Analysis of a Star and Dyer's Theory - Miss Miller

Over the recent years of the music industry various artists have chosen to reinvent themselves in order to gain publicity and become what is known as a 'star'. Richard Dyer gives an in-depth analysis of this theory of 'stardom' and the ways in which a 'star' is developed. Artists often have varied reasons for reinventing themselves into a totally new image producing new genres of music and attracting anew target audience. One reason could be simply to gain publicity, this was evident clearly through the evolution of Miley Cyrus. She changed her image from being an innocent artist aiming to appeal to a much younger target audience of older children and young teenagers to become a reckless and revealing pop artist, aiming to attract older teenagers and young adults. She gained a lot of publicity for this due to reckless behaviour, especially seen within her music videos. Another reason may be to appeal to a more reasonable, larger mainstream target audience. Again evidence of this can be seen through the change seen by Eminem. He changed his songs and his image slightly to actually become more acceptable to society. This allowed him to appeal to a more mainstream target audience as his songs were played on radios and music channels on a international level, allowing him to reach out to a more mainstream target audience and even younger teenagers. Artists may also change an appearance for personal reasons. This can often be seen as an artists gets older, they tend to change their music and genres in order to relate to an audience. This can be seen through the likes of Tom Jones and even Justin Beiber.

The 'star' I have chosen to analyse is Justin Bieber. He is an interesting artist as he is seen to have developed his image and 'stardom' through various stages and for different reasons. He has developed his image from being an innocent pop artist to becoming a more reckless RnB artist and eventually, in more recent years, becoming a more respected dance/house artist that now reaches out to a very broad mainstream target audience.

One Time 

This was Beibers first song, a pop song released in 2009 when he was of 15 years of age. Goodwin's theory is evident in this music video through the link between the lyrics and video itself. The lyrics are seen to match the visual aid. When the lyric states 'one more time', the artist indicates to the camera, pointing his finger as if to resemble the number one. This specific gesture is used throughout the video as this is the main lyric, often repeated throughout the chorus. Having the artist doing the specific dance moves that match the lyrics makes the lyrics more engaging and meaningful. Also, the artist is seen singing this lyric to the audience, this could be said to make them feel more engaged and involved in the video; making them think that Justin is personally directing the lyrics to them as an individual. His target audience of younger teenage girls appeal to this as they want to feel as though they can personally connect with the artist that they may fantasise about.

One convention of the pop genre that is evident throughout this video is the use of dancing. Dancing is seen in almost every pop song and is conventional to the happy, 'feel good' theme of the genre. In the video Justin is seen dancing in the party both with his friends and with a girl. He is also seen dancing in the chorus as he sings to the camera; this is mostly shown through mid shot's and slow paced editing highlighting Justin's emotions. This dancing is used to appeal to the audience as it shows off Justin's talent and shows his confidence which may appeal to teenage girls. It is highly conventional to the pop genre as pop artists usually aim to create a happy image to their music which is developed through the use of performance and dance. 

Dyer's theory is clearly utilised throughout the video. This is seen as Justin's appearance is adjusted in order to sell himself to an audience in a way that allows him to promote separate products. Evidence of this is seen towards the start of the video as Justin is shown to be playing Xbox with his friend; it is shown through numerous mid shots emphasising the fin they are having plus the use of close ups of the Xbox itself. By doing this Justin is showing his star qualities, allowing him to market other consumer products through his stardom. The use of the Xbox further develops the evident use of Dyer's star theory through the fact that Justin is seen to present himself as being an ordinary conventional teenager of the time. Although this is shown through the Xbox, it is also elaborated upon through the use of a mobile phone. Teenagers of this modern era are seen to use mobile phones almost obsessively, easily being able to communicate with each other, also conventional teenage boys of his age are constantly seen to play Xbox with each other. This relatable presentation would vastly appeal to his audience as they feel that they can aspire to be like him by showing his lifestyle to be accessible to everyone.

Boyfriend

 

This is a very popular song from Justin's third album. It was released in 2012 and Justin was 18, you can clearly see many changes in Justin' style, appearance and performance. This is especially evident from his hair and costume. Goodwin's theory is clearly evident throughout the video through the constant close ups of the artists face as he refers to the camera whilst driving his car. He does this whilst stating 'if I was your boyfriend'. This is used so that the artist is able to build a relationship with the individual viewer as he is seen to refer specifically to them. It again complies to Goodwin's theory and may be used to entice the female audience as they may aspire to be his girlfriend and aspire to be treated in the way in which he treats the female character. Also, the constant reference to the artists facial features seen through the numerous close ups is vital to Justin's presentation with his looks being a key feature of his stardom.

A conventional aspect that links towards the R ‘n’ B genre consists of the expensive items displayed. Firstly, one of the first shots to the video is of the artist driving a new, flash expensive looking convertible car with the roof down. This particular shot shows the artist driving the flash car with the title of the song 'Boyfriend' spread across it. This is conventional to the R 'n' B genre as the artists tend to emphasise their wealth and present it through examples of materialism such as cars or expensive clothing and jewellery. Having expensive items can reflect success and so can make the artist seem so a higher status as they are seen in a more impressive way. The fact that Justin is only 18 in this video emphasises his success as it is rare that someone can be so wealthy and popular at such a young age. The way he is singing about being someone's boyfriend makes him seem as though he wants to express his success and high social status. This is clearly seen through the large amounts of dancers surrounding him and the girl that he is constantly with, it portrays his rich lifestyle and success, often seen within the R 'n' B genre.

