Questionnaire Results/Evaluation 3

What have you learned from your audience feedback?

We printed 10 questionnaires and handed them out to people in the class but seeing as most of them didn’t know about drum and bass, the results weren’t much help for our music video so we printed 20 more and this time we found fans of this genre and asked them to fill the questionnaire. And the results were more specific and helpful.

1) Do you like Drum and Bass music?

Yes No

2) What type of music video do you like?

- Concept

- Narrative

- Performance, and why?

Because you can see the story behind it.
Because it gives the music an image.
It looks cool.

3) What emotions do you experience when listening to Drum and Bass?

Most the answers say it should have lots of beats and make you want to dance to it. Angry and full of hype.

4) What artists do you listen to? Name some.

Pendulum, Massive attack and usually any remixes of normal songs that are turned into D&B.

5) Would you find these album covers typical of the Drum and Bass genre?

90% chose all except the first one.

6) What do you like to see in a drum and bass music video?

Fast editing with people dancing and close ups. Usually some sort of effects to suit the music.

7) What makes you buy Drum and Bass CD’s?

- The Poster

- The CD cover

- The Artist

- The music video

93% chose the Artist and rest was the music video.

8) What do you think a music video for an anti-violence theme should include?

Gun, Drugs, Violence.

9) Would you like to be in a Drum and Bass music video?

Yes No

10) Where do you listen to Drum and Bass music?

Dark Clubs

Evaluation 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Our music video doesn't contradict the conventions of Drum and Bass videos because there is quite a large variety of them. Some video's are narrative and tell a story which is unrelated to the song itself. Other videos are very abstract and don't have a set structure but instead rely upon effects and different random scenarios to create an interesting visual experience.
Some of the conventions we have used in our campaign for the posters are mid-shots of a main character from the music video which is also featured inside the CD sleeve. The effect achieved by the images taken for these is that the images are all quite gritty due to the graininess of them and so represent the urban theme of the video, and this has been developed by the uses of our masks which are the centre-piece of our campaign and represent the risks taken by choosing the life of crime.
One scene we have in our video is based on a scene from the film Taxi Driver and I got the idea for this scene from the music video "Slap" by Ludacris. We have developed it in our own way by speeding up the footage because of the high tempo of the video, and there is no speech in the video either.

Music Video Idea/Evaluation 1

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

For our video we will be filming a concept/narrative-based video, which we ended up deciding because of the influence of the lyrics of anti-violence/crime. The song is obviously a social message, so we think we can convey some visuals to contribute to its message.

It will start with four people in identical masks (which are usually worn by the Jabbawockeez dance group) leaving their separate houses. For this we thought that during editing we'll intercut between each leaving their house through the door so it's all in time. They will then meet up in an open space most likely a park with them each running from opposite directions seen from a birds-eye view if possible showing them meetin diagonally and as they meet, the beat of the song kicks in and they will break into a run as the song speeds up.


To represent the lyrics of seeing the error of your ways and giving up on your delinquencies, we'll have each member in a different scenario (with two of them in a pair) in which they will harm someone or perform a crime and then all get rounded up to the police station where they get lectured.

For example, one of them will be smoking and accidentally ran into by a kid upon which he will angrily jab the cigarette into the kid's eye while it will be kind of hard to make that look convincing, Ali assured us we'd be able to contribute to it in the editing process.

Another scenario will involve another member attempting to steal a pregnant woman's purse who, already wary, manages to hold on to it so he hits her so that she lets go; unfortunately he hits her in the belly hard enough to damage and kill the foetus inside. We can show this by filming a close-up of the impact and, if we can, get some red coloured water to look like blood briefly pouring out so it's obvious what happened.

We haven't thought of a scenario for the other two yet but I think the process is that they will all feel some remorse/guilt once they are home and are then each rounded up by a policeman. Our idea for a postmodern reference was that we would use a reference to the film Taxi Driver as we had in mind that one of them would be staring in the mirror, we thought that could be related to the scene in which the main character has the "you talkin' to me?" sequence.

For the last verse they are seen in the police station interrogation room of some kind, and this is rapped by Dynamite MC so we'll have the police lieutenant 'rapping' it to them as a lecture. I think that would be quite cool and original, but we'd need the actor to memorize the lyrics so they can mime them. We got the idea that we could have some light works on the rapper, like a light flashing on and off or have him in a spotlight or something stylish. We got this idea from the video 'Pass Out' by artist Tinie Tempah shown below.

I think we could achive this by using the lighting in the drama studio, which is supposed to be available at lunch times.

After that, the four 'criminals' will leave the station and now fully aware of the wrong path they have been treading on, will take off their masks which will represent them starting anew.

I think if we are able to make our video and include all that we want, it will be a succesful video as it should provide interest and entertainment at the narrative and will contain a social message against crime which is always nice to have.

Music Video Influence

The music videos have shown me that they can be very focused on the story and have the artist tell it like the Trapped In The Closet part 2 which is a very narrative video. The Jesus Walks video was also quite narrative as the lyrics reflect what is going on in the video but it is not completely related, and it is still quite effective. The effect this could have on a viewer is that they could be more inclined to watch the whole video to find out what is going to happen at the climax of the video as the music gets higher tempo. They could also be very minimalistic to focus on the emotion of the artist so that the viewer feels connected with artist as shown in the Michael Jackson video.
Lastly the Brown Paper Bag video is very abstract and doesn't realte to the music at all, as it is purely just a lot of footage with effects used to make it more interesting and there are some images that make it a visually arresting video and cater to those who enjoy something that peaks their interest visually. The type of video we will choose though is the narrative because those listening to the music can relate to the video as it partially explains what is going on in it.

Drum and Bass Cover Analysis

I have been looking at several Drum and Bass CD and Vinyl sleeves and from what i can see the conventions of the genre seem to include quite abstract images that don't relate to a singular concept or subject. But some images might relate to the album title with another message behind it or an included image relating to a completely different subject like the Pendulum album "Immersion" which features two nude people a male and female under the water moving together with more people around them reaching out to them from the coral. The title "Immersion" could relate to the people all being immersed/submerged in the water.


Another convention of the Drum and Bass CD cover is that they are usually abstract images, which relates to the randomization of the beats created in the album. They can also relate to the way the music is best heard which is through multiple sound systems and stereos as the genre itself has a lot to do with the way the sound is melded with the bass allowing the listener to feel the music as well as hear it. The abstractness of the Drum and Bass cover also allows long-time listeners to recognise what they are looking for when they are shopping around giving the genre a kind of exclusivity and a more personal connection when fans buy their CD's.

On the other hand some CD sleeves can be quite simplistic and unconventional of the genre which would relate more to the artists connection with the fans as only they would recognize the CD cover. Our CD cover is most likely going to be either a picture or something abstract to stick to the conventions of the genre, which would take a while to create.






These covers have influenced me because they show that the Drum and Bass album covers are very abstract and don't really have a set structure to them and could be about anything. Due to the genre's focus on the music that is what the covers relate to as the second one is evidence for showing a lot of stereos which are used for enhancing a musical experience. The first and third album covers however are very abstract and don't really relate to the anything except maybe the title of the album.

Song Choice

My group have chosen to use the song "No More" featuring Beverly Knight and Dynamite MC. We thought that this was a good choice because the song is quite slow and it would be easier to edit because it isn't as fast paced as the other Drum and Bass songs he has done and because it includes lyrics it will be more interesting to watch due to a seperate story being told. We are going to be doing a narrative/concept video based around a concept we are not yet sure of but we will be storyboarding this week if all goes to plan.

Music Video Analysis - Michael Jackson - She's out of My Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSJ7qluqUmA&ob=av3e

Camera

Shot: There are long shots used throughout the video so as not to detract from what is going on and to show each emotion being shown clearly. The main shots used in the video are mid shots and close-ups to show the emotion that is given by Michael.

Movement: There is no camera movement in the video as the main object in the video doesn’t move around.

Distance: The distance changes at the beginning of the video while getting closer to the subject of the video.

Framing: The subject of the video is framed by the darkness around him as he is the only object in the video and he is centred.

Editing

The editing in the video consists of a split screen showing a mid-shot of Michael and a close-up to show the actions being made with his hands and to show the emotion in his face.

Mise en Scene

Props: The only prop used in the video is the stool being sat on.

Lighting: The lighting is from behind and above Michael to give more attention to him

Costume: The clothes being worn aren’t extravagant as usual; they are quite casual to show the commonness of the subject at hand.

Positioning: Michael is always centred showing he is the main subject.

Sound

Genre: Pop.

Volume: The volume is quite loud to get the message across clearly.

Rhythm: The rhythm of the music is quite slow giving it more emotion.

Music Video Analysis - R. Kelly - Trapped in the Closet Part 2

Camera

Shot: The first shot is a close up of a hand with a gun coming from the closet to show the extremeness of the situation from the start. There is then a shot/reverse/shot to show the two characters confronting each other.

Movement: The camera movement is very simple only using tilting movement to follow the characters as they move around the move.

Distance: There is never much distance from the characters as it must focus on their emotions

Angles: The angle used throughout the video is an eye-level angle to convey a sense of realism.

Editing

The editing in the video is limited to the ending fade and the changes of camera position because it is supposed to be treated like television soaps.

Mise en Scene

Props: The props used in this video are the gun which shows the outrageousness of the situation and the wig which gives more information on what happened before the scene.

Lighting: The lighting is quite natural as it comes from outside again conveying realism and the time of day.

