Questionnaire Analysis

After getting 20 people to fill out my questionnaire I went through their answers and analysed them. I chose to look into detail of the answers of what I thought to be the most useful and important questions.

Firstly I looked at the age and gender of the people who took part in my questionnaire:

I then compared these results with the genre of music that they like:

These results showed me that most people aged between 17-19 years of age prefer alternative and indie genre music. After looking at these results I analysed the results of one final question, which again I thought was very important in helping me with my own music video and target audience. Here are my results:

From these results I found that the majority of the people who took part in my questionnaire prefer to see the artist in the music video rather than other actors.

All of these results will help me to choose what genre and target audience I will have for my own artist and music video. Also it will help me decide what I put into my music video. My last 2 questions of my questionnaire also gave me ideas for music videos to deconstruct, for example Beyonce- 1+1.

Questionnaire Example

In order to find out what people like and expect to see in a music video I designed a questionnaire and asked 20 different people to fill them out. This would then allow me to see who my target audience would be for my chosen genre and artist/band.

Here is an example of one of my filled out questionnaires:

I used a mixture of questions in my questionnaire. For straight forward questions such as age and gender I used multiple choice as there was only a certain amount of options that each person could be. However, for the last 3 questions I chose to keep them open in order to get peoples honest thoughts and opinions. I did not want to put anything into their heads in order for my results to be reliable and genuine.

Music Video Deconstruction Analysis

From deconstructing existing music videos I have found there there are several generic conventions that all music videos use and follow. I also found that each specific genre has conventions that are unique to that genre.  Andrew Goodwin said that there are 6 categories of conventions.

1. 'Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics' - I found that this was true in all the music videos that I deconstructed. Each video included conventions of their genre for example the music video "Move- Little Mix" included a dance routine which is very conventional of a pop music video from a girl band. This generic convention however was subverted in the music video "Who You Are- Jessie J" by the lack of sexual appeal which is usually displayed by female pop artists. The artist was made to look vulnerable in this video rather than sexually appealing and confident.

2. 'There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals' - An example of this that I found was in the music video "When I Was a Youngster- Rizzle Kicks" in which the whole video reflects the lyrics of the song. For example when the lyrics "the second I got old enough to buy myself a cider can" are sung the visuals show the 2 artists in a door way with one of them holding a can of cider. This generic convention was subverted by the music video "One For The Road- Arctic Monkeys" as the lyrics and visuals do not match up. Although this challenges Goodwin's theory it it typical of the video's specific genre.

3. 'There is a relationship between music and visuals' - The best example of this from the music videos I have deconstructed is from "Survival- Eminem" in which the video shows many clips of the artist performing live. To keep the video interesting the video cuts between different venues and  in time to the beat of the music. Although the cuts do not happen consecutively at a certain time, when they do use a cut it is on the beat if the song. This creates a link between the visuals and the music.

4. 'The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work' - The use of close ups is popular within all the music videos that I have deconstructed no matter what their genre is. Close ups are especially used  in "1+1- Beyonce". The majority of this video is close ups of the artist which helps to sell the artist using her appearance. Beyonce in particular is known for her appearance and other talents rather than just her music, and so the close ups give the audience the insight and extra viewing of her that they desire. Beyonce consistently uses sexual appeal in a her videos including this one, an example of an artist using a motif.

 5. 'There is frequently reference to the notion of looking and a particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body" - I did not find much evidence of the first statement in my deconstructions however I did find evidence of the second statement. Generally the women in the videos I deconstructed were presented as being dressed provocatively, for example in "1+1- Beyonce" however in the pop genre video I deconstructed "Who You Are- Jessie J" the female was represented very differently. Despite her being almost naked at one point in the video, the artist is supposed to look vulnerable rather than sexually appealing.

6. 'There is often intertextual reference' - I found evidence of this in my rap genre deconstruction of the music video "Survival- Eminem". Part of the music video shows clips of the artist Eminem performing live. From doing a small amount of extra research I found that this was not the first time Eminem has done this in his music videos. Also, from my own general knowledge of music videos I know that it is quite common that artists show their live performances, much like they do in another of the music video I deconstructed "I Will Wait- Mumford and Sons".