Justin presents himself as being extraordinary in this video opposed to being ordinary and relatable in previous song. This is specifically done through the use of iconography with expensive clothing, cars and jewellery. Plus the use of performance as he shows off his versatile talents with examples of him rapping and playing the guitar. The iconography in particular emphasises his extraordinary lifestyle and 'stardom' as he shows his wealth and status through cars, girls and jewellery. The video places fans in favour of hegemony as they are easily influenced by the artist's lifestyle. He makes his lifestyle appear relaxed yet exciting through having expensive cars, limitless friends and a love interest. It makes his teenage audience aspire to be like him.

What do you mean

This is one of Justin’s more recent releases from August 2015; here the artist is 21 years old. Goodwin's theory is again displayed in this video. This is shown through the link between the lyrics and the visual aid seen from the music video itself. The lyrics state 'what do you mean' as part of the chorus. This sung over both the artist and his female companion being both sexually engaged yet also ignoring one and other. It shows the meaning and reasoning behind the song as Justin is made out to be confused over what the girl wants. This helps the audience understand the song and also gain an insight into Justin’s emotions and thoughts. It helps the audience engage as they feel involved with the narrative alongside the song. Also the video shows the girl being very seductive towards Justin with a lack of clothing. This makes the artist seem sexually magnified and the audience begin to aspire and fantasise about being him or being with him.

Within this song the artist moves more towards the dance genre. A conventional aspect of the video is particularly emphasised towards the end of the video as the artist is seen at the centre of attention within a party crowd. This is another convention of the dance music genre as the videos are often seen to revolve around a party lifestyle or atmosphere, emphasising the happy positive feelings that the music is made to create. People are seen dancing and socialising all together in this part of the video giving off a positive, welcoming party atmosphere. Having the artist as the focal point during this makes it seem as if he is the one who has created this positive atmosphere and that he is the centre of attention. This is done to show the positive side of the song and the positive side of Justin’s feeling towards the girl in the video. It is added to also present the party lifestyle that dance fans are often seen to aspire towards.

One aspect of the Dyer's theory that is evident within this video is Justin Biebers marketing ability and his presentation as a product. This is shown through both the indications that the video itself was part of a start for a film plus the marketing of the underwear brand, Calvin Klein. The movie style presentation of the video was seen through the credits added at the start of the video. This elaborates upon Justin's stardom by showing him to be iconic, elaborating upon the entertaining factors of his music whilst also emphasising his talents as an actor. This may appeal to an audience as they aspire to be as talented and iconic as him. Also, his marketable presentation is shown through the close up of his Calvin Klein underwear as Justin takes his top off mid way through the video. This emphasises his stardom as it shows his ability to sell a product and his influence upon his target audience. It also expresses the artists sexuality, appealing to a female artist who may fantasise about the artist as he utilises his looks.

To conclude, Justin has vastly changed his image as he has evolved from a young teenage boy into a young adult. This is clearly evident through the different genres he has gone through such as pop, RnB and dance. Plus the self representations that are clear within each stage of his career. He has done this to make himself marketable to a wider target audience through each stage in his career. When he was younger he aimed to appeal to young teenage girls, presenting himself as innocent and using the pop genre to reach out to his selected audience. When he turned 18 he aimed to broaden his audience by turning to the R 'n' B genre which is listened to by all genders from wider age groups, here he shows his great lifestyle, his success and his wealth in order to emphasise his stardom and appeal to both genders. Finally, he turns to the dance genre which has one of the largest audiences of a wide range of teenagers from both genders; here he expresses his maturity by showing his sexuality and controlling behaviour as he saves a girl from an antagonist. Overall he has developed his image so that he can appeal to a wider target audience of all genders and older age groups through expressing his maturity; these wider audiences have helped him develop his international stardom.

Analysis of music genres

Music videos appeal to specific audiences through several ways. Their main purpose is to relate to an audience; for example dance or pop genres may aim to relate to teenagers or younger adults. The artist would do this by reflecting the audiences lifestyle. This would appeal to an audience as they can  build a relationship to the artist as they relate to parts of the video. An artist may also aim to appeal to an audience through creating a meaning to the song, aiming to develop reasoning behind the lyrics. This is often done with the creation of a narrative in the video alongside the song. Finally, the artist will also include an element of performance within the video, for example it will show the artist or artists sing or performing throughout the video. This is done to showcase their talent, it may appeal to the audience as they often enjoy watching the artist singing or performing to them personally as it again builds a relationship between them and the artist.

Drake - Over (Rap)

Cinematography

- The first form of cinematography that is clearly evident throughout this music video is the use of close ups upon the artists face. This is clearly seen throughout the video, specifically throughout the chorus in a bedroom. It shows Drake rapping and singing to the camera from different angles. This is done so that Drake is able to easily connect and relate to his audience. It is as though Drake is singing directly to the viewer, this results in an emotional attachment to build between the artist and the audience, making them engaged with the video and the lyrics. This is often used by artists in order to appeal to their audience, many artists feel that they should show there face in videos in order to gain recognition for their appearance. This is often seen in the rap genre as personal appearance is very important in order to achieve status.

- Another camera angle that was widely evident throughout this video is a low angle, used whilst the artist is performing. This is again seen as Drake raps and sings whilst sitting in his bedroom. This camera looks up at him sitting on the bed from the floor. This is used to make Drake seem powerful and dominant as he looks down towards the audience. It shows that he is the focal point of the video. This is used by Drake to again raise his status and reputation; this is an important way for rap artists to appeal to their audiences as fans of the rap genre often turn to rappers with a rich lifestyle and a high status.

Editing
- One form of editing seen within the video is the use of shadows adding to the background of where drake is singing. This is seen midway through the video and shows shadows of people surrounding drake as he sings about his exciting and busy lifestyle. This is used to emphasise the fact that he has a rich and packed lifestyle full of new and exciting people. It is used to clarify the lyrics and explain the reasoning behind the song. It may also be used to appeal to the target audience. Fans of the rap genre look up to artists and their exciting lifestyles. This song and the editing used to emphasise the meanings behind it shows this busy lifestyle and adds to Drakes stardom as the audience has an insight into his rich lifestyle.
- Another form of editing seen in the video is the use of colours and filters. This is seen throughout the video but specifically towards the end as drake and Rita Ora are seen together surrounding by golden colours and lights. This could be done to portray Drakes rich lifestyle full of wealth and materialism. However, the fact that he is seen ignoring it all and staring willingly at the girl shows that he cares more about her than his wealth. This could have been done to help him relate to his audience as they see that he has down to earth feelings like everyone. Drake may have done this in order to show his sensitive side and appeal to a wider target audience.

Mise En Scene 

Setting/iconography - The settings seen throughout the sequence are made to be simplistic and basic. This is clearly evident throughout the video with the main setting used or the chorus being set in a basic bedroom as Drake sings to the camera with various effects being added to different camera shots. This could have been done to show him as being normal and down to earth outside his hectic and exciting lifestyle. This has been done to again make the artist relatable to his audience. It appeals to the audience as they see that a star like Drake with wealth and talent is similar to them with his thoughts and behaviour.

Lighting/colour - Throughout the video there are examples of flashing, strobe lighting being incorporated into all of the shots. This is done as he talks about his exciting, packed lifestyle. The lights are bright colours of orange, yellow and blue. These flashes of light may be used to represent Drakes lifestyle. This again adds to the image of stardom as the rap target audience can furthermore relate to his exciting lifestyle alongside his relatable personality shown within the video.

Costumes - Throughout the video Drake is seen wearing basic clothing. This is evident at the start of the video as he is seen wearing a basic white hoodie and a white t-shirt. Drake has done this to add to his image of being relatable alongside his wild lifestyle with a lack of expensive jewellery or vibrant clothing. This relatable image seen is unconventional to the rap genre as artists usually try to gain status through showing their wealth. However Drake is already renowned for his stardom and is able to appeal to a wider audience through building a relationship between him and the viewer. The song itself does, however, portray this rich lifestyle as well.

Facial expressions/ body language - Drakes facial expressions and body language throughout the sequence is seen to be respectfully aggressive and confident. This is seen as he raps towards the start of the sequence. Drake is seen rapping with a serious facial expression pointing at the camera. It portrays him as being dominant, confident and powerful. These forms of confident facial expressions and body language is often seen within the rap genre as artists aim to appeal to an audience by seeming confident and powerful in order to increase their social status.

Positioning - Throughout the video drake is seen to be in the middle of the shots. For example there are various mid shots taken at a series of angles that show Drake to be at the centre. This clearly makes Drake the focal point of the video. It helps appeal to an audience as they are able to focus of Drake and his emotions, helping them relate to the artist. This self promotion is often seen in the rap genre as artists tend to want self recognition so that they can express their personal appearance.

Flo Rider - Club Can't Handle me ft. David Guetta (dance)

Cinematography 

- Throughout this video there is multiple examples showing the use of long shots. These long shots are mostly used to show the party atmosphere within a club. The long shot is used to emphasise the fun and wild behaviour seen within the club. Also portraying the exciting party lifestyle that is lead by the artist, Flo Rider. This party lifestyle is conventionally seen as the main aspect of dance genre music videos. This is because they are often aimed to appeal to young vibrant teenagers who aim to fulfil this party lifestyle. By doing this Flo Rider and David Guetta are able to appeal to this audience as they aspire to them and their exciting lifestyles.

- Mid way through the video a close up is used showing a mashing machine in a laundry store. This done whilst there is a party atmosphere running throughout the video. It is seen just before hundreds of people break into the store, holding a large party and spreading the atmosphere across the city. The reason for this is to show how ordinary people can still fulfil this great, exciting party lifestyle that is the focal point of the dance genre. It appeals to the target audience as people can relate to the video, seeing everyday settings change into the party atmosphere that they aspire to.

Editing 

- The main form of editing that is used throughout the music video is the use of jump cuts. This is seen especially towards the end of the video as it switches quickly between different party settings. This is used to emphasise the artists party lifestyle and how it is very exciting and hectic. It also shows how it is contagious as the party moves quickly throughout the city. This is done to appeal to the target audience through complying to the stereotypical dance conventions.  It again portrays this dance atmosphere that greatly appeals to the young target audience of the dance genre.

- An additional example of editing seen in the video is seen through the tempo. It is made to be very fast. This is clearly evident towards the end of the video as it speeds up massively. It shows multiple dancers and different party settings in multiple shots at a very fast paced. Much like the use of jump cuts this again emphasises the face past lifestyle that surrounds the party atmosphere. This again appeals to the younger target audience as they aspire top live this exciting, fast pace party lifestyle.

Mise En Scene 

Setting/iconography - Setting and iconography has been widely used throughout the video in order express the artists party lifestyle and appeal to fans of the dance genre. This is evident through the first shot of the video. This is a long shot showing two very expensive cars outside a club. It portrays the artists of being surrounded by wealth, allowing him to lead an exciting life in clubs around the world. This party lifestyle appeals to the younger teenage target audience of the dance genre as they are inspired by it.

Lighting/Colour - The lighting throughout the main parts of the video is seen to be dark with lots of strobe lighting and spotlights aimed at the artists and dancers. This is seen throughout the video and is done to resemble a party atmosphere within a club. It also highlights the artists, showing the audience that they control this party atmosphere. This again furthermore appeals to the teenage target audience as they are again able to gain a further insight into the party lifestyle that they aspire to.

