Research into chosen music genres - Miss Georgiou

The music genre of our chosen artist Lana Del Rey is Indie-pop, however the song we are using is a remix so therefore is mixed with the dance genre. Indie-pop music tends to be very lyrical so I was inspired to chose that genre to match the visuals of my chosen music genre with the lyrics of the song. The genre can however be depressing so I was inspired to get a remix to add the dance genre which it upbeat and will work well with the fast editing I wish to use.   We want to make this video our own, and whilst following some of the conventions of the indie genre we also want to try and include some of our own ideas and inspirations from other music genres- specifically the dance genre to try and make this a one of a kind music video. What interested us the most with the indie genre was mise-en-scene of costume as in indie music videos they appear to be very retro. It is very unique with clothing coming from the past and the artists slowly modernising it. This helped us to think of a narrative for the music video, with the mis-en-sene costumes with the grunge we thought of a narrative to do with a possible abusive/complicated relationship , abusing the use of drugs and alcohol. This will be relevant to the specific target audience as they will probably find it more realistic and relatable as they are more likely to be exposed to the uses of drugs and alcohol rather than an abusive/physical relationship. We were also inspired by the mis-en-scene iconography such as the use of alcohol bottles and cigarettes. This also made us have many ideas to do with the narrative and by following a few conventions the video would still have its typical music genre.

An artist that is similar to my chosen artist Lana Del Rey is Ellie Goulding. The music video of Ellie Goulding's I have chosen to analyse is 'How long will I love you' which is downbeat and quite depressing similarly to Lana Del Rey's music.

The codes and conventions of this music video consists of the use of instruments including both a piano and a guitar as well as musical equipment including a microphone. This is conventional to the music genre as instruments are generally used within indie-pop music videos as they are associated with the artist in that type of music. 
Indie music videos are known to be quite low budget, the main settings of the video are in the studios, cities, parks, tunnels etc. These are places that can be accessed easily and they can create enigma. The setting is kept simple because it is typical and conventional of the indie genre to focus more on the artist or their performance. 

The mise-en-scene used within the 'How long will I love you' music video follows these conventions as it is set in both a studio and a city/town to keep the main focus on Ellie Goulding and also the performance and narrative the music video is based around. Mise-en-scene is used also used through the clothing and iconography. Clothing because the artist is dressed in clothes conventional to the indie genre as she is seen to be wearing a beanie hat, jeans and a baggy jacket. The use of this shows a relaxed environment which builds up a relationship between the audience and the artist. She wears clothing which isn't revealing but that is tight fitting in some parts. The natural and basic colours to the clothing is essential within an indie/pop music genre as it represents the artist as being quite laid back, and that she isn't superficial she is just herself and it portrays her music as being natural as well The clothing used is very conventional to a indie genre as she is wearing hoodies and trousers throughout most of her video. The element is very conventional to a indie music video as stereotypically you would see the artist in casual clothing as indie artists are usually portrayed as being realistic and relatable for the everyday audience. The clothing she wears is oversized on the top half by tight on her bottom half and it gives her a grungy look, but also shows off her figure but in a more subtle way. This is your everyday sort of clothing and this is essential in an indie music video as it sows that the artist can be themselves without trying to impress anybody; it creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to relate to the everyy clothing and it makes the artist seem more realistic to the audience instead of being an out of reach star. The clothing is used so that the audience can feel closer to the artist as the clothing shows that they are just like them.
The iconography used is instruments which shows that the artist themselves is the one playing the instruments in the song. The use of a guitar in the music video is a major essential to a indie genre as this is coventional as this is streotypical instrument for all indie stars to play. It creates a different atmosphere to the music video and makes the audience feel that the artist is a true/real performer and very intelligent and diverse as a musical artist. This creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to gather an insight to the music artists instrumental side and it could inspire them to take up an instrument themselves like the artist just to try and copy what they do even more and be more like them.



It has been increasingly popular to include a narrative within the music video of the indie genre as it helps to tell a story which the audience could relate to. This is because usually the narrative links in well with the lyrics which leaves room for more imagination which makes the music video stand out more. Narrative has become popular and conventional to the indie genre as it hold peoples attention and comes across more interesting through the variation of shots used. Ellie Goulding's music video follows the convention and style of a narrative as a love story is being shown through most of the video to give the audience something to relate to. The style of the music video is mainly narrative based with small performance throughout. The narrative based shows the lifestyle of the artist and this connotes that she wants people to see who she really is despite having the title as an indie star.The use of the narrative in this music video connects the lyrics to the visuals and it explains the song in more depth so that the audience are able to relate, understand and connect to the song more than what they would with just a performance based music video. The narrative enables the audience to see what the artist though the song was about themselves though the narrative and ideas of the music video, without a narrative based video they are less likely to connect to the song if it has a meaning behind the lyrics - the narrative also allows the audience to see the artist in a different setting to what they would normally. Performance is also used within this music video as it shows the artist in her element, where she loves to be the most. She uses emotion through acting and through her eye contact with the camera and by having the performance style is lets the audience see her in all her glory and as an artist.

The artist is represented as somebody who is carefree, reminiscent of the past and also rebellious and a rule breaker. We see this through many of the different elements in the music video and due to the narrative. We firstly see the use of mis-en-scene costume to show her carefree attitude towards life. This is evident when the artist and her partner are seen to be stealing from someones garden and then fleeing the scene laughing. 