Costume: The costumes are normal as R Kelly just wears a suit, which he wore at the club he went to explained in the lyrics.

Acting: The acting involved the actors miming the lyrics which are played over the video, while they add actions to them making it a visual experience.

Positioning: The way the characters are positioned on-screen are usually in the middle, and if they move the camera usually follows them.

Sound

Genre: RnB

Volume: The volume of the music is loud as to cover each of the effects such as the phone ringing, and gun shot. The music also gets louder when it nears the end as the story escalates and becomes more “juicy”.

Rhythm: The music itself is more to carry on the story that is being told, and to give the lyrics a beat.

Music Video Analysis - Kanye West - Jesus Walks

Spooney Melodies in 1930 was the first musical video series. Shorts were six minutes long, and featured art-style animations and backgrounds combined with film of the performer singing. The long-running British TV show Top of the Pops began playing music videos featuring people in the late 1970s. Over the years music videos have become more intent on telling a story and possibly can have more meaning than others, while some genre's such as the hip hop/rap/r and b genre's have become more generalised with showing a lot of scantily dressed women. Those videos that stray from the normal conventions are "Runaway Love" by Ludacris which is about child abuse and "Reverse Cowgirl" by T-Pain which strays from conventions even though the title is suggestive and is more focused on the art of motion and slow-motion effects.

Camera

Shot: There is a medium shot at the beginning of the video to point out the all of the prisoners. There are close ups of the characters miming the music so that the song intertwines with the story being shown.

Movement: There is a tracking shot while in the car chase to keep with the action.

Angles: The high angle at the beginning of the video only includes their heads and pickaxes, to show the importance of the characters and equipment and a high angle while following the car giving the chase more energy.

Editing

Each scene transition is matched with the beat of the song, to make the video more fluid and it is more of a montage ultimately showing 3 different stories.

There are some fire effects while Kanye is standing in the hallway showing the intensity of what he is saying. Most of the scenes in the video are shot in black and white with some bloom which is more prominent in the prisoner scene where the white is very bright.

Mise en Scene

Props: The pickaxes and axes are always shot at an angle or close up to show the impact of the hit.

Lighting: Each scene is brightly lit by the sun creating the bloom effect, but in the hallway with Kanye it is dimly lit to provide emphasis on the

Costume: The costumes used relate to the subject matter of the film which are prison clothes that are pure white while the wardens wear their signature uniform to differentiate who from who.

Acting: The acting in the video mainly consists of the digging of the ground the prisoners are doing and the wardens beating the prisoners. The setting of the video relates to the lyrics because it shows even when isolated in prison Jesus is with them.

Sound

Genre: Rap/Hip Hop

Volume: The music is typically heard over the music and the volume of the music is at a normal volume so that it is easy on the ears, while the vocals are very clear so as to get the message of the video across. When the prisoners and the KKK member are axing and mining each hit is louder than the music either to censor words or to put emphasis on the image.

Rhythm: The rhythm of the music itself is moderately slow.

CD Advert Analysis 3

Editing

The name of the artist (Brandon Flowers) is shown at the top of the page so that the readers attention is drawn to it, while the name of the album is at the bottom left of the page. This shows vital information about the artist to those who are interested in him, and ‘The Killers’ as he is the front man for that band.

Mise en Scene

The main object in the image being the man is wearing full black which contrasts with the rest of the image as it is moderately bright which brings the reader’s attention to him.

CD Advert Analysis 2

Editing

The name of the band (Interpol) is shown at the middle right of the page which is in an extravagant font which is in white so that the readers attention is drawn to it, while the other information of the album is directly underneath it so that it is easier for readers to carry on from reading the band name. This shows vital information about the band such as the title of it, the release date and an accolade from a magazine review for people who are interested in them. It also shows several release dates for different areas.

Mise en Scene

The main object in the image is the information which is all put to one side while the background image is more abstract and features pitch black with the letters of the band name floating around, giving it an artistic abstract feel.

CD Advert Analysis 1

Camera

Shot: There is a medium shot which gives the viewer a full body shot of the Dropout Bear which is Kanye West’s mascot and trademark.

Framing: The doors work as the framing in the image which makes the Dropout Bear the centre of attention. The image of the bear being at the door, and the eyes looking around give the viewer the impression that the bear is late and all the attention is on the bear.

Editing

There is a parental advisory image which shows the audience that the album is made for refraining and creating exclusivity about the audience. The title of the album relates to the image of the bear looking like it is late as the album is called “Late Registration”.

Mise en Scene

Lighting: The lighting is very dark and there is only one light source which is directly behind the dropout bear giving more attention to the bear.

Costume: The bear is featured wearing a uniform presumably from school again relating to the late registration collocation.