Costumes - The main artists throughout the video is seen wearing items such as sun glasses at night and large gold jewellery around his neck. The artist does this to promote his self image and stardom, it makes him look wealthy and stylish. This complies to the club setting and the party atmosphere that is conveyed throughout the video; it is a conventional outfit for someone at a club or party who wants to show off and stand out. This appeals to the teenage audience of the dance genre as they aim to stand out and enjoy themselves as much as possible.

Facial expressions/body language - Throughout the video Flo Rider is seen with his arms out singing to the camera. This could be seen as welcoming body language. It shows that this is his wild and exciting lifestyle and that everyone is welcome to join in with the party atmosphere surrounding it. This again appeals to the teenage audience as they can relate to this and join in with the fun, relaxed lifestyle that is promoted in the video.

positioning - Finally, towards the end of the video Flo Rider is seen positioned on top of the large crowd of people as he sings to this camera. This positioning could have been used in order to show him as controlling the party and taking over it. It shows him as being important to the party atmosphere and shows him as being the centre of it. This again appeals to the teenage audience as it portrays his exciting full lifestyle which the young dance fans look up to.


Miley Cyrus - Party in the USA

Cinematography 

- Towards the start of the video a long shot is used to show dancers surrounding Miley as they dance to the song at a party. This adds a feel good, positive vibe to the video and emphasises the fun party atmosphere within the video itself. This is done in order to appeal to the young female teenage target audience, they can be seen dancing around to their favourite songs and get excited when singing along to it. The dancers help increase the tempo of the video and enforce this fun vibrant vibe. They are also conventional to the pop genre as dancers are often seen in pop songs in order to add to the happy, positive rhythm of the songs.

- In addition to this a low angle shot is used midway through the video to show Miley singing to thousands of people in front of the US national flag. This presents her as being powerful and a great performer, whilst also adding a patriotic theme to the video. This appeals to the target audience as it again builds up excitement by showing Miley as a iconic star singing to thousands of people. It also complies with the conventions of the pop genre as the patriotism shows Miley to be performing on a national and world stage with the genre is often associated with as it is full of large stars from the music industry.

Editing 
- One form of editing seen within the video is the use of a jump cut. This is seen as the shot switches quickly from the car park setting to the USA stage with Miley singing. This is done to show Miley as the star he is, it focuses solely on Miley, it appeals to the target audience as they want to see as much of their idol as possible. This iconic presentation of Miley links to the pop genre as it is full of big stars performing to massive audiences.

- Also, another form of editing seen is the use of a green screen. This is seen when Miley sings the chorus of the large USA stage. There is a back ground of fire works, neon lights and screaming fans. This has been added through visual effects and again presents Miley as being an inspirational star to the young target audience. Also, it gives the video happy, patriotic themes which matches the happy vibes seen within the pop genre.

Mise En Scene 

Setting/iconography - Towards the start of the video the setting consists of a typical American party with people playing music out of the back of their cars and a series o big American trucks. This is done to emphasise the happy party atmosphere seen in the video. These happy emotions appeal to the younger, innocent audience. It is also relatable to teenagers who aspire to have big parties like this. It is seen as conventional to the pop genre as it associates itself with the happy vibes often seen within the music.

Lighting/Colour - The lighting at the start of the video consists of warm, bright orange colours. This is done to show the sunny weather in California at the time. It presents happy and relaxed emotions which again appeals to the innocent younger teenage audience. It is also conventional to the pop genre as it conveys the postive and fun spirit that the music is often based on.

Costumes - At the start of the video there are a series of close-ups showing Miley wearing vintage cowboy boots. This is done to show that she is from a small town in South-West America, yet she has become the star she is now. This is relatable to a lot of working-class Americans, appealing to many teenage Americans who aim to become a star like her. It is also conventional to the large national target audience of the pop genre as it gives evidence of the American dream.

Facial expressions/body language - Throughout the video Miley is seen to be happy and confident as she performs to her audience. It presents her as striving towards her American dream as she goes from her small home to performing to millions on a national stage. These happy, motivational themes appeal to the audience who aspire to be like her. The patriotism also appeals to a wider national target audience, helping her achieve stardom which is needed within the pop industry.

Positioning - Miley is often positioned above the camera throughout the video, especially on the stage as she sings down to her fans. This presents her as being confident as she performs to a large audience, also showing her as being successful and happy with her vibrant lifestyle. It appeals to the young audience as they aspire to be like her with her success and talent. It also appeals to the large audience of the pop genre as she again attracts a national audience through fulfilling the American dream and creating patriotism throughout the video.

The elements of the different genres analysed here very much varies in order to impress and relate to the different target audiences. The rap genre aims to create a high status through impressive iconography and effects in order to give the audience an artist to aspire towards. The dance genre is seen to create a party atmosphere that the audience aim to enjoy, which is done through the use of setting and fast tempo. Also, the pop genre aims to present big well-known artists through the use of large performance elements to show happy and fun spirits which appeal to the younger target audience. Each video also aims to build a relationship with the audience. This is done by relating to the different target audiences in separate ways. This is seen in the rap genre through Drake singing to the camera, in the dance genre as Flo Rider converts common settings into a party atmosphere and in the pop genre as Miley appeals to a large target audience through use of the American Dream. In all the videos analysed, artists aim to present themes that are accessible to the audience and that they can relate. This is seen to help build a relationship between the artist and the audience. I have chosen to take inspiration from this and potentially incorporate this into my dance video. I could create a party atmosphere that audiences may be able to relate to.

