Website Progress

We planned and designed our whole website and began creating it on wix. We found the template that best fitted our ideas and began to change the things we wanted to. As we began to fill it all in we found that some things were not quite working as we had hoped. We found that the homepage layout did not look quite right as it seemed too simplistic and empty. To try to make it look better we had to place 2 photos on either side. Although this made it look better it still wasnt how we wanted it to look. We had also wanted to have a chatroom in the fan page however it looked too simplistic. The only chatroom available made the website look amateur. I also thought the layout of the shop did not look professional enough and this whole page needed a lot of work to organise it properly. After looking at other layouts I have decided to try a different layout to see if it looks any better. I have not quite finished this new website but it is already looking much better.
Here is a link to our previous website:
Kate Nash Website

Star Image Change- Azealia Banks

From Azealia Bank’s first music video ‘212’ she appears to be a very down to earth artist. The use of the mise-en-scene is very urban. By using a brick wall as the background and the having the star wearing casual clothing it makes her seem as though she is relatable. The lack of drastic makeup or hair styles also helps to create this image. The use of the almost jokey dancing, looks as though the artist is just having fun as opposed to making a serious music video. As this is her first music video this all works together to create her star image.  The use of the black and white also gives it a more stylistic look but also helps create the urban feel. The majority of the music video is filmed with close-ups or medium- close ups with the occasional medium long shot. This creates a more personal direct link with the audience.

Azealia Bank’s second music video for ‘Liquorice’ has a very different feel. This contrasts to her previous music video as this has a dramatic mise-en scene and a much more staged feel. It is clear that this music video has a much higher budget as the costumes and locations are extravagant. She artist also appears to have a much more sexualised approach as well as being more serious. This shows a complete change from her star image created by ‘212’. The majority of her music videos since ‘Liquorice’ have also seen this new star image be shown and maintained. Many artists do not normally have this much of a drastic star image change from one video to the next. One reason for this dramatic change could have been the success of her first single.

Photoshoot

Today we did a photoshoot for the digipack and website pictures. We had access to the professional equipment as my mum is a photographer. We set it all up in my living room, this included the backdrop and lights. We then tried various different outfits to see which ones suited our artist. We decided to have different types of shots including ones which looked as though they were from a photoshoot as well as some more fun shots which show the personality of the artist. We were given some tips on how to use the equipment but we both learnt a lot through using all the proper equipment to create good quality pictures. I am really happy with how the pictures looked and I am looking forward to editing them all and putting them on the website.

Album Cover

I have chosen an image from a photoshoot we did. Above is the original image I thought would look good as an album cover. I have then used photoshop to edit them with a few different effects. Here are a few of the edits:

I then had to add the album title and artist's name. I chose this colour as it fitted with the red lipstick seen throughout the music video. The paralinguistic features used in this image also link with the music video. The use of the 'shh' gesture symbolizes the artist wanting nothing more to do with her boyfriend. This links with the narrative we have used in the music video. Our artist would be well known for wearing the bright red lipstick and this is portrayed in the album cover through the use of the lips image as well as our artist wearing the red lipstick. I have not yet chosen pictures to go in the rest of the digipack.

Voyeurism- Kanye West

The voyeurism seen in Kanye West’s ‘Gold Digger’ is different to that seen in Rihanna’s music video. The main reason for this is the difference it artist gender. In Rihanna’s music video she is seen is being sexually desirable and the central focus of the men in the video. However, in Kanye West’s video the women are seen as sexual objects as he is the main focus throughout. The use of the mise-en-scene helps to create this voyeuristic view of women. The use of minimal clothing that highlights the sexualised features and exaggerated makeup makes the women appeal to a male audience. The camera is also shot as if from a male perspective, which highlights these features. The use of fragmented shots of body parts also adds to this sexualised approach to the music video. Paralinguistic features have also been used to highlight this sexually desirable appeal to men. The use of the seductive looks and the poses also accentuates certain body parts. The female characters also often look directly into the camera through their lashes which is often seen as very sultry, flirty behaviour. Attention is also drawn to their lips which has sexual connotations. The men in this video are often very stationary which draws more attention to the female characters. This also shows they are more dominant as the women dancing around them. It is almost as though they are aiming to please the men. 

