We've revised our plans for Year 2 GCSE Media Studies after guidance from exam boards and school leadership. It has been made clear that all students must have completed the full course of study in order to be awarded a grade in the subject so we have mapped out activities before and after Easter in order to document this clearly. This week, we need to write an essay on the Music Video topic that links to the 20 mark essay that appears at the end of Paper 1, Section B. We will then take on the final topic, the Film Industry, in the weeks after Easter. Music Video assessment - blog tasks Create a new blogpost called 'Music Video assessment' and answer the following question in an extended essay: “Music videos are still important for artists to promote themselves to audiences.” How far do you agree with this statement? In your answer you must consider:
Social, historical and cultural contexts of music videos
One Direction – History and Arctic Monkeys – I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor
With schools closed and exams officially cancelled, we are very much in uncharted waters for exam students. However, we are going to continue posting the remaining work you need to do. The main reason for this is that the government has not made it entirely clear how grades are going to be awarded but they have said that any student unhappy with the grade they are given can sit exams next year to try and increase their grade. In case any of us find ourselves in that position, we need to make sure we have completed the course and learned every CSP. This means we have a simple job to do: finish Music Video and complete the Film Industry CSPs. Firstly, check you've completed the following:
We'll post the Film Industry CSPs over the next couple of weeks. We’ll be working on those up until Easter and then will see how things are looking after that. I’m so sorry you won’t get the chance to prove how brilliant you are at Media but I’m hopeful many of you will choose A Level Media and we will get the chance to work with you again. For now, we’ll email you the work each Monday and also post it to the Year 2 GCSE Media blog.
Our second music video CSP is Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor. Arctic Monkeys are an English indie rock band from Sheffield. The lead singer is called Alex Turner. Since forming in 2002, they have released six albums and won seven Brit Awards. They were one of the first bands to come to the public’s attention due to the internet, heralding a new way that bands are produced and marketed. I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor is their first single from debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not released with niche, independent record label Domino. It was released in 2005 and went straight to number 1 on the singles chart. Unlike One Direction, Arctic Monkeys weren’t put together by a record label, they were all friends from school. They formed in 2002 and wrote songs based on their lives and what they saw on nights out in Sheffield. They played pubs and small venues in and around Sheffield, and built up a huge following online using Myspace. Video analysis and audience appeal The power of the internet
Social Media was only starting to be introduced in the early 2000s.
You could chat to people with similar interests on chatroom or forums
You used AOL or MSN Messenger to talk to your friends, send emojis and share pictures and music
Myspace was released in 2003 and was one of the first major social networking sites. Myspace was used by bands and artists to gain fans without the need for a record company.
Arctic Monkeys' music was shared on P2P sites, though this wasn’t known by the band or promoted when they found out. It allowed their music to be heard by their audience
The sharing of their music encouraged people to talk about and share their music, which created a buzz about the band.
Their fan base moved online, creating online communities where they could share songs and information
Convergence and technology
‘Convergence’ is the process of combining different, often old and new, technologies to create a new or better product.
Technological convergence is the development of technology (such as phones and tablets) that allows us to access all types of media through one device. This has fundamentally changed the way music videos are produced, consumed and shared.
Technological convergence has created both challenges and opportunities for the music industry - both artists and record companies.
Arctic Monkeys: performance video
This is a performance video designed to look like a 1980s TV performance on programmes such as Top of the Pops or The Old Grey Whistle Test'. It was filmed using old 1980s Ikegami 3-tube colour TV cameras to give it an authentic, nostalgic effect.
The simple performance video subverts music video conventions that became steadily more complicated and narrative-based in the 1980s and 1990s.
It opens with the singer introducing the song and adding the words 'Don't believe the hype'. This could be a reference to the online following the band built up using Myspace.
Audience
Arctic Monkeys' audience are likely to be white, middle class and reasonably young. Psychographic groups might include Reformers and Explorers. Recent global success pushed the band into bigger psychographic groups such as Mainstreamers.
