Andrew Goodwin (1992)- generic conventions of the music video
He argued that many music videos shared six generic conventions: - Different sub-genres of music have their video convention (e.g. stages performance for rock videos, dance in pop videos)
- A relationship between lyrics and visuals
- A relationship between the music and visuals
- The demands of the record label will include the need for lot's of close-ups of the artist to emphasises the image of the start.
- There is frequently references to notion of looking ( screens within screens, telescope etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
- There is often intertextual reference to films, Tv programmes, other music video.
I have decided to apply this theory on one of my favourite music videos by Akon- I wanna Love you ft. Snoop Dogg.
1. Hip-hop, rap music video tends to be thematic, such as: in this case there's the theme of relationship between male and female, and the director made the video out of it. As you can see, there is also another very famous, and well-known artist within the video; ''Snoop Dogg'', who rap throughout the song. This music video follows the genres of hip hop, rap music video, with the convention features, such as: the female dancers, wearing barely any clothes, as you can see their bra's and pants wearing on, with very suggestive and sexual colour red and black= connotation with the love (e.g. perhaps the image representing the male sexual fantasy throughout their clothes and colours) allows male to view them as a sexual object, with links to their very erotic dance choreography (e.g. when their touch their bodies while having their mouth opened, or when they shake their ''asses'' to the beat- shows the dancers sex appeal + enjoyment of this activity)
A common generic convention for this genre is also a lot of close-ups being used, then long shot and established shot. The reason why is to draw the audience attention/focus on the both artists, to show their feelings and emotions, face expression and body language, image their represent= which match with this genre of music and videos ( such as: a close-up of the Akon's face, wearing black sun-glasses= very conventional, and stereotypical feature when presenting the hip hop, rap artist, as the audience becomes very easily familiar with it, or when both of the artists are on the stage; showing their dance hip-hop movie's, when one who is singing is looking directly to the audience and another one is looking somewhere else- showing his less important until he start to sing, and also wearing very expensive clothes and jewellery on= very typical for this genre, representing their wealth background, the lifestyle which appeals and attract mainly the young, teenager's audience. Also, we can see that Snoop Dogg is shown being seduced by one of the attractive women in the video.
2. In this music video, a relationship between lyrics and visual are very clear. According to Goodwin, there are three ways in which music videos work to promote a song.
Within this music video,the relationship between lyrics and visual to the song is amplify, this means that it's repeat-ability. The reason why is because the effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the video, such as: fast editing between Akon singing and Snoop Dogg's rapping. Also the women play significant factor in hip-hop, rap genre's, and are represented as mainly sexual objects. This signifies to the audience the main meaning of the video, as well as the relationship between the lyric and visual. As the visuals become drummed into the audience's view, the audience become repeatedly aware of the lyric and the meanings which has been constructed and promoted by the director and the artist.
We can see this, in the line:''I see you winding and grinding up on that floor'', where the female dancers reacting to this line through their dance's moves.
The song lasts for 4:15, and because the song is long, the music video become boring and repetitive as there is no clear narrative structure.
3. A relationship between the music and visuals
The opening sequences within the video are redundant, because it follows a basic editing structure used by this genre, such as: the artist singing his lines, when then is a pause, it's illustrate the girls dancing on the chair's, but also a quick shots of random, girls= wearing very provocative clothes, where has been used the same colours scheme of black and red. Then once again the camera goes to Snoop Dogg, to show his rapping line and illustrating his lines by doing actions for the line:
''Don't tell, won't tell, baby say I don't talk dog
But she told on me, ohh well''
1.Illustrate
Music videos can use a set of images to illustrate the meaning of the lyrics and genre. This way is also the most common way, used by the producer, to promote the song.
2.Amplify
This word, is similar to repeat-ability,which means that meanings and effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the video, and drummed into the audience's vision.
3.Disjuncture
When the meanings of the song are completely ignored by the audience.
Within this music video,the relationship between lyrics and visual to the song is amplify, this means that it's repeat-ability. The reason why is because the effects are manipulated and constantly shown through the video, such as: fast editing between Akon singing and Snoop Dogg's rapping. Also the women play significant factor in hip-hop, rap genre's, and are represented as mainly sexual objects. This signifies to the audience the main meaning of the video, as well as the relationship between the lyric and visual. As the visuals become drummed into the audience's view, the audience become repeatedly aware of the lyric and the meanings which has been constructed and promoted by the director and the artist.
We can see this, in the line:''I see you winding and grinding up on that floor'', where the female dancers reacting to this line through their dance's moves.
The song lasts for 4:15, and because the song is long, the music video become boring and repetitive as there is no clear narrative structure.
3. A relationship between the music and visuals
The opening sequences within the video are redundant, because it follows a basic editing structure used by this genre, such as: the artist singing his lines, when then is a pause, it's illustrate the girls dancing on the chair's, but also a quick shots of random, girls= wearing very provocative clothes, where has been used the same colours scheme of black and red. Then once again the camera goes to Snoop Dogg, to show his rapping line and illustrating his lines by doing actions for the line:
''Don't tell, won't tell, baby say I don't talk dog
But she told on me, ohh well''
Here, we can see sharing lines between the rapper Snoop Dogg, and the woman next to him, we she does the gesture of ''no'', waving her finger from side to side.