CD Sleeve Analysis 3

Camera

Shot: There is a medium shot which gives the viewer a full body shot of the Dropout Bear which is Kanye West’s mascot and trademark.

Framing: The doors work as the framing in the image which makes the Dropout Bear the centre of attention. The image of the bear being at the door, and the eyes looking around give the viewer the impression that the bear is late and all the attention is on the bear.

Editing

There is a parental advisory image which shows the audience that the album is made for refraining and creating exclusivity about the audience. The title of the album relates to the image of the bear looking like it is late as the album is called “Late Registration”.

Mise en Scene

Lighting: The lighting is very dark and there is only one light source which is directly behind the dropout bear giving more attention to the bear.

Costume: The bear is featured wearing a uniform presumably from school again relating to the late registration collocation.

CD Sleeve Analysis 2

Camera

Angles: The angle used in this image is an eye angle giving the viewer a straight on view of the star of the album.

Shot: There is a medium shot used in this image which outs the emphasis on the subject of the image.

Editing

The writing on the cover uses a simple font and the image is fully black and white with the only colour being red which is featured on the trousers and on the word “ones” which is emphasised also by its size.

Mise en Scene

Costume: The costume used by Michael himself is recognizable as something only he would wear, making it more exclusive to Michael Jackson fans.

Positioning: Michael is positioned in the centre of the cover but above the title, showing the importance of the figure on the cover.

CD Sleeve Analysis 1

Camera

Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon. Many Muse songs are recognizable by lead vocalist Matthew Bellamy's use of falsetto and vibrato. As a guitarist, Bellamy often utilizes arpeggio and pitch-shift effects to create a more "electric" sound making it sound quite futuristic.

Shot: There is a multi shot used here to include all of the people involved in the image.

Angles: An eye level angle is used here so that it is clear what is happening in the image.

Framing: The sky and the floor frame the main subject of the album cover which is at the centre of the cover.

Editing

There is the band name with the title underneath it which are both minimalistic and in the corner out of the way to put more emphasis on the image that is being shown.

Mise en Scene

Props: There is a table in the middle of the desert which is quite surreal as you wouldn’t find much of anything in the desert.

Lighting: The main source of light in the image is most likely from the sun which cannot be seen.

Costume: Each person in the image is wearing bright colours in contrast with the single colour in the background, bringing more attention to them.

Positioning: The table and chair are at a slight angle giving the image a more surrealist feeling.

Artist Research

For now we have a temporary artist choice which is Roni Size who is a Drum and Bass artist whom is also part of the band Reprazent, that has released 19 albums from 1993 with one being released this year. He lives in Bristol and has been signed to his own label Full Cycle Records and received the Mercury Music Prize for his LP New Forms which was critically acclaimed. Much of the acclaim centred around the mixing of jungle beats accompanied by live drums and double bass. The band consists of Roni Size, DJ Krust, Onallee, Dynamite MC and rapper Bahamadia. As a result, Reprazent's drum 'n' bass is equally informed by hip-hop, funk, soul and house and he also happens to be my uncle. The visual motif that is used by the group is shown below and the album covers either feature this motif or show him with his group while he is centered in the middle Much of the acclaim centred around Size's melding of the propulsive jungle beats accompanied by live drums and double bass. The band consists of Ryan Williams , DJ Krust, Onallee, Dynamite MC (featured on the song) hip-hop, funk, soul and house.

Some other notable artists are: Konflict, LTJ Bukem, Matrix, Optical, Photek, Roni Size, ShyFX, Spring Heel Jack.

Genre Analysis

Drum and bass or is a genre of dance music which came from the UK Warehouse/Rave scene in the early 1990s using influences from Techno, Dub, and Hip Hop, but the creators mainly focused on the Breakbeat side of Rave rather than the House/Techno side of Rave which was originally called Jungle Tekno as well as Drum and Bass. The term Jungle is still accepted but mainly refers to the Ragga Jungle genre and other heavy Drum and Bass. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats which are usually between 160–190 bpm, while some occasional variation is noted in older compositions, with heavy bass, sub-bass lines, and occasional infra-bass lines.

Some conventions of the Drum and Bass genre of music videos include stories that are usually concept or narrative videos seeing as the music itself doesn't have story based themes in it's music.

The videos usually include flashing lights which mixes with the speed of the music, and distortions of the video. There is also quick editing and transitions used as well.

Examples of this are shown below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol-gCriUYWI&p=FB5D01EB4B67EC96&playnext=1&index=5

Introduction

While I am doing this project i will be creating a blog which will be updated regularly to inform those who read it of the process i am going through to create my music video and the research I will be doing on other videos from similar or the same genre's to get inspiration for my video.
It will contain various music video's which relate to the genre I will be including information about the artist I am making a video for.

The people included in my group are Oscar and Ali and we will be doing an equal amount of work to get our project finished to the highest standard.