We have decided to film our video in two parts, filming each characters shots on separate days. This is due to our busy schedules and finding time when we are all available to film.
On our first day of filming we decided to film all of the business mans scenes. We started at 10.30am and decided to start filming from the end of our storyboard and going backwards as it made sure that we would not lose daylight before getting around to the outside scenes. The first scenes we shot were the car and street scenes. These scenes were probably the most complicated scenes to film as we had to take health and safety into account because of the moving vehicle. We chose a quiet street to film on and assigned one of us to be marshall, to stop any other traffic and to keep members of the public safe. To get the desired shot we drove the car towards the camera at a slow speed before quickly moving the camera out of the way. We ensured that the driver of the car go slow to maintain safety at all times as the shot could be dangerous. Another problem we had was to maintain the idea that the driver of the car was actually the business man, which it wasn't due to the actor only being 13. Therefore, we took many shots with him sitting in the car whilst it was stationary and plan to inject these clips throughout the scene.
After we had shot all of the car and street scenes, we began to film the scenes outside the house. Once again this was due to the amount of daylight we had. We had to take this shot many times due to the position of the sun and the glare it had on the camera lense but we did manage to get a successful shot. The rest of the scenes, which were all inside, were relatively easy to film. Shots such as getting out of bed and working, were all pretty simple and didn't require much time to perfect. This meant that we concluding the business man's scenes at approximatly 4pm.
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Teacher/Audience Feedback
Teacher's Feedback
Before creating our video, we wanted to gain feedback on the direction that we were taking. We thought that getting feedback now would be a good idea as it allows us to get another perspective and we get to see what possible audience members think of our concept with time to alter bits which can be made better.
The first people we wanted feedback from where our teachers. Both teachers gave positive feedback on our idea saying that the "abstract ideas were synchronous with the lyrics." The teachers were also excited about the stop motion aspect of the idea as, if done successfully; it will be an extremely effective technique to use to get the message of the video across. They gave us a quick tutorial on stop motion and the best way to achieve the effect we wanted; including working out the number of shots we would need to take to make the stop motion look as professional as possible. Another aspect that was liked in our idea was its link to postmodern society today and the message that it carries with it. They stated that the video would be easy for a teenager to relate to and so we would successfully attract our target audience if we stick to our current concept.
To help us, they took us through aspects of the mark scheme which could help us get the top grades and gave us something to strive for. The main aspect that they told us to concentrate on was the editing. As our piece is heavily reliant on the editing process to be fluent, they gave us some tips on how we could alter certain aspects of the video to make the editing stage slightly easier but equally as effective, for instance the way we shoot some of our footage.
They set us various targets to achieve in order to get a higher grade. These were:
• To look into the copyright on the various cartoon clips which we want to feature in our video.
• To use a more varied selection of shot compositions to gain a better overall perspective of the meanings we are attempting to portray.
• To think about our mise-en-scene in a more detail.
• To not be too ambitious with what we were trying to achieve.
After the meeting with our teachers, we looked into the various copyrights on the clips and on the song. However, we found it hard to locate the correct adresses and with the majority of companies being based in the USA, it would be time consuming to contact all of the parties with an official letter. We did however send various emails and are awaiting replies.
We also took the shot compositions into account as we did want to try and include more complex shots into our piece. We altered some of the shot types and added in extra compositions such as graphic matches. This improved the idea as we could use these technical aspects to create a deeper, more emotive meaning to the video.
We also considered the amount of mise-en-scene we had included and decided to make a more detailed plan on how we could use the mise-en-scene to aid in the creation of the messages we wish to portray.
We thought about the amount of ambition in our idea, and do realise that we are trying to achieve something that will be complex to create. But we believe that if we stick to our plan and complete each stage with a certain amount of precision, we should be able to accomplish our concept in a successful way.
Audience Feedback
As well as feedback from our teachers, we wanted feedback of someone who was part of our target audience, and so we asked a fellow group in our class to look at our ideas. We pitched them our concept and asked for their views. We got positive feedback off the group who complimented the amount of research we had done into the band and the song. We believed this was important as it helped us gain an understanding of the messages in the song and what the band were trying to achieve from the song. This then helped to influence us. They also liked how we had taken aspects which had been successful in our AS portfolio and incorporated them into this as it shows how eager we are to improve. For example, the use of a flashback at the very beginning stemmed from the success we had with the flashbacks in our AS piece.
The group also stated that or song choice was extremely fitting for what we wanted to portray. They also noted how the song and it's lyrics would appeal to people of our age and help them to relate to the video, even without previous media knowledge.
We asked the group to provide us with some constructive criticism and ways in which we could improve our idea. Like our teachers, they said that we needed to improve the shots we plan on including and make them more complex to fit with the complicated structure we plan on having in our video. They also stated that this would improve the deeper meaning we are striving to achieve. They also worried that the complexity of our idea would be off-putting for people as it could be quite confusing with only having one actor.
From gaining feedback, we can improve the idea to gain better marks and to get our meaning across more accurately. We are slightly worried with the complex nature of our ideas, as we understand them clearly but other people may not understand the concept behind the piece. We have decided to use the filming and editing process to make our meaning clearer to the audience.
Before creating our video, we wanted to gain feedback on the direction that we were taking. We thought that getting feedback now would be a good idea as it allows us to get another perspective and we get to see what possible audience members think of our concept with time to alter bits which can be made better.
The first people we wanted feedback from where our teachers. Both teachers gave positive feedback on our idea saying that the "abstract ideas were synchronous with the lyrics." The teachers were also excited about the stop motion aspect of the idea as, if done successfully; it will be an extremely effective technique to use to get the message of the video across. They gave us a quick tutorial on stop motion and the best way to achieve the effect we wanted; including working out the number of shots we would need to take to make the stop motion look as professional as possible. Another aspect that was liked in our idea was its link to postmodern society today and the message that it carries with it. They stated that the video would be easy for a teenager to relate to and so we would successfully attract our target audience if we stick to our current concept.
To help us, they took us through aspects of the mark scheme which could help us get the top grades and gave us something to strive for. The main aspect that they told us to concentrate on was the editing. As our piece is heavily reliant on the editing process to be fluent, they gave us some tips on how we could alter certain aspects of the video to make the editing stage slightly easier but equally as effective, for instance the way we shoot some of our footage.
They set us various targets to achieve in order to get a higher grade. These were:
• To look into the copyright on the various cartoon clips which we want to feature in our video.
• To use a more varied selection of shot compositions to gain a better overall perspective of the meanings we are attempting to portray.
• To think about our mise-en-scene in a more detail.
• To not be too ambitious with what we were trying to achieve.
After the meeting with our teachers, we looked into the various copyrights on the clips and on the song. However, we found it hard to locate the correct adresses and with the majority of companies being based in the USA, it would be time consuming to contact all of the parties with an official letter. We did however send various emails and are awaiting replies.
