Music video pitch

I have decided to conduct my music video centred around both narrative and performance base, this decision arises from both the hybrid genres of R&B and Gospel. R&B music videos are often very active and often consist around having either the main performers dancing or the back up dancers performing a dance routine. After doing research into Gospel music videos is it very apparent that they often consist of a narrative based concept of explaining the duration of a life change.  

Music Video Research

 

Mary Mary 'Shackles'

 

The visualised difference between the verse and chorus is that during the chorus the camera only focusses on the two main characters dancing or walking through a street, however during the verse it follows a narrative construction, whereby there are two main stories which are told.
The editing is cut to the beat, and the performers dance to the fast and snappy beat therefore the audience have a feel to the sound both visually audibly.
They showcase the stars often through movement and dance, the main stars are not overall highlighted but rather are dressed and presented in the same way as the back up dancers and other people on the set. It is only because the camera often focusses on the two main characters which allows the audience to realise who the main actors are.
The overall concept is taken from the three stories which in the end could be seen as testimony's, three people who had problems had solved their problems by the end of the song. The dancing which is choreographed relates to the lyrics as when they sing "took the shackles off my feet so I can dance" all the dancers make the same movement.

Brandy & Monica ' Boy Is Mine'

This is a narrative music video of two ladies who are debating over a guy of which they claim is each of their own. The visualised difference between the chorus and the verse is that during the chorus the camera is split equally between both leading stars of which are more often than not both attempting to contact the same man. This is divided by a wall of which the camera switch's sides depending on the vocal lyrics. The editing is cut with the beat of which is slow and mellow, although the song takes more of a waiting process the editing follows both main characters and also the male figure of which is playing the man both ladies are debating over. The camera uses a 90 degree angle when switching sides.

Genre research music video conventions

Codes and conventions 

R&B
The codes and conventions of R&B music often follow the same concepts, the male and female often have different ways of perceptions. 
Male 
Males are often masculine, strong and wealthy characters. They often take the stance of having many women around them in focusing on the male gaze, the women are seen mostly as a object for the wealthy man to be able to pay or show off his wealth. The man's wealth is often clearly shown through his clothing and materialistic items, such as gold chains, designer clothes and expensive cars. 
Female 
Depending on the subject of the music video, female's can be represented in either a strong sophisticated manner of a flirtatious ideal male gaze.  However, females still take the stance of showing and reflecting wealth in similar ways such through jewellery and nice clothes. 

Gospel 
Gospel conventions tend to follow the same codes and conventions throughout the majority of this genres music videos. For example they most often have two approaches:
1. Having a narrative theory consisting throughout the music video, for example this can be shown through having a bad life turn out good in the future all in relation to finding and receiving God.
2. A celebration or rejoicing concept of how far each individual has come through God.

The clothing which is used through Gospel music videos can again take two different approaches it can either be mature sophisticated and non boastful, or it can be a calm relaxed attire and atmosphere. 

Lyric moodboard

The Auteur Theory

The Auteur Theory

The Auteur theory is the theory that the director's film reflects the directors creativity each time a video or production is made. This draws out the individuals work should reflect their unique designs and always have reference to the directors work and reflect the directors vision.

Chris Cunningham

Chris Cunningham is a British video artist, who more often then not follows the same styles throughout the majority of his produced music videos. Two well known music videos of Chris Cunningham's is Madonna 'frozen' and Apex Twins ' come to daddy' . This explores many of Cunningham's video techniques.

 

The techniques which are commonly used to establish the Auteur theory of Chris Cunningham are:

• Dark gloomy colours
• Often Grey black and white
• Surreal events which have no direct correlation between the music and lyrics
• Surreal characters
• Deserted unusual areas of which the music video's are filmed. 

Hype Williams

Hype Williams is an American music and film director, Williams has worked with stars such as Mary J Blige, User, R Kelly and Kayne West. Two of his common music video's have been analysed of which is Kayne West ft Jamie Foxx ' Gold Digger' and LL Cool J ft Jennifer Lopez ' Control Myself'.  

 

 

 

The techniques which are commonly used to establish the Auteur theory of Hype Williams are:

• Split screens which each merge back into video
• Often blank backgrounds
• Directors name appears at the beginning of video
• Mirror effects often used

3 types of music videos

Performance Based

Performance based music video's tend to often record the artist/ artists preforming in a day to day setting for example in a studio, preforming live or even performing in a studio. An example of this is Bruno Mars ' Treasure'.

 

 

Narrative Based

Narrative based music video's often tell a story throughout the video of which has direct correlation between the lyrics and the video. An example of this is Usher ft Alicia Keys' My Boo'.

 

Concept Based

 

This is the opposite of narrative based music videos, of which the music video has no direct link or correlation to the song. An example of this is Naughty Boy 'la, la, la'

 

                                    

Music timeline

1950's 

In the 50's there where no music video's however many people where in music films. They became very attached to many scenes of which to their preference of musical films where, and some may say this made the experience more memorable.

Men prefer blonds-" diamonds are a girls best friend"

1960's

In the 1960s pop rock'n'roll, punk begun to emerge. Popular music groups which carried out the audiences requirements such as the Beatles were a great success as they followed out the music fan base. The British invasion took plan in American music. There was a high demand of sending all music videos and bands across the world as the popularity grew.

                             

1970

The break up of the Beatles took place , The 70's created a trend of relaxing music as well as dance music , Disco movement was the definition of the 1970s although this faze did not last very long Top of the Pops became the first and greatest music show, all bands and artists wanted to be on this show following the same genre.

1980 

The death of John Lennon at the end of this year gave him his first chart chopper, Michael Jackson took part in a pepsi advert which helped him launch his thriller album, MTV base also launched as a music video channel.  Billie Jean was  a number one hit selling thousands of copies.

1990 

Bugs bunny on broadway was lunched and was extremely popular, many bands started to launch with their own identities. Such as boy band B12

Search for band

I firstly begun to search for a un signed by using a website called ' unsigned mp3' of which had many artists of many different genres who are currently unsigned. My main search mainly consisted off r&b unsigned artists, I then managed to find one of which I really liked and along with this website it gave us as the audience a chance to email each artist. This was the email which I sent .

Hi,

My name is Joanna and I am currently studying for a media A level in London- I really like your music and am emailing to ask to use your track as part of my course in which I will need to make a music video. I attend Queen Elizabeth's Girls' school in Barnet and cover the OCR specification (if you wanted to check). Your music would only be used for educational purposes and not shared at all. I would really appreciate if you could give me permission to use your track 'Just When' and help me complete the course using a song I love. Please let me know either way as soon as you can and good luck in your career.

Thank you for your time

Joanna

However I was never given a reply back, in regards to this I then noticed that it may be difficult to email an unsigned artist with a high request of a quick response. So I decided to think about if I knew any family or friends who had a track which had been recorded and of course who where currently unsigned. I then remembered to very close friends of mine who had created a Gospel/r&b rap song and decided to take it upon myself to contact them. Their response was very quick and they gave me the permission to use their song. 

Although I found a song which was so close to home and also a track I very much like, there are a few things of which I found difficult about my overall search. These where things such as deciding which genre I would have like to work around. I found this an obstacle because as well as trying to find a good song to use I also had to think about what resources I had available to use for the video, who id have in the video and also the location and settings of the video. These where always the main focus around each

Filming schedule