Genre: RnB & Pop
Type of Video: Performance Based
Rhianna's video 'Umbrella' highlights the sexually provocative costumes and flashy 'bling' jewellery as showing her high status as well as connoting her wealth. The use of choreography show that Rhianna can multitask and doesn't just base her video on her singing but also dancing as well. The use of Jay Z shows her 'connections' within the music industry and also shows the audience that she is well known within the industry. The use of a fast based beat applies to her audience that she can switch her genre to include the different types of audience but also show she is once again multi-talented. Rhianna first started off singing RnB then Hip Hop and Reggae then switching towards Rock.
During the video the camera shows close ups, full body shots and establishing shots to show Rhianna's facial expressions, her dancing, costume and body appealing to her male audience and flaunting her sexuality and sustaining the audiences attention. The use of CGI with the rain drops, background shows Rhianna is with the time and also showing that it is connoting wealth as CGI is very expensive. The use of props also highlight and link in with the song 'Umbrella' as well as the clear relation between image and lyrics with the use of the CGI rain and the umbrella as a prop. The camera techniques are mostly jump cut edits which highlight the use of sustaining the audiences interest and the use of the different scenes of her singing, dancing, Jay Z's rapping and then her costumes.
The representation withing the video show Rhianna as a skilled dancer with her use of ballet as well as showing her audience she is fit as the use of the full body shot shows her audience that she is wearing a tight black suit showing her as sexually provocative and showing she is subverting the feminism within the music industry and using herself to assert her right to dress and become sexually attractive. The use of showing her main stream image shows she is destined for success and shows she uses artists such as Jay Z who is well known within the music industry.
The use of institutions show Amercian rapper Jay Z appearance in the video attracts the audience from Hip Hop or Rap Genre. During that time of the video Jay Z was the President of Def Jam records who Rhianna is signed to. Her video is also played on Hip Hop, Rap, RnB and Pop music channels.
Rhianna's audiences may identify Rhianna in the video as pursing her sexuality and her audience mainly the males show she is attracting them as she sees herself as a sex object and also connoting a negative view show the Hypodermic Needle Theory. Her male audience also recieve a visual pleasure of Rhianna and proving Laura Mulvey's feminist theory to be correct. Rhianna also shows that she is subverting the feminist idea as she is enjoying herself and being in control not for the benefit of the male audience but for herself. The video is a polysemic media text that has a variety of meanings and interpretations.
Tuesday, 29 June 2010
Pharcyde Drop Textual Analysis
Pharcyde - Drop
Type Of Video: Performance & Concept
The representations within this video shows the rap to convey performers background, living, clothing and possibly childhood by showing the location and area. The use of humorous and quirky shows they are subverting the stereotype of Rap video's to be serious. The use of Spike Jonze show they know famous directors and the use of subverting the conventions of a Rap video show they are appealing to an audience that would see the humorous side to the video.
The representation within the video show the artists to be natural and realistic as they are dressed in casual clothing, messing about by dancing and roaming around Los Angeles. The Mise En Scene within the video shows their own clothes, location in which they were raised in and the use of them stripping show they are comfortable with what they are wearing and showing that they are down to earth and not connoting wealth. The camera techniques show a tracking shot of the artists walking about on the streets showing the different locations within the area and showing the movement of the artists. The use of the low angle shot shows the artists body, clothes and their location. The close ups of the artists show the facial expressions, the lyrics being spoken and the mid shot also shows the use of the artists clothing once again and the mise en scene in the background.
The use of editing in this video shows the artists going forward whereas the background going backwards challenging time. The video also shows a slight surrealistic quality. The video also shows a cyclical narrative as the performance start and end in the same location and scene subverting the stereotype of conventional Rap videos.
How does the video subvert, adhere or develop the genre?
-The video isn't all just performance like most rap videos and dancing s involved. The use of the location which could represent the rap or to represent the performers background to emphasise their identity which was a big thing at that time. The Mise En Scene indicates the performers are comfortable with their clothing and the way they portray themselves, it also shows the the video is conventional but camera and editing subverts it.
Is the video a hybrid?
-Rap and Hip Hop
Is the video a performance, narrative or concept?
Concept as the video is a cyclical narrative showing that time is going backwards but they are going forwards showing the oxymoron of the video.
Type Of Video: Performance & Concept
The representations within this video shows the rap to convey performers background, living, clothing and possibly childhood by showing the location and area. The use of humorous and quirky shows they are subverting the stereotype of Rap video's to be serious. The use of Spike Jonze show they know famous directors and the use of subverting the conventions of a Rap video show they are appealing to an audience that would see the humorous side to the video.