Audience pleasures would include diversion - the song is upbeat and fast-paced. Fans who followed the band from the early days might find a sense of personal relationship while many young people would get a sense of personal identity from the lyrics to the song (about going out to a club and drinking).
Older fans would enjoy a sense of nostalgia from the 1980s-style performance video.
Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor: Blog tasks
Impact of new/digital media on music industry You'll need to read our music video introduction and notes blogpost to answer some of these question. 1) How do audiences generally watch music videos these days? 2) What opportunities has the growth of digital technology and YouTube created for new music artists? 3) What is P2P and why did it cause huge problems for the music industry? 4) Do you think the internet has given audiences more power over who becomes successful in the music industry? Why? 5) How has Fortnite demonstrated the potential future for music videos and promotional opportunities for the music industry? You can read more on this event in this Verge feature. Arctic Monkeys: Industry 1) How did the Arctic Monkeys first achieve success and build up their fanbase? 2) Why was P2P file sharing an unexpected aspect to Arctic Monkeys' early success? 3) How does the rise of Arctic Monkeys differ from how One Direction were formed and became famous? 4) How has technological convergence changed the music industry? 5) Has the internet been a positive or negative development for traditional record companies? Why? Arctic Monkeys: Audience 1) What is the main Arctic Monkeys audience - demographics and psychographics? 2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor? 3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to Arctic Monkeys fans. Why did you choose those moments? 4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the Arctic Monkeys music video? 5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What does the artist want fans to take from their video? Grade 8/9 extension tasks Read this excellent Guardian feature on the Arctic Monkeys on the 10th anniversary of I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor. What key statistics can you take from the article concerning developments in the industry and the Arctic Monkeys' role in these changes? Read this BBC News report from the time - documenting the records Arctic Monkeys broke. Read this short blog on how the social media website Myspace helped the Arctic Monkeys make it big. What did the website allow the band to do? Finally, read this short Guardian feature asking if Arctic Monkeys changed the music industry. What does the article suggest? You'll need to finish this case study for homework - due next week Thursday.
Our first music video CSP is One Direction - History. One Direction are an English-Irish pop band forming during Series 7 of hit show X Factor and going on to come third. They were propelled to success through social media and become one of the most successful groups ever, breaking many records. Their third album was the best selling album in the world in 2013. After finishing the show, they signed a record deal with Syco Records (Simon Cowell’s record label) which is part of Sony, one of the ‘Big 3’. History is their final single and is taken from album Made in the A.M. By the release of this album, Zayn had left to pursue solo projects. The single is their last before taking a career break. They reflect the lyrics (looking back on their huge success) through featuring footage of X Factor, behind the scenes at tours, anecdotes and videos of all the members. This 2015 video self referentially covers the bands own history since their creation during 2010s X Factor. Their debt to Simon Cowell is acknowledged in this video. Video analysis and audience appeal Narrative
The song is about the history of the band and about moving on towards the future.
The band said it marked a ‘period of closure’ for them after the departure of Zayn Malik, who has left the band to pursue a solo career.
It features a performance element with each of the band performing live and dancing in unison, cut with black and white footage of all 5 original members on tour and ‘behind the scenes.’ This is nostalgic and will appeal to loyal fans as it will remind them of the band’s success and younger appearances, right back to the start of their career on X Factor (featured in the opening of the video) in 2010.
Lyrics such as ‘now my heart’s breaking’ and ‘you and me got a whole lot of history’ and ‘all of the rumours, all of the fights’ can be applied to a relationship between a girl and a boy, but also to the other members of the band.
Audience pleasures
Diversion through a feeling of nostalgia
Personal relationships: Fans were used to contribute to the single’s chorus. (Collaboration / example of Prosumerism)
Personal identity with the band members (following through Twitter etc.) who were marketed as ‘the funny one’ and the ‘handsome one’ and also relating to other like-minded fans.
Surveillance – insight into behind the scenes.
Intertextuality of previous tours and footage
One Direction - History: Blog tasks
Industry 1) How were One Direction formed and how is this reflected in the music video for History? 2) What is vertical integration? You may need to check your book for this (or remind yourself from this Year 1 blogpost.) 3) What is horizontal integration? (See link above for help again!) 4) How has technological convergence changed the way audiences consume music videos? 5) As a manufactured band, what influence do Simon Cowell and the record company Syco (part of Sony) have over the content and release strategy of One Direction music videos? You may want to read this text from an article in The Inquisitr about the relationship between 1D and Simon Cowell. Audience 1) What is the main One Direction audience - demographics and psychographics? 2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for History? 3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to One Direction fans. Why did you choose those moments? 4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the History music video? 5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What do the producers want One Direction fans to take from the video? Grade 8/9 extension tasks Read this Independent columnist writing about why she loves One Direction. What audience pleasures can you pick out from this article? Read this Huffington Post article about the video. What extra details are provided in the article regarding the construction of the video? Read this short Teen Vogue feature on the video. What does it suggest regarding the ending of the video? Finally, read this excellent Medium blog on the future of the music video in the digital age. Summarise the main points of the blog in 100 words. You'll need to finish this case study for homework - due next Thursday.
Our next media topic is Music Video. We will be studying the industry and audience contexts for this topic and need to cover two CSPs: One Direction: History Arctic Monkeys: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor We need to study the industry and audience contexts for these products: Industry: how music video is produced and marketed and how this has changed over time. Audience: Target audience and audience pleasures. How the internet has changed the position of the audience. PLUS: Historical, cultural and social significance of the music videos and the impact of the internet on the music industry. Music video will appear in Paper 1, Section B of Exam Section B is only on INDUSTRIES and AUDIENCES and will consist of: 1 short answer question 2 medium answer questions – one on audience, one on industry 1 extended essay style question on one of the media forms we have studied, possibly Music Video. These essay questions will require you to make judgements and draw conclusions.
Music video: introduction and history
Music video key conventions
Music videos typically feature movement – often fast paced either in terms of actors, camerawork or editing. Many contain a performance element or narrative. Music videos can also feature visual effects and intertextuality.
Music videos were originally designed as a promotional device to sell the band or artist’s music but have developed over time to become a recognised artform or product in their own right. Modern music videos no longer have the huge budgets of the 1980s and 1990s but digital media means they are now more accessible than ever. Videos such as Psy’s Gangnam Style have received over 3 billion views on YouTube.
Intertextuality Intertextuality is when one media text references another media text – through genre, conventions, mise-en-scene or specific cultural references.
Music videos often use intertextual references – often to classic films but also to television, popular culture, news, videogames or even other music videos.
Music video history
Originally, music videos were made like mini ‘films’ of the bands performing (e.g. The Beatles, Elvis)
MTV was launched in 1981 as a platform for music videos and the first music channel on television. Programs such as BBC show Top of The Pops also showcased music videos from the charts alongside ‘live’ stage performances.
In the 1980s and 1990s big budgets were spent on producing innovative and creative music videos such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller that had a film narrative, a well known director and featured intertextuality (horror films)
Music video in the digital age
In 2005 the launch of Youtube changed the way that consumers access and enjoy music video. Now self-promotion is more common.
The rise of new and digital media paved the way for bands such as One Direction ‘manufactured’ by the industry and increasingly promoted through convergence on social media to maximise profits for the record companies. Other artists were able to make it big thanks to YouTube, digital media and fans' word of mouth: Problems with piracy
Piracy became a huge problem for the music industry as they could not keep up with illegal downloading and streaming services where fans shared content for free therefore… The 2000s saw the rise of streaming services with subscriptions such as Spotify, Apple Music, Beats Music and (most recently) Youtube Music.
New platforms and music apps on smart phones mean that listeners are now becoming one-device consumers and using their phones for all media access.
Introduction to Music Video: Blog tasks Answer the questions below to complete your introduction to the Music Video topic: 1) What are the key conventions of music video? 2) What is intertextuality? 3) When did music videos first become a major part of the music industry? 4) What launched in 1981 and why were music videos an important part of the music industry in the 1980s and 1990s?
