We covered a lot of ground from gender to semiotics and postmodern theory. Complete the following tasks on your Media 1 Exam blog to follow up our work from the study day:
1) Type up your notes from the day.
-Intersectuality samaritans by idles
-Hooks says gender roles are socially constructed, not natural
-Patriarchy+ male dominated society - patriarchy indoctrinates people from an early age
-"Gender becomes a set of connotations that have become naturalised"
-Hooks believes that traditionally masculine attitudes and behaviours are constructed by a patriarchal society
-Men were shown to be aggresive as we see them fighting each other, doing physical activities.
-Treatment of women hasn't changed as women are still being objectified
-Liberal feminist- focus on an individual and personal autonomy
-Prescriptions of sex-appropriate behaviours
-Appearance (airbrushing female models)
-Interests/skills (e.g. girls aren't adept with tech)
-Self-perception (how men and women see themselves)
-Media not only male dominated, it reinforces patriarchy
-V.Z believes that in a society female bodies are sexualised as they are seen as vulnerable and weak
-The woman is shown wearing feminine clothes and using a lot of make up and also very sexualised throughout the video through the focus on her legs.
-Gender is a performance: series of gestures, actions, behavioural and dress codes that construct an imaginary man or woman
Denotation- the direct or obvious meaning
Connotations- polysemic- meanings aren't fixed - open to interpretation
Some postmodern ideas include
-Bricolage
-Pastiche
-Intertextuality
-Hypertextuality
-No essential truth. Instead there is a multiplicity of truths, each equally valid.
-Truth is just a discourse or narrative - a belief that helps us make sense of things
-Nothing is original - patchworks of other materials
2) Write a one-sentence summary of the ideas of the theorists Matthew Daintrey-Hall covered (you can use your notes from task 1 here if relevant):
Bell hooks: Hook comments on how gender roles are socially constructed rather than being natural, she also talks about the idea of a patriarchal society, going into how patriarchy indoctrinates people from an early age.
Liesbet van Zoonen: Van Zoonen talks about how the treatment of women hasn't changed much as women are still constantly being objectified in all forms of media, Zoonen also goes into the idea of a liberal feminist.
Judith Butler: Butlers main theories about gender is that gender is a performance: series of gestures, actions, behavioural and dress codes that construct an imaginary 'man' or woman.
Saussure: The signified is the concept, the meaning, the thing indicated by the signifier.
Barthes: Barthes suggests signifiers have cut loose from the signified, i.e. symbols don't have a clear idea, in addition to this he is also suspicious of denotation as he suspects there was more ideology involved than people think.
Stuart Hall: Stuart Hall mentions how 'authors' encode their work with meaning and audiences decode it in often very different ways.
Lyotard: What Lyotard means by a meta-narrative is a totalising cultural narrative, that organises thought and experiences into a grand story that makes sense of our lives, he also explains how meta-narratives are a bit like ideology but with the feeling of an ongoing story.
Baudrillard: What Baudrillard means by the term Simulacra is an imitation that seems more real than the thing it is imitated, this term was created to explain mediated experiences and intensity and resonance that surpass reality for their audiences.
3) Choose one of the films we saw extracts from and watch the whole movie: Captain Fantastic (2016), Pulp Fiction (1994) or Inception (2010). Write a 300 word analysis of your chosen film using theories from the study day (use the exam paragraph structure we were shown on the day - theory introduction, examples from text, why this 'proves' or 'disproves' the theory).
Inception
The narrative of this film is that the main protagonist (Dom Cobb) is a skilled thief and the best in his line of work, stealing secrets from deep within the subconscious mind during being in the dream state which is when you are most vulnerable, just from finding out this info you are almost immediately hooked in because it is something unique that also sounds fun and interesting. Because of Cobbs abilities he has becoming a world known fugitive which has costed him any part of a normal life as he must take himself away from all he loves. However Dom is given a chance at gaining back what he has lost but it won't be easy at all as he is given the task to implant something inside somebodies consciousness instead of stealing something. By the end of the film Cobb with the help of fellow allies accomplishes the mission and comes back together with his children. This film uses a lot of intertextuality as considering it is a spy genre film it takes a lot of things the James Bond franchise. You can also apply Stuart Halls Reception theory to this film. The preferred reading of this film is that it is branching out the spy genre to new levels that you wouldn't usually see as going into somebodies subconscious to steal something is unique to the spy genre scene and would be very enticing to audiences. I believe the oppositional reading would be that this movie is extremely unrealistic as going into somebodies subconscious to steal information is just absurd which can be very annoying for certain audiences. You can also add the theory of equilibrium to this film as the equilibrium at the start is that Dom must go on mission to implant this information then the dis equilibrium would be all the challenges he and his team come across that they don't think they can handle. The new equilibrium would be when he accomplishes the mission and gets to be with his children at the end of the film.
