Functions of a music video

I chose this music video by R. Kelly and Usher as it is among my favourites. From the beginning of the video it immediately creates a film like tone/feel with R.Kelly on the phone in an office. This is really effective as it helps sustain the viewers level of interest therefore being intriguing.

One of the effects that I love in this video is the  use of jump cuts. This is shown throughout the video and at first shows the two artists; R.Kelly and Usher, as the narrators. This is a significant technique as it introduces them both as the characters. As the song is about a girl that they've 'both' met and are in a intimate relationship with; at nearly every verse it shows another jump cut to the girl.

 However, as the music video follows the concept rule of the male gaze it features edits such as extreme close ups on the young woman's features; Lips and breasts as well as wide shots to show her 'curvaceous' figure/body. This is to further entertain the viewers hence the sexual portrayal of females in the video. Another reason could be of the genre of the music video, R&B which typically follows that portrayal of women as 'gold diggers' and as seductive where as the males are shown as the filthy rich players. Because of that I found this music video extremely entertaining as it somehow challenged with a twist...The roles slightly reversing.

Overall, I love this music video because of the storyline and the creativity of it and that to me made it very appealing.

Reflection on progress:

Looking back to AS I would say I have improved in terms of the creativity of my research blogs. I also feel as though I use a lot more examples to back up my research. However, i do think I need to do more blogging and improve the context of my work and add extra detail. If I was to give my self a mark out of 20 i would give myself a 13. This is because I believe that my blogs are creative however I do feel that they could use a bit more detail and I could upload more blogs!

Previous Student Video Review.

Mainstream v Indie

The benefits of being with a mainstream label and a mainstream artist means you have loads of money invested into your video's and will then be able to produce the most creative and interesting music video's also you are promoted to the audience through merchandise as mentioned in the presentation along with many more resulting more sales within merchandise, tours and music. However it means everything is planned for you by directors, stylists and managers therefore you have little room for yourself as an artist to be independent and creative.

Synergy.

Synergy is where two products or companies combine to make a video, and use the video as a platform to give them success in their respective areas. For example a music video may be made to increase publicity for a film, but may prove successful in its own right. One example is the music video ‘stuck with each other’ the official video for the 'confessions of a shopaholic' film.

A music video helps to provide synergy for the artist starring in it; a popular music video helps to expand their audience and also increases the artists power in the industry. If a video is shown on YouTube for example companies may pay to advertise on the video or through product placement, this would give them synergy through the video which will in turn improve their publicity.

Another example of how synergy is used in a music video can be seen in keri hilson's 'knock you down' music video.

Laura Mulvey: Male gaze theory

What is the gaze?

The idea of the‘gaze’ is one that is concerned with how an audience views the people presented.

Laura Mulvey, a British feminist film theorist, coined the term ‘male gaze’ in 1975. This concept was formed through how Mulvey thought women were represented in film and literature. Mulvey sees the representation of women in film and literature as being dominated by a male perspective.

Features of the male gaze:

- The camera lingers on the curves of the female body, and events which occur to women are presented largely in the context of a man's reaction to these events

 - Relegates women to the status of objects. The female viewer must experience the narrative secondarily, by identification with the male

Below are some examples which illustrate the ideas formed by Laura Mulvey.

                                                            Nicki Minaj - Anaconda

In this video, close up's of female body parts are shown in order to gain the audiences attention.This is a clear example of women being objectified in regards to the male gaze.

August Alsina - Numb

In this video, slow motion tracking and tilt shots are used in order to showcase the female body, the camera is often lingering over the curves of the female body. This is also another good example of how the male gaze is used in music videos. 

Tyga ft Young Thug - Hookah

In this video, dismemberment is used to showcase different parts of the female body, therefore objectifying women and clearly showing the Laura Mulvey theory of how women are represented in film and literature.  

Carol Vernalis Theory: