Preliminary Exercise Final

Video Link

Preliminary Exercise

Music Video: Ghost Town CSP

 The Specials - Ghost Town: Blog tasks

Background and historical contexts

Read this excellent analysis from The Conversation website of the impact Ghost Town had both musically and visually. Answer the following questions

1) Why does the writer link the song to cinematic soundtracks and music hall tradition?

The writer links the song to soundtracks & music hall tradition as the song isn't traditional music in the sense of a standalone music video. IT more fits something like a movie or a background track.

2) What subcultures did 2 Tone emerge from in the late 1970s?

They started from the mod & punk subcultures.

3) What social contexts are discussed regarding the UK in 1981?

The UK in 1981 was hit by a recession which had led to riots breaking out in rural areas.  

4) Cultural critic Mark Fisher describes the video as ‘eerie’. What do you think is 'eerie' about the Ghost Town video?

I think that the music video is very eerie as it has typical stereotypes of horror films tropes.

5) Look at the final section (‘Not a dance track’). What does the writer suggest might be the meanings created in the video? Do you agree?

The meanings could be relatable to the teenagers and young adults in that time as the video could be linking to the social contexts of that time where there was a lot of injustice and not a lot of opportunity in that time period.

Now read this BBC website feature on the 30th anniversary of Ghost Town’s release. 

1) How does the article describe the song?

The article describes the song as melancholy.

2) What does the article say about the social context of the time – what was happening in Britain in 1981?

The article says that at that time in Britain there was rioting and lots of unemployment because of the industrial decline.

3) How did The Specials reflect an increasingly multicultural Britain?

The specials reflected this as the band was culturally diverse including black and white people.

4) How can we link Paul Gilroy’s theories to The Specials and Ghost Town?

We can link Paul Gilroy to The Specials and Ghost Town as the multiculturalism led to a new genre of music and sound. 

5) The article discusses how the song sounds like a John Barry composition. Why was John Barry a famous composer and what films did he work on?

John Barry was a famous composer because people loved his sound and feel. He worked on James Bond and midnight heat.

Ghost Town - Media Factsheet

Watch the video several times before reading Factsheet #211 - Ghost Town. You'll need your GHS Google login to access the factsheet. Once you have analysed the video several times and read the whole factsheet, answer the following questions: 

1) Focus on the Media Language section. What does the factsheet suggest regarding the mise-en-scene in the video? 

The factsheet suggests that the mise-en-scene has a British social realist feel to it.

2) How does the lighting create intertextual references? What else is notable about the lighting?

The lighting can create intertextual references to horror film and something else that is notable is the theme of expressionist cinema.

3) What non-verbal codes help to communicate meanings in the video?

non verbal codes such as the car they are driving and the clothes that they are wearing gives importance to the fact that this is from the 1960's  the clothes are stereotypical of a usual working class man at that time

4) What does the factsheet suggest regarding the editing and camerawork? Pick out three key points that are highlighted here.

They suggest that the editing is to control the pacing of the video and that the camerawork distorts the sense of day & night. Another thing they say is that the style gives a frenetic feel

5) What narrative theories can be applied to the video? Give details from the video for each one.

We can see Todorov's narrative theory of equilibrium as the green light on the traffic light signifies the start of the song. Another theory that we can identify is baths theory of codes with the Hermeneutic codes - Whose car are we in? Where are the band going? Why does everything seem to be shut down?. Action codes These include the car travelling from location

to location. Semantic codes Uses of these include the band being dressed smartly, connoting their intention to go out, and the car steering wildly connoting danger from an unseen presence. Symbolic codes Include the contrast between past and present Referential codes

The lyrical references to historical/social contexts, such as joblessness and urban

decay. 

6) How can we apply genre theory to the video?

genre theory can be applied to the video as it has both narrative and performance elements. 

7) Now look at the Representations section. What are the different people, places and groups that are represented in the Ghost Town video? Look for the list on page 4 of the factsheet.