(344)
Thursday 23 May 2019
Wednesday 22 May 2019
Common - Letter to the Free blog tasks
Social and cultural context
Read this Billboard interview where Common talks about Letter to the Free, political hip hop and contemporary American society. Use the article and the notes we have made in lessons (also available above) to answer the following questions on the social, cultural and genre contexts for Letter to the Free.
1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?
In 2003, Common won a Grammy for best R&B song for 'Love of My Life' (An Ode to Hip-Hop),' a collaboration with Badu that ended up featuring on the 2002 soundtrack Brown Sugar. In addition, he recieved another Grammy years later for the song 'Southside'.
In 2005, Common dropped an album that ended up reaching No.2 on the Billboard charts. The project featured production from fellow Chi-town artist Kanye West and singer John Legend also appearing on one of the tracks.
Common has continued to focus on recording as seen with albums: Finding Forever, Universal Mind Control, The Dreamer/The Believer and Nobody's smiling. He has also turned to more and more acting roles, having made his television debut with a role on the sitcom Girlfriends. Later TV projects included One on One and Hell on Wheels, with Common playing a character for several seasons.
2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?
It was theoretically written to outlaw slavery, the 13th Amendment had the effect of paving the way for local and State law reforms that created loopholes that enabled the continued enslavement of Black Americans through mass imprisonment.
3) What were the Black Codes?
The Black Codes were introduced at state level in the southern states, provided for forced labour as punishment for petty crimes that in actuality only applied to the newly emancipated black slaves.
4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?
It is still a crucial aspect to American culture because still in this day and age black people are still prejudiced against by mainly white people just because of their skin colour like how we see in this police shootings, wrong imprisonment of black people and just general violence, this shows how slavery could still be seen as a thing but just in a different way that doesn't go against the constitution. Another reason why is because obviously slavery is and forever will be a major part of American history that wont just be forgotten, considering how it ruined the lives of thousands of black people and families.
5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?
Her Netflix documentary focused on the historic legacy of the 13th amendment to the US constitution, which was written to outlaw slavery.
6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?
Late 80's and 90's was truly reflective of a movement as it was the movement of black empowerment, black love, consciousness, just being aware. It was all of the above. Common stated, 'obviously things go through evolution, it changes. I don't think, right now as a whole, we have that in hip-hop -- Big Daddy Kane, Mo D, N.W.A had stuff that was saying something too. The 1980s marked the diversification of hip hop as the genre developed more complexity like the political rising style of hip hop.
7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?
Hip hop isn't the place to go to to listen for that voice of a revolution but there are artists that do it like Kendrick Lamar. I also believe Chance the Rapper, though he may not speak in black consciousness, he has a consciousness about him, self-awareness and a spirituality was something powerful in hip-hop. Common states, 'I also believe that I do my best to put my spirituality and belief in the creator before anything because, that in itself, no matter where I go, if I carry that with me, then i'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.'
8) What album is Letter to the Free taken from? What was the critical reception for this album? You'll need to research this - the Wikipedia entry for the album is a good place to start.
Black America Again is the 11th stuido album by American rapper Common which Letter to the Free was taken from. The album recieved widespread acclaim from various crititcs. The album infact recieved an averga e score of 88 from Metacritic, based on 13 reviews. Eric Renner Brown of Entertainment Weekly said, 'it's the MC's empathetic and clear-eyed rhymes that truly make this a vital contribution to the national conversation.
Close-textual analysis and representation
Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:
1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).
There are a variety of long shots used throughout the video giving the audience a clearer look of what is around Common and the message he may be trying to represent and to show off a sense of realism. Throughout the video the camera movement is slow paced which could be done to show how the pace society is changing from back in the day is very slow showing that the government don't care or want change and want things to stay as they are. The shots also show facial expressions and body movement which shows their emotions.
2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?
The constant camera movement is significant as it could signify how black people had to constantly move around America as they were never greeted with acceptance, therefore having to find a place where they could call home which was very hard to come by.
3) Why is the video in black and white?
The video being in black and white stresses the rise of black empowerment and lifting up the black culture through media in order to make a name for ourselves. The black and white may also be done in order to convey the serious, depressing and sombre tone as this video is regarding a revolution that must be taken seriously because of the deep history behind it. Another use of the black and white is that it is done to show the evolution of America as black people and white people are living as equals.
4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?
For actor placement Common used good methods to create different meanings. For instance 'No exessive noise' is written on a wall and in front of it are black people playing musical instruments which shows the growing defiance black people have against this corrupt society that wants to try and control black people to live under their rules. In terms of lighting we see low key lighting being used in full effect, done to reinforce the serious tone of the video so the audience engages more and understands the meaning Common is trying to present. For costumes there is no sexual objectification and instead the clothing is very casual to show how we should be able to make our own choices and are in control of our own lives therefore we wear what we want and do what we want. For setting we see that the video is filmed in a prison which done to show the lack of freedom black people were and still are presented with, however by having Common rap about such revolutionary matters while in a prison is effective as it shows him putting up a stand for something he believes in.
