Analysing Myspace Pages - Shwayze

http://www.myspace.com/shwayze

Shwayze is a rap/indie band from LA that has come into the public eye only in the last few months. I think their Myspace is particularly interesting as they have used it to promote themselves in several different ways.
Firstly they have promoted a band image through the design and layout of their page. The yellow and ‘wood’ connotes the beach, which associates itself well with California (where they come from). It also fits in with their laid back look. As well as this images of shades come up frequently on the page, fitting with their image but also becoming a bit of a motif.
The page is also extremely informative, offering tour dates as well as offering some background on the band. It even mentions when the new album is coming out and where to buy it when it does.
A lot of merchandise is also promoted on the page. For instance T-shirts, ringtones etc, which shows that the band is becoming more established and becoming more popular.
The page also acts as an advert for the band as you can listen to their ‘hits’ as well as watch their music videos. This encourages people to listen to their music, get a taste for it and then download it.
Loyalty to the band is also encouraged with links to fan sites and forums, where fans can talk to other fans and build an online community.

How Artist's Images Change - Snoop Dogg

I was thinking of how Artist's images change over time with their music styles, age etc and decided to look at an example.

Snoop Dogg (aka Snoop Doggie Dogg)
Snoop Dogg came onto the music scene in the early 90's with his collaboration's with Dr DRE of NWA. Was contreversial when he started to make records due to his the explicit sexual references (even his 'artist name' including 'doggie) and involvement in the Blud vs Crips gang war of the early 90's. This of course gave Snoop a gangsta image that he played up to in many of his early videos and goes with many of the aggressive lyrics in his tracks.



Now... after over 15 years in the business Snoop has changed his image, not only dropping the middle part of his artist name, but now changing the sound of his music from easty coast rap to hip hop. This also means that he has also swapped checks for suites and so appears more suave and sophisticated. This can be seen in his latest video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKz-RXSeIYA

Reflections On Music Video Theory And How This Will Inspire Me

Today’s lesson on music video theory has really made me think about certain aspects I am now interested to incorporate into our own music video.

1) Continuity editing – This can now be more or less abandoned when planning the project, as I now realise how it does not serve a purpose in music video. This is because from today’s study of Scott McCloud’s theories on comics, as like that format of entertainment the audience need to fill in gaps of time and space themselves when watching a music video. I now personally think that using a very disjointed editing style would suit our music video idea, especially as we now do not plan to follow a linear narrative.

2) Marilyn Manson’s Beautiful People – This music video that we watched today was interesting, not only due to its Faustian storyline, but due to it’s style. The way how certain shots were sped up and others slowed down in short succesion, really helped to make the video seem a lot more disturbed as it all appeared very unnatural. With the dark subject matter of our song, I really would like to use some similar effects.

3) Master Shots (or lack of) – Although I may not be inspired to use this theory in the music video that we’re making, I still think it is an important concept. Carol Vernallis believes that while master shots are used in film (especially classical Holly wood cinema), music video’s tend not to. This as a result means that most music videos can take place anywhere at any time, with no set location and time period. As well as this Vernallis believes that instead, the viewer is led through the space by the camera, not knowing what is coming ahead. I think on the whole Vernallis is right, but there are still exceptions to the rule, including the clip below. It is a clip from the opening of the film Irreversible. The audience are shown no master shots and instead led through the location with the central protagonist, through a series of tracking shots. I cannot get the part of the film I want to put up so instead I’ve put up the trailer that includes shots from some of these sequences.



This is a music video that disagrees with Vernallis’s theory as we are shown a number of extreme long shots and master shots which shows exactly where and when the video is set.



Wu Tang Clan – Gravel Pit

Quick reflection on Final Idea

I currently feel really pleased that we have chosen our song at last and feel confident that we will be able to make a good music video for it. After today’s group discussions I also feel that a performance based video is what this track needs, in order to get across the angst in the lyrics.

THR Feedback Individual Blog Progress

Mike
There's some great work here - I especially like how you've taken theories and begun to try and unpick them and apply them for yourself - very well done indeed!
Your posts have been consistent in frequency and you have clearly kept up with the ethos of blogging. However, sometimes the purpose of your posts is unclear - the videos are lovely but why have you posted them? What are you thoughts? Reflections? What have you learned? gleaned?
You, like the others, need to make sure you link your blogs in the group to those in your individual blog - not the same posts but reflections, reactions and analyses of your other posts. For example, ifyou have posted in group, you could/should write up your personal reflection on this. If you've posted in individual what affect does this have on the grp? (and POST it!)
Your research posts are great but I'd like to hear more about your personal feeelings and responses to all this stuff.
Your response to teachers' feedback is excellent and an example to the others as is your linking of other websites and resources to your page.
Your navigational tools are working well and your blog is clear. i just wonder how 'Mike' it really is - could you add some pictures or interesting features that make your blog more individual?
On the whole, you've done a great job! I've referred many in the group to your blog so well done. Just remember to catch up on the details and keep it up!
Mrs T :-)

Rules of Film making (the ones to break for Music video!)

Here's just a few of the rules that set out for film makers in order for the editng not to be noticeable in a scene, and are also to ensure that the audience do not get confused by narrative etc. However with music video's, both of these points are irrelevant due to how the format serves a very different purpose. These are just a few of the rules that I reminded myself of from Amy Villarejo's 'Film Studies The Basics'.

180 degree rule - Belongs to the system of continuity editing, the rule that establishes the axis of action, a line running perpendicular to the camera, such that the camera is understood to have to stay on the same side of this line for each of the subsequent shots, preserving screen direction.

30 degree rule - Also to ensure continuity, the rule that one should vary camera angle shot to shot by at least 30 degrees to avoid jump cuts (figures appear to jump in the frame)

Eyeline Matches - Form of continuity editing which would join a first shot of a character looking offscreen to something else he is meant to see in the second shot.

Here's a scene from a classical Hollywood style film, Casablanca which uses these devices in order to create a cohesive and linear narrative structure.

Brief History of the Music Video

While thinking about the music video project I thought it would be worthwhile to look at the origins of this format of entertainment, in order to help my understanding. The information I used to help me with this was obtained through Wikipedia as well as the March 2008 copy of VIBE magazine

1929 – Bessie Smith’s ‘Saint Louis Blues’
Perhaps the first music video, ‘Saint Louis Blues’ is a 16 minute film where Bessie smith appears and sings her song of the same name. This still very much is of the classical Hollywood style.



1936 – Show Boat
Paul Robeson sings ‘Ol Man River’ in the film ‘ShowBoat’. The reason why I believe that the clip seems important is due to the use of the pan around Robeson, which seems unusual for films of the time, and is a concept that is used in many music videos now.



1959 – Radio DJ J.P. Richardson allegedly comes up with the phrase ‘Music Video’

1961 – Ricky Nelson’s ‘Travelin Man’
The Official first music video as the video does not just focus on the performance, but some images are cut inbetween of the world (thus relating to the title of the song)



1981 – MTV is Launched