Potential Tracks for the new group proposal

Below is a list that I have put together of tracks that we could potentially use for our music video

Run DMC – It’s Tricky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-O5IHVhWj0

Run DMC vs Jason Nevins – It’s Like That
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLGWQfK-6DY&feature=relmfu

House of Pain – Jump Around
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwQbPgouUYo&feature=related

Kriss Kross – Jump
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPB84Plv8tc&feature=related

Salt N Pepa – Push It
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCadcBR95oU&ob=av2e

NWA – Express Yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u31FO_4d9TY&ob=av2e

2 Unlimited – Get Ready for This
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0skZvqLTiw&feature=related

Technotronic – Pump Up the Jam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyK9YDYyhLY&feature=related

Fun Factory – Celebration (may be too slow? Not sure about this one)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4U1EHoNfO0&feature=related

Reel 2 Real – I like to move it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyx4v1QFzhQ&feature=related

Feminine Representations within Music Videos

I have found that in music videos today, women fall into three categories: Sexual Objects, Victims or Strong and Independent.

Portraying women as sexual objects
This is seen so often across many different genres and in videos by both male and female artists. In the case of male artists, women surrounding them will be seen wearing very little clothing and lots of make up, 'serving' the guys in the video. For example, in Timbaland and Justin Timberlake's video for 'Carry Out' (2009) there are various girls dressed provocatively and are seen performing for them. This is also seen in the video for 'Ayo Technology' by 50 cent and Timberlake.

But this is also seen in videos by female artists and bands such as Britney Spears and The Pussycat Dolls. They are often seen wearing hardly anything and/or playing stereotypical roles such as a waitress and air hostess. Which in many ways could be seen as derogative to many women as it goes against of the movement of feminism. 

Portraying women as victims 

This can be done in many different ways, females are either victims of physical abuse (domestic violence) or emotional abuse (which could be through something as small as a break up). Ashanti's music video for 'Rain on Me' (2003) and Eminem's video for 'Love the Way you Lie' (2010) are good examples of domestic violence, where the women are seen as the victims of their partners. 

Portraying women as strong and independent 
However, it is becoming increasingly more common to see women portrayed as strong individuals and the sense of female power/pride is growing. The women are still shown wearing sexy outfits and looking good, but they are not serving anyone else, they are running the relationships and are portraying confidence rather than being sexualised. Some good examples of this can be seen in Beyonce's videos such as 'Best Thing I Never Had' (2011) and 'Run the World' (2011).

Album Cover Analysis: Rihanna - A Girl Like Me (2006)

Rihanna - A Girl Like Me (2006)

This is Rihanna's second album cover, meaning it was released very near the start of her career which explains the innocent brand they created for her at the time. They cleverly constructed this through the use of colour, images and mise-en-scene, which in my opinion was very successful in not only appealing to her target audience, but at the same time widening her appeal as it is slightly more suggestive than her first album 'Music of the Sun'.

Visuals of the Cover
The images of Rihanna are both innocent due to the soft lighting, natural make up and wavy hair, connoting that she is just an average girl. However, the framing of the CU and the way in which the sun has hit her skin makes her seem very radiant and sun kissed, therefore constructing the concept of true beauty. In many ways it is very safe for an album cover because she is properly dressed and is not being sexualised in a major way. Although her gesture and facial expression is suggestive and therefore it could attract the male audience by being seen as a temptation. The way she is positioned and acting in the back image is portraying her as elegant but playful and could be seen as another symbol of temptation because this is often seen during dances such as the tango and salsa. But the white dress ensures that this is only suggested and that the cover stays innocent for her younger fans.

The colour scheme is orange and white which adds to the theme of the sunlight and the beach themes that had run through both the current campaign and the previous, due to her Caribbean background. It creates a very summery atmosphere for the album.

Institutional Information
The front does not contain any institutional information apart from the artist name and album name. However on the back there is:

• A Barcode
• Label Logos
• Website information
• Credits (for the executive producer, etc.)

Target Audience
At the time Rihanna's primary target audience was teenage girls aged from 10-18 due to the innocence that was portrayed. She was also marketed towards the male audience through the use of her outfits in the music videos and album covers. This cover as I mentioned before appeals to her primary audience by portraying the idea of innocent and natural beauty. Whereas it appeals to the male audience through the suggestive expressions and gestures, as well as her beauty.

