way; for instance, the rich are perceived as lacking in happiness and the poor lacking money.
The imagery within “The Fear” suggests that the pop/pop rock genre. The bright colours and the light feel to the location conform to the pop genre, however the lyrics contrast the normal bubbly feel that pop songs have giving it a darker edge. “I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless, 'Cuz everyone knows that's how you get famous”, this suggests that even in the ‘happier’ situations there is always a darker edge to peoples’ lives. The location is represented as a childlike and surreal place, which could be an implication as to how the public may perceive celebrities and their lifestyles to be like – childish and surreal, as they appear to get/have everything they want and their lives aren’t average and ‘normal’, the sense of surrealism and celebrities lives diverting from the norm is strengthened by the lyrics “I don’t know what’s right and what’s real anymore,” also the use of moving presents/gifts are surreal and childlike and strengthen the thought that celebrities get everything they want. The use of a large house as one of the main locations, appeals to the aspirational demographic as it is something that they can aspire to that portrays wealth and success; it may also appeal to a wider range of audiences as because many audiences will aspire to wealth and success, not only the aspirational demographic.
The artist is also represented and promoted throughout the video, due to the close ups and tracking shots of the artist; also the lack of other people within the video strengthens the artists’ profile as it is only her that is portrayed on camera, although there is one point in the video where there are male dancers because the camera is tracking the artist, the attention is still on her, and the only other point within the video where there are people they are portrayed dressed as presents/gifts which, again, because the artist is the only realistic person within the mise-en-scene, she becomes the main focus. Many of Lily Allen’s previous videos have her as the main focus within the mise-en-scene, and similar motifs are used – tracking shots in particular are used throughout many of her videos as are close-up shots; for instance in her video “LND” the camera tracks all the way through the video and in “Smile” there is a strong use of close-ups, both tracking shots and close-ups are used with “The Fear.” Due to being the focus of many of her videos, this has made her relatable to the audiences as her music has a face and people can not only name her music but can also name her. It also boosts her public profile and helps her when she introduces other aspects to her career, such as a clothing range or is in a TV show, because the audiences will recognize her from her videos and because of her music and if they like her, they may just watch the show or buy her clothing ranges because they are created by her or she is making an appearance.
The target audience for the Lily Allen appears to be within the 16-25 age range and the artists is aimed mainly at the female sectors of the audience, according to my research of Lily Allen’s music page on www.myspace.co.uk; however there are a large sector of her fan base who are male. The main attraction to Lily Allen is the themes within her songs are relatable., for instance in “littlest things” she talks about having broken up with her boyfriend and how the smallest thing reminds her of him “the littlest things that take me there” the majority of the audience, both male and female, would be able to relate to the song. However, this can also dissatisfy members of the audience if the general themes within her songs are about relationship break-ups, then people – although sectors of the audience may be experience this, and may be part of her fan base - could, perhaps, feel uncomfortable when listening to the songs as it is too close to their hearts. Nevertheless the motifs throughout Lily Allen’s songs satisfy the poprock genre through the general themes of heartbreak and life experiences, also the locations and bright colourful [and use of many] props suggest the poprock genre similar to “McFly, 5 colours in her hair” and “P!nk, Get this party started.”
www.myspace.co.uk was mainly used as Lily Allen’s forum for distributing her music [especially her demos] and appears to be the appropriate outlet as she was struggling to promote her music through her record company, Regal Recordings, and by using www.myspace.co.uk she was able promote her music herself; however Regal Recordings were “slow on responding” to the demand for reports on her, as not many people outside her A&R department knew who she was. Through using www.myspace.co.uk, Lily Allen was able to promote her music, almost independently as she had a lack of support from her record label, as they were focusing on their bigger artists; the rise of new technologies have made it able for Lily Allen to do this as she has been able to build up a solid fan base. Having a solid fan base helped her create a reputation and influence within the music industry, because with more fans and more demand for her music, she could start to become an asset and promote her label.