The main camera shots used are close-ups of the artist Ellie Goulding which is conventional to the indie genre as it introduces and helps to advertise the star. Close-up shots also highlight the artist's talents when they are singing and it also shows their passion and emotion. Long and wide shots are also used within the music video which is conventional to the indie genre to set the scene of the narrative in the music video.
One of the main camera angles used was mid-shot. This camera angle is the base camera angle throughout the music video; it is used constantly so that the audience can see pretty much everything in front of them. This is essential to indie music video as we are able to see the basics of what is around the artist. When she is performing we see some some of her surroundings in the room she is singing in of the city backdrop; this enabes the audience too feel that they are in the music video themselves watching the artists herself in the flesh. This then creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to feel that they are in the music video and see her as an artist perform as they will feel it is more realistic.

It follows Goodwin's theory in some ways that in which it has many close-ups of the artist. This enables the artist to promote themselves as an  artist an create a relationship with the audience as they are able to get a more in depth feel for the artist as they feel that they can connect with the artist more if they can know there image more and use of eye contact with the camera. It makes the audience believe that the artist is singing to them and only them. It makes the song more personal.
Another way in which is follows Goodwin's theory in the fact that there is a balance between narrative and performance based context. It also follows Goodwin's theory in some ways that in which it has many close-ups of the artist. This enables the artist to promote themselves as an  artist an create a relationship with the audience as they are able to get a more in depth feel for the artist as they feel that they can connect with the artist more if they can know there image more and use of eye contact with the camera. It makes the audience believe that the artist is singing to them and only them. It makes the song more personal.

The editing used within this music video consists of fast/quick editing which is conventional to the indie genre as it reflects the pace/beat of the song which links in well with Andrew Goodwin's theory with the visuals matching the lyrics. This editing style allows the footage in the music video to be quicked rapidly and make the images on screen move faster and show more footage. Although not essential within a music video, it was added here to match the lyrics to the song, and also show a hidden message. The editing style shows how Ellie Goulding is trying to say how time passes so quickly and that she feels that her career is going quicky also. This editing style creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to see more real footage of the artist and this lets them get a better insight into her life as an indie star and this then lets the audience feel more connected to her.

The target audience of Ellie Goulding consist mostly of teenagers and young adults interested in the indie/ indie-pop genre. Ellie Goulding is represented as an everyday person in this music video which appeals to a varied audience as it makes it more relateable and realistic. 

The second music video I have chosen to analyse is 'Route 94 - My love'. It is of the Dance music genre which links in with my chosen song as it is a remix. The mise-en-scene characteristics used within this music video includes the location and environment of it being set in a club which is conventional to the dance genre as music videos within the dance genre are typically set in lively atmospheres with a lot of things going on simultaneously. The music video is set in a club so that the audience can relate what they are watching to their lives. A lot of bright lighting and vibrant colours are used which are typical conventions of a dance genre music video as they accompany the dance audio, and the sense of liveliness and feel good atmosphere is given off to the audience. 
The main camera shots used within this music video include conventional shots such as fast cut shots in time with the dance beat which sustains the audiences interest and prevents boredom. Both high angle and establishing shots are also used to give the viewers a sense of environment the dance track is filmed in. Close-up shots of people are also used to show individual roles of different people within the video. Furthermore a range of mid-shots are included to add to the sense of realism that there would be in a dance/club environment. 
The main editing styles used include fast cuts shots to enable the audience to view different angles and areas of the video. The use of this editing technique contributes to accompanying the audio of the video which is designed to almost give the audience a sense of euphoria, and make them want to dance in an environment similarly depicted in the music video.
The target audience of this artist and music genre consists mainly of those who are 16+ who tend to go clubbing or events that play that genre of music. The artist is not shown within this music video instead characters are used which is typical of the dance genre as the DJ's tend to promote their mixes as opposed to themselves.

The style of the music video is a mixture of both narrative and concept. This is because there is a theme of a slight love story being told and the idea behind it is showing the audience the typical club romance in which the audience of this music genre can relate to as it is a realistic scenario. The use of the narrative in this music video connects the lyrics to the visuals and it explains the song in more depth so that the audience are able to relate, understand and connect to the song more than what they would with just a concept or performance based music video. The narrative enables the audience to see what the artist though the song was about themselves though the narrative and ideas of the music video, without a narrative based video they are less likely to connect to the song if it has a meaning behind the lyrics - the narrative also allows the audience to see the artist in a different setting to what they would normally. Concept is also used within this music video as it shows the character in his element, where he loves to be the most. He uses emotion through acting and through his eye contact with the camera and by having the concept style is lets the audience see her in all his glory by having an idea behind the music video.

Goodwin's theory is used within this music video as the music matches the visuals, the fast editing used and quick shots reflect the upbeat music of the song. Furthermore, Goodwin states that the technical aspect helps to hold the music video together through the use of mise-en-scene, special effects, sound and editing, the technical aspect is withheld within this music video as special effects are used throughout of neon bright colours. Goodwins theory is also used through the setting as it is based in a everyday locations. This is conventional to an indie genre as this shows that the artist possibly want to portray their music and their personality through scenery showing their hobbies as if to tell the audience that they are fun and like an everyday person themselves. This creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to relate to the artist in the realistic locations shown. Another way in which is follows Goodwin's theory in the fact that there is a balance between narrative and performance based context. The use of the narrative explains the lyrics of the song in more detail, and gives a visual of the lyrics to what the artist thinks her own lyrics mean. It connects and builds a relationship with the audience as they are able to see the artists own ideas through the use of her narrative and what the artist believes the song is about.

To conclude, the research I have done on my combined music genres will assist me with planning my own music video as it has given me an understanding into the conventions used within the two music genres and how they are effective in appealing to the target audience of the genres. Furthermore I have come to conclude that the style of a narrative is versatile with both the dance and the indie genre so would therefore work well with my groups chosen song. This has also inspired me in many ways with the use of cinematography close ups are very important of the artist performing so that the audience are ale to connect with the artist in   better way. They also have inspired me as they can see the conventional indie conventions of indie clothing which is baggy clothing on the top but tight on the lower part of the body so that she can show off her sexuality but subtly.