History of the music video - miss georgiou

There have been various popular videos on YouTube, however the most watched and most successful is 'Gangnam Style' by the South Korean artist 'PSY'. Reasons this may have been most watched is due to the video itself being comical so therefore reaching a wide target audience, plus the fact that it was marketed throughout social media, becoming a global trend.

History of the Music video

The ways in which music videos are consumed vary dramatically and have changed vastly over recent years with influences from both new technology and social attitudes towards music. The variation of platforms consist of music television channels, YouTube, iTunes and various other websites. This has changed from the use of music channels such as MTV to the ability to watch the music videos from the comfort of home; all influenced by large developments in technology.

MTV

This was the first ever music channel and was launched in 1981 on the 1st of August, it showed various music videos and was the first platform in which these music videos were shown. At the time of its release MTV was focused solely upon music videos and particularly 'rock n roll' with specific artists such as 'the police'. It began as a television programme aiming to promote artists through showing various music videos on repeat via control from Vjs (video jockeys). However this has evolved mainly due to the various genre popularity differing over time. MTV became very popular very quickly and soon they began to create programmes on their channels, firstly focused around music and eventually developing into a range of programmes shown on various channels aimed towards a target audience of teenagers and younger adults. In recent years MTV has managed to globalise and now has hundreds of channels ranging around the world.
MTV itself has had a very large influence upon the music video. It distinctly promoted artists use of the music video, allowing them to build an image of themselves and develop a picture around their music and personalities. Being the first ever music channel, MTV was one of the first ways in which music videos were shown to mainstream audiences on an international stage. This meant that it vastly changed the ways in which artists were able to promote them selves and create marketable images of themselves in contrast to previous years in which music videos were not as easily accessed by audiences. This gives clear evidence of the remarkable effect that MTV had upon the music industry, it gave artists the opportunity to relate and connect to their audiences, allowing them to develop large fan bases and selective target audiences; allowing them to truly discover themselves within the industry.


YouTube 

This is a much more modern platform for music videos and most likely to be the most used. This is mostly due to the fact that it is regularly updated with the most recent videos, it is totally free and can be accessed on most internet based devices from around the world. It was created in 2005 with music videos being a key feature to the site. It was seen as a vital marketing platform as artists added various songs to the site before or simultaneously to their release allow fans across the world to view their videos for free therefore increasing their popularity allowing them to sell more records; this is the most important use for the website.
Much like the introduction of MTV, Youtube had a very large effect upon the developments of music videos and the nature of the music industry itself. Although music videos were already very popular through the use of music channels such as MTV, youtube was able to take the use of the videos to another level. It did this by making the videos very easy to access around the world on the internet. This had huge benefits for the industry as it almost became the main way the which fans listened to artists. It again made it even easier for artists to build an image of themselves within the market as they could produce a variety of videos for their songs that would become accessible worldwide, potentially making them international sensations. Music videos soon developed to become the key way in which artists released their music due to their increase in popularity developed through the introduction of music.

Budgets



Budgets for music videos can vary a lot with factors such as artist, genre and target audience having great influences upon how much is spent. The more expensive videos can reach budgets of millions of dollars. This is seen within the chart above of which shows the top ten budgets for music videos of all time. This gives a clear indication that larger, more recognised artists need bigger budgets to appeal to there wide spread, main stream target audience. This is shown through the various big name artists within the chart such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Mariah Carey with Michael Jackson's and Janet Jackson's 'Scream' having the largest budget of $7,000,000. It also gives evidence that the larger budget music videos were seen to be produced of earlier dates with the majority of the list being dated in the 20th century. This may been influenced by advances in technology, evolved genres and changes in audiences. On average, since 2010, production for a music video now ranges from $200,000 to $500,000.
The change in budgets over periods of time has also had an effect on the music industry and the production of music videos. This is due to the reduction of budgets and the extravagancy of music videos. It now costs a lot less to produce a high quality music video. This has great benefits to the artist. Firstly, they are able to produce multiple videos, again developing a image for themselves, plus relating to their target audiences and building upon their fan base. Also, the artist is able to have bigger profit margins, meaning that the industry has become far more profitable due to increased technology. Audiences also benefit as videos are now high quality and artists can create very extravagant videos due to the lower costs and improved technology

Target Audience

The target audience for music videos tend to be teenagers of both genders. This has been the same throughout the years of the use of music videos. The teenage generation of the modern era in which music videos have been used have been brought up listening to music through videos on music channels such as MTV and more recently on YouTube. Contrasting to this, the older generation have been brought up listening to music mostly through radio; this means that teenagers ranging from ages 15-25 are the main target audience for artists when creating a music video.

This also has an effect on the actual production of videos and the ways in which they are created to suit the mainstream target audiences. Due to the consistent target audiences of younger adults and teenagers throughout the history of music videos, music videos have always been created in order to appeal to that particular age group. This means that the target audience has a large effect upon the history of music videos as artists have always aimed to relate to younger age groups.

Developments in Viewings / Genres 

Top videos:

1980s - Thriller, Michael Jackson (pop)

1990s - 'smells like teen spirit', Nivana (rock)

2000s - bad romance, Lady Gaga (pop)

Throughout the era of music videos popular genres have differed, mostly ranging from pop and dance to rock music. This is influenced by the teenage culture throughout the years of the music videos. Popular genres within music videos of recent times now consist of mostly dance music. This is mainly due to the influence of technology within music and through developments in clubs and the party lifestyle. Additionally, technology has had a great influence on viewings for music videos, specifically the Internet and the development of smart phones and internet based devices. This plus the creation of YouTube has lead to a very easy access of music videos from any where around the world. This has also been influenced by the advances in social media such as Facebook or Twitter which are used as a platform to promote artists and their songs and videos. Evidence in the development in viewing is shown by recent statistics showing millions of views on recent YouTube videos such as gangnam style which amounted to over 2 billion views. 