5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?
The lyric 'Shot me with your ray-gun and now you want to trump me is very significant as it shows how social issues are mainly derived from the corrupt government from leaders like Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan. Ray-gun and Trump is also use of word play in order to show how corrupt the government is.
6) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.
The significance of the black square is that it signifies the black people living in America as we see how it goes from different place to place. For example how it is shown to be in prison and what it looks like to be cotton fields and so on, which is a clear representation of black people in America and how they were stereotyped to be in prison. Although at the end when we see the black box outside links to how black people have finally found freedom and can create their own identity.
Common explained in a conversation with Nelson George that, 'It represents the infinite thing about blackness and blackness can't be defined in time or space.'
7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.
The video references racism as we so the black box stuck in side a prison with nobody around to help or any background information and how at the end we see the black box in a cotton field which is reflective of how the slaves had to work n those said fields. In regards to the prison it is important as a regard to racism because of how thousands of black people over the years have been wrongfully imprisoned.8) How can Gilroy's idea of black diasporic identity be applied to Common's Letter to the Free?
Gilroy suggests that black music articulates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture, this is evident through Letter to the Free as Common is trying to put across the message of how hard it was for black people to just live in America due to the white capitalist culture. Gilroy also mentions how the slave trade had a massive cultural influence on modern day America.
9) What other theories of race and ethnicity can be applied to this video? E.g. Hall, Rose or Dyson.
Stuart Hall suggests audiences often blur race and class which leads to the association of races with certain social classes. Hall also suggests how western cultures are mainly white dominated and that ethnic minorities in the media are misinterpreted due to underlying racist tendencies. This all links to the message Common was trying to spread through Letter to the Free.
10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video?
Current events referenced in the song is the racism within America, especially within the policing system and the government since black people are constantly prejudiced against without even being given a chance to share their side of things. Donald Trump is also referenced in the song, highlighting how corrupt of a president he is and how he only does things for his own peoples benefit. Another issue referenced in the video is the equality problems black people are faced with when living in America as they are treated much differently for all the wrong reasons.
Read this Billboard interview where Common talks about Letter to the Free, political hip hop and contemporary American society. Use the article and the notes we have made in lessons (also available above) to answer the following questions on the social, cultural and genre contexts for Letter to the Free.
1) What other projects has Common been involved in over recent years?
In 2003, Common won a Grammy for best R&B song for 'Love of My Life' (An Ode to Hip-Hop),' a collaboration with Badu that ended up featuring on the 2002 soundtrack Brown Sugar. In addition, he recieved another Grammy years later for the song 'Southside'.
In 2005, Common dropped an album that ended up reaching No.2 on the Billboard charts. The project featured production from fellow Chi-town artist Kanye West and singer John Legend also appearing on one of the tracks.
Common has continued to focus on recording as seen with albums: Finding Forever, Universal Mind Control, The Dreamer/The Believer and Nobody's smiling. He has also turned to more and more acting roles, having made his television debut with a role on the sitcom Girlfriends. Later TV projects included One on One and Hell on Wheels, with Common playing a character for several seasons.
2) What is the 13th Amendment of the American Constitution?
It was theoretically written to outlaw slavery, the 13th Amendment had the effect of paving the way for local and State law reforms that created loopholes that enabled the continued enslavement of Black Americans through mass imprisonment.
3) What were the Black Codes?
The Black Codes were introduced at state level in the southern states, provided for forced labour as punishment for petty crimes that in actuality only applied to the newly emancipated black slaves.
4) Why do people suggest that the legacy of slavery is still a crucial aspect to American culture 150 years after it was abolished by the 13th Amendment?
It is still a crucial aspect to American culture because still in this day and age black people are still prejudiced against by mainly white people just because of their skin colour like how we see in this police shootings, wrong imprisonment of black people and just general violence, this shows how slavery could still be seen as a thing but just in a different way that doesn't go against the constitution. Another reason why is because obviously slavery is and forever will be a major part of American history that wont just be forgotten, considering how it ruined the lives of thousands of black people and families.
5) Why was Ava DuVernay inspired to make the Netflix documentary 13th?
Her Netflix documentary focused on the historic legacy of the 13th amendment to the US constitution, which was written to outlaw slavery.
6) Focusing on genre, what was the most significant time period for the rise in political hip hop?
Late 80's and 90's was truly reflective of a movement as it was the movement of black empowerment, black love, consciousness, just being aware. It was all of the above. Common stated, 'obviously things go through evolution, it changes. I don't think, right now as a whole, we have that in hip-hop -- Big Daddy Kane, Mo D, N.W.A had stuff that was saying something too. The 1980s marked the diversification of hip hop as the genre developed more complexity like the political rising style of hip hop.
