Analysis of music genres - Miss Geourgio

Music videos appeal to an audience in a variety of different ways for instance they provide the audience with a visual experience to match with the song. This added visual experience can help the audience to gain a better understanding of the song. A music video is a good way for fans to feel as though they are achieving a new experience to gain a better insight or connection to the artist. Music videos can offer many different things such as new dance trends,fashion,  the artist may be following a narrative or concept in their music video which may represent some of the song or maybe a new way for the artist to express themselves or their creativity to the audience. Artists can use many different technical elements to make their music videos interesting such as different kinds of special effects which can help them to create an identity for themselves and stand out against others in the same industry.

Artists may also represent themselves through their music videos with the use of different genres such as dance, hip pop or indie etc using different genres allows the artist to show their own interests to their audience which helps them to gain a better understanding for them and their work. Following different genres also allows for artists to follow certain codes and conventions in order to help them make a successful music video which fits to their particular genre of choice. They are able to do so by using different micro elements such as mise en scene, setting and iconography, positioning of characters and objects within the frame, facial expressions and body language and lighting and colour. This also allows the artist in the knowledge that they are fitting their video to the genre well hence knowing that they will be pleasing the audience who they are aiming towards with that particular genre. As these different codes and conventions nod towards what it is about the genre that the audience are so found of and what really sets the genre up. As well as indicating towards the audience what kind of genre the artist is going for making them feel more comfortable in their knowledge and understanding of the music video.

Within his music video for song Over rapper artist Drake follows codes and conventions from that of the rap genre.

For instance Drake follows various different codes and conventions towards the genre involving elements of mise en scene. Such as his costume for the music video, the artist is dressed in rather stereotypical rapper clothing, wearing chains which are stereotypical towards the genre as they have that kind of street style fashion sense as well as connoting that the person wearing them is of great wealth as jewelry is seen as being expensive and certainly not something that is needed hence if people are  wearing them so casually and often it suggests that they have a lot of money to waste as they are treating these items so casually. Another piece of Drake's clothing which applies to this concept would be that his wearing a hoodie which is a convention towards the genre as this is the type of clothing you would stereo-typically expect someone who lives the kind of lifestyle rappers rap about wearing.  Rappers are often thought to wear this style of clothing as they are often associated with crime hence this is the type of clothing you would expect a  young criminal to wear as they may easily cover up their identity particularly with a hoodie as they are able to cover up their face. Often people claim to find large groups of boys wearing hoodies to be intimidating as they find it strange that they all choose to wear clothing which is able to cover them up suggesting that they are able to do something wrong. Often rappers like to present themselves as being involved in illegal activity etc as they feel that it makes them appear 'hard' and gains the interest of the audience hence helping their sales. Often rap artists feel that they have to behave in a certain manner to receive the audiences attention or respect hence dressing within this way implies certain connotations about the rapper which captures said expectations. Rap artists are often expected to behave in this way due to the stereotypical image of the kind of artists who break into the rap scene, how they got there, how they got to be interested in the rap genre in the first place and mainly the concept that all got rap artists have come from tough backgrounds as it provides them with a tougher mindset and enables them to have real life experience when rapping about the kinds of issues the genres audience can either relate to or want to hear about.

Mise en scene is also used within the music video when considering Drakes body language throughout the music video is also very stereotypical as he is often showcased throughout the video putting his head down, appearing very confident in the general way that he holds himself this all nods towards the genre as again this is the kind of way you would expect someone who obtains the kind of lifestyle of a rapper to hold themselves and fits the kind of attitude that they are stereo-typically thought to have. Rappers are thought to be very confident due to the controversial things that say and rap about as well as their 'don't care' attitude due to them rapping about things which parents may not necessarily want their young children hearing about such as sexual references,  drugs, strong language or swearing. 

Again mise en scene has been used  for the effect of the body positioning of Drake throughout the music video is again stereotypical as he is often standing in the centre, showing that he is very dominant as rappers are thought to be. It also highlights his confidence and suggests that everyone else around him allows him to behave in this way due to his confidence it also implies that their is a reason behind his confidence which is why people look up to him. Again this conventional towards the genre of rap as rappers are often known to have come through tough backgrounds and situations. 

