task 1 understand the purpose of music videos

Music Video Productions

Understand the purpose of music videos

Task 1

Music History

MTV

Music Television was created in 1980s. in 1980s MTV was instrumental in promoting the careers of performing such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince and Duran who’s videos played in heavy rotation. In the late 1980s MTV started airing non-video programming aimed towards teenagers and adults. On the 1st of August 1981 was when MTV was aired for the first time. The reason why MTV was aired is to play the music videos. Till now MTV has become bigger and now it shows its own shows for example 'MTV cribs’, 'Sweet 16’ and ’16 and pageant’. Also they show music videos new and old. All the programs shown on MVT have things in common.in 1992 the highly rated shows were ‘The Osburnes’, ‘Nick and Jessica’, ‘My Super Sweet 16’ AND ‘The Hills’. 

There are many purposes of music videos

There are many purposes of music videos; they could be promoting a product or even an artist depending on what type of music video it is. Music video’s also are there to entertain people even while there watching the music video liking the song they would also be interested in the video. Music videos also send out messages only depending on what type it is, also so if it is an important message. All music videos are made to bring money in. 

Bessie Smith

Bessie Smith was the first person to produce the first music video in 1920, which was just a very simple video which contained photographs and had music in the background. In her music video ‘Baby won’t you please come home,’ she is trying to get people to watch her video because she is showing her emotions so they could she what she is trying to send out to people. There is black and white pictures used in this video which show this music video is very old because there aint any colours or effects used.

David Flincher

David flincher is a famous American film and music video director. He also a movie maker and the movies he has produced movies such as  such as Alien 3 from 1992, Seven from1995, The Game from 1997, Fight Club from 1999, Panic room from 2002 and Zodiac from 2007. Academy Award nominations for best director went to Fincher for his work in 2008 for the film ‘The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button’, also his 2010 film ‘The Social Network’. When Fincher was 8 he began to make movies. Fincher was hired by industrial Light and Magic in 1983, this is where he worked on productions for ‘Twice upon a time’, star wars; Episode VI – Return of Jedi, Indiana jones and Temple of Doom. In 1984 Fincher left IL to direct a commercial for the American Cancer Society, which showed a foetus smoking a cigarette. Fincher then got a chance to direct a documentary of ‘The Beat of the live drum’ featuring Rick Springfield in 1985. However Fincher would continue to direct spots for companies like Revlon, Converse, Nike, Pepsi, Sony, and Levi's, Fincher soon discovered music videos and went on to direct many promos. 

A narrative music video

The narrative music video that I have chosen is by Katy Perry called “The one that got away”. In this video they are telling a story about how a girl lost the one she loved. It shows the story of how they ended up breaking up and he was thinking of her while driving and ended up falling of a cleft. Throughout the music video they show footage of them when they were together young and happy, like flash backs they bring in the story to the music video. At the end of the music video they show her going back to the cleft he fall from this shows she’s still thinking of him and loves him still. There are a rage of shots in this video from close ups to mid-shots. Throughout the music video they are showing emotions and how she is feeling. There purpose behind this music video is her losing the one she loves due to an argument they had. Below is the link to the music video:

Katy Pery - The One That Got Away
Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved
Rihanna - Diamonds

A performance music video 

Performance videos focuses on showing footage of the artist or band either in a casual environment, for example mingling with friends, performing, live performance or staged performance.They could be playing an instrument or singing. The example I am going to be using for this is called “Fireflies” by Owl city. In the begging of this music video there is a guy playing the piano and singing at the same time.
As he is playing the piano things around him are switching on. There are many close ups and full shots of the toys and lights in the room. There are different shots of the things going on in the room there are long shots and loads of close ups. In the begging they showed the entire scenery and during some on the parts in the middle as well. Below is the link to the music video:

Owl City - Fireflies
Labrinth - Let The Sun Shine
Adele - Someone Like You

A concept music video 

Concept videos are based around a single idea or concept they are usually unusual and elusive, even strange for the audience. This unusual content is an attraction to many consumers, which draws them in and makes them want to watch more and gives them a spark of interest. The concept music video I have picked is by micheal Jackson 'Black or White'. this music video shows micheal changing from one part of the world to the other. There are many different shots used For example in the bigenning of the music video it starts of with zooming in close to a specific bedroom window from out of space. it then goes from close ups to mid shots and then shows the whole full shot of the room. Throughtout the music video there are different shots beining used. micheal has made the music ideo seem like a story by showing different cultures and different skinned people to show everyone is equal whatever the background. The music video is like a message to the audiance. 
link to the music video:

Michael Jackson - Black or White
Tinie Tempah - Pass Out
Lady Gaga - Paparazzi

Successful Music Video 

Michael Jackson’s song ‘Thriller’ is a 13 minute and 34 second music video. The name of the song was released on the 2^nd of December in 1983 and was directed by John Landis. The storyline of this music video is Michael and his date is watching a movie, they leave because his date gets scared. They take a shortcut through the graveyard on the way home.  Michael ends up becoming a zombie and becomes all funky and the he starts dancing tremendously to the tune of his song. below is the music video: 

Michael Jackson - Thriller