What I have Learnt from the Lipsync Exercise

From conducting my very first lipsync video I have come to learn various editing and shooting skills which will help me when creating, recording and editing my music video. The exercise has allowed me to film my very own sequences consisting of long shots, mid shots and closeups, and also cutaway sequences.

At one point in the lipsync video lighting proved to have a significant impact on the quality of the video footage, and ultimately effected how professional the video looked. I have learnt that in my real music video I will have to use appropriate setting with control of lighting, and mis en scene to produce the highest quality work. I also learnt through the process of editing that the narrative and music must work in conjunction with each other, therefore all cuts must be made to suit and fit the beat and lyrics of the track.

Star Image Analysis - Miley Cyrus

Collage of miley cyrus' star image

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The star which I have analysed for the element of star image is Miley Cyrus as she embodies the ideologies and desires of the modern day consumer and mainstream materialistic and aspirational audiences. At the beginning of Cyrus' career she embodied the title of a pop-princess and icon for children across the globe. Her hit series Hannah Montana was aired by the Disney Channel which provided a link to the most idolised, influential and lovable fictional characters known to children. Conclusively, Cyrus' audience was primarily young girls/teenage girls.

By adopting the alter ego of Hannah Montana, Cyrus was able to embody the stereotypical Americanised features of a youthful, healthy and beautiful young girl i.e.  long blonde hair, blue eyes and the voice of an angel. However this was soon to change. As Cyrus was about to embark on her new life as a young adult, the demands of modern day consumerism and mainstream perceptions of beauty, physicality and sexuality altered her star image dramatically. Cyrus no longer wanted to be viewed simply as the childhood sweetheart that is Hannah Montana, she wanted to be taken seriously and therefore aspired to broaden her demographic of audience through the manipulation of her genre of music, but ultimately her star image. 

Andrew Goodwin states that the audience knows it's own tastes in music, conclusively the audience are used to the genre of music produced by Cyrus' alter ego Hannah Montana. However the music industry has been able to work around this theory - the construction of Miley's new image is one of the ways in which they have able to alter the audience's taste in music. 

Cyrus has become a phenomenon of modern day consumerism and culture as her broadened demographic of audience feel a loose attachment to her and change their image in conjunction with the alteration of her image. 

Sexual connotations - delicacy of the bird feathers could connote the idea of the juxtaposing of Miley's more delicate, fragile and naive perception as pop princess Hannah Montana with the sexually more dominant and womanly Miley Cyrus. The fact that she is laying on peacock feathers could indicate that Cyrus, as an artist, has a degree of unseen vivacity and rarity that has not been exposed until now. 

Here the artist's hair is darker, her makeup is more seductive, dark and smoky which could indicate at Cyrus' desire to appeal to an older demographic of audience such as aspirational admirers and anti-authority rebels. The fact that the artist crawls on a mirrored floor could highlight that vanity is a central focus to the work of Cyrus. 

Cyrus now uses the conscious manipulation of her star image to make controversial political statements. The pole represents promiscuity and connotes fairly derogatory ideas. Cryus' new image has sparked a colossal debate about how suitable Miley's image is as according to Andrew Goodwin's theory star loyalty is key; therefore millions of young admirers across the globe will alter their own image and aesthetic to mirror their favourite artists. 

There is substantial difference in institutional contexts such as the branding of the star, synergy, marketing and also filming styles. The difference in filming styles is evident in the above music videos, one from the alter ego that is Hannah Montana and one from Miley Cyrus as an independent artist. The filming styles in Cyrus' new more modern music videos differ as they are more dark, with sharp cutting and edits to market her in a different, more diverse way to create controversy.

I will use this research to inform my production work in order to successfully portray the message of which our song conveys, and to ultimately depict the morals, values, ideologies and opinions of our artist and also meet the demands of the modern day culture of consumerism and materialistic desire.

Initial Treatment Ideas

The soundtrack we would like to use is called "Oh No!" By Marina and The Diamonds. We were inspired by the potential of the lyrics to convey the materialistic desires of the modern world and it's occupation with fame and fortune.

Dont do love, dont do freinds              Tearing pictures of her and boyfreind/pushing friends away -
I'm only after success                           self destruction.
Don't need a relationship
I'll never soften my grip                  Clenching fist or handfull of money

Don't want cash don't want card     Holding money/throwing it in the air/throwing credit cards
Want it fast, want it hard
Don't need money
Don't need fame                              Wearing a crown/taking pictures of herself in close up

I just wanna make a change              Idea of closeups and extreme closeups of the subject taking
I just wanna change                          drugs/repeatedly changing clothes to represent the
                                                          persona she is trying to create for herself.
I just wanna change                      
I just wanna change
I just wanna change
I just wanna change

I know exactly what I want and who I want to be        Looking to the stars/pictures of idols
I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine      Fast edits/montage to create robotic effect on
I'm now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy      Movement
Oh, Oh no! Oh no! Oh no-oh!

One track mind, one track heart
If I fail, I'll fall apart                           Ambition to be perfect
Maybe it is all a test
Cause I feel like I'm the worst
So I always act like I'm the best
If you are not very careful
Your possessions will possess you       Clothing and possessions literally attacking her
TV taught me how to feel
Now real life has no appeal
It has no appeal
It has no appeal
It has no apeal
It has no appeal

Chorus

Chorus repeated

I'm gonna live, Im gonna fly         Coveys the two polar extremes - attitude and outlook on her own life
I'm gonna fail, Im gonna die
I'm gonna live, I'm gonna fly
I'm gonna fail, gonna die, die , die, die       Repetitions of shots/edits to create montage

Chorus

Chorus repeated

Lipsync Exercise

For our lipsync exercise we have chosen "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls as we feel the pace of the song is suitable as it is substantially upbeat and fairly easy to sing; we also know the words to this particular song very well. The pace of the song will also enable us to include a variety of sequences in our filming i.e. long, medium and close up shots, and also cutaway sequences.

Music Videos That Inspire Me

"Oh No!" by Marina and The Diamonds has provided me with inspiration due to the variety and vivacity of the frequent cuts and editing. The music video creates a montage of images in a comic book/pop art style. I also like the use of money falling down onto the artist to create imagery and meaning, but also works in conjunction with the lyrics of the song.




I have also gained inspiration from the "Hollywood" music video as it is also orientated with modern day consumerism and compulsive desire for wealth, fame and power which is the narrative I would like to portray through my music video - a young girl trapped in the world of modern media and consumerism, thirsty for hollywood fame and fortune.



"Broken Arrow" has inspired me through the use of lighting and colour. Throughout the video there is the constant idea with dark, representing hurt and the past, versus light which is representative of the present, future or the artist's fragile state.



"Waking up in Vegas" has provided me with inspiration through the light-hearted/humorous narrative, but also through the repetitive close ups of the artists face to convey emotion. I also love the use of costume in this video as it helps to create characterisation and tell separate narratives within the video. In my music video I want to portray this idea of separate narratives through the changing of the artist's costumes, but also to convey the artist's confusion.



I have also been inspired by the use of colour, costume, mis en scene and setting in "California Gurls".

Music Video Analysis

Music video analysis - Beyonce "why don't you love me"

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Analysis of Album Art

KATY PERRY CALIFORNIA GURLS 

• This album cover is for predominant pop artist Katy Perry’s single California Gurls. The album title works in conjunction with the selection of colours used for the background, the text and even the aesthetic of the artist. The bright colours with hues of lemon yellows and baby pinks and blues connote an air of fun and youthfulness or even childlike innocence and naivety. The image of the parasol in the background along with the lighting used to highlight the artists body indicate that the album cover represents the season of summer. This could suggest that in this song in particular the focal point is primarily fun and the pursuit of fun, but also the pursuit for the artist to return to a more enjoyable and light-hearted period in her life.

• The album cover is represented as or adopts the genre characteristics of a 1950s-esque pin up girl – an icon of the era encapsuling beauty, talent and fame into one. Through the artists aesthetic it is evident she is keen to portray herself as a woman of this nature. It also provides insight into her artistic interests, likes and dislikes, but also determines how her genre of music will be perceived by a consumer audience.

• The codes of which this image portrays are that of mainstream western culture and stereotypical perceptions of the female gender – the fact that they are represented as or symbolise objects of sexual desire for the egotistical modern day male and iconic for the aspirational and admiring female audience. It is a commentary on the reoccurring ideology of desire and of consumerism today.

• The album title is a mix of bold lettering and fluid. Perhaps the bold font is used to make a statement whereas the fluid text used for the lettering of the word “gurls” is used to convey the delicate and pretty nature of the song and ultimately the artist herself.

• The artist is dressed in quite a revealing and provocative manner to highlight her feminine features and beauty. Her hair is consciously coloured blue to create the illusion of an astounding rarity and uniqueness of the artist.

Analysis of Album Art

RIHANNA RATED R

• This image is the alum cover for Rihanna's album Rated R. The title connotes the idea that the album is solely about the artist as her name begins with the letter "R" but also suggests relevance to the genre characteristics of a movie. 

• The image itself is in black and grey with stark and dark lighting which suggests an air of mystery and ambiguity, but also of darkness and sin. Rihanna's facial features are striking and elaborate to highlight her aesthetic as an artist but could also suggest that the genre of music which appears in this album will differ slightly from her usual light-hearted and and pop based productions. 

• The main focal point for this image is to create a diverse edge and statement about the artists' artistic influences, style and even personal interests. The image provokes the ideology that the semiotics derive from archaic horror movies from the 1920s, 30s and 40s; mirroring the effect of the painted movie posters for legendary works such as the Bride of Frankenstein and the Werewolf of London. 

• Rihanna's gloves resemble claws of a monster which conveys her animistic nature - referring back to the horror movie theme. A song on the album is in fact called The Madhouse which encompasses the them of a fictional world portrayed in a horror film. 

• Leather also connotes strength and edge, and the fact that Rihanna is wearing leather reinforces the idea that she as an artist is strong, imposing and dominant over 21st century consumerism and the media spectrum of modern day. 

• Rihanna's aesthetic deviates from traditional perceptions of beauty whereby something beautiful is transformed into something to be feared; this could convey Rihanna's principal interest when promoting her album - taking her traditional light-hearted pop music and diversifying it into a whole new genre of thought provoking edge and creativity.

• The font used for the album title resembles scratching or smearing.

Marketing Strategies Presentation

Marketing Strategies Molly & Yasmine

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