Throughout the music video there are a lot of flashes, bright lights and exaggerated special effects such as an explosion going off on the screen behind Drake. This follows the genre as it creates a rather intense up beat vibes which is conventional towards the genre as rappers are known through creating songs with that kind of style. Hence being another aspect of mise en scene as it involves the factor of the lighting throughout the music video. Lighting was also used in other ways throughout the video, for the most part of the music video low key lighting is used so to create a darker theme, which is conventional towards the genre as rappers are thought to dark people this stereotypical view was created due to the general perception and understanding of rappers often involve quite dark aspects. For instance the idea that most rappers come from tough backgrounds facing poverty and often family troubles, many are thought to have been involved in crime which is thought to be a dark area in itself not only are the physical actions of involving yourself in crime thought of in this way but also the effect of having to accept what you've done as a criminal and trying to move past that and create something more with your life. Often due to these factors rappers are believed to be heavily involved in drugs and alcohol both substances which can lead to a lot of trouble with both physical and mental health. Hence using this type of lighting is conventional towards the genre as it is able to represent and match themes expected and desired within the genre enabling the artist to better portray himself and allow his audience to view him as a rapper. 

Another element of mise en scene which is conventional towards the rap genre would be the lighting used throughout, although there are flashes of light showed throughout, for the main parts of the music video the lighting is dark hence being conventional towards the genre as rappers are expected to be darker musicians compared to other artists from different genres. This belief stems from the sort of things rappers rap about for instance rapper Eminem is recognised for his controversial lyrics evening singing about killing the mother of his child. Aside from their lyrics and there actual music rappers are thought to generally be darker people due to the kinds of tougher backgrounds they are known for coming from, often from the 'ghetto' or poverty with bad relationships between parents possibly not even knowing their parents etc. The use of dark lighting is able to set the tone for the artist and demonstrate to the audience the kind of person the artist is enabling the audience to have a better understanding of the artist which is beneficial for a variety of reasons for instance it allows the audience to feel like they have a better knowledge and understanding of the artist which helps them to feel as though they are more able to understand and connect with the lyrics as they are made more aware of the artist and their personal struggles hence attempting to gain an understanding of the artists work on a more personal level. Keeping the audience more interested in the artists work and keeping them more relevant in their minds as they felt such a deeper connection with them than they had other artists. This prevents the concept which often comes about in the music industry where audience members decide they don't want to listen to certain songs anymore as they are 'old' and decide that the artist no longer matters if they haven't released new music for a while as the audience feels more respect for said artist. 

Another way in which Drake adapts his music video to the genre of rap is by having the appearance of scantly dressed women dancing/wandering around throughout the music video. This is stereotypical as often rappers are thought to achieve a lot of female attention due to their success, talent and money.  However Drake goes one step further with this as one of the women he chose to have appear within this music video appearing in this way is female artist Rita Ora. Often rappers promote their connections with other people within the industry as it highlights them as being successful as well as fun and well rounded within the industry promoting their credibility and making them appear more respectable. This follows the codes and conventions of the rap genre as the artist is evidently involving himself in this kind of activity out of his goal to receive respect from his audience which is conventional within the rap genres as male rappers are stereotyped to me alpha males. Known for taking charge and taking care of things often finically as rappers are expected to have large sums of money not just due to their large success but often due to illegal deals they are believed to be engaging in on the side.  This also follows Goodwin's theory of music videos portraying voyuersitic representations of the female audience for the audience to view without the character which the female is playing being aware of it. Being effective as throughout the media these kinds of images and representations of women are shown as it matches societies view and expectations of women thus it works with society didn't capture women within this way this technuique wouldn't be able to connect with the audience and effect them. 

Towards the very end of the music video there is a close up of Drake's face, showing very serious facial expressions which is conventional towards the rap genre as rap artists are thought to be very serious often portrayed to be fairly scary people who talk about topics which often people don't like to go into as they course a lot of controversy and result in upsetting people or fearing them they come across as obtaining certain views which wouldn't be looked upon as very respectable. The close up is beneficial to the music video itself as it highlights the seriousness of Drakes lyrics, suggesting that they are personal to him, adding more effect as he appears to really mean them. This works well as it allows the audience to take the song more serious as well as the artist. Often within the pop genre lyrics can actual be a lot deeper than the audience realises as the music videos almost contrast the lyrics as artists or dancers/extras etc don't appear to be particularly upset or serious etc hence meaning that the audience in turn focus more on the upbeat theme of pop than the actual lyrics within the song. 