Comparisons to now?
In comparison to Rihanna's image now, this was much safer and extremely innocent, which is most probably due to the fact that she was still making a name for herself in the industry. From this I have learnt that when producing the final album cover for the project, you should be able to see the artist because people need to be able to identify them and it is probably much easier to play safer with the images/concept while establishing a brand. But even if you did want to break the conventions of début marketing campaigns, it is essential that the image is consistent.

Album Covers Research

What are the typical features that an album cover has?
After looking at a number of different album covers, I found that most of them follow certain conventions (listed below) but they twisted them in order to offer the audience something unique and to stand out on the shelves.

• Image(s)
• Album Name
• Artist/Band Name
• Track Listings
• Institutional Information - Barcode, Label Information and Logos

These are typical features of album covers but there have been cases that choose to exclude factors such as the artist name or album name on the front cover usually due to the band's image and target audience.

How would you categorise the covers in front of you?
The main ways you could categorise album covers is by:

• Genre
• Target Audience
• Artwork vs Advertisement
• Record Label?

What functions do album covers have?
The prime function of an album cover is to sell and promote the music and its artist, because this is what people pick up in the store and it creates the brand/image of the artist. As we have been discussing in class, this is crucial because the marketing campaign must work in synergy together with everything produced by the artist during that time.

However, I think there is a movement towards covers becoming more of an interesting art piece for someone to own because that is the only way that it really stands out from the other generic covers on sale as most markets, especially the pop genre is over-saturated. This could also be due to the revolution of digital downloads as people are becoming less likely to purchase a hard copy of an album.

One Direction's Debut Website

Why research this website?
One Direction has recently released their debut album, which makes them a good example to look at because our brief is effectively to brand a debut music artist. It is a perfect example of how the marketing campaign is constructed in order to get music consumers to follow a new artist/band, especially as pictures of the band are plastered all over the website, so you can't forget their faces.

Interactive Opportunities
The site is unquestionably interactive with social media options, fan experiences, insights into the band members as individuals. They utilise the ability to publish content through various media platforms such as Video, Podcast and Pictures. They have ensured that it is easy to navigate and continuously offering the audience with the most up to date information. Some of the ways they give the audience the opportunity to interact with the site are:

• Twitter, Fb and Youtube links everywhere
• Various videos - behind the scenes, music videos, etc.
• Newsletter
• Individual band member diaries
• Link to SyCo website
• Continuosly updated news feeds, tour dates, etc.
• Picture galleries

Purchasing Opportunities
The site is abundent with opportunities to purchase some sort of product from the site, whether it is clothing, wrapping paper or the album itself. Combining the interactivity of the site with purchasing options has meant that it is incredibly easy for the audience to buy something and it strengthens the ability of the label to push the audience towards buying the products.

• 1D Shop for merchandise
• Links to iTunes, Amazon, HMV, etc
• Personalised Gift Wrap
• Tour tickets

Intertextual References in Music Videos: We Made You by Eminem

Eminem's music video for 'We Made You' (2009) raised alot of controversy due to the number of intertextual references and the way in which they were portrayed. I chose to use this video because of the various references to celebrities, political figures and films/tv shows.

Female Celebrities
The video references many major female stars such as, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and Kim Kardashian. There is alot of irony in the video because they have chosen to have the girls dressed in outfits seen on the real singers but then have them look completely different in terms of what they truly think the girls look like. For example instead of being slim and toned, they have portrayed Jessica Simpson eating a burger and being overweight while wearing her famous Dukes of Hazzard outfit. They also used a Britney Spears impersonator from America's Got Talent - Derrick Barry, to portray Spears in her 'Gimme More' video outfit. One of the most controversial characters portrayed in the video is Sarah Palin because they refer to her being more of a sexual object than a respected politician.

Films/TV Shows

The narrative of the video acts as a parody of the american reality tv program Rock of Love, where Eminem acts as Bret Michaels (the bachelor in the real show) with all of the girls they are mocking surrounding him and almost worshipping him. They make it look very pathetic by over emphasising their desperation for 'love'. Also featured in the video is references to the films: Star Trek and Rain Man. The star trek narrative adds comedic value as well as conforming to the conventions of Eminem's videos which star Dr. Dre because he is ultimately the one with the power/the most knowledgeable one out of the two.

Guitar Hero Reference

The only scenario where Eminem is miming by himself with no other extras in shot is in front of a Guitar Hero backdrop, which would easily be identified by the majority of the audience watching the video. It acts as if he has been dropped on top of the game itself.