Website Research 2

Justin Timberlake's countdown website is very different to the other websites I looked at. This website was just a countdown site to the release of a new single. It features an autoplay of the new video and links to buy the single on 'Amazon', 'iTunes', 'Google Play', 'Spotify' and 'Myspace'. There is also an open letter from Justin Timberlake. This adds a personal touch and a direct link between the artist and his fans.

Pink's website is also mainstream and features many of the same features including; tweets, photos, videos, tour dates and news. The use of fan activity again allows for this link to be made between the artist and the fans. There are various fan photos on the site as well as professional photos of Pink looking very glamorous.

Marina and the Diamonds website was particularly key for research as it is also from the genre of 'Indie Pop'. Key features are still seen in this website including; news, photos, videos, shows, lyrics and the store. This allows fans to purchase merchandise for example, jewellery, t-shirts and accessories. A unique feature is the use of the exclusive free download of  a song and the members only area. This means her members will feel exclusive and have a closer link with the star.

Website Research

I researched various different websites to discover some codes and conventions to use as a base when creating our own website. I looked at various different websites from different genres to get an accurate idea of what should be included in a website. For my website, I plan to use some of the ideas from various different types of website to create a website that will suit our artist. It is important to stick to some of the conventions of these websites but also have creativity that will attract and appeal to, our target audience.

Beyonce's is a mainstream artist and her website reflected this. There were various pages including news, events, photos, videos, history and community. There was also a subscribe feature that allowed fans to receive email updates from the website. The use of the 'community' feature also shows Beyonce is a main stream artist as there are various forums for fans to communicate with each other. The use of social networking sites such as 'Facebook' and 'Twitter' also allows a direct link with the artist. I liked the use of the behind the scenes images as this had a more personal touch for the fans. The use of the banner image of the star is also effective as it has the date to her show on the 'Super Bowl half time show'.

This website was very different to most of the other websites I looked at as this was run by the record label 'Roc Nation'. This website features many pages dedicated to various artists. This means the information on this website is very limited. It has background information and a main image of the star as well as news about videos and awards. Although you cannot specifically subscribe to news about one artist you can subscribe to a newsletter from the record label.

Lady Gaga's website is also very mainstream however there is an artistic touch to it. Tour dates are featured on the main page as well as a live twitter feed. This allows her fans to have a direct link with her and follow her on social network sites. There is also a page that features the latest news and videos allows Lady Gaga's 'Little Monsters' to keep up with the latest Gaga news. A page featuring tour dates and a link to buy tickets to her shows. I particularly liked the use of having all the lyrics to all of her songs. This allows her fans to have a stronger link to her songs as they can sing along. The unique idea of having chat rooms set up online for fans to communicate with each other is also very effective. This allows 'Little Monsters' to chat to other people who have similar interests and something in common.

Digipack Research

Digipack Research

Chase and Status- Let You Go

There is clear intertextuality in the Chase and Status music video for ‘Let You Go’. The references are made to the TV chat show, ‘The Jeremy Kyle Show’. This video presents a spin off show called the ‘Patrick Chase Show’. We do not see the identity of the main character until he is revealed as the chat show host. This is a narrative based music video with no performance scenes. At times the sounds there are sound bridges from the narrative heard over the music.  The camerawork and framing used is very cinematic throughout.The artist isn’t seen throughout the music video. This is common for Chase and Status but it also means that their star image is not affected.

As the tension on stage builds so does the music until a fight finally breaks out on stage. This supports Vernallis’ theory of the video matching the music. The lyrics are also amplified by the visuals as they add a new meaning to them.  