Drake's costume isn't the artists only element of mise en scene which helps construct him towards his chosen genre of rap. His hairstyle is very conventional towards the rap genre as it is the type of hairstyle which you would expect to see of a rapper or even someone from the kind of ghetto area which you expect rappers to come from or even expect them to be not even necessarily professional rappers but people who rap for a hobby or because they feel that they may make a difference with their work. You would expect people from this background to be showcasing this type of hairstyle as it isn't particularly flashy or preppy it doesn't have connotations of trying to impress anyone yet it is still seen to be fairly attractive. It is also conventional as it doesn't appear to be the type of hair trim which demand a regular grooming routine which suits the genre as artists aren't thought to be too fussed with their appearance as there way of dressing is thought to be much more causal. 

Although it's use isn't made obvious due to the lengths of how much lower down the camera is than the artists isn't that great but a low angle shot is used following codes and conventions of the rap genre as rappers are thought to be strong and intimidating. Thus pointing the camera from below the artist showcases him as being intimidating, over powering and a alpha male. Rappers often portray themselves in this way as it enforces them to act upon the role they are expected to fill so to be respected and taken seriously as a rapper. This is another element of the genre which stems from the idea of rappers having to be tough due to aspects of their personal lives which have either meant that they have to behave in such a way and have such a persona or led them to do so. 

Mise en scene is again highlighted through the use of the artists facial expressions which at times appear to be quite aggressive and frequently help to make him appear more manly. This builds upon the image that the rapper artist is expected to fill. It is important for any rap artist to take on this role as without it the audience has been known to struggle to understand them as a rap artist for example when Eminem first stepped onto the scene members of the rap genre struggled to accept him and understand where he was coming from as a rap artist as at the time to be a rap artist obtaining all of these important elements of the genre it  was felt that an artist had to be black. Highlighting how seriously the rap audience take their genre thus the codes and conventions which make it up. This is often the case as the themes and issues mentioned within the genre are known for being quite personal to the audience, a large sector of the audience are thought to have struggles with crime themselves either through personal issues or someone they know hence making it more personal to them therefore meaning that they take it more seriously. 

Fast paced editing is used throughout various stages of the music video for instance the scene where the rapper is sitting on a bed with images flashing on the walls constantly changing at a fast rate. This use of fast paced editing is beneficial to both the artist and the audience as it captures the kind of adrenaline rush for the audience which the rapper urges them to feel so that they are able to join the rapper in sharing his fast paced range of emotions hence helping them to achieve a better relationship with both the artist and the music video further promoting the artist and their single encouraging the audience to listen to it more as well as to purchase it for themselves. The use of fast paced editing is conventional as it demonstrates that the rapper obtains a stereotypical mindset of a rapper which is believed to contain a lot of thoughts which the artists are expected to quickly move on from as they are thought to have many different issues, events and situations going on in their lives which they have to deal with including issues with their families and the law. This editing style is also used when the rapper is seen dancing for the same effects as well as being able to emphasis his dancing ability as it appears he is able to perform so really quickly so to keep up with the music. Said special effects are also a part of editing. They are able to benefit the music video as they are able to keep it interesting as it is something which the audience isn't use to seeing everyday. As well as being conventional towards the genre of rap as they provide connotations of the hectic fast paced lifestyle rappers are believed to have due to the variety of issues that rap about which indicates that they have a lot to do and involve themselves in many different matters of life. 

Transitions (editing) are also used throughout the music video as the artists uses examples of fading to black etc when going back and forth between scenes. This is good editing technique to make the movements between shots as it signifies the break downs of the different shots and scenes to the audience ensuring that they are fully aware of the differences between the scenes and what elements of the music video belong in which scene. If the artist wasn't to employ transitions within his music video then the audience may become confused by the on screen antics as they are unsure of how the artist got to this new location or even if they did or whether this is all apart of some complex narrative. Thus the artist wants to make these clear distinctions so to keep the audience on the same wave length as them following the narrative they wish to provide so to ensure that they are gaining the most from the experience the artist planned whilst picking up on any messages or motifs the artist is hinting towards within their work. 