Eminem Video Deconstruction

Eminem- Survival            Signed to Shady Records           Genre: Rap

SHOT: Low Angle Mid

LYRICS: Intro

EDIT: Cuts to next shot

ANALYSIS: The establishing shot shows a hooded figure outside at night time. This is extremely stereotypical of what someone in a rap genre music video would be wearing. They are made to look intimidating and as we can’t see the person’s face we automatically become wary of them. We as an audience assume that the figure is Eminem. The low camera angle makes him look taller and more intimidating and if it is Eminem, more powerful and important. 

SHOT: Medium Close Up

LYRICS: ‘The winner takes it all so take it all’

EDIT: Cuts to next shot

ANALYSIS: This shot confirms that the hooded figure is Eminem. This shot will please the audience as his fans will recognise his face and will relate his role in the video to his background in real life. This shot also shows us that this music video has a storyline and sets the location of it. It is almost representing Eminem’s life before he became famous and then shows his success through the rest of the video. Again the lighting of this shot is very dark and shadowy, creating a tense, apprehensive atmosphere. 

SHOT: Mid Long

LYRICS: ‘Hands up like it’s 12 noon’

EDIT: Cross fade

ANALYSIS: This shot shows the artist Eminem on stage at one of his gigs. This shot puts us in the position of the artist, involving the audience much like a point of view shot would. This shot also shows the crowd the artist is performing to. This appeals to the fan as they can recognise the show they attended, reminding them of the time they had there giving them a personal link to the video and the artist. The lighting is quite dark with shadows, making the concert location realistic.

Little Mix Video Deconstruction

Little Mix: Move         Signed to SONY           Genre: Pop (Girl Band)

SHOT: Wide

LYRICS: Musical Intro

EDIT: Cuts to next shot

ANALYSIS: This is one of the very first shots of the music video. It shows the 4 girls from the band stood with a male each by their side. The lighting is very shadowy which is unconventional for a girl band pop video, however it is used here to build suspense and excitement for the audience. The viewer cannot see the girls properly and so gets them excited to see them. This suits their target audience as they are likely to be interested in the artists themselves and not just the music. The position of the artists suggests a dance routine will be included in the video. The cuts to and from these shots keep the video fast paced and exciting which fits with the music.

SHOT: Medium Close Up

LYRICS: ‘Don’t leave me standing all by myself’

EDIT: Quick cut to next shot

ANALYSIS: This shot shows just one of the girls in the band. This shot has been chosen for a couple of reasons. Firstly it is done for the fan. ‘Little Mix’s target audience will be young and they will have a favourite from the band. This shot, and other shots in the video showing the other band members, allows the audience to see their favourite member on their own. It is satisfying their needs. Another reason they have chosen to use this shot is to give each member of the band some individuality. It is very easy for a band to lose themselves in the image of a band so by using shots like this and through other things like styling it keeps each member individual. This also helps the fans to choose their ‘favourite’ member. Favourites can help the band through marketing and advertising.

SHOT: Wide

LYRICS: ‘I know that you wanna but you can’t ‘cos you gotta stay cool in the corner when the truth is that you wanna move’

EDIT: Quick cut to next shot

ANALYSIS: This shot shows all the band members together. Their styling is all very similar in regards to the colour scheme however they each have different outfits on. This keeps them all individual whilst still looking like a band. This is very conventional of a girl band of this genre. In this shot the band is doing a dance routine with extra male dancers at the back. A dance routine is very conventional of a girl band music video of the pop genre. It shows off the girls’ talents and gives the song and music video its own stamp. A fan will listen to the song and remember the dance from the video and some may even learn the dance. A dance routine also reflects the energy of the song, keeping it fun and exciting.

