History of a Music Video - Miss Georgiou

The introduction and progression of technology has meant that music videos can be accessed and watched more easily. Today, the most common and popular way of watching music videos is through YouTube which was established in 2005. In the past, watching music videos was a lot more difficult as YouTube wasn't around, however, the invention of the television in the 1920s meant that music videos could eventually be watched more easily. People watch music videos on television today through music channels such as MTV (the first ever music channel, founded in 1981) and 4Music which broadcast a constant flow of different music videos as part of their programmes such as 'Big Top 40'. Different music channels show different genres of music for example, whilst MTV and 4Music play chart music, Kerrang! plays punk and rock. The variation in music channels allows for an individual's music taste to be satisfied and fulfilled with a channel that will suit them. Music videos are so important that if a song doesn't have a music video, the song will not be played - common in the charts, especially because if the artist does not expect their single to become so popular so quickly, they may not have created a music video for it at that point. In 1982, CD's were invented which allowed people to buy their own copy of their preferred artist's songs on one disc to play wherever they liked. Previous to this the cassette tape was the way to listen to music, it was invented in 1962 but became the popular way to listen to music in the 1970's. CD's and cassettes allowed you to listen to music but you couldn't watch a video to go with it because it simply wasn't possible. Therefore, the popularity of music videos has grown as technology has done so as people are now able to access them easily and freely. 

YouTube

YouTube has been around for 10 years now, since it's establishment on February 14th August, 2005. It became a rapidly growing site - in July 2006 more than 65,000 new videos were being uploaded everyday and 100 million video views were being reached per day. The site became so popular and appealing that Google bought YouTube in November 2006 for $1.65 billion. YouTube allows people to watch videos for free - including music videos. 

Below are the top 10 viewed videos on YouTube - which happen to all be music videos, proving their popularity and importance of existence. 'Psy' is a South Korean artist  who has the most viewed video on YouTube - 'Gangnam Style' with over 2 billion views. The song alone is very catchy, so when complimented with a music video, it increases the song's popularity. Its lyrics have combination of Korean and English language which creates a wider, mass audience for the song. This makes more people search up the song because it is different, unique and understood by more people. The music video is most likely so popular because it's humorous and also has a simple signature dance move that goes with the song which people can copy. This signature dance move was included in order for the audience to feel more engaged in the song and consequently more connected to the music video. The audience benefit from this as they also connect a lot better with the artist as they can join in with the way they perform the song. 

MTV

MTV was the first ever music channel launched in 1981. It mostly plays chart music as it has a young target audience and this type of music generally appeals more to the younger generation. Below shows the first music videos that were shown on MTV. As the progression of music has developed over the years, different genres have become more popular than others. From the table, it is clear that MTV used to play more rock (rock pop, art rock) and synth pop, whereas now pop and R n B music is popular in the charts and so is often played. MTV has adapted to the change in the way people enjoy music and the genres that have become popular and most demanded. It is a music channel that has been successful since its existence and after 34 years it is still one of, if not, the most popular music channel there is at the moment seeking over 340 million viewers worldwide. The expansion of MTV means that all audiences can be satisfied and enjoy the content within - this is also the purpose of MTV. The have so many different branches that come off of MTV alone such as MTV Rocks and MTV Dance, which mean that every individual will find a channel that they will enjoy watching/listening to. 

Music Video Budgets

The table above displays the music videos with the highest budgets. At the top is Michael and Janet Jackson's 'Scream' with a budget of over $7 million. Having such a high budget meant that the music video could be made to a high standard and quality - especially for this time as in 1995, this is an even larger amount of money than it is seen as today. The whole video is in black and white, which creates a weird effect on the video - the artists do not look completely real. The lyrics of the song don't really have any similarity with the video but because of the weirdness of the video, it makes it memorable. People then remember the video and relate it back to the song, making them knowing of it and wanting to download it. Michael Jackson especially but also Janet Jackson are very well known for their successes. Therefore, with high success comes high expectations. The fact that the budget for this video was so high creates a buzz for the audience and makes them want to watch it anyway. It seems to be so popular for its weirdness but simplicity in the way that it is black and white and mostly focussed on the artists themselves. The video also allows the bond between Michael and Janet to be reflected which may be appealing to the audience and act as a benefit to them as they can connect to the artists. However, although the budget was the highest out of all the music videos, it is not the most viewed. This proves that although a song may have a good music video, it may not mean that it is the most popular, although, this may not be down to the music video but could be down to the song itself. 

