Joint A2 Blog : Alternative

Showing posts with label Alternative. Show all posts

Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Alternative Video Analysis: Vampire Weekend - Cousins

Why did you choose the text you are analysing:

Because I really like the band I thought it would be good to review the Music video; which I think is really creative.

In what context did you encounter it:
I found the video on youtube after listening to their songs.

What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text:
I first heard the song without the video and I thought it was a great and fun song and then when I watched the video it made me think how creative it is and it made the song even better than without the video.

What conventions of the genre do you recognise in the text:

Bands in the video
Creative video
Public in the background (Multiple People)
Different shots
Dancing

To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre:

The shots are repeated through the video and they're all going in one direction down a track and they don't move or show you any more of the backdrop but what you can see and they don't change location.

Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre:
The band stays in one location for the whole music video but I think thats a good thing and makes the music video more interesting.

What sort of audience do you think the video is aimed at and how typical was this of the genre/style of music:
I think the music video can be aimed at everyone because of how fun it looks and how energetic everything is, also everyone can understand what they're saying and it doesn't contain any explicit language either.

What sort of person does it assume you are:
It assumes you are a fun and creative person who likes creative videos and is also very arty because of what they do with objects and how they shoot the music video.

What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity:
There are no real assumptions about your class, age, gender or ethnicity because they're all just having fun and the lyrics don't hint at anything to do with them either so the song is just meant to be happy and energetic.

What interests does it assume you have:
It assumes you like creativity and art because of the drawings they use and also because of the the way the music video is shot.

What relevance does the text actually have for you:
The video is all about having fun and being creative which i like doing so I like to watch the video.

What knowledge does it take for granted:
It doesn't really take any knowledge for granted apart from maybe if you don't have a cousin then that could be a problem.

To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the video seeks to position you as:
Because I'm creative, I like art and I also like to have fun. I am an 'ideal reader' for the text.

Are there any noticeable shifts in the musics style:
No the music stays consistent to it's genre throughout the video.

What response does the video seem to exspect from you:
A happy and energetic response that makes you feel happy and want to have fun.

How open to negotiation is your response:
Well the song is a happy song so if you're feeling sad it could make you happy, but it could also annoy you so it's probably a closed response song if anything.

Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected way:
Not really you will probably just not want to listen to the song after a while if you don't respond how they want you to.

To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against the grain' of the text and the genre:
I don't find myself reading against it at all because I can relate to the song and I respond how they want me to respond to the music.

How typical do you think this video is of a music video:
I don't think this is a typical music video because of the continuous shot they use with the different shots within it and because they don't change the back drop or setting of the video either but I think all these things make the music video and are good things.

Alternative Video Analysis: Alt-J - Breezeblocks

This video is creative and new, as the whole of it is in reverse, meaning the narrative starts at the end, and finishes at the beginning; something that hasn't truly been explored before in many other well known videos. The videos explores the theme of domestic violence.

The lack of artist or band in the video is common in indie or alternative music, as they prefer to demonstrate an event or story, more than perform their song for a video. The video's narrative has amplified the lyrics 'She may contain the urge to run away, but hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks' as the story shows a man in a struggle with a woman, leading to him killing her using the method from the song.

Various different camera angles are used due to the movement of the video; no-one is ever really standing still. Low lighting has been used to portray the violent and depressing tone that the video aims to show.

Why did you choose the text you are analysing?

The video is different and interesting to watch. Every time I watch it I notice things I didn't before and it's also interesting trying to piece it all together, and switch the video round in your mind to work out the reason behind the murder.

In what context did you encounter it?

I liked the song, then watched the video on YouTube not really knowing what to expect

What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text?

I watched the video with an open mind, as it was the first time I had seen it; I don't think it really influenced my thoughts, as I decided for myself whether I liked it or not

Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the text?

-Narrative without an artist singing
-Theme portrayed and explored
-Casual clothing, nothing over the top
-Continuity editing

To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of it's genre?

