Analysis of poll results

INTRODUCTION AND QUESTIONS ASKED:
In September, I put together a questionnaire on my blog to find out what kind of music videos were among the most popular. The idea was that I could use my questionnaire results and base my music video around them. I composed and published the following six questions:
* Gender?
Possible answers: Male - Female
* Age group?
Possible answers: 12-15 - 16-19 - 20-24 - 25-35 - 35+
(For this question I noticed a flaw among the available answers after publishing it. 35 year olds carrying out the questionnaire could answer with either 25-35 or 35+. However, the results yielded no votes for 25-35 and only one for 35+ (see results section below))
* Where do you live?
Possible answers: Hull - East Riding (mistyped "Eat Riding") - North Lincolnshire - Elsewhere
* Social class?
Possible answers: A - B - C1 Workers (skilled) - C2 Workers (Semi-skilled) - D - E
* What Genre of music do you like? (multiple choice)
Possible answers: Pop - RnB - Rap/Hip Hop - Rock - Metal - Techno/Electronic - Alternative - Indie - Classical - Country - Jazz - Other
* What form of music video do you like? (multiple choice)
Possible answers: Performance - Narrative - Abstract - Animated

HOW DID I GET PEOPLE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
In order to try and get as many votes as possible, I decided that social networking would be a suitable way to promote my blogs. I posted the link to my blog on both Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, I have around 400 friends and therefore 400 potential candidates, and on twitter I have around 70 followers. In the end I attracted only approximately 10 people but this promotion did give me a boost from the 3 votes per question I had prior from asking a handful of people from college to answer the questions.

RESULTS:
Gender?:
Votes - 10
Male - 5 (50%)
Female - 5 (50%)
My comments: What we can draw from this is that music as well as promotional videos appeal equally to both genders. This is a good thing, as my audience will therefore be potentially varied.

Age group?:
Votes: 10
12-15 - 0 (0%)
16-19 - 9 (90%)
20-24 - 0 (0%)
25-35 - 0 (0%)
35+ - 1 (10%)
My comments: Most of the people I asked in person and most of the people I have on Facebook and Twitter were of the most popular age group. This could produce results potentially unrepresentative of the general music audience. If I was to carry out this poll again I would promote my poll elsewhere to attract potentially more diverse age groups.

Where do you live?
Votes: 11
Hull - 5 (45%)
East Riding - 4 (36%)
North Lincolnshire - 0 (0%)
Elsewhere - 2 (18%)
My comments: Location-wise, my Facebook friends list is more varied. This is good as it also focuses on the music tastes of people outside of Hull and East Riding.

Social class?
Votes: 9
A - 2 (22%)
B - 0 (0%)
C1 Workers - 2 (22%)
C2 Workers - 0 (0%)
D - 1 (11%)
E - 4 (44%)
My comments: The social classes found on my friends list are also rather varied. Some people of my age group have found well paid jobs and therefore consider themselves a higher social class than other people of their age who are still unemployed.

What genre of music do you like?
Votes: 11
Pop - 5 (45%)
RnB - 3 (27%)
Rap / Hip Hop -  3 (27%)
Rock - 8 (72%)
Metal - 4 (36%)
Techno / electronic - 4 (36%)
Alternative - 5 (45%)
Indie - 4 (36%)
Classical - 2 (18%)
Country - 5 (45%)
Jazz -  3 (27%)
Other - 5 (45%)
My comments: Although "rock" was the most popular choice here, metal is often considered a derivative form of rock, with many "rock" fans also listening to a number of metal bands. Metal has half the votes that rock does, with the genres RnB, Rap/Hip-Hop, Classical and Jazz yielding a lower number of results. I also made this question a multiple choice question as I am aware that many music fans have a very varied taste. It is nice to see that not one available genre went completely unvoted.

What form of music video do you like?
Votes: 8
Performance - 6 (75%)
Narrative - 7 (87%)
Abstract - 1 (12%)
Animated - 3 (37%)
My comments: As a result of the results of this question, I introduced a loose narrative in music video, which I will discuss in further posts. As for performance, it was my idea from the start to feature lip syncing, so combining the two together should prove to be effective to my audience.