The representation within the video show the artists to be natural and realistic as they are dressed in casual clothing, messing about by dancing and roaming around Los Angeles. The Mise En Scene within the video shows their own clothes, location in which they were raised in and the use of them stripping show they are comfortable with what they are wearing and showing that they are down to earth and not connoting wealth. The camera techniques show a tracking shot of the artists walking about on the streets showing the different locations within the area and showing the movement of the artists. The use of the low angle shot shows the artists body, clothes and their location. The close ups of the artists show the facial expressions, the lyrics being spoken and the mid shot also shows the use of the artists clothing once again and the mise en scene in the background.
The use of editing in this video shows the artists going forward whereas the background going backwards challenging time. The video also shows a slight surrealistic quality. The video also shows a cyclical narrative as the performance start and end in the same location and scene subverting the stereotype of conventional Rap videos.
How does the video subvert, adhere or develop the genre?
-The video isn't all just performance like most rap videos and dancing s involved. The use of the location which could represent the rap or to represent the performers background to emphasise their identity which was a big thing at that time. The Mise En Scene indicates the performers are comfortable with their clothing and the way they portray themselves, it also shows the the video is conventional but camera and editing subverts it.
Is the video a hybrid?
-Rap and Hip Hop
Is the video a performance, narrative or concept?
Concept as the video is a cyclical narrative showing that time is going backwards but they are going forwards showing the oxymoron of the video.
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Gender Stereotypes In Music
Gender stereotypes in music are most likely to be the generic codes and conventions in a music video but some artists try to subvert this stereotype to show the audiences how gender in music is being perceived.
- Men are mostly dominant, aggressive and can be represented as independent, adventurous, unemotional and competent.
- Stereotypical gendered occupations such as males as firefighters/mechanics and women as cheerleaders/ waitresses
Examples of males are: 50 Cent - Candy Shop this video shows 50 Cent as him getting any kind of girl he wants and showing the women being used a sexual target, this suggests they are submissive and powerless.
- Women engaged in more sexual and passive behaviour and more explicit. They are represented as objects of sexual advances or as sexual objects this shows the negatives of stereotypes in music as it portrays women as sexually provocative, objects that dance, pose and look good for the males.
Examples of women are: Destiny's Child - Cater To You this video shows the reliance on gender roles and shows that women are just housewives and will do anything the men want them to, the lyrics also suggest of pampering husband's or boyfriends.
Feminism 1960/70's - A movement that questioned the position within patriarchal society and the 'domestic bliss'
-Serves to challenge and eliminate oppression and dominate gender imagery
-Emphasised women in media such as women as sexual objects, domestics in the home, inferior to men or women as virgins, mothers or promiscuous
Sexual Objectification and the Male Gaze
-Laura Mulvey 1975 defined voyeurism as erotic pleasures gained from looking at a sexual object. She also showed the presence of women solely for the purpose of display and their display is passive and objectified for a male gaze regardless of viewers gender. The voyeuristic treatment of the female body in 'male' videos such as dancing in the background, looking good, wearing tiny or little clothes boosting male ego's. Women connote to be looked and object of the 'male gaze'
Stereotypically 'Female' Occupations
- There are many music videos that emphasis the stereotypes of women occupations and an example of that is Britney Spears. She adheres to traditional gender stereotypes by taking on the roles of as sectary, air hostess and a waitress; each occupation emphasises highly sexualised costume and behaviours. Pink also shows this in the video U and Your Hand showing Pink as a boxer, mechanic, and sitting on the bed, balcony and in a park showing herself as a 'male gaze' but also showing her subverting to the stereotypes of women showing her working out in the gym and being a mechanic.
Post Feminism and the female gaze 1980's
-Re appraisal of feminist vales
-Does not strive for equality as this assumes men as better but they wish to surpass male achievements
-Objected to the theories which position them as objects of the 'male gaze' and identifies the 'female gaze' - women desiring men
-Women began to assert their right to dress and be sexually attractive
- Men are mostly dominant, aggressive and can be represented as independent, adventurous, unemotional and competent.
- Stereotypical gendered occupations such as males as firefighters/mechanics and women as cheerleaders/ waitresses
Examples of males are: 50 Cent - Candy Shop this video shows 50 Cent as him getting any kind of girl he wants and showing the women being used a sexual target, this suggests they are submissive and powerless.
- Women engaged in more sexual and passive behaviour and more explicit. They are represented as objects of sexual advances or as sexual objects this shows the negatives of stereotypes in music as it portrays women as sexually provocative, objects that dance, pose and look good for the males.
Examples of women are: Destiny's Child - Cater To You this video shows the reliance on gender roles and shows that women are just housewives and will do anything the men want them to, the lyrics also suggest of pampering husband's or boyfriends.
