Analysis of a star and dyer's star theory- Miss Miller

Within the music industry, many artists feel that they need to reinvent themselves. This can be due to the following reasons; to create a larger target audience so that their music appeals to more pople, to simply change the genre that the traditionally follow, by wanting to demonstrate different styles to gain a new audience, to create a 'buzz' in the press, or to even change to another audience, an example of this that I will discuss further is the artist 'Miley Cyrus'. A the very beginning of her career, the artist appeals to young females due to television show 'Hannah Montana' and by performing as this persona. However, recently her image has changed massively change due to a change in genre (teen pop and country music to hip hop/pop) and a change in image due to her explicit image for example, revealing clothing and negative behaviour. This artist has changed her image has she has grown up within the music industry and to appeal to different types of audiences.

The 'Best of Both Worlds' music video begins with the use of cinematography as zooming in shots are used to introduce the stage. This excites the artist's target audience at the time, young girls who are a fan of the television show, too. Through this show, the alter ego name 'Hannah Montana' is displayed in flashing lights, causing this to become a focal point of the scenery. This name was chosen over the artist's own to attract to a wider audience as she is commonly known through the name used within the TV show. This is conventional of the child pop genre as the use of this shot causes the audience to have an involvement and excite them for the show. 

Next, the artist begins the video by performing a dance routine, which is shown through the use of  editing specifically, continuity. This is extremely conventional to the child pop genre as the video is more excited to watch for the younger viewers. This further attracts fans as they would want to replicate the dance, which can promote the artist to a wider audience.

Mise en scene is also incorporated with in this music video through the use of costume. Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana is dressed in pink, glittery t shirt, jeans and boots. This is conventional to the child pop genre as although the outfit stands out, this isn't in a voyeuristic sense. This causes her to be admired by parents and copied by her target audience.

Goodwin's theory:

Within this music video, there is a common link to genre characteristics of a younger pop music video  and shows a clear structure as the video is only constructs as a performance through out the video. This is evident through the use of a dance routine with back up dancers as well as the artist singing through out. This is used to promote the artist and for fans to see the artist/their idol through out, which is exciting for that age group.

There are also constant links between lyrics and visuals for example, the artist dances with two other females singing 'you're just like all your friends' and once she's positioned alone, she sings 'but on stage your a star'. This causes her audience to admire her as when she's in everyday life, she relates to the audience however possesses a talent and is able to perform this to the world. This also causes the audience to understand the meaning behind the lyrics and exploits the theme.

Next the artist is promoted through out the music video through the use of close ups. This is conventional and also provides the audience with what they want to see as well as introducing a new audience to her image. The use of close ups create a relationship with the audience which links to the themes of the song, as she is normal/average female that possesses a talent, and the audience believe that they are invited to relate to the first half of the meaning and as she looks at her audience, they are invited into parts of her life, including the part that is famous within the music industry, therefore they feel a stronger involvement.

Dyer's star theory:

Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana can be promoted as both ordinary and extraordinary to the audience. This exposes her true character to the audience as she discusses how relatable she is in the lyrics as well as including her talent that has made her so successful. This also promotes the artist to a wider range of people as the ordinary elements cause the audience to connect to her and relate to part of her lifestyle however, the extraordinary elements causes her to become and idol.

Dyer believes that a common value of music stardom is the idea of youthfulness. This links to the idea that Miley became a part of the music industry from a very young age, therefore at this stage her music linked to this idea. This also links to the idea that her genre appeals more to younger, youthful fans therefore follows conventions of the genre as well as containing conventional elements that are suitable for the young target audience. 

This music video contains further elements of Dyer's star theory and the idea that the star is just an image. This is highlighted through the use of a stage name to promote her music and television show. The use of this causes the artist to use a name as a way to increase her gain within the music industry, therefore she is represented as a product that younger fans/the target audience buy into.

Lastly, the genre of this song is pop however, more for much younger females who are the artist's initial target audience. This music video conforms to this genre as dance routines and a performance occurs through out, promoting the artist's image as well as her talent. The colouring used within the overall performance is bright, connoting positive elements. This is conventional to this genre and excites her young fans as the video becomes more entertaining as the lighting connotes positive emotions.

The next video I will be analysing is 'The Climb'. This music video was released when Hannah Montana ended, which shows her own ideas and leaving her more teen/immature days behind. This allows Miley to branch out to a new target audience. Although this is still within the pop genre, it allows Miley to push her talent forward rather than on a stage, performing to a younger age group. This shows Miley evolving into her own person and becoming more adult.

Firstly, the music video features elements of cinematography from the beginning as a long shot is used to show the artist walking up a path. This promotes the idea of the song to the target audience, causing the meaning and emotions to be exploited. This highlights her growth as a person and within the music industry. This explores the idea that this was the first music video she released as Miley Cyrus rather than Hannah Montana, which excites original and a new stream of fans due to her own work as an individual and 'real' person being introduced to the music industry. 

Next, mise en scene is evident through the use of iconography as a guitar is visible through the use of a close up. This is conventional to the pop/country genre as instruments are usually evident in some way. This also portrays the artist's talents to the audience as within the last video as Hannah Montana, she was not playing any instruments. This provides fans with something new by her talent increasing, and introducing a set of new fans, increasing the artist's revenue. 

The artist also wears casual clothing through out the music video. This is unconventional of the pop genre however shows conventions of the country genre, which causes her to appeal to a varied audience. This look also relates to her fans, as alike her previous video, her target audience is still young females. This is due to the idea that her outfit is not promiscuous and explicit, which causes the audience to admire her and links to their younger age groups. The idea that her look is achievable connects the artist and audience together, further. 

The editing technique of cross cutting is also featured within this music video for example, as the artist is shown singing and then walking up the path. This connects the two images together, and causes the idea of a concept to be explored as she explains that although she isn't Hannah Montana anymore, she possesses a talent although goes through a journey of growth. The audience is able to bond with her through this element. 

