Voyeurism is the idea of being forced to look upon someone to gain sexual pleasure, the person being watched is often unaware, but you are choosing to do so. You are choosing to watch the voyeurism as pleasure is gained. They are intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions usually considered to be of a private nature within the music video to create a sense of pleasure for male and female spectators. It has been suggested that the male viewer's gaze is the most powerful at objectifying women. Goodwin states female performers are frequently sexually objectified in music videos by camera work and editing with the fragmented body to emphasize the sexualised treatment of the performer. The reason why voyeurism is commonly used is because it is an effective way of selling a product and creating audience interest. Voyeurism is also seen in music videos through the system of screens within screens; characters watching others on television via webcams. For example watching CCTV within the world of narrative, a video that used this is Justin Timberlake's video for 'Sexy Back' and 'Ayo technology'.
Beyonce- 1+1 Beyonce is often known for her sexual approach, this video of hers in particular is a strong demonstration of voyeurism. Beyonce is shown sexually through camera angles and editing throughout the video. She has kept the video very minimalist as there is no choreography like she normally does, it is just her in the center frame the whole time which shows she is the main focus and is in control, this is because it is her video. In the beginning it is made to look as if she is naked as we only see above her shoulders, she is covered in oil and glitter and there is light shining on her which almost makes her look goddess like. This is a good example of voyeurism as this is seen as very sexually appealing, especially for men, this demonstrates manipulation of the audience. She is singing directly to the camera and her eye line is matched to ours which engages the audience more. There is a close up at 0:34 of her face, the camera then travels down but then stops before we see anything this is almost like a mans gaze. There is a shot of her touching her chest, this directs the attention of the audience to that area, this often seen as a sexual part of the body, this again shows manipulation as she is making you want to see more but you know she will not. By doing this it shows she is in control as she has chosen to include this in her video, therefore the representation of her is shown as a strong independent women which is what Beyonce often conveys in her video. We are later shown that she isn't actually naked but she is wearing a mini dress which gives the impression that she is naked. They repeat the shot of her taking her straps of the dress, again this is to make the audience keep watching. Voyeurism is shown through her actions of undressing. There are a lot of close ups of her eyes and mouth when there is water pouring over her, and when she is rubbing ice over her body, this is seen as very suggestive.
There is dark lighting used to make it feel more seductive. We see a mans arms around her but do not see his face, this indicates that she is the main person in the video. The costume and lighting also demonstrate voyeurism well. For example the black eye make up and leopard print bralet, pants and tights are seen as quite sexy outfits. The lighting is calm and ambient this is enhanced with the smoke to make the atmosphere more seductive. Also her dancing she does on top of the man would be appealing to men as it presents her as a sexual character. Slow motion effect is used to show her body for longer and see every movement. The actions in this video make you also focus on the lyrics as well as the sexuality of her. This video is based on voyeurism, and our video is not. However, we will use the idea of focusing a lot on the artist and focusing on certain parts of her body to show voyeurism. We need to create voyeurism in our video to create pleasure for our audience. The voyeurism in this video empowers the artist which we will use in our video to show that the artist is in charge. To also show this we will manipulate the audience to show that the artist is in charge, showing that the representation of our artist is a strong one.
Some of the necessary elements to a successful music video are: camera work, editing, digital effects and mis en scene.
Camera Work
Camera movement will mostly accompany the movement of the performances i.e walking, dancing etc.
Also it can be used to create a more dynamic feel to stage performance. For instance, constantly circling the band as they perform on stage.
The Close-Up Predominates
To create a sense of intimacy for the viewer and to feel connected with the audience.
It also emphasises half of the commodity on sale (not just the song, but the artist, and particularly the voice).
Editing
Most common form of editing is fast cut montage, vending many of the images impossible to grasp on the first viewing thus ensuring multiple viewing.
Videos which use slow pace and gentle transitions to establish the mood of the video
Editing and Digital Effects
They're to create pleasure for the audience Enhancing the editing and digital effects which play with the original images to offer different kinds of pleasure for the audience. This might take the form of split screens, colorization and of course blockbuster film CGI.
Mis En Scene
Costume, props, location etc are key for establishing the genre and mood of the music video.
For example if it's an alternative/folk genre people playing instruments are often used.
Need to use the right performer to make the audience feel connected.
I like how they changed the original song to focus more on the visuals rather than the audio, for example they slow some of the lyrics down (0:32)and change them around. There are cuts in the video so that the music stops playing and it is silent so you can see the detail in the video (0:14-23). It makes you keep watching because they have changed the music and it is quite abstract. An idea I could use from this video is the idea of editing the original piece of music to make the video more appealing. I have learnt you don't have to follow the original music to make a music video, you can make more of a story.