Beyonce Video Deconstruction

Beyoncé- 1+1               Signed to Columbia             Genre: R&B/Pop

SHOT: Close up

LYRICS: ‘If I ain’t got nothing, I got you’

EDIT: Fades to black then next shot fades in

ANALYSIS: The establishing shot of this music video shows the artist, Beyoncé. The background is black to make her stand out more against it; she is the audience’s main focus of attention. They have chosen to use this simple establishing shot as it reflects the lyrics of the song. ‘If I aint got nothing’ is reflected in the plain black background. She does not look at the camera until the lyrics ‘I got you’ at which point her eyes flick up to look directly into the lense. This direct mode of address involves the audience and makes them feel as though she is looking at them. In this shot the artist has a shine and glitter covering her skin. This is to emphasize the perfection that her fans see in her. It is playing on the ‘idol’ image that the artist has. It makes her seem supernatural, something that the audience will relate to; they will be in awe of her. This shot also has some sexual appeal, making the video more open to a wider audience rather than just her fans.

SHOT: Medium Close Up

LYRICS: ‘And it’s me and you’

EDIT: Fades to black then next shot fades in

ANALYSIS: This shot shows slightly more of the artist than the last. Similar to the first, in this shot her hair is down and natural to give her a sense of vulnerability. Also the fact she looks almost naked gives us the sense that she has been stripped down both physically and emotionally which is shown through the way she looks and the lyrics of the song. This goes against female pop/R&B music video conventions as we are typically used to seeing artists like Beyoncé very made up with their hair done immaculately. Although she is wearing make-up, it has been used to make her look natural and vulnerable. Her vulnerability shown in the video make the audience feel that she is being completely honest in the lyrics that she is singing. This will help the audience to relate to the song as they relate to her. It will make them feel closer to the artist as fans.

SHOT: Medium Close Up

LYRICS: ‘Make love to me’

EDIT: Cross fades into next shot

ANALYSIS: This shot is extremely powerful and completely contrasts the whole beginning part of the video. The wind blowing her hair up makes her seem a lot bigger than she is, making her seem powerful and independent. She is also wearing more make up in this shot to show that she is not vulnerable anymore. She takes up almost the whole frame, again showing that she is dominant which also reflects the lyrics. There is still the hint that she is not wearing any clothes which reminds the audience of her vulnerability before and shows now how she has overcome it. 

SHOT: Close Up

LYRICS: ‘Baby we ain’t got nothing, but love’

EDIT: Fades to black then next shot fades in

ANALYSIS: Despite the previous shot when the artist is shown to be powerful, it then fades to this shot. This close up shows the artist being very vulnerable again as she is crying in this shot. However her tears are happy as she smiles while crying and singing. Her direct mode of address again involves the audience and almost makes them feel that she is confiding in them, making them feel close to her. It makes them feel as though they are not just a fan, that they have a personal connection to her. 

Jessie J Video Deconstruction

Jessie J- Who You Are        Signed to Island Universal Records        Genre: Pop

SHOT: Medium Wide

LYRICS: ‘I stare at my reflection in the mirror, why am I doing this to myself?’

EDIT: Uses this same shot for the first 45 seconds of the video then cuts to the next shot

ANALYSIS: The first shot establishes the location; in this case it is the same location for the whole video. In the medium wide shot we can see the location of a bedroom, and then the artist in the middle of the shot. The artist is looking into the camera as if she is looking in the mirror which reflects the lyrics, “I stare at my reflection in the mirror.” The lighting is dark inside but we can see light coming from the window suggesting that it is day time outside, but for some reason she would rather be sat inside in the dark. The lighting suggests a sad, emotional mood. The artist is sat very still; the audience’s main focus is her facial expression which reflects the lyrics of the song. They have purposely used little movement in this shot to make the audience concentrate on the lyrics without the distraction of her movement.

SHOT: Medium Wide

LYRICS: ‘Don’t lose who you are, in the blur of the stars’

EDIT: Pans slowly to the right then cuts back to the first shot

ANALYSIS: The main focus of this medium wide shot is again the artist. The lighting is still dark and moody; the only light is coming from the lamp in the corner. This lamp could represent hope, linking to the overall message of the track. The artist is shown to be wearing little or no clothing. This shows her vulnerability. It is showing that even though she is an established celebrity she still has feelings too. This is very different to the type of video this artist would usually make, suggesting that she is trying to appeal to a wider audience. We as an audience are viewing this voyeuristically. These seem to be very private moments that we are being shown. 