Conclusion 

Many of these moments and influences that have had great effect upon the history of the music video may also have influences upon the creation of my video. YouTube will allow my specific product to be played around the world. This will make my video easily accessible for y selective target audience. Also, with increases within technology in recent years, the budget for my video will allow me to actually create a high quality video with the use of editing programmes and software. Additionally to this the history of music videos and the successes seen within this history may also help persuade me towards the genre or target audience that I might select. The main aspect I will take from this research is seen within the target audiences for music videos over the years that they have been used. It is clear that this audience consists of younger adults and teenagers so it is likely that I will aim to make my video relatable towards these age groups.

Music video diversity Miss Miller

Music Video Diversity 

Creating a diverse music video can have both negative and positive effects upon an artist. One evident positive effect is that it allows a song or video to stand out from other music. This creates publicity for artists and allows them to gain recognition. This may have positive effects as often music fans prefer originality from artists, showing their personality. Also, the extra publicity would mean that more people would watch the video, meaning that more people may want to listen to the artists music and buy records. In contrast to this, diversity within music videos may also have a negative effect upon an artist. The media and public may find videos hard to understand, this could result in confusion for viewers as they lose interest in the music. Also, fans for a certain artist might enjoy their music videos; by changing the video and adding diversity, artists could lose their original fan base. 

What makes a video diverse or unique?

Various directors aim to make their videos unique or diverse in order to make in stand out and become memorable to an audience. This is mainly achieved through deifying the conventions of both society and the genre itself. Directors may distort conventions of music videos and the genre of the specific music through mixing or ignoring various music video styles and altering the Goodwin's theory. They are also often seen to focus on deranged or weird concepts; they can vary from being humorous or having more darker themes. Two directors who are generally seen to produce diverse, unconventional video consists of both Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry. 

Chris Cunningham

Chris Cunningham is a renowned music video director who is specifically known for creating deranged and unconventional videos that stand out from other videos becoming memorable and interesting. He has worked with various genres and artists such as Madonna, Apex Twin, Bjork and other works made for The horrors. However, two specific videos that clearly show two separate genres of which he has worked on consist of 'Window Licker' by Aphex Twin and the well known song 'Frozen' by Madonna.

Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy

Aphex Twin's music is seen to belong to the electronic dance genre. This video is very unconventional to the genre. The main convention within dance music is dancing and bright colours; it also often includes a lot of performance within the video. This is made to be very subversive in relation to the genres conventions; it is solely narrative based and has no examples of performance or bright colours. This unconventional presentation of the genre makes it stand out against other artists videos, this emphasises Aphex Twin's originality. The music video 'Come to daddy' by Aphex Twin is directed by Chris Cunningham. This music video can be seen as very unusual and unconventional. One example of this is seen from the editing of the artists face onto the bodies of the school girls, is evidently going to be very memorable to the audience which would then create word of moth publicity for the artist. This could result in being positive; presenting him as unique, or, in this specific case, could present him negatively; as could be seen as going too far through making the audience uncomfortable or offended. The title 'Come to daddy' itself could be seen as inappropriate for an audience as the video includes young children who the  older artist seems to control in a dark and twisted manner; it can easily create a negative message for the artist. However darker themes within the video made are all diverse as they are things that are unconventional to the house/electro genre; usually videos within this genre consist of scenes set in clubs, bars or parties. This shows the music video to contrast to the music genre as it shows scary disturbing images which are more linked to the horror genre and heavy rock music rather than electro music.

The advantages of this music video include:

• The diversity makes it highly memorable.
• The individuality promotes the artist as being unique and different which often appeals to a niche target audience
• The use of the artists face throughout will keep them in the audiences mind, this may increase awareness for the artist

The disadvantages of this music video consist of:

• Giving the artist a negative reputation through a disturbing concept and narrative
• Losing fans for house/electro music due to the music video not matching the stereotypes for the genre.
• It may offend the audience with the disturbing images and the use of explicit lyrics.

Madonna - Frozen 

 Madonna is often seen to produce music that belongs to the pop genre; this song in particular was made to blend dance and pop genres. The video itself, created by Chris Cunningham, is evidently unconventional to these genres. The pop genre mainly aims to convey positive, happy emotions with a vast amount of dancing and pace to the videos. This video is made to be totally against these conventions; it includes a lack of movement from the artist with a lack of pace in the video. This builds upon a sense of isolation, creating a deeper meaning to the song; it may mean that the audience has to think about the themes and concepts within the video.The music video portrays a sense of isolation which is strange for Madonna as she is often seen with an extensive amount of back up dances or interesting scenery in her videos. Also, usually her videos consist of bright colours to tie in with the upbeat pop genre, however this contradicts with this as the colours and lighting are dark and dull in order to match the low beat, deep music. This all gives clear evidence of Madonna attempting to reinvent herself during through the video as she goes against all her usual conventions. Reasons as to why Madonna chose to reinvent herself through this song could be  to gain a wider, more varied target audience, to change her genre of music giving evidence of her talents and to publicity and awareness for her music. The change of conventions could be seen to get the audience talking and through word of mouth publicity, Madonna herself can gain more attention and increase popularity.

Advantages of diversity for Madonna:

• new genre and concepts create a wider target audience, gaining a larger fan base
• publicity through controversial press
• she is able to portray her emotions and a deeper meaning to her music

Disadvantages:

• could gain too much bad press
• loss of fans who may prefer her old image 
• the reformed genre may only have a small audience

 

Michel Gondry 

Michel Gondry is another diverse and unconventional music director who has worked with popular artists such Kylie Minogue and The White Stripes who both created obscure and unusual music videos. The music videos are made to be diverse which makes them memorable ; this is often achieved through Gondry by the use of repetition of the artists/characters within the videos. Gondry's success was achieved by the use of mise-en-scene in his videos. The other micro elements he incorporated into his videos are also very unique, and helped to attract and engage the viewers.