We also took the shot compositions into account as we did want to try and include more complex shots into our piece. We altered some of the shot types and added in extra compositions such as graphic matches. This improved the idea as we could use these technical aspects to create a deeper, more emotive meaning to the video.
We also considered the amount of mise-en-scene we had included and decided to make a more detailed plan on how we could use the mise-en-scene to aid in the creation of the messages we wish to portray.
We thought about the amount of ambition in our idea, and do realise that we are trying to achieve something that will be complex to create. But we believe that if we stick to our plan and complete each stage with a certain amount of precision, we should be able to accomplish our concept in a successful way.
Audience Feedback
As well as feedback from our teachers, we wanted feedback of someone who was part of our target audience, and so we asked a fellow group in our class to look at our ideas. We pitched them our concept and asked for their views. We got positive feedback off the group who complimented the amount of research we had done into the band and the song. We believed this was important as it helped us gain an understanding of the messages in the song and what the band were trying to achieve from the song. This then helped to influence us. They also liked how we had taken aspects which had been successful in our AS portfolio and incorporated them into this as it shows how eager we are to improve. For example, the use of a flashback at the very beginning stemmed from the success we had with the flashbacks in our AS piece.
The group also stated that or song choice was extremely fitting for what we wanted to portray. They also noted how the song and it's lyrics would appeal to people of our age and help them to relate to the video, even without previous media knowledge.
We asked the group to provide us with some constructive criticism and ways in which we could improve our idea. Like our teachers, they said that we needed to improve the shots we plan on including and make them more complex to fit with the complicated structure we plan on having in our video. They also stated that this would improve the deeper meaning we are striving to achieve. They also worried that the complexity of our idea would be off-putting for people as it could be quite confusing with only having one actor.
From gaining feedback, we can improve the idea to gain better marks and to get our meaning across more accurately. We are slightly worried with the complex nature of our ideas, as we understand them clearly but other people may not understand the concept behind the piece. We have decided to use the filming and editing process to make our meaning clearer to the audience.
Costumes and Actors
Costumes
Dougie:
We want to show Dougie as being a stereotype of the working class to contradict with his middle class doppelganger. His clothing is an extremely important aspect of this representation. To keep with stereotypes, we dressed him in cheap-looking tracksuit bottoms which are symbolic in our society for the lower class. We would pair this with a pair of dirty, worn trainers to show the lack of luxury items this character would own. Once again sticking to the status quo, we showed Dougie in a hooded top which is a renowned item of clothing for troublesome individuals and carry a heavy stigma of that representation. It also connotes the isolation of the character as hooded tops are often used to conceal a person’s identity. All of his clothes would be in a fairly dark colour to show a lack of emotion and a lack of motivation and aspirations in his life.
Doug:
Doug is essentially the opposition to Dougie. We wanted to show him as being a successful professional who is achieving in his life. Therefore, we wanted him to be dressed in professional attire, such as the white shirt. A white shirt connotes the idea of professionalism as it is associated with workers. It also shows that he is smart and wants to be seen as proficient. He will wear smart black trousers to once again show his status. He will look clean and groomed to show that he takes care of himself.
The Girlfriend:
We want to show the girlfriend as being relaxed and fun as she represents Doug’s social life. She will be wearing casual jeans and a colourful top. This shows the fun natured side of Doug’s life to oppose his professionalism and to show a work-life balance.
Actors
Doug/Dougie:
As Doug and Dougie are doppelgangers we are using the same actor to portray them both. When considering our actors, we originally thought of using a teenager as we could show how the drugs have affected his life in the past, for instance we could showing him not going to college or working. However, after deliberating about the actors we could possibly use we found that nobody would fit the character well enough. So we decided to change the whole character to a young boy. This way we can convey the meaning of how postmodernism is going to inevitably alter the way that the future generations live. Therefore, what happens to the character represents what could happen to all of the future generation. It also toys with the idea of children growing up to fast, which can also be linked back to postmodernism. The casting of a child made it easier as we could use Liam Sayers, who is a member of our group’s younger brother. At thirteen years old, he was old enough to play the part effectively but still looked young enough to be effective.
Dougie:
We want to show Dougie as being a stereotype of the working class to contradict with his middle class doppelganger. His clothing is an extremely important aspect of this representation. To keep with stereotypes, we dressed him in cheap-looking tracksuit bottoms which are symbolic in our society for the lower class. We would pair this with a pair of dirty, worn trainers to show the lack of luxury items this character would own. Once again sticking to the status quo, we showed Dougie in a hooded top which is a renowned item of clothing for troublesome individuals and carry a heavy stigma of that representation. It also connotes the isolation of the character as hooded tops are often used to conceal a person’s identity. All of his clothes would be in a fairly dark colour to show a lack of emotion and a lack of motivation and aspirations in his life.
Doug:
Doug is essentially the opposition to Dougie. We wanted to show him as being a successful professional who is achieving in his life. Therefore, we wanted him to be dressed in professional attire, such as the white shirt. A white shirt connotes the idea of professionalism as it is associated with workers. It also shows that he is smart and wants to be seen as proficient. He will wear smart black trousers to once again show his status. He will look clean and groomed to show that he takes care of himself.
The Girlfriend:
We want to show the girlfriend as being relaxed and fun as she represents Doug’s social life. She will be wearing casual jeans and a colourful top. This shows the fun natured side of Doug’s life to oppose his professionalism and to show a work-life balance.
Actors
Doug/Dougie:
As Doug and Dougie are doppelgangers we are using the same actor to portray them both. When considering our actors, we originally thought of using a teenager as we could show how the drugs have affected his life in the past, for instance we could showing him not going to college or working. However, after deliberating about the actors we could possibly use we found that nobody would fit the character well enough. So we decided to change the whole character to a young boy. This way we can convey the meaning of how postmodernism is going to inevitably alter the way that the future generations live. Therefore, what happens to the character represents what could happen to all of the future generation. It also toys with the idea of children growing up to fast, which can also be linked back to postmodernism. The casting of a child made it easier as we could use Liam Sayers, who is a member of our group’s younger brother. At thirteen years old, he was old enough to play the part effectively but still looked young enough to be effective.
Storyboard
Here is our storyboard, it is arranged in chronological order as to what will happen in each scene.
Shooting Script
Here is our shooting script for the video 'Kids.' We have included details such as the location, the time of the scene and what is intended to happen within that scene.
Narrative
Our narrative is relatively complicated. It tells the stories of two characters: Doug and Dougie. Both characters are completely identical but lead very different lives. Doug is a business man who always looks professional. He has a reasonable amount of money and so can afford luxuries in his life. His house is clean and tidy and he has a solid friendship group and a girlfriend. Dougie is the opposite. He doesn't have a job and has no friends to rely on. He has a strong addiction to drugs and has alcohol problems. It is this that has pushed all his friends away and has stopped him from initiating any form of relationships. He has a limited amount of money, all of which is spent on drugs and alcohol, and his house is severely cluttered.