Shot list

#1 0:00-0:01 - CU - Cuts to singer with the song's first cymbal crash. Eyes closed, expression of deep thought

#2 0:01-0:03 - CU - Camera cuts, singer opens eyes with the next cymbal crash, staring at the camera

#3 0:03-0:04 - CU - Camera cuts, with the next crash comes a big evil grin

#4 0:04-0:06 - ECU - Camera cuts, focuses on eyes, determination

#5 0:06-0:07 - LS - Camera cuts, singer gets up and begins to walk

#6 0:07-0:09 - LS - Camera cuts, jump cut whilst walking

#7 0:09-0:10 - LS - Camera cuts, another jump cut + more walking

#8 0:10-0:12 - LS - Camera cuts, another jump cut + exits room

#9 0:12-0:18 - LS, PAN - Camera cuts, pans as he walks across a brighter room, he proceeds to knock things over, causing a wreck

#10 0:18-0:21 - CU - Camera cuts, He laughs in a sinister manner before stopping as he notices something

#11 0:21-0:24 - CU - Camera cuts, zooms into money (a pound note)

#12 0:24-0:28 - CU - Camera cuts, singer looks both ways to check that the area is clear before taking money

#13 0:28-0:30 - CU - Camera cuts, hands reach in to the frame, he takes the money

#14 0:30-0:38 - LS, PAN - Camera cuts, he laughs in a sinister manner again, he now has the money, he then proceeds to leave the room

#15 0:36-0:41 - CU - Camera cuts, singer is once again shown to be in the dark room from the beginning, this establishes that this is perhaps his hiding place to enable him to hide from punishment of his crimes. lip syncs to "Can't overcome it, it's what I do best"

#16 0:41-0:44 - CU - Camera cuts to a pair of jeans presumably left on the floor by owner, singer reaches inside back pocket and finds spare change... "I'll pick your pocket for your last red cent"

#17 0:44-0:45 – CU – Camera cuts, singer holds up note detailing his condition, reading “Results: tested positive for FORCE OF HABIT,

#18 0:45-0:47 – CU – Camera cuts to dark room, lip syncs to “I’m stricken like the rest”

#19 0:47-0:51 – CU – We see a few everyday items fall onto the floor e.g. wallets, keys, corresponding with “never return anything I’m lent”

#20 0:51-0:56 – MS – Camera cuts, singer acts innocent and syncs to “it wasn’t me, yeah you know it wasn’t me, it must have been someone who...” towards the end he lifts his arm up to point at something off camera next to him

#21 0:56-0:58 – MS – Camera cuts to singer again, but in a slightly different position, holding shrugging as if to say “I’m innocent” to give the impression that this is somebody different who happens to look very similar, being pointed to by the singer as we see him in the previous shot, corresponding with “...looked like me”

#22 0:58-1:03 – CU, ZOOM IN – Camera cuts to singer who stares into the camera with a determined, angry expression, breaking the fourth wall as if to try and threaten the audience, lip syncing to “innocent until proven guilty...” and a red tint develops with the camera zooming in as he continues to sync to “...and you ain’t got a thing on me”

#23 1:03-1:09 – MCU – Camera cuts to backdrop of the Earth (will possibly be achieved using greenscreen) whilst singer continues to lip sync to “Your possessions, your worldly possessions, mean more to me than your protective obsessions”, points to audience

#24 1:09-1:10 – MCU – Camera cuts to view of the singer from a house window as his head pops up

#25 1:10-1:12 – LS – Camera cuts to victim living inside of the house who is clearly shocked/scared at the sight of the singer, and he quickly proceeds to grab valuables before he can get to them

#26 1:12-1:15 – CU – Camera cuts to victim throwing the items inside a cupboard or wardrobe. Only his hands are in shot.