7) Common talks about other current artists that have a political or protest element to their music. Who are they? Are there any other hip hop artists that you are aware of that have a strong political element to their work?
Hip hop isn't the place to go to to listen for that voice of a revolution but there are artists that do it like Kendrick Lamar. I also believe Chance the Rapper, though he may not speak in black consciousness, he has a consciousness about him, self-awareness and a spirituality was something powerful in hip-hop. Common states, 'I also believe that I do my best to put my spirituality and belief in the creator before anything because, that in itself, no matter where I go, if I carry that with me, then i'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.'
8) What album is Letter to the Free taken from? What was the critical reception for this album? You'll need to research this - the Wikipedia entry for the album is a good place to start.
Black America Again is the 11th stuido album by American rapper Common which Letter to the Free was taken from. The album recieved widespread acclaim from various crititcs. The album infact recieved an averga e score of 88 from Metacritic, based on 13 reviews. Eric Renner Brown of Entertainment Weekly said, 'it's the MC's empathetic and clear-eyed rhymes that truly make this a vital contribution to the national conversation.
Close-textual analysis and representation
Re-watch the music video several times to complete the following tasks in specific detail:
1) How does the Letter to the Free music video use cinematography to create meanings for the audience? (Camera shots and movement).
There are a variety of long shots used throughout the video giving the audience a clearer look of what is around Common and the message he may be trying to represent and to show off a sense of realism. Throughout the video the camera movement is slow paced which could be done to show how the pace society is changing from back in the day is very slow showing that the government don't care or want change and want things to stay as they are. The shots also show facial expressions and body movement which shows their emotions.
2) What is the significance of the constantly moving camera?
The constant camera movement is significant as it could signify how black people had to constantly move around America as they were never greeted with acceptance, therefore having to find a place where they could call home which was very hard to come by.
3) Why is the video in black and white?
The video being in black and white stresses the rise of black empowerment and lifting up the black culture through media in order to make a name for ourselves. The black and white may also be done in order to convey the serious, depressing and sombre tone as this video is regarding a revolution that must be taken seriously because of the deep history behind it. Another use of the black and white is that it is done to show the evolution of America as black people and white people are living as equals.
4) How is mise-en-scene used to construct meaning for the audience - prison setting, costume, props, lighting, actor placement?
For actor placement Common used good methods to create different meanings. For instance 'No exessive noise' is written on a wall and in front of it are black people playing musical instruments which shows the growing defiance black people have against this corrupt society that wants to try and control black people to live under their rules. In terms of lighting we see low key lighting being used in full effect, done to reinforce the serious tone of the video so the audience engages more and understands the meaning Common is trying to present. For costumes there is no sexual objectification and instead the clothing is very casual to show how we should be able to make our own choices and are in control of our own lives therefore we wear what we want and do what we want. For setting we see that the video is filmed in a prison which done to show the lack of freedom black people were and still are presented with, however by having Common rap about such revolutionary matters while in a prison is effective as it shows him putting up a stand for something he believes in.
5) Focusing on the track, what are the key lyrics that suggest the political message of the song?
The lyric 'Shot me with your ray-gun and now you want to trump me is very significant as it shows how social issues are mainly derived from the corrupt government from leaders like Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan. Ray-gun and Trump is also use of word play in order to show how corrupt the government is.
6) What is the significance of the floating black square motif? Discuss your own interpretations alongside Common's explanation of it in the Billboard feature linked above.
The significance of the black square is that it signifies the black people living in America as we see how it goes from different place to place. For example how it is shown to be in prison and what it looks like to be cotton fields and so on, which is a clear representation of black people in America and how they were stereotyped to be in prison. Although at the end when we see the black box outside links to how black people have finally found freedom and can create their own identity.
Common explained in a conversation with Nelson George that, 'It represents the infinite thing about blackness and blackness can't be defined in time or space.'
7) How does the video reference racism, slavery and the oppression of black culture? Make reference to specific shots, scenes or moments in the video.
The video references racism as we so the black box stuck in side a prison with nobody around to help or any background information and how at the end we see the black box in a cotton field which is reflective of how the slaves had to work n those said fields. In regards to the prison it is important as a regard to racism because of how thousands of black people over the years have been wrongfully imprisoned.8) How can Gilroy's idea of black diasporic identity be applied to Common's Letter to the Free?
Gilroy suggests that black music articulates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture, this is evident through Letter to the Free as Common is trying to put across the message of how hard it was for black people to just live in America due to the white capitalist culture. Gilroy also mentions how the slave trade had a massive cultural influence on modern day America.
9) What other theories of race and ethnicity can be applied to this video? E.g. Hall, Rose or Dyson.
Stuart Hall suggests audiences often blur race and class which leads to the association of races with certain social classes. Hall also suggests how western cultures are mainly white dominated and that ethnic minorities in the media are misinterpreted due to underlying racist tendencies. This all links to the message Common was trying to spread through Letter to the Free.
10) What current events in America and worldwide are referenced in the song and video?
Current events referenced in the song is the racism within America, especially within the policing system and the government since black people are constantly prejudiced against without even being given a chance to share their side of things. Donald Trump is also referenced in the song, highlighting how corrupt of a president he is and how he only does things for his own peoples benefit. Another issue referenced in the video is the equality problems black people are faced with when living in America as they are treated much differently for all the wrong reasons.
Tuesday 14 May 2019
Music video: theory
Create a blogpost called 'Music video: the
ory', watch the video again then answer the questions below:
1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?
There are many key conventions throughout this music video. Firstly there is use of a performance element through the video as we see Childish Gambino dance in the video along with his other performers as he also lip-syncs his lyrics. The dancing could have many meanings, e.g. to show how black people are commonly seen as entertainers. Regarding mise-en-scene there is use of different props in this video, one of which being an assault rifle which Glover uses to shoot the choir as they sing which is done to show how black people are always at the centre of gun crime whether it's them directly shooting or getting shot. These different narratives shown throughout the video engages the audience very quickly if they are able to catch the meanings and will keep them gripped.
2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?
The video shows how corrupt America is from their racism and wide spread violence. The use of guns in this video shows how your life is always at risk when living in America as you can be as innocent as possible but still be a target of gun crime and most of the time especially with black people it is overlooked as just a usual thing because of how normalised it has become. The lyric 'This is America' shows clearly how violence and racism is what America pretty much is this day and age and there is no better way to describe it and how it's just how people in America have to live as long as they stay in the USA.
3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson.
Gilroy
Black diasporic identity is the feeling of never feeling accepted in western societies. Gilroy suggests that black music creates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture. In Gambinos music video he raises the racism problem in America as black people have to constantly betlitting themselves when amongst white people because of how they are a constantly pressured minority. Gilroys idea of double consciousness can also be linked to this video as because the media is so white dominated a lot of time issues regarding racism are continuously disregarded.
Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall suggests audiences blur race and class. He also suggests that western cultures are white dominated and ethnic minorities in the media are wrongly represented because of racism continuously growing. This links to the video as Glover is said to be presented as an entertainer/clown type so that people can be entertained.
Rose
Rose suggests hip hop gave audiences a better insight into the lives of young, black, urban Americans and gave them a voice especially in order to empower female artists. Throughout this video Childish Gambino gives the audience an insight as to how it is living in America being a black person, which at the same time raises awareness which links back to Rose, as she states, 'give them a voice'.
Dyson
Dyson suggests how political hip hop back in the 90s didn't gain enough commercial success as it deserved to get which eventually led to today's music which is very stereotypical as things are mainly sexualised and violent. This is very different to Dysons view as he believes "Hip hop music is important precisely because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race...Sadly the enlightened aspects of hip hop are overlooked by critics who are out to satisfy a grudge against black youth culture". This links to Glover as he is conveying a powerful message through his music to raise awareness about racism and the social constraints placed on black people.
Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.
4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?
He's playing Jim Crow
In the opening scenes, Glover uses grotesque smiles and exaggerated poses, with some on Twitter suggesting this is an invocation of the racial caricature Jim Crow. It was also suggested that Glover was accusing black performers of coonery. One of the lyrics is "Grandma told me get your money black man". From this it has been asked whether Glover feels he has to take on stereotypically black performance roles (rapper,soul singer, comedian) in order to gain money
He's duping us with dance
Glover and his fellow dancers do extremely popular dances like the 'shoot' in order to mask the riots happening behind them. The videos choreographer, Sherrie Silver retweeted a comment from someone who argued: "Childish Gambino's dance moves distracted all of us from the craziness that was happening in the background of the video and that's exactly the point he's trying to make.
He's taking on the police
The line "this a celly /that's a tool" has a powerful double meaning. Fans have pointed out that on the one hand it refers to the case of Stephon Clark, shot dead just weeks ago by Sacramento police. who assumed he was armed but actually only had his IPhone on him. Glover distils the distorting way black men are seen by police with "tool", meaning gun. In the video, the camera pans up to black men filming the chaos on their phones. Commenters on Genius have pointed out, Glover could also be saying that phones can be actual tools for documentation.
5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'?
One user states, "could his message be that America is evil, racist and violent? Nah, that would be too obvious. Everyone already knows that. As with all satirical masterpieces, there must be a hidden meaning that requires ponderous artistic explanation".
Another commenter says how, "visually the video is just stunning, trying to keep track of so many layers and movements is nigh on impossible as the brain gets pummelled with message after message, sp many parts where the brain makes you see what is not there, and the track itself just pushes the boundaries of rap - and what can be considered popular music. Mindblowing stuff".
"Childish Gambino shows his sanity and humanism by showing and condemning random violence and madness".
ory', watch the video again then answer the questions below:
1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?
There are many key conventions throughout this music video. Firstly there is use of a performance element through the video as we see Childish Gambino dance in the video along with his other performers as he also lip-syncs his lyrics. The dancing could have many meanings, e.g. to show how black people are commonly seen as entertainers. Regarding mise-en-scene there is use of different props in this video, one of which being an assault rifle which Glover uses to shoot the choir as they sing which is done to show how black people are always at the centre of gun crime whether it's them directly shooting or getting shot. These different narratives shown throughout the video engages the audience very quickly if they are able to catch the meanings and will keep them gripped.
2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?
The video shows how corrupt America is from their racism and wide spread violence. The use of guns in this video shows how your life is always at risk when living in America as you can be as innocent as possible but still be a target of gun crime and most of the time especially with black people it is overlooked as just a usual thing because of how normalised it has become. The lyric 'This is America' shows clearly how violence and racism is what America pretty much is this day and age and there is no better way to describe it and how it's just how people in America have to live as long as they stay in the USA.
3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson.
Gilroy
Black diasporic identity is the feeling of never feeling accepted in western societies. Gilroy suggests that black music creates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture. In Gambinos music video he raises the racism problem in America as black people have to constantly betlitting themselves when amongst white people because of how they are a constantly pressured minority. Gilroys idea of double consciousness can also be linked to this video as because the media is so white dominated a lot of time issues regarding racism are continuously disregarded.
Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall suggests audiences blur race and class. He also suggests that western cultures are white dominated and ethnic minorities in the media are wrongly represented because of racism continuously growing. This links to the video as Glover is said to be presented as an entertainer/clown type so that people can be entertained.
Rose
Rose suggests hip hop gave audiences a better insight into the lives of young, black, urban Americans and gave them a voice especially in order to empower female artists. Throughout this video Childish Gambino gives the audience an insight as to how it is living in America being a black person, which at the same time raises awareness which links back to Rose, as she states, 'give them a voice'.
Dyson
Dyson suggests how political hip hop back in the 90s didn't gain enough commercial success as it deserved to get which eventually led to today's music which is very stereotypical as things are mainly sexualised and violent. This is very different to Dysons view as he believes "Hip hop music is important precisely because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race...Sadly the enlightened aspects of hip hop are overlooked by critics who are out to satisfy a grudge against black youth culture". This links to Glover as he is conveying a powerful message through his music to raise awareness about racism and the social constraints placed on black people.
Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.
4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?
He's playing Jim Crow
In the opening scenes, Glover uses grotesque smiles and exaggerated poses, with some on Twitter suggesting this is an invocation of the racial caricature Jim Crow. It was also suggested that Glover was accusing black performers of coonery. One of the lyrics is "Grandma told me get your money black man". From this it has been asked whether Glover feels he has to take on stereotypically black performance roles (rapper,soul singer, comedian) in order to gain money
He's duping us with dance
Glover and his fellow dancers do extremely popular dances like the 'shoot' in order to mask the riots happening behind them. The videos choreographer, Sherrie Silver retweeted a comment from someone who argued: "Childish Gambino's dance moves distracted all of us from the craziness that was happening in the background of the video and that's exactly the point he's trying to make.
He's taking on the police
The line "this a celly /that's a tool" has a powerful double meaning. Fans have pointed out that on the one hand it refers to the case of Stephon Clark, shot dead just weeks ago by Sacramento police. who assumed he was armed but actually only had his IPhone on him. Glover distils the distorting way black men are seen by police with "tool", meaning gun. In the video, the camera pans up to black men filming the chaos on their phones. Commenters on Genius have pointed out, Glover could also be saying that phones can be actual tools for documentation.
5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'?
One user states, "could his message be that America is evil, racist and violent? Nah, that would be too obvious. Everyone already knows that. As with all satirical masterpieces, there must be a hidden meaning that requires ponderous artistic explanation".
Another commenter says how, "visually the video is just stunning, trying to keep track of so many layers and movements is nigh on impossible as the brain gets pummelled with message after message, sp many parts where the brain makes you see what is not there, and the track itself just pushes the boundaries of rap - and what can be considered popular music. Mindblowing stuff".
"Childish Gambino shows his sanity and humanism by showing and condemning random violence and madness".
Friday 3 May 2019
My favourite music video
The narrative of this video is that the protagonist, XXXTENTACION who is also the person singing is actually dead and is taking in what he has left behind in the world as he witnesses people having fun in remembrance of him at his funeral as they dance and just generally enjoy themselves. The dancing itself is a convention of a music video as they probably had to do choreography to get the moves right and sync up with the music correctly. The editing in this video is also very important as there are many different camera shots featuring from wide, medium, close up and long shots. This is done to show all perspectives throughout the video and to show the message being brought by this video as we see people enjoying themselves in remembrance. There is a lot of African american representation in this video as in America black people are often the targeted victims of racial abuse and therefore this video includes a lot of black representation in order to build up black people and show we are not weak and that we should get the same respect others races receive.
Music Video introduction blog task
1) What is the purpose of a music video?
The purpose of a music video is to sell products, the most obvious of which is the song featured in the video. However, other connected products are also marketed by a music video, e.g. the album the song may be featured on, the film the song is part of the soundtrack for or an upcoming tour by the artist.
2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?
The development of new media technologies meant that music videos and songs were more widely available at any time as videos could be uploaded to video hosting sites like YouTube and viewed by using portable devices like IPods and mobile phones.
3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?
In America three major record companies, Sony music entertainment, Universal music group and Abu Dhabi media have launched VEVO. VEVO is a video hosting site specifically made for music videos.
4) What are the key conventions of a music video?
Movement is very essential to a music video as it usually complements the rhythm of the song. Movement is normally achieved by physically moving the camera, the people in the video moving and dancing or through the speed of editing. Many music videos also have a narrative. The story will usually relate to the song slyrics and illustrate what is being said or tell a completely different story. Almost all music videos feature the band or artist as they are also a product to be 'sold'. In the video the artist may be performing their music, either in the form of lip-syncing or playing an instrument.
5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.
The narrative can relate to the songs lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell its own story. For example 'I was a teenage anarchist' by Against me! uses a loose narrative which links to the songs lyrics. In the video it has a young man running along venice beach trying to avoid the police who are chasing him.
6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?
The Blink 182 video for all the small things makes references to videos by pop artists such as the back street boys (I want it that way) and Christina Aguilera (genie in a bottle) by directly copying scenes. Also the video for My Chemical Romance's teenagers features alternative cheerleaders which is reminiscent of the cheerleaders in the video for Smells like teen spirit by Nirvana.
7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?
When references are esoteric and obsure it allows the audience to feel pleasure and satisfaction when they figure out the reference as it shows off their knowledge on the media text that others may not have.
8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:
Conventions
Firstly, there is use of a performance element as 21 Savage and J.Cole both lip sync to their lyrics as the track plays in the background which is very common in almost all music videos that star the artist in them. Throughout the video there are a lot of different camera shots focusing on different aspects. For example at 0.49 there is a wide shot of 21 Savage and many other black people in front of a big house getting ready to take a picture. There is a lot of use of medium shots in order to show the rappers facial expressions which allows the audience to get a better understanding of the video. In terms of narrative 21 Savage raps about having 'a lot' of blessings and curses in his life. Throughout the video 21 reflects on his upbringing, dangerous lifestyle and the pain and loss he's gone through. In the video one family member is shot. another is in jail and a third is dying.
Representation
The whole video is full of black representation , in order to lift up black people as a minority showing their culture and what they have to go through. We also see some form of gang stereotype when it comes to black people as at 1.37 we see a black man getting a gun aimed his head by another black man. We see how in America black people are constantly rejected and treated differently to other races which is a constant form of racism, these are the issues 21 talks about in this song. I also think it;s important to note that 21 Savage was arrested days after releasing this music video by ICE and held in custody for a prolonged period.
Audience
I feel as though this song is aimed at black young adults and adults because of how it talks about real world issues that primarily black people face when trying to make a living in America as they re constantly stereotyped and prejudiced against because of their skin colour, without knowing anything about their background and what they've mentally and physically gone through. This is effective as many people will be able to relate to this, therefore not feeling alone, as other people are also going through the same problems.
Institution
This music video was released on the 21 Savage YouTube channel on the 1st of February in 2019. The song was originally from his album released in 2018 by the name of 'I am > I was'. The video was directed by Aisultan Seitov and produced by Wear A Hat Productions and Alchemist Productions. The label he is currently signed with is 'Epic Records'.
9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?
This music video was directed by the numerous award winning director F Gary Gray, who began his film making career in the early 1900s making hip hop music videos. He is highly credited as he was the first director to use many of the visual codes that have become prevalent in gangsta rap videos. These visual codes include: low-rider cars, the hood, basketball courts and gang colours. Many of these visual codes feature in Ice Cubes It Was a Good Day and is set in South Central Los Angeles, an area that is synonymous with early gangsta rap acts such as NWA.
10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2018? Are music videos essential to a band or artist's success?