Music video inspirations - Miss Georgiou

Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding - I Need Your Love

I took inspirations from Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding's music video both of whom are from different music genres, Ellie Goulding being Indie-pop and Calvin Harris being from the Dance genre. This therefore means that the music video is versatile as it can fit into either genres meaning that there is a more varied audience making the conventions used aspiring to include in my own music video.
I like the style of the music video which is narrative and concept used throughout as there is a romantic story being told including both artists as the characters in love. 
I also like the diverse way in which the artist and characters themselves are holding the camera and videoing the music video themselves this makes the video more realistic which therefore builds up a relationship with the audience more. 
The artist Ellie Goulding is represented as a young woman who's expressing her feelings towards the other artist Calvin Harris through the music video. They are both represented as a normal young couple in love which provides realism towards the audience as it can be relateable to many people.
The cinematography used consists of many two-shots of the two artists/characters which is effective in showing the audience the relationship between the characters and the facial expressions/actions they are both doing which is effective in making the relationship between the characters understandable to the audience which then also connects them to the characters/artists.
The mise-en-scene used includes clothing worn by Ellie Goulding that is conventional to the Indie genre such as baggy shirts and hoodys. There is also iconography used of the mobile phone used to film the footage of the video which is promotion and advertisement for the phone company.

Coldplay - Paradise

Another video I have taken inspiration from is Indie band Coldplay's 'Paradise'.
I like how the lyrics of the song are written and held up on cardboard so it's in a way combined with a lyric video as well as being an official music video. 
The cinematography used within the video includes many long shots to display the full shot of the scenery and surroundings.
The mise-en-scene used within this music video more specifically, the setting and scenery is of London town and Underground. This is useful in assisting my with my music video as London is a local place available for me to film footage in and it is also on of the most famous cities in the world so would appeal to not only a British audience but a wide range of audiences. The costume worn by the characters includes a elephant suit worn by singer of the band Chris Martin which is out of the ordinary and would therefore stick in the audiences mind. Iconography of a unicycle is also used, the artist Chris Martin is in the elephant suit riding the unicycle. This is effective as it is unique and diverse which will therefore make the music video more memorable and talked about. Iconography of instruments are also used which is conventional to the indie genre for bands.
The artist representation within this music video is not clear as the main character is hidden under an elephant costume but as the video goes on Chris Martin takes off the elephants head and reveals his identity which self promotes him in a memorable way. The music video then goes on to introduce and represent the rest of the band also in elephant costumes who reunite with Chris Martin at the end which allows the audience to see the relationship between the band in an unusual way which will stick in their minds.

Kiesza - Hideaway

The music video 'Hideway' is by artist Kiesza from the Dance genre. I like the style of the music video which is performance based throughout. The performance within the music video includes dancing by the artist herself as well as back up dancers which is effective in showing off the skills the artist maintains.

Mise-en-scene is used, specifically the setting which is the scenery of the same street/block which keeps it simple therefore putting more focus on the artist which self-promotes her. The clothing of the artist is conventional to the dance genre as it includes the bright colour of red, trainers, and an urban style.

The cinematography used within this video consists mostly of long-shots to show the surroundings of the artist which are everyday settings therefore making it relateable to the audience which then builds a relationship between the audience and the artist.

Editing is also used within this music video, more specifically fast editing as the artist changes corner to corner on the street which quickly changes the backdrop of the scenery.

The three overall artists that I am considering for my music video:

Ellie Goulding - Lights

Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness/Blue Jeans

The 1975 - Girls

The reason I chose these three artists/band is because they are all from the Indie-pop genre which is very versatile with the different conventions used within their music videos. Also, many indie-pop music videos follow the narrative of a love story which I wish to include in my music video and my chosen three artists have all included this in some of their music videos.

I plan on sharing these ideas with my group by showing them the music videos and explaining to them the advantages of why I believe that music genre would be beneficial to us when producing our own music video due to how easy it is to follow and construct the conventions.

Rihanna - We found love

The music video 'We found love' falls under the music genre of pop. The use of editing within this video inspired our own music video as it includes fast editing and quick shots throughout. The style of the music video is narrative based as it tells a love story which needs many different shots to show different aspects and moments of the relationship. Fast editing and quick shots help to portray this as it includes varied shots of the couple in different locations. This helped to inspire our own music video as ours in narrative based as well so it would therefore be convenient for our group to use the same editing techniques in order to create and portray a relationship as thoroughly as possible. The artist representation within this music video is rebellious and careless within her youthful relationship. This inspired our artist image as we wanted to show that our artist is badly influenced by being in a relationship and makes her show signs of rebellion.

The 1975 - Robbers
This music video 'Robbers' falls under the same music genre as our own song which is indie. The use of editing within this music video consists of fast editing as again it tells the narrative of a love story between two characters in which our group could relate and take inspiration from.

Analysis of a Star and Dyer's Star Theory - Miss Miller

Artists may feel the need to reinvent themselves for the following reasons

• Different target audience 
• Tired of their old image
• Change their genre of music  - Experiment
• Increase their revenue by having wider audiences
• Improve their fan base - more varied
• Created publicity 
• Previous bad press

The artist I have chosen to analyse whom I believe has changed their image over the years is singer/rapper Chris Brown. The three music videos by Chris Brown I have chosen to compare is his 2007 music video 'Kiss Kiss' his 2012 song 'Don't judge me' and his recent 2014 song 'Loyal'.

The first music video is 'Kiss Kiss'. "Kiss Kiss" is composed as upbeat chanting record that incorporates elements of R&B and dance music. The song is written many about getting a woman's attention. The song was a commercial success as it topped the charts in New Zealand and the United States, becoming Brown's second number one hit in both countries.

