Music Video Introduction // Summer Work

VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR Music Video Introduction 2013.docx

Task One:

What do you think are the major elements of an Album Marketing Campaign (the different ways in which a band or artists identity is mediated to an audience)?

- TV commercials
- Playing small gigs or festivals e.g. Edinburgh Music Festival
- Magazine advertisements (A4 page) in regular magazines or film magazines
- TV appearances e.g. Chat Shows
- Free singles
- Radio plays
- Radio interviews
- Magazine interviews
- Band blogs
- YouTube channel/videos & advertisments
- Features in music magazines
- Twitter account
- Facebook feed
- Instagram
- Films e.g. The films about JLS, One Direction etc
- Documentaries on TV e.g. "McFly on the Wall"
- Supporting more famous artists and bands at their concerts
- A book release

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Where have you encountered these elements in your daily life?

- iTunes provide a weekly free single by new and upcoming bands, through this I have found out about some of my favourites 
- I follow several bands on Instagram and Twitter
- When reading magazines I often see CD advertisements or concert posters that advertise the bands gig or album. One issue of NME provided 
- When watching shows such as Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Jonathan Ross and The Graham Norton Show, there are always bands or artists performing near the end, then talking to the host about their new album or single
- There are always TV commercials for albums in between TV shows on channels like ITV2 and E4
- When watching YouTube videos there are often music advertisements beforehand, the latest one I've seen included Mumford and Sons getting ready before a concert
- When in the car or on the bus I've heard interviews on Radio One with band members or artists promoting their concerts or albums

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What factors make you like a band or artist, and therefore download their music, buy their albums or attend their concerts? How do you decide which band is 'cool' and which is not?

- If they're stuck up and arrogant, or down to earth and sweet - How they come across in interviews on television 
- If they're funny or have a good dynamic within the band or their style
- If they have a giant fanbase, for example "Directioners" put me off liking One Direction
- Their general personality 
- Whether they have a generic or original sound, I don't really like boybands due to their generic, manufactured look, whereas a mix of sounds e.g. Indie Rock or folk is something different, and sounds different to the generic 'pop' 

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Where and when do you watch music videos?

- Music channels when there's nothing else on
- YouTube: because I want to listen to the song, or watch the video, or because the band are included in the advertisement
- When looking at the bands album on iTunes and a video is included in the extended version, I watch the preview to see if it's any good
- When someone posts a link on twitter 


Task Two:

Music Video conventions: 

- The band or artist in the music video performing
- Other characters in the video creating a narrative who don't sing
- Microphones
- Guitars
- Filming of concerts
- A variety of long shots, mid shots and close-ups
- Jump cuts
- Fading transitions
- Close up for lip syncing 
- Black and white is commonly used but many videos are in colour
- Variety of props e.g. instruments or animals or puppets 
- Girls dressing provocatively 
- Slow motion is often used