After listening to the music track a nuumber of times and created a mind-map, I was ready to come up with the concept for the music video. I noticed that in the introduction to the music track, there was an extract from the tv series introduction 'Twilight Zone' (This was found with a little research) and after finding and watching a few episodes of this, it became much clearer to come up with a concept.
The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising plot twist and usually ended with some sort of message. Throughout the music video, I wanted references to the twilight zone, especially in the introduction to the song. After watching this intro:
I came up with an idea with how I was going to incorporate this. I would use the spinning door from the original footage, and from this, I would display my shot footage of the scene. It would seamlessly join together to make the original footage and my footage blend in smoothly and look like its there. I would use this technique using adobe after effects.
Next I decided to look at the lyrics and break them down; giving me more of an idea of how I want my video to be. after breaking down and analysing the lyrics, I managed to construct every shot and scene I would use in my music video. These were my results:
Now that my research is completed, I started looking for songs that I could do a music video to. I tried to find songs that had some kind of narrative as this would enable me to be more creative for my music video. I listened to a variety of hip-hop songs all with different moods; from happy and upbeat, to sad and aggressive. After looking through 100's of different hip-hop songs, a couple of songs stood out which had a good narrative, a clear message, but wasn't too enclosed so I could be creative with it and come up with my own ideas.
In the end I narrowed it down to a song by the rapper XV called 'Rabbit Hole'. This song is about the change from being a nobody, to becoming famous, and the efffect it has on friends, family, relationships with people, and just life in general. I paticular like this song because the concept is quite realistic and simple to understand, however the lyrics are quite complex when you go into more depth.
After listening to this song, I visualised lots of ideas, different transitions I could use for it, the scenes, storylines to it, and many more. This is why I have picked this song. After thinking long and hard, I came up with a mindmap to help me with the overall theme of the song and what to include in the music video. These were my results:
Next I started to find and analyse music advertisements in preparation for my magazine promotion. I closely looked at the techniques and the different methods in how the publishers created the advertisements and how effective it was; some being better than others. This included looking at the colour scheme, layout, font, and many more. These were my results.
The bright and exciting music video potrays the fun and happiness you can have when you are rich hence the 'good life'. This video features Kanye West and T-Pain performing with animated backdrops and literally mouthing the words of the song lyrics, which show up in large letters and numbers. It uses special effects to draw attention to the audience as the backdrops constantly changes an entices the watcher. This music video won best special effects in the MTV VMA awards, so this is why I decided to pick this video to look at why it makes it so great.
This music video blends the animation and the rappers seamlessly so there isn't a point in the video where it seems out of place or overused. By looking at this at a different perspective, the white backdrop acts as a plain canvas. From here, its almost as if someone is drawing around the rappers like an artist. This is first shown in this shot here:
Colourful lines are drawn around the
rapper
'Good Life' is drawn behind the rapper
These two shots show the creative side to the video; the colorful lines run up him to add more effect. This shot is effective because the rapper is in 'grayscale' meaning that he has no colour to him. This contrasts with the colour lines and writting and shows that he has been injected with life. Also his body orientation shows that he is very confident because he is standing there quite calmly with his head held high to show his authority. Another shot which reinforces the authority is the shot shown here :
Kanye West 'throwing hands up'
In this shot, Kanye West has his hands up to the lyrics 'now throw your hands up to the sky' This reinforces the strerotype that rappers have a lot of power. This is shown by the 'clip art' hands being thrown up towards him. What I found quite interesting was the fact that the hands were from all racial backgrounds. This shows what kind of multicultural society we are living in today. Also notice that in this shot, there is a 'random' leg which is thrown up along with the hands.
The underlying meaning to this is that it reinforces the stereotype that rappers have a lot of power over women. In less subtle terms, Kanye West is so powerful that women throw their legs up at him because they want him. This is again shown by the somewhat 'random' clip art images of a model in the background a split second after. Finally, there are a few hands which are thrown up in the infamous triangle pose. This is Kanye West's and other assoicates (Such as Jay-Z for example) trademark pose. This pose again imposes power as the triangle pose has become associated with the rapper.
This video has a number of very creative effects and features to it. I have picked out a few of them and anaylsed the purpose of them, and how they would appeal to the audience.
This shot is one of the best transitions in the music video. It features a crane shot of Kanye West rapping to the camera then the white canvaas goes from white to black.
Transitions from white canvas to black canvas
This shot plays paticulary well because it is a very smooth transition and from the white canvas to the black canvas, it opens up new creative ideas which the video fulfills. Firstly, The different font writing is 'drawn' on the floor. Ive also noticed that most of the words in the floor are one syllable words like 'pow' and 'looks' and 'style'. From there, the words get 'brushed over' with black paint as it starts to fill the floor. From this point the rest of the video has a black canvas where they display new effects and features to display their lyrics.
'Colour glasses'
In this shot it displays Kanye West with glasses which appear to be animated. At this moment in time he says 'Where we like them girls who ain't on tv cause they got more ass than the models' This again shows the rapper-women phenomenon in which it looks like Kanye West is staring at a womens bottom. This stereotypically shows the respect rappers have for women; they look at them like they are a piece of meat.
'Colour screen'
In this shot, Kanye West and T-Pain have what it appears to be a 'colour screen' in which they put this over their heads and their face, hands and clothing change colour. You can see by the expression on their faces that they are having fun; this emphasises the meaning of the song and video, that they are happy and enjoying life.
Overall, I think that this music video is very effective in terms of utilising special effects; this video is easy on the eye. There isn't anything too complicated to it, its just a very vibarant, colourful video which appeals to its audience because the video goes so well with the song. It shows how fun, happy and wonderful the 'good life' can be.
Nas and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley assume the throne in the video Directed by NABIL, the intense visuals see the poetic artist traveling to ancient lands, with Damian Marley shrouded by a hooded cloak and Nas rocking a crown on the dome. The 3d layers build up a well told story of africa, life and existance and the connection between the earth and humans. This music video is very deep and there are many different meanings and connections behind the narrative. This includes the mainstream media trying to manipulate society, how man has destroyed and ruined everything it has touched, and they question whether science can be proven right.
The song and music video sync well together because of the slow, low tempo instrumental, conplements the slow zoom shots in this. This gives a very strong sense of calmness. Nas and Damian Marley are almost portrayed as ancient gods in this video; they are dressed in robes, with crowns and other jewellery.
Damian Marley sitting on a throne looking 'god like'
Every shot blends in very smoothly; they use a number of different techniques to do this. One of them is the 'smoke effect' where they blend in two shots by vanishing the first one with smoke. This is shown here:
Shot one becomes engulfed in smoke
Completely covered in smoke
Transitions to the next scene
The 3d layers are very effective in this music video; they give the video more depth as there are many different things going on at the same time. They use an african them throughout and this includes animals such as tigers and lions, statues and buildings like piramids and other ancient buildings. Another transition I quite like is when the camera focuses down and continues to shoot almost like it is doing filming under them and form this it switches to the next scene.
Shot 1 shown here
Camera moves down as banner breaks up the two different shots
Banner continues to move up as the camera moves down and reveals the next shot
This video has given me a lot of new ideas for what to include in my music video in terms of transitions and special effects. I am also thinking about the possibility of using a greenscreen for my backgrounds.
This music video tries to express the struggle of africa, to very deep, spiritual meanings, to the meaning of life. This video would appeal to the audience because these topics are quite complex and so is the video; there is so much going on at one time. I think the best effect used is the one shown here:
'Scholars teach in Universities and claim that they're smart and cunning
Tell them find a cure when we sneeze and that's when their nose start running'
Here we have Nas and Damian Marley walking on the 'flat earth' after the lyrics: 'Scholars teach in Universities and claim that they're smart and cunning, Tell them find a cure when we sneeze and that's when their nose start running' This shot is very artistic; it looks like a work of art. From the planets in the background to the african woman on the left hand side, I think this shot looks amazing. In this shot the earth is literally flat; hence why there is water falling off the side of this.
Overall, this music video depicts a very complex and deep song with a variety of different special effects and transitions to match the theme; without really going too over the top as the special effects are quite relative to the actual song and are not just thrown in there which will appeal to the audience a lot more.
This music video constructs an emotional montage of the relationship the rapper Eminem and Dr. Dre have. The story behind this video is about how Dr. Dre signed Eminem and believed in him in his early days and now Eminem is returning the favor. This music video starts with a montage of various footage of his music career. this includes when he was a member of the N.W.A and also the funk group World Class Wreckin' Cru. Also there is footage of Dr. Dre and his family, such as him hugging his daughter and son and getting married. Futhermore there is footage from past music videos which he has done. Many rappers such as 2Pac, Eazy-E, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem are included in this. As all this is happening, he is driving down on a road in a Ferrari with flashbacks interluding. When he crashes the car the song starts to play. This is where they fast forward ten years later where he is on life support.
When this music video starts there is a sense of calmness about it; this is shown through shots of the water and the stern look on Dr. Dre's face. During this they use splitscreen shots to show his music career past while showing the 'present'. Also you can tell that there is something on his mind and the audience anticipates that something is about to happen. The edits begin to pick up speed when he is driving and you can tell that he is concerned and there is literally something 'running on his mind'. This is shown by the quick flashbacks of music videos, interview and magazine covers.
Dr. Dre looks very anxious.
Split screen effect of the flashback on the right and the present time on the left.
Car crash in the music video.
From when Dr. Dre is hospitalized, the music video uses a combination of special effects and features to enhance it when Eminem is rapping. This is first seen of the 'ghostly' holagram image of the actress Estella Warren. She mouths the words to Skylar Grey's chorus in the song.
As eminem is rapping, the video focuses on the emotional side; he paces up and down infront of the lifeless body of Dr. Dre and you can see the passion and expression on his face when he is rapping.
Eminem rapping to the lifeless body of Dr. Dre
Eminem's expression in his face
The video as a whole is a like one big metaphor. The underlying meaning behind it is that Eminem is trying to inspire Dr. Dre to believe in himself again and this is portrayed by him being hospitalized (giving up) to him finally waking up from the car crash and becoming stronger (eventually arising and believing in himself).
A variery of special effects continue as Dr. Dre is put in an 'isolation tank' while Eminem continues to rap to him. I quite like the location because the scenery isn't at all like a modern hospital. The location looks very old fashioned and this is reinforced by the old, dull colours in this. Also small things such as the lights on the ceiling, the lit candles in the background and many more. However this contrasts with the modern technology in this, for example the media tablets and up to date phones.
Eminem rapping to Dr.Dre in the 'isolation tank'
This video continues to use metophorical references in the form of Dr.Dre finally waking up. This represents him waking back up in the form coming back to the hip-hop industry. This is reinforced by him lifting weights, so in a sense he is becoming a lot stronger and has his confidence back. The old location continues with old fashioned weights but yet it still has a modern feel to it. He continues to exercise as the video uses a variety of close up shots to show the pain on his face as he is lifting weights.
Long shot of Dr. Dre lifting weights
Audience
Ive notices that in this video, they advertise a variety of brands including Dr.Dre's Beats technology, Gatorade, Ferrari, HP Laptops, and G-Shock.
This follows the popular trend to advertise existing media products in a promotional video. Dr. Dre is in fact, promoting his own products which help them to get out there more.
Overall, this video is quite emotional and tries to make the audience feel how much of a connection Dr.Dre and Eminem have and how they inspire each other to keep on going. The video ends with a close up shot of the rapper Easy E's grave.
For any of the audience who knows Easy E, or N.W.A for that matter, this shot is a very emotional one as Dr.Dre stands over the grave of his felllow collegue and friend. This shot will touch many of the audience who has known and listened to hip-hop music of this era.