Within Chris Brown's music video 'Kiss Kiss' Goodwin's theory is portrayed. The music video contains both narrative and performance. This is evident as he is telling a story throughout the music video about a love triangle between a girl, a geek and a popular boy of whom both are played by Chris Brown as well as lots of dancing and singing involved performance wise. The purpose of using the narrative and performance combined style of Goodwin's theory helps to connect and build a relationship between the audience and the artist as by telling a story it seems more realistic so therefore could be more relatable to the audience. This music video also follows Goodwin's theory through the relationship between the music and the visuals. This is because it uses disjuncture to promote the song as the song is completely ignored in the music video and has nothing to do with what is being shown so therefore stands out to the audience in a surprising manner. Another aspect of Goodwin's theory is the idea pit forward of a Star Image(protagonist), as lots of camera shots are used on him throughout making Chris Brown the centre of attention. Chris Brown's star image is being presented through his clothes and his dance moves in the video which are both seen to be conventional to his music genre. The purpose of this is to help promote his star image towards the audience as well as promoting the music video itself.

The genre of Chris Brown and his 'Kiss Kiss' music video is RnB. This music video is not conventional to the RnB genre as the mise-en-scene used-his clothing subverts the conventions of typical RnB artist outfits which tend to be hoodies,chains ect. Chris Brown however, is seen to be wearing clothes of a school boy/student including costumes such as a football/soccer kit and a stereotypical nerds outfit. This is to portray his youth as an artist as he was a teenager when producing the video.

By using Goodwins theory we can identify that there is a relationship between lyrics and visuals in this music video. This is shown when Chris Brown says 'It's bird-like'. The visuals then shows a mascot costume of a 'bird'. The link between the two gives the audience a more visual understanding of the song and shows that Chris brown has control of the music. 



There are also a lot of close up shots of Chris Brown to develop motifs for the artist. These close ups are done by the demands of the record label. These close ups show Chris Brown's face clearly, as he was a upcoming artist at this stage in her career, it allows the audience to remember his image and appearance; it Identifies who Chris Brown is.


Richard Dyer's theory relates to the music video, especially through youthfulness. This is because Chris Brown is portrayed as a teenager in school around other young people. No drugs, violence or sexual references are used which portrays a sense of innocence through his youth. The star theory hegemony is also used as the target audience can relate admire and share the same experiences as Chris Brown within school/college.
Chris Brown's target audience within this music video consists mainly of teenagers similar to his age at the time which has changed over the years slightly to young adults due to his explicit content.
In this music video I feel that Rihanna was portrayed to be a regular teen. By his costume, mise-en-scene being quite casual making him blend in with the extras/dancers within the music video. This applies to Dyers theory as Dyer believes that the institution models the artist around the target audience they choose. Dyers theory says that icons and celebrities are manufactured by institutions for a financial return. He believes that stars are constructed to represent 'real people' experiencing relatable things. Which is what Chris Brown does in this video, appearing to be an average teenage boy.
The messages and values Chris Brown is bringing across within this music video is that you don't have to be popular or rich in order to 'get the girl', instead he is saying that even the 'geeks' or 'nerds' can get them because it's not all about the exterior of a person but also the interior. This message is influential to his target audience as it gives them confidence to achieve what they want.

The next song "Don't Judge Me" is a song by Chris Brown on his fifth studio album, Fortune (2012). "Don't Judge Me" is a midtempo ballad, with lyrics in which Brown asks his lover to forgive him "for his past indiscretions" and "move on with the future."

Within Chris Brown's music video 'Don't judge me', Goodwin's theory is portrayed as the lyrics match the visuals. The song contains the lyrics quote 'please don't judge me' whilst the visuals show a lady sitting distressed with Chris Brown trying to assure her. The purpose of this is to help the audience gain an understanding of the song and its meaning along with the message Chris Brown is trying to bring across as they get a visual perspective of it. Another aspect of Goodwin's theory shown within this music video is the demands of the record label as the video includes many close-ups of the artist. The use of these close-ups help to create emphasis on the artists emotions as well as reflecting the words of the song with the movements of the lips of the artist. This gives emphasis on the song and what is being said, as well as their emotions, allowing for the song to have more engagement to the audience, also making them feel as if the artist is singing directly to them, which then allows for a connection to be built between the artist and the audience.
Chris Brown's genre changes slightly within this song and music video as he is an RnB artist however 'please don't judge me' sways more towards the Pop genre. He had previously followed generic conventions in his music of the RnB genre, but during his artist reinvention after his criminal offense he toned down and reached out to the audience with a more sympathetic down beat tone. 

Linking to Goodwin's theory I believe that many close ups were used as demands of the record label. The many close ups of Chris Brown allow his face to be remembered by the audience it also helps him to become more of a brand, as his face becomes something which is memorable and identifiable to the target market. Through close ups we can also see Chris Brown's facial expressions, this helps the audience to understand the way he is feeling and form an emotional connection with him. This can potentially make fans more dedicated to purchasing the artists material as they will feel as though they have an emotional connection with Chris Brown, which in turn benefits the record label through sales and profits.

Richard Dyer's theory is shown mostly through the use of aggression/anger within the music video, this can be shown through close-ups of his facial expressions.
His target audience changed slightly for this music video as he was reaching out to fans of the Pop genre too, interested in slow lyrical music. Furthermore,  increasing the brand identity benefits the institution as they become a household name increasing sales in all of the media platforms they are in. This brand identity may mean that fans start to replicate and mirror the artists behaviour, fashion or look. This can be identified with Chris Brown's blonde hair, Chris Brown started the iconic bleached hair for boys in 2012 which became a trend.