#27 1:15-1:19 – CU – Camera cuts back to singer in dark room lip-syncing to “it’s a shame, it’s a god-damn shame”

#28 1:19-1:22 – LS – Camera cuts to shot of a victim trapped inside of a room with the singer stood next to the door laughing, lyrics: “I’m the culprit but you’re the one to blame”

#29 1:22-1:25 – CU – Camera cuts to singer reading a book, seemingly in peace. Lyrics: I’ll take another lesson from my mother”

#30 1:25-1:28 – CU – Singer keeps hold of book with one hand in order to reveal his face as he lip syncs “it’s better to take than get took” as he throws the book away”

#31 1:28-1:31 – CU – Camera cuts to singer’s arms as he opens a wallet and empties out all of the change. Lyrics “steal a dollar, steal a dime”

#32 1:31-1:35 – CU - Camera cuts to dark room, singer lip sync to “force of habit will get you every time”

#33 1:35-1:42 – LS – Camera cuts to a victim, and its then pans back to reveal that the singer is snuck up behind him. The victim turns back and discovers the singer and gets scared off, proceeding to run away. “in your pocket invade your space, force of habit any time or any place”

#34 1:42-1:45 – LS – Camera cuts to victim running towards his wallet to shield it “pay attention, keep an eye on all your cash”

#35 1:45-1:46 – CU – Camera cuts to the victim’s head impacting the floor, implying the singer has attacked him “force of habit...”

#36 1:46-1:48 – CU – Camera cuts to singer’s arm taking the wallet. “...will deprive you of your stash”

#37 1:48-1:51 – CU – Camera cuts to singer in dark room lip syncing to “If I blow it, yeah if I get caught”

#38 1:51-1:54 – CU – Camera once again cuts to the singer holding a note detailing his “disease” reading “Results: tested positive for FORCE OF HABIT” Lyrics: “Force of habit is the problem that I’ve got”

#39 1:54-2:02 – POV SHOT – beginning of song’s instrumental break, camera moves around a street, movement implies that this is somebody’s perspective

#40 2:02-2:05 – ECU – Camera cuts to singer’s eyes looking left and right with determination.

#41 2:05-2:08 – Many brief shots of areas of the street in the space of 3 seconds.

#42 2:08-2:11 – CANTED ANGLE – more movement through the street, P.O.V.

#43 2:11-2:15 – CU – Camera  cuts to singer grinning evilly

#44 2:15-2:21 – LS – Camera shows singer running off somewhere, presumably to find a house to rob

#45 2:21-2:28 – More fast paced shots, this time consisting of canted angles of the street and possibly victims, and a glimpse of the singer laughing

#46 2:28-2:35 – Fast paced shots of items that have presumably been stolen, e.g. wallets, purses, money, drinks, foods etc.

#47 2:35-2:40 – CU – Singer appears to wake up from a trance in the dark room

#48 2:40-2:41 – ECU – Camera cuts to singer’s eyes, and element of surprise

#49 2:41-2:45 – MS, EASE IN – Camera cuts to many stolen goods laid out on the floor, slight zoom in

#50 2:45-2:47 – ECU – Camera cuts to close up of a grin showing on his face, he feels a sense of accomplishment.

#51 2:47-2:50 – CU – Camera cuts to singer looking and reaching his arms up at a valuable item on a shelf. Lyrics: “Mama told me, look but don’t touch”

#52 2:50-2:54 – CU – Singer raises his arms up in frustration as he lip syncs to “but that only made me want it more!”

#53 2:54-2:57 – MS – Camera cuts to singer tinkering with a globe whilst lip syncing to “it doesn’t matter if you’re a friend or a foe”

#54 2:57-3:01 – CU – Camera cuts to singer turning his head to break the fourth wall, lip syncing to “’cause your house is my candy store”

#55 3:01-3:04 – CU – Camera cuts up close to sheets detailing singer’s problems etc. “I admit it, I know I’ve got a problem”

#56 3:04-3:07 – ECU – Camera cuts to a sheet with the word “temptation” printed/written on as we hear the lyrics “but temptation is controlling me” before a hand quickly snatches it away from the shot

#57 3:07-3:10 – ECU – Camera cuts to show part of an item with a price tag, the singer’s hand reaches in to place a piece of paper reading “5-finger discount” onto it. Lyrics: “I can’t resist a five fingered discount”

#58 3:10-3:12 – CU – camera cuts to singer in dark room, lip-syncing with an evil expression to “everything for me is free”

#59 3:12-3:19 – LS, PAN – Camera cuts to and follows singer walking into a house sneakily, door slightly ajar

#60 3:19-3:21 – CU – Camera cuts to singer inside of the house as he looks for valuables inside. He walks towards the camera.

