Thursday 19 February 2009

Music Video Critical Evaluation Part 2 - For everyone having a panic!

This section of the evaluation is dedicated to a close textual analysis of your finished music video drawing upon responses from people who have seen the video. 

Stage 1
Analyse the images and editing in the finished music video, paying close attention to characters, performance, narrative (or absence thereof), mise-en-scene (lighting, costume, proximity of characters), editing, pace, framing, SFX and cinematography and the ways in which you have constructed the video to sell the song.

Make reference to Goodwin's aspects of music video: 

Andrew Goodwin writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ (Routledge 1992)

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
(e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

3. There is a relationship between music and visuals
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

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 (a visual style).

5. There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc).
Compare your video to the conventions of music video, referring to actual examples where possible.

Stage 2
How did the audience read your finished video ? Make reference to comments from class Crit and from Youtube.


Here is a slideshow analysing Gerri Halliwell's 'It's Raining Men' and the video for you to see how the two marry together:




Can I suggest that you read the example evaluations you have already been given and the one that can be found on the Year 13 Music Promo evaluation link under 'Noodle Blog Zones'. Here is an extract from Part 2 of an evaluation to show the style that will enable you to access the higher grades. Your writing needs to be deeply analytical and you must refer to and effectively employ Media language in your close critique.

"The editing is conventional- when the bass plays, the shots are cut to the beat. When classical music is more prominent in the piece the shots are more gradually cut and dissolved. The editing is also connected to the message, fast paced at the dramatic sequence when the protagonist is being hit. The cuts are rapid and jerked during the argument and smooth during the images of escapism and freedom from her reality. The convention of using the dissolve to connect the subject matters is one that is used by many pop videos at present. For example, the connection is made between the image of the girl stood over a sink full of dirty dishes, her face bruised and gaunt and when she stares, emotionless (bearing and extra-diegetic gaze) at the mirror. The camera moves at a speed that connects well with the music (which has increased in pace). It stops in a dark, dirty cup which dissolves in to the first of the tunnels in the sequence. The urban and the rural settings vary in speed and colour. Each of the tunnels meanders into another, again at cuts and dissolves reflective of the musical beat. Her mind is no longer an image of calm and peace but of manic seclusion." (Hurtwood House Media Student)

I hope this helps. Good Luck and enjoy the rest of your half-term break. x

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