Throughout the video the use of drugs is implied which is also hypocritical of the characters morals as he despises these on his show. The use of the canted angle and jolty movements is use to signify that the character is drunk or disorientated. The various disorientated shots also help to portray the lack of control over his body and actions. As the music builds the edits become quicker to match the beat..  The use of contrasting colours is very obvious. The bright colours on the show contrasts with the dull colours in the flat, car and club which signifies that these actions are wrong.  The use of the red lighting also signifies that these actions are immoral or forbidden. Once the character has carried out these actions he then shows up to the studio has his makeup done then goes back on stage. This could signify that we never really know what happens behind the scenes of these shows and after the camera stops rolling.

Beyonce- Naughty Girl

Beyonce’s music video for ‘Naughty Girl’ supports the ideas of Vernallis. The use of the cuts on the beat and the fragmented actions are shown throughout the music video. The actions are often disjointed which drives the video forward. This is a performance based music video with very little narrative. The dated style with a modern twist on the 1920’s style.

The use of voyeurism is also very clear. This is shown by the dance moves, with the use of mirrors and silhouettes and also by the use of slow motion. The lighting is also placed very carefully to accentuate certain features adding to her sexual appeal. The camera and framing also adds to the voyeuristic nature. The use of fragmented shots of body parts combined with the flirty and seductive actions gives Beyonce the sex appeal. Her slow exaggerated actions as she removes the coat also help to illustrate the lyrics. Although there is voyeurism it appears Beyonce still remains in control. Throughout the video everyone is focused on her and they are all situated below her. This has symbolises that she is more important. The use of the red dress and coat also stands out from the dull colours of all the other characters clothes. This also adds to Beyonce being the centre of attention throughout the video. . Beyonce is always seen as being very glamorous in all her music videos. This music video is no exception to this. Even when she is seen in soapy water she still looks very glamorous.

From the very beginning of the music video Beyonce has the male attention focused of her. During the dance routine she then takes control. When the men try to ‘show off’ on stage they manage to fail and fall over. This is all working together to create a powerful representation of women and a weak representation of men.  The men in the music video also appear as accessories to the star. An example of this is when a man lifts her off the piano.

Throughout the music video Beyonce makes direct eye contact with the audience. This creates a direct link with the audience. I also noticed that no other characters look directly into the camera; they all look slightly off stage. This means that there is no link between them and the audience. Their attention is then fully engaged by the artist. 

Inspiration Music Video's- Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse’s music video for ‘You Know I’m no Good’ is similar to the narrative we have used for our music video. The use of the attitude towards the bad boyfriend is similar to our stars attitude. Although the style of music and the star image is very different to ours the themes are similar. The themes throughout this music video are a lot more adult than our music video which would be aimed at a younger audience. I particularly like the use of the moving images in the Polaroid pictures and the film reel. The use of colour is also very different to our video. Ours incorporates a lot of bright colours and Amy Winehouse’s video uses lots of blue and darker tones throughout. 

Record Label

                                     

After researching various different record labels I have decided our artist could be signed to Polydor. I chose this record label as our artist would be seen as an up and coming and a new breakthrough act. This record label seemed like a perfect choice as they have already signed indie and pop artists such as Snow Patrol and Duffy. Polydor is also based in the UK which makes it more likely to sign our down to earth British artist.

Institutional Research

Def Jam Recordings:

Island Def Jam Music Group was formed in 1999 when Universal Music Group merged Island Records and Def Jam Recordings. Def Jam Recordings is an American record which is focused primarily on hip hop and urban music. Def Jam was created by Rick Rubin and its first release was a single by his punk-rock group ‘Hose’. The first few singles released did well, leading to a distribution deal with CBS Records (this later became Sony Music Entertainment). Def Jam signed its first and only heavy metal band ‘Slayer’ in 1986. Soon after the label signed ‘Public Enemy’, whose controversial lyrics earned the label a reputation. In 1988 Lyor Cohen became president of Def Jam and Rub left to form Def American Recordings (now known as American Recordings). Def Jam Recordings currently signs artists such as; Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West and Gorillaz.

Polydor:

Polydor is owned by Universal Music Group and has its headquarters based in the UK. Polydor first became a pop music label in 1946. During the 1970’s Polydor became a major rock label but also had many disco artists. They had platinum-selling disco acts such as the Bee Gees and Gloria Gaynor. In the early 1980’s the label signed The Who and  The Jam. Although the American branch did not do well, in the UK, Polydor is still one of the strongest labels in the country.  Polydor has signed artists such as, Cheryl Cole, Duffy, Ellie Goulding as well as indie artist such as Snow Patrol and The Maccabees. In Spring 2006 Polydor launched Fascination Records. Both Girls Aloud and Sophie Ellis-Bextor transferred to the new label as well as new artists such as The Saturdays and Girls Can’t Catch. Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato are some of the newest artists to transfer from the US label Hollywood Records, to Fascination.

Roc Nation:

Roc Nation was established in April 2008 when Live Nation partnered with Jay-Z. Roc Nation also has an entertainment company named Takeover Roc Nation, located in the UK. Records are released with Sony Music Entertainment and partners with Live Nation. Since it was first established Roc Nation has signed artists such as, Rita Ora, Alexis Jordan and Sugababes. Roc Nation also manages artists such as Shakira, Kylie Minogue and Rihanna. As well as managing and signing artists, Chase and Status and Timbaland are just a few producers as well as DJ’s such as Solange Knowles. 

Inspirational Music Video's- Lily Allen

I found Lily Allen’s music video for ‘LDN’ very inspirational as it had many things I wanted to achieve in our music video. I also thought her star image would be similar to our artist. I particularly liked the use of the urban, rundown setting as it showed the artist was down to earth and relatable. The use of bright colours stands out from the grey and dull colours of the location, I liked this idea as it created a contrast. I felt that the use of the glamorous but casual look was unique and would also be effective in creating our star image. I wanted our star image to be relatable but still have a unique edge and quality to her, using some of the ideas presented in this video could help to achieve this. The use of the bright colours around her almost created a ‘bubble’ around her and made everyone else oblivious to her. I liked this idea and think this would look effective in our music video if every other character was oblivious to the artist. The use of the darker themes in an upbeat song is similar to our song choice allows this video to be a good example of ideas to draw on. I particularly liked the mood and tone throughout this video as it matched the upbeat tone of the song. Quick edits were effective throughout as they matched the beat and tone. I think that if done correctly, this could be just as effective in our music video.  I particularly liked the use of mood change to demonstrate the difference between daydreams and reality. This idea could be used in our music video however we would use the mood change to demonstrate the difference between the highs and lows of the artist’s relationship.

Inspirational Music Video's- Taylor Swift

I found Taylor Swift’s music video for ‘We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together’ very inspirational as it gave me many ideas for our own music video and star image. The themes of this song were similar to ours, as both artists are describing a bad boyfriend and what he has done. This meant that some of the ways he is represented could be very similar to our music video. I liked the idea of both the good and the bad parts of the relationship were shown in this music video and I would like to use this idea for our own music video. I also think her attitude to her boyfriend is very similar to how our artist will act in our video. I loved how it began and ended in the same place however the artist had made an achievement; in this case breaking up with her boyfriend. I would like to use this idea in our music video to show a change in circumstances from the beginning to end. I also think this idea will help to enhance our narrative.

I particularly liked the transitions between locations however I wasn’t sure how we could successfully achieve this without access to a studio or professional editing software. I would still like to attempt this idea just to see if it is possible. I also liked the synaesthesia used during the chorus however I don’t think this would fit with our music therefore we won’t be using this idea.

There are various costume changes throughout the music video and this is something we planned on doing to make the video more interesting and contrast between each location. I also really liked the red lipstick as it stood out and created a more glamorous look. The costumes had a very realistic, everyday feel and the red lipstick made it stand out and appear a little more glamorous. 

