Taxonomy

As part of my research I have learnt the meaning of the term 'Taxonomy. ' Taxonomy of music videos means grouping music video but not by genre. In groups we were asked to look at music videos and group them together (taxonomy). No music is categorised in in the same group as there are a wide variety of different music videos produced so there is no taxonomy of music videos.

My group and I came up with different taxonomies which we think music videos go into, they are;

Performance

• Live
• Tour
• Studio
• Dancing
• Fantasy
• Abstract
• Artistic
• Horror
• Comedy

Computer Generated

• Stop Motion
• Animation
• Anime
• Illustrations
• old school

Narrative

• Linear
• Non- linear
• Classic
• Disjointed
• Barthe's code

Production

• Low budget
• Big budget
• Home made/ DIY
• Amature
• Entropic
• Redundant
  

Informative

• Historical
• Emotional
• Documentary

From each category I have looked at music videos which are good examples from each of them and have analysed why they belong to that category.

Performance video;

Artic Monkey's- I bet that you look good on the dance floor

Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor

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What makes I bet that you look good on the dance floor a performance video is it has several aspects of the criteria which makes it a performance video. It contains a live performance from the band playing their instruments and singing into mic stands throughout the entire video. The Artic Monkey's are performing in a studio set up which also makes it a performance video, this is unusual for a music video as it looks as though it is an audition tape which would make it an amature, low budget music video. This video reflects the Indie genre music videos as it is; original, different, edgy, gives off a 'cool' vibe and portrays the band as 'cool,' talented musicians.The way the lead singer is presented i.e. casual looking, calm and cool creates a commercial look for him which reflects the Indie genre. The camera angles used in this music video include; close up shots of the lead singer

represents him as a likable person who the audience can create a strong connection/bond with, which create a brand image for the band which music video's intentionally try to create so that the band appeals to a wider/ selective audience. The band image that comes across to me is they are; cool, contemporary, causal,passionate Indie guys. Many other camera angles and techniques have been used in this music video such as;a pull focus, this adds depth of field to the composition (print screen) and frames both the drummer and lead singer perfectly. By using depth of field it focuses on one subject and blurs the surrounding, by pulling the focus forward it reverses this , this adds a quirky camera technique which is relevant because if the video constantly used cut edits the video would be redundant and repetitive which would bore the audience as the concept of this particular video is redundant but the way it is executed using different camera angles it produces more of a simplistic, entropic music video.

The Ting Tings- Shut up and let me go

The Ting Tings - Shut Up And Let Me Go

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This video for Shut up and let me go is for the electric pop genre and I believe it is a performance video, as there are elements that reflect the performance aspects, such as; vibrant lights and effects are used to create an abstract, artistic and inspiring video. The Ting tings sing along with the track which makes it a performance video but not as much as I bet that you look good on the dance floor. Throughout this video there are subtle dance sequences with both the artists which is quite expressionistic and dramatic.

Computer Generated music videosEiffel 65- Blue da ba dee

This video is a great example of 'old school' computer-generated 3D animation, the use of the animation makes this music video entropic to a certain extent. At the time this music video was produce (1999) is was consider the defining song of pop culture in 2000 and the video was nominated for a Grammy. The video is illustrative to the song as the song is about someone who is blue living in his own little world, this is reflected by creating a blue alien who is literally out of this world. The video reflects the dance- pop genre or as the band say they are

'euro pop' by using live performances and concert set ups with a typical mise

en scene of the pop genre; flashing lights, elaborate sets and effects. I mentioned

that the look of the video was very entropic but I do not think the narrative is not so much; we

see the lead singer about to perform at a concert then he is abducted to play for the blue skinned aliens, this is an accurate summary of the video but yet the video it self still to this day is mesmerising, or maybe it is the song?

Ok Go- End love

This video has used stop motion photography which is when a photograph has been taken for every movement then all the photographs are placed in a time line and is edited together to create a video which creates different effects. I believe this is not the best stop motion music videos produced but I have chosen this one as it has not just used stop motion. This video I believe is trying to creative, arty and inspiring but I think it is actually rather amature and is put together to a poor quality standard. The reason why I say this is because they rely on slow and fast motion editing which I think is a cheap and unprofessional way to fasten or slow down the pace of the video, they could of cropped down the clips to speed the video up. At times the

video unnecessarily used the speed up tool which caused lip syncing to be out with the soundtrack which was very off putting. The location and the basic setting is a good combination for the video to take place and is entropic for the genre which is; power pop/alternate rock. Ok Go are know for their creative, quirky, extravagant, arty videos e.g. Here it goes again which tend to be viral hits on Youtube which this one has and it has inspired many people to experiment with the stop motion style.