Feminism 1960/70's - A movement that questioned the position within patriarchal society and the 'domestic bliss'
-Serves to challenge and eliminate oppression and dominate gender imagery
-Emphasised women in media such as women as sexual objects, domestics in the home, inferior to men or women as virgins, mothers or promiscuous
Sexual Objectification and the Male Gaze
-Laura Mulvey 1975 defined voyeurism as erotic pleasures gained from looking at a sexual object. She also showed the presence of women solely for the purpose of display and their display is passive and objectified for a male gaze regardless of viewers gender. The voyeuristic treatment of the female body in 'male' videos such as dancing in the background, looking good, wearing tiny or little clothes boosting male ego's. Women connote to be looked and object of the 'male gaze'
Stereotypically 'Female' Occupations
- There are many music videos that emphasis the stereotypes of women occupations and an example of that is Britney Spears. She adheres to traditional gender stereotypes by taking on the roles of as sectary, air hostess and a waitress; each occupation emphasises highly sexualised costume and behaviours. Pink also shows this in the video U and Your Hand showing Pink as a boxer, mechanic, and sitting on the bed, balcony and in a park showing herself as a 'male gaze' but also showing her subverting to the stereotypes of women showing her working out in the gym and being a mechanic.
Post Feminism and the female gaze 1980's
-Re appraisal of feminist vales
-Does not strive for equality as this assumes men as better but they wish to surpass male achievements
-Objected to the theories which position them as objects of the 'male gaze' and identifies the 'female gaze' - women desiring men
-Women began to assert their right to dress and be sexually attractive
Friday, 25 June 2010
Generic Code and Conventions
1) What is a genre?
A genre can represent a group of things or classify the thing such as music, films or books. It can also represent a group that can identify and group things into categories.
2) What music genre's do you know?
Indie, RnB, Soul, Jazz, Rock, Rap, Hip-Hop, Pop, Classical, Folk and Punk. There are many genre's from different countries.
3) What are generic codes and conventions?
Codes are systems which create a meaning. Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell he story in a media text. Symbolic codes show is beneath the surface of what we see.
Conventions are generally accepted ways of doing things an example such as 'bling' in a Hip - Hop video.
4) Why is genre important?
It defines the type of thing and also gives it an identity which allows the audience to associate the genre with.
5) What are the drawbacks of genre?
It stereotypes the music as well as the artists. It also shows the audience over reliance on the music.
Hybrid Genre's are a mixture of 2 genre's that can reach a much wider audience such as Dance music as it contains sub genre's such as House, Funky and Techno.
A genre can represent a group of things or classify the thing such as music, films or books. It can also represent a group that can identify and group things into categories.
2) What music genre's do you know?
Indie, RnB, Soul, Jazz, Rock, Rap, Hip-Hop, Pop, Classical, Folk and Punk. There are many genre's from different countries.
3) What are generic codes and conventions?
Codes are systems which create a meaning. Technical codes are all the ways in which equipment is used to tell he story in a media text. Symbolic codes show is beneath the surface of what we see.
Conventions are generally accepted ways of doing things an example such as 'bling' in a Hip - Hop video.
4) Why is genre important?
It defines the type of thing and also gives it an identity which allows the audience to associate the genre with.
5) What are the drawbacks of genre?
It stereotypes the music as well as the artists. It also shows the audience over reliance on the music.
Hybrid Genre's are a mixture of 2 genre's that can reach a much wider audience such as Dance music as it contains sub genre's such as House, Funky and Techno.
Friday, 11 June 2010
Audience Questionnaire
Audience Research Questionnaire
Circle the relevant answers please
1. What gender are you? Male or Female
2. Age? 10-16 16-20 20-24 24 and over
3. What music genres do you listen to? ____________________________________________
4. What music TV channels do you watch? _________________________________________
5. What theme do you look for in a music video; performance, narrative or concept based? __________________________________________________________
Performance- the artist/s just starring throughout the video
Narrative - story based video
Concept- based on a idea or theme
6. Do you download music? Yes No
7. What websites do you use to watch music videos on? ______________________________
8. What type of music promotion/advertising appeals to you? E.g billboards, posters, magazine adverts and ect. _____________________________________________________________
9. What do you look for when buying CD covers? ________________________________________
10. Does a good music video make you want to buy the CD or download it? ______________________________
Circle the relevant answers please
1. What gender are you? Male or Female
2. Age? 10-16 16-20 20-24 24 and over
3. What music genres do you listen to? ____________________________________________
4. What music TV channels do you watch? _________________________________________
5. What theme do you look for in a music video; performance, narrative or concept based? __________________________________________________________
Performance- the artist/s just starring throughout the video
Narrative - story based video
Concept- based on a idea or theme
6. Do you download music? Yes No
7. What websites do you use to watch music videos on? ______________________________
8. What type of music promotion/advertising appeals to you? E.g billboards, posters, magazine adverts and ect. _____________________________________________________________
9. What do you look for when buying CD covers? ________________________________________
10. Does a good music video make you want to buy the CD or download it? ______________________________
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