The people, places and groups that are represented are things such as thatcher's brain, the big city, masculinity and race + youth

8) How can Gauntlett's work on collective identity be applied to the video?

'the song and video nurture a sense of male collective identity, and shares the experience of trying to negotiate identity. This means that the text offers a place for men to see their problems being enacted and perhaps compare them with their own lives in what was a time of economic deprivation for many when many traditionally masculine jobs were disappearing.'

9) How can gender theorists such as Judith Butler be applied to Ghost Town?

Judith butler can be applied to ghost town as performance do take apart in the music video and gender stereotypes can be seen.

10) Postcolonial theorists like Paul Gilroy can help us to understand the meanings in the Ghost Town music video. What does the factsheet suggest regarding this?

The factsheet says that the video challenges post colonial theories of out groups and in groups by mixing ethnicities and races.

Preliminary exercise: Research and planning

Preliminary exercise: Research and planning

1) State the song you have chosen for your preliminary exercise.

I have chosen Panic attack by Dave for my preliminary exercise.

2) Choose at least three music videos similar to your concept and watch a clip or more from each. Make bullet-point notes on everything you watch, commenting on camerawork, editing and mise-en-scene.

Dave - Streatham 

https://youtu.be/mkMQNRYlVAQ?feature=shared

• Kaleidoscope edit effect at the beginning of the video & constant use in video through transitions
• Stereotypical rap clothes e.g. tracksuits 
• Locations set in the story of the music video e.g. streatham 

My story - Workrate

• Interview style music video 
• Flashbacks to important scenes and times
• Lots of zoom ins and cuts

Pozer - I’m Tryna

• Tour around the area he grew up / audience pleasure 
• Day in life of being a rapper
• Stereotypical clothes 
• Lyrics matching life

3) Write a short music video treatment for your extract (this is basically a script for your music video). You can find an example of a treatment here. If you are making your real coursework then feel free to use the treatment from your summer project.

Scene 1 - 2 people are waling on the street when they shouting in the distance and of the person in the group of 2 gets shot. This makes the person left alive run for his life.

Scene 2- the man runs into a bush to hide and the scene fades to black

Scene 3- the man is in his room feel upset that his friend is dead he eventually snaps out as a company has reached out to sponsor him and wanted hit to wear their shoes. This gives him the idea  and starts performing

 

scene 4 -performance element then the video ends after  

4) Write a shot list containing EVERY shot you plan to film AND additional shots to create flexibility when editing (in a music video you will find you need FAR more shots than you think, particularly close-ups). These additional shots can be close-ups, alternative angles or something more creative. I advise using a simple table on Microsoft Word/Google Docs to set out your shot list - you can find an example here (this is from narrative filmmaking but the same format can be used for any video project). 

Shot List - Preliminary Exercise

Shot No.	Shot	Filmed?
1	Wide shot/establishing shot of street & lamp, then zooms into characters
2	Over the shoulder (OTS) of mo hearing shouting from behind him.
3	shot of mo turning around to see the commotion
4	Close up of mo’s face in shock
5	Close up of obaida’s face looking angry
6	Medium shot of Obadiah running at mo
7	Wide shot of whole street withcharacters in background.
8	handheld or drone shot of mo running into a bush
9	Obadia loses track of mo, close up on his face in distress
10	mo accidentally makes too much noises and baits his location out  medium shot of Obadia’s realisation with bush in background
11	POV shot of Obadia dragging out mo from the bush and beating him

5) Plan your mise-en-scene: what iconography are you including to ensure your audience understands the genre and style of your artist? Plan your settings, costume, make-up, props and lighting.

Setting will be on a streeet in London with street lamps and costume the characters willlbe wearing tracksuits or Nike. Fake blood can be used as make up for mo. The lighting will be from the street lamps e.g. natural lighting. Props could be a bat in obaida’s hand. 

6) Plan a shooting schedule that will ensure everything is filmed by the deadline. Include when, where, who is required, planned equipment and any other aspects you need to arrange. 