The development of technology/special effects

'Video Killed The Radio Star' by The Buggles, was one of the first music videos made and was the first video to broadcast on MTV.  However, the video was released in 1979 and was originally aired on 'Top Of The Pops'. It was produced on a budget of $50,000, which isn't a lot compared to the majority of music videos today being produced on at least double that budget. It took one day to film and was edited in a couple of days. This is clear from the basic effects used within the video, such as overlapping (screenshot 1) and the simple transitions, such as the circular opening (screenshot 2):

Technology was not as advanced back then as it is today and so creating effects like they are seen today was not possible. People of that time would have thought that this video was high tech and impressed with the effects used as they wouldn't have seen any or much better. Therefore, the music video would have still impressed the audience. At this time of release, this music video would have been seen as being a lot more impressive than it is seen today. Technology and special effects were not as advanced back then and so, the audience benefitted at this time because they could witness an amazing music video. The audience of today also benefit as they are able to see how technology has developed noticeably over the years. 

In comparison, the music video of 'Touch' by Shift K3Y which came out in 2014, demonstrates the development of technology and effects clearly. Firstly, the graphics are a lot more sharp and display even the most intricate detail. This video uses lighting effectively and illustrates a clubbing atmosphere from the low-key lighting in black and white with the only colour being neon lights flashing and UV paint on certain parts of the body such as the hands:

 This atmosphere appeals to the target audience of young adults as they can relate to the setting and atmosphere. The effects used in this video is more the main focus compared to  the 'Video Killed The Radio Star' where the artist and narrative is more the primary focus. This shows just how important effects and technology has become for it to be the main focus of a music video - this is common for the dance genre. Music videos now also have larger budgets, meaning they have more money to spend on effects and the technology that is used in the video. More high tech effects can be used and better quality graphics can be applied to the video which benefit the audience as they can watch the video in better quality. 

The number of views on a video has changed over the years as technology has. Because people can access music videos a lot more easier now than before, the more recent videos tend to have the most views - proved by 'Gangnam Style' having the most views on YouTube. From the development of smart phones, people are able to watch music videos anywhere they like - all they need is an internet connection. The YouTube app makes it even easier for someone to see a music video because they are literally only a couple of clicks away. Social media also influences how many views a video can retrieve. Apps such as Twitter and Facebook allow people to get onto their accounts easily and keep up to date with their favourite artists. Twitter and Facebook allows for you to share YouTube and Vevo videos simply through a direct link, and so when an artist has just released a new video, linking it to their social media means that most of the fans will see the post as social media is so popular in today's day and age. Not only artists on social media influence the number of video views but also fans or just generally people themselves. They are also able to share videos on their social media, and also are able to tag friends into their posts. This creates a buzz around a music video as the comments that are displayed online can influence someone into watching it, even if they are not bothered about the artist but are just intrigued as to what all the buzz is about.

Music genres have developed massively over the years. For example, disco music was slowly disappearing as the 1980's approached and pop, dance and new wave was born. This was when Michael Jackson, Madonna, Tina Turner and Lionel Richie were at arguably their peak. The pop genre was different as to what is it now. These artists demonstrated more of urban pop whereas now artists such as Charlie XCX and Lady Gaga illustrate more electro pop with catchy hooks and dance beats. This type of pop is more technological and current, being more appealing to younger generations. As technology develops, so does musical genres and further adaptations can be developed, for example, pop was originally just one genre alone. However, within pop, the development of technology and years of music has meant that it now has many sub categories - electro pop, urban pop, indie pop, dance pop and many more.

This research will influence the planning of my own music video from the way it has outlined the importance of the way music videos have developed. In order to appeal to the target audience, music videos have to move with the times of technology. The most effective videos are the ones with either the high budget or an innovative narrative/performance within the video as people like to talk about it, especially if it is different, unique or relatable. Where you upload your music video is also important as you want to make sure its on a platform in which everyone can access - YouTube. When planning my music video, I will bare this in mind and take on what I have learnt from carrying out this research.

What is a Music Video? - Miss Miller

A music video is a moving image/short film that accompanies the song in which an artist is releasing. A music video has various purposes, for example, to express the artist's lifestyle is one, and possibly influencing others as a result of it. Most music videos are to either tell a story, reflect the meaning of the song or used for promotion of not only the song, but also the artist releasing it. Moreover, a music video ensures for a relationship to be built between the audience and the artist, especially if they can relate to the content of the video in any way. A further purpose of a music video is also to portray/create an artist's identity for example, Michael Jackson has an iconic white glove in which is featured in most of his music videos and so creates a symbol for him to be remembered/identified by. Music videos are also created in order to be memorable, so that the audience can remember the music video, then associate it with the song, meaning more people downloading the artist's song and also exploring the artist's previous/other work. 

There are three different styles of music video - the particular presentation of the content determines which style the video it will fall under, however, a music video can have more than one style within it, for example, Pink's 'Stupid Girl's' music video has all three. The first style of music video is 'Performance' - this style is demonstrated through the singing and dancing of the artist or someone relevant to the song/video. Secondly, the next style is 'Narrative' which is where a music displays the telling of a story within it whether that be with the artist acting in it or others. Finally, the third and last style is 'Concept' where the video sets an idea/theme or ideology to the audience, usually there is a meaning behind the video.

Taylor Swift is a world-known, successful music artist that has released a large number of songs and written over 600 tracks (some being for her own release and for other artists' use). In past years, she was more known for releasing songs from the country genre, however, she has more commonly become a releaser of pop singles - a very popular genre in the present day. I have chosen to analyse the music video for 'Blank Space' by Taylor Swift, one of her more recent singles, which belongs to the genre of pop. The main purpose of the video is to reflect the meaning of the song and tell a story about how a relationship has blossomed only to come to a sour end filled with arguments and torture due to the discovery of adultery committed by the partner. Taylor Swift has a reputation of having a lot of past broken relationships that are the basis of the majority of her songs. In the video, this is displayed and so, shows a purpose of feeding the audience what they want and living up to the expectation and reputation in which she has. It gives the audience an insight into her life and her personality, however, some parts may seem quite humorous, so on the other-hand, it could mean that the reputation of her is ridiculous and she has decided to portray it in more of this way than a serious one. It also has a purpose to allow audiences to relate. Cheating on partners, even though immoral, is fairly common and a lot of people have had to go through a breakup or difficulties in their relationship caused by a partner cheating. Taylor's reaction shows that you should not allow this and allows the audience to relate to the narrative and to Taylor more as an artist.

The style of the music video is performance and narrative. Both styles interweave between each other throughout the video, but do still relate as Taylor still acts in character during both the different scenes.

The screenshots located to the left are examples of shots of Taylor during the performance shots. The first is a mid shot but also a shallow focus shot, where Taylor is singing directly to the camera. The makeup as part of mise-en-scene clearly illustrates her character and the destruct in which the character feels due to the situation in which she is in. Her makeup is exaggeratedly running, creating more of an emphasised, hyperbolic nature of the emotion put across to the audience. Taylor acts in character still, so even though she is performing to the camera, the facial expressions and way she moves is still expressing the emotion of her character. She is shown in different ways throughout the video and this particular shot outlines this. The way that she is shown in this way where her makeup is not flawless and she is not happy portrays how people can have different sides to them. It also displays her negative thoughts on love and the negative way in which it has influenced her from the clearly saddening effect it has had on her. The second screenshot is another mid shot which is more of a purely performance style. This change in setting, costume and makeup reflects the change in the section of the song as this comes in at the bridge. The change creates variation within the video and creates a build up to the ending of the song. Taylor again is singing directly to the camera, creating a direct connection between her and the audience and allows the emotion she is trying to illustrate to be delivered successfully. 

These next screenshots to the left demonstrate the narrative side to the music video. The first screenshot is a mid shot of the couple cycling in a house of theirs. The expressions they portray are happy and positive, reflecting the good part of the relationship. This is found near the start of the video, so, it leaves for the narrative to grow throughout. The second screenshot is another narrative shot and is approaching half way through the video. It is a shallow focus shot of Taylor spotting her partner texting/on the phone to someone else (another potential lover). This develops the narrative as it is the part where it begins to go downhill for the relationship, the arguments and confrontation begin shortly after this discovery. The way in which this is acted at this part of the video demonstrates how it has affected Taylor (her character). It is clear from the facial expression shown in this shot that the reaction is a negative one and Taylor is not impressed with her discovery.

This next screenshot to the left demonstrates the following reaction to the previous narrative screenshot. This mid shot displays the anger in which Taylor feels and this shot demonstrates the style of both performance and narrative. The lyrics also reflect the anger in which she feels and so she sings as she is acting out and expressing the emotions in which, when complimenting with the lyrics, is very effective. Because of Taylor's reputation, the audience were half expecting there to be some sort of problem or obstacle that faces the relationship in the video. The lighting used in this shot shows the light coming from outside, whereas the lighting inside the house is fairly dim. This reflects that the negativity is present inside the house where they are supposedly arguing. The lighting also causes the main focus to be made onto the two individuals - which is appropriate for this scene.