It's a heavy and serious subject that contrasts with the more light-hearted and fun themes in other music videos, and because the topic portrayed is very real and gritty, it's not so much as an Indie music video, it's deeper than the superficial, manufactured bands in the pop industry.

Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of it's genre?

One of the conventions rarely even thought about is the fact the footage usually plays in the usual start to finish way, yet this video is unique and has reversed all of the shots; bottles that start broken end up whole, and people who begin the video dead, come back to life.

What sort of audience did you feel the video was aimed at (how typical was this of the genre/style of music?)

Because the band weren't that well known when this song was released, they probably wanted to do their own thing, so they could make a name for themselves. The director of this video was Ellis Bahl, and so fans of his work would have checked this video out. I don't really know who the intended audience is, as it's not a stereotypical video and it's unlike others in the genre of music. I'd say the music was aimed at teenagers/early 20's, however it may appeal to other age groups, therefore the video appeals to the people who like the music

What sort of person does it assume you are?

Depending on how you react to the video, it can either mean you enjoy watching violent things or you understand the horrors of violent deaths and domestic abuse.

What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity?

Because the woman can be seen as the victims in this video, assumptions could have been made that females are the weaker gender, but that we should also feel sorry for the women and victims things like this have happened to

What interests does it assume you have?

I can't say it does assume we have interests in anything, as the video is unlike most peoples normal life, and can't really sum up an age group as a whole, or things that define people such as teenagers

What relevance does the text actually have for you?

It doesn't really hold any relevance to me. The clothes used and the setting are similar to every day life and the type of things I wear and have in my house. As a media student I can appreciate the work and effort that it must have taken the producers and camera men, and I think the editing technique is innovative and something I can attempt in my music video

What knowledge does it take for granted?

The video has taken advantage of the need to be eye-catching, introducing an interesting editing technique that makes the viewer think about the action and then stays with them for a while

To what extent do you resemble the ideal reader that the video seeks to position you as?

I'm a fan of the song and a few others of Alt-J, so the fact I like their music makes me the intended audience, however I don't think there is a specific audience for the video, except their fans

Are there any notable shifts in the video's style?

The video is consistent the whole way through, therefore there are no shifts in the style

What responses does the video seem to expect from you?

I think the response that's most common would be shock, due to the fact the music video portrays a murder, however the audience may also be intrigued due to the nature behind the murder, and who is the true victim

How open to negotiation is your response (are you invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular ways?)

It is thought that the dead woman found out the man she was seeing was married, so in spite she ties the wife up and attacks her lover, causing her to die because of his act of either anger or self defence. This is meant to provoke a shocked reaction from the audience at how cruel and disturbing the male character is. Thinking this is more of an instruction, due to the fact that if you root for the killer who isn't even an anti-hero, and is just a disturbing, cheating character, this makes you a slightly disturbed person yourself, in the eyes of society.

Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected ways?

You might be seen as a horrible or disturbed person, because of the violent nature of the video

To what extent do you find yourself reading against the grain of the text and genre?

I only see the brutality and violence of the video, but I still enjoy watching it for the unusual reverse footage and working out the motives behind the characters; it's almost like a small crime thriller

How typical do you think this video is of Music videos?

Because the lyrics are amplified through the use of visual characters and movements, it's typical of a variety of music videos. However the theme and reversed footage is something different and that not many other people have explored in depth, and the violence of the video makes a change from the parties and light-hearted singers having fun in their own video

Alternative Video Analysis: Givers - Saw You First

Why did you choose the text you are analysing:

Because the song is played by one of my favourite bands and I love how they're just sitting outside playing like a normal band and there's nothing unusual about the video or how they are playing.

In what context did you encounter it:

I encountered the band through a friend and then looked them up on youtube, realising I really liked their music and then bought their album on iTunes.

What influence do you think this context might have had on your interpretation of the text:

When I first listened to the song it was without the video on youtube and it made me feel happy and energetic, and then I saw the music video and it portrayed those feelings to me still because it showed the band in the music video having fun and being energetic towards their music.