An example of a music video belonging to the indie rock genre would be Hozier's 'take me to church' music video. 

Hozier's music video compared with Drake's which is performance based is a lot more narrative based. It is conventional for a music video of the indie rock genre to have a narrative based music video so that they are more capable of telling a story or providing a concept behind their music video rather than simply providing a nice visual experience to go with their song which doesn't really offer much other than a few dance moves. Music videos of this genre often offer a narrative or concept behind their music videos as it shows that their music is of a much or serious side. As well as helping the artist to be able to show a different side to them or help them to be able to provide the audience with further information about their song. 

The music video also follows codes and conventions towards the genre as the entire video is filmed in black and white or a black and white filter has been used. Which indie rock music videos often are such as music videos from the likes of the arctic monkeys as they display that this isn't just another dance music video that the audience can easy watch without really paying it much attention and understand right away. It also fits the genre as artist of this genre are also said to be much darker than artists of other genres such as dance, pop or hip pop. 

Mise en scene is used as the characters within the music video are wearing very casual clothes which is conventional of music videos from the indie rock genre as often within these music videos artists don't generally wear clothing which stands out or suggests that they've put a lot of effort into their appearance. This is often the case as artists of this genre take more pride and care into their actual music than they do their appearance as for them it is more about the quality of their music and often what they are saying. As is the case with Hozier as he fits his music video around the concept behind his song. The effect of characters within music videos of said genre wearing fairly causal clothes means that these elements of mise en scene are unable to take away from the original planned effects of the music video and turn it into something the artist didn't want. If an artist wore a really unique outfit in their music which was fairly shocking to the audience then it is likely that this micro element to the music video is only to be what is noticed the most, often receiving a lot of media coverage which results in it then being what the audience looks for when viewing the music video, as well as being the first thing they think of when they hear of the music video hence this one little element takes the shine away from all of the other things which went into the music video which the artist really wanted to bring across. 

A lot of mid shoots are used throughout the music video working in tune with the causal dressing of characters as again using shots which the artist which would be extremely used to seeing and showcases a wide amount of the on screen antics means that the audience are able to view the events on screen from a set view point not distracting them from considering the work which has gone into the music video and really experiencing it from a viewers eyes. If the music video was to content a wide range of different shots focusing on elements from different kinds of angles of view points etc it is likely that the audience may be taken away by this naturally noticing all of the different shots making up the music video considering how they may have been done, what angle they may have been shot from etc. As the music video is following a narrative based theme the artist doesn't want to create distractions for the audience as they want them to be able to focus on the storyline without getting distracting from it. Also the concept of the scene being shot reminds the audience that 

This particular music video is rather controversial due to it's homosexual content of which some people feel is wrong or inappropriate where as others feel that homosexual relationships deserve as much coverage as heterosexual relationships perhaps even more so to help change the views of people and urge people to respect the choices of others. This is conventional towards the genre as often artists from the genre produce rather controversial work as they are trying to produce more than just music and a music video. Hence when on the edge of touchy subjects such as sexual orientation which has mixed views it isn't likely that the video is going to please everyone and present the topic in the way that they would wish. However this controversy often helps the audience as it keeps the music video fresh and relevant and people are talking about it and the dramatic effect that it is having. 

Another element of mise en scene evident within the music video is iconography is also used within the music video to follow codes and conventions of the indie genre as there is a box which is covered in a lock and chain up which works  well with the lyrics as it represents a large dark secret which is then being buried. This represents how homosexual people have been known to suffer due to their sexuality due to discrimination etc. Often homosexuals have been known to lie about their sexuality either from ill advice from others or through their owns fears that they won't be accepted for how they truly are and will therefore be treated differently as people cannot handle the truth of them. This is conventional towards  the genre as often artists from said genre are known to make hints towards their lyrics within their music videos through this way. The result of it is that it enables the audience to really stay within the theme of the song stopping the music video from becoming a distraction from the actual song it is meant to be promoting and aiding the artist in bringing across the narrative or message they are attempting to deliver with their song. 