SHOT: Medium Wide

LYRICS: ‘Sometimes it’s hard, to follow your heart’

EDIT: After this shot it cuts to a close up of the artists face then back to this shot

ANALYSIS: This is the first time in the video that we see the artist with any strong emotion other than sadness. Her facial expression and body language in this shot show how strongly she feels about the lyrics of the song. Her arms are out in front of her, emphasizing her strong feelings. An audience can relate to the lyrics of this track. The artist is telling the target audience to believe in themselves and to stay true to themselves. She is inspiring the audience. Although there is the movement of her hands and face there is still not a lot of movement in the video, making the audience concentrate on the lyrics.

SHOT: Medium Wide

LYRICS: Musical break- piano and guitar

EDIT: Cut to a close up of the artists face then returns to this shot

ANALYSIS: This is a very effective way of filling a musical break in a song. In this case there is rain pouring down into the room and on top of the artist. The fact that it is raining inside reinforces the lyrics. The lyrics throughout the song are teaching the audience not to lose themselves and to be strong in life. The rain indoors suggests that life will through anything at you, things you won’t expect and that seem impossible (like rain indoors) but you have to stay strong though it. The artist has purposely done this so that the audience can relate the lyrics with their personal situations, making the song more personal and meaningful. The artist is appealing to a wider audience that what she would usually appeal to.

SHOT: Close Up

LYRICS: ‘Dreaming is believing, it’s okay not to be okay’

EDIT: A series of swift cuts between different close ups and medium wide shots of the artist sat on the chair singing

ANALYSIS: This close up of the artist is the first time that the audience has seen her smiling, and ironically it is when she is in a worse situation than she was in at the beginning of the video. At the beginning of the video she was very sad and emotional, now, at the end of the video, although she is soaking wet and her room is being destroyed she is smiling. The lighting again is dark, showing that the problems and issues affecting her are still there, but the artist is still smiling. This inspires the target audience; it is showing that they can get through any tough situations. This whole shot is reflecting the lyrics, “It’s okay not to be okay”. An audience can relate to this song.

One Direction Video Deconstruction

One Direction- What Makes You Beautiful   Signed to SONY   Genre: Pop (Boy Band)

SHOT: Wide

LYRICS: Musical intro- leads into ‘You’re insecure, don’t know what for’

EDIT: Fades into next shot

ANALYSIS: This shot establishes the location. This video is set on a beach in what looks to be a hot country. We can see the whole band in this shot. The way they are walking together suggests friendship; they are being made to looks as though they are just a group of friends. The lighting is bright, reflecting the upbeat music. The whole band are dressed very fashionably, they have been styled to look good; they are using their image to appeal to an audience. They are also all in very similar outfits, linking them together to make them look like a band.

SHOT: Close Up

LYRICS: ‘Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you’

EDIT: Fades into next shot

ANALYSIS: This close up shows only one member of the band. He is shown to be good looking, appealing to a female audience through sex appeal. By using this close up of just the one member of the band it helps the audience to recognise who is singing what part of the song, for example in this shot the member of the band is singing a solo part. The band member is looking directly into the camera, making the video more personal to the audience; it is as if he is singing it to the viewer. This appeals to the fan as they will feel as though he is singing to them. Again the lighting is bright, reflecting the upbeat, happy song.

SHOT: Wide/Long Shot

LYRICS: ‘Baby you light up my world like nobody else’

EDIT: Cuts to the next shot

ANALYSIS: This shot is very typical of a boy band music video. The wide shot shows the whole band singing together, the fan will recognise each individual member. They are all dressed very fashionably, appealing to a female audience and creating an image for themselves. Again the lighting is very bright, reflecting the tempo of the music. The lyrics of this video appeal to a female audience, they want to feel as though the band is singing the lyrics to them personally.