#61 3:21-3:25 – MS – Camera cuts to singer having walked to the cupboard/wardrobe in which valuables were locked inside earlier, shows him struggling to get in

#62 3:25-3:28 – CU – Camera cuts to worried expression on singer’s face

#63 3:28-3:30 – MS, ZOOM – Camera zooms in to the cupboards

#64 3:30-3:32 – LS – Camera cuts to singer walking back out of the house

#65 3:32-3:35 – ES – Camera cuts to establishing/P.O.V. shot of a street

#66 3:35-3:38 – ECU – Camera cuts to singer’s fist clenching

#67 3:38-3:44 – ECU – Camera pans across singer’s collection of stolen coins. Lyrics: “steal a dollar, steal a dime, force of habit will hit you every time”

#68 3:44-3:48 – CU – Camera cuts to a jacket laid on the floor with its pockets inside out “In your pockets, invade your space”

#69 3:48-3:52 – CU – Camera cuts to singer in dark room with his eyes closed. The camera also rotates around him.

#70 3:52-3:56 – CU – Camera cuts to empty money bank, the singer’s hands reach in to the shot and proceed to give the bank a shake

#71 3:56-3:58 – ECU – Camera cuts to a small amount of coins in the singer’s hand

#72 3:58-4:05 – ECU – Camera cuts to another shot of the sheet reading “force of habit” lyrics: “force of habit is the problem that I’ve got”

#73 4:05-4:16 – The music video ends with a small montage of shots shown across the video, which lasts for the final 11 seconds of the song, ending with the first three shots seen in the video played in the reverse order. There is nothing left for the singer to steal and he therefore goes into another sleep, almost as though he is hibernating. The video could therefore be watched on a loop.

Lyrics of my chosen song + analysis

Lyrics:
Can't overcome it, it's what I do best
I'll pick your pocket for your last red cent
It's a disease, I'm stricken like the rest
Never return anything I'm lent
It wasn't me, yeah you know it wasn't me
It must've been someone who looked like me
Innocent until proven guilty
And you ain't got a thing on me

Your possessions, your worldly possessions
Mean more to me than your protective obsessions
You wanna hide 'em, lock 'em up inside and
Throw away the key so I can't find em
It's a shame, it's a god-damned shame
I'm the culprit but you're the one to blame
I'll take another lesson from my mother
It's better to take than get took

Steal a dollar, steal a dime
Force of habit will hit you every time
In your pockets, invade your space
Force of habit anytime or anyplace
Pay attention keep an eye on all your cash
Force of habit will deprive you of your stash
If I do it, yeah, if I get caught
Force of habit is the problem that I got

Mama told me look but don't touch,
but that only made me want it more
Doesn't matter if you're a friend or foe,
'cause your house is my candy store
I admit I know I got a problem,
but temptation is controlling me
I can't resist a five-fingered discount,
everything for me is free

Your possessions, your worldly possessions
Mean more to me than your protective obsessions
You wanna hide 'em, lock 'em up inside and
Throw away the key so I can't find em
It's a shame, it's a god-damned shame
I'm the culprit but you're the one to blame
I'll take another lesson from my mother
It's better to take than get took

Steal a dollar, steal a dime
Force of habit will hit you every time
In your pockets, invade your space
Force of habit anytime or anyplace
Pay attention keep an eye on all your cash
Force of habit will deprive you of your stash
If I do it, yeah, if I get caught
Force of habit is the problem that I got

History of Music Videos

RISE OF POPULARITY

By the end of the 60s, music videos had increased in popularity dramatically. This increase can be credited to The Beatles, who were arguably the first band to use music videos as a promotional tool for their songs. Their practice commenced as far back as 1965. Music videos such as Strawberry Fields Forever and Penny Lane featured attractive, colorful visuals and creativity, such as the reversal of clips (a clip of Paul McCartney falling from a tree then walking backwards was reversed to make it appear as though he had jumped onto the tree) and impressive artistic cinematography.
The band had become extremely popular to the point that they wished to move past traditional performance music videos and live shows, which they found to be mundane. Also, they weren't able to appear on all of the TV stations that wanted them. In 1965 they began to make a series of promotional films that would include quirky scenes and humour. Some of these videos complemented the short films they had made, such as I Am The Walrus, a song that was featured in their film Magical Mystery Tour.

