1B key concepts mindmap

GENRE
- Performance based music video which is typical of the alternative/pop genre. 
- Conforms to Goodwin's theory as I follow the characteristics of the alternative/Pop genre. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals of the song, allowing the audience to follow the video and understand what is going on. 
- Genre of pop is generally happy and upbeat however my music video is slow and sombre. Quite similar to the alternative genre however it is a mix of the two together. 
- Gow (1992) suggested that the "predominance of performance indicates that music video defines itself chiefly by images of artists singing and playing songs."

NARRATIVE
- Refers to a story that is told in chronological order, as the woman featured in the video is looking back on her youthful days with it ending back to her towards the end of the video. 
- Beginning to end. 
- Cause and effect. 
- Linear narrative. 
- Heavy performance based. 

REPRESENTATION
- Artist is represented as the typical 'whore' character by Laura Mulvey. 
- Many close up shots of the artists face and body to sexualise the artist. 
- Shots of the artist putting on makeup to appear beautiful and feminine. Putting on heavy lipstick and mascara to enhance her appearance which is clear to the audience which links in with the lyrics of the song as she's trying to appear more "Young and Beautiful".
- Also many costume changes - variety of dresses, jumpsuit etc. 
- Contradicts Saussure's theory of brightness and colour through location and clothing. The artist is in a black studio room to compliment the sombre tones of the music as it is quite slow and sincere. However, the artist does progress towards the end of the video where she is much older, but is at home where there are bright lights and she's wearing bright colours, suggesting she's now happy and cheerful as opposed to previously.  

AUDIENCE
- Goodwin's theory of star power; all attention is focused on my artist through a wide variety of close up, mid shots and long shots with her giving direct mode of address towards the audience which portrays her power. 
- Goodwin stated that meaning is embedded into the music video through codes and conventions with 5 main aspects needing to be considered in order to be successful. Complex meaning is given to the audience through the noticeable link between the visuals and lyrics of the song so that the audience understand the meaning of the song and what is happening. 
- Saussure states that within a music video there are many signs which communicate meaning and suggests that no object is without a meaning. Individual differences depending on who is watching the music video as they can interpret it differently due to their individual experiences, making the signs in the music video polysemic. 

MEDIA LANGUAGE
-  Roland Barthes noted, Saussure's model of the sign focused on denotation at the expense of connotation. 
- Signifiers such as the makeup, the red dress, the black dress and the golden jewellery and diamonds all have signified signs of wealth, beauty and power.
- Many visual progressions including how she starts in a small black studio to a big stage and how she is young in the beginning and then much older towards the ending. 
- I used Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects to create a vintage touch, as the song is quite old and classic with an elegant touch. I also made all of the clips softer to match with the song and make the artist seem more flawless. Enhancing the colours also made the reds and gold’s stand out – both of which are quite powerful colours which connotation wealth power and beauty.