The people who are required are mo and obaida as the main characters they may be some extras added later. Some equipment would be a bat. Other things i need to arrange is time of filming and days that ill film and editing.

Ignite presentation learner response

Ignite Learner Response

Teacher comments 

• Nice opening - uses images on slides really well 
• Good comments on representation of London and the general feel of video 
• I like the use of images rather than text-heavy slides but there seems to be a lack of planning or rehearsal
• Lack of actual coverage of video - narrative, performance etc
• Shoe sponsorship aspect works and fits genre
• Quite a few slides don’t seem to add to details of concept/plan 
• Studio location is excellent - this will really help
• Field location not so sure - does that fit genre/ urban feel ?
• Editing points kind of works but lacks detail / specific elements
• Magazine needs to be original - can’t use existing one
• Audience addressed briefly towards and alongside industry you’ll need a lot more in these areas for your statement of intent
• Delivery reasonably confident but lacking the research and planning that needed to be part of the summer project

Q+A

• Question on mainstream - good point but answered well. One to cover in statement though.
• Nice question on locations - brings up some good questions.

2) Use this feedback, comments from peers and your own reflection on your presentation to self-assess and write your own detailed WWW and EBI for your coursework concept and presentation as a whole.

WWW: Good concept, confidence in speaking, Good narrative 

EBI: Lack of media terminology & theories and also lacks some key details in the magazine element of the presentation.

3) Write a paragraph discussing how your presentation will lead into your actual coursework production. Do you need to update your statement of intent? Does your concept offer enough clarity? Is it appropriate for the audience specified in the brief? Is it achievable to film with the resources you have available? Can you add media terminology or theory to your statement of intent now you have reflected on your presentation and seen others? 

My presentation will lead into my coursework as I have kept the same concept and genre of music. My concept has a clear narrative and is simple to understand. My concept is appropriate for my audience as I have made my concept revolve around the masses and the people age group who it is targeted at.  My music video is achievable to be filmed with the current resources. The only issue i may have is if I decide to include a studio in my video it may not be guaranteed i am able to with my resources at the moment. 

Summer Project: coursework planning

Research: music videos

Music Video 1: Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me (Narrative)

In the narrative of this music video, we can see the protagonist, Taylor Swift in a classic unrequited love story however this time it's a college. The video begins with a man arguing on the phone with someone which we can see through a window. This is when Taylor glances up at the window with concern whilst seeing this and holds a sheet of paper saying "You ok" He responds with his sheet of paper, smirking with it saying " Tired of Drama", he then shuts his blinds and goes to bed which makes the audience smile because although he is in a rough patch Taylor cares enough to ask him if he's ok. unfortunately, when he got up to shut the blinds Taylor was writing the middle of writing something but she was unable to finish before he closed the blinds.

In a surprising shock of events to the audience, her sheet of paper said "I love you" and she narrowly missed him to show him. This makes the audience feel heartbroken and sympathetic towards Taylor as she is just about to declare her love for the man. In the next scene, we can see her dancing and singing properly trying to distract herself from feeling upset that he didn't get to see her sheet of paper suddenly we can see the man sneak a peek through his blinds and smirking & laughing when he sees Taylor dancing and singing around. Eventually, Taylor crashes after being tired and goes to sleep. This scene leaves the audience with dramatic irony as they know what is going to be shown on that paper however the male character doesn't.

The next day, Taylor finds herself on a bench with the guy from last night but suddenly his girlfriend drives up to them and he reluctantly gets in her car. This makes the audience feel upset for the guy as it's clear that he would rather spend time with her than his girlfriend. The audience starts to feel resentment for the man's girlfriend. Taylor would be seen as the hero in the story whereas the man's girlfriend would be seen as the villain if we were to use props character theory.