Josh was reliable which was one main reason we chose him; he was keen to be involved, however more nervous than Gillian or Yasmine in front of the camera; this was advantageous however when filming the exam scene.
We found that Josh had an average indie vibe which fit with the idea that the audience would relate better to a character that wasn't strongly tied to a specific trend, however we did need someone that could represent the genre well; although someone with slightly stronger ties to the genre would have been preferred, the jeans and cardigan combination suggests the indie genre.
Girl - Gillian Mee
Gillian has a different style completely to Josh and this created a nice contrast between the characters, unlike Josh her style didn't represent the genre, however it did create an opening for other non-indie audiences to engage with the video. Gillian has more a chic polished style which fits in well with the "girl next door" style and, again creates contrast between Josh and Gillian. She was reliable and pleased to be part of the video, compared with Josh and Yasmine she felt far more comfortable in front of the camera, which helped the others relax; as a person she is quite bubbly and confident which was another reason we cast her because she was able to bring that to video.
Second Girl - Yasmine Galt
Yasmine was reliable and responsive and keen to be involved. She is also Josh's real-life girlfriend; this created chemistry between them when filming their date scene. Yasmine also has a mysterious look about her, which is why we decided to cast her as this work to our advantage when filming the coffee shop/date scene with Gillian and Josh.
Teacher - Mr Bloomfield
Performance - Ian Currie, Tristan Dunbar, Tom Hartley-Booth, Jon Brasted.
Andy Morris,Tom Stewart, Emily Mullender (hands only).
6 extra exam students - Emma Wilson, Sarah Pooley, Sally Bailey, Ben Pant, Justin Pryce, Theo Elliot.
We decided on these actors because they're friends and we feel they have the right look for our video, considering the type of song used. The most difficult aspect of the shoot was finding the extra students and the teacher, as we needed all the cast to be available at the same time; also we needed to cast someone who was older and realistically looked like a teacher.
We wanted the cast to look as realistic as possible and create a scenario that was accessible to the audience; we thought this would work better if we could have an actual teacher to perform as the teacher in the video because they would have the mannerisms and would know how a teacher would behave in an exam situation. Using students that were also students created a sense of realism as, similarly to the teacher, they automatically behaved as they would have done in an exam - we also found that when the students were filmed it made the nervous, which again added to the naturalism.
When filming the individual date scenes, a different tone was created in each scene - the first scene with Josh and Gillian felt tense and nervous, like a first date which was added to because they felt awkward around each other as Josh has a real-life girlfriend. In order to create a difference in tone between the date scenes, we cast Josh's real-life girlfriend as his secret girlfriend and this worked because Josh and Yasmine were natural together in their scene which suggested to the audience that they had been dating for a while.
(improved - more detail. what we want the costumes show)
With many of the clothes that are shown below, they are just to give an idea of the type of feel of clothing we want our characters to have, not necessarily the actual item of clothing we want them to wear.
These particular items of clothing portray a casual feel, and as the girl is attending college she wouldn't wear anything too dressy or inappropriate. Also, these are clothes that an ordinary girl would wear and therefore keep the narrative realistic.
As there are two locations, the female character must have to different styles, to show the difference between her casual school dress to her going out clothes. These items show smartcasual, not too overlyformal as she is going to gig, but the audience can tell she is dressed to go out - again staying realistic as many people dress up to go out, especially on a date.
For the male character, we wanted to have casual clothing similar to the female, because of the school environment they're in. These items also keep the narrative realistic because they are items of clothes that an ordinary modern boy would wear.When the boy is at the gig, in order to show he's in a different environment, he'll wear a different shirt and smart jeans, to suggest a smartcasual style.