Genre Research- Indie Pop

'Indie Pop' is a relatively newly recognised genre that originated from alternative rock music in the mid 1980's. Some people used to use the term 'indie' to define artists who were signed to independent labels however it has recently changed to a specific type of music and style. Music videos from this genre tend to have vintage costumes and props as well as being quite quirky. Unique lighting and a mix of various different colours is also quite common in this genre. A common theme throughout these music videos is often youth. Many of the artists themselves are quite young and quirky and the music videos reflect this personality. Music videos from this genre tend to have quite an artistic style to them. This artistic style tends to consume the video and there is generally very little narrative in many of these music videos.

An example of a music video with unique lighting and a range of colours used together is Florence and the Machines 'Spectrum'. The mise-en-scene from each scene is very different and very distinctive. The use of the contrasting range of colours including blue, orange, green and gold also reflects this genre. The hair, costumes, locations and lightings are all very unique and quirky which also keeps with the conventions of this genre. The use of the ballerinas with the shot types and lighting also shows the artistic side often seen in indie pop music videos. The use of the exaggerated movement and lack of narrative also has the purpose of selling the artist and enhancing her star image.

These album covers taken from indie pop artists also reflect the unique lighting and distinctive conventions often used in this genre.

Vernallis

Carol Vernallis created a theory based on 4 key concepts in music video. These included narrative, editing, camera movement and framing and diegesis.

Narrative:

Vernallis states that the video is a visual response to the music and there is not necessarily a balance between the narrative and the performance shown in the music video. The narrative in music videos may not be complete, for example it may be fragmented or disjointed. There is also something that drives the video forward however this may not always be the narrative, it could be the performance or the music. There may not always be a clear resolution at the end of the music and many questions may not be answered.  A montage could also be used to present a narrative or theme running throughout the video.

Editing:

Vernallis claims that the editing may match the music or the beat. It may also break many of the rules of continuity editing but this is a clear convention of music video editing. Some edits can be very obvious; to draw attention to them while others may be invisible. A classic example of these could jump cuts, breaking of the 180 degree rule and juxtaposed images.

Camera Movement and Framing:

Extreme shot types can be placed directly next to each other, for a music video this is very common however this is not so common in continuity editing. The style of framing and movement may be very distinctive of a particular music video. The camera can move in time with the music or with the lyrics to create a different meaning or feel to the music video. Establishing shots and close-ups are often frequently used in music videos.

Diegisis (the world of music video):

Many actions may not be completed in a music video, they often be interrupted in some way. In some music videos the characters or objects may move in time with the music. Music videos also aim to leave gaps. This means that the audience may not fully understand the entire music video. Throughout the video the same location can often be repeated, this often occurs with chorus’ or repetition of the music. 

Music Video Director

Melina Matsoukas

Melina Matsoukas is a graduate of the American Film Institute and her graduate thesis there was on music videos. She started out at Black Dog Film and is currently a director at Prettybird, where she has been signed since 2011. Her work has been described as 'chalk full of bright colours or crisp black and white images, smooth spotlights, and tasteful retro video models.' 

Melina Matsoukas has worked with artists like Rihanna, Beyonce, Leona Lewis, Ne-Yo and many more to help create their music videos. The wide range of artists has meant she has made a variety of types of music videos. Many of the videos directed by Melina Matsoukas have very little and narrative, and mostly consist of performance from the artist. Voyeurism can be seen in some of the music videos she has directed and is particularly seen in some of Beyonce and Rihanna's music videos.

I have watched some of the music videos she directed and I have noticed that the majority of them seem to sell the star and enhance the star image. In some of these music videos i began to realise that there is very little narrative or it is not clearly structured and established. Here are a few examples of videos Melina Matsoukas has directed.

Star Image- How It Can Change Over Time

Britney Spears

Britney Spears first began performing when she was a child in stage productions and television shows. When Britney Spears first started her pop career with her release of ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time’, she was portrayed as being young and attractive but still being relatively innocent.  This hit went on to become the best-selling track by a teenage solo artist. Her second track was just as much of a hit and she became the 'best-selling teenage artist of all time' before she turned 20. She was then known as the 'Princess of Pop'.

