Teaching the Music Video Brief

Nikki Blackborow The Latymer School

Web/video Resources

Our blog: http://latymermediamusicvideobrief.blogspot.com/

All links and illustrative images, videos and playlists, productionwork examples, student blogs, production templates, examplesof treatments, storyboards etc can be found here on the blog

LatymermediaLongroadmediaHurtwoodhousemediaCoombemedia

Outline of A2 course

June (of Year 12) – Dec: Music Video Brief G324 (AS Brief: Film Opening sequence)

Jan: exam leave

Feb – May: G325 Critical Perspectives (Contemporary Media Regulation: Film and The Press)

June: exam leave

Organisation of unit G324

June – July: Introduce Music Video – form and style. Teach construction and performance. Use workshop video as a ‘prelim’ task. Focus on practical/creative skills. Students start their blogs.

Sept – mid Oct: Teach music video theory, ancillary tasks and wider issues. Set individual research and planning tasks for homework, one task per week

Mid Oct - Nov: Group research, planning & production work.

Dec: Audience screenings, evaluations and self/peer assessment. Agree levels and marks.

Jan: Teacher comments, produce compilation. Submission of coursework

Teaching Music Video

Summer Term of Y12 ideal time to start this unit

1st few lessons - lots of exposure to range of music videos

Aim - to build up confidence with terminology and increase understanding of the how and why of construction

Introduce a simple analysis framework

Students should understand that music video is a distinctive form

Useful to compare/ contrast to other forms – film, TV advertising, trailers etc

Theory/ theorists

Andrew Goodwin ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’1992

Carol Vernallis ‘Experiencing Music Video: Aestheticsand cultural context’ 2004

-Both available on Amazon

-Ensure the theory is accessible for students – cut itdown to one page of theory for each theorist

– can they use/apply it? If not, it’s not worth doing.

Other Resources

Essential Books:Pete Fraser’s ‘Teaching Music Video’ (available from the

BFI + Amazon) ‘30 frames per second: ‘The Visionary Art of the Music Video’ (Amazon)

Inspirational DVDs: Director ‘best ofs’ eg The Work of Director Michel Gondry(Amazon)

Latymer Music Video recent successes

2008 2 BBC Blast winners in Music Video category

2009 ‘I kissed a Boy’

2010 ‘Voodoo Child’

2011 ‘The Fix’

Teaching + learning

The new syllabus encouraged a re-think on skills development,approaches to creativity and professional practices:

1 day practical workshop each year Focus on performance, camera and editing Lip sync practice for all Understanding of structure and form Quality learning experience – stretch & challenge

Plus: Analysis of music videos, album covers, websites A focus on visual/creative planning from outset Awareness of evaluation tasks from outset Pitching process highly significant

Where to start

Start with your students and what they know

Discussion – everything they know about music video

Question – what makes a music video a music video?

Conventions – big list – what do they think music videos have in common

Students research and choose a music video they would consider to be the best example of the form

Screen them if possible, students explain their choice

Functions of a Music Video

What job does a music video do?

Look at music television, online/ viral, sales and promotion, video cds, compilations, synergy with film

How has this changed over time? Impact of new technologies over last decade

History of music video (with youtube clips for illustration)

Copyright issues

Alternative forms of music video – literal, lip dub and other fan based material

Wikipedia – good place to start

Illustrate with youtube clips – there are plenty to choose from!

Music Video analysis

• Key point – to explore the relationship between the lyrics, the

music and the imagery

• Pick your compilation for lessons around the concepts you want to illustrate

• Use the analysis framework provided

• Students apply the same analysis framework for a video of their choice

• Prepare an analysis of a video of their choice for their blog and present in class

• Post frames from their chosen video to illustrate points made

3 useful examples of narrative/ performance music videos

1. Britney Spears ‘Baby One More Time’2. Busted ‘What I go to School For’3. Wheatus ‘Teenage Dirtbag’4. She + Him ‘In the Sun’

Available on youtube Set in school Rich for analysis Past but popular/ familiar with students Relevant and accessible Students choose their own contemporary examples

for analysis/research

Key area for discussion (1) - Genre

Look for generic signifiers – dancing, gestures, overall look, instruments, lyrics

Familiarity, recognition, pleasure for audience

Genre as a tool for music video analysis – how useful/limiting is it?

Compare to analysis of film – quite a different process

Key areas for discussion (2) - structure

Music, lyrics, iconography - how do these work together?

Different relationship to film?

Which code is the more powerful?

Narrative, performance, concept?

Artist’s role

Why have these choices been made?

Key area for discussion (3)– camera and editing

Look at shot patterns

Compare to other forms

Breakdown and compare the way narrative and performance are constructed

Discuss: the process of shooting each of the above the process of editing each of the abovebeauty shots and performance bedswhy certain choices are made

Key areas for discussion (4) – representation

Explore representation of women through discussion of:

camera work, artist performance, dress, gesture, lyrics

who is in control?

audience – who is it for, alternative readings?

changing representations over time

Practical tasks to aid learning

Students remake short section of a music video. Work as a class or in groups to shoot + edit the remake. Cut all sections together at the end to form a whole

In pairs, choose a song and learn the lyrics. Then lip sync to song, shoot + edit the sequence

Evaluate the process and the learning associated with the above – like a prelim task

Practical/creative tasks to aid learning

Copy a look – students recreate a still photo in pairs

Play an unfamiliar track in class, & provide the lyrics. Students annotate the lyrics individually, then class discuss initial responses, thoughts around genre etc. Then students prepare a group treatment. Show the actual video and discuss

Students produce a storyboard for an extract from a professional video

Students create the shooting schedule for a narrative/ performance video

Can use the same approach with:

Marketing campaigns Album covers Band websites Magazine adverts Brand image/identityAim to: Discuss conventions/expectations first Have a few general examples ready Focus on one/two worked examples in detail Students follow up with their own choice, tailored to be relevant to their project Provide simple framework for analysis – a few questions The more visual the research, the better

Teaching the ancillary tasks

One lesson each on the form and style of:

• album covers• band and record label websites• magazine adverts for album

• examples and discussion• students can contribute chosen examples• use each lesson to inspire investigative work

Wider concepts

One lesson on each of the following: Audience consumption and popular music: how audiences are

targeted, audience pleasure and appeal

Institutions: structure of UK music industry, who owns what, copyright issues, exhibition and distribution, impact of recent technologies

Marketing and promotional campaigns

Construction of image, branding

Each lesson could inspire a mini investigative activity,which can then be used as individual research evidence

Development of Initial Ideas

Track selectionMoodboard to represent chosen genre ‘Collage’ style image or photos to represent chosen

target audienceLogo ideas to represent record labelScreen test shots of possible actorsBrainstorms of early ideas for tracksTreatment to represent music video ideasBuild up to a pitch to classUse the blog to illustrate the presentation and have a

hand out ready

Planning

Students are expected to produce:a timelinea storyboarda shot lista shoot schedulea call sheeta costume and props listongoing behind the scenes photos/video clips

The Portfolio

Each student has their own blogEach group has their own blogThese are all linked together and to the teacher hubResearch and planning tasksProvide a ‘menu’ or list of the kind of thing they must,

should or could doGuided tasks work best - make them fun and visual!Suggested tasks linked to work done in classWork done outside lessons from the startBuild evidence as they go alongMust have evidence of each stage

Research and planning evidence

Blogs should be visual and analytical, with regular postings, and no unexplained gaps

Research must be relevant and focused. It’s purpose should be to inform and inspire the production

Individual blogs should contain evidence of individual research, ideas, skills development, and reflections

Group blogs should focus on all group research, planning and production once the project is up and running

Students should formally close their blog when the project is over/on the day of the deadline

Evaluation

Group and individual task Groups brainstorm answers and debate points in class first Each group plans their own approach Important to demonstrate development from AS and a range of

technologies If presenting an answer on video, prepare answers in advance and

provide rehearsal time Illustrate with pre-selected clips, and other imagery Each student in group ‘leads’ the discussion at a different point All illustrative materials linked to blog afterwards Students post their reflections plus any points missed out Give a time limit and some quiet space Videos recorded in one take

Assessment

Positive marking systemBreak down the criteria according to your project and

students Is the evidence there? Interactive mark sheetCompilation DVDCandidates in sample create a ‘Dear Moderator’ final

postDo anything you can to ensure the moderator’s job is

made easier