Narrative Music videos

Katy Perry- California Gurls

Katy P

erry fe

aturing Snoop Dogg - California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg)
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California Gurls by Katy Perry is a brilliant example of a music video with a linear narrative. This means that the video is told in chronological order in events that happen. This music video is easy to sum up in a sentence... Katy is placed into a board game and has to find her way to safety, she meets others who have been trapped then she takes on killer Gummy bears to defeat Snoop Dogg. The linear narrative is a basic story, it is Katy going on a journey but she faces some obstacles on her way this idea is redundant but how the video is put together and the theme makes the video entropic. This video was inspired by the artist Will Cotton who painted landscapes out of candy and women who lye on pink candy floss clouds naked. The video acts as a story teller, taking the audience along with Katy through her journey as we are give an establish shot at the beginning and then we are with Katy for the entire journey. The song and the video are disjuncture as there is no mention of candy in the song but I could argue maybe it is an amplifying music video as the lyrics say...

"Let' take a journey." and "You can travel the world."

Production Music video's

Feeder- Just a day

This Just a day is one of my favourites songs and also the music video for it is also one of favourite videos. This particular music video comes across as amature and obviously has a extremely low budget as they have used other peoples/ fans home footage of themselves miming in their bedrooms and 'rocking out' along with the track. I would describe this video to be amplifying as the people in the video are reacting to the song e.g. singing and dancing. There is no narrative structure to this video, as it a bunch of clips edited together to create a fun, quirky video.

As this video intrigued me I researched how it was created. Feeder posted a competition on their official band website, in which fans had to send in an unedited video of themselves reacting to Just a day and the director would choose the best ones. After being notified that their video footage would star in the production they were asked to stay off any forum rooms until the video was realised, I believe they did this so that this video would create a big impact in video history as it has never been done before to my knowing. By the band posting this ad on their website they have have used media 2.0 which is involving the fan and audience in the production of the media and in this case the music video.

This video is entropic as it is; creative, original and connects with the audience. I say this because it shows the joy people get out of a song as much as the video. Feeder have decided to use fans home footage rather than create a stereotypical rock music video which is inspiring and quirky. The idea of different people's footage edited together to create the video is very impressive and the audience can easily associate themselves to at least one person shown in this video. It seem authentic that it is fans who have sent this footage in rather than people staging and acting their sequences which I believe creates a; fun, quirky, likable music video. The song itself is amazing, when you hear it you just want to jump about with excitement and Feeder have taken this feeling and created a music video to illustrate this. This video appeals to a mass audience from young to old and this is because Feeder have chosen to show a variety of ages, ethnicity's and both genders in the video. This video was probably produced as it was possibly the cheapest way to create a music video, Feeder would not of known that this video would be such a viral phenomenon and has inspired many others to produce videos similar to this e.g. Jet plane landing- Brave Gravity.

Jetplane- Brave Gravity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeDxvvjGldUv=HeDxvvjGldU

< Just a day

I mentioned that many bands have been influenced and inspired by Feeders Just a day music video and here I have print screened shot from Just a day and Brave Gravity music video.

The brave Gravity video I believe is the best example where a band has been inspired by another video. Both Feeder and Jetplanes are of the rock genre so the video was a great choice for Jetplanes to recreate to fit there song. At times Brave Gravity use very similar shots to Just a day which I have print screened.

Brave Gravity>

This is the first comparison print screens of both videos. Here I have shown that footage of people playing instruments in a familiar environment. In just a day fans are mimicking the band performance in their room where as in Brave Gravity they seem to be performing in a school classroom.

<Just a day

Brave Gravity>

These two print screen illustrate similarities. When watching both videos I noticed the most uncanny resemblance in them, both have a child playing a guitar. This just could be a coincidence but is very unlikely, Just a day is known for it wide age variety staring in the video; old and young. In Brave Gravity it seems that they have took this idea of different ages and incorporated it into the video and used similar characters e.g. child playing guitar but in this video it is a boy rather than a girl which to be honest is changed to make out that Jetplane's has not completely copied the Feeders video.

<>

Brave Gravity>

Finally I have print screened these shot from both the videos. When comparing them to one another I noticed that Jetplane's have been inspired by Feeder's video Just a day, they seem to of copied characters but added their own twist to it. Here I have looked at the solo female character that appears in both videos, she seems to be depressed in both. In Just a day a girl is amplifying the meaning of the song to fit her situation which I believe she has just broke up with her boyfriend. In Brave Gravity it is not so obvious why the girl is depressed but the mise en scene surrounding her gives us dark impression of this character e.g. black print, selective lighting from the right which creates a shadow on the left side of the girl.

Informative music video's

Avril Lavigne- Knocking on heavens doors

The lyrics being sang by Avril lavigne are illustrated in graphic imagery which relates to the message being sang in the song. This video I would say is documenting the effects on the children in Iraq which is shocking but Avril Lavigne wants to raise awareness of the effects, she does this successfully through this video. Shock and disturbing clips are shown in this video which creates authenticity and gives a heart renching, emotional tone to the video as the audience know this ckips being shown are real. There is also performance in this music video from the artist which you expects from an acustic, emotional song but I think Avril is shown in several times is to show that a rock star chick is supporting that certain charity and hopefully her fans will follow her and support those children in Iraq.