Along with the black filter low key lighting which is another element of Mise en scene is used throughout the music video which is conventional towards the genre as low key lighting is rather contrasty displaying both dark and bright areas within the same frame. This works as a convention towards the artists chosen genre as their genre of choice is known for promoting what the artist believes to be the truth. There is no covering things up and making things seem happier than they really are in which case high key lighting would be effective as it makes everything appear brighter therefore having connotations of things being better and people being happier. However the genre isn't known for being overly depressing such as The Blues which is often thought to be able to work people up emotionally and put them into bad moods. Indie rock is thought to be an honest genre where artists lyrics run deeper than that of others as they attempt to refer to issues either personal ones or the issues within society. 

The Mise en scene of the body positioning used throughout the music video is rather subversive the homosexual couple are often shown as being really close, hugging, walking close by each other and touching each other being affectionate. This is subversive as often within the genre artists and fan are expected to be a lot more closed due to their deeper way of thinking meaning that they are unable to connect with others who cannot share similar views to them; of as both genres of rock and indie are thought to be very different from the mainstream styles of music. Hence mixing the two genres together emphasis this even further. The effect of using this subversive piece of Mise en scene is beneficial as it contrasts what is expected within the genre and really enforces the idea of how close the couple really are. This enables them to be able to capture a better understanding of the characters and the narrative hence meaning that the audience are able to follow the music video more easily as they have a better knowledge of it therefore being able to gain from the music video what the artist wanted them to.

Continuity editing is used throughout the music video which is beneficial for both the artist and the audience as it helps the audience to follow the artists chosen narrative  in the style that they wish more easily as there is a constant flow hence preventing the audience from becoming confused via the narrative which may lead to them feeling bored or uninterested in the music video hence finding other things to do with their time instead as well as providing negative connotations upon both the song the music video is promoting and the artist themselves due to the audiences negative experience. Meaning that the music video is unable to perform it's job effectively to the appropriate standards. Therefore not only would the cost and time put into the production of the music video have been a waste but it also would have created a negative atmosphere around the artists work putting a damper on their value within the industry as well as their credibility and respect. 

Acting in a conventional manner towards the Indie rock genre special effects have been left out of this music video. This is conventional towards the genre as the indie rock genre is more about telling a narrative, bringing across ideas, concepts or ideology's rather than trying to impress the audience with modern technology's so to make the music video appear more impressive. As these elements may take the shine from what the artist is trying to bring about with their music video meaning that the audience wouldn't follow the videos structure as closely as they would like ruining the effect of the music video. 

Route 94 showcase the dance genre within their music video 'My Love':

The music video begins with the audience watching a man walk down a dark street at night which is stereotypical of the genre as the heavy beat plays indicating that a dance tune is about to begin which indicates as he is walking that he is walking towards a night club or some sort of rave which is conventional towards the genre as music from the dance genre is the kind of music which would play in these places or situations. Hence making the music video relateable to the audience and the situations it is likely to play in which helps the audience to feel more familiar. 

The music video displays people within the club drinking what is conveyed to be alcoholic beverages which is conventional towards the dance genre as the genre is associated with people going out which is in turn associated with drinking. This is often because people feel that they may only truly let themselves go once they have had a drink in order to enjoy themselves and have a good time. This is often done as people don't feel they can relax and enjoy themselves dancing without drinking hence again being conventional towards the genre of dance as the music is made both in an aid of that and so to promote it. 

Within the video iconography is used as there are also suggestions that people are taking drugs for instance the audience is shown a close up of a girl taking what appears to be some sort of people which in the situation is suggested to be illegal. This adds a another convention towards the dance genre to the video as often within the dance scene in plays such as raves etc people who are really into the dance scene experiment with illegal drugs claiming that it enables them to let themselves go, dance and enjoy themselves even more so than alcohol does as it allows them to experience life on a whole different level providing a new experience.