By choosing ordinary everyday styles - casual and smartcasual, this makes the characters more relatable to the audience, and therefore people can sympathise with them more when they're having issues because they can put themselves in that position. Taylor Swift "teardrops on my guitar" uses everday casual outfits, and uses the school environment, by using this familiar environment people are attracted to the characters and are able to become the character because they look ordinary just like the consumer. We wanted our characters to be similar to this, we wanted them to be relatable to the audience and for the audience to see themselves as that character or at least sympathise with the situation; this can be created through the costume that the characters are wearing.
(Improved: more detail - connotations. images). This is a list of the props that we need:
Chalk
Blackboard
Chairs
Desks
Pens/Pencils
Paper
Other exam equipment (rulers, rubbers etc)
We planned to have an old style exam classroom, even though the narrative is modern - we thought this would be relatable to the audience as this is how many people imagine a sterotypical exams room. Also, we wanted to make it obvious to the audience that it was an exam and not an ordinary lesson. Due to us having this idea, we need chalk and a blackboard to tie in with this stereotypical view; using the chalkboard would give the classroom an older feel as well. This is similar to the blackboard that we want, because we realised that many classrooms nowadays have either whiteboards or interactive boards - so we decided on having a smaller board to keep with the traditional feel. As the blackboard isn't attached to the wall, it is able to be moved around which makes filming more flexible because we're able to have the board in any position; this will help us when trying to create a smaller classroom feel. We're using the chalk to write lyrics on the blackboard; we're planning on using stop motion for this section. We're going to write the name of the band and the name of the song on the board.We're going to do two takes for this section, because we have two ideas - one includes the teacher standing next to the board giving the impression that the teacher has written "Blighters. The Exam" on the board. Our second idea was we would have the teacher writing "Blighters. The Exam" on the board, this would suggest that the teacher is showing the students what they've got to do, therefore creating a realistic setting.
These are similar to the table and chairs that are going to be in the classroom. We couldn't find a classroom that had traditional single exam-style desk, however we managed to find a classroom that had individual desks which will create the exam atmosphere. The table and chairs will look older than this, this will contribute to traditional feel.
We're going to be panning over the classroom location, and in order to keep the exam room realistic, we're going to have smaller props; such as pens, pencils, paper, eraser, rulers. Although they're only small props, and without them we could still portray the room as being a classroom, because of the blackboard and the layout of the room, however there wouldn't be a sense of realism; when you're in a classroom the students have their pads of paper and pens out.
(improved - more detail about the chosen locations; what the locations connote; the effect and tone that they could have on the audience)
Originally we had only focused on one location because of the metaphor that the lyrics created, however we decided in order to keep the narrative more realistic we would include other parts of the characters lives. Using different locations also makes the video more interesting and leaves us able to tie in both the performance and narrative aspects of our video.
Our locations include:
an old style classroom, we're planning on using one of the classrooms at school, which has separate desks - this will provide the examination feel to the room.
The classroom we're planning to use doesn't look exactly like the image below, because many classrooms have been refitted to look modern, however there are classroom within our school that have an older more traditional feel to them. Although, many of the classrooms within the school have white boards, and this is a modern instalment - we're planning on using a blackboard on an easel and we're hoping to create a display that we can cover the white board with, so it doesn't contradict the older/traditional tone.
The use of an older classroom will create the feel of nostalgia - some audience members will have good memories about school and some will have bad memories of school; both of these memories are shown through this single location, because a relationship is forming however the situation in which it happens isn't appropriate because they're in an exam. The whole video shows these good and bad memories, because although not directly linked to school, the older classroom takes people back - perhaps to times that weren't so good, this makes the characters and the narrative relatable to the audience in their own personal way.
a gig venue
As it's difficult to film in a gig venue, mainly because of the lighting, we're planning on filming in a smaller gig venue where there are local bands playing - somewhere with a more relaxed atmosphere. This will not only be easier to film and we'll be able to film in better quality, but the smaller venue will give a sense of intimacy which, at first will reflect the relationship between the boy and the girl; later within the video, the sense of intimacy that the smaller venue will create - will almost feel like oppression because the only way the boy can avoid the girl is to the leave the venue entirely.