The messages and values Chris Brown is bringing across in this music video is a lot more 'mature' and 'deep' than his 'Kiss Kiss' music video as it relates to situations older teens/adults tend to be in as it is saying that the amount of judging society can do to one person can cause them to erupt and turn to suicidal thoughts- which is shown when Chris Brown goes on a suicide mission for the ones he loves. Chris Brown has changed his message due to society judging him for the assault he committed so therefore needed to come across to the public in a personal sense. The change is also in accordance with the era as society has become more suicidal and stress revolved since social media or any kind of media has developed and is used to portray people since Chris Browns older music.
Chris Brown has definitely changed his music content since 'Kiss Kiss' as his music is now aimed at a more mature audience going through breakups and more adult situations. I feel that Chris Brown has changed because he has grown up, it was 5 years since 'Kiss Kiss'. He has also changed more because of his own freedom and independence to sing and entertain the way he wants by linking in his music with personal situations. Compared to when an artist first comes out where the record label mould the artists look and character to fit what they feel will sell and are less free to sing about what they want.


The last song "Loyal" is a song by Chris Brown, released as the fourth single from his sixth studio album X (2014). The overall theme of the song is about unfaithful women. It was reported that Brown makes references at ex-girlfriend Rihanna in the song, as he sings about a girl not being loyal in a relationship.

Chris Brown's present day music video 'Loyal' portrays Goodwin's theory with his Star image. Chris Brown presents himself through his conventional RnB/rap choice of clothing and also his dance moves. The purpose of this is to appeal to the target audience of the genre as they may inspire to dress in the same way as they enjoy that type of music. Another aspect of Goodwin's theory is again the lyrics matching the visuals for example 'white girl with some fake...' and a white female is shown matching the description of the lyrics. The purpose of this is to give the audience a visual aspect of the song making it more entertaining and understandable to them.
The genre of this music video has changed as he now brought rapping into his music to combine with the RnB genre. 
Chris Brown's tattoos are visible within this music video which is conventional to the RnB rap genre as tattoos can relate to previous experiences that have occurred in their life.


Goodwin's Theory is also shown with the  relationship between the visuals and the music. This is shown through the pace of the music and the pace of the Chris Brown and the back-up dancers dancing. They dance  to the beat and when the base drops. This is to keep up and connect with the pace of the music. This makes the video more exhilarating to watch as everything is in rhythm. This is done because there is a dance routine and an out of pace dance routine would look odd and uncomfortable to watch.

Lastly, their is voyeurism and sexual objectification shown in this music video. For example, all the women included within the music video are wearing minimal clothing, and are treated as sexual objects by the men in the music video. Many of the shots are of the females bodies including shots of their backside. This proves that they are treated as objects just for pleasure and sexual enjoyment. Also voyeurism is shown, as many of the female dancers pay no attention to the camera. They look as if they are being watched in a sexual manner by the men within the music video including Chris Brown. The purpose of this is to fit genre conventions. As Rap tends to exploit women to see their assets when their dancing and to please the male target audience.


Richard Dyer's theory is used within this music video mostly through rebellion, sexual magnetism, and a disregard for social values. 
Chris Brown's target audience within this music video are viewers aged 16+ due to the explicit language and content used. This differs from his previous target audience who used to range from a younger age due to his youthfulness. I think the target audience has changed and increased in age as the artist himself has increased in age- in a sense he has aged his music and it's content with himself as he as matured and stepped out of his adolescence. 
The messages and values of this music video aren't heart felt like his old music videos, instead he is provoking women and promoting sexual content by expressing the values of women as he calls within this song 'hoes'. I believe he has changed his values as he is more careless as to what the public think of him and is instead trying to mould into a generic RnB/Rap artist of today.
We can identify Dyer's Star Theory in this music video with the audience and institutions. Dyer's theory say's that Stars are made for money purposes alone. This can explain Chris Brown's change from a sweet average teenage boy in Kiss Kiss to edgy and sexually open in Loyal. It shows us that the star is treated like a product, a star adapts to the changes in demand and tastes. The same way an artist changes to trends, tastes and fashions. Dyer's theory explains that this is all done to suit the audience and create what they want to see in order for the institutions to benefit from it profitably. Furthermore, increasing the brand identity benefits the institution as they become a household name increasing sales in all of the media platforms they are in. This brand identity may mean that fans start to replicate and mirror the artists behaviour, fashion or look. 

The target audience here has definitely changed as when Chris Brown first came out with his first debut albums they were more in the Pop/Rnb genre as opposed to Rap. Which I feel is aimed at a younger target audience. In this song Loyal, it has connotations of more adult topics such as sex and romance. I do feel like his audience have adapted but that he is keeping the same audience he had since he first came out but both audiences have matured.

Hegemony and cultural beliefs in the star theory is that we as the audience can relate to the star we admire or share experiences with. This develops into idolizations. Chris Brown has a massive fan base and he is on many social networking sites so the audience can see all of his actions. This keeps Chris Brown's movements in the public eye. So with this 'Loyal' music video with the exploitment of women and raunchy dancing. It can make Chris Brown appear to be a bad role model for his fans and younger audience. Chris has also appeared to be a bad role model in the past for his abuse on ex-girlfriend and star Rihanna,doing drugs and taking alcohol. This can be bad for the people idolizing him as they can start copying his actions. Chris Brown makes constant refers to drugs within Loyal "smoking marijuana -rolling up that molly" and refers to females as "broke bitches" which can have a negative effect on his artist representation.

The reality of Chris Brown could be different to that displayed and brought across within the music industry however as Chris Brown supports many causes and gives back to children in need, giving his money -which is so showed off within his music- to make a positive difference in the world. This relates to Dyer's theory saying that the star's brand is focused around certain things, going on to say that they are not real just constructed people. But the real Chris Brown could be the one doing all the charity work and helping people. It show's two sides of Chris Brown which makes it hard to establish which Chris Brown has been produced by the record label and what is really his personality. 