However providing this sort of connotation can be very controversial as illegal drugs can be very dangerous to your health and placing them in a music video so causally especially one which was frequently played on radio stations and was likely to be enjoy by younger audience members as it doesn't contain any strong language or harmful content can course much up roar. As parents don't want their children viewing the music video and then believing that this sort of behavior is normal or that drugs aren't that dangerous. However the controversy can actually help the music video as it creates a further hype around it getting the video fresh whilst creating word of the mouth. This added controversy itself  is conventional towards the genre as often within the dance genre things are shown/demonstrated within music video that the audience believes shouldn't be promoted as within the actual dance scene people behave in ways and do things which aren't seen to be acceptable. 

This ties in with the close up of a wolf or a dog which clearly doesn't belong in the scene however it is made to look as though it is there as it is shot through the same colouring as the rest of the video. This highlights that the people taking the drugs are seeing things/hallucinating which many takers of drugs claim to experience. This is conventional towards the dance genre as it highlights an experience of the dance scene as conveys that Route 94 really do understand the dance scene and are able to provide both a song and a music video good enough to represent it and been played in these scenes/situations. 

Another piece of iconography used throughout the music video following the codes and conventions of the dance genre would be the DJ and his. This naturally follows the codes and conventions of the dance genre as this is how you would expect dance music to be played in dance scene situations. As DJ's imply co notations of partying and dancing to up beat happy tunes. This piece of iconography helps the audience to understand that the artist really has followed all of the right steps to make this a good dance anthem. 

Throughout the music video body language and body positioning is demonstrated as many couples are seen getting very close and possibly even viewed as intimate. This is conventional towards the dance genre as it is often thought that the ways people experience the dance scene for instance really getting into/ lost in the music, experimenting with taking or drinking alcohol helps them to experience make people behave in this way. Hence it follows codes and conventions towards said genre as it is what you would expect to view in the scenes where this song would be suited playing.

The mise en scene involving the costumes the party goers are shown wearing for the duration of the music video are all rather causal clothing. Hence being relatable to the target audience (dance genre audience members) as this is the type of clothing said genre members are expected/stereotyped to wear including both in such a setting and in day to day life. This is due to the fact that this type of clothing is both casual which in this type of social situation is believed to be fashionable and comfortable allowing someone wearing the style of clothing to be free to dance around in the outfit hence being relatable to the genre as members of this audience are more active in their love for their genre as it encourages them to dance to it. It is beneficial for the artist for their music video to display these kinds of codes and conventions towards their genre as it conveys that the artist is a firm genre of the audiences chosen genre. Applying codes and conventions of a genre is also a good method for artists to apply to encourage audience members of said genre to follow their work as a musician as it is said elements which attract them due to the fact that things are the factors which make up their chosen genre so evidently these are things the audience likes and looks for in their chosen genre. 

There are various different ways artists are able to set their music videos to their chosen genres such as providing codes and conventions towards said genres through the use of mise en scene such a costume or iconography etc. It is important for the artist to set their music video to a certain genre so to help the audience understand where the artist is going with their song/music video. This also enables the artist to unsure themselves in the knowledge that they are going along the right lines with their music video as it provides them with guide lines which they can follows so that they know they are providing elements of the genre that they know the audience shall enjoy and therefore capturing those elements within their music video making it more enjoyable for their target audience. Having different set genres also helps the artist identify with who their target audience is as looking into the different genres and their codes and conventions tells the artist a lot about who their audience should be and how to attract them.

Continuity editing is demonstrated as the male character walks towards the club, greeting the bouncer and walking through the door this is beneficial towards the music video despite this being a subversive method as it aids the audience to capture the feeling behind the narrative which the music video is providing of this character entering a party scene and demonstrating the various kinds of antics himself and members of his social group shall be involving themselves within throughout the evening. This is subversive as dance music videos are usually less about a narrative and more about a performance based music video which is conventional as it showcases elements to the genre which the audience know and love for instance creating new dance trends.

Slow paced editing is used as the main character enters the club scene so to enhance the audience with the characters surroundings and really set the scene. This is beneficial to the audiences experience as it provides them with a more sound understanding of what she going on within the setting of the music video hence they are more able to build a relationship with the protagonist as the audience feels they obtain a greater understanding of what is going on within the music video. Therefore benefiting the artist as this helps the music video to perform it's job of engaging with the audience and creating a positive experience for them to remember the artist by.