The smaller venue could have different connations to different audience members, as on one side the audience could sense intimacy and love, but on the other hand the closeness could create the tone of oppression and claustrophia; this difference of opinion could be decided on the consumers personal experiences on relationships. Not only could the room/location itself, potentionally, create either the sense of intimacy or oppression, but the crowd of people within the venue could as well - because if there are many people in a small venue, it is harder to move and for people to leave; there is also a greater sense of escape when you finally get out the door.
When deciding on the narrative of our music video, we wanted to have a twist so it was less predictable.
Eventually we decided in the main narrative of the play would be set in an old-style exam classroom, and it would be a story about a boy and girl's relationship, which begins in the classroom. The narrative continues and the audience see them at a gig, where they appear to be having an argument, the girl walks off and the boy attempts to follow but when he next see's her she seems to be kissing/flirting with some other boy; however they are just good friends and she's talking to him because she's upset, but her boyfriend interprets it differently and the audience watch the girl try and make amends with her boyfriend as she has noticed that he has seen her and her friend; he doesn't seem to want to and walks off down the street with her watching after her.
We also decided in order to keep the audience engaged, we would include a performance aspect to the video. The beginning of the music video is being shot in a rehearsal room and there will be close-up shots of an amp being plugged in, drum sticks being picked up, a guitar being plugged in and a microphone being placed in the holder, this is to give the impression that the band are setting up. We're planning to film a crowd at a gig, again to give the impression that the band are playing, however these shots will depend on the lighting and the whole tone of the video - we may decide to have a smaller crowd at a local gig because the lighting is better as the whole tone of the gig will be different.
Through the analysis of these two album covers - one male, one female, same genre - I have found that both artists follow the stereotypes of their genre, r&b; for instance, Ne-Yo conforms to the stereotype that male r&b artists are 'pimps' this can appeal to certain target audiences, especially males between the ages of 18-25 as they aspire to be as they perceive the artist; controlled, handsome, alpha-male who has women falling at his feet. Whereas, Rihanna appears to comform to common thinking that 'sex sells' as she is leaning back in a submissive, sexual position and is gazing out at the audience enticing them in, which will appeal to both men and women; male audiences, perhaps, see Rihanna as an object they can use or as someone they can protect; however female audiences may aspire to be as they perceive her - sexy, confident, feminine.
Although both covers can portray the artists in a positive light - they are people that audiences aspire to be; they can also portray them in a negative way. The way that Rihanna is positioned is enticing the audience in, this could be seen that she has control over them, however it could be the audience that has the control as Rihanna has to rely on her sex appeal to attract the audience - for instance; it wouldn't work as well if Ne-Yo's album cover was similar to Rihanna's - which suggests that it isn't her music that sells her products, it's what the audience think of her, perhaps some consumers only purchase her music based on this?
Although it doesn't seem to be the same with Ne-Yo as it isn't blatent sex appeal, the implication is there. Many consumers, perhaps especially males, would aspire to be as Ne-Yo is portrayed on his album cover; a handsome, successful male, successful not only montarywise but also sexually, as he has females at his command, which doesn't portray a good image because the equality between men and women is unbalanced as women appear to not have a choice and end up being objectified; this suggests that, perhaps, Ne-Yo, like Rihanna, sells his products not through his music but through sex appeal and how his life is perceived - rich, successful (sexually&montarywise)?
Our initial idea involved narrative and performance aspects, perhaps interconnecting them at some point.
The narrative would be shot in a black and white/sepia tone in an old style classroom; this would contrast with the performance shots as these would be shot in vivid colour to link with the 80's indiepop genre.
The performance shots would include views of the crowd, at a gig and close-up's of instruments being played. We thought of starting the song with speakers/amps being plugged in, guitars being plugged in, drumsticks being picked up etc, and on the last beat of the song, a shot of a lead being pulled out, before fading/cutting to black.