To summarize, artist Chris Brown began his music career as a young teenage boy reaching out to a teenage target audience of whom could relate and be entertained by him - his youth was reflected with innocence. However, he then made certain choices and decisions to reinvent his image and career after his public criminal offense towards another young music artist 'Rihanna'. After this, he tried to reach out to his current fans as well as the general public to gain their sympathy by giving them his perspective and how he feels through his music but by also coming slightly out of the RnB genre. Chris Brown then stepped out of this zone to reinvent himself again as a confident conventional RnB/rap artist to appeal to the target audience of similar rap and RnB artists in the industry today in order to fit back into his music genre.

Applying for music copyright - Miss Georgiou

Copyright protects original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. It allows an original work to be considered a property that is owned by somebody and when the owner of a song or music video has the right to prevent copying of intellectual property that is now owned by the person. This can include case music, lyrics and sound recordings of the artists. The copyright owner can protect their work and and control how it is being used, the copyright doesn't exist until an idea is written down, recorded onto a tape, disc or onto a computer. 

Before producing our video for Lana Del Rey's remix song we had to apply for copyright for both the artist Lana Del Rey's record label and the remix company record label because it is against the law to use another persons song which is their property which therefore gives them the right to sue you for using their song without permission or consent. 

To Identify the record label of our chosen artist and the remixers of the song I had to google the record label that Lana Del Rey was assigned to which I found was 'Polydor'. I emailed them asking for their permission to use Lana Del Rey's song 'Blue Jeans' therefore I am doing things professionally and asking permission to follow the right protocol into following the copyright laws and not using their song or their property without permission. Furthermore I had to also google the record label of whom the remixed 'Blue Jeans' song belonged to which I found out to be RAC remixes 'HugeReleases'.

I then had had to write a professional style email asking for the consent on whether or not I will be allowed to use the remixed version of the song and to record a cover and reconstruct our own music video. 

I have not yet got a response so will therefore send another email to both record labels.

Our group have re-sent an email to our record label and we haven't gained a response, however we are going to continue with our filming and planning with our chosen song.

Analysis of the music genre - Miss Georgiou

The way in which music videos appeal to an audience can depend on the genre of the song, and the particular music style the different audiences listen to. The music variations and different tastes usually stem from the age gaps and different generations. The varied music genres include Pop, Rap, Dance, RnB, House, Hip Hop, Country, Rock, Heavy Metal, Indie pop and many more. The conventions of these music genres consist of: 

• Rap- Clothing; known branded loose-fitting clothing(commonly hoodies&tracksuits), jewellery(chains,diamonds). Tattoos and hairstyles; tattoos can relate to previous experiences that have occurred in their life, they can have very distinguished hairstyles mainly a short faded style. Their music and videos usually consist of drugs violence and female nudity (in most cases). They also display a sense of emotions through facial expressions and body movements. Most rap artists usually have an angry expression on their faces whilst rapping their lyrics, dependent on if it's about their life experiences of the struggle/love.
• Pop- Artists are clothed in fashionable, stylish, and mainstream outfits. Artists are portrayed as happy, enjoying and content with life. The lyrics are normally based around love or relationships. Often bands/artists express the unity associated with teens, which is the main target audience for this genre. Themed with bright and bold colours which are normally associated with a positive vibe. Tends to follow current trends rather than being independent and making something new, unique and different to hear. The form of pop songs usually follows a verse-chorus-verse structure and uses hook lines which are catchy therefore stays in the audiences mind. Stereotypically associated with teens because people in their youth enjoy partying, clubbing and dancing which is exactly the purpose of pop music. Artists from the pop genre are expressed in a very sexual and seductive way, trying to lure the audience in; very show/staged like. 
• Dance- Clubbing, party scenes; high heels, short skirts- night out clothing; lots of makeup well groomed; jumping; drinking; UV paint; pool; fun atmosphere; dancing; flash cars- represent lifestyle.
• The majority of rock genre music videos often use slow motion. Black and white shots are also a very common feature. To create effect, a lot of different lighting is used such as low key lighting, darker colours and tones; this is used for mise-en-scene to give everything a more mysterious effect. Performance is one of the main features of a rock genre music video, during most videos; there will most likely be a live performance of the whole band. Also, there is often more of a focus on the narrative because the lyrics usually tell a story. Musically, rock has centred on the electric guitar, usually as part of a rock group with bass guitar and drums. Codes and conventions of rock have previously been associated with various form of drug use. Cannabis, cocaine and heroin are often the main drugs used which are commonly associated with rock genre. Also, this genre is associated with rebellion against social and political norms. There are many sub-genres within rock genre such as heavy metal, punk rock, power pop, indie rock etc. The costume that is usually worn and a common code in rock music videos are dark heavy clothing which often has silver studs on it. The main performers don't often reveal their bodies which is opposite to the R&B genre; the rock genre likes to have fully covered bodies with clothing or even tattoos.

 Within this post I will be focusing on 3 different music genres; Rap, Dance and Pop. The music video I will be exploring for Rap is Drake's 'Over', for the Dance genre Flo-Rida's 'Club can't handle me' and for the Pop genre I will be exploring Katy Perry's 'California Gurls' music video.

Rap Genre: Drake - 'Over'

The technical elements within Drake's 'Over' music video consists of the cinematography of a low-angle which is evident when Drake is sitting on the edge of the bed. The use of this low angle is to make Drake appear bigger and in a high position this is to put the audiences focus on the artist which self-promotes him. This then gains the artist respect from the audience and appear as someone for the audience to look up to/ aspire to be. 

