MUSIC VIDEOS: MUSIC LANGUAGE
PREP Explain how music videos use media language to promote their artists. Refer to the pair of music videos you have studied from the list below in your answer.
Our music videos are Wheatus Teenage Dirtbag Avril Lavigne Sk8ter Boi
HOW TO ANSWER: Media language points to consider:
the prioritising of the star / the group; the privileging of the star / the groups in the frame
authenticating the star's performance / the band's performance to show their skills
the use of close ups; lip syncing to camera; eye contact with the audience
Both of the music videos were filmed in a way which would advertise the singer/ songwriter to their particular target audience in the Avril Lavigne video it was fast paced to appeal to the punk rock audience the fast paced handheld camera movements helped advertise how defiant and inspiring Avril Lavigne is to her audience who can look up to her as an audacious Rockstar. The camera also focused in on her singing the song to help authenticate her talent to her audience this is because her audience want to see her skilful singing on display. Avril Lavigne was also in the face of the camera a lot to show how she doesn't care how other people think music videos should be done she will to it her own way.
In the Wheatus music video it the lead singer Brendan b. Brown playing the dirt bag in the movie this is because the song is a about him being a loser in high school and he plays the character because it is him. This means that the fans of Wheatus at all times either have Brendan b. brown or the band playing the music Brendan b. Brown gets slightly more screen time because he is the leader of the band. They zoom in on his face when he is playing the music so that his fans can see his talent on display there is a lot of camera panning so that the audience get to look at each person showing off their skill.
Good subject knowledge and understanding shown.
ReplyDeleteWheatus – Teenage Dirtbag (TD) and Avril Lavigne – Sk8er Boi (SB)
• SB’s use of lip syncing to camera promotes Avril Lavigne as the artist as she is singing to the audience directly
• SB’s use of multiple close ups of Avril Lavigne, further emphasising her status as the artist and her distinctive grungy ‘look’ which she is known for
• SB’s use of a range shots of Avril Lavigne looking directly into the camera to connect with her audience
• Avril Lavigne’s dominance of screen time allows for the audience to understand that she is the artist.
• TD’s sweeping use of pans to show the band performing as a collective emphasising their musical skill and to promote this to their audience
• TD’s use of MCU of the individual band members playing their instruments to further emphasis their status as the main artists
• TD’s increased pace in edit as the video reaches its climax, accompanied by the adoring fans, promotes the band to the audience as we see them being appreciated by fans.