We decided to have the titles and some lyrics, on a blackboard, in the classroom, perhaps using stop motion or using a teacher to write them on the blackboard.
In order to link the performance with the narrative, we thought the guy and the girl could attend a gig when a band are playing, so that we're using other locations outside the classroom.
Topic: "To what extent do people feel they have to conform to the lifestyle that R&B portrays?" Reason for choosing this topic: *To see how audiences react to R&B music. *To see how the media portray R&B music and how the artists themselves portray/promote R&B music. What do you expect to find out? *How audiences conform or don't conform to the R&B lifestyle. *What stereotypes people have of R&B music and the lifestyle. How will it help develop understanding for the Year 13 coursework? Research will help see how people consume music and their views on other people's music and whether they think that music in an influential part of people's lives. How will you express your findings? (blog, essay, video, audio podcast) *Blog entries. *Mood boards/mindmaps.
“To what extent do people feel they have to conform to the lifestyle that R&B portrays?”
I have chosen this topic in order to see whether audiences feel they have to conform to the lifestyle that R&B portrays or whether they think that other people have to conform to it. I also would like to find out how the media portray R&B music, and how the R&B artists portray themselves and whether they contradict each other. Finding out whether this is what happens is interesting, because it could show that the media is able to influence people; not only their choices in music and clothing, but their entire lifestyle and that this can happen, perhaps, sometimes subconsciously. In order to do this I will research three different R&B artists and see how they either conform or contradict the general stereotype view of R&B music; to find this out I will research different aspects of media text, such as magazine and CD cover analysis and internet research on social networking sites such as MySpace to see whether fans of R&B are stereotypical. From these different types of research I am hoping to see what stereotypes people have about R&B music and lifestyle and whether this differs depending on the demographic of the audience. Also, I am hoping to find out whether people feel they have to conform to the R&B lifestyle, and again whether this depends on the demographic of the audience. The research will help with Year 13 coursework, as I will be able to see audiences views on different types of music and how influenced people are by CD covers and magazines and how this persuades them to purchase it or not; this will help with designing a CD cover and Digipak.
-strong promotion of artist, close up on his face. -rule of thirds.
Genre:
-Chiascuro lighting, genre of movie. -Contrast; upbeat music and spooky mise~en~scene. -Lyrics linked with genre. -Haunted House, weak girl. -Zombies can move to the dancing.
Narrative Structure:
-Dialogue. -Have they left the movie? reality and fantasy mixed. -Diegetic sound from zombies. -Performance and narrative.
Intertextuality:
-Opening shot, reference to cinema, Vincent Price. -Background music, spooky sounds. -Cliche horror. -Third Man, Harry Lime climbing from man hole. -The Shining, "here's Jonny"
Representation:
-Equal, not stereotyped race. -Woman was weak. -Traditional ending. -Very 80's, big shoulder pads, big hair.
We asked a group of young people from our college to watch four different types of music video's.
What did you want to find out? We wanted to see what our audience liked and disliked about the music video's they saw and what they would want to see in a music video.
What did you find out? I found out that the audience wanted video's that reflected the genre of the music. Certain members of the audience like the realistic urban location shown in the 'Aphex Twins' music video. Many members didn't want the video to be really repetitive, such as "Boogie Pimp's" video which many people said was "boring".
What could you have done to make the survey more effective? We could have a bigger contrast in audience, as many people liked similar music and therefore we didn't have very many contrasting ideas about what people liked. Also, with some of the questions, we could have pursued them more and found out why people thought what they did, for instance; 'why did you find the 'Aphex Twins' video interesting?'
