Luke McKendry's A2 Blog

Richard Dyer developed his star theory based on several traits that cause performers to become stars. These factors consist of: Constructs, industry and ideology, people and culture, character and personality. These traits are required, according to Dyer, in order to become a star in the music industry.

Construct:

This suggest media develops the public perception upon the performer. This is done through several platforms of media such as newspapers, magazines, TV shows, social media. This image helps portray the performs personality whether it be positive or negative. Media platforms can be used to their performers advantage due to them helping gain popularity. Overall. the theory says public image of a performer is acquired through this concept. Liam Gallagher is doing this at the moment making friends with other music artist relevant and popular with the youth to gain popularity.

Ideology and Audience:

Artist also put forward their views forward on topics within society. This helps influence their target audience to share similar views. They express these issues and opinions on social media. An example is when oasis was invited to 10 downing street by then prime-minister Tony Blair of the labour party. This links to Oasis as they were the face if working class Manchester and the UK as well as being idolised all over the world.

Industry and Audience:

Record labels try to create a likeable artist. They do this in order to create profits for the label profiling the artist in order to suit the target audience. However certain artist’s benefits from these techniques due to popularity of music content or looks. Liam Gallagher of oasis, suits this because when he was young boys aspired to have his attitude and swagger about him and girls fancied him for his good looks at the time. They did this by placing him on magazine front covers and making headlines for the wrong reasons portraying him as a 'real' rock n roll star.

Character and Personality:

Image result for liam gallagher at one love

Artists reveal realism and opinions. However, because of their image they promote things as hegemony. Mainstream topics in the world are used as chance to convince fans to share the same opinion as their idol. This tries to promote them as a normal person effected by similar situations. An example is post Manchester attacks with the music community coming together against hate, Liam Gallagher was involved.

Also juxtaposing characteristics are put into place:

Ordinary and Extraordinary:

This is required so the artists relate to the audience as an ordinary person but they display their talents as extraordinary. An example is Noel Gallagher being able to relate to the Manchester working class as well as being an amazing musician. For example, every album Noel has produced has debuted at number one. His most famous ones would be with his time at Oasis with 'Definitely Maybe and ' (what's the story) morning glory?'.

Present and absent:

Present meaning being in the spotlight and releasing new music content. Also, being able to be absent and stepping out the spotlight. An example would be oasis who were in the spotlight when their new album or single came out but became absent after until the new album or single arrive. Oasis are now absent due to splitting up but Liam Gallagher has released album 'As you were' and Noel Gallagher's new album 'Who built the moon?'

Analysis:

All the ideas discovered and put forward by Dyer can be used in my music video. This is due to it helping shape the representation of how to make the performers behave in different circumstances. Circumstances of how to advertise, act, target audience matching and opinions they have. This helps gain fans as well as maximise profits. In the case we want to be able to shape the artist personality to match the genre conventions and behaviour to make it look suitable for the genre and target audience in the final music video.

Music Video Analysis

Music Video Analysis:

Camera Work:

360 degree of camera spinning around the room at pace.

Lots of pan movement around main singer.

Close ups mainly focus on lead singer and others in the band.

Quite shaky the camera to portray atmosphere in the scene.

Close ups on guitar and drums to emphasise usage in that part of the song.

Few long shots of band including the crowd showing the atmosphere in the room and how the music makes them feel.

Crane shots above the crowd in order to record the band.

Camera moves out the way of the subject and fades to a new one.

Editing:

Quick jump cuts to rhythm of upbeat music.

Cuts pick up pace towards the chorus of the song.

Cuts slow down after chorus until they build up again.

Fades from white to black at the end.

Fades within some parts fading to a new subject.

Smooth zoom transition on drummer as he bangs the drum it cuts to a new subject.

Sound:

Sound is all diegetic with instruments and singing all being natural and in the right place. Possibly added after making it non-diegetic but due to the music video showing them performing it represents its self as diegetic

Crowd sound edited out in order to hear the song. You can imagine the crowd singing along during the performance and at the end clapping and cheering showing it has been edited out.

Mise en scene:

Lighting is very vibrant, alive as well as artificial representing the mood in the room to the song and band. Colours match the lighting given off.

Clothes worn are smart casuals matching stereotypes of a rock n roll band trying to stay in fashion and were casual clothing kind of like football hooligan clothes.

Objects included are the instruments and speakers which are used by most performers within the music industry.

Main singer dominates shots as well as being at the front and centre of the stage.

Analysis:

The Music video here is a great example of what we would be looking for in terms of piecing shots together in the future, timing sounds with relevant parts of the song like in Goodwin's theory (relationships between visuals and sound). When to pick up pace of shots and the continuity of shots used as well as corresponding to particular sounds. Also we can capitalise on the use of fashion and equipment used to also help inspire the music video we're to create.