The first thing the audience will see is a countdown from 5-1 set out in Lego. The Lego introduces the concept of childhood from the very beginning and the countdown shows the synchronisation with the song. This then fades into various clips of cartoon shows. The cartoons are fairly old, mainly from the nineties, to show looking back on a person’s childhood. We have tried to choose cartoons which may have some connection with postmodernity and other sociological perspectives. For example, we have chosen The Teletubbies which can connect to postmodernity through the use of the televisions they have in their stomach, linking to digitalisation. The bright colours of the show and it's unique plots may also show a certain psychedelic aspect and so links to the songs genre. These then merge into clips of a playground. The clips will be sped up in editing to connote how children seem to be growing up too fast.
The plot begins with the two characters returning to their houses. Doug is returning from work and so places his bag down onto the floor, retrieving some work, before entering his kitchen. Dougie returns to the house under the influence of drugs, he is stumbling rather than walking and is hallucinating. He trips over the vast amount of clutter that garnishes his hallway; he believes he falls over a professional bag. He looks back towards the bag and sees it is not there. This represents how he aspires to have a job and a more successful life. He then turns and stumbles into the kitchen.
Doug walks into the kitchen, grabbing an apple to eat and begins to do some more work. This shows his dedication to his job and his professionalism. The apple represents his healthy lifestyle and the fact that he takes care of himself. Simultaneously, Dougie staggers into the kitchen and grabs a can of beer. This shows what he believes to be important in life - alcohol. He then sits down at the table, he looks dazed and gaunt. Doug carries on doing is work before his girlfriend enters and hugs him. This identifies his social life as he has a relationship and someone to love, therefore he is not alone. Whereas, Dougie is alone and isolated. Dougie then grabs a glass of pills and pours them onto the table. He begins to hallucinate the pills spelling out the words 'Control Yourself'. This not only is synchronous with the lyrics but also shows how Dougie wants to change his life and control what he is doing as, right now, he feels out of control.
Dougie's hallucinations begin to get worse as he looks up from the pills and to his fruit bowl, situated on the kitchen table. As he watches, the fruit jump out of the bowl and begin to circle it. Once again this hallucination is shows his lack of control but could also link to children and their imagination as many people addicted to hallucinogenic drugs tend to hallucinate about their life and what they want their life to be, hence Dougie hallucinating about his childhood. Meanwhile, Doug has proceeded to his bedroom. He is shown playing the game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) on his Xbox. He is accompanied by his girlfriend. Synchronously, Dougie is still hallucinating. He begins to see a snake (taken from the retro game titled Snake) slither across his floor. The snake is made from brightly coloured post-it notes. The snake slides through a game of Pong (also made from brightly coloured post-it notes) which is also being played on the floor. The use if the two retro games is compared to Doug's playing of GTA on the Xbox. The difference in the time and graphics of the games identify that Doug is more modernised and is in touch with the digitalisation of the time. Whereas, Dougie is separate from society and so is shown as not being technologically advanced. This is also shown by the old mobile phone situated on his cluttered kitchen table.
Doug proceeds to go to bed. We see him getting into his bed and falling asleep. However, the effects of Dougie’s drug intake begin to take effect and he slowly slumps onto the kitchen table before passing out. The screen fades to black. We then begin to see a number of cartoon clips in a dream sequence. These represent the loss of childhood for both characters and how postmodernity has forced them to grow up too fast. These clips are integrated with clips of the playground from the beginning of the video.
Dougie then begins to wake up. He slowly lifts himself up off the table, rubbing his eyes awake in the process, before clutching his mouth and running to the bathroom. We then see him regurgitating blood. He looks up into the mirror to see his gaunt face. His reflection then transforms into an image of Doug. This shows how much Dougie aspires to be professional, important and loved. The screen quickly changes to Doug waking up from a nightmare. He shoots up out of bed with a large intake of breath. He then rubs his eyes before venturing out of bed. He makes his bed and gets dressed into his suit. He carries on his routine by shaving and brushing his teeth. This shows the normality of his life.
The scene then changes to Dougie sitting on the floor. He has his head in his hands. He looks lost and alone. The shot is then merged with various shots of help brochures, varying from drugs and alcohol to men’s health and heart troubles. This connotes his desperation to get help but because he feels so lost, he feels like he can never help himself. He then stands up drastically and runs out of his house. Meanwhile we see Doug leaving his house for work. He enters a car and drives off. We then see Dougie running down many streets. He looks panicked. He then comes to an abrupt stop as he sees an abandoned teddy bear on the floor. He picks the teddy up and stares at it. The teddy bear represents childhood and so as he clutches on to it he is trying to reconnect with his childhood. He then stands, dropping the teddy on the floor. This signifies his willingness to grow up and change so he can be everything he wants to be. He the runs into the road. We see Doug driving his car down a road. As he is driving, Dougie runs into the road in front of him. Doug presses his brakes quickly and comes to a sudden stop right in front of Dougie, who is standing shocked in the middle of the road. Doug looks up at the person in the road. His face changes from a scared expression to confusion as he ventures out of the car. He walks over to Dougie and stands directly in front of him. The two stand together looking into each other’s eyes. Both characters are identical.
The first thing the audience will see is a countdown from 5-1 set out in Lego. The Lego introduces the concept of childhood from the very beginning and the countdown shows the synchronisation with the song. This then fades into various clips of cartoon shows. The cartoons are fairly old, mainly from the nineties, to show looking back on a person’s childhood. We have tried to choose cartoons which may have some connection with postmodernity and other sociological perspectives. For example, we have chosen The Teletubbies which can connect to postmodernity through the use of the televisions they have in their stomach, linking to digitalisation. The bright colours of the show and it's unique plots may also show a certain psychedelic aspect and so links to the songs genre. These then merge into clips of a playground. The clips will be sped up in editing to connote how children seem to be growing up too fast.
The plot begins with the two characters returning to their houses. Doug is returning from work and so places his bag down onto the floor, retrieving some work, before entering his kitchen. Dougie returns to the house under the influence of drugs, he is stumbling rather than walking and is hallucinating. He trips over the vast amount of clutter that garnishes his hallway; he believes he falls over a professional bag. He looks back towards the bag and sees it is not there. This represents how he aspires to have a job and a more successful life. He then turns and stumbles into the kitchen.
Doug walks into the kitchen, grabbing an apple to eat and begins to do some more work. This shows his dedication to his job and his professionalism. The apple represents his healthy lifestyle and the fact that he takes care of himself. Simultaneously, Dougie staggers into the kitchen and grabs a can of beer. This shows what he believes to be important in life - alcohol. He then sits down at the table, he looks dazed and gaunt. Doug carries on doing is work before his girlfriend enters and hugs him. This identifies his social life as he has a relationship and someone to love, therefore he is not alone. Whereas, Dougie is alone and isolated. Dougie then grabs a glass of pills and pours them onto the table. He begins to hallucinate the pills spelling out the words 'Control Yourself'. This not only is synchronous with the lyrics but also shows how Dougie wants to change his life and control what he is doing as, right now, he feels out of control.
Dougie's hallucinations begin to get worse as he looks up from the pills and to his fruit bowl, situated on the kitchen table. As he watches, the fruit jump out of the bowl and begin to circle it. Once again this hallucination is shows his lack of control but could also link to children and their imagination as many people addicted to hallucinogenic drugs tend to hallucinate about their life and what they want their life to be, hence Dougie hallucinating about his childhood. Meanwhile, Doug has proceeded to his bedroom. He is shown playing the game Grand Theft Auto (GTA) on his Xbox. He is accompanied by his girlfriend. Synchronously, Dougie is still hallucinating. He begins to see a snake (taken from the retro game titled Snake) slither across his floor. The snake is made from brightly coloured post-it notes. The snake slides through a game of Pong (also made from brightly coloured post-it notes) which is also being played on the floor. The use if the two retro games is compared to Doug's playing of GTA on the Xbox. The difference in the time and graphics of the games identify that Doug is more modernised and is in touch with the digitalisation of the time. Whereas, Dougie is separate from society and so is shown as not being technologically advanced. This is also shown by the old mobile phone situated on his cluttered kitchen table.
Doug proceeds to go to bed. We see him getting into his bed and falling asleep. However, the effects of Dougie’s drug intake begin to take effect and he slowly slumps onto the kitchen table before passing out. The screen fades to black. We then begin to see a number of cartoon clips in a dream sequence. These represent the loss of childhood for both characters and how postmodernity has forced them to grow up too fast. These clips are integrated with clips of the playground from the beginning of the video.
Dougie then begins to wake up. He slowly lifts himself up off the table, rubbing his eyes awake in the process, before clutching his mouth and running to the bathroom. We then see him regurgitating blood. He looks up into the mirror to see his gaunt face. His reflection then transforms into an image of Doug. This shows how much Dougie aspires to be professional, important and loved. The screen quickly changes to Doug waking up from a nightmare. He shoots up out of bed with a large intake of breath. He then rubs his eyes before venturing out of bed. He makes his bed and gets dressed into his suit. He carries on his routine by shaving and brushing his teeth. This shows the normality of his life.
The scene then changes to Dougie sitting on the floor. He has his head in his hands. He looks lost and alone. The shot is then merged with various shots of help brochures, varying from drugs and alcohol to men’s health and heart troubles. This connotes his desperation to get help but because he feels so lost, he feels like he can never help himself. He then stands up drastically and runs out of his house. Meanwhile we see Doug leaving his house for work. He enters a car and drives off. We then see Dougie running down many streets. He looks panicked. He then comes to an abrupt stop as he sees an abandoned teddy bear on the floor. He picks the teddy up and stares at it. The teddy bear represents childhood and so as he clutches on to it he is trying to reconnect with his childhood. He then stands, dropping the teddy on the floor. This signifies his willingness to grow up and change so he can be everything he wants to be. He the runs into the road. We see Doug driving his car down a road. As he is driving, Dougie runs into the road in front of him. Doug presses his brakes quickly and comes to a sudden stop right in front of Dougie, who is standing shocked in the middle of the road. Doug looks up at the person in the road. His face changes from a scared expression to confusion as he ventures out of the car. He walks over to Dougie and stands directly in front of him. The two stand together looking into each other’s eyes. Both characters are identical.
Locations and Mise-En-Scene
Here is a picture and description of the locations we plan to use in our video. We have also given reasons as to why we have chosen these particular places.
Below we have outlined our intended costumes for each character we plan on using. We have given detailed descriptions as to why we have chosen certain articles of clothing and what the preferred reading of these items is.
Shot List
Here is our shotlist for our music video for the song 'Kids'. We have included what will be in the shot, what shot we intend on using and the reason for choosing this shot.
Ideas
Brainstorming for ideas can be a tricky process, especially when you're working as part of a group as each individual has different thoughts on what they want the video to be like. Luckily, our group was on the same trail of thought as we considered different narratives. The narrative was the hardest part of our video as we weren't entirely sure a narrative would fit with the song, or whether an abstract video would suit the purpose better. In the end, we came to the conclusion that not having a narrative may hinder us in the long-term. The following Prezi outlines our ideas and the process we went through when creating them.
Target Audience
We want our video to target a young audience, specifically older teenagers and young adults. Therefore, we will make our video easy for them to relate to. Our video won't really be suitable for children due to the references to drugs and alcohol. Many parents will not want their children to watch videos containing these issues. Also, as shown in the censorship research, institutions such as MTV will not show our video during the daytime and so the video will not be exposed to younger children. The genre of the music would not particularly appeal to children as much as, for example, pop would. Children may also have problems understanding the meaning behind the video. Young adults and teenagers would be much more likely to listen to indie music.
There is no particular gender that our video would target as both genders would equally like the concept of the video. Therefore, we will target our audience to both sexes. The genre is also not particularly gender biased due to its uniqueness.
There is no particular gender that our video would target as both genders would equally like the concept of the video. Therefore, we will target our audience to both sexes. The genre is also not particularly gender biased due to its uniqueness.
Monday, 24 October 2011
Music Video Conventions
Music videos vary depending on the style of music they represent. But all music videos share a set of general codes and conventions.
Music videos all have a certain style. There are five main styles of music videos, these are:
Music videos all have a certain style. There are five main styles of music videos, these are:
Performance
This is where the band/artist performs the song in the video. It can be a live performance or a studio performance. An example is Nickelback - Burn It To The Ground.
Narrative
This is when a song has a story accompanying it. The narrative can be either synchronous, where it connects to the lyrics of the song, or abstract, where the storyline is completely separate from the lyrics. An example is Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me.
Mixture
This is when the video contains a mixture between a performance from the band/artist and a narrative. An example is Misery Business by Paramore.
Cameo
This is when the artist/band feature in the narrative but doesn't perform. An example of this style is The Foo Fighters - Road To Ruin.
Animation
The final style is an animated video. This is where the video is composed of a cartoon/animation. An example of this is The Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood
Our video uses the narrative style as there is no performance by the band/artist just a storyline.
Camera
The camera is used in different ways depending on the genre and pace of the music. However in general there does seem to be a few constant recurrences. Firstly, there tends to be a wide variety of shots, especially in videos with a string narrative. This helps to place the audience exactly where the artist wants them and therefore helps the audience collectively share the same thoughts and ideas. There are also a lot of close up shots in videos, mainly of the artist, to show they are the important ones and to express their talent. On some occasions, there are extreme close ups, for example on the singers lips of the strings of the guitar.
Crane shots are often used in performance videos to gain an understanding of the extent of the fan base. An example is shown in the Nickelback video where we see a crane shot of the audience jumping to the music. This identifies the community of the fan base and how much they are enjoying the experience. There also seems to be numerous low angles, usually associated with the performer. These put the artists in a position of power over the audience and could be used to show the power of fame over the average viewer. Long shots are often used to give a sense of location in the videos, particularly in the more extravagant videos. The Foo Fighters video provides an example of this in the end shot, as the protagonist drives off the cliff. Pans and tilts are also used, especially in videos created by a band. This enables the entire band to be shown in the video and establishes a connection between them all. These are used heavily the the Paramore video.
Editing and Sound
The most used editing technique in music videos is the jump cut. They are mainly used in videos with a mixture of performance and narrative to link the two scenarios together and maintain continuity. Music videos also tend to match the editing with the songs pace. So if the song is relatively slow, the shots will last longer; if the song has a fast pace, shots will be much shorter. The change in shots also seems to match the beat of the song. This captures the audiences focus and allows their mood and emotions to adjust to the music not only by sound but also visually. Diegetic sound can also be used in music videos to reinforce the narrative. This can be done by adjusting the level of sound. For instance, we could hear a conversation between two people when an instrumental part of the song is being played in the background.
Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene in each music video can alter massively. Commonly used props include the instruments that are being played by the band (in a performance style video.) This creates a connection between the song and the band. Costume is key to helping the audience decode stereotypes. Due to a lack of dialogue in a music video, the way the characters are represented is the only indication of their personality and traits, and so the way they are dressed is important in establishing these important aspects of the characters. For example, a character dressed in dark clothing will connote different representations to the audience than someone dressed in white. The clothing can also be used to establish the genre of music; hip-hop artists are much more likely to be shown with baggy clothing and a lot of jewellery. They can also be used to identify a performer as many artists will have their own specific style, for example Lady Gaga. The location of a video can relate heavily to the style of the music video. A stage will be the main location in a performance video whereas narrative videos could have a vast amount of locations, but is usually connected with either the song, the artist or the genre of the music; so a hip-hop video may be set in an urban location whereas a rock video may be set in a darker location.
Goodwin
Goodwin created a theory based on music videos. In his theory, he stated that music videos demonstrate genre characteristics, for example a rock video will usually show a live performance whereas a pop video will generally involve a dance. He also stated that there is a relationship between the visuals, lyrics and the music. Another convention that Goodwin placed in his theory was the use of close-ups in music videos, especially in relation to the artists. He also stated about the voyeuristic treatment of the female body (this also links to Mulvey's male gaze theory) in music videos. He also talks about intertextuality within videos, such as elements of television or films in music videos.
Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene in each music video can alter massively. Commonly used props include the instruments that are being played by the band (in a performance style video.) This creates a connection between the song and the band. Costume is key to helping the audience decode stereotypes. Due to a lack of dialogue in a music video, the way the characters are represented is the only indication of their personality and traits, and so the way they are dressed is important in establishing these important aspects of the characters. For example, a character dressed in dark clothing will connote different representations to the audience than someone dressed in white. The clothing can also be used to establish the genre of music; hip-hop artists are much more likely to be shown with baggy clothing and a lot of jewellery. They can also be used to identify a performer as many artists will have their own specific style, for example Lady Gaga. The location of a video can relate heavily to the style of the music video. A stage will be the main location in a performance video whereas narrative videos could have a vast amount of locations, but is usually connected with either the song, the artist or the genre of the music; so a hip-hop video may be set in an urban location whereas a rock video may be set in a darker location.
Goodwin
Goodwin created a theory based on music videos. In his theory, he stated that music videos demonstrate genre characteristics, for example a rock video will usually show a live performance whereas a pop video will generally involve a dance. He also stated that there is a relationship between the visuals, lyrics and the music. Another convention that Goodwin placed in his theory was the use of close-ups in music videos, especially in relation to the artists. He also stated about the voyeuristic treatment of the female body (this also links to Mulvey's male gaze theory) in music videos. He also talks about intertextuality within videos, such as elements of television or films in music videos.
MTV's Censorship
MTV has previously come under criticism for its censorship, stating that it is too politically correct and sensitive. Music videos are frequently censored, moved to a late night position or sometimes banned entirely.
MTV has edited music videos due to references of drugs, sex, violence, weapons, racism, homophobia and advertising. For example, in the song Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F) by Katy Perry, the word 'Ménage à trois' was cut out completely and was not replaced with any other lyrics. Videos with risqué content usually get pushed back to a late-night rotation on the channel. A video that was pushed back was Maroon 5's This Love. The video for Megalomaniac by Incubus was also put on the late-night rotation but not due to risqué content, the video showed depiction of German Leader Adolf Hitler and people drinking oil and so MTV declared it not suitable for the daytime rotation.
Many videos have been banned by MTV. Some of these video's include Rihanna's S&M, Closer by Nine Inch Nails and Body Language by Queen. These videos were not played at all on any MTV channel. Some of the banned videos have been heavily edited to allow airing time on one of MTV's sister channels. One example of this is 30 Second's To Mars - Hurricane in which MTV edited the video to be played on the late night rotation on MTV 2. In some circumstances, the artists themselves have created a censored version to fit with MTV's guidelines.
MTV's censorship rules will apply to our video. We wish to use drugs in our video, to fit with MGMT's psychedelic genre. Therefore, our video would probably have to be edited by MTV to be shown on their channel. The lyrics to the song contain no profanities or controversial references and so the song would fit MTV's censorship regulations.
MTV has edited music videos due to references of drugs, sex, violence, weapons, racism, homophobia and advertising. For example, in the song Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F) by Katy Perry, the word 'Ménage à trois' was cut out completely and was not replaced with any other lyrics. Videos with risqué content usually get pushed back to a late-night rotation on the channel. A video that was pushed back was Maroon 5's This Love. The video for Megalomaniac by Incubus was also put on the late-night rotation but not due to risqué content, the video showed depiction of German Leader Adolf Hitler and people drinking oil and so MTV declared it not suitable for the daytime rotation.
Many videos have been banned by MTV. Some of these video's include Rihanna's S&M, Closer by Nine Inch Nails and Body Language by Queen. These videos were not played at all on any MTV channel. Some of the banned videos have been heavily edited to allow airing time on one of MTV's sister channels. One example of this is 30 Second's To Mars - Hurricane in which MTV edited the video to be played on the late night rotation on MTV 2. In some circumstances, the artists themselves have created a censored version to fit with MTV's guidelines.