In the next scene the man is playing in an American football game both Taylor and his girlfriend are there. Taylor is on the bleachers and the man's girlfriend is one of the cheerleaders. This makes Taylor feel unpopular and irreverent as she thinks she can never compete with the man's girlfriend. This is emphasised as in the lyrics Taylor is constantly comparing herself to the other girl which makes the audience feel sympathetic towards her and want her to get what she wants which is that man whose girlfriend is 'evil'. In a horrible turn of events after the game the guy's so called girlfriend is seen with another guy and dismisses her boyfriend and everyone in the stadium sees this. This makes the reader feel annoyed and angry at the fact that the girl just pushed away her boyfriend for another man and they feel like the guy deserves better.

After the game, the focus then shifts back to where the music video started which is back at the apartment windows with the man getting ready in a suit ready to go to a party. The guy proceeds to ask Taylor if she is coming to the party or not through the piece of paper, and she responds with 'No, studying'. which is when he puts up a piece of paper back and says that he wishes that she was which after that he leaves. This makes Taylor have second thoughts about staying home and studying- she takes one look at her original piece of paper that said' I love You' and takes a leap of fate feeling like it is a now or never situation she even takes off her glasses and goes to the party. At this point in the narrative the audience is cheering her on and at the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next.

As the next scene fades in from back we can see Taylor all glammed up and in a white dress with everyone in awe and shock, moving out her way. This is when the man that she is looking for spots her and is smiling as his dream came true. They then start walking towards each other however the man is grabbed by his now ex girlfriend and she leans onto him in a flirty way but the man is done with her and quickly pushes her away so that he can carry on walking towards Taylor, once they are finally face to face Taylor finally shows him her ' I love you' paper and in a plot twist the man has his own ' I love you' paper, which after they show each other they share a kiss giving the music video a bittersweet ending. This whole scene would make the audience feel relieved and happy because they finally got what they were rooting for. 

The two prominent Narrative theories that I can see in the music video are Todorov's equilibrium and Propp's character types. For Todorov's theory the story starts with a balance where everything is fine then when the guy is arguing on the phone and his girlfriend controlling him then at the end finally having a new balance where he gets rid of his ex girlfriend and moves on and kisses Taylor. For props theory I would say that Taylor is the hero the guys girlfriend is the villain and you could argue that the guy is sort of the damsel in distress considering his girlfriend was controlling a lot of aspects of his life.

Music Video 2: Rihanna - Diamonds (Camerawork)

The camerawork in the music video is a form of show not tell which also matches the mood of the song. Close-up shots on Rihanna’s face as she sings floating in the water make her look  vulnerable and scared. Wide angle shots are used while she's running through the desert or standing on a beach witch could symbolise escape. The slow-motion shot of her letting go of a diamond could reflect her own life and the idea of moving on from problems. The Low-angle shots make her look powerful whilst she stares at the stormy sky. The use of a handheld shot crates a feeling of urgency and confusion as everything is shaking which makes everything feel more real to the audience. 

Music Video 3: Pozer - Malicious Intentions (Mise-en-scene)

The mise-en-scene clearly communicates what the genre of the music video is. One way this is communicated is this through the clothing which is mainly black jumpers or Jackets. A key piece of clothing that makes it stand out is the balaclavas that everyone behind Pozer is wearing which communicates Rap or UK drill music. The low-key lighting along with bright glimpses of flashlights and police lights makes it feel like underground rap music or a crime film. the placement of actors make it feel scary and as if something illegal may go down since they are can be seen standing in a big group or in dark corners in streets and also doing gun fingers and aggressively holding bats. The setting is very gritty and dirty which reinforces Pozer's identity as rebellious and under the radar of the police/possible illegal activities. The music video as whole helps the identity of life as a gang member which Pozer is going for in the video.

Music Video 4: Paramore - Misery Business (Editing)

In Misery Business  the fast cuts and lots of shot changes to match the song's rhythm and keep things active and hyper. The video constantly changes between close-ups of the band and wider shots of them jamming out which keeps the audience engaged. The music video has quick cuts and the scenes switch very often which keeps the viewer interested. The  mix between a stereotypical American school setting and  performance elements creates the sense of rebellion and hardcore. 

