Indie/Folk Pop Conventions

3 Concept Ideas

Music Video Inspiration Mood Board

In order to gain inspiration for my music video, I have made an account on Pinterest. Pinterest is used to collect ideas for projects and interests. Pinterest allows you to create and share collections (called “boards”) of visual bookmarks (called “Pins”) that they use to do things like plan trips, develop projects, organize events or save articles and recipes.

http://uk.pinterest.com/alicevenard/music-video-inspiration/

Lyric Timings

"Thinking Out Loud"

When your legs don't work like they used to before 0.01-0.04
And I can't sweep you off of your feet 0.07-0.09
Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love? 0.13-0.16
 Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks? 0.19-0.22

And, darling, I will be loving you 'til we're 70 0.23-0.31
 And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at 23 0.35-0.44
And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways 0.45-0.53
Maybe just the touch of a hand 0.54-0.58
Well, me—I fall in love with you every single day 1.00-1.05
And I just wanna tell you I am 1.06-1.10

So honey now 1.11-1.14
 Take me into your loving arms 1.17-1.20
 Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars 1.23-1.27
 Place your head on my beating heart 1.29-1.31
 I'm thinking out loud 1.33-1.35
That maybe we found love right where we are 1.36-1.42

When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades 1.44-1.47
 And the crowds don't remember my name 1.50-53
 When my hands don't play the strings the same way 1.56-2.00
 I know you will still love me the same 2.02-2.05

'Cause honey your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen 2.06-2.14
 And, baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory 2.19-2.26
 I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways 2.29-2.36
 Maybe it's all part of a plan 2.38-2.43
Well, I'll just keep on making the same mistakes 2.44-2.49
Hoping that you'll understand 2.50-2.54

But, baby, now 2.55-2.56
 Take me into your loving arms 3.00-3.02
 Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars 3.06-3.10
 Place your head on my beating heart 3.12-3.15
Thinking out loud 3.16-3.18
That maybe we found love right where we are 3.19-3.26

So, baby, now 3.50-3.52
 Take me into your loving arms 3.55-3.58
 Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars 4.01-4.05
Oh, darling, place your head on my beating heart 4.05-4.09
 I'm thinking out loud 4.11-4.13
That maybe we found love right where we are 4.14-4.20
Oh, baby, we found love right where we are 4.20-4.26
And we found love right where we are 4.27-4.34

Lyric Analysis

Ed Sheeran Music Video Research

Ed Sheeran, is notably known for not having a main role in his music videos but instead usually has a small cameo. Sheeran stated that music videos should revolve around the song not the artists. Due him not featuring in his music videos it allows him to make the narrative the main focus. 

The A Team

 It narrates the story of a girl addicted to drugs, living on the streets of London, played by Selina MacDonald. She tried to sell magazines for money, but only managed to sell one to Sheeran. The girl struggled so much that she resorted to selling her body to earn money. She may not have loved it, but it provided her with a general income. Later on, the pain became too much for her to bear and she just wanted to end it all. She traded in her "dirty" money for drugs, referencing the lyric "...and in a pipe she flies to the motherland." In the end, the girl succumbs to her drug abuse.

Lego House

The video's narrative at first portrays Rupert Grint as Sheeran, performing such activities as writing lyrics for the song on a pad of paper, lounging in his tour bus, and ultimately taking the stage for a cheering crowd. However, after Grint takes the stage and is immediately tackled by security, it is slowly revealed that Grint is actually stalking Sheeran and is an obsessive fan, and that the events of the video were actually him stalking the real Ed Sheeran with increasing severity and mental instability (writing the song was actually transcribing the lyrics from the album cover, and lounging in the bus was him breaking into it), ending with Sheeran and Grint meeting as Grint is forcibly removed from a music venue and Sheeran comes out of a lift.

Give Me Love.

The girl has always had these preconceived notions of love; she understands it and is capable of it but no one will love her back. She is someone so full of love, but has no one to love her back. So she sets out to find it. She starts to literally build and create the kind of person she wants to love and when that’s not enough she goes out looking for it wherever she can find it. She becomes a cupid of some sort shooting down anyone before she even knows if they’re capable of loving her back. But her attempts fail, making her feel worse because everyone around seems to be finding the one thing she’s looking for without trying. She’s down and desperate, finding anyone and anything that can give her the “high” of love, turning to the grimy night time scene, where she “shoots” (stabs) everything. When all her attempts fail she is broken, done with finding love, it kills her she shoots herself believing that she’ll be by herself forever. But when she least expects it- Love finds her, literally awakens her and opens her eyes. Her true love comes in to take a closer look at the crime scene.

