Questionnaire

Tutorials

This weeks tutorials from teachers included the following feedback and information:

• Lyric and Textual analysis are both strong
• 2 each for the analysis are up to same standard
• we should start to produce our questionnaire and collect results

Overview of textual analysis'

From the analysis I have completed on my blog, i have learnt some things which are effective within music videos which i may wish to apply to my own production.

A variety of lighting, in terms of colours and filters, is highly effective and bring a different mood to each scene, for example the Disclosure video uses warm, orange filters or lighting which gives a romantic light which is relevant to the acting as well as the lyrics, therefore this is something i should consider in my own production.

Both videos in which i analysed used dark and indoor lighting for scenes which have negative connotations or emotions tied to them. This is effective as it highly contrasts from the positive scenes and creates a clear distinction between parts of the narrative so that they are easier to follow. If i was to use a story-line with contrast in positive and negative emotions this would be something for me to consider.

Attractive characters are used in both videos which i analysed and this is also something I should consider I'm my own production, although it is not completely necessary, it may be preferred by viewers compared to that which revolves around people whom are not as interesting to look at.

Setting is a key feature of both videos i have analysed, they are both set in unusual places in the way that they are not what people are used to from day to day life, we should consider this by possibly choosing to film in a vast area such as that in the Iggy video, or to visit attractions, as is seen in the Disclosure video. Despite not being able to travel abroad or a far distance to film our production, we can take advantage of attractions in local areas such as London.

Disclosure Lyric Analysis

I’ll be giving up, oh
Home is where the heart is,
And I gave it to you in a paper bag
Even though it’s tarnished
You told me it’s the best you ever had
You got my secret combination
And I don’t be giving that out easily
With my deepest dedication
You can tell that you were brought the same for me

Within this verse, it appears that the female artist is in love with a male, whom she has given her all to, although she was not fully healed, which may have been from a previous relationship. However, despite this, whoever she is now giving it to, is appreciative and loves it the way it is. She has given him her 'secret combination' which may mean that she has revealed her true self and let her barrier down, which she has been unable to do for anyone else, as she doesn't give it out 'easily'. The last line almost suggests that they were meant to be together and that they are right for one another. 

So please don’t let go, cause you know exactly what we found
So please don’t let go my darling
You keep me locked up underground
It’s gonna be you and me
It’s gonna be everything you’ve ever dreamed
It’s gonna be who and me
It’s gonna be everything and everything, we’re meant to be
We’re meant to be

The chorus reinforces the first verse in the way that this girl does not want the boy to go, as she is in love with him and believes that what they have found is worth keeping for as long as possible. She also believes that what they have, will be everything that he has every dreamed and that they are meant to be.

Rolling with the punches
So they won’t get inside our happiness
Love is always hunted,
But your arrows are soaring through my chest
Cause you know you give me something
Yeah you give me exactly what I need
Got my blood pumping
You know you always draw more blood, I bleed

Within this verse, it seems that they keep anything away from hurting them which suggests that they have a strong relationship together. She claims that things are always trying to get in the way of love, but this has not happened with these two and they protect each other from pain. She then claims that he gives her exactly what she needs, her blood gets pumping, this suggests that she always feels happy and thrilled to be around him and everything which she wants in a person is achieved along with more.

So please don’t let go, cause you know exactly what we found
So please don’t let go my darling
You keep me locked up underground
It’s gonna be you and me
It’s gonna be everything you’ve ever dreamed
It’s gonna be who and me
It’s gonna be everything and everything, we’re meant to be

In you’re big house on the hills
Where you keep your dollar bills
And you stashed my heart
Somewhere in the dark
Keep it safe I know you will
Know you will, know you will
Know you will
I know you will

Again, the theme of being in love is shown in this verse as she acknowledges that she has given her heart to whomever she is with at the moment, and she believes that she can trust in him and he will look after it and keep it safe. This means that she is confident that he will not hurt her and that she is safe with him

Music Video Analysis- Disclosure You and Me

This music video begins with a couple packing bags and heading off for somewhere which is currently unknown, the lighting is dull and dark and is suggestive of an environment which lacks thrill and excitement. The main characters in the production are clearly a couple which is suggested through their mannerisms and body language, when in the airport and on the boat they are very close and seem to have a strong romantic connection. Several of the following sequences still remain dark lighting however it is clear that the couple in the video are going on a journey which is seen through the shots taken within the car and other transportation methods, the shots on the female character also suggest a long and tiring journey. 

It becomes clear through traveling shots of road signs that the couple are approaching Paris, the scenes shown are still keeping consistent with dark shots however this is mainly due to weather and may not be deliberate. The focus is mainly on the couple as they laugh and have fun to the nightlife and entertainment side of the country. Shots of the couples dancing and enjoying themselves are shown along side the lyrics 'Please don't let go, cuz you know exactly what we've found'. Here the picture is working alongside the image on the screen and is suggestive of a happy couple whom enjoy spending time with each other and do not want the time to end. A range of shots are shown in different locations but all including a centre shot of the couple, when the artist sings 'Its gonna be you and me' repetitively. 