There are many generic conventions for music videos of the pop genre. The genre has grown more popular as the history of music videos (and music in general) has developed. The following are just a few of many conventions featured in pop genre music videos:

In the majority of pop genre music videos, there is at least one love interest. The screenshots (close up and shallow focus) clearly demonstrate the man that is the love interest in this video. Not only is there always a love interest but they always happen to be attractive. His hair, makeup and costume makes him appear immaculate and smart, further making him more attractive on camera. This more likely attracts the audience more and further allows them to want to buy into the artist's lifestyle. Taylor's love interest is featured in most of the video as we see the development of the relationship between the two. The narrative concerning the love interest in a pop music video normally has some sort of problem, or overcomes a problem or ends happily. This music video has a slight twist at the end, as a new face arrives and an inferred next potential love interest since the last one failed. This feeds Taylor's reputation of having a number of partners in a short space of time, making it appeal to the audience. 

Another typical convention of a music video from the pop genre is a large/expensive setting. As distinctively demonstrated in the screenshot, the setting looks pristine and the large area of land of which it is on gives the impression that the character owns a lot of money. From seeing the impressive views of the setting captured so vividly from the high angle shot screenshotted to the left, it makes the audience want to live the lifestyle of the artist. It gives them something to aspire to be like and demonstrates what success can give you in return. It also could reflect however, that money cannot buy everything. The narrative portrays Taylor in an unhappy relationship in the video and so even though she displays wealth, happiness is a lacking feature as the relationship develops. 

Titles of songs with the artist name appearing at the beginning are most commonly found in music videos from the pop genre. This is part of the editing within the film and gives a clear indication of the artist before they appear onscreen, creating an identity before the video has even properly started. Moreover, it also could be inferred that it emphasises the recognition the artist should get for the track. Audiences straight away know the music video's title of the song that compliments it, the artist and also usually the director of the video as-well (which also appears in this video just before 'Taylor Swift Blank Space'. When there is writing in a music video, it somehow attracts the audience's attention more as it is more effort to read what is on screen as opposed to purely just watching. Editing this in after the video has been filmed, ensures professionally and accuracy, as well as a chance to develop the font into something conventional/ The artist having a different style font to the song name makes them very distinct from one another, outlining the difference between the two. This appeals to the target audience as they can clearly acknowledge and associate themselves with the artist and the song.

This music video is likely to have the target audience of girls/women. The situation in which the character (Taylor) gets into is relatable to more women as statistically, more men cheat on women than the other way around. Taylor is shown in various costumes throughout the video that would be more appealing to girls/women as they generally care more about appearance and attention to detail - this is one of the elements they are more likely to spot. The same way that they would notice the immaculate nature of her makeup and the way in which she is displayed as a successful, powerful woman. The way in which she acts in the narrative could be satisfying for a girl/woman who has been in the character's situation from the way Taylor seeks revenge for what the partner has done. The video displays Taylor as someone to look up to for girls/women for her success, money and for the way she deals with the situation of her partner cheating. 

From analysing this video i have learnt that target audience is very important. If the video doesn't appeal to the target audience, it can determine how successful the song will be. The target audience are supposed to be the guaranteed viewers for the video which makes it crucial for the correct conventions and features within to appeal to them. Conventions need to be generic and consistent throughout not only to appeal to the target audience, but also to make sure that the correct genre of music is identified. Music videos are very effective in the way that they allow audiences to create a relationship with the artist when otherwise the only way of seeing them perform would be live or on television performing. A narrative, concept or performance music video allows the personality of the artist to come across which I don't think is important just for the audience but also for the artist and the way in which they promote themselves. Music videos also allow the audience to connect with the song as they are more likely to understand the lyrics/meaning of the song, giving a more likely possibility that the audience can relate. I really liked the way the narrative and performance style of music video interweaved each other in the music video in which I analysed. I think it creates entertainment for the audience as they can witness the artist performing, but also follow a narrative which compliments it as well. The pop genre also offers a lot of options for a narrative because the pop genre is so varied with the content of each pop song being quite different but mostly upbeat. As a result of this analysis I will consider incorporating these features ideas into my own music video.