Impact on the Audience?

For the majority of the audience, the video will be viewed as comedic because so much of it seems to be Eminem poking fun at the latest celebrity news and it almost seems as though they didn't attempt to hold back from visually representing that, which is not done very often. 

The video would also appeal to the fan base of Eminem because he is known for his comedic videos involving poking fun at other stars at the time of production, therefore by following the successes of the previous videos he has made, for example, 'Just Lose It', it will target his fans.

This is one of the most effective videos I have seen that uses intertextual references because it manages to draw upon so many different aspects in the industry and not only make the audience laugh and cause controversy, but at the same time it manages to subtly include thoughtful messages about the way that female celebrities are perceived and the fakeness of reality tv.

Motown Track Selection: Signed Sealed Delivered by Craig David (2010)

After having a couple of meetings with my group (Jess R, Sam and Alex) we came up with two main ideas, both differing quite a lot: Fast Fuse by Kasabian and a modern motown video. As the second idea wasn't very defined at the time, I have worked on it further and listened to a few tracks in order to produce a single pitch. The track I have selected is Signed Sealed Delivered by Craig David (2010), it was originally produced and sung by Stevie Wonder, however we thought that his voice was too definitive and so Craig David's voice would be easier for the practicalities of the project.

LYRICS

Like a fool I went and stayed too long

Now I'm wondering if your love's still strong

Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Then that time I went and said goodbye

Now I'm back and not ashamed to cry

Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Here I am baby

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

(You got my future in your hands)

Here I am baby

Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

(You got my future in your hands)

I've done a lot of foolish things

That I really didn't mean, hey yeah yeah didn't I?

Seem a lot of things in this old world

When I touch them, they mean nothing, girl

Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Oowee baby, you set my soul on fire

That's why I know you're my heart's only desire

ooooh baby

Here I am Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

Here I am Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

Here I am Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

done a lot of foolish things

That I really didn't mean hey yeah your right

Here I am baby Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

done a lot of foolish things

That I really didn't mean I feel broken

Here I am Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

Here I am Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

Here I am Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours

CONCEPT/GENERAL IDEA FOR THE VIDEO

Modern Retro, Taking an old style of music and bringing it into the 21st Century

INSPIRATIONS TO LOOK AT

• Miss Independent, Closer and Champagne Life by Ne-Yo (for the studio bit/solo artist scene)
• Next Best Thing by Nikki and Rich (for retro theme)
• Showgirl by Bluey Robinson
• Candyman by Christina Aguilera 
• Lovebug by Jonas Brothers
• Save the Last Dance for Me by Michael Buble
• Down with the trumpets by Rizzle Kicks
• Thinkin of Me by Olly Murs
• I Wanna Be Your Man by Willy Moon

BRANDING IDEAS SURROUNDING THE SONG

• Creating the next olly murs/michael buble but a younger version
• Clean, Polite, Family Friendly (not seen partying alot, etc.), Suits with Skinny Tie, Classy, Humble?
• Target Audience would be females aged 16-25? With secondary audiences being mums (introduced through their children/family appeal), teenage boys (who aspire to be him), Genre fans 
• Plenty opportunity of beauty shots for inside album cover and website

IMAGES

IDEA FOR THE VIDEO

• Maybe start with a child? Putting cassette into old radio (like Rizzle Kicks), Music sounding muffled at first and then play out properly
• At 0:08 (just after really high note) cut to retro mic dropping from above camera and singer catching it, then start singing (Artist dressed in suit with skinny tie and performing in a bare room/studio)
• Cut to scene of singer trying to pursue love interest (maybe in street/studio?, casual wear?)
• Cut to another scene of some sort of swing dance going on with singer and his love interest in centre with maybe two or three other couples
• Keep cutting between these scenes
• Ending Possibilities = 1) if we get a child relatively good at singing, then music could fade out to them with headphones and singing along (like in JLO's video for Get Right), 2) Singer gets the girl, 3) if we start with the singer, then at the end we could have him wake up alone after dreaming of his ideal girl?

3 SCENES (OR 4) 

• Solo Artist
• Street Walk
• Artist in his room
• Dance scene
• Maybe Artist and band?

LOCATIONS

• Studio
• Male Bedroom
• Street

PROPS/COSTUMES,ETC.

• Suit with Skinny Tie and Braces?
• Retro Mic
• Casual Smart Outfit
• Love Interest's Costume