assessment

"Realism is a vital component of television drama”. To what extent does an analysis of your television close-study products support this view? [25 marks]



Realism in a television drama can enhance the experience or dampen the mystery. For example, Deutschland 83's attention to detail and fact checking the past greatly benefit the show's world building, allowing audiences to get invested in the hyper-realism. Jean Baudrillard suggested audiences view a copy of reality in the media as being more real than the original, meaning Deutschland also serves an educational purpose for its audience as well as the traditional entertainment most TV dramas provide. This is apparent with the use of archive footage of ex-president Ronald Reagan reciting a controversial speech, mixing reality with fiction to create a mesh of both. The realism used in Deutschland 83 is absolutely vital to the success of the story. 

However, the realism in Capital isn't believable enough to create interest. What was a clean cut concept (property increasing in value) became clouded through creating leftist fanfiction characters that vehicle biased viewpoints into a show that was originally meant to be a whodunnit. The very childish stereotypes used for some characters such as Roger and his wife (middle class is selfish) and Petunia (old so is conservative) are only highlighted by the shallow attempts at subverting the stereotypes for the minority characters. 

music video introduction

This week's work requires Media Factsheet #69: Music Video. You'll need to log in to Google using your Greenford Google account to access this. Read the factsheet and answer the following 10 questions:

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."

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 the songs along with them, were more widely available

at any time."

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

"three major record companies, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group 

and Abu Dhabi Media (along with content licensed by EMI), have also launched Vevo,

 a video hosting site specifically for music videos."

4) What are the key conventions of a music video?

"Movement is essential to music video and usually complements the

rhythm of the song."

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative.

Narrative can be used as an audience pleasure. It gives a personal identity and builds an emotional relationship with the song. Perfect by Pink uses narrative in this exact way. 

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

"Such references may be very obvious, such as the

way that the Blink 182 video for All the Small Things makes

references to videos by pop artists such as Back Street Boys (I

Want it That Way) and Christina Aguilera (Genie in a Bottle) by

directly copying scenes."

"However, references can also be more esoteric and obscure, allowing

the audience to feel pleasure when they recognize the reference.

For example, 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.

Most fans of My Chemical Romance are likely to be familiar with

Nirvana and this iconic video."

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

It gives a sense of reward to the audience for knowing the reference.

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:

SUM 41- FAKE MY OWN DEATH

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)- even though the camera does not move much to begin with, people are always moving in some way in the shot. As the video progresses, there are more glitches and meme bombs (mombs). The narrative is a suggested meteorite shower/ apocalypse. The artists are present. 
• Intertextuality- The many references to popular images in 2016. They themselves are a reference to 2000s punk.
• Representation- The Band are all men in punky outfits. Connotes to alternative music.
• Audience- The target audience would be their past fans, as this was a comeback video, as well as people who enjoy pop punk.
• Institution- Released by Hopeless Records, Directed by: Marc Klasfeld
  

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:

PINK- STUPID GIRLS

• Conventions (movement/narrative/artist)- Lots of narrative movement for each of the vignettes, each one has a different method to impress a man. Pink plays most of the women. Not a lot of camera movement. 
• Intertextuality- References Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson and Nicole Richie 
• Representation- Tells the audience that women shouldn't make themselves appear dumber than they are as the "attractive" women are exaggerated stereotypes of what was found attractive at the time
• Audience- since it's a on the edgier side of pop, it's aimed more for teen girls
• Institution-  LaFace 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?

The allusion to violence and sex. 



Final question - your own opinion

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 don't think music videos are essential to success in 2018. However, they're another layer of art and meaning that can really compliment the song. They're an expected convention of music so people often expect them.