There is a range of shots in this video with the focus moving between both the characters and their surroundings, the characters are used for the narrative of the lyrics however for a professional looking production, the vast and international settings are used. Attractive characters are used within this video and they are around the same age as the artists themselves, due to the genre of this track (garage, dance music) it is often suggested that the target audience are young, therefore the actors are suitable for this video. 

The couple are shown to go through some struggles in the video due to what is happening around them, and this is shown through reaction shots and dim light, however when the 'you and me' line is repeated again, there are numerous shots shown of the couple together, appearing in love and content with themselves. Sunset shots are used later into the video, this gives a romantic vibe and also a calming feel which is effective after the argumentative section of the production. 

Within the final scenes of the video, both the characters and the artist are featured in a party environment, this promotes the track and the artist however it also remains within the narrative of the production therefore is still effective. Overall this video is highly successful in terms of creating a powerful narrative which is relative to the lyrics on the track, ideas of romance are connoted through the whole production along with the video being continuously changing in setting and colours to keep the video interesting. 

Iggy Azalea Lyric Analysis

Walk a mile in these Louboutins
But they don't wear these shits where I'm from
I'm not hating, I'm just telling you
I'm tryna let you know what the fuck I've been through
Two feet in the red dirt, school skirt
Sugar cane, back lanes
3 jobs, took years to save
But I got a ticket on that plane
People got a lot to say
But don't know shit bout where I was made
Or how many floors that I had to scrub
Just to make it past where I am from
During this verse it is clear that Iggy is almost trying to tell a story with her lyrics, rather than simply attempting to make a song, she has a message. As the 4th line explains, she wants people to know where she came from and what she went through, this is so that people stop judging her and accept her for who she is and what she has done to become successful. The lyrics are simple and clear, she explains that she had 3 jobs and she saved for years to come to America to pursue her dreams. Iggy explains that people have a lot to say about her, because she is not a stereotypical rapper nor is she from a well known area or a place which creates much success within celebrities. This links to her last line, as she says she has to make it past where she is from, as she wants to prove that something big can come from somewhere so small.

No money, no family. 16 in the middle of Miami.
Iggy repeats this line 4 times, this line is strong within itself as the audience can picture her alone without money or support at a very young age in which most people are in a steady home environment or in education. As well as this, Miami is a large area and is often known for danger and crime, therefore this makes her appear vulnerable and should make people increase their respect for the struggle she went through to achieve her dream.
I've been up all night, tryna get that rich
I've been work work work work working on my shit
Milked the whole game twice gotta get it how I live
I've been work work work work working on my shit
Now get this work
Now get this work
Now get this work
Now get this work
Working on my shit

The chorus of this song reinforces her work and effort to become successful, although this section is used more musically and to create a rhythm, the lyrics still reinforce the true nature and emotion of the song and message she is trying to portray.


You can hate it or love it
Hustle and the struggle is the only thing I'm trusting
Thoroughbred in a mud brick before the budget
White chick on that Pac shit
My passion was ironic
And my dreams were uncommon
Guess I gone crazy, first deal changed me
Robbed blind basically raped me
Ran through the bullshit like a matador
Just made me madder and adamant to go at em
And even the score
So, I went harder
Studied the Carters till a deal was offered
Slept cold on the floor recording
At 4 in the morning and now I'm passing the bar
Like a lawyer
Immigrant, art ignorant
Ya ill intent was insurance for my benefit
Hate be inconsiderate, but the industry took my innocence
Too late, now I'm in this bitch!
You don't know the half
This shit get real
Valley girls giving
Blow jobs for Louboutins
What do you call that?
Head over heels

This verse gives a stronger image of the real struggle she went through. she is aware that her dreams are not that of an everyday white australian female as she states that her dreams were uncommon. She explains that her first deal changed her, but not in a positive way, she had an extremely bad experience in which she was robbed and cheated. However she fought through the trouble as she claims that it made her stronger as she used her strong anger and emotion to become something bigger and better. She worked hard at early hours in the morning, fighting for what she believed she could do and deserved. She then claims that people do not understand or know the full story of what people have to do to become successful, this then leads on to the Valley girls giving sexual favours for money and luxuries. This implies that in some cases, talent alone cannot give you success.


No money, no family. 16 in the middle of Miami.


