2. AS1: Task One:
Understand the purpose of music videos:
You will need to write about the following:
promotional
availability of artist
extension of income
extension of outlets (music channel, direct DVD and CD
sales, website, download)
synergy (films, TV programmes)
the strategies producers’ use (major label, independent,
artist self-produced)
4. Promotional
Advertisement
Draws attention to the music/song
Illustrates the song
Appeals to a visual audience
Expresses an individual’s emotions
Tells a story
Markets an image
5. Creating a Brand
Often artists/groups are sold as a brand and
the music video acts as a product of the brand,
in the hope that the audience will be inspired
to “buy into the brand”
For some artists the ‘image’ is of greater
importance than the quality of the product.
The Spice Girls are a good example of this.
Other times it is the song and the meaning of
the song that is sold, and the artists ‘image’
has little to do with the sale of the song.
7. What makes it memorable?
Lady Gaga “Born This Way”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1FrqwZyKw
PSY – Gangnam Style
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH1XGdu-hzQ
Why is this a good example of a promo video?
How does it achieve a range of different promotional
aspects?
8. Availability of Artist
In 1964, The Beatles starred in their first feature
film A Hard Day's Night, directed by Richard
Lester.
A year later in1965 they then began making
promotional clips for distribution
and broadcast in
other countries.
They did so to enable
them to promote
their record releases
without having to
make in-person
appearances.
9. Availability of Artist
It was only after the success of Queen’s
"Bohemian Rhapsody" that it became regular
practice for record companies to produce
promotional videos for artists' single releases.
These videos could then be
shown on television shows,
such as Top of the Pops,
without the need for the
artist to appear in person.
10. Availability of Artist
Before promo video’s became popular if the
artist was unavailable they would have their
music broadcast and accompanied rather than
dancers such as Pan's People.
Brian May said the video was produced:
A) so the band could avoid miming such a
complex song on Top of the Pops.
B) as they would be unable to appear on the
programme every week as they were
scheduled to appear on tour (It was number 1
for 9 weeks).
11. Extension of income
Promotes the artist/single/album
Persuades audience to buy –
CD/download
Raises the audience awareness or profile
of the artist/group – tours, festivals
Product placement e.g. Christine Aguillera
& perfume (Not Myself Tonight)
13. The End of the Music Channel?
With competition from a variety of online
platforms, music channels are no longer the
strong promotional platforms they once were.
In many ways the music video channel is in
danger of becoming defunct and irrelevant.
Online streaming and downloads mean that
music videos are instantly accessible.
Gone are the days of TOTP!
14. Synergy
Films
TV programmes
Sky Fall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StJLvbPIvT
w
Military Wives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hR6O7VxK
aQ
Why is synergy a good thing ?
16. Major Record Labels
The music industry is dominated by four multi
national corporations;
• Universal
• Sony Music
• Warner Brothers
• EMI
These are referred to as ‘The Majors’. The
majority of these are backed by conglomerates
with stakes in other industries such as; Film,
TV and Electronics.
17. Major-Independents
Most of these ‘Majors’ own, or license, a series of
smaller subsidiary companies in order to reach
different kinds of audiences in different kinds of
genre.
Columbia
Island
Syco
RCA
Virgin,
These companies are known as ‘major-
independents’.
18. Major Label Strategies -
VEVO
Vevo is a music video website owned and
operated by Universal Music Group, Google, Sony
Music Entertainment, and Abu Dhabi Media.
It was launched on December 82009. The videos
on Vevo are syndicated across the
web, with Google and Vevo sharing the
advertising revenue.
Vevo offers music videos from three of the "big
four" major record labels: Universal, Sony Music
Entertainment, and EMI Records. Warner
Music Group was initially reported to be
considering hosting its content on the service, but
formed a rival alliance with MTV Networks
19. Independents
There are a huge number of small companies
with little or no financial connection to the
majors.
These companies often concentrate on a small
number of acts, within specialised niches in
the industry, Hip Hop/Rap/Electronica/Dance
These are called ‘Independents’. An example
of a highly successful independent is ‘Warp
Records’.
It is often that record labels begin as
independents, but then are bought by a major
and then become major-independents.
20. Independent Label Strategies
Independent or “indie” producers often see
their work as an art-form and not just an
advertisement for the music industry.
These types of producers often become well
sort after by mainstream artists,
21. Chris Cunninham
Chris Cunningham made his directorial debut
in 1997 with the music video for "Come to
Daddy" by Aphex Twin
It was praised, banned, and raved about by
many people in the business.
22. Artist self-produced
Artist self-produced videos have the smallest
budgets and are usually unknown artists.
Making your own video and utilising a website
such as Youtube can lead to great success.
23. Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber was discovered in 2008 by
American talent manager Scooter Braun.
He came across Bieber's
videos on
YouTube
and then became
his manager.
25. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Emil Nava
Began as a runner
for film production
companies
Worked for Blink
Productions
Now freelances for
OB Management
26. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
After working as a runner graduated to Assistant
Director (A.D.) where he would manage the
video shoots
He signed to Academy – who are the biggest
music video production company
Then worked for Between the Eyes and now
works mainly for Pulse
27. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
At his busiest Emil has made 24 music videos
in one year
When he began shooting videos for
independent labels the budget would be as
low as £5,000 to £10,000
His most expensive video to date has been for
Jessie J and the budget was £160,000
28. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Emil’s first budget was for the band Kid British
and the track Our House
Budget - £20,000
Location – Manchester
Cast – local people
1 day for filming
2/3 days for editing
10 days pre-production
Demonstrates the very tight timescales
involved
29. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Kid British – Our House
30. CASE STUDY – OB
Management
OB Management work as agents for music
video directors
Their aim is to:
Nurture talent
Work with production companies
Work with record labels
Match the right director to the right artists
31. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Paloma Faith ‘30 Minute Love Affair'
Client Sony - Director Emil Nava
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0O2DfNRxv4
32. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Paloma Faith 'Picking Up the Pieces'
Client Sony - Director Emil Nava
Cost - £80,000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijel4Vcqd9g
33. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Ed Sheeran 'Lego House'
Client Atlantic - Director Emil Nava
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4BLVznuWnU
34. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Jessie J 'Do It Like A Dude'
Client Island - Director Emil Nava
Cost - £25,000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOf3kYtwASo
35. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Rita Ora 'RIP'
Client RocNation - Director Emil Nava
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1l9WST5lXM
36. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Ed Sheeran 'You Need Me'
Client Atlantic - Director Emil Nava
Cost - £35,000
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXvzzTICvJs
37. CASE STUDY - Emil Nava
Jessie J 'Price Tag'
Client Island
Director Emil Nava
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxX-QOV9tI
38. Relation of Visuals to Song
There are three ways in which music
videos work to promote a song
Music videos can
use a set of images
to illustrate the
meaning of lyrics &
genre, this is the
most common
This is similar to
repeatability.
Meanings and
effects are
manipulated and
constantly shown
through the video
and drummed
into our vision
This is where the
meaning of the song
is completely
ignored