Another micro-element of cinematography-a close up is also used which s again evident while the artist is on his bed, the effect of this is used to gain a relationship with the audience as the audience mainly focus on him and therefore allows the audience to understand what his song is about and the message that he is trying to put across to the audience and the personal experience that he is trying to convey across to the audience. 
This is conventional to the rap genre as most rap artists usually have an angry expression on their faces whilst rapping their lyrics, dependent on if it's about their life experiences of the struggle/love.

There is also the cinematography of a two shot which shows both Drake the artist and Rita Ora the female of whom Drake is rapping about which therefore means the lyrics match the visuals. The audience then gains an understanding into what message  the artist is bringing across, which then connects them to the audience and builds a relationship with the artist as they are given a perspective of Drakes personal relationship experiences between the both of them shown in the two shot. This is conventional to a rap music video because there is love conveyed within this music video which is typically rapped about within the genre.

The mise-en-scene of Drake's music video focuses alot on his clothing - hoodies and a chain. This is highly conventional of the rap genre because as mentioned previously rap artists generally are known to wear branded loose-fitting clothing which is commonly hoodies&tracksuits,
jewellery(chains,diamonds)



Another mise-en-scene element used is the iconography of lighting. It has very low-key lighting within the setting/background and the top lighting is used to highlight the artist and let him stand out from all of the scenery behind him. This is conventional to a rap genre as this the artist the centre of attention and this is usually shown through close ups in rap videos but this time they have used the lighting. This essential to a music video as this draws attention to the artist and makes the audience focus more on the artist rather than anything else within the music video. Another mis-en-scene element used was the location. This is evident as we see him in a bedroom and this goes against the conventions of a rap video and this makes the location look domestic and personal relating to his song which is personal to himself and his experiences also. The target audience would be able to relate to the artist therefore create a better relationship with him as it shows the song in more detail and makes the song more realistic to the audience letting them relate to possibly some of his own personal experiences.

The editing used within Drake's music video includes a fire effect combined with the projections of the lady the song is about. This is effective as it helps to express the feelings and emotions within himself which is being poured into the film seen visually as the colours orange/red/yellow could portray his inner fire which signifies passion or anger. This is conventional to the rap genre as rap artists tend display a sense of emotions through their music videos. Most rap artists usually come across angry whilst rapping their lyrics, dependent on if it's about their life experiences of the struggle/love. 

Another editing style used is fast paced editing - quick shots. This editing style is evident when Drake is rapping and when he says 'got everyone here that I didn't know last year'' - here we see in the background on the wall people walking around on the streets but their walking pace is quickened by editing to possibly represent the  people who quickly just walk in and out of his life. This then creates a subversion of the music genre because despite this showing his anger you don't usually see this through image you usually see this through lyrics not both. This then creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to see what it is like to be Drake as an artist and this then helps them empathise with his situation as an artist in which he thinks as soon as he became famous people decided to come into his life in unexpected and use him and then move out of his life so quicky.  This editing style  is also used in order  to  show the convention of the  high tempo and could also represent the quick pace of Drakes rapping, the faster her raps the quicker people move away from him. This could relate to the audience as they may again epathise with Drake as he feels that people don't see him for him as an individual they only see him as an artist and this helps the audience connect with the artist more.

Another editing style used was fading, this is used as Drake fades in and out when he moved into a different location within his music video. This is essential to the music video as it represents Drakes movements in life and shows that he is moving on from one subject to another. Also here editing makes us as the audience believe that by him fading in and out it could represent Drakes feelings and emotions, and how they change throughout the day as he changes location, how he is constantly on the move and so are his emotions. This subverts the conventions of a rap genre as the audience see him from one setting to another and this allows the audience to possibly see the different places in Drakes life that he could possibly have been or even be inspired by and this shows an insight to Drakes life to the audience.

Dance Genre: Flo-Rida 'Club Can't Handle Me'

The mise-en-scene of this music video contains iconography. The iconography is 2 flashy expensive sports cars shown at the beginning of the music video which are both the highly expensive brand of a Lamborghini. The effect the use of iconography has on the audience is to show them the artists lifestyle in the video and get the full extent of their wealthiness. This is conventional to a dance music video the dance artists tend to take pride in their status within a club and how they are perceived when turning up to a club as that atmosphere is mostly about status.  This then makes the audience think that Flo Rida is a wealthy artist who can afford expensive sports cars. This then makes the audience feel more connected to the artist as they look up to him for inspirations that they want to be like Flo Rida and have lots of money and fancy cars. The micor-element of iconography is also used through the use of costume within the music video. Flo Rida is seen wearing a red leather jacket, gold long chain, designer RayBans sunglasses and silver studded earrings. Most importantly the costumes show his never ending wealth. For example, the use of the colour red on the leather jacket makes it look more expensive and the red is conventional to any artist as it can represent many different persona such as power, lust, love etc. Here is it essential to have Flo Rida look powerful as he needs to be the centre of attention in the music video and the red leather jacket makes him look like he is the main aspect of the video and completely in charge of everybody else in the music video. It makes him look like he is part of a hierarchy, he is the most powerful and it top of the hierarchy and that everybody should worship him. This can also be seen as through mis-en-scene body language as he always has his hands above in the air and looks aways as if to tell everybody look at me I'm the star of this music video. This is essential as again it shows his power to the audience and show that people respect him as an artist.



