Focus Group from Tom Cornock on Vimeo.
Learning comment
Today i took part in two interviews. The first one was about where i stream music videos, why i stream them and how often i watch them. This wes very helpful as it allowed me to think about where my finished piece was going to go, it also allowed me to understand the effort which t takes to create a successful music video. During the interview many answers came up about the kind of music videos people our age watch, this was very insightful as i now know what our target audience is interested in and why they are, this further develops my understanding of what to use in my video, weather that being props, narratives and performance ratios and just common aspects of the music video making side i never thought about. We must make a video that not only pleases us but also potential viewers in our target audience. This has made be consider changing from punk rock to perhaps indie as indie most defiantly associates better with the target audience at hand. These interviews were also nice as it allowed me to express my feelings about music videos in general which could potentially help other groups as they now know what their target audience is looking for. This talk not only helped me with ideas but also the skill of listening to others and understanding their views and thoughts.
Task 8.2
"Audience readings of media texts are affected by variables such as age, gender, social status and social context." How might different audience members interpret a variety of music videos?
Music video Theories
Media Effect Therory- This is how media can affect society and how society can respectively affect the media. Some of these can have negative implications towards a community and local society. For example, seeing violent content can make it more likely for somebody young to be aggressive or in fact violent, and therefore be more introverted and not care about other peoples feelings. Another way is by promoting fast food chains as their food is unhealthy and fattening. There was also a moral out cry when a boy murdered his friend after playing the game Manhunt on Playstation 2.
Goodwin's Theory- Goodwin has six key principles
1) Genre Conventions
2) The notion of looking
3) The placement of brands
4) Links between visuals and lyrics
5) Logos featuring
6)Intertexual References
The Hypodermic Needle Theory- known as the "Magic Bullet Theory" suggests that all mass media has a direct response to any given audience. Furthermore suggesting that as soon as a message or value is given to the mass media it's accepted almost immediately by anybody. This originated in the 1930s of America. As media was taken very seriously then as it was the main source of information back in the 30s. A man was reading part of a book down the radio to thousand of homes as a past time. He mentioned a passage from a book which includes " Martians had landed in New Jersey and were attacking humans. As this a reliable radio station, People began to flee homes and start buying supplies and food. thousands of people also flooded local hospitals and police departments about the "invasion"
This incident was later referred to as the "Panic Broadcast". The first big example of this theory of communication. The theory implies that the media has the power to inject highly influential messages into vulnerable audiences. As the audience members have no other means of finding out about information, The theory can exploit this.
Toderov's theory- He believed that in film and television, there is 5 parts to the narrative in nearly every film and show
1) Equilibrium
2) Disruption to the equilibrium
3) Somebody recognizes that the equilibrium has been changed
4) Attempt to save the equilibrium
5) New equilibrium is formed
Blumler and Katz Theory- They decided that there were 5 main reasons why media was consumed by audiences.
1) Informed or educated about said topic
2) To relate to characters and situation characters fine themselves to be in
3) Entertainment
4) Socially interact with others ( Discussions, watching, reading)
5) Escape their reality and be put into another "world"
Hozier - Take me to Church
Effect Theory- This video shows the relationship between two gay men and how it effects the other people close to them through the violence of a thug group. I feel that many people can relate to this video through the idea of a metaphor. It shows how homophobia is still very much an issue in todays society and that people are scared to come out gay because they get bullied and beaten up for it. Reading through the comments, people obviously know that this is wrong and that everybody has equal rights. Some comments also stared that this is how they feel if they were to come out as gay and therefore they don't, they don't want the negative backlash from being different. The depressing implications are exaggerated through the black and white filter, the saddening melody, the pure voice and of course the visual.
Goodwin's Theory- Only one of the 6 characteristics is relevent in this music video as it's not showing any performance and the narrative would be ruined if there were fashion elements riddled throughout. The lyrics and visuals don't always match in this specific music video. The lyrics perhaps represent that being gay is seen as wrong and the chruch doesn't accept it. "We were born sick, heard them say it..." " I was born sick, but i love it..." It also states how the community that this is set in is extremely homophobic as the chorus emphasis the lines " I'll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife. Offer me that deathless death." This links with the visuals as a mans family home is burnt down and his dad is beaten because his son is gay. The end of the video it shows that they've killed the gay man and are kicking him because he admitted to being gay. On the flip side it shows that being gay isn't wrong and that this man died to being gay.
Hypodermic Needle Theory- This whole video shows how bad your life could be potentially for being different. the black and white aspect suggests that there is no way out, there is no hope left and this is portrayed through close ups of violence such as a Molotov cocktail and a knife. There are also several close ups of the gay men crying which suggests that they fear their lives but love is love. They'd rather die and be gay than live with a woman, this is emphasized through the lyrics suggesting "I was born sick" it wasn't a choice to be gay, it was natural. Throughout there is a clear theme of fire, which could be also personified as a metaphor. If you're gay then you know the potential consequences and if you get caught, it will cost your life. This video shows the cons of being gay in today's society. Maybe not death but perhaps seen as an outcast or bullied.
Todervoz's Theory - This theory can be successfully applied to this music video as it's all narrative. The equilibrium is that it's two men love each other and they express their feelings through physical attraction. The disruption to this is how a group of men despise against their feelings and the video shows us ways they ruin the gay couples lives. The gay couple realize this when the group of me start walking to the gay mans house. The man tries to restore the equilibruim by running to the house before the thugs get there but cannot arrive in time. They have already beaten the dad and set fire to the house. The new equilibrium is that the gay man is killed.
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