How is lip sync and performance used in music videos?

How do music videos speak to/interpolate the audience?

Timeline for Music Video

Music Video Moodboard (UPDATED)

What are the uses and implications of genre for producers and audiences?

There are many ways in which producers and audiences use genre. For example, producers can use genre as a set of codes for "guaranteed" success. Each genre will have similar themes to them meaning that when making a film a producer can stick within them themes so he or she knows that they will have achieved the main conventions of the genre. An example is a sci-fi film. If like all previous films you stick to the main focus points of things like; space, futuristic weapons/technology and one or two characters that have "unrealistic" qualities to them. 

Another way in which Producers will use genre is to reach different audiences. Most genres have a pre-existing audience, this gives producers a helping hand when it comes to perhaps switching genres or creating a hybrid genre because they can use the audience that is there all ready, find out what they want in a film and then build upon that so you have the groundwork for a successful film. As Christine Gledhill said "One advantage of genres meant different audiences could be identified and catered to, this made it easier to standardise production". Building on the second part of that sentence, it does make it easier to identify the demand for a genre when there is an existing audience which normally tend to be a mass audience because it means they can be very vocal in types of films they do and don't want which makes life easier for producers.


On the other hand, as Christine Gledhill further went on to say "Genre can be seen as 'a means of controlling demand', it can work the other way around. Genre can repeatedly use the same thing and predict what they audience want. An example of this is JK Rowlings 'Harry Potter' series and how they had the existing audience from the books but upon turning it into a film they were able to know what they audiences wanted and over the course of 8 Films built up their own 'brand image' of sorts and the audiences began to become familiar with repeating themes throughout. 

Then you have the audiences using genre. They use genre in a completely different way to that of producers. Audiences use genre as a way of identifying with someone of something. The best example is in music genres and how groups of people liking the same music form similar identities through the way the talk and dress. for example, a common identity associated with fans of death metal tend to be goths because they relate to the music and the artists. A theme with death metal is in music videos and when performing live the colour palette tends to be of dark colours and usually black meaning the fans then to make them selves feel part of a group to complete their identity then also wear dark coloured clothes.

Genres are increasingly shifting and changing, becoming hybrid genres which is where two different genres overlap to form one. An example of a media producer that does this is Ed Sheeran. his recent album crossed his usual acoustic pop sounds with Irish music to form a relatively unknown genre and because of this 'fresh approach' it has drawn in new and larger audiences to his already global fan base. 

So overall, genres get used by audiences and producers in different ways but they both compliment each other. Producers will use the audience of an existing genre when working out how to create their media product and the audience in return will guide them in the right direction. Almost like a small version of synergy.

Song Choices

Features of Music Videos

According to Andrew Goodwin there are 6 key features of different music videos: 

1. Music Videos demonstrate genre characteristics
2. A relationship between the lyrics and visuals
3. A relationship between the music and visuals
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work
5. There is a frequently reference to notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6. Intertextual reference

Chiddy Bang - Opposite of Adults

In the music video for Opposite of Adults we see a number of these features referenced to, such as number 2. In the song they use the lyrics "I once was a kid with the other little kids" and in the video they have photoshopped their faces onto the body of children which further represents the title of the song "Opposite of Adults" because its adult faces on a kids body. There is also a small relationship between the Music and the visuals, for example fitting with the genre of music (pop) they cut to the beat to amplify the 'feel good factor' of the song. For point number 4 about using the artists faces, they don't use CU's and ECU's but they are always in every video so still builds up their image to promotes themselves to their audience. Finally, there is an intertextual reference to a film within their lyrics when they say "But I play a Ron Burgundy I anchor on the track". So overall chiddy bang use 4 out of the 6 key features which reinforces Andrew Goodwin's list.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Downtown

In the video for Downtown, within the first couple of line of the song including "I went to the moped store..." we see him not only lip syncing to the lyrics but also he is at a moped store so it has already used the 1st and 2nd points on the list within 30 seconds. The video pretty much follows the lyrics throughout its entirety with him doing what the lyrics say and many different elements of performance throughout as well. For the 3rd point, there is a link between the music and the visuals because similarly to the song how it is an upbeat track the colour palette of the video is very bright which builds on the idea of it being a happy song. However unlike with the Chiddy Bang video, Macklemore doesn't always cut to the beat. It is very inconsistent perhaps trying to represent the rebellious and alternative content and character he is trying to convey to his audience. Furthermore, the fact that in every video of his it his face with a wide range of angles further builds up his brand image to the audience and makes them feel more connected to him, rather than some artists who don't show their faces which could make their audience feel distant from them. In this video there is also brief section within the music video where we as the audience end up looking at what they want and also from minute 1:00 to 1:06 we see a sexualisation of women. So overall Macklemore ticks of 5 of the 6 which yet again reinforces the list of key features. 

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