MTV's censorship rules will apply to our video. We wish to use drugs in our video, to fit with MGMT's psychedelic genre. Therefore, our video would probably have to be edited by MTV to be shown on their channel. The lyrics to the song contain no profanities or controversial references and so the song would fit MTV's censorship regulations.
Music Institutions
If you think about the many ways in which, as a society, we listen to music, then you can begin to see the vast impact of institutions in our life. We never watch a music video that is directly from the artist but always through an institution, whether it be YouTube or MTV. Without them, we wouldn't be as musically diverse as a whole and wouldn't be exposed to the music of other cultures and countries.
MTV was the very first Music Television channel. It was the first channel to play music video's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means that it holds high cultural value in our society and will always be seen as the breakthrough of music video's in the eyes of many people. MTV was first launched at 12.01am on the 1st August 1981. It's opening consisted of footage of the first space shuttle launch countdown of Columbia, which took place earlier that year, and the launch of Apollo 11. This was followed by the words 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock and Roll' and the original MTV theme song. 'Video Killed the Radio Star' was then played.
Although MTV has huge cultural value over the people who witnessed the early years of MTV, the younger people do not see its significance in the music industry. This is due to the fact that from the early-mid 2000's MTV reduced its number of music videos significantly. In 2000, music videos were featured up to 8 hours a day, whereas, in 2008 there was an average of just three hours of music videos per day. The internet was said to be the cause of this reduction. They began to air only in the early hours of the morning or in a condensed form on the Total Request Live show. However, in 2008 Total Request Live was scrapped. MTV decided to encourage its viewers to visit its website for music video coverage. They also created many sister channels in which they play music, such as MTV Rocks and MTV Hits. These continue the old MTV way of music: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As the years passed, more and more music channels emerged, such as Kerrang and Magic. These channels seem to focus on one genre of music, for example Kerrang plays rock music, which increased audience choice. Thinking of this, I believe that our video would be most compatible with NME. NME (abbreviated from New Musical Express) mainly air Indie music which suits the style of music of 'Kids.' It is a relatively new channel, first airing in 2007 and is a British channel. It stems from NME Magazine, which has been operating since the 1960's and so is a key part of the British music scene.
'Kids' would also be aired on MTV due to the channels international status (NME only operates in the UK) and it's hit status as it has reached the charts in many countries (including the US and UK)
Statistics:
- 35 Hours of video footage is uploaded to the site every minute.
- Over 13 million hours of footage was uploaded during 2010
- More video is uploaded every 60 days than the three major US television networks produced in 60 years
- Each week, YouTube receives the equivalent of 115,000 full length feature films in uploads
- 70% of YouTube traffic comes from outside the US
- YouTube is localised in 25 countries over 43 languages
- The base age demographic for YouTube is 18-54
- Over 2 billion YouTube videos are viewed everyday
- YouTube mobile gets over 100 million views per day, meaning mobile is only 5% of YouTube's overall usage
- In 2010 there were over 700 billion video playbacks
- A full 10% of YouTube videos are in HD
- There are 7000 hours of full-length movies and television episodes available on YouTube
- 2 billion video views per week are monetised
- Hundreds of partners are making six figures per year
- 94 of AdAge's top hundred advertisers have run campaigns on YouTube
- The total number of advertisers using YouTube has increased ten-fold in the last year
- There are currently over 10,000 official partners
- Content ID - YouTube's automated system that serves as s copyright violation watchdog- scans a 100 years worth of content everyday
- 1000 partners are now using Content ID
- Over one third of YouTube's total monetised views come from Content ID
- Over 5 million people have found and subscribed to a friend's channel using YouTube's friend-finding tools
- Every auto-shared tweet results in six new YouTube.com browsing sessions
- More than half of the videos on YouTube have been rated or commented on by users
- Everyday, millions of clips are 'favourited'
As you can see from the statistics, YouTube is a phenomenon in today's society. It allows people to share views and thoughts, watch weird and wonderful occurrences and provides a platform for artists to spread their music. Many artists today not only advertise the release date of their song but also the video release on YouTube. Because of the growth in music video's being released on YouTube, VEVO was created in 2009. VEVO is a music video website incorporated within YouTube. It is a joint venture between Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content without ownership stakes. This means that VEVO offers music videos from three of the 'big four' major record labels. There are over 45,000 music videos on VEVO. However, currently VEVO is only available in the US, UK, Canada and the Republic of Ireland. It was said to go global in 2010 but as of August 2011 it is still not available worldwide.
YouTube is also interactional due to its web 2.0 format. Anybody can upload content to the website about whatever topic they choose (abiding the sites rules.) The viewers of the video can then comment, like/dislike, rate and favourite the video and so from the website, consumer research can be deducted. This is good for artists as they can get first hand reactions to their music/video easily and efficiently simply by looking at their demographics. No matter where you, you can access YouTube due to the sites Mobile app. This means people on the move can access videos as well as people on the computer. It is also available at all times and so is a main competitor to other institutions.
MTV was the very first Music Television channel. It was the first channel to play music video's 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means that it holds high cultural value in our society and will always be seen as the breakthrough of music video's in the eyes of many people. MTV was first launched at 12.01am on the 1st August 1981. It's opening consisted of footage of the first space shuttle launch countdown of Columbia, which took place earlier that year, and the launch of Apollo 11. This was followed by the words 'Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock and Roll' and the original MTV theme song. 'Video Killed the Radio Star' was then played.
Although MTV has huge cultural value over the people who witnessed the early years of MTV, the younger people do not see its significance in the music industry. This is due to the fact that from the early-mid 2000's MTV reduced its number of music videos significantly. In 2000, music videos were featured up to 8 hours a day, whereas, in 2008 there was an average of just three hours of music videos per day. The internet was said to be the cause of this reduction. They began to air only in the early hours of the morning or in a condensed form on the Total Request Live show. However, in 2008 Total Request Live was scrapped. MTV decided to encourage its viewers to visit its website for music video coverage. They also created many sister channels in which they play music, such as MTV Rocks and MTV Hits. These continue the old MTV way of music: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As the years passed, more and more music channels emerged, such as Kerrang and Magic. These channels seem to focus on one genre of music, for example Kerrang plays rock music, which increased audience choice. Thinking of this, I believe that our video would be most compatible with NME. NME (abbreviated from New Musical Express) mainly air Indie music which suits the style of music of 'Kids.' It is a relatively new channel, first airing in 2007 and is a British channel. It stems from NME Magazine, which has been operating since the 1960's and so is a key part of the British music scene.
'Kids' would also be aired on MTV due to the channels international status (NME only operates in the UK) and it's hit status as it has reached the charts in many countries (including the US and UK)
Band Members
Here is a quick overview of MGMT's band members:
Name: Andrew VanWyngarden
Age: 28
Name: Andrew VanWyngardenAge: 28
Date of Birth: 01.02.1983
Birth Place: Columbia, Missouri
Role in Band: Lead vocalist, guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, drums and songwriter
Role in Band: Lead vocalist, guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, drums and songwriter
Although born in Columbia, VanWyngarden grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. He speaks fondly of his childhood and especially his relationship with his father who used to play the electric guitar to his son. VanWyngarden said that this was on of his musical influences.
