Analysing Music Videos 1.

When analysing music videos, there are many theorists that all have their own ideas about how they can be analysed. One theorist is Craig Davis, who's theory was that music videos can be sorted into three 'genre categories'; Illustration, Amplification, and Disjuncture.

The first video I have chosen to analyse is Lady Gaga's video for 'Yoü And I'. I have chosen the video to analyse as it is an example of amplification and disjuncture in a video.
The lyrics and song have a back story of a failed relationship with a man from Springfield, Nebraska in Midwestern America and therefore, the obvious amplification link to those in the known of this is the location of which the video was filmed, which in fact was the whole video. The clips of which Lady Gaga is dressed as a man could also amplify this and suggest that she is 'playing' the character of her lover.
During the video, the artist playes the piano, which is in direct link with the music, another link to amplification as well as the fact that in almost every location she is with a male, which could have direct link to the lyrics 'you and I'.
The disjuncture in this video is represented through unusual choice of wardrobe such as the electrical wires from her chin or around her eyes during the beginning of the video, as well as the 'mermaid' sequence, which has no link to the song lyrics or back story.
The video contains narrative and performance codes such as the featured artist being advertised throughout the video repeatedly as well as the narrative being 'suggestive' to maintain interest from an audience who otherwise would find the video boring after the first few times of watching it.
The narrative also links to the 'Musical Synaesthesia' which are the two elements of a song that determine the visuals and the concept. Gaga's 'grain of voice' in this video, coming from the theory by Roland Barthes, is strong and powerful which could relate to how she feels about the situation and the lyrics, linking to her ex lover. Ther dominant musical arrangement in the video is a heavy rock bass, primarily from the dominance of the electric guitar throughout and musical solos by ex-'Queen' guitarist Brian May.
The multiple shots of gaga dancing in the barn would link to the 'conventions of solo artist' in terms of video performance, whereby the repeated shots engages the reader. This is also apparent through eye contact during mid-shots and close-ups from the first clip sequence outside in the road.
Only 1 in 10 artists promoted by a major record company will actually make that company any substantial profit, Gaga being one of them at 'Interscope'. Therefore, the 'Star Image' is key in any music video that she makes. For example, in the 'Yoü And I' video, her long blue hair or her memaids tail.
Many whip pans, crans shots and fast dolly tracks are used throughout the video, for example during the sequence when Lady Gaga is dancing in the barn with blue hair or even at the beginning when an entire phrase 'It's been along time since you came around, been a long time but I'm back in town' is filmed during one panning crane shot, shown here.

Analysing Music Videos #2

Continuing with Craig Davis' theory on 'Genre Categories', this video for 'Country Girl' by 'Primal Scream' has a genre of Illustration and Amplification.
The Illustrative side to this video shows the visuals of a straightforward link to the lyrics of the song and a simple narrative of a 'country girl' drinking, driving and partying in a cowboy hat and underwear. This could also be described as music video 'denotation'.
The Amplification side to this video is the implied concept behind the video. The 'country girl' played by 'Helena Mattsson' was inspired by the character of 'Baby' played by 'Sheri Moon' from Rob Zombie's 'House of 1000 corpses/The Devil'd Rejects'.
There is also a direct link between the visuals of the 'Country girl' and the song when she is listening to the song in the truck she is driving and singing along to the lyrics. This is also apparent towards the end of the song where she is dancing at a rodeo to the song. The shots of the 'country girl' dancing are edited alongside clips of the lead singer dancing which maintains a link between the two 'characters' and scenes.
The narrative code to the video shows shots of the lead singer 'Bobby Gillespe' as well as the visuals of the 'country girl' that relate directly to the lyrics in order to market and advertise the band. 'Repeatablility' is key in the shots of the band in order to maintain a reference to the band singing the song which is also an example of 'conventions of the band performance'.