Kylie Minogue - Come into my World 

Kylie Minogue's music video 'Come into my world' is from the pop genre which is typically associated with flamboyant iconography, setting and dance routines which the audience would expect from Kylie Minogue. However, in contrast, for her music video 'Come into my world' the artist is the only sole focus within with bland, less extravagant setting and iconography she is repetitively shown throughout. The repetition of the artist is unconventional for the pop genre as this often consists of videos with a lot happening consisting of dancing and partying; however the effect of this viewer/artist connection could consist of the audience becoming more engaged, making them want to watch further. Another factor that makes the music video so diverse is the fact that Kylie Minogue is wearing casual clothing which again subverts to the typical pop genre; the video itself also has a normal everyday setting. In addition to this, the videos style is narrative and performance based; this is seen when Kylie sings to the camera whilst walking through her home city, this links in with the title of the song as it shows a day to day routine and the artist going through her own 'world' doing the same repetitive routine. The representation of Kylie within this music video shows pure focus on her as well as clones of herself which is self promotion. Overall the video is done in order to promote Kylie as being a relatable, ordinary person. This is achieved through focusing upon her all times and showing her as going through a repetitive normal lifestyle through the use of mise en scene.

Advantages:

• Artist becomes memorable through the use of cloning
• Makes Kylie different to other artists from the same genre due to her being presented as being normal and relatable.
• The relatable plot appeals to a wider target audience - globalisation.
• She reinvents herself, again helping her appeal to a more varied audience and showing her versatility.

Disadvantages:

• Negative publicity due to her showing what could be considered as a 'fake' lifestyle and personality
• Could lose existing target audience due to large change to styles of the video.

The White Stripes - Hardest button to button 

The White Stripes are a duo from the Rock genre, they have created a diverse music video called 'The hardest button to button'. Within this music video you would expect the artists to be playing instruments as this is a key accessory for rock artists due to their large amount of usage in their songs, this is used therefore actually making the music video partially conventional to the rock genre. This ironic conventional use of music is repeated to exaggerate their use within the rock genre, the use of these instruments may be appealing for their target audience as often rock fans aim to recreate the music itself. There is also repetition of the artists themselves throughout the music video which, much like Kylie Minogue's video, is seen self promotion. They are represented as stereotypical rock artists through black leather costumes and the iconography of rock instruments. The setting is constantly changing due to the constant movements of the artists which would put different images in the audiences mind, making it more entertaining and memorable for them. The constant repetition of the conventional rock artists running throughout an average urban city could be seen to be ironic and comical. This is very unconventional to the rock genre, videos within this genre are often seen as being deep and serious with explicit references to drugs or alcohol. The artists may have done this in order to again appeal to a wider audience who can relate to repetitive urban settings.

Advantages

• relatable for the a wider, mainstream audience.
• Unusual - may attract people outside of the rock genre.
• Could attract publicity for its light hearted connotations 

Disadvantages:

• may lose fans from the rock genre
• Won't appeal to a wide variety of the rock audience.
• The use of repetition may be boring for the audience.
• Hard to build a relationship with the audience with a lack of narrative 

There is an evident contrast between Chris Cunningham's use of diversity and Michel Gonry's. Chris Cunningham is seen to develop upon unusual concepts through multiple connotations; this created a deeper meaning to the music that may be seen to contradict conventional aspects of various genres whilst also engaging audiences. Michel Gonry, however, uses original editing techniques to develop yet challenge conventions of various genres in order to create a comical and relatable artist presentation; this light hearted presentation could help artist appeal to mainstream audiences. 

To conclude, the music industry nowadays is a very hard industry to build reputation in and stand out from the large amount of artists within it. Therefore, an artist may feel the need to create a diverse music video in order to be memorable and gain fans. Gondry's idea would be less suitable for my potential genre due to the use of repetition because as an artist within the house/dance genre the music is already repetitive and you wouldn't want to bore the audience, you would want to be creative and vary the plot. A lack of audience means a lack of profit and publicity. As well as this, Cunningham’s style would also be unsuitable for my genre due to the use of explicit scenes and narrative used within the music videos he directs. The house/pop genre often has a large widespread, mainstream target audience and may lose viewings with an explicit video. 

   

Censorship Miss Miller

Censorship in the music industry

Censorship consists of the ways in which an audience is protected from harmful or explicit content; it is seen both on the television and in the music industry.This is mostly enforced by Ofcom, the communications regulator for the UK, regulating TV and radio. They are seen to censor all media products in relation to the context of which the product is played. This is very vital to the music industry as some explicit songs are censored in order to prevent unsuitable audiences from accessing the music. Examples in which censorship is used may include radio, music channels at certain times; plus iTunes with censored and uncensored versions of the music. It can result in swear words or harmful references being edited out of music or lyrics, plus may result in a curfew for harmful content, often seen within radio and television. Examples of censorship may consist of large daytime radio/TV channels that often censor explicit content such as grime and rap artists, Eminem or Drake. Although censorship is seen throughout the media spectrum, the music industry has experienced a particular rise in recent times. This is especially due to the growth in technology. There has, however, been controversy over the aspect of censorship. With new popular genres and artists aiming to express themselves within their songs which may include explicit content, argued to make songs more interesting and relevant, there is now an argument both for and against the idea of censorship. 

