Music Video: An Introduction

1) What is the purpose of a music video?

 The basic premise of a music video is to market and sell a product; the product that is mainly sold is the song, but other marketed things would be, the album the song is in, the artist or band, any possible tour, merchandise etc. 
2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

 The digital age changed the music industry entirely; first, it opened up the distribution of the music video industry from the music labels limiting where the song could be played, a significant difference to how it is now, with it being wildly available on social media and music streaming services such as YouTube and Spotify. Production of music is in a change from CD's and vinyl to Itunes and once again, music streaming services. 
3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

 Sony music entertainment
Universal music group 
Abu Dhabi media (along with EMI) 

 These three record labels created VEVO in order to have audiences watch music videos from the official source rather than a third party uploader 
4) What are the key conventions of a music video?
  • Movement
  • A band or artist 
  • Lip-synching 
  • Narratives
  • Intertextuality

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

 A music video may use narrative to give a visual queue to the lyrics in the song, or could be entirely independent from the song e.g. Free ASAP rocky by ASAP rocky follows a narrative that's entirely different from the song lyrics, while a song such as I Was a TeenageAnarchist by Against Me! features a loose narrative which links to the song’s lyrics.

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

 example, I Was a Teenage Anarchist by Against Me! features a loose narrative which links to the song’s lyrics.

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

 Intertextuality acts as an easter egg of sorts for audiences, the audience actively tries to find the different examples of intertextuality, becoming another form of entertainment for them. 


8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:

 Music video of choice, 3005 by Childish Gambino 

  • Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)
    • The music video tends to remain quiet static throughout, only example of performance being lip-synching, the with the only instance of movement being from the movement from the Ferris wheel and the occasional camera movement. 
  • Intertextuality
    •  There are not many forms of intertextuality in this music video
  • Representation
    • Childish Gambino is represented as being quite unphased to the gradual end of the world around him, along with this he's shown as being quite unemotional throughout due to his lack of facial expressions
  • Audience
    • The target audience for this music video and song is for (most likely) university students and or hardcore listeners to the rap/R&B music genres. This is due to the unconventional sound and look to the video
  • Institution
    • The song was released on his YouTube channel "Donald Glover"

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?
The typical conventions of what made a hip hop music video were set with this video e.g. a low rider, gang culter, baggy clothes etc.
 

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2018? Are music videos essential to a band or artist's success?

 I feel like a music video is now an essential aspect to any song release, it's no longer a caveat and is now a requirement that audiences expect from the music aritist  

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