Media Language

Wednesday 22nd January

Media Language

Lesson Objective: To understand the different types of music videos and their conventions

Media Language

• Mise-en-scene
• Editing
• Camera 
• Sound 

What is the purpose of a music video?

A music video is a marketing tool to promote the artist's image, identity, talent or status from an audience.

Also, to showcase or promote the artist's musical prowess for a specific audience.

There are 2 main types of music video:

1. performance 
2. narrative

Uptown Funk

• The colours are bright and vibrant and it shows the hiphop theme
• There were low angle shots and close ups and far away etc. so there was a range.
• The editing was fast along with the music

What is the purpose of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to show a brand and artist and maybe to tell a story

Friday 24th January 2020

24.01.20

Mise-en-Scene

Learning Objective: To revise what mise-en-scene is, and to see how it is used effectively in music videos

Explore - Understand what the 7 elements of the mise-en-scene are.

Enhance - Explore how these elements of the mise-en-scene are used in music videos.

Excel - Analyse connotations of the mise-en-scene in regards to representations.

What is mise-en-scene?
 Everything that we see on the screen.

What is the music genre?
Poop.

Who is the target audience?

Teenagers girls.

Lighting

High-Key Lighting:

• Minimal shadows
• Very forgiving
• Primarily one main light
• Aims to get as much lighting as possible on the subjects face
• Easy to set up

Low-Key Lighting:

• Opposite to high key lighting
• Creating high contrasts
• Light tones are light and dark tones are dark with low-key lighting
• Low-key lighting creates dark mysterious and intense moods
• Has a higher lighting ratio
• The lights and darks are very distinct

How does the mise-en-scene promote Taylor Swift's image or status in the "Look What You Made Me Do" music video?
The mise-en-scene promotes the artist's image and status in the video as the bathtub is filled with the jewels showing how much money she has and how successful she is. She also has the dollar bill which represents the money she earned from winning a court case from being sexually assaulted. She didn't need the money but she didn't want the person getting away with it. They all represent of her wealth and power from her career.

How does the mise-en-scene create meaning for the audience?

• P - Point: Taylor Swift's pop superstar celebrity image is promoted in her music through media language
• E - Evidence: (e.g of costume, colour, lighting etc) For example, the costumes...
• E - Explain: This suggests...
• E - Expand: What else can you tell us about the video that backs up your point?

My Answer:

Taylor Swift was represented in many ways in the media and uses her different characters to show that. For example, the costumes showed the people she has been shown as. This suggests that she wants to be a different person from what the media has suggested she is and doesn't want anyone to believe her. 

February 5th January 2020

Learning Objective: To analyse the mise-en-scene of 'Uptown Funk'. Focusing on the connotations and how they create meaning of the audience?

Costume & Props:

• The costumes are brightly colours
• Connotes happiness
• Vibrant colours
• Wearing retro suits
• Bruno wearing brightest colours & the others blend into background

Lighting & Colour

• High-key lighting
• Upbeat mood
• Happiness
• Lively

How does mise-en-scene create meaning for the audience?

P - Point: Bruno Swift's pop superstar celebrity image is promoted in her music video through media language.
E - Evidence: His clothes are brighter than the others as theirs are all duller colours to show how he is the main person. However theirs are some levels of brightness to add a happy effect to the music video as a whole.
E - Explain: This suggests how Bruno is the main person there and has all the spotlight but is also making it lively and vibrant.
E - Expand: 

Which two elements of mise-en-scene do you think stand out in the Uptown Funk music video?

How do they reflect the genre of music/tone/mood?

How do they promote or highlight the star power of Bruno Mars?

Friday 7th February 2020

Camerawork

What camera shot is this?

Close up

Why is it used? What might the artist be singing about?

It is used to be dramatic and the artist might be singing about something sad

Make links to an element of mise-en-scene

Low-key lighting

The setting is quite lonely and sad and the artist could be singing about love or something bad happening to her.

Shot

• Mid
• Close-up
• Extreme c/u
• Long shot
• Extreme long shot
• Establishing
• POV

Movement

• Pan
• Tilt
• Tracking
• Zoom (in/out)
• Handheld
• Focus-pull

Angle

• High
• Low
• Dutch

Happy, fun, energetic, silly, crazy.

Naturalistic
Most style of camera work. Shots are either fixed or handheld (for realism) or have subtle slower movements

Expressionistic
More uncommon and artistic/creative use of camera shots of movement. Often shows extreme angles or quick movements

The camera movement of Uptown Funk is expressionistic.
For example, at one point in the video

Wednesday 12th February 2020

12.02.20

Camera and Sound

Learning Objective: to explore how camera and sound are used to create meaning in music videos.

The camera movement of Uptown Funk is expressionistic. For example, at one point in the video the camera spins around. The camerawork fits the tone of the song because it is quite different, creative and fun.

Diegetic: Sounds that the characters can hear, within the story world.
Non-Diegetic: Sounds that the characters cant hear, outside he story world.