SHOT: Medium Close Up

LYRICS: ‘Baby you light up my world like nobody else, the way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain’t hard to tell’

EDIT: Cuts to the next shot

ANALYSIS: This shot is teasing the female audience. They will see this and wish it was them that the band member is singing to. Their body language suggests the relationship between them. The white in the male’s shirt matches that of the female’s top, suggesting that they belong together. The girl here looks normal; she is not dressed in an overly fashionable way, she is not covered in make- up and most of all she is not a celebrity. This gives the fan hope that it could be them with him; they could have a chance. Again the lighting is bright reflecting the music.

SHOT: Wide

LYRICS: ‘If only you saw what I can see, you’ll understand why I want you so desperately’

EDIT: Cuts to final shot of the video

ANALYSIS: This shot shows a fun side to the band. It shows they are not afraid to have fun. Also in the picture they are taking with the girls they are all either smiling or pulling funny faces. This could link to a meaning of the lyrics “if only you saw what I could see”. The two girls in the shot aren’t exactly making themselves look attractive, one is smiling enthusiastically and the other is in a weird position and pulling a funny face. This suggests the type of girl that the band likes; someone fun and not all about making themselves look good. This gives the fan hope that they have a chance with someone in the band. The lighting is darker than the rest of the video, suggesting night time and also suggesting that the song is coming to an end.

Rizzle Kicks Video Deconstruction

Rizzle Kicks- When I Was a Youngster   Signed to Island Records   Genre: Hip Hop

SHOT: Medium Wide

LYRICS: ‘the second I got old enough to buy myself a cider can, yeah, I was a smart little kid’

EDIT: Cuts to next shot

ANALYSIS: The lighting in this shot reflects the upbeat tempo of the music. This shot is very unconventional of a rap/ hip-hop music video. The duo is stood in a doorway; this suggests their down to earth nature. One member of the duo is wearing an astronaut helmet and the other a fireman’s hat. This links to the title and lyrics of the song about when they were younger and what they wanted to be. Rap and hip-hop artists are stereotyped for using sex, drugs and alcohol in their lyrics. Although this song talks about alcohol, the video is very comical, completely challenging the hip-hop/ rap artist stereotype. This makes the song appeal to a wider audience.

SHOT: Two shot

LYRICS: ‘Back when I was younger I wanted to be everything on the planet, (on the on the on the planet)’

EDIT: Cuts to next shot

ANALYSIS: In this shot the location is a children’s play park. We can see the duo comically dancing while we see them singing to the song. One of them is at the front with his arm in the air and the other is stood on the slide. They are acting out not just any children, but themselves when they were younger. This reflects the lyrics of the song. The lighting is very bright, suggesting the link to the happy atmosphere that is in a play park for children.

SHOT: Medium Wide

LYRICS: ‘yeah yeah yeah yeah’

EDIT: Cuts to a shot of the other member of the duo and his younger self dressed as cowboys

ANALYSIS: In this shot on the right we can see one member of the duo dressed as an Indian. This again is showing him doing something that he would have done when he was a child, linking to the song title and the lyrics of the song. To the left of him is a young boy also dressed as an Indian. The boy has been chosen to be in the video because he looks like what this member of the duo would have looked like at that age. This again shows the comical side of the music video, challenging the hip-hop/rap artist stereotype.

DECONSTRUCTION INTRODUCTION

To begin my research and planning in order to create my promotional package, I am going to deconstruct different existing music videos to find the generic conventions that are used within them. In order to chose the genre of music I wish to use for my promotional package I am going to deconstruct music videos from all different genres. This will allows me to see how the generic conventions differ as the music genre differs. Some of the genres I will be looking to deconstruct are:

• Hip Hop
• Pop
• R&B
• Rap

Below are the music videos that I have chosen to deconstruct and the youtube links to them:

• Rizzle Kicks- When I Was A Youngster (Hip Hop)  
• One Direction- What Makes You Beautiful (Pop/ Boy Band) 
• Jessie J- Who You Are (Pop)
• Beyonce- 1+1 (R&B/Pop)
• Little Mix- Move (Pop/ Girl Band)
• Eminem- Survival (Rap)