Director Case Study - Richard Lester

I choose to do a case study on Richard Lester for many reasons;

- 'The kinks' were around the same time of 'The Beatles' with a similar style in fashion and music. Therefore Richard Lester's work was worth looking at because he directed 'The Beatles' films; 'A Hard Days Night' and 'Help!'. I'd like the music video to have a 1960's camera/filming effect but with a modern twist. As 'The Kinks' do not have any music videos I think it is worth looking at 'The 'Beatles' films at the camera shots, effects and Richard Lester's directing skills. I hope that I and the group will capture some of the effects that Richard Lester has used in order to create a successful music video of the 1960's era with our own modern twist. Many of Richard Lester's stylistic innovations survive today as the conventions of music videos, in particular the multi-angle filming of a live performance.

 

A timeline of Richard Lester's career, with descriptions on certain events.

http://timeglider.com/t/e527f187cb6c4cc8?min_zoom=1&max_zoom=100 

 

 

Screen Shot:

 



Research Questionnaire

In order to create a music video that will be successful, I created a questionnaire (primary research) for the target audience to respond to and help me generate ideas.

1. How often do you watch music videos?

Not very often       Sometimes/Occasionally        Majority of my time

 

2. Do you prefer music videos with a narrative structure or without?

No narrative structure     Don't mind    With a narrative structure

 

3. How important do you find music videos for the purpose of promoting a song?

Not essential              Possibly essential             Extremely essential


4. Do you think a music video should present a relationship between visuals and lyrics? 

Not always necessary             Not too sure            Very necessary

 5. Do you think the artist of the song should feature in the music video?

No, not always             Doesn't matter to much            Yes, always

6. If you dislike a music video, does it put you off liking the song?

No                    Sometimes                          Yes, definitely

7. Any additional comments that you like or dislike about features of music videos?

    

Do's And Don'ts For The Music Video

 Do’s

1. Consistency through the end.

2.  A clear sense of genre and artist.

3.  A powerful performance.

4.  Good simple effective idea.

5.  Judicious cutting.

 

Don’ts

1. Well - known song.

2. Over done effects - shouldn't use effects to disguise poor footage.

3. Aimless driving around.

4. Scenes involving alcohol, drugs or fags (even stimulated).

5. Shots of people just walking around.

6. Speeding up the footage or putting it in reverse.

7. Zooms.

8. Found footage - should be your own unless there's and exceptional good reason.

9. Atmosphere - less stage footage.

10. Over the top narrative.

 

 

 

Hartley - Social Positions of an individual

How do social positions of individuals relate to The Kinks - All of The Day and All of The Night?

Hartley lists 7 elements that go to create the social positions of an individuals:

Self - Personally I have an interest into this style and era of music, even though I am not from the generation of when this music would have been popular.

Gender - When the kinks were around in 1964 they did not particularly target a specific gender audience. Therefore I assume that there is still no specific gender targeted. Furthermore the group and I will target both males and females socially.

Age Group - Due to this song being released in October 1964 and got to 2nd in the UK singles charts suggests the social popularity of the song. Age groups are key within this song because of  pre - existing audiences from 1964 will still be a fan of the song as it was a big hit. This suggests that this song will have a wide range of audiences but most likely individuals in their 30's and onwards because it was possibly a huge social interactions. In addition, although I personally enjoy this style of music it is not to say that ever person around my age would be into this single as this is purely personal taste in music.

Family- This element can affect the music genre of what an individual listens to. Reasons for this can vary from possibly taking on the same taste from music your parents have enjoyed and played whilst growing up. If this is a case the single 'All of The Day And All of The Night' may be a familiar single to some individuals. However having a good or bad relationship with your family could also affect your musical taste.

Class - Ina  stereotypical way you would assume that individuals of a height class would listen to classical music, and that individuals of a low class may listen to rap, because of their social positions within society. However music has become more diverse, whereby the type of music an individual is into is not classified by their class anymore.

Nation - As a nation we deicide the UK's top 40 singles, this is significant when it comes to social positions of individuals because this chart may define us as a nation but more importantly as individuals. This is due to the fact if a certain single is number one and an individual has not heard it, they will most likely go out of their way and pull the media product towards them. In relation to the single 'All of The Day And All of The Night' when it was number 2 in 1964, their was only one method to hear the single and that would be a popular radio station. This suggests we as a nation will try and stay in the know if it means being social accepted.

Ethnicity - This element focuses more on the nationality (where you come from) than an individuals social position. Different type of genres and sub genres within music are popular in certain nationalities and unpopular in others. For example, 'The Kinks' were a band in the 1960's who were particularly popular in Great Britain and possibly America but most likely not in India or China.


John Fiske adds to this list:

Education - Public and private education does create a social difference within individuals, but I would not say it creates much difference between music genres an individual is interested in.

Religion - Depending what religion is being considered, depends on how strict that religion may be on media products such as music videos. Reasons for this are increasing daily, due to the fact that music videos are not as regulated as they should be and can often be quite explicit. Therefor from a Christian perspective these video may not be acceptable to watch socially through their religion.

Political allegiances - There are many political song out there in the media. For example 'Imagine' by John Lennon where is song expresses his view on governments and war. When a song is released concerning political allegiances, people will either support is or be against it. Which ever side an individual takes determines their social positing when concerning politics.  'All of The Day And All of The Night' will not have this issue as it is not a song concerning political allegiances.

Region - What area you are from has increasing become more important within technology. Just about every technological device, or website (social networking) would prefer to have your location. Reasons for this would be that the internet is advancing and the location is key, as it can learn a lot about you from your region. This links to the social position of an individual because the internet could most probably work out what type of music an individual would like just from your region, and would start pushing media products upon the individual or audience from that specific region.

