High angle cu, camera repeatedly changes focus from foreground to
background of mikill pane writing lyrics and turntables.
-0:23
Over shoulder shot, repeatedly changing focus from foreground to back
ground of artists head/shoulder and him writing lyrics.
-0:32
Cut to mid shot at eyeline level of artist holding cue cards
-0:37
Swish pan into mid shot of artist in shower holding cue cards camera
not steady
-0:42
Cut to CU midfrift level of pot of sugar
-0:47
Cut to MS eye level of mikill pane writing on paper
-1:10
Cut to ms eye level with slight pan up of artist showing lyrics.
-1:12
Swish pan ecu of shoes with pan across shoes
-1:14
Cut to cu of photo frame
-1:16
Cut to ecu of artist walking away from camera ending up as ms
-1:17
Cut to ms canted angle into ms of artist walking into room
-1:18
Cut to ms high angle, camera on stairs following artist
-1:20
Cut to ms high angle and canted, pan up and straighten camera to ms
following artist
-1:25
Cut to over shoulder shot, pan round artist, handi cam
-1:28
Cut to low angle of artist sitting on wall
-1:33
Cut to ms behind artist. Handi cam pan round artist
1:46
Cut to ms eyeline shothandi
cam pan round artist
From doing this I have learnt many of the shots typical to a Mikill pane video. He often is shot using a lot of close up shots, also many of his shots experiment with the depth of focus and often switch between focussing on the foreground and the background. I also noticed a very wide range of different shots are used. The expression on the artists face is important, Mikill Pane generally has a very blank, vaccant expression which seems to be very typical of him.
The development of new media technologies, is a platform which alters our perspective on media, diversifying the range of media outlets in order to shape it in various ways. In terms of music videos, it has changed the dynamics, allowing us to produce, market and distribute them in many ways. Therefore in terms of music videos being art, porn or commercial, there are various aspects which may give some extent of answer to this question.
In terms of the media industry becoming more pluralistic and democratised through the vast use of software allowing us to produce our own music videos, it has allowed for a significant increase in existence of music videos across the world. Therefore in terms of art, music videos allow us to be very experimental and innovative in the contextual and technical content which we include in them, due to the fact that everyone can develop their own kind of unique shots through the use of different ways of framing subjects, camera movement, post production effects etc... As a result, in terms of the definition of art; 'The expression or application of human creative skill or imagination' it can in many ways be considered a conventional aspect of this, as each piece of footage has its own incentive, featuring different elements of camera techniques, representation, as well as mise en scene, so therefore in this sense, music videos do allow us to apply some conventionally imaginative segments of footage, through the application of different meanings given through the text. Therefore in terms of Barthes theory the creation of 'art' in media texts may depend on the semiotics, as well as; enigma, action, symbolic, semic and cultural codes, which are therefore interpreted by the active audience, some with a polysemic nature. On the other hand some theorists such as Shore argue that music videos are just recycled styles that have surface without any substance. This therefore shows a conflict view, whereby music videos are all similar, as opposed to having any unique input, so therefore he would not consider them artistic as opposed to 'a perfectly formed, contemporary moving image form: quintessentially based on reinvention, reimaging, never standing sill; always looking different, being in flux and moving.'
In terms of the commercialization of the music industry it is evident that music videos are used in order to create some type of buzz for the audience. It is evident through high budget production within music videos that they are focusing to draw in a mass audience, and therefore market the product on a mass scale to gain more financial income. In terms of Archers view, music videos are considered a production that adds value onto the product, therefore inspiring the audiences to buy it through various aspects such as the star image and meta narrative created through them. Therefore the use of other media platforms to add value onto products is also created through aspects such as the album cover, advertising and marketing campaigns, in order to create some type of marketing buzz, which can now be developed further through the use of web 2.0 to a much larger consumer market, through aspects such as social marketing campaigns via outlets such as Facebook, Twitter etc...
The use of music videos in some representations can be used in a form to create some kind of pornographic content. This refers to 'creative activity of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire.' In terms of Malvey's theory, she believes primarily in the concept the male gaze, where men see women as typically objects from a heterosexual perspective. The use of fetishism within music videos can be an evident factor in order to depict a representation, through the use of dismemberment, costume, props etc. in order to sexualize music videos. Furthermore, Goffman et al's theory also looks at the use of sexualisation of music videos through aspects such as artificial look and feminine touch which are once again incorporated as a form of pornography.
For example this music video 'satisfaction' by Benny Benassi could definitely categorise music video as porn, due to the representation of women within it. For example the use of the star image of women helps create artificial look, as well as the use of voyeurism to constantly focus on sexualized content. Furthermore the use of juxtaposition within the media text shows women working within a male role, however they are represented as objects by sexualizing it.
Overall, I personally believe that music videos differ in terms of conventional aspects from each one, so therefore there is no overall trend to define whether a music video is art, porn or commercial. Each music video contains different aspects, content, contextual information, target audiences and therefore each takes a different perspective to what purpose it serves.
Personally, I chose this music video as for my technical analysis, due to the fact that it is the same artist as the track we have chosen to produce. Therefore, this has given me insight into the various camera shots and cutting rates that are evident in this producers visuals, giving me good understanding of a shot by shot analysis.
Shot by shot analysis
It is evident that this music video is produced mainly consisting of close ups and mid shots (therefore making up the meat of the music video), which are used to illustrative narrative, as well as performance characteristics of the video. It is as a result evident that the artist is both present, as well as absent which is an element we hope to pursue within the production of our own music videos, in order to conform to the conventions of the original artist. Therefore in terms of ideological discourse we are able to give a typical representation of the artist, as well as including typical conventional aspects to this artists style and dynamic to the music video. It is evident despite the frequent use of mid shots and close ups that there are other shots evident within the production such as over the shoulder shots, tild shots etc... It also features use of altering the time of some shots for example through the slow motion zooming shot of the door, and also the footage where the speed has been increased to show him walking to another location.
Mikill pane adds elements of humour at some points in his narrative, however when he is present on screen he always has a fairly serious personality which helps to juxtapose himself in many ways. In terms of how he represents himself a lot of his music videos help to represent him as a younger person which are reinforced particulary in this by the use of content displayed. For example within this production he is at a party which would have many conotations of a younget target audience. This is present in other music videos such as 'dirty rider' where he is riding a bmx round the roads, once again linking to a young target audience.
