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
Teenage Dirt Bag prioritizes the band and the
main character. Facial expressions are extremely important since they convey
how the main character is feeling while also telling the plot. The entire cast
is seen in the frame. They put the artist first because the camera zooms in on
them, drawing the viewer's attention to them even more. Because they are
depicted physically playing the guitar and singing the song, the ensemble
authenticates the star's performance, making it seem natural and creative.
Their performance is very authentic because we can see the band demonstrating
their abilities while drumming and playing the guitar. We want to see the
artist's expression and emotions, hence close ups are used. . We want to see
the artist's expression and emotions, hence close-ups are used. They make a lot
of eye contact with the camera in this music video, which gives us the
impression that this is a personal storey that they have gone through
(bullying). It also suggests that the artist may be able to relate to the music
video's premise, having had a crush on someone like Noel and being a fan of
Iron Maiden when they were younger. It's possible that the video will be
narrated. We witness the high school environment in which the adolescent
dirtbag is attempting to blend in. The boy gets bullied for being unusual and
unorthodox in the middle-class environment in which the music video is
situated.
Avril Lavigne is also the main star of
the music video's central splash. This is due to the fact that she is the only
artist who performs the song "skater boy." She has a special place in
the frame. Avril essentially lives and breathes the storyline. She is a part of
the world, and we are led to believe the boy is a skater. When the crowd
gathers to enjoy the performance, public and private Avril collide. The setting
is appropriate for punk/grunge music. The artist is not a stereotype girl;
rather, she is a-stereotypical since she is a tomboy who is edgy and boyish, as
well as a punk, as opposed to a nice face who practises ballet, has long,
beautiful blond hair, and dresses in pink. because
she is an emo and wears dark, heavy eye makeup, she is the polar opposite of
regular girls. Avril Lavigne is the total opposite of the pretty, pink,
stereotypical girl, which makes her stand out to the audience. Our interest is
piqued, prompting inquiries such as, "Why is she so different?" How
does she avoid being bullied? She shows no fear of the audience by staring at
the camera and constantly making eye contact. This shows that she is a
confident young lady who is unconcerned about what others think of her. She's
also seen playing the guitar and singing (or lip syncing), which adds to the
reality of her performance and makes the music video look more realistic and
genuine.
Very good understanding and knowledge shown, Luca.
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.