Urban versus rural backgrounds - This element may be also be viewed stereotypically, as urban areas may view an individual to listen to rap or hip - hop, because of the area they are from. This would be because many rappers are from urban areas and worked their way up which may inspire individuals socially. However from rural backgrounds are not usually viewed in a stereotypical way of listening to certain types of music and therefore have no social expectation to live up to.

Textual Analysis: Bruno Mars - Lazy Song

Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song

Genre Characteristics – I would say that the genre characteristic in this video definitely demonstrates pop music. This is because the artist ‘Bruno Mars’ is the centre of attention which indicates he is the pop artist. Also the 5 dancers (monkeys) mimic his behaviour which furthermore supports that this is his song and they are just an added element to the music video. The use of masks may also suggest they are not a band and that this is a solo artist.



Relationship between lyrics and visual – There is a narrative structure of the artist ‘Bruno Mars’ lip singing to the song and describing what he would usually do on a lazy day, (lip miming). The monkeys suggest connotations of being lazy and each monkey is used to illustrate significant parts of being lazy or what you or the artist would do on a lazy day. You get the impression this is what the artist would usually do on a lazy day because the monkeys are all dresses similar to the artist, representing key parts of his lazy personality. You get the illustration through the relationship between lyrics and visual. For example the lyrics “throw my hands in my pants”. This demonstrates what the monkeys are doing.

Relationship between music and visuals – You get a clear illustrated relationship between the visual and music especially during the chorus “today I don’t feel like doing anything (instrumental whistle)” the artist and dancers/monkeys move their heads to the beat of the music.

Close- ups of the artist and star images/motifs - You get many close ups  and single shots of the artist ‘Bruno Mars’ which further indicates that he is the star within the video. This is emphasised by the fact the dancers/monkeys are usually all in a shot together which indicates they are not significant because they are not the star of the video. Also all movement is associated around the artist which creates the idea that he is in control over the lazy personalities.

Reference to the notion of looking – There is one shot that indicates a reference to voyeuristic treatment of the female body. The artist sings “Find a really nice girl, have some really nice sex And she's gonna scream out this is great”. The link to female voyeuristic treatment of the female body is when another male actor mouths “She gonna scream out this is great” in a female voice.

Intertextual references- The artist makes an intertextual reference to a TV channel (first TV channel broadcast purely music videos). “Click to MTV so they can teach me how to dougie”.

Performance based, narrative based or concept based? – This video follows a narrative because each monkey portrays a particular personality of being lazy within an element of the song. This links to a concept because monkeys have connotations of being lazy which emphasises the meaning of the song .Also this video has an element of performance because the artist is lip- syncing in the video and towards the end plays the guitar along with the song which suggests an actual performance.
  


 

How is the industry regulated?

Why regulate the Music Industry?

The music business has to have a large self-regulated industry. Every aspect needs to be controlled, from publishers to licensers, individual artists, from collecting agencies and to copyright trademark offices. Each organisation in this industry have their responsibilities.

Single portals for parents to complain about products that are viewed as inappropriate for children are to be proposed by the government for tighter regulation's on sexualized music videos.

Case Study:

 Government report into sexualisation of childhood set to propose tougher regulations on retail, advertising and video industry;
The report has been commissioned by Reg Bailey (chief executive of Mothers Union) and David Cameron. They have given the advertising, video and retail industry 18 months to improve their act.
Bailey has found devastating research showing parents are increasingly becoming worried at what they see as the premature sexualisation of children by industries, such as; Next, FCUK, Top Shop.
Critic's have complained that the government are trying to revert back to a Victorian image and takes in no account to how the digital age has transformed childhood irrevocably.

Katy Perry is a controversial star who's audience varies from young children to teenagers; however she is an example of portraying premature sexualisation.

The music industry is expected to put a advisory age rating on music videos.
Bailey is likely to be asked by the government to follow through with this act to ensure his recommendations are implement. Reasons for a push of this report would be how three reports have previously been published and little happened.

Another major issue at the time of this report was the Rihanna video 'Man Down' where she was criticised for shooting a man down who rapes her. Parents in America were not happy with the music video produced and believed it portrayed sexual references and tighter regulations needed to be reinforced.

Finding from Reg Baileys Review:

• Around half of parents felt that celebrity culture, adult style clothes and music videos are encouraging children to act older than they are.

• 40% of parents said they had seen things in public places (shop window displays, advertising hoardings) that they felt were inappropriate for children to see because of their sexual content.

Bailey has previously said: "For us to let children be children, we need to let parents be parents. That means giving parents the support and encouragement they need to help their children understand and resist the harms they face".
"But it also means putting brakes on ever greater commercialisation and sexualisation facing children in modern society. Only then can we look to create a truly family friendly society that protects children."

 

What can parents do to furthermore regulate media products than can be controlled?

Independent regulator and competition authority
for the UK communications industries.

-  One main focus point of Ofcom when helping parents regulate the media, would be the mobile phone. This would be a main focus point because the mobile phone is a source of a convergence. This is where everything is connected/available on one device. For example the internet, messaging, emails, phone calls, games (apps) etc.
- Ofcom is all about helping parents report signs of unwanted information on their device and how to do so.


For example, this logo is crucial from parents and Ofcom instructs parents on how to use this and when is necessary and what happens.



- Ofcom does not necessarily only give advice on mobile phones or convergence devices but the media online, (internet). Furthermore Ofcom does not purely target parents but anyone who is seeking help or advice on media issues. Audiences can leave comments about recent matters which they have overcome or are possibly disgusted by.