Music Magazine- Initial Ideas

Originally, I planned on following the music video brief, however during a trial run of my ideas, I realised doing a music video would be impractical. I couldn’t easily access a performance space, or the instruments required for my music video, however I do have the necessary equipment needed for a music magazine. 

I am no longer going to be doing a music magazine with a fixed genre. My music magazine will be called 'Melody', which reflects the nature of content that would be featured, as a melody is a component evident within all pieces of music. 

Planning: Pitch Feedback

 

From the pitch process, I have learnt that I need to ensure that my ideas are practical. Since the presenting my brief, I have found talent to be within my music video. 

From here, I am going to produce videos to check if my song is able to be lipsynced, alongside take photos of locations to initiate more ideas. I am also going to create a mock 30s- 1 minute video using my talent.

Planning: NEA Pitch

 

Generic Research: Case Study Three

Website- Olivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo is an American singer-songwriter, her website 'GUTS world tour – Olivia Rodrigo | Official Store' being centred around her pop-rock album 'GUTS'. The website is interactive, a reoccurring theme being the stars seen floating within her merch, competitions, and webpage banner.

Banner

Rodrigo's website includes a cyclically changing banner, featuring images of her advertising her merchandise, and using puns such as 'spilling her guts' to promote her current tour.

Merchandise

Within her merchandise promotion, Olivia Rodrigo is the only model used within advertisement. This acts as a form of value transference from her to the product, as fans know that the merchandise they are receiving will be authentic, as it has been worn, and advertised by the artist herself. Additionally, the use of elite persons within this advertising draws more attention to the products, increasing the likelihood of being purchased. 

Digital Convergence

Within her merchandise store, Olivia Rodrigo has 'collections', consisting of merchandise relating to the music videos of her songs. This directly links her music videos to her website, as fans can interact with and purchase items they have previously seen. 

Interaction

Olivia Rodrigo's website contains a 'guts game' tab, where an audience can complete a quiz and receive a song that matches their personality. With this information, fans are then redirected back to the merch store, and suggested products that fit them the best. This is an intelligent form of advertising her merchandise store and her GUTS tour simultaneously, as not only is Rodrigo amplifying fans excitement to attend the concert, but she is also alleviating any potential distress caused by not knowing what to wear, capitalising off their concerns by providing a solution within her personal store.

Additionally, fans have the opportunity to win a purple acoustic guitar, signed by the artist herself, if they sign up to this competition. However, fans need to attend one of her shows in order to meet the entry requirements. This is a good way of once again amplifying excitement for the tour, whilst making sure fans actually purchase a ticket and attend.

Tour attendees are also invited to share their images taking from their show online via '#GUTSworldtour' for the chance to be features on the website. This not only advertises the tour at a cheap cost for Rodrigo, but also creates a space online for fans to talk about their positive experiences, instilling a sense of missing out in those who haven't attended. This inevitably encourages fans to purchase a ticket and attend, so they can be seen by both other fans, by relating to them, and potentially seen by the artist herself by being recognised on her website.

Generic Research: Case Study Two

                                                        Love It If We Made It- The 1975

'Love It If We Made It' is a self-described "gem of hope amongst all the rubble". The music video reflects the song's hard-hitting lyrics, consisting of controversial social and political references, observing the volatile effects of modern society. Rather than being performance-based, the video features snippets of narrative, capturing the zeitgeist of the song- "if we're talking about shocking stuff, and we're relating to shocking stuff, and we're resonating with the song because of that shocking stuff, we have to see that shocking stuff". The song is directed at the youth, resonating with the brief's target audience of a '16-25 year old middle market demographic who like to be entertained'. 

Mise-en scene

 

The video begins with a series of introductory shots of the band and their instruments individually without physically being present, represented by multiple coloured light sources. The anonymity of the performance draws attention away from an audience's personal appeal in the band's physical appearance, redirecting their view towards the serious nature of the following imagery shown.

The music video features several shots of videos corresponding with the song's lyrics (example: 'A beach of drowning three year olds', accompanied by imagery of Syrian refugee found washed up on shore). The video's visualisation of segments of lyrics by associating them with short footage of narrative is a creatively satisfying technique.

Intertextuality

The video's chorus homages Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel", making this celebratory segment act as an antithesis to the rest of the song's hard-hitting lyrics. 

Generic research: Case Study One

                                                            'Together'- Beabadoobee

'Together' by Beabadoobee was released as part of her 4th album 'Fake It Flowers', as a means of taking comfort in being alone, suggesting constant dependents on others can be unhealthy. The music video is a self-described "homage to chicks who rock on stage, like Veruca Salt and Hole", adopting 90s stylistic conventions throughout the performance.

Mise-en scène

The video is solely performance-based, featuring no narrative elements throughout. The 'band' seen are almost matching with their black attire, and musical talent is highlighted within each individual's close-up shot, playing their instrument. The use of pink strobe lighting, alongside the fast-paced editing and camera movement match the song's tempo, adhering to typical rock music video conventions. 

Intertextuality 

Throughout the music video, a series of floral imagery is used, both blooming and wilting. This could be to direct audiences to her album 'Fake It Flowers' that the song appears on, however it could also relate to the song's preferred reading. Beabadoobee stated 'Together' relates to straying away on the dependence on togetherness, as it can be self-destructive. This use of imagery connotes both positivity (thriving, potentially seen via relying less on others), and negativity (being harmed, potentially seen via depending on others).

Industrial Context- Contemporary Context of Music Videos and the Industry

 Finances

The production process of music videos is financed by the label the artist belongs to, who in turn are beneficiaries for the royalties that come from the videos. Music videos can also make money via digital downloads and product placements, alongside serving as a form of creative and commercial representation for the artist. Artists can capitalise from their music videos, by selling merchandise and tour tickets as their popularity increases.

Distribution

Distribution platforms are often used to deliver music videos to various digital platforms and channels, gaining an audience. These platforms can either be direct-to-consumer, such as Maestro, or third-party, such as Youtube. Direct-to-consumer platforms allow artists to build their own video hosting presence to reach audiences, allowing more control over personal branding and monetization. Third-party platforms aren't exclusive to streaming music, and can provide a broader audience, but offer less control.

Industrial Context- Major Players in the Music Industry

 

Industrial Context- Universal Music Group

Who are the UMG?

Universal Music Group is a conglomerate, owning and operating a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content across 60 countries worldwide. The label aims to shape culture via artistry, developing recording artists to promote the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music.  They aim to develop new services, platforms and business models for music delivery and related content, creating new commercial and artistic opportunities, diversifying and increasing the plurality of voices within the music industry. UMG owns labels such as Abbey Road, EMI, and Interscope Geffen A&M.

Abbey Road

Abbey Road Studios describes itself as 'the most famous recording studio in the world. renowned for its creativity and technological excellence'. The label has signed artists such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Radiohead, and Amy Winehouse.

EMI

Emi Records is self-described as 'one of the most culturally significant labels in popular music', being at the forefront of every seminal musical movement. The label has signed innovative artists such as Elton John, Queen, and Metallica.

Interscope Geffen A&M

Interscope Geffen A&M is a unification of three of the most influential record labels in modern music history, developing artists across a wide range of musical genres including rock, rap, pop and alternative. Such artists include Blink-182, Guns N Roses, and The Rolling Stones.

 

Music Video Audience Research- Focus Group

 

Industrial context- History of Music Videos

 

Audience Profile

 Audience Profile

“A 16-25 year-old middle-market audience that likes to be entertained”

Age

To appeal to the age group of ‘16-25 year-olds’ as stated within the brief, the people featured within my magazine front covers will be apart of this demographic, enabling my audience to relate to those featured.

Social class

A ‘middle-market’ audience is likely to fall under the ABC1 target demographic. This means they are likely to have disposable income, which can be spent on annual subscriptions. They are likely to be considering going to or currently attending university, suggesting they may be interested in more complex ideologies which could feature in the magazine’s cover lines.

Psychometrics

An audience who ‘likes to be entertained’ is likely to consist of explorers. Explorers like to discover new things. I wouldn't like my magazine to have a fixed genre, featuring a diverse range of content, providing an increased variety of explorers to enjoy.