In 2001 she branched out and starred in the film 'Crossroads' as the lead. She continued to release another album as well as two compilation albums. Her image began to change slightly as she became more sexualised as she got older. Her style of music began to change and become slightly more rebellious and fiesty with the release of 'Toxic' and 'Piece Of Me'.


In 2004 Britney Spears had her first reality tv show 'Britney & Kevin: Chaotic', which showed the early stages of their relationship before they married in October. She then released her first fragrance 'Curious' which broke first week sales for the company. Britney and Kevin had their first child in 2001, a son named Sean. After the birth of her second child, Jayden, in 2006 she filed for divorce.

When Britney's aunt died due to ovarian cancer, she spent one night in a drug rehabilitation facility and the following night, she shaved her head. Following this, she admitted herself to various other facilities over the next few weeks. She later posted on her website 'I truly hit rock bottom...' She began to work her way back up through promotional concerts.

When Britney was hospitalized after police thought she appeared to be on drugs. Her visitation rights to her kids were suspended and the control of her assets was given to her father, James Spears. She was later then given some visitation rights after coming to an agreement with Kevin Federline. She then began to get her career back.

In 2008 her sixth album 'Circus' continued to show the new side to Britney as she was becoming more and more sexualised, but also very powerful and in control of the sexual appeal. This can be seen in the music videos for 'Womanizer'.


In 2011 she released a seventh album called 'Femme Fatale'. This album featured three top ten singles in the US; 'Hold It Against Me', 'Till The World Ends' and 'I Wanna Go'. As well as featuring on Rihanna's 'S&M' to gain her fifth number one.

Pink - Please Don't Leave Me

The camerawork and editing in Pink’s music video for ‘Please Don’t Leave Me’ is very similar to that seen in a film. To begin with there is an extreme long shot which is used as the establishing shot; used to show the audience the setting. The use of seamless editing for the majority of the music video helps to portray the linear narrative. Although there are various fade transitions used to show the male character slipping in and out of consciousness. The wide range of shots and angles helps to show both the action as well as the emotions of the characters. This wide range, including the use of POV shots also makes the music video seem more like a film. This music video does not always edit on the beat which is less common in music videos. 

The linear narrative for ‘Please Don’t Leave me’ is very clear and amplifies the lyrics. This narrative based music videos shows Pink’s desperation and almost psychotic behaviour to not be left by her boyfriend. The narrative is almost like a nightmare as it begins normal and sane but soon begins to spiral into an almost surreal dreamlike nightmare. The setting and props also add to the surreal nightmare to help create the eerie feel to the music video. The music video is not purely narrative based it has some performance throughout which is important to have in a music video.

Pink’s performance is almost theatrical towards the end of the music video. She has exaggerated actions, which enhances the desperation and despair at the thought of him leaving. The use of the various ways to keep him seems almost immature and childlike but also adds a comic element. The use of marbles and dressing up also reflects this childlike immaturity which helps to show the extremes she will go to. 

Throughout this music video there is evidence of voyeurism. Her costumes show this as she is wearing revealing costumes throughout the music video. Her dancing when she is dressed as the nurse also adds to her sexual appeal. Although she is sexualised she is still shown as being in control. This is common when there is a female artist, it is used to make them seem more important and in power. 

Pink's star image has a very unique style and edge to it, this is reflected in this music video. Throughout many of Pink's music videos she is presented as being very rebellious, masculine and overpowering. This particular music video shows the rebellious and overpowering side. The costumes contradict the masculine approach often taken in her music videos. 

There is evidence of intertextuality in this music video. The first reference is to the 1990 film, ‘Misery’. The storyline of a woman breaking a mans legs so he cannot escape, can also be seen in this music video. There has been a twist on this storyline though as in the film it is an old lady however Pink has been sexualized.

The second reference is to the 1980 film ‘The Shining’. The use of Pink chasing the man down the hall with an axe as he hides in the bathroom has been taken from this film. When Pink cuts through the door and then looks through the door is also from this film. The use of this intertextuality makes the music video more interesting and also helps to enhance the narrative.