From this secondary resource I have gained an insight into a variety of critical perspectives on music videos, these will help to impact upon my creative ideas towards planning a music video, through taking these different views into account.
Aufderheide (1986) describes their view as being “the connection of viewer to video … having little to do with cash or commodities” This along with the following quote “they cross the consumers’ gaze as a series of mood states.” Shows the characteristics of music videos and their effect on consumers. As a result of the affects on ‘mood states’ to “trigger nostalgia, regret, anxiety, dread, envy, pity, tittilation… The moods often express an incompletion, an instability, a searching for location” Which suggests the emotional effects that can be created through music videos.
An Image showing different moods created through music
Abt (1987) also states that “directors of videos strive to make their products as exciting as the music. In the struggle to establish and maintain a following, artists utilise any number of techniques to appear exotic, powerful, tough, sexy, cool, unique.” This shows another critical perspective on characteristics of music videos and how techniques can enhance consumers views depending on artists intentions.
Within the resource it is stated that from Firth’s (1988) perspective “there are 3 main types” these are shown below:
- Performance – “The most common type, with artist performing to enthusiastic fans” This type is often used to convey a sense of in-concert experience.
Gow (1992) suggests that this focus on performance is used to enhance the idea that the soundtrack… is still “the most important element.”
- Narrative – a video that “may tell any kind of story, but the most common narrative mode is the love story” This suggests that narrative belongs to a particular genre or style of music often based around romance and love as the intentions behind the lyrical meanings for the song.
Additionally it is commented that this characteristic is “often with the action dominated by males and females who passively react or wait for something to happen” – (Schwichtenburg 1992)
- Conceptual videos often “do not tell a story in linear fashion but create a mood, a feeling to be evoked in the viewing experience” – (Firth 1988). This shows that music videos contain the possibility for “repeated viewings as the metaphor is interpreted by the individual viewer.” showing the success that conceptual videos can have as they can be seen as subjective towards consumers.
An image showing a blend between a Performance, Concept and Disjuncture video – ‘Ruby’ by Kaiser Chiefs
Andrew Goodwin also comments that many videos contain “more than one of the above” styles. Goodwin also explains within the text that “the essential narrative component of a promo video is to frame the star… The narrative exists solely to recreate the star’s persona.” which shows how the focus on the “star” with a performance is something I will take heavily into account when casting a lead singer for my music video. Goodwin also states that “The blending of elements also allows for cross-over appeal to a wider audience.” Which shows that variety within music videos allow them to target a variety of consumers, meaning my music video should incorporate multiple aspects of these styles in order to achieve this.
Turner (1986) also states within the resource that “Interest and excitement is stimulated by rapid cutting, dissolves, superimpositions and special effects, that taken together with different scenes and characters, make music videos visually and thematically dynamic.” Which shows how technical aspects of music video can effectively enhance them and therefore this bares thinking about during the creation of my own music video.
An image showing digital effects over shots
Overall this secondary research provides useful and constructive advise which allows me to enhance my knowledge of characteristics of music videos, as well as take the advise and information into account during the creative processes when working on my music video, to incorporate these ideas and create a successful media product according to these perspectives.
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