I believe music videos are very important to an artists success as they help promote them in a fun visual way for the audience allowing them to engage very well and get a better understanding of the artist and the message they are attempting to make evident in their music. Music videos also allow artists to become better well known as music videos are constantly shared across the world gaining engagement from audiences in various countries. The main purpose is to sell an image of an artist, making them grow in the industry and the overall purpose is to help generate money for the record company.
The purpose of a music video is to sell products, the most obvious of which is the song featured in the video. However, other connected products are also marketed by a music video, e.g. the album the song may be featured on, the film the song is part of the soundtrack for or an upcoming tour by the artist.
2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?
The development of new media technologies meant that music videos and songs were more widely available at any time as videos could be uploaded to video hosting sites like YouTube and viewed by using portable devices like IPods and mobile phones.
3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?
In America three major record companies, Sony music entertainment, Universal music group and Abu Dhabi media have launched VEVO. VEVO is a video hosting site specifically made for music videos.
4) What are the key conventions of a music video?
Movement is very essential to a music video as it usually complements the rhythm of the song. Movement is normally achieved by physically moving the camera, the people in the video moving and dancing or through the speed of editing. Many music videos also have a narrative. The story will usually relate to the song slyrics and illustrate what is being said or tell a completely different story. Almost all music videos feature the band or artist as they are also a product to be 'sold'. In the video the artist may be performing their music, either in the form of lip-syncing or playing an instrument.
5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.
The narrative can relate to the songs lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell its own story. For example 'I was a teenage anarchist' by Against me! uses a loose narrative which links to the songs lyrics. In the video it has a young man running along venice beach trying to avoid the police who are chasing him.
6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?
The Blink 182 video for all the small things makes references to videos by pop artists such as the back street boys (I want it that way) and Christina Aguilera (genie in a bottle) by directly copying scenes. Also the video for My Chemical Romance's teenagers features alternative cheerleaders which is reminiscent of the cheerleaders in the video for Smells like teen spirit by Nirvana.
7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?
When references are esoteric and obsure it allows the audience to feel pleasure and satisfaction when they figure out the reference as it shows off their knowledge on the media text that others may not have.
8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice and write your own analysis using the following headings:
- Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)
- Intertextuality
- Representation
- Audience
- Institution
Conventions
Firstly, there is use of a performance element as 21 Savage and J.Cole both lip sync to their lyrics as the track plays in the background which is very common in almost all music videos that star the artist in them. Throughout the video there are a lot of different camera shots focusing on different aspects. For example at 0.49 there is a wide shot of 21 Savage and many other black people in front of a big house getting ready to take a picture. There is a lot of use of medium shots in order to show the rappers facial expressions which allows the audience to get a better understanding of the video. In terms of narrative 21 Savage raps about having 'a lot' of blessings and curses in his life. Throughout the video 21 reflects on his upbringing, dangerous lifestyle and the pain and loss he's gone through. In the video one family member is shot. another is in jail and a third is dying.
Representation
The whole video is full of black representation , in order to lift up black people as a minority showing their culture and what they have to go through. We also see some form of gang stereotype when it comes to black people as at 1.37 we see a black man getting a gun aimed his head by another black man. We see how in America black people are constantly rejected and treated differently to other races which is a constant form of racism, these are the issues 21 talks about in this song. I also think it;s important to note that 21 Savage was arrested days after releasing this music video by ICE and held in custody for a prolonged period.
Audience
I feel as though this song is aimed at black young adults and adults because of how it talks about real world issues that primarily black people face when trying to make a living in America as they re constantly stereotyped and prejudiced against because of their skin colour, without knowing anything about their background and what they've mentally and physically gone through. This is effective as many people will be able to relate to this, therefore not feeling alone, as other people are also going through the same problems.
Institution
This music video was released on the 21 Savage YouTube channel on the 1st of February in 2019. The song was originally from his album released in 2018 by the name of 'I am > I was'. The video was directed by Aisultan Seitov and produced by Wear A Hat Productions and Alchemist Productions. The label he is currently signed with is 'Epic Records'.
9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?
This music video was directed by the numerous award winning director F Gary Gray, who began his film making career in the early 1900s making hip hop music videos. He is highly credited as he was the first director to use many of the visual codes that have become prevalent in gangsta rap videos. These visual codes include: low-rider cars, the hood, basketball courts and gang colours. Many of these visual codes feature in Ice Cubes It Was a Good Day and is set in South Central Los Angeles, an area that is synonymous with early gangsta rap acts such as NWA.
10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists in 2018? Are music videos essential to a band or artist's success?
I believe music videos are very important to an artists success as they help promote them in a fun visual way for the audience allowing them to engage very well and get a better understanding of the artist and the message they are attempting to make evident in their music. Music videos also allow artists to become better well known as music videos are constantly shared across the world gaining engagement from audiences in various countries. The main purpose is to sell an image of an artist, making them grow in the industry and the overall purpose is to help generate money for the record company.
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