Don't

This music videos shows the rags-to-riches of an aspiring dancer. The video begins by showing the dancer sleeping on a mattress in an abandoned lot. Although, he only owns a pair of dusty, old shoes on his feet, he gracefully dances his way to clean clothes and riches. This is a representation of Ed Sheeran's life, despite the sad lyrics, Sheeran was homeless but managed to make it in the music industry but has still stayed the same. The majority of this video is all one shot and has minimal editing, this allows the video to look fresh and unique. Making the song seem happier than it is.

CHOSEN SONG

THINKING OUT LOUD - ED SHEERAN

"Thinking Out Loud" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It features production from frequent collaborator Jake Gosling. The song was released as an "instant grat" digital download to the iTunes Store on 18 June 2014, serving as a promotional single from his second studio album, X (2014). It entered the UK singles Chart at number 26 and has since peaked at number 16. The song and album is of pop, R&B and soul genre.

Music Video Song Ideas

History Of Medium

History of medium/ history of music video from s0016541

Conventions Of A Music Video

Convention of a music video from s0016541

Eminem - Not Afraid

• uses a variation of shot types
• The song and music video narrates his journey into recovery and sobriety. Eminem is shows to not be afraid to take a stand and face his demons, as this video represents him gaining strength (ability to fly) from his weakness.
• Eminem also takes a literal meaning with the lyrics when presented in the music video. For example when he raps '..look down on me..' the camera shows him from an high angle looking as if he's about to jump off the ledge. "and to the fans, i'll never let you down again i'm back', he walks into a busy road narrowly avoiding collisions with cars and buses symbolizing how he won't let anything stop him or get in his way.
• There are also a lot of mirror shots. When Eminem looks into the mirror, he sees his reflection as a distorted face which connotes to him having to face his demons every day and that they are there. He eventually breaks the mirror showing his new found strength.
• This music video also features a lot product placement especially from Nike. Artists use product placement as another means of gaining profit.

Ignition - R Kelly

• the music video is set in a night club where Kelly is seen wearing a celtics jersey. The club is meant to be inside of a stretch Jeep limousine. 
• Kelly is also seen at different parts of the music video sporting a white fur coat.
• there is no real narrative of the music apart from being set in a club
• the location and mise-en-scene fit the R&B genre
• when Kelly sings 'toot toot' and 'beep beep' the camera cuts to close ups to limosuines and female behinds. Which shows the wealth and importance of these two things to Kelly.
• edited to the beat to show how upbeat the song is
• slow motion of girls dancing in the club

Sia - Chandelier

• The music video is shot in what appears to be a one take, however it could be edited to appear this way.
• The video is set in only one location - this could make the viewer find it boring. However, the main focus of the video is of the dancer.
• Sia is never seen in her own music videos but in 'Chandelier' she is represented by a young girl, Maddie Ziegler, sporting the well known Sia wig.
• Not being seen in your music videos could be a good thing as it allows for deeper connotations
• The music video is all dance by Ziegler
• Sia sings about a wild party girl who is literally swinging from the chandelier at night, but crippled by feelings of intense guilt and shame come morning.
• The video is set in an old and dirty apartment which could represent the narrator's mind - troubled, neglected, and cluttered. Ziegler's dance moves and endless child like energy perfectly embody the reckless abandonment with which the narrator is living her life. This video is an exhilarating, surprisingly fascinating visual depiction of addiction - and probably even depression.

Lana Del Rey - West Coast

• black and white effect - suggests an emotional aspect 
• edited to the beat at the beginning
• the shots get longer which got connotes to their relationship being long lasting
• video focusses on a couple on the beach
• vintage effect shots of past events in contrast to high quality shots of the present day
• lots of track shots of lip syncing 
• music slows down 1.23 - high black and white contrast gives dramatic effect also gives a dream effect as if she was imagining this happening.
• 3.35 'im a live' Lana del rey seen in colour with fire behind her - their love is on fire

Iggy Azalea Ft. Rita Ora - Black Widow

• There is an introduction before the actual music begins, which introduces the narrative of the music video.
• This music video is inspired by Quentin Tarantino's 2003 hit film 'Kill Bill'. The plot of the film is centred around 'The Bride' (Uma Thurman) a former assassin who seeks revenge on her ex-colleagues who massacred members of her wedding party and tried to kill her. 
• Iggy Azalea has taken inspiration from classic cult films in her last two music videos, the previous being in her song 'Fancy' which was inspired by 1995 film 'Clueless;
• This music video portrays women in a dominant role rather than submissive. Due to Iggy Azalea being a female rapper, she uses this to show women in authoritative role unlike male rappers who usually women to be their 'property'. 
• The music video uses a variation of locations, which makes it appealing to the viewer to watch.
• Due to the music video being inspired by 'Kill Bill' they matched the clothing, a part of mise-en-scene, to the outfits that Uma Thurman's character wore herself.
• However, Rita Ora was given a bad wig which makes it appear fake so will not display verisimilitude to the viewer.    
• The music video is not editing to the beat, at one section of the music video the artists are seen the be in slow motion during a fight scene however the beat is fast and should have been edited according to it.