What conventions of the genre do you recognise in the text:

Multiple People ( Band & Public )
Outside ( City Location )
Public Area
One Take
Multiple Angles
Close Ups & Midshots
Dancing
No cuts or fades until the ending
Natural ending

To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its genre:

Most music videos use multiple shots, different backdrops and use cuts, fades and jump cuts whereas their music video is taken in one take where they use no editing and they're in the same location and place. At the start of the video before they start playing there are two shots that fade out showing the area that they are in. The only editing in the music video is the writing at the beginning introducing the name of the video and at the end where the credits are also the music being recorded and placed over the top of the video to get a better quality of sound. There are some videos that also do this but its not commonly used when making a music video so its breaking the conventions of editing because they use it to the bare minimum.

Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of the genre:
It breaks the editing convention from when the band starts singing to the end where they stop singing and before and after minimal editing is used just to introduce the name of the video and then credits at the end.

What sort of audience do you think the video is aimed at and how typical was this of the genre/style of music:

The audience the music is aimed at is Teenagers - Young Adults because the genre of music is Alternative and Indie. This type of music is typically aimed at those type of people because they are the same age as the band and normally what the band is singing about they can relate to their life at the time. Also the alternative/Indie genre is quite energetic music, adults and elderly people wont be able to relate to the music or get the same energy from it as the teenagers and young adults will and children wont understand what it's about so they typically aim it at teenagers and young adults.

What sort of person does it assume you are:
The music video assumes you are a teenager or young adult with lots of energy so that you can dance along with the music the band is playing; but they also assume that you can relate your life or part of your life to the music video in order to get a full understanding of what's happening and what they are singing about.

What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age, gender and ethnicity:
I don't think the music video makes any assumptions of what class, gender or ethnicity you are. I think it just makes an assumption on what age you are because of the typical type of people who watch the video; these people are teenagers and young adults so the video reflects on what you do, which is have fun with your friends outside listening to music or playing music.

What interests does it assume you have:
It assumes you have an interest in music and or playing music with your friends. It assumes you like to meet up with your friends and "chill" outside and have fun doing so.

What relevance does the text actually have for you:
I can associate the video with what I do in day to day life such as hang out with friends, listen to music, go outside, talk, dance around etc it just portrays a teenage life such as mine and shows us that all teenagers do the same things.

What knowledge does it take for granted:
Because everyone wants to fit in, the music video shows us that we all do the same things and it reassures us that we all fit in because no matter what class or gender or ethnicity you are we all go out and have fun with our friends and that we all do the same things like listen to music and have a good time.

To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that the video seeks to position you as:
I resemble the ideal reader because I can connect with what they are saying and doing in the music video, allowing me to be the ideal viewer for the music video and creating a sense of reassurance and a knowledge of all teenagers including me fit in to society allowing us to feel better about ourselves and be more confident when doing so.

Are there any noticeable shifts in the musics style:
No there isn't any noticeable shifts in the style of the music video, it's consistent throughout the video.

What response does the video seem to expect from you:
It wants to give you a happy, energetic, fun, meaningful, excited response so that you come away happy and pleased to make you want to buy the song and listen to it more.

How open to negotiation is your response:
You're invited to feel all those things but you're also corrected to do that because of the up beat tune and the image the video portrays so you can relate to the music and feel happy.

Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected way:
Yes, if you can't relate to the video then you may feel sad or angry because it doesn't reflect how you go out and meet up with your friends and have a good time and it could show you that you need to do that more and have more fun.

To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against the grain' of the text and the genre:
I dont really read against the grain in this video because it reflects the lifestyle I have and live in, so there isn't an extent that I find myself reading against the grain or genre.

How typical do you think this video is of a music video:
I don't think it's a typical music video because it uses less editing and concentrates on the image and music more than anything else, whereas most music videos like to tell a story; this music video tries to reflect a lifestyle.