Development of music videos with Queen
In the 70s, Queen were facing a problem, which was that they could not appear on Top Of The Tops as they were busy on tour. They took a few days out of their schedule to create the music video for Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975. It was made on a budget of £4,000 (a considerable sum during that era) and was recorded on a relatively new medium of video tape. There was no such thing as home video recorders until the late 70s/early 80sm, but broadcasters had been recording TV shows on huge 2 inch video tapes.

The music video for Bohemian Rhapsody has become somewhat iconic, spawning several tributes and parodies from other music videos and films.

De/reconstruction - evaluation

Evaluation

We were put into groups in order to deconstruct and reconstruct a media text. My group chose the music video for the song “Make a Beast of Myself” by Twin Atlantic. The genre of the song is indie rock. The entire video consists of one long shot in slow motion, tracking the lead singer of the band, Sam McTrusty as he gets up off the floor and walks through a street to fall back down at the end in the position we first see him in. The majority of passer-by’s have a horrified reaction when they see him. Therefore, this video combines narrative and performance, as the narrative lies within his journey through the street, and the performance is in the singer’s lip-syncing, although we don’t see the rest of the band play their instruments. We were set to reshoot 30 seconds of this music video, reflecting it as much as we possibly could, especially its cinematography and costumes.

In terms of planning, we put together two storyboards, in which one was drawn and the other was produced on the computer, using screenshots from the actual video. I was assigned the role as the main actor and therefore had to memorise the lyrics that were covered in the extract. This didn’t prove to be too difficult as it comprised only of one verse. However, I had to lip sync it faster than the way it is sung, as we would be able to slow it down in post-production, therefore giving it the same effect as the original video. Producing the storyboards took more time as it involved watching the video and having it paused frequently to write down all the necessary details and to draw what could be seen.

The location we decided to film in was Newland Avenue, an area much like the one seen in the video because of its many shops. Filming the entire extract in one take was quite a challenge for many reasons; the actors all had to appear within the framing at the right time together, if any one actor was to show at the wrong time, a reshoot would be required. Reconstructing the cinematography correctly also proved to be difficult, as the camera had to be held very steadily on the tripod whilst still following the main actor. Also, we had to make sure before filming that we had together an adequate amount of actors (which in our case would have been seven) to reflect how busy the street is in the actual video. A few of the people we tried to recruit couldn’t make it for various reasons, so we had to make do with the five actors we had.

We were also unable to get all of the props we hoped to use in the video. We were able to get a ladder for the shooting, as well as a piece of paper to act as the map that the singer looks at whilst he walks, but we also intended to include a bike (due to a biker being featured in the video) yet we couldn’t find a bike we had permission to use near enough to us. We also couldn’t acquire a nun costume for the nun that also appears in the extract.

When it came to editing the footage, it proved to be relatively easy and quick, as we only had one full shot to deal with rather than a series of clips we had to place in the correct order and apply different effects to. We did, however, have to experiment with the speed of the clip so that the lip-syncing would match up to the song. We achieved this eventually and were happy with the overall result of the extract. We did, however, run over the recommended 30 seconds as the necessary footage was longer than this.

To conclude, this preliminary task proved to be a challenge, but we succeeded, and the more challenging the process was, the higher in regard the final result would be held.

De/reconstruction - comparisons

De/reconstruction- the finished product

We were able to film this during one afternoon, we did a few practice takes in a more quiet part of the street in which we filmed, before moving on to official filming across the shop windows. We did have a handful of takes in order to have a choice for which one we will use for the final product.
We are reasonably satisfied with our finished product.