During high school, he would be involved in many musical projects, such as his high school band Accidental Mersh who he was in with future MGMT guitar player Hank Sullivant. He then went onto Wesleyan University where he met future band member Ben Goldwasser. In university he intended to study natural sciences of astronomy but meeting Goldwasser changed his future plans.
It was VanWyngarden who first initiated MGMT (then called The Management.) He stated in an interview "[Ben] wasn't really into it. I remember him saying he wanted to do some sort of social work, something noble for a good cause. I was like: C'mon, man! Where's your selfish ambition?" During university, they wrote their most memorable song, and the song for our video, Kids,which went onto reach number 16 in the UK Singles Chart. It was also voted NME's number one song of 2008, leading to VanWyngarden to be announced number 3 on NME's coolest people of 2008.
Name: Benjamin Goldwasser
Age: 28
Age: 28
Date of Birth: 17.12.1982
Birth Place: Mishawaka, Indiana
Role in Band: Lyricist, guitar, keyboards and vocals
Goldwasser grew up in Westport, New York and was raised Jewish. He was very musical, playing the piano, playing in his high school Jazz band and attended a rock and roll camp in Vermont. He stated that one of his biggest musical influences in high school is the band Suicide.
He attended Wesleyan University where he studied art. He was a member of the eclectic society and helped to run their music venue. Already playing the keyboard, he took part in experimental music classes where he met future band member, Andrew VanWyngarden. They both went onto form 'The Management' playing their debut performance for a party in a college dormitory playing the theme tune to the film Ghostbusters. The name MGMT was later used after the pair signed their emails 'The MGMT.'
After university, both Goldwasser and VanWyngarden moved to New York City. They immediately began touring but failed to secure a record deal. In 2006 the band went on hiatus. During this break, Goldwasser began working on a farm before being signed by Columbia Records. Their debut album Oracular Spectacular became a huge hit but, for a short period, put a huge strain on his friendship with his fellow band member.
Although these two are the most known members of MGMT, there are three other members of the band:
Matthew Asti - bass guitar from 2008 until present
Matthew Asti - bass guitar from 2008 until present
James Richardson - lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, percussion from 2008 until present
Will Berman - drums, percussion, backing vocals in 2005 and 2008 until present
Hank Sullivant also joined the band playing guitar and doing backing vocals during live performances from 2006 until 2008.
Friday, 21 October 2011
Album Reviews
To gain an in depth understanding into the reception of the bands music, we looked at numerous reviews posted by leading critics. The first review of MGMT's debut album Oracular Spectacular was composed by Damian Jones and posted on the BBC Music webpage.
''We make pop music, but pop music that isn't comfortable'', declares MGMT leader Andrew Vanwyngarden. You can say that again. Talk about eclectic. This Brooklyn duo have got more tricks up their sleeve than Pete Doherty has court appearances. But first some background: For those unfamiliar with New York's latest synth-sters basically all you need to know is that both Vanwyngarden and keyboardist Ben Goldwasser first bonded over their love for My Bloody Valentine and Spacemen 3 at Connecticut's Wesleyan University back in 2002. Since then they have signed a whopping record deal with Columbia thanks to legendary U2 producer Steve Lillywhite and they're currently making huge waves across the States. Their debut album, Oracular Spectacular, has been constructed or in their case de-constructed by The Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann and their lyrics are inspired by The Mayan Prophecies and conspiracy websites.
Now back to the issue of uncomfortable pop music. Undoubtedly there are times when Vanwyngarden and Goldwasser stretch the boundaries of pop to breaking point on Oracular. But synth-drenched opener Time To Pretend ain't one of them. If anything MGMT's spine tingling lead off track couldn't be easier on the ear if it tried, as the pair poke fun at rock star dreams about marrying models, scoring drugs, "living fast and dying young".
Next up is Weekend Wars, a psychedelic pop ditty smattered with acoustic strings and Vanwyngarden’s Jagger-esque vocals. Elsewhere, Electric Feel comes on like Prince holding a gun to the heads of French funksters Daft Punk while Vanwyngarden and Goldwasser seductively croon: “Ooh girl, shock me like an electric eel/Baby girl/Turn me on with your electric feel”.
Then comes the uncomfortable second half. Gone are the synth driven bass lines and disco beats and in come surf guitars and quivering vocals. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. Indeed this works to MGMT's advantage at times particularly on the galloping 4th Dimensional Transition. But when the Brooklyn wizards delve into space folk territory (The Handshake, Future Reflections) towards the end of the album, their uncomfortable pop template sounds forced.
Even so in Oracular Spectacular MGMT have delivered a debut which is both intriguing and exciting if a little uncomfortable.
(Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/nv3n)BBC Music also conducted a review for MGMT's second album Congratualations:
However, not all of Congratulations reviews were as positive. Because of it's experimental attitude and the massive difference between that and its predecessor, some of MGMT's previous fans were not as fond of the second album as it wasn't their style of music. This review from The Telegraph's website is one of the many not as positive reviews.
There is a stock interview quote given by artists following up a wildly successful album, explaining the new direction they’ve taken. “It would have been so easy for us to write another (insert name of hit record),” they say, “but that doesn’t interest us.”
The truth is, though, that it’s anything but easy to reproduce the formula of a successful album. That is especially true for the men who are expected to emulate the effortless pop charms of MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular. After the whirlwind of attention they received off the back of it, Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser are evidently no longer the same happy-go-lucky duo that dreamt up the goofy keyboard hooks that made Time to Pretend and Kids so irresistible. So on Congratulations they haven’t even tried to write any hits, taking refuge in druggy experimentalism.
Opinion is sure to be divided as to whether that represents bravery or cowardice. They’ve certainly woven a dizzying tapestry of tunes. The stop-start tempo, wrong-footing chord changes and childlike vocals of It’s Working set the trippy template and the wired, Wurlitzer-filled Song For Dan Treacy gives off heavy whiffs of 60s British acid pop, even if the likeable Syd Barrett-isms are offset by echoes of Spinal Tap’s (Listen to the) Flower People.
Such wilful wackiness would work better if it was sandwiched, like the more outré moments of Oracular Spectacular, between more accessible riffs and hooks, but they offer such vulgar pleasures with tantalising irregularity. Someone’s Missing briefly breaks into a soulful falsetto chorus but then fades out before it can take up residence in our heads. Likewise, the initial mellow meanderings of Siberian Breaks build into a gorgeous melodic swell, but it only appears once within a 12-minute prog-pop sprawl. Flash Delirium also features slivers of delightfully frazzled surrealist pop, but any fans hoping for more indie anthems and festival sing-alongs are going to be sorely disappointed.
Still, you sense MGMT won’t be too bothered. The in-jokey psych-punk ditty Brian Eno is more evidence that they’re not really aiming to entertain anyone but themselves. And what emerges from such silliness is the pleasing sense that the duo had a blast making this record. Listening to it is also fun at times, but just as often it’s damned hard work.
(Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/fqcg)
At times, Congratulations sounds like Flight of the Conchords attempting a seventies concept album. Yet it is also full of bold strokes of mad musical colour, so crammed with ideas it takes several spins just to get a grip on its sprawling contours. Like fellow travellers in new psychedelia the Flaming Lips, MGMT treat the studio like a children's toybox and never use one instrument where they can squeeze in four. They delight in arrangements that defy convention, tossing a lusty tuba solo in among the harpsichords, spooky synths and choral vocals. Such is thei innate sense of melody and supple grooviness, the songs seem to change shape on repeated listens, the best of them (It's Working, Someone's Missing and I Found A Whistle) gradually revealing a hidden seriousness of purpose. MGMT's desire to aviod the obvious may be admirable but you abandon pop hooks at your peril. Fans will find plenty to sustain them but Congratulations sounds like a deliberate attempt to shake off casual listeners and avoid the rock stradom their hits have granted them.
(Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/7563895/MGMT-Congratulations-CD-review.html)The song that we have chosen, 'Kids', is taken from their debut album Oracular Spectacular, which as we've seen has been given the better reviews of their released albums. This creates a more positive image of the band and allows us to show off some of the bands greater, less controversial talent.
That MGMT might be uncomfortable with the limelight should have been obvious from their breakthrough 2009 single Time To Pretend, a sneaky satire in which the world of rock stardom is viewed from the wistful perspective of fantasists who know it will never be theirs. Except it became a zeitgeist anthem and the accompanying album, Oracular Spectacular, shifted more than a million copies. The follow-up might not exactly be an act of self-sabotage, but it veers perilously close in its aura of self-indulgence and self-amusement.Ben Goldwasser, one half of the New York duo, has taken the unusual step of apologising for the group’s new musical direction after fans reacted badly to the lead track, Flash Delerium, an ecstasy comedown anthem that sounds like the Cars on a bad trip and includes a short cack-handed flute solo.Goldwasser rather lamely explained that when he and partner Andrew VanWyngarden recorded it: “We were laughing so hard, we thought it was the funniest thing we ever heard.” Indeed, a lot of Congratulations sounds like a band laughing at their own jokes. There are witty but thin homages to musical heroes Dan Treacy of Television Personalities and Brian Eno (“You can tell that he’s kind of smug, what does he know? We’re always one step behind him – Brian Eno!”), a truly embarrassing prog rock instrumental pastiche Lady Dada’s Nightmare and a 12-minute multi-section acoustic-electro epic, Siberian Breaks, that apparently deliberately evokes the worst traits of Pink Floyd, from Syd Barret whimsy to pompous grandeur.
Thursday, 20 October 2011
A Brief History of MGMT
MGMT originally formed in 2002, under the name The Management, by members Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, who both attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut. The first three years were mainly experimenting with sound before they established their genre of psychedelic. Once they graduated in 2005 they began an extensive tour supporting the band Of Montreal and promoting their Time to Pretend EP.
Before the release of their debut album the band would change their name to MGMT as the name The Management was already in use by another band.
In 2006 the band were signed to the record label Columbia Records and went on to create their debut album Oracular Spectacular, in which the song 'Kids' featured. The album was released in 2007 and had ten tracks, three of which were released as singles. The album was a success, selling over one million copies worldwide.
They did a vast amount of touring, supporting artists such as Radiohead, Beck and Paul McCartney, as well as conducting a successful headlining tour.
They did a vast amount of touring, supporting artists such as Radiohead, Beck and Paul McCartney, as well as conducting a successful headlining tour.
In 2010, the band released their second album Congratulations. They decided to massively alter their sound, leaning more towards a progressive, guitar-driven style. The album received both positive and negative reviews as some people didn't appreciate their change and craved more songs with the sound of 'Kids.' But on it's first week of release it reached the number four status in the UK charts and number two in the US Billboards chart.
Originally, the band stated they would not release singles from the album stating that the album "was meant to be a complete body of songs rather than an album with stand-out singles." Yet, they released four of the nine songs as singles.
MGMT are set to release a self-titled third album in 2012.
Analysing the Lyrics
You were a child
Crawling on your knees toward it
Making momma so proud
But your voice is too loud
We like to watch you laughing
You pick the insects off plants
No time to think of consequences[Chorus:]
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting to be haunted
The water is warm
But it's sending me shivers
A baby is born
Crying out for attention
Memories fade
Like looking through a fogged mirror
Decisions too
Decisions are made and not bought
But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot
I guess not
[Chorus x6]
Crawling on your knees toward it
Making momma so proud
But your voice is too loud
We like to watch you laughing
You pick the insects off plants
No time to think of consequences[Chorus:]
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting to be haunted
Control yourself
Take only what you need from it
A family of trees wanting to be haunted
The water is warm
But it's sending me shivers
A baby is born
Crying out for attention
Memories fade
Like looking through a fogged mirror
Decisions too
Decisions are made and not bought
But I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot
I guess not
[Chorus x6]
An important aspect of getting the video to synchronise with the video is to understand the lyrics and the meaning behind them. The lyrics to ‘Kids’ are highly subjective and so can be decoded in different ways by different people. Here I am going to outline a few of the possible meanings of the song.
One possible meaning is the connection to the environment. With lines such as 'You pick the insects off plants' and 'A family of trees' this could seem the more literal interpretation. The lines 'You pick the insects off plants. No time to think of consequences' is said to identify how the smallest actions by humans could impact the earth and nobody thinks of the effects that our actions have. By this interpretation, the chorus is a warning to its listeners about controlling the amount of luxuries we use that damage earth.
Another meaning is more westernised, a tale of custodial battles and life without a father figure. The main line to show this interpretation is: 'decisions to decisions are made but not bought but I thought this wouldn't hurt a lot. I guess not' which is said to demonstrate how important a father figure in a child's life and the large impact it has on the child.
Many people have also linked the song with the ideology of 'The American Dream.' 'Making Momma so proud' is a key part of this theory as making your family proud of you is a big part of achieving the American dream. It also demonstrates the journey we take to achieve this dream and in life in general, going from 'crawling on your knees' to having your own children – 'A baby is born.' With this interpretation, the line ' a family of trees' refers to our lineage and where we have come from, whatever our background. I believe this to be the most believable interpretation because of its association with recent issues of postmodern society.
The amount of interpretations is not limited and many more can be found in the comment section of the website Song Meanings (http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858614304/).
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