Then artist gestures, with the same girl continues through the video, in following line:
''Take a picture with me, what the flick gon'do?.- where we can see a close-up of the both face's, followed by the effect (the black lines on the screen, with another, moving image of Akon- suggesting his lines is coming now).
This effect is used through the video, but not all the time, usually when the borh artists are swapping ( from Akon to Snoop Dogg's, and from Snoop Dogg to Akon) because being alone on the stage, allows the artist show his power, and control, while singing or rapping.
Also, when there is sound of the beat of clapping a shot of the female dancers clapping, is used to identify to the audience, where this source of noise is coming in 1:20. The scene, where we can see and hear clapping to the beat of the sound is very conventional,and popular, especially within rap, hip-hop music video's.
As you can see, the editing pace to the video is amplifying to the beat. This is very popular pop/rap dance videos, as they tend to have a quick and sharp tempo to them= great source for the producer knowing when to cut. We can see this in 0:27-0:30 of Akon, when the tempo increases and so does the editing pace. We can also see this when the female dancers in 0:48- 0:50, when they clap to the beat of the song, and they dance choreography match with the following beats, with the quick shot of Snoop Dogg in the middle.
4. the need for lot's of close-ups of the artist to emphasises the image of the start.(Star image, multiple close-up shots of the main artist and rapper).
In this video ''I wanna love you'' the main focus is on Akon who is surrounded by the beautiful women, and the female dancers (who are wearing the similar, very provocative clothe's) to portray this most of the shot used by Akon and Snoop Dogg are close-ups of their face's. The reason for the director using a close up shots within the video, is to create a connection between the audience and the artists.
Within the video both artists are wearing similar costumes which create a distinctive look to the video, but also it's the way of show the audience their wealth background, but also throughout the lyric, when Snoop Dogg says '' Girl I spend money like it dont mean nothing''. But also it shows that both are equal to each other; both are famous, well known especially by the young audience, and are at the top of their career.
There is shot of Akon, in 2:42 when he does not connect with the audience, but looking at the large screen where we can see the beautiful woman, singing to her= makes the shot looks more personal and trustful.
What I like about rap, hip-hop music videos, is that in the end of the music videos, there is usually a medium shot of the people ( usually known and famous rap, hip hop artist's, wearing the similar clothes to the artists, which could symbolised the power and support they have from them, but also it gives a great overall look to the whole music video).
Then artist gestures, with the same girl continues through the video, in following line:
''Take a picture with me, what the flick gon'do?.- where we can see a close-up of the both face's, followed by the effect (the black lines on the screen, with another, moving image of Akon- suggesting his lines is coming now).
This effect is used through the video, but not all the time, usually when the borh artists are swapping ( from Akon to Snoop Dogg's, and from Snoop Dogg to Akon) because being alone on the stage, allows the artist show his power, and control, while singing or rapping.
Also, when there is sound of the beat of clapping a shot of the female dancers clapping, is used to identify to the audience, where this source of noise is coming in 1:20. The scene, where we can see and hear clapping to the beat of the sound is very conventional,and popular, especially within rap, hip-hop music video's.
As you can see, the editing pace to the video is amplifying to the beat. This is very popular pop/rap dance videos, as they tend to have a quick and sharp tempo to them= great source for the producer knowing when to cut. We can see this in 0:27-0:30 of Akon, when the tempo increases and so does the editing pace. We can also see this when the female dancers in 0:48- 0:50, when they clap to the beat of the song, and they dance choreography match with the following beats, with the quick shot of Snoop Dogg in the middle.
4. the need for lot's of close-ups of the artist to emphasises the image of the start.(Star image, multiple close-up shots of the main artist and rapper).
In this video ''I wanna love you'' the main focus is on Akon who is surrounded by the beautiful women, and the female dancers (who are wearing the similar, very provocative clothe's) to portray this most of the shot used by Akon and Snoop Dogg are close-ups of their face's. The reason for the director using a close up shots within the video, is to create a connection between the audience and the artists.
The costumes/clothes of the both artists
Within the video both artists are wearing similar costumes which create a distinctive look to the video, but also it's the way of show the audience their wealth background, but also throughout the lyric, when Snoop Dogg says '' Girl I spend money like it dont mean nothing''. But also it shows that both are equal to each other; both are famous, well known especially by the young audience, and are at the top of their career.
There is shot of Akon, in 2:42 when he does not connect with the audience, but looking at the large screen where we can see the beautiful woman, singing to her= makes the shot looks more personal and trustful.
What I like about rap, hip-hop music videos, is that in the end of the music videos, there is usually a medium shot of the people ( usually known and famous rap, hip hop artist's, wearing the similar clothes to the artists, which could symbolised the power and support they have from them, but also it gives a great overall look to the whole music video).
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