Lastly, light colours behind her on a screen are featured as she sings the lyrics. This features the colours white and blue like the sky, which creates and calm and tranquil atmosphere. This subverts to the pop genre however conforms to the country genre, widening the artist's audience. This audience is able to understand the lyrics further as most of the lyrics link to naturalistic features for example 'mountains'. The colour blue also shows connotations of trust and hope as well as connecting to the lyrics 'keep the faith, keep your faith' showing that she is still a positive influence although she isn't portrayed as Hannah Montana as well as being aligned with these positive traits.

Goodwin's theory:

This music video features a clear link between lyrics and visuals as the artist sings 'I can almost see it, that dream I'm dreaming' whilst walking up a steep path. At first, Miley is shown walking up to a path, causing her to look small compared to it and leaving her past behind and the quickly, she is shown being forefront of the camera with a night sky behind her. This shows her strength and conveys the idea of her growing up and finding her own way in life. This includes the audience as most of them will be members that have followed her through out the Hannah Montana stage therefore, they feel that they are growing alongside her.

As well as this, there is a link between the visuals and music also as she starts dancing to the music, and the editing and beat of the music start to speed up around this image. This exploits the idea of confidence independence and shows she isn't on the lonely path anymore and she allows herself to leave her more childish days behind and be able to make her own music that is personal to her and her life. This includes the audience as she includes them on this journey, strengthening the bond between them.

Lastly, the artist is promoted through out through the use of close ups of her face. This allows fans of Hannah Montana to see the real her, as well and introducing new fans. This promotes the artist to the public as well as creating a bond with the audience as she looks into the camera, directly at them linking to the lyrics 'gotta keep my head held high'.

Dyer's star theory:

Firstly, the artist appears to the audience as ordinary yet extraordinary, linking to Dyer's first paradox. This is because the song is part of the Hannah Montana final film, portraying her hectic life at such a young age. However, after letting this ego go, she becomes more ordinary, through the use of the lyrics and costume. This causes the artist to become more relatable to the audience as well as being admired for her talents.

The artist is not portrayed in a stereotypical way. This is because she is not traditional to the pop genre with extravagant costumes. Miley wears jeans and a checked shirt within most shots. This causes her image to be more relatable to the audience as well as conforming to the country genres within the song. Her genre has updated since her Hannah Montana music video, as this increases her revenue and causes her music videos and music to appeal to a wider, more varied audience.

Through this, Miley Cyrus becomes more of an inspiration than in Hannah Montana. This is because she is being her own character as well as portraying a natural and more achievable image rather than expensive clothing and fake, blonde hair. Sometimes, artists change up their image within the pop genre to appeal to a wide audience. Through this look and attitude, more fans would respect her and purchase more  products as she is seen as more of an icon. 

This music video till remains a pop video as there are parts where Miley dances around and plays guitar. As well as showing features of country music for example, the casual clothing and naturalistic settings. This explores the artist and her lifestle in more detail as her different talents and her joy for music are exploited as the type of genre and artist she wants to become and elements of how she reinvents herself.

Lastly, I will be discussing the video 'We Can't Stop' released in the year 2013. This video/song shocked the public and a directors cut became available. This is because everyone was so accustomed to the idea of innocence and Hannah Montana. Therefore, this came as a surprise as the video and lyrics are explicit which contrasts to her earlier Disney label.

Within this video, there are many close ups of Miley Cyrus specifically at the beginning as her own name is written in front of the image. This overall promotes her new image to the audience as well as beginning the video with images of herself, showing her importance and level of involvement within the video. The use of this builds a connection with her new artist, possibly a few fans from Hannah Montana, however, substantially new fans that enjoy the new image and genre (pop/hip hop). The use of this new image causes her to appeal to an older target audience rather than children, previously.

Linking to this, mise en scene elements appear through out at the artist continuously wears explicit and conventional outfits. This is surprising due to her previous appearance however shows her growth as an artist and in age through the music industry. This, alongside her promiscuous make up look (red, plump lips) causes female members of the audience to see that males surround her therefore want to achieve this look. Promiscuous looks such as this also appeals to male members of the audience.

 

Faster editing is used within the music video as Miley and her friends dance in a promiscuous way. This causes her to show more hip hop conventions and show off her body and clothing. This also distinguishes the type of artist she is as well as her characteristics. The use of this appeals less to her past target audience and more to elder teenagers and younger adults, reinventing the artist's revenue.

Goodwin's theory:

Within the video, many angles are incorporated to sell the artist. This introduces the audience to the new Miley and her drastic change in image. This includes many mid shots of her laying on the bed showing the type of costume she is wearing (white, tight pants and a white bralet). This again allows the audience to see the new, reinvented Miley. The idea of her releasing a video like this and looking differently shows a more reckless/uncaring attitude. This mixes her target audience up and allows her to venture out and appeal to older teenagers even younger adults.

The artist also promotes other companies such as EOS and BEATS. This causes her to expand her revenue and to promote these products to the audience. This sells the artist as well as these products as fans would look up to the artist and want to buy these products as a way of successfully completing this. By adding this element, these companies and the artist work together to get promoted on a wider scale.

Linking to this, there is also a link between visuals and lyrics as she sings 'it's my mouth I can say what I want to' whilst dancing in an explicit nature and pulling childish faces. This explores the ideas shown in her past linking to her Hannah Montana alter ego within the Disney label and further identifies that she has left that time behind and they no longer matter. This highlights that she no longer appeals to children audiences and she isn't conforming  to what labels and managers instruct her to do highlighting the message that she can be who she wants and do as she pleases. This again shows the idea that she is growing herself, and doesn't like her previous kind of music and she has a adult independence, which appeals to more mature members of the audience.

Throughout the video, there is also the theme of female bodies (both Mileys and the models in the video). This shows her maturing as a women however, she decides to show this off explicitly to her audience. This is her way of showing that she isn't a child anymore, she has no need to dress up as anyone else. Therefore, she chooses to wear more revealing clothes which makes her more sexually attractive. This can be seen through her costume and actions such as midshots of her dancing around with others. Overall, this idea links back to the idea that she causes a 'buzz' within the media as the way she is acting is controversial however, she gains attention because of this from both females that look up to this and males that find this look attractive.