I want to be rich and I want lots of money I don't care about clever I don't care about funny I want loads of clothes and f***loads of diamonds I heard people die while they are trying to find them
I'll take my clothes off and it will be shameless 'Cuz everyone knows that's how you get famous I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror I'm on the right track yeah I'm on to a winner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore When we think it will all become clear 'Cuz I'm being taken over by The Fear
Life's about film stars and less about mothers It's all about fast cars and passing each other But it doesn't matter cause I'm packing plastic And that's what makes my life so f***ing fantastic
And I am a weapon of massive consumption And it's not my fault it's how I'm program to function I'll look at the sun and I'll look in the mirror I'm on the right track yeah I'm on to a winner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore When we think it will all become clear 'Cuz I'm being taken over by The Fear
Forget about guns and forget ammunition Cause I'm killing them all on my own little mission Now I'm not a saint but I'm not a sinner Now everything is cool as long as I'm getting thinner
I don't know what's right and what's real anymore I don't know how I'm meant to feel anymore When we think it will all become clear 'Cause I'm being taken over by The Fear.
I like them black girls I like them white girls I like them Asian girls I like them mixed race girls I like them Spanish girls I like them Italian girls I like the French girls And I like Scandinavian girls I like them tall girls I like them short girls I like them brown hair girls I like them blonde hair girls I like them big girls I like them skinny girls I like them carrying a little bitty weight girls
Now baby (baby)I've got alot of love to giveAnd i've been overover-subscribed with relationshipsSee you've got (you've got)A little thing i haven't seen beforeBut i must warn yaThat i can't help but play around for sure, for sure Because
I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girlsI get all the girls i get all the girls
Now maybe (maybe)I can learn to settle down one dayBut right nowI'm living life to mess around and playSee you've got (you've got)A little thing i haven't seen beforeBut i must warn yaThat i can't help but play around for sureI did it before
I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls
I like them black girls I like them white girls I like them Asian girls I like them mixed race girls I like them Spanish girls I like them Italian girls I like the French girls And I like Scandinavian girls I like them tall girls I like them short girls I like them brown hair girls I like them blonde hair girls I like them big girls I like them skinny girlsI like them carrying a little bitty weight girls
I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls I get all the girls i get all the girls
The imagery used within "The Girls" suggests the electopop/post-disco genre. The use of bright neon colours used for the women's costumes and hair conforms to the stereotypical view that audiences have about electronica music. However, this stereotype is contradicted by what the artist is wearing as he is wearing all white and therefore he stands out against all the women, suggesting that he is the most important person there and the women are just objects. The location is also completely white, suggesting that it could be his mind rather than a solid place or room; it could also be his mind because the women are moving robotically or like dolls, giving the impression that they are being control by something, possibly the artists thought processes. Due to the fact that it is a single artist rather than a band, the camera is focused mainly on the artist, with a mixture of close up shots and medium long shots; this sells the artist to the audience. Compared with the women who are sexualised, as the close-ups and extreme close ups focus less on their faces and more on other areas, such as their legs, implying again that the women are just objects to be looked at. The use of these camera shots creates a voyeuristic feel, because it is as though people are taking a closer look at the women, again strengthening the idea that women are just objects.
The lyrics and visuals also link together, as the song is "The Girls" which talks about girls as a group rather than individual people, suggesting that all girls are the same rather than being unique. "I get all the girls, I get all the girls" also reaffirms this theory, as he talks about them like they are conquests, just something to be won over, again this links with the suggestion that they could be dolls/thoughts controlled by him. It could also suggest that the artist represents "men" as a whole and is showing how the male population still have dominance over women, and is, perhaps, suggesting that women are like dolls or robots that will easily follow what a man says or thinks; this could link to the film "The Stepford Wives" in which the wives are replaced with robots in order to do the husband's will. At 1:48 of the video, the artist is standing in front of a line of women singing "I get all the girls, I get all the girls" this could suggest dominance over the women and could show that he is more important than them, or give the impression that the women will just follow him in an orderly queue (again similar to robots) implying that he is their leader or master. As well as the lyrics and visuals supporting each other, the music and visuals also link together. Throughout the video the female dancers movements are in time with the music and when the stamp their feet or thrust their hips it's exactly on beat, this suggests again the robotic feel to the women which also supports the genre (electronica) as it does have an electro feel which implies electronics/electrical linking to robots.