The cinematography used within this video consists of a close-up of the artist Flo-Rida who is positioned on a stage while performing. The close-up here is used to show the artists importance and represents him to be bigger and more important compared to the other people in the club. This is conventional to the dance genre as the fun atmosphere is portrayed but is orbiting around the main attraction- Flo-Rida who appears to be the buzz of the club within the music video. The close up of the artist shows his performance on a larger platform/stage. This platform is just above the audience which shows that he is centre of attention, the main focus of the music video and this therefore is essential in a rap genre/music video and because he needs to promote himself and show he is more impotant than the other people in the music video with him. This is conventional to a dance genre because the artist needs to be the main focus in order to promote himself and the music video and song itself. This then lets him create a relationship with the audience which is more personal as the audience may feel they have a better connection with him due to him perfuming to the camera. This then makes the audience feel they have a better insight to his career as an artist and this makes it have a more realistic and relatable aspect to his music video. This again is conventional to a rap genre as Flo Rida is the centre of attention and he is perceiving his life to be interesting, fun and rather expensive, showing that he can afford the flash cars, the expensive setting in a club and for him to be the centre of attention he is trying to portray himself as being very powerful and well liked by large amounts of crowds.

Another cinematography element used within the music video is a high angle. This is evident during the club scene where everyone is seen to be happing and having fun. This follows the dance conventions as people are dancing in a club, jumping and drinking. The use of this high angle also follows the narrative of song which again ties in with the club setting and atmosphere. A high angle is essential in a dance genre as this shows the people behind the artist dancing and looking like they are having a good time. This then then portrays the artist to be a host of a great party and it make the audience believe that he knows how to have a great a great time with the people around him. By having the high angle shots we are now able to see the club setting and this portrays the artists wealth as he is higher than the rest of them and it makes Flo Rida look like he is more in control more 'upper class' than the people that are technically 'below' him. This then makes him create a relationship to the audience as they start to see the more entertaining side to him and this portrays the artist in a better light and this can make his publicity much better and could possibly gain more fans with the persona that he created.

The editing within this music video includes the tempo/fast editing which matches the pace of the music. Fast editing is specifically used because it matches the tempo with the song as it changes to different scenes in the club which represents his lifestyle in the club which matches people dancing and having fun. All of the fast paced matches the whole dance scene and this would be conventional of a dance genre as you would expect the tempo to match the movements as it is meant to be dance based. the dancers behind Flo Rida are conventional to a dance genre because dance music videos have back up dancers and they look like they are having fun and they are enjoying their time in the club and they are meant to look as if Flo Rida has hosted a great party. The use of this editing element represents the lifestyle of the club which follows the conventions that people in the club dance, jump and have fun. Another editing feature that is included within the music video is split screen which shows two separate images; the left image shows people running to get to the club and the right side of the split screen shows people inside of the club having fun. This is conventional as it shows peoples anticipation to get into the fun filled atmosphere of a club setting.

Pop Genre: Katy Perry - 'California Gurls'

The mise-en-scene within this music video consists of the artists costume and clothing. Katy Perry wears clothing that is bright, colourful, bold and unique throughout most of the music video. This is conventional to the pop genre as Pop artists are generally clothed in fashionable, stylish, and mainstream outfits and are themed with bright and bold colours which are normally associated with a positive vibe. This is conventional to a music video as it represents the artists style as an individual and it is also conventional as artists in pop videos always want to show a part of their skin to the audience, in Katy Perry's case 0 stomach, cleavage and legs. It shows off her physic which is also conventional to a pop genre as the artist also always wants to include their personal style in the elements of their music. The costumes particularly creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to aspire to have such flamboyant sexy clothing as a young woman, and also it represents women as being sexy and fun, which makes the audience respect and look up to the artist as she isn't afraid to show off her assets. 

The cinematography used within the music video includes mid-shots of the artist. The use of the mid-shot allows the audience to see both the facial expressions of the artist and the top half of her body. Mid-shots are used within Katy Perry's pop music video as she adds an extravagant sexualized theme and therefore wants to draw the audience in with her seductive costumes and facial expressions. This is conventional to the pop genre as artists from the pop genre are expressed in a very sexual and seductive way, trying to lure the audience in; very show/staged like. 

Mise-en-scene is shown again with this long shot of Katy Perry and back-up dancers. The use of the long shot appeals to the target audience as the pop genre is stereotypically associated with teens as people in their youth enjoy partying, and dancing which is shown within this long shot, the artist and other girls dancing with a positive happy vibe and atmosphere. The long-shot is essential to a pop genre as it shows that she is centre of attention and it also shows her performing more than an back ups dancers which is conventional to a pop music video as this camera angle makes the focus more on her and makes her look like a leader compared to the dancers in the background. This creates a relationship with the audience as this may make the audience look up to her in the music industry a she looks like a competitor in which could inspire the audience as it could help them with their own confidence as well as the artists. 

The editing within this music video includes tempo/fast editing which matches the fast pace, up beat music of the song. This is conventional to the pop genre as the form of pop songs usually consist of upbeat music which follows a verse-chorus-verse structure and uses hook lines which are catchy therefore stays in the audiences mind.

To conclude, this analysis has helped me a large amount with the planning of my music video and has given me an insight into what to include and what is seen in different music genres. As I am recreating Lana Del Rey's Indie/Dance song 'Blue Jeans RAC Remix' and Flo Rida's dance video has given me ideas about Close-Ups and how they promote the artist, Mis-en-scene and how costume body language and colours are important to portray the artist in a positive light and how it must link with the narrative of the song and much more to do with editing styles etc. I have gained many different ideas and inspirations such as giving me an insight of the stereotypical genre conventions of both dance and indie and things especially such as mise-en-scene clothing and inspirations of the artist so that we convey the indie/dance genre completely. This shows me that I need to have some sort of narrative and also performance to show te diversity of the artist and how she can play both instruments and sing whilst also showing a more natural relationship. I have also gathered inspirations from cinematography such as camera angles like a lot of close ups of the artist so that the audience will be able to connect with her in many different ways and also see her closer than they may ever get to her.  I have overall decided that I would like to include the upbeat fast tempo music of the dance genre from Flo-Rida's music video as well as the editing effects used within Drake's video to appeal and entertain the audience more.