Dyer's star theory:

This music video conform's to Dyer's second paradox as the star is both absent and present for the consumer. This idea relates to Miley Cyrus in the years 2012-2014 as she wasn't in the press and then came back with songs such as We Can't Stop and Wrecking Ball and music videos which gained publicity. This promoted the artist and her new, reinvented self and genre to a wider audience than before.

This music video also follows the common values of stardom including:
-Sexual magnetism as her body is explored through out through the use of explicit clothing.
-Disregard for social values as she sings about drugs and behaves in a negative and daring way.
-Conspicuous consumption of sex/drugs/material goods as there are elements of drugs within her lyrics as well as alcohol etc appearing within the music video.

However, within the 'We Can't Stop' music video the audience views a complete change, confusing the audience and causing us to ask if it's the real her is she fitting to new social standards and rebelling against authority. This causes the artist to become a product that is sold to the audience and within the music industry.

This music video shows pop conventions like none other of Miley's videos. She performs through out however, in an explicit way, only appealing to older fans rather than children previously. The video also contains hip hop conventions as the artist brags about her life style and acts in a negative way.

Overall, the target audience adapts/changes through out Miley Cyrus' career and key changes. For example, Hannah Montana as a product and the video for 'Best Of Both Worlds' were aimed at younger audiences, around the ages of 8-14 due to the positive vibe of the music and video and the conventions that childish pop videos contain such as dance routines that the audience can learn, which is not aimed at older teenagers/young adults as these are not elements that they would find interesting. Next, the target audience for 'The Climb' increases to the ages of 8-20. This is due to the idea that the music sounds more mature, due to country conventions as well as the idea that previous fans of Hannah Montana still enjoy her music and character therefore follow the concept as they grow alongside the artist. The last video analysed, 'We Can't Stop' is aimed at an older audience of around 16+, due to the more negative and promiscuous themes. This audience would be more mature to understand the genre change to hip hop/pop as well as understand her new, very different appearance.

To conclude, I believe Miley reinvented herself to rebel against her Hannah Montana image created by the Disney label. Certain ideas are introduced for example, she's growing up herself and is making her own way in life. This can be seen through conventions and examples I have listed from her videos above.

I believe that this research has provided me with more knowledge on the topic of reinvention and why artists take party in this as well discovering why is is important within the music industry. This information will also help me decide on an artist as I would want to follow Dyer's two paradoxes within my chosen performer. I want to focus on the image that the artist will portray and will contain elements within my music video that portrays the genre and artist in positive lights. Overall, an image of the artist is extremely important to promote to appeal to their target audience and reinvention can even keep the interest as well as creating a wider fan base. It is important to identify and maintain a target audience as they are the people purchasing your products. This strongly relates to Dyer's theory as he discusses that stars depend upon subsidiary media such as TV, Radio and the internet.

Analysis of music genre- Miss Georgiou

Music videos all belong to a genre that the song is a part of. Music videos appeal to their specific audiences by exciting them and showing fans their favourite artist's work. This is usually done through micro elements such as cinematography, mise en scene, editing and the overall style of the video (concept/narrative/performance). These typical conventions would be included for the artist's target audience. Each genre within the industry appeals to different audiences therefore these micro elements can be used to appeal to them and represent the artist, usually within a positive light  as a relationship/bond should be created between the artist and the audience.

A music video for 'Over' by Drake was created, and show conventions of the rap genre to appeal to that certain target audience. This is evident through the use of cinematography as this is added  to make the video appeal to the audience. This is evident through a series of mid shots used whilst Drake is in his bedroom. This is quite unconventional as within usual music videos, the artist almost boasts about their lifestyle with the use of big homes, money, cars and women and causes the audience to want that way of life. However, the use of this causes Drake to become more relatable almost admirable how he isn't conforming to the typical conventions. Furthermore, the audience is opened to the artist's life which makes the video more appealing as he sits in his room linked to the lyrics 'I'm doing me' as he isn't trying to be like other rap artists. Not only does this reach a rap audience but goes deeper than that by gaining respect and attention from a wider audience.

Within the music video, there are editing techniques used to represent the artist. This is evident when the clips of Drake singing are duplicated through parts of the music video. This ties into Goodwin's theory as an element is the exposure of the artist through the music video. Here, the audience is shown the artist and what he is wearing. This foreshadows the rest of the video as Drake is seen throughout. The use of this editing technique further highlights the chorus 'I'm doing me' and 'I'm living life right now' to show that he's independent. This can also link to the idea that he has a talent and works hard for himself. By adding this editing element, the artist is promoted and the audience are able to see Drake in a new, independent light where he talks about himself and his own life.

The music video also features (and follows) conventions of the rap genre through the use of cinematography. This is evident through the use of close ups of Drake's face as he stares into the camera lens, at the audience. Not only does this follow Goodwin's theory and promote the audience but the use of this shot and eye contact uncovers the artist's true feelings/emotions, linking to the well known reference that eyes are the windows to the soul. The audience see Drake's emotions and connect with him because of this, creating a bond. This relates further to the lyrics 'I'm doing me' as he shows that fame hasn't got in the way of his true self and he can still form bonds with his fans which links further to the second verse where he discusses his love for his profession and he wouldn't give up, causing him to be idolised by his fans, paired with this camera shot.

Another editing technique used to represent the artist and genre is a time lapse. This occurs when the video includes a screen behind the artist, containing clips of a city and the public moving around. The fast pace vibe is conventional of the rap genre, also. This highlights his profession further and his enjoyment of this and shows the idea that the world passes him by, however he is still doing what he loves. This is discussed within the lyrics of the song, therefore by linking this with the visuals the audience can gain a better understanding of the song. This causes the audience to bond with the artist as his true feelings are displayed to them.