The location suggests, again, that it is taking place in the artist's mind rather than being a real location, which suggests a surreal feel because, if taking place in his mind, it will be his thoughts and therefore may not make sense to other people. However, the thoughts are coherent as there is some sense to them, and the women obviously link to the song. The robotic/doll feel to the women could suggest a threatening feel because they appear to be controlled by the artist’s thoughts, which are said aloud through his lyrics, and therefore aren't independent and have no moral values. However, as the women aren't being controlled by society and as the women could be perceived as figments of his imagination they aren't real and therefore it gives the impression that it isn't representing realistic women. In another one Calvin Harris's music video "I'm not Alone" there are also women in submissive roles; again they have the feel of robots which links to the techno feel. This has a similar feel to "The Girls" as the women in this video are also in submissive roles, which suggests that he may enjoy being a dominant figure.
By sexualising women, this could create a divide between men and women, as the female audience may find the way in which the women are sexualised, and made to be just objects to look at, offensive. The male audience may enjoy this more, however, they may also find this offensive because they may believe that women are people and shouldn't be used just to look at. Although with this music video, because of the lack of solid location and the way the women look (neon wigs, and clothes) the objectification of women isn't taken as offensively or seriously, perhaps because the women aren't dressed as, and therefore don't look like, women in real society. Also, the location isn't a set place, and therefore can't be true representation of society because it is set in a surreal location.
Sony BMG, a major global music company based in New York, has had local and international superstars, such as Franz Ferdinand and Calvin Harris. It appears to be an appropriate outlet for bands such as these, because of their popular status within the music industry, and their fairly mainstream types of music; they’re not extremely alternative. EMI is a major British music company based in London. Being part of two major record labels could potentially have huge influence on what the artists, such as Calvin Harris, could release. As there is such a wide audience, they have to create music and videos that could be, potentially, viewed across the globe, in order to do this they have to make music that wouldn’t offend the majority of the world’s population, and therefore there would be restrictions on what artists, such as Harris, could output.
New technologies, such as faster download speed, have strengthened the marketing of the band. Sites such as http://www.youtube.com/ make music available to listen at your own leisure. This then could broaden the fan base, and people can communicate through email and other message boards and send the link to people all over the world. The use of http://www.google.com/ has also enabled people to search for their favourite artists and then to view information on http://www.wikipedia.org/ about their favourite artist. Due to fan bases people have been able to view what other fans enjoy from artists, such as Harris, for instance on ww.fanpop.com/spots/calvin-harris , the fans have chosen their favourite single, “the fans pick: Acceptable in the 80s.” By doing this, anyone who doesn’t know the artist can see that Calvin Harris fans have chosen “acceptable in the 80s” and could wonder what is good about the song and then be able to check it out on music sites, such as http://www.youtube.com/. This way of marketing broadens the audience, and lets the audience make a choice about what they like about the artists and what they don’t, and this could then assist the artist/record label to, possibly, create music that is listened by an even wider audience, because it is to the majorities taste.
One of the more practical designs for designs for cd cases is the three-panelled case, as there is enough room for artwork on the front and within the inside of the case, also there is enough room for a booklet to be placed inside as well, or to have the information on the insides panels instead of having a booklet. I like this design as it's more professional, however if this was on sale it would normally have more than one cd inside it, because of the amount of space created by the panels.
Although, this is a digipak, if it could be made into cd case size it would be appropriate, because there is the practical aspect in the plastic holding for the cd - so it doesn't slip out. The inside pocket of the case is practical and convenient as slipping the booklet inside it is easier than in a plastic cd case, however because there isn't anything holding a booklet into place when opening the cd case it could slip out.
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