Music Video 5: Katy Perry - Firework (Conventions)

In the music video for Firework there are lots of key conventions of a music video. For instance it is very stereotypical of the pop genre as it has bright colours and performance scenes which match the vibe of the song. The lyrics and the video match perfectly the video has people overcoming challenges which is what the song lyrics is empowering people to do. Another key convention we can see is star power through Katy Perry who helps people fears feel good about themselves.

Music Video 6: Olivia Rodrigo - Obsessed (intertextuality)

For Olivia Rodrigo's Obsessed music video I'll be focussing on intertextuality. The biggest piece of intertextuality that was apparent to me was the reference to the Miss Universe pageant, the whole music video is based around this. The video has expensive set designs and expensive/classy outfits. The theme and and style of the video is like a parody of the Miss Universe pageant. It could also be considered a throwback to classic teen/high school movies and the fashion from the early 2000s. The colours and setting remind people of high school rom-coms from that time which makes the video relatable and interesting. This is because they are combining early 2000 old-school vibes with a modern touch, the video makes the song’s message more appealing to the audience.

Planning: music video treatment

 - Panic Attack

Scene 1 - 2 people are waling in a field when they shouting in the distance and of the person in the group of 2 gets shot. This makes the person left alive run for his life.

Scene 2- the man runs into a bush to hide and the scene fades to black

Scene 3- the man is in his room feel upset that his friend is dead he eventually snaps out as a company has reached out to sponsor him and wanted hit to wear their shoes. This gives him the idea  and starts performing

 

scene 4 -performance element then the video ends after 

Statement of Intent

Introduction

For my music video product i am going to use media language and media representations in order to meet the brief and also hit the target needs of the audience that i am targeting who are people between the age of 16-18, the majority of them being men. The existing artist that i am using for my music video is Dave. The name of my artist that i have made is 1nonly BK. My artist will create a UK rap song which is sponsored by Nike. UK Rap is an up and coming genre which has recently been gaining a lot of attention and has established itself as a mainstream new generation genre. It even has garnered attention in the united states as well. The name of the music magazine is 'empty soul'. I picked this name because it relates to the narrative of the music video. 

Media language

I plan to meet the brief by making the music video meet the 3 minute minimum requirement and also have two separate and different filming locations. One of the locations will be in a big large open field. The other location will be In a studio in a sense it could be a bedroom setup or an actual studio. The camerawork will feature some close-ups, wide shots, establishing shots and also some handheld camera work. The lighting in my music video will be majority natural light and high key lighting. The mise-en-scene will match the genre as the people in the video will be wearing jumpers and tracksuits which is reminiscent of the UK Rap genre. The editing will have a mix of quick cuts and drawn out scenes in order to tell the narrative of the video.

The magazine that I am choosing to use is clash magazine. This is because the magazine is the perfect magazine to use for the UK rap genre as many rappers have been featured in it. For my front cover I will use one main picture of the artist with an additional page with more information.

Media Representations 

My music video will reinforce stereotypes in the media about UK rap. My coursework will reflect social and cultural contexts as The Uk Rap genre has progressively became mainstream and even international in some cases.

Audience

My target audience is the mainstream UK audience which are 14-18 year olds. The types of people watching the music video would properly be aspirers as they may be able to relate to the story alongside the lyrics.

Industry contexts

The record label that my artist will be signed to is Universal media group. I chose this because first of all the artist that I chose is signed to this label and other rappers in his field such as Stormzy.

Ignite presentation

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BwZArwzMc3wW8BV3cAYp2kmgm-bUkXNkclWglqEvylc/edit?usp=sharing

TV assessment learner response

 TV assessment learner response

1) Type up your feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

WWW- This is an important lesson in the knowledge and work required at A-level

EBI- Revise postmodernism for Q1. You also need to write a lot more for the unseen question.

- Q2 needs a lot more for a 25 marker. This is bot CSP knowledge and question focus

- Handwritng 

2) Read the whole mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Identify at least one potential point that you missed out on for each question in the assessment (even if you got full marks for the question).

1. There are many examples of intertextuality: the main central image suggests a bridge

between James Bond and Austin Powers (bond parody) with Tower Bridge in the background

reinforcing London as a location.

2. genres are dynamic and change to represent the concerns of the society which produces

them

3) The first question demanded a response using postmodern terminology. Write a definition here of the three main terms:

Bricolage: focused on explaining how entrepreneurship emerges in economically depressed, or resource-poor areas

Pastiche:It is a style which is a tongue-in-cheek light-hearted imitation of another's style which unlike a parody is respectful.

Intertextuality: when one text references another

4) Read this exemplar answer for the 25-mark question in the assessment. Select a quote from the essay for each of the following aspects from the mark scheme:

a) analysis of the products that focuses on contexts and ideological positioning

• The Daily Mail heavily criticised Capital for featuring ‘more left wing causes than a Jeremy Corbyn’s diary’ it could be argued that the focus on house prices and hard work actually reinforces dominant hegemonic ideologies most closely associated with right-wing capitalist values. 

b) use of media theory

• Applying Gramsci’s theory of hegemony, this is unconsciously communicating to audiences the value in working hard, earning money and contributing to consumerism and capitalism - maintaining the status quo and reinforcing more right-wing ideology.

c) a judgement or conclusion on the question

• In conclusion, it is impossible to ignore the ideological positions constructed by television dramas and Capital and D83 are no exception to this. However, it could be argued that different audiences can read these fictional genres in different ways depending on their own perspectives and therefore social, cultural and political contexts are not the only aspect to this process.

d) examples from the TV CSPs

• In Deutschland 83 (D83), the historical drama / spy thriller genre.

e) use of media terminology 

• reinforced through the construction of the narrative and key elements of mise-en-scene.

5) Based on this assessment, write three things you need to revise before the upcoming end of Year 12 exams.

I need to revise deutchland 83, postmodernism and theories.

Postmodernism in music video: Blog tasks

 Postmodernism in music video: Blog tasks

Media Magazine Theory Drop - Postmodernism

Create a new blog post called 'Postmodernism in music video: blog tasks'. Read ‘The Theory Drop: Postmodernism’ in MM66  (p26). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here - remember you'll need your Greenford Google login to access. Answer the following questions:

1) How does the article define postmodernism in the first page of the article?

"Postmodernism is a cultural movement that distrusts all established philosophies and frequently experiments with the medium it is presented in."

2) What did media theorist and Semiotician Roland Barthes suggest in his essay 'The Death of the Author'?

"he said that a writer’s opinions, intentions or interpretation of their own work are no more valid than anyone else’s.

3) What is metatextuality?

"a form of intertextual discourse in which a text makes critical commentary on itself or on another text."

4) What is the repeated phrase on the cartoon on postmodernism on page 28?

The repeated phrase on the cartoon is "Postmodernism is a cultural movement that distrusts all established philosophies and frequently experiments with the medium it is presented in" 

5) How does postmodernism link to media representations and reality?

It blurs the lines between then through the creation and consumption of media products.

Music video CSPs and postmodernism

Now apply postmodern ideas to our music video CSPs by answering the following questions:

1) How does the music video for Ghost Town incorporate elements of postmodernism?

Its a hybrid of story and performance. it also has intertextuality w films form the 90's

2) What film genres are alluded to in the music video for Ghost Town? Which scenes in particular created these links?

Horror films. This is because especially where in one of the scenes w can see shadows and hear wind like noises and are in a very dodgy quiet area.

3) How does Old Town Road use postmodern elements in its music video?

with its use of race and gender. stereotypical of black culture t first then shifts.

4) How does the Old Town Road music video reflect technological convergence and modern digital culture?  

We can see the shift to new tech as there are people who are visually recording on their phones which highlights the modern times where everything is recorded.

5) What do YOU think Lil Nas X was trying to say about reality and American culture in the music video for Old Town Road?

I think that Lil Nas X was trying to say that some people are stuck in the past with according to black representations and that most people have changed their perspectives and have embraced black culture and segregation doesn't really exist.