I've been up all night, tryna get that rich
I've been work work work work working on my shit
Milked the whole game twice gotta get it how I live
I've been work work work work working on my shit
Now get this work
Now get this work
Now get this work
Now get this work
Working on my shit

Pledge allegiance to the struggle
Ain't been easy
But cheers to Peezy for the weeks we lived out of duffel
Bags is all we had
Do anything for my Mum, I love you
One day I'll pay you back
For the sacrifice
That ya managed to muscle
16 you sent me through customs
So….
All aboard my spaceship to Mercury
Turn first at the light that's in front of me
Cause every night Ima do it like it's my last
This dream is all that I need
Cause it's all that I ever had
Within this verse, Iggy shows her appreciation for those who helped her along the journey, along with her Mum, whom she claims to love and wants to pay back for all of the stress and sacrifice she went through to send her 16 year old to reach her dreams. She then talks of boarding her spaceship, she believes that she is now higher than ever and can only continue to live the dream further, she claims that she will do every night like it was her last, because dreaming is the only thing she has always has and needed therefore its all she needs in the future.

Now get this work
Now get this work
Now get this work
Now get this work
Working on my shit

Music Video Analysis- Iggy Azalea Work

This music video begins with Iggy in a glamorous, minimal Dolce and Gabbana outfit, walking through a vast and empty desert. The light in this scene is natural and bright and the general mise en scene here is representitive of where she is from. She has a single bag packed in her hands and is alone, as if on her way toward a significant milestone in her life. This links to the lyrics, as she is trying to let people know what she has 'been through', along with this, the repetition of 'no money, no family' links to her single handed journey to USA to pursue her dreams. Also within this video, shots are shown of bikes, shoes and tires setting on fire, these are all significant as they represent Iggy burning away her past and embracing her new success and 'Louboutins' which is a repeated reference in this video. 

Throughout the next scenes, there are numerous shots symbolising her previous home in Australia, a small town with a small population. Café s, trailers and trucks are all shown however Iggy flaunts herself around them in glamorous attire, this is suggestive of her being a rare individual whom broke away from the county life style to reach fame and fortune. However it also shows that her home is still always with her and part of who she is. In the next scene, Iggy rides around her trailer park on a bike, in the latest fashion and high heels, reaction shots are used to show the characters around her watch in awe and confusion, this links to the lyrics as she sings 'my dreams were uncommon'. 

The next scene contrasts from the most recent as it becomes indoors and within a dark setting. The scene is filmed in a bar/night club where Iggy wears a very provocative outfit. In both the lyrics and the video, representation of young girls whom are hungry for money and fame is shown. Iggy portrays herself as one of these females as she gives a lap-dance to an older man whilst singing about 'valley girls' giving sexual favours for 'Louboutins'- again suggestive of the desperation for wealth and attention within young girls in USA. However despite some negativity in her lyrics and video, Iggy ensures that her message remains positive as she explains how her hard work paid off through her lyrics and her video. 

During the next scene, Iggy manages to ride away in a car back through the desert towards LA which she can now call her home. She refers to her mother during the lyrics in this song, rapping 'i love you' which works well alongside the video as she is gaining her freedom through her own independence which would not be possible without her parents support. As she pulls up to LA in another glamorous outfit, she sings that 'this dream is all that i need', not only does this then conclude the video to the idea that her hard work paid off and she has made it to fame and success, but that she is not hungry for more nor is she ungrateful for what she had because she did it all through hard 'work'.

Preliminary Video

We filmed this video in order to get a sense of camera angles and shots that are effective in a music video. Although not perfected, this was just a draft we could use to practice lip syncing in final cut pro. It made us realise that getting the track and the footage in time is something that needs to be done with extreme attention to detail because it contributes to the overall professional look of the video. Therefore lip-syncing is something we need to keep at the front of our mind when filming. Also on review, in the final video we need to include a variety of settings and camera angles to keep the audience interested.

Action Plan

Week 4 – Preliminary Video

Lesson 1 – Film scenes of the music video

Lesson 2/3 – Edit footage together + sync song

Lesson 4 – Upload to Youtube and Blog with a  brieg explination

Week 5 – Textual Analysis

Lesson 1/2/3 - Conduct textual analysis on 4 different music videos (2 each)

Lesson 4 – Finalise and upload to blog

Week 6 – Questionnaire/Mood Boards

Lesson 1 – Plan and devise questions for questionnaire

Free Lesson – Collect data

Lesson 2 – Analyse data – create charts

Lesson 3 – first half: upload onto blogs

                    Second half: Create settings moodboard

Lesson 4 – finish settings moodboard and create character moodboard

(upload to blog)

Week 7 – Theory and Create storyboard

Lesson 1 – apply uses and gratifications/Andrew Goodwin’s theory to our findings

(upload to blog)

Lesson 2/3 – Begin to plan and create storyboard (draft)

Lesson 4 – university visit (absent)

Week 8 – Storyboard

Lesson 1/2/3/4 – refine and expand on draft, correct any errors and add in any ideas to the draft of the storyboard to make a second more detailed storyboard. 

Any additional blog work taken place in free lessons or in free time