Mise en scene is displayed further within this music video as the artist conforms to the rap genre through the use of costume. Drake is shown wearing a tracksuit through most of the music video. This provides him with a casual look and links again to the lyrics that he's doing what he wants to do. Tracksuits are overall conventional to the rap genre as it gives off a 'gangster' and laid back image, which further highlights that he is comfortable in his life and performing to his audience.

The video also contains the use of fast editing which is evident when clips within the music video are transitioning. The use of this links to the rapper lifestyle and his personal life being on the go, and he enjoys it. It can be shown that he brags about his more expensive life style to the audience but also highlights how he enjoys it however, has not changed because of fame. The use of the fast editing presents the genre and makes the video more interesting to watch and excites/intrigues the audience more. The use of this also causes the whole video to have an upbeat vibe as the music synchronises with the visuals, which is much more interesting for viewers to watch.

Lastly, the video contains element of mise en scene through the use of colouring/lighting. The video contains brighter lighting effects such as strobe lighting. This element is conventional to the rap genre and the use of causes the video to become more interesting for the audience to watch. The strobe lighting is used to create different colouring effects for the images. For example, red colours are used through some of the video which connotes the idea and emotions of love and passion which causes the lyrics of the understanding to portray more of a meaning and directly links to them showing his feelings for his audience and his profession. This lighting is conventional and causes the audience to bond with the artist as his emotions are highlighted to them as the audience follow the artist's creation.

Within the 'Club Can't Handle Me' video by Flo Rida, cinematography is used through the feature of many close ups which links back to Goodwin's theory, as the artist is constantly promoted and shown to the audience. This explicitly shows the audience that he is the main focus although there are events taking place around him. This is conventional of the dance genre as this is used as a promotion tool and the audience are able to see their favourite artist within the music video. The audience enjoy seeing this as the artist is shown at a club, performing the song and enjoying what he's portraying showing that he connects to his profession and he wants the audience to identify that.

There are also constant elements of mise en scene included as the artist he wears expensive brands, for example jewelry which is conventional of dance artists.  This is extremely stereotypical of these artists and links to the setting and lyrics of the video. The use of this element causes the artist to promote his expensive lifestyle and that females in the club are interested in him because of this. The use of this mise en scene elements promotes the genre of music and Flo Rida to the audience, and makes fans of the genre look up to that lifestyle as well as inspire to be successful.

Within the video, cinematography aspects are use for example the use of a long shot when Flo Rida is in the club. This is used to highlight his lifestyle to the audience, which is conventional within dance/hip hop music videos. This shows a club full of dancers which is stereotypical and seems enjoyable to the audience and teenagers/young adults could even connect to this. The long shot also exposes the bright and colourful lights which causes the clips to become more interesting to watch and conforms to the genre and causes the club to look more inviting and fun. Overall, this is conventional to the genre as the artist's lifestyle is explicitly explored which is appealing to the audience.

Linking to this, there is also the use of fast editing throughout club scenes. This represents a fast pace life, the idea of there being never a dull moment. Which again, appeals to the audience as the use of these micro elements explores the idea that this is the ideal way of life. The fast editing also links to the use of iconography as there are expensive cars parked in front of the building, again to show off the artist's life style. The use of these elements appeal to the audience as they get an insight into the artist's life and would want it themselves.

Another element of mise en scene that is evident within the music video is that within most shots, the artist is positioned in the middle of the shots. This causes the audience to come into eye shot and take up most of the screen, promoting himself further. Being placed in the centre also highlights that he is the most important person within the video and promotes his talent and his importance within the song. This is conventional to the dance genre and appeals to the audience and the public are able to view the artist of the song, widening his audience.

Lastly, the 'Girls' music video by The 1975 contains many micro elements and conventions that present the electronic/indie genre. This is explored through the use of editing as at the beginning of the video Matty, the main singer of the band makes a joke of the video saying, 'we're not a pop band it feels like a really pop video the whole scenario it's not what we're about it needs to be black and white for a start' which is a theme that runs all the way through. The black and white causes a more electronic feel, appealing to that certain audience as well as creating a more vintage feel, which makes the video more interesting to watch.

Next, mise en scene is explored within the music video through the use of instruments. Firstly, this is conventional of an electronic/indie band and also highlights their talent and links to the lyrics within the song. The instruments also causes the video to link to Goodwin's theory and catergorise as a perfomance. Seeing the band perform is more interesting fore the audience to watch and conforms to a typical layout of a music video of the this certain genre.

Cinematography is also featured through out the video, including long shots of the band performing together. This explicitly promotes the band and their talents to the audience, which also conforms to the electronic/indie genre. The use of long shots allows the audience to view a large proportion of the scene therefore, as the background is very simple, attention is not adverted from the band, which highlights that they are the most important feature within the music video. This links to the idea that the band members look into the camera during this shot, involving the audience, and making the video more entertaining, creating the vibe of a concert.

The editing is very simple as continuity runs through out. From this we can infer that, the video is simply trying to portray a narrative as well as performance therefore there is no need for editing that adverts attention from the band. This shows a direct link between the lyrics and visuals as when the first 'just girls' begins the band gets transformed into a group of female models, soon adding 'uptight, just girls' as the girls take their job seriously and seem 'uptight' and never having fun/letting lose however the boys do not take it seriously and almost laugh at themselves for any pop elements. This creates a bond with the audience as they aren't arrogant and enjoy their profession rather than letting fame take over.

Linking to this when there is the pop element of colour, which Matty complained about in the beginning, it only occurs through his close ups. When there is colour, the lead vocalist seems quite bored which creates a paradox. This further creates an audience/artist bond as when there is colour behind him he looks uninterested highlighting that it is not a pop video. Further more, there are long shots where the band perform in black and white, and they sing and play the instruments obviously taking their music seriously however, messing around with each other. This highlights conventions of the chosen genre as well as adding hints of pop elements, which widens the band's audience.  This is a positive representation as they aren't trying to be something big and bragging about what they have like previous artists.

Overall, this research has uncovered how each individual artist portray their genre type within their music videos to appeal to their target audience through the use of different micro elements to represent themselves. Rap genres usually promote the artist and include the idea of a narrative discussing the private life to the audience, which creates a bond. Similarly, dance music promotes the artist throughout however, usually includes their luxurious lifestyle, as music videos within this genre can be set in night clubs and features the artist through close ups, wearing expensive clothing. The electronic/indie genre mostly appeals to a certain audience and includes different features than other music videos as a concept or a narrative are conveyed. I have been inspired by this research and am choosing to create a music video to an indie song and will be using micro elements that is stereotypical of this genre. Indie videos are made for a selected audience and due to unique features, can intrigue more audience which has inspired me for when producing my own music video.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Diversity- Miss Miller

A music video can be deemed as being diverse/unique when it breaks the mould set by conventional music videos. This can be done if the artist breaks out of their traditional genre for example, contains an irregular narrative or concept and changes the typical conventions. A diverse music video would not follow norms of popular/chart music and are typically consisted of a set of images/pictures, engaging the audience and intriguing them with new and unique ideas. 

Chris Cunningham is director born within the UK in 1970 who mainly focuses on creating music videos for electronic music. This director is also known for his controversial style applied to many of his directed music videos. This is evident as Cunningham has previously worked with many popular artists including 'Ahex Twin'. One of these videos include 'Come To Daddy' released in 1999. 

This video can be seen as subverting the electronic genre due to the portray of a negative and alarming atmosphere however, electronic music videos conventionally contain a positive atmosphere including regular conventions such as clubs and strobe lighting however, through mise en scene, the music video is in low lighting through out which causes the themes of darkness and mystery. This is overall unconventional of the electronic genre, as Cunningham includes his controversial style of work causing the video to become unique although presenting a bleak undertone.


Cunningham features subversive mise en scene features again as the setting looks like a typical council estate. Linked with the dark lighting, this gives off a negative vibe as well as showing a relatable setting to some of the audience. However, the use of this setting creates a bleak atmosphere as well as being unconventional of the indie genre as the setting is not expensive and luxurious which causes a more unique outlook.


Cinematography is also featured within the music video as many close ups of the artist are included, which links to Goodwin's theory as the artist is exposed/promoted throughout the whole video and provides the audience with exposure of the artist. However, this is featured in a negative and creepy way as the artist's face is edited on to children. This is unusual and some viewers may find this too strange and hold a negative opinion over the artist. Overall, although in a strange and unique way, the artist is promoted throughout the music video, in a unconventional way to the typical electronic video.

A music video for 'Window Licker' by 'Aphex Twin' released later in 2005, further following Cunningham's controversial work. 

Within the 'Window Licker' music video, electronic music is represented through the use of fast moving images/shots. This is evident though faster editing of people dancing within the video. This shows conventions of an electronic genre however, fits to the genre of R&B/Rap music mostly. It can be argued that Cunningham tries to portray a mixture of styles within the video thus making it seem more unique. 

The video also contains elements of the Goodwin theory as there are themes of women and the exposure of their bodies and voyeuristic treatment. This causes the artist to come across negatively to the audience and also portrays elements of the R&B genre, compared to electronic music, 



The video is also structured as a narrative due to the idea that girls are attracted to men with a 'luxury life style' with money and cars. This also leads to the formation of a concept based video as it raises the idea that women favour men that lead this lifestyle and possess a large amount of money. 

Lastly, the artist is represented in a negative way within the music video as the video features explicit language and events. The artist selects individuals that use explicit language and act in a negative way. This is unconventional of the electronic genre and again, causes the video to provide the outlook of a R&B video, causing the video to become more unique and diverse to typical videos within this genre. 

Michael Gondry a director born in 1963, France and has directed/produced many music videos, films and short films. Gondry has worked with many different artists and genres they classify into such as The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Kanye West, The Foo Fighters and Kylie Minogue. Gondry also directed 'The Hardest Button to Button' by The White Stripes.

Within the video, the band are represented through the use of costume that is less conventional to the garage rock genre as brighter colours are included other than the use of darker/bleak colours. However, the rock genre is shown through the use of a performance as music instruments are featured through out.

The band also perform through the video, which is conventional to the rock genre as there is instruments and performance become the focal point. This is conventional to the band's style which further highlights the artist's talent and their music to the public.

Goodwin's theory is also presented through the music video as the visuals and music link together. This is evident as faster editing is used as the pace/tempo changes and picks up, which is conventional to this genre and causes the video to become more exciting to the audience.







Lastly, the artist is focused on through out the music video. This promotes the band to a wider audience and excites fans as they view the artist through out the video, which is conventional of performances and the garage rock genre.








Gondry also worked with Kylie Minogue's for the music video 'Come into my world', which diverts videos within the pop genre.

Kylie Minogue is well known for being a pop singer and highlighting that genre however, this video is very unconventional to that genre. For example, the artist is wearing casual clothes and is walking around a normal, dirty looking street. This is unconventional to the pop genre as she isn't wearing a designer dress and the video isn't set in a glamorous location this already highlights that the video is diverse from the pop genre, and more unique for the audience to watch.

This video also contains elements of the Goodwin theory as there is a direct  link between music and visuals in two ways. The first is that she walks around to the beat of the music which creates a sense of rhythm linking to the next point that, the artist walks around in a circle through the whole video, which links to the music and lyrics being very repetitive and becoming a motif as the same lines are repeated for example, 'come into my world'.

The point above can also link  to the idea that the structure/style of this video is a performance as the camera follows her and only her the whole time. There isn't a sense of narrative within conventional pop videos and there isn't dance routines either, therefore the whole video is quite repetitive and diverse from others.




The artist is represented as being quite casual and laid back. She is being portrayed as the 'girl next door' as she does everyday things such as taking clothes from the laundry service. This causes the artist to be more relatable which is interesting and creates a more diverse video as in normal pop videos, the singer is very often shown to be flashy and materialistic and the theme of money usually runs throughout. From this video we can see that Gondry uses repetition, causing the audience to remember and reinforcing the same idea over and over in our minds.