Censorship from an artists point of view (Against)

Artists are often seen arguing against the idea of censorship. This is specifically seen within the grime and rap genre as artists aim to express themselves and their past experiences, often through the use of harmful and explicit content, An example of this is Eminem. As an artist, Eminem feeling he should be able to do want he wants to do and say what he wants to say without the concern of censorship in order to please his fans, He aims to use his songs to motivate his audience. For example in 'not afraid' he aims to show his fans that if they put their mind to it they can achieve anything. Eminem himself does not use explicit content to harm or offend anyone, instead he uses his music to present the negativity that he has seen in his life. He feels that in order to portray his negative and emotional feelings and experiences he must use harmful content in order to relate to his audience and build an emotional connection. 

The artist argues that although of his songs may shock people, with examples of drugs and even rape seen in his lyrics, he would never commit such activities and that his audience should not either. He argues that these negativities are a part of life that can't be ignored and that just because it is mentioned in a song, it should not influence anyone into doing such things. 

Finally, Eminem also argues that it is not the role of an artist to censor their music and protect under aged audiences of whom are most effected. He says that that should be the responsibility of the parents who should decide upon what their children listen to. Ultimately censorship is not the permanent tool for protecting children from harmful content. If they want to listen to an explicit song or watch and explicit video they will find a way and restrictions often influence this.  

Censorship from a record labels point of view (Against)

Shady records, Eminem's record label, was founded by Eminem and Paul Rosenberg. Following large amounts of pressure censorship had to be applied to multiple songs. The company would be seen to strongly believe that it is the responsibility of parents to protect their children from unwanted content and that artists should be allowed to express themselves with whatever content they feel is needed. Who listens to it should not be a priority for the artist. Shady records also would understand that audience across the world enjoy controversy within music, otherwise controversial artists such as Eminem wouldn't be as popular as they are. Controversy that can often stem from explicit controversy can be argued to influence success within the industry, this is an argument used by the company against censorship. Also, another key argument that could potentially be made by the company states that if the content of a song is offending then a person does not need to listen or buy the track. Evidence of it being popular globally is seen by Eminem's great popularity.
Finally, music can be seen as an art form that is often used to express how an artist is feeling. Other art forms such as art or book are not censored, they rely on the viewers responsibility. This should be no different with music. Ultimately songs are created for entertainment purposes, audiences should be responsible enough to not be influenced by them or take them literally. If they do so then that is not the responsibility of the artist but it is the person themselves. They must be deranged or mentally ill.

Censorship from a parents point of view

(For) 

Parents will often argue that they want to be able to let their children watch or listen to whatever they want to without the worry of whether it can be harmful, explicit or negatively influencing materials such as drugs, sex or alcohol. They want to be able to protect their children without feeling they are being restrictive about the child's behavior or attitude. Censorship can be argued for making it easier for parents, giving them peace of mind about what their children may be watching or listening to. This is a very valid argument for censorship as it allows a child freedom yet prevents them from having bad or damaging influences from music and music videos. 
Additionally, a key argument could be that an explicit artists such as Eminem would not want their child influenced by the harmful content within their songs so why would they argue against it?

(Against)

Parents who argue against the use of censorship often argue that it is the parents responsibility for what their children watch and not the responsibility of artist. They may argue that parents and censorship company's must understand that children are easily influenced. Not just within the music industry but through books, newspapers and television. Not everything can be censored; you can't hide the negatives in the world and they are always going to be presented through the use of music. It could be argued that instead of creating naive, over protected children, they should be educated on the morals of life both through parents or schooling and can then have the knowledge to not be influenced by explicit or harmful content. 

Censorship from  music Channels point of view

MTV (For)

MTV have always been known to be strict on their use of censorship. This is especially seen during the day as songs played are censored as they know there is a higher chance of children listening. In contrast, during the evening censorship is slightly more lenient , due to the likelihood of younger children being asleep. A lot of popular artists that the target audience of MTV listens to, such as Eminem, include explicit and harmful content in their songs that children must not be exposed to due to the negative influence it may have on their behavior.  For example, in one of his songs, Eminem threatens to kill a Congressman from the White House, and he is know for homophobic references and has made references to rape in some of his songs. This content could all have very negative influences on children. Particularly the frequent references towards homophobia due to the modernised society and the legalism of gay marriage in the USA.

AKA(Against)

AKA is a grime/rap music channel that aims to develop unknown artists giving them large amounts of creative freedom. They understand that most artists  need creative freedom in order to express them selves. These expressions are often portrayed through the use of explicit and harmful content as they often consist of negative yet relative and lasting experiences that are shared by the artists. The channel may argue that censorship does not allow artists to truly express themselves, meaning they cannot grow in a way in which they might prefer. 

Censorship from radio

BBC radio 1 (For)

Radio 1 is owned by BBC, this is a representation of British media and has a wide spread audience of all ages including children with television channels such as CBBC and CBeebies. Due to it covering such audiences it must censor it's content in order to appeal to parents and prevent negative influences upon children.
Controversial artists such as Eminem can often include explicit content within their lyrics. This may consist of references to drugs, abuse, inappropriate language, offensive references towards rape and references to murdering. All of which can not be glorified to the public. The BBC must censor their content as it is often glorified due to the company representing the whole of the UK. This is especially valid for the radio station, they cannot keep track on who listens to the station, this means that people of all ages can listen at anytime. It results in censorship being a key aspect for the channel as content must be suitable for all potential listeners. Additionally to this, censorship could benefit the artist in terms of marketing. Censorship allows an artists song to be played more times on the radio, this boosts the popularity of the music resulting in more spellings of records and more profit.

Capital extra (against) 

Capital extra is a franