BRAND IDENTITY

A2 - G324: Advanced Portfolio in Media

Branding

Product Identity and personality

Can take many forms, including

Name

Sign

Symbol

Colour combination

Slogan

Imagery

Comes from cattle branding

Legally protected brand name - trademark ™

Logo Evolution

How is Brand Identity created?

Logo?

Name

Colour combination

Text?

Imagery?

Sign

Symbol

Mood?

Tone?

Branding - Music

Branding - Movies

Album Covers

Task

Consider the genre within which you are working

Find some album cover(s) for bands in that genre

See if you can find associated imagery (from videos, singles, websites etc). Can you identify

Brand identity

Key Images

Key features

You should complete this task by the end of next week

ANALYSING MUSIC VIDEOS

What is a music video?

Music videos help a musician or band promote a song or album

advertisement for artist

Music videos are more than just music contains messages that the musician wants to

convey to the audience.

director has chosen to show a story or lifestyle linked to the musician that will appeal to the audience.

The video is selling more than just a song... selling a lifestyle, associated with the artist

Key features

Generally, fall in to one of three categories: performance-based, narrative-based or concept-based

Demonstrate characteristics of their specific musical genre

A relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying or disjunctive)

Numerous close-ups and clear shots of the artists/ associated imagery for promotional purposes; a requirement of the record label. Many artists adopt recurring motifs

References to “looking” and voyeuristic treatment of female body frequent

Intertextuality commonplace

Andrew Goodwin, Dancing in the Distraction Factory (1992, Routledge)

Features in depth

Relationship between lyrics and visuals Lyrics often invent direct narrative take one element of lyrics as a central symbol.

Relationship between the music and the visuals Achieved through video working on beat/ rhythm. Can add tension/ calm (e.g.

during climatic points visuals may increase speed)

Genre - relating to style and iconography or lyrics, music and visuals.

Voyeurism act of objectification of men and women (more commonly women) to achieve

certain positive or negative reactions. Often part of creating a star image.

Narrative in relation to the combination of lyric, music and visuals. How the narrative of video, narrative of music flow together (if they do at all).

Connecting flow creates hybrid narrative - opposite is contrasting narrative.

Representation through Star Image. Created through e.g. voyeurism, appearance and how a star is publicised. A music

video cements all of these aspects into one media text.

Formats and conventions

Formats of a Music Video Performance Narrative Thematic Symbolic Conceptual

Can be all of the above

Conventions of a Music Video: Visually stylish Artistic mise-en-scene Rhythmic montage Fragmented style Experimental use of camera/editing Fast pace Conspicuous lighting and cinematography Often break the rules of continuity editing

Aspects to consider

Lyrics establish general tone, address storyline or subject matted. Key lines often significantly link to visuals, Rarely a full interpretation - may just be tone or mood of lyrics conveyed

Music - tempo should drive editing: fast paced music mirrored with fast paced editing slow paced music accompanied with slow paced editing particular sounds may be foregrounded/ emphasised

for example if performance based there will be close-ups of relevant instruments

Genre - each genre carries its own codes and conventions TA would expect to see. Reflected in mise-en-scène, camera work, editing style Identification of generic codes/ expectations key to successful research

Camerawork - How camera used, how images sequenced - impact on meaning Angle, movements and shot distance fluctuate depending on music Upbeat tones likely to require more dynamic camerawork

Editing - film to edit. Some videos feature fast-cut montages (sometimes containing of random images).

Encourages repeated viewings in case viewer missed anything the first time. Editing helps establish mood, sometimes used to fragment narrative in order to develop interest

Questions to ask

Is the music video based in real life or fiction?

Is portrayal of the artist realistic or fictionalised? Consider: Costume; setting; narrative; setting/ mise-en-scene use of media language; links with

lyrics How are these designed to be received by the target audience?

Is the action/ behaviour presented in the video realistic?

How does the video represent the artist? Is it serious or funny? Is it realistic or exaggerated? How would the TA respond?

How does the video portray characters? Are they stereotypical? Are they reflections of real people?

How is the video edited and synched? How does the frequency of cuts effect mood/ tone? How does editing reflect rhythm?

Are the vocals performed/ synched or not?

How can you apply some of the theories you have covered to interpret the videos?

A couple of examples

White Stripes

Lady Gaga

Radiohead

Ash

REM

Radiohead