Overall, diverse videos are very interesting as they do not stick to conventions that are conveyed in the usual genre. Within the music industry, the artist would be interested in creating a diverse video to be different however, choosing a diverse video has it's positives and negatives.

Advantages:
-Can make more money as it can stick in people's head and they may grow to like the song therefore purchasing it.
- Individuals may watch it more than once to understand it, which gains the artist more views on websites such as YouTube which can get them noticed.
- Linking to that, diverse videos can be eye catching and create more of a buzz as it's more memorable.
- Causes abstract to come to life.
- Appeals to a different audience.
- Gives the artist and intellectual/artistic appeal.

Disadvantages:
- The audience can get bored easily (for example Gondry's use of repetition).
- The video would be a harder to understand as it isn't explained whereas if it was conventional, or in a straight forward narrative structure, it would be easier.
- Harder to build a relationship with the audience.
- As the genre/style changes the artist could get disconnected from fans.
- Limited target audience.
- Explicit content may be censored or banned.

Cunningham and Gondry evidently use very different styles when directing music videos although both directors aim to make their work memorable and diverse to other music videos within specific genres, Firstly,Cunningham creates darker music videos that leave behind quite a negative atmosphere however, Gondry uses repetitive technical and can involve a number of varied meanings. Although using differing techniques, both of these directors aim to create a diverse/unique video for their audience to watch. It can be analysed that Cunningham creates abnormal/unrealistic videos for artists however, Gondry creates videos that are more true to life and relatable. Both directors also possess techniques to reach an audience. Cunningham aims to reach a wider audience as he uses a mix of genres in some videos for example, 'The Window Licker' music video however, Gondry aims to connect with an individual audience and fans that already support the artist as conventional elements are usually added rather than being overly unique.

To conclude, I believe that diverse music videos are a positive options and can work well in certain situations. Personally, I would be less likely to use Gondry's idea such as the use of repetition as as an artist you wouldn't want to bore your audience. A lack of audience means a lack of profit and publicity. As well as this, I would be less inclined to use Cunningham's style due to the use of swearing and explicit scenes and the negative narrative used within the 'Window Licker' music video. Concluding this, if they song is powerful and full of empathy, with a diverse music video it would be more harder to put those messages and feelings across.

Censorship- Miss Miller

Censorship can be described as suppressing the speech, communication or other information which can be considered harmful, sensitive, determined by media outlets, authorities or other such entitles. The use of censorship can protect younger children from harmful/inappropriate images and offensive language. The Office of Communications (Ofcom) is the regulator and competition authority for the UK communication industries. This authority regulates  TV, radio, mobiles, wireless industries of the United Kingdom. From research that I will provide, I have found that genres such as R&B are prone to censoring, because of lyrics related to drugs and alcohol and added offensive language and because of music video incorporating drugs and alcohol and sexual themes. This information was gathered after analysing the popular artist Rihanna as she has been renowned in media outlets recently as many of her songs and music videos are reported and even taken down from websites such as YouTube due to censorship.

Within groups we chose a current, popular artist, Rihanna and why her videos/lyrics are censored and what different groups of people think of this. We then discussed our points in a class debate.

The artist (Rihanna):
Rihanna is an extremely well known artist within the dance pop and R&B genres and is also known to possess an extremely passionate (and negative) opinion on the topic of censorship. However, her videos do contain elements that are extremely controversial and should not be seen by younger fans. For example, the music video for the popular song 'We Found Love' contains drug use, alcohol, reckless acts (such as drunk driving), revealing clothing, stealing, gambling, sexual scenes, self halm and suicide.

From research, it has been found that this video had been banned in countries such as France as it was deemed too inappropriate and offensive which is touched upon within the evidence below (from aceshowbiz.com).

This video also caused controversy within the feminist campaign as anti-rape organisations protested against this video as they believed that it glorified abusive relationships and that women are controlled by men. Of course, the director of 'We Found Love' and Rihanna herself, denied these allegations. 

It is made evident that Rihanna is known for her songs and videos being explicit. In many news paper articles however, she is shown expressing her anger towards the idea of censorship. For example, her song 'Pour it Up' was completely banned within a number of minutes. She sent out a number of angry tweets, such as this one added to the 'Pour it Up' article in Glamour Magazine:

In a few online interviews, Rihanna expresses that she uses music to express herself and her fans enjoy it. As an artist, it would be deemed aggravating if all your hard work was ruined and your music didn't sound the way it was intended. And Rihanna uses her music to express herself and she believes that it's up to members of the public if they want to listen to her songs/watch videos or not. Overall like many other artists, Rihanna believe that censorship ruins songs and want their fans to listen to their songs as they were intended to sound. Rihanna believes that fans between the ages of 16 and 28 would understand and appreciated her songs and music videos and that she isn't aiming to reach both younger and older groups as they are not classed as her target audience.

The record label:
Overall, it is evident that record labels aim to make their artist's popular, including their work (songs and music videos). Therefore, I believe that many record labels would be more content that songs and lyrics are censored or played at a certain time of the day (for example, not on day time tv/radio however played after the watershed) as a larger target audience is created. Due to songs being censored, they can be enjoyed by the young and old, therefore created a wider audience. As well as this, the song/music video would be able to be played more in the daytime not only after the watershed, therefore becoming more popular and heightening the chance of the song expanding on a global scale thus, promoting the artist and record label. Even though record labels may agree with artists and believe that products should not be censored, many record labels believe that censored versions of songs allow their artists to reach a vast audience and daytime tv/radio.

Parents FOR:
Parents for censorship are wary about products produced by the media (such as inappropriate songs on TV and radio) and are concerned about what their children are subjected to. Parents with this view would believe that the artist (Rihanna in this case) is able to express themselves in other ways not through reckless acts such as lyrics/music videos containing drug use, violence and other inappropriate topics and teaching their children to pick up bad habits. Parents believe that these habits should not be discussed as they are glamorised and promoted to their children.

Overall, their children are exhibited to uncensored songs in everyday life and it can be hard for them to access what their child is listening or watching as it is important to add that these types of songs with inappropriate themes (such as R&B and rap) are songs within the charts therefore are popular and could be deemed easier to hear and are overall more available. To conclude, these parents may believe that artists are role models to their children and should be promoting positive topics rather than negative habits however, it can be argued that parents should be their role models, not the artist.

Parents AGAINST:
In other cases, this group off parents would believe that their children are exposed to the videos and songs everyday such as TV and radio and internet therefore, there is no way to control or stop it and children will watch uncensored songs and videos, regardless. These parents can also believe that videos with negative themes can teach their children important life lessons, based upon what is positive and negative and possibly highlights that they shouldn't act like the artists in some cases. Linking to this, more tolerant parents would believes that they have taught their children enough on the subject of negative habits (drugs, alcohol, smoking, crimes for example) therefore, would believe their children are able to distinguish from right and wrong, and trust them to make the correct decisions in life, despite what they listen to. From being less overbearing, some parents would gain more respect from their child and believe that from watching these videos, their children will build their own morals. 

Fans:
Alike the artists, many fans believe that censorship ruins the artist's work and would prefer to listen to song as intended and a huge fan bases (such as fans of Rihanna) usually adore the artist so much that they wouldn't be concerned about explicit themes in a song or music video however  if fans really didn't appreciate the artist's songs to begin with, they wouldn't listen. They would overall prefer to be aware of what the artist wanted to say. any fans of Rihanna for example, range in ages. Younger fans of any artist can be restricted by the parents and are either too young for the artist's concert or need to he accompanied by a parent. However, other fans believe that censorship can ruin the overall song, therefore are against this idea.

British Music Channels- MTV/AKA:
It can be seen that music channels express mixed views on the subject of censorship. This is because on one side they can be deemed to be against censorship as they believe that songs should sound and be produced to the audience how they were intended however, it can be seen that if these music channels play these songs/videos can really influence them for example MTV, as they can change people's opinions on the channel as it can seem like they condone the behaviour that artists such as Rihanna displays. On the other hand, censorship allows songs to be played at any time of the day not only after the 9pm watershed, therefore the channel gains popularity

British Radio Stations- BBC Radio 1/Capital Xtra-
Radio stations also have a mixed opinion on the subject of censorship. This is because Radio 1 for example, want to play songs for all genres. And there is the belief that censorship can protect younger listeners from explicit content. Rihanna for example, had faced many negative comments and videos that have been taken down prior to 'We Found Love' as in January 2011, the music video to 'S&M' faced removal due to sexual scenes and behaviour. Evidence I found for this, is a snippet from a newspaper article as a DJ introduced Rihanna's 'S&M' as 'Come on'. During daytime hours, radio stations usually play censored versions of songs due to younger listeners. Other radio stations believe that some edited out words can be guessed anyway and is a negative aspect for the artist as it limits creativity.

To conclude, it is seen that the main opinion is that censorship is a positive aspect as it protects children from negative content and can be played more universally. My opinion on this subject is that it is pointless in some cases, as children are going to listen to whatever they want if they get the chance on the other hand, I do think it is a positive aspect as the artist can sell more records and more fans would be satisfied. Overall, I believe that I would follow the censorship rules as in some ways, censorship is mostly used in R&B and rap music which isn't my preferred genre also, I would gain a larger target audience from all ages and the song would be able to be played globally at any time of the day.

Research into music channels- Miss Georgiou

Music channels are a type of television programming that mainly focuses on playing music videos from artists. These channels are usually features on television channels on satellite and cable. Sometimes, music channels features their own charts. Overall, music channels are a positive source of promotion for artists and their music.

MTV music channel was released on August the 1st, 1984 and it's primary purpose is to play music videos from artists. When introduced, the channel was specifically for adults however, has changed it's initial target audience to young adults/teenagers around the ages of 11-25. MTV plays pop/chart music as it is a mainstream channel and appeals to the masses. It is the most popular channel that is available within the UK. Current popular artists that are played on a daily basis are Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, Pharell Williams, Sam Smith and Katy Perry.



MTV is owned by Viacom Media Networks and was introduced in 2005. This company also owns channels such as Viva, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central etc, which are all popular tv channels. MTV also provides shows such as Official UK Chart, MTV Rocks, Hot Hits, Top Ten Video Countdown etc. I believe that the channel is broken down into different channels to appeal to a wider audience, and that more people can enjoy the channel playing their genre for example, not limiting themselves to chart music and including 'MTV Rocks' creates more fans of the channel and of the artists promoted.

The logo appeals to the target audience as the black and white is bold and stands out however can't be seen whilst videos play therefore it doesn't distract viewers. Lastly, the font is in a graffiti style which adds to the young vibe without being childish although, the graffiti style 'TV' relates to the mainstream music and the teenage, target audience.

4Music is an entertainment/music channel is an entertainment channel within the UK that is accessible on most digital providers and was launched in 2008 and is a Channel 4 branded channel. The target audience for 4Music is teenagers to adults around the ages of 16-34. This channel plays more pop/current music and provides the pop charts.Typical artists that appear on 4Music are popular/currents ones such as Beyonce, Macklemore and Miley Cyrus.

The logo appeals to the audience as it is quite current as the font looks digitalised, appealing to the current technology era. However, it is simple, therefore the adults wouldn't find it too childish. The colour of the logo is pink, hinting that the channel appeals more to females, also.

Classic Rock is part of the Absolute Radio network. It formally was only available on the internet but now has its own channel, also and rebranded in 2008. The target audience for Absolute Classic Rock would be teenagers to adults, that are interested in that genre. The channel focuses on rock music and artists such as Queen, Aerosmith, Bryan Adams and Nirvana are incorporated.

The logo appeals to the target audience as it includes modern qualities and features and has a simple font however it is bold in black, adding to the rock genre and the type of music that the channel includes.


Magic music channel launched on the 13th of September, 2001 and is owned by Box Television. This channel is linked to the original radio station, and is known for playing more calming, daytime music. This channel appeals to adults in the age range or around 30-50 and features artists such as Michael Buble, Madonna, Kylie Minogue and Westlife.

The logo is very simplistic and relates back to the nature of the channel, as the logo is not overly extravagant and includes blue tones to create a more calming effect.

To conclude, from this research I have found that music channels are important in appealing to a target audience as this increases popularity for both the channel and the artists included. Channels do this by creating logos that link to the type of music that they play. There are also a wide variety of music channels to attempt to appeal to each member of the public for example MTV Rocks and MTV House. Fans of certain genres of music are able to listen and watch the artist because of these 'sister' channels, which raises promotion in a number of different avenues. From analysing music channels, I have discovered their large amount of importance within the music industry and how certain channels adapt to the genre they play. This research will help me with my production as I have realised the importance of genre characteristics as well as how important promotion is within the music industry and for the actual artist.

History of a music video- Miss Georgiou

A music video is a short film or series of visuals that assists a piece of a music which is typically a song. Within modern music, music videos are usually created to market/promote the song and the artist to a wider audience. Music made feature the element of a narrative, performance, concept or a mixture of the three.

Technology
Technology has changed and adapted within the media industry through out the years. Music videos can now be accessed by an audience as they are more available world wide through these technologies. Music videos can be accessed by music channels for example MTV, launched in 1981 and is known for being the most successful music channel around the world, audiences can now reach a music video and their favourite artists in an easier way. An example of this is social networking website such as Twitter and Facebook, as fans are able to get in touch with their favourite artists as well as share the videos with each other, promoting the artist further. Especially if a new song is released, as the title can 'trend' on Twitter, causing it to become more popular. Youtube has also played a huge role within the media industry and music videos as videos are more accessible around the world, on any device. Music videos can also be viewed as advertisements for example, within a television program, in cinemas before the film and at concerts (before an artist appears, different music videos are played to fill time). This again promotes the music video and artist to a wider audience. Before all of these elements, it more difficult to access a music video. This is because social networking sites such as MSN and Myspace were extremely popular however were less adapted than Twitter and Facebook, and have hardly been used since the introduction of these websites. Lastly, there used to be a lack of television channels for example, a time before SKY/BT and music channels when televisions only provided five television channels however, these adaptations of technologies have causes music videos to be promoted on a larger scale than ever before.

MTV

MTV is an entertainment channel operated by Viacom International Media Networks Europe. This was the first music channel, and was introduced on the 1st of August 1981. The aim of this channel was to provide music videos and the original target audience included young adults however today, MTV is primarily targeted at teenagers.The launch of this became extremely important for the music video as artists were able to promote their work/music. The first music video played on MTV was 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by The Buggles. From this, the audience were able to watch their favourite artist's music videos, and discover their attitudes and values to music and their audience. This provided entertainment world wide. MTV became extremely popular in locations where the channel was released, this is evident as record stores within these locations started selling more music that radio stations were not playing. MTV promoted artists such as Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson by playing their music videos. The artists became more successful due to being promoted to a wider audience that appeal to their videos. The popularity of the channel expanded as many 'sister' channels were created such as 'MTV Hits' and MTV 'Rocks', playing music videos of certain genres for example, rock music. This appealed to a much wider audience, as more music videos were broadcasted of different genres.

Youtube
Youtube has played an extremely important role within the media industry and the history of music videos. This is a video sharing website that was introduced in 2005. Through this website, people are allowed to upload their own videos and watch others and share them on other social networks. Youtube has caused videos more accessible to a larger/wider audience. Overall, music videos take up a huge portion of the website, as artists upload their music videos to their accounts. On the chart, it can be seen that around 98% of the chart is music based:

It can be seen above that the most viewed music channel is 'Gangnam Styles' with over 2,000,000,000 views. This shows how quickly music videos can spread (also from the technologies listed above) through social networking etc and how advanced technology is becoming to reach a wide spread audience. Another element that makes Youtube so popular is that there isn't a specific target audience as the website stars so many different music videos from many music genres. This is evident as popular artists are included on Youtube channels such as 'Vevo' for example, Kanye West, Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift. However, many artists can produce their own covers of songs and even create their own songs and share them. Justin Bieber, an extremely popular artist created covers and songs on Youtube and was discovered through this website.This overall highlights how beneficial the website is to music industry, in many ways.

The development of the industry and the introduction of technologies causes music videos and artists to become promoted. The release of elements such as Youtube and MTV, causes the audience to craft their own videos and show other elements of their life and work to the audience. This highlights their talents in other ways. Music videos cause the song to become easier to understand and makes the lyrics more meaningful. The genre is promoted to the audience by either subverting or conforming to conventions. The artist is also promoted causes the audience to create a bond, increasing their popularity, as well as the song and video. Popularity of these artists and videos can be seen through the number of views, which highlights how the media industry has adapted and the history of music videos from the first music video created to popular videos in this era.

Music videos are primarily created for the artist to provide visuals alongside their music and highlight their image to the audience, whether it be negative or positive. However, creating music videos can be extremely expensive to produce, due to technology and effects such as lighting. The most expensive music video that has been created is 'Scream' a hit from 1995 by brother and sister artist Michael and Janet Jackson, costing over $7 million to produce. The video is set on a huge spacecraft with approximately 13 pieces to the set. The director has discusses that lighting cost $175,000 and $65,000 computer generate spaceship. However, the video won a Grammy and an award for the best dance video at the 1995 MTV music awards.

To conclude, the research carried out has helped me analyse the history of a music video and how important music videos are to an audience. I have also found more information about previous and current technologies that are important within the music industry and when producing a music video. I have found that websites such as Twitter cause the audience to discuss new music video thus promoting them further, linking to the use of Youtube where videos can be watched on any device, around the world therefore reaching to a wider audience, therefore I will be uploading my final music video project on to Youtube.