Music Video Analysis-Location Aspect

Music Video Analysis-Location Aspect:

Lyrical Analysis

Lyrical Analysis:

"Some Might Say":

Some might say that sunshine follows thunder

Go and tell it to the man who cannot shine
Some might say that we should never ponder
On our thoughts today cos they will sway over time

Some might say we will find a brighter day
Some might say we will find a brighter day

Cos I've been standing at the station

In need of education in the rain

You made no preparation for my reputation once again

The sink is full of fishes

Cos she's got dirty dishes on the brain

It was overflowing gently but it's all elementary my friend

Some might say they don't believe in heaven

Go and tell it to the man who lives in hell

Some might say you get what you've been given

If you don't get yours I won't get mine as well

Some might say we will find a brighter day

Cos I've been standing at the station

In need of education in the rain

You made no preparation for my reputation once again

The sink is full of fishes

Cos she's got dirty dishes on the brain

It was overflowing gently but it's all elementary my friend

Analysis:

The song, some might say, first starts off with contradictory lyrics saying the opposite. This juxtaposing technique infers that there is a sense of doubt here. Oasis and many Brit-pop groups tend to address issues with young people as well as help motivate them due to depressing songs in the charts at times. These lyrics contradicting themselves displays that you shouldn't doubt yourself and should do what you like. This is a convention of Brit-pop trying to motivate the younger generation.

The next verse in the song a clear message of motivating. This is because it suggests that say one day hasn't gone so well but a better one will come soon just embrace life and keep going. This message helps keep the audience happy to as they will take it in. The beat being off a happy and cheerful vibe also helps put across the message of enjoyment of life.

The chorus shows how the Brit-pop bands can relate to target audience as they came from a similar state and faced similar problems when they were younger. This motivation helps people get through tough times. It infers that he is under a lot of pressure of doing work such as school and chores. 'In need of education' suggest school pressure as they might not be doing as well as they want to. 'She's got dirty dishes on the brain' puts an impression of chores to do. Overall, feeling like you’re under a lot of stress and pressure. The final line of the chorus, 'It was overflowing gently but it's all elementary my friend', is basically saying that its natural but you’ll overcome this predicament and it will come back round again.

The next verse is the same structure as the first part with it contradicting itself putting a message across about doubting when you shouldn't ('Some might say they don't believe in heaven

Go and tell it to the man who lives in hell'). Then motivating the target audience telling them they can do it. After it then gives some examples and how you can fight it as well as being a natural occurrence for everyone in life when growing up.

The narrative the song follows is Todorov's equilibrium-disequilibrium-equilibrium. This is because before the song it was probably all fine, the situation now isn't okay and the song is basically saying you'll get over it and you'll be back to normal again. You could also apply Bathes' codes too. This is because enigma can be suspected as it would make the audience question what is the hidden meaning behind the song what is motivated them to make it. Action would be applied to as it makes people wait and keep thinking what is the purpose of the song. This then mainly links to semantic as all the word choice can help people create conspiracy theories and think even more depth why it was produced. Finally, symbolic is used with various different binary opposites with in the lyrics i.e. 'Some might say they don't believe in heaven, Go and tell it to the man who lives in hell'.

This can be equipped into the music video in order to come up with the narrative (as well as applying Goodwin's Theory actions) to think about the meaning of lyrics and apply them to mood of narrative as well as location. This would be useful to help portray the message of the song to the audience.

Goodwin's Theory

Goodwin's Theory:

Relationships between the lyrics and visuals: Events of video match the lyrics of the song, to put across the meaning of the song. An example is blur Parklife when they sing 'hand in hand' and tow hands are on the screen shaking each other. skip to 3 minutes 5 seconds to see.

Relationship between the music and visuals: The cuts and videos of the video of the song match flow and tune. Such as specific drum beats and notes. An example is Wonderwall by oasis with camera shots focusing on lone parts played on an instrument.

Music video genre characteristics: Due to demand of record labels close ups of artist are seen in music videos to portray them as important. This helps the record label promote the act and make them relate able to the target audience. Liam Gallagher is the example of this dominating the shots in the Wall of glass music video.

Emphasis on looks: Male gaze is often used to attract a male audience. The male gaze is a focus on presenting things that appeal to men. An attractive girl is an example of this as males would watch because of their looks. Florence from Florence and the machine portrays this due being only female in genre and showing herself off to the audience.

Inter-textual references: Music videos often refer to other forms of media. Rupert Grint, Ron Weasley from Harry Potter, appearing in Ed Sheeran's Lego house backs this up.

I can use most of these theories used by Goodwin in my music videos to my advantage. Relationships of lyrics and visuals can be used in the song we pick easily by picking out key verbs and acting them out or having a specific object in display. Relationships between music and visuals would be simple concept to by using someone playing a guitar during a guitar solo or drums etc. Music video genre characteristics also a straightforward thing to include by making the artist dominate most shots in the music video. Emphasis of male gaze may be a restriction depending on the song we pick because if we are a using a male singer it would be hard to appeal to mainstream males as they wouldn't be attracted to a male. However, if we use a female vocalist we can use them for this theory. Intertextuality would've hard to include due to us not having access to any celebrities in other entertainment industries however we could include some reference in narrative with newspaper headlines or TV in the background etc.