I think this is quite a good video because it is very different to anything she has ever done before. I like the use of props in this video for example the dancing teddy bears and the hand that bleeds paint (1:01). It makes me keep watching because there are very weird props used, for example the chip skull. It is a video for teenagers because of some of the themes in it such twerking. I could take ideas from the performance to the camera, also the lighting and colour as it matches throughout. Makes you think outside the box. This uses typical conventions of a pop music video, for example the use of artificial lighting to make the artist look flawless, and also there is use of props and dance routines. Like most pop videos they show people in the video having fun which makes the audience want to have a good time. Avoid making the video look bad with some of the props and costume as we would not be able to buy props used in this video. Also use typical conventions of chosen genre so it is clear to the audience.
Kodaline - All I Want
I think this is a good video as the visuals match the lyrics and meaning of the song. It makes you keep watching because there is a story going on and the main guy is not human which makes the video unusual. The tone of the video is quite sad which matches the tone of the song. it is clear that this genre is indie because the colours and lighting are low and quite dark, which in this video is done to convey the emotion of rejection and love. I have learnt you do not need camera performance to make a good video. You need to have a story that is suitable to the lyrics. This kind of video is achievable as it is not too complex.
Kanye West - BLKKK SKKKN HEAD (Explicit)
I like this video because of the animated performance of Kanye, which is what makes you keep watching. The visuals match the tone and beat of the music for example when its loud it jumps to a dogs mouth which makes you jump. Also the fact that it was all black and white throughout made the video have a greater impact. The conventions of hip hop are used in this video, for example cutting the video to the beat of the video to make it loud and in your face. Kanye wears a gold chain, jewellery like this especially chains are used in hip hop videos to show their wealth and how far they have made it. From this I learnt you don't need more than one performer as you can use other visuals as well. However doing animation may be too complicated.
I like this video because it's comedic, they have used famous comedians to play the members of Mumford & Sons which is what makes you keep on watching it. I like how the music video started off seriously as they didn't show you the band properly only their feet and the back of them but then you are shown the comedians, this makes it funny because as the audience we were fooled into thinking it was the real members of Mumford. (0-1:04). Its also appealing because it was making fun of the members in the band. From this video I have learnt you can use comedy to make your video appealing-but it has to be obvious humour. We know this genre is folk/rock due to the instruments used and the setting of the video. From this video I have learnt that it is important to use an appropriate setting to help establish the genre.
What I like about the video is the burst of colour at certain points and also the different costumes. I think the dancing works well with the style of the music video and type of costumes. It makes me keep on watching because it is Gaga and you never know what is going to happen, it is quite random. An idea I could use is the use of colour, for example some of the video is in black and white and some is in colour. Also I could take inspiration from the costumes and props. From this I have learnt performance helps when engaging the audience. Also from this video I have learnt that you do not need to follow the exact lyrics of the song, as in this video the visuals do not illustrate the lyrics and there is no narrative. From this I know that music videos are allowed to be random as long as they engage the audience.
The 1975 - Chocolate
I like how this video is in black and white as it goes with the type of band they are, which is indie/rock. The use of light works well as the video is in black and white the light makes things stand out more, like when the band are in a smoky room you can see the outline of them which makes it more mysterious. The pan around the band works well as it helps you see the smoke and the shadows more (0:51). From this video I have learnt you don't have to directly perform right to the camera, for example the singer of the band was lip syncing however it was as if there was no camera in front, I think this is a good technique I could use in my video. The mis en scene really helps define what kind of band they are, as it is quite a dark video. The lighting, mis en scene and setting establish that this is an indie band. As the setting is in a dark room and a rural area.
I think what makes this video appealing is that the visuals at the beginning of the video are quite confusing as it doesn't really go with the music, but then then further it makes more sense. I like the use of location in this shot where the singers are. What makes this a good video is the use of close ups on the performer and the when they also blur some parts when they are singing, it all adds to the confusion of the video. I like how the tone of the video changes when Drake comes in, as it all becomes dark i.e the lighting and the camera techniques change. From this video I have learnt that you can combine two videos together, for example in this there is a projection of another clip playing whilst he is singing. I think I could use the idea of distortion and confusion when making my video. They use the conventions of r&b by showing sexuality throughout the video, eg the projection of the womans behind the artist and also the close ups of her (1:05). There is a sense of mystery within this video, which is what makes the video appealing.
Thirty Seconds To Mars - Up In The Air
I like this video because of all the different things going on in such a big space, and it is all very creative. What makes you keep watching is all the performance going on, and the intro in the beginning which counts down to the song, they build it up with certain objects. I like the slow motion (3:05) and repeating techniques of the dancers, it fits with the music and it makes it more dramatic. A technique I could use is not playing music all the time and there just being silence to make it more dramatic. I like the idea of how they made a small art film, by showing different individuals talents.
MACKLEMORE X RYAN LEWIS - OTHERSIDE REMIX FEAT. FENCES
I think what is really interesting about this video is its simplicty of it, as it really goes well with the rap and the style of the artist. I like how they changed the tone of the visuals to become quite dark as it shows its more serious. The way they edited the performance of the rapper and the story works well as it helps you understand what is going on. The close ups of the story work well as it makes the lyrics deeper as you see what is going on close up. From this I have learnt you can also make an interesting video even if a lot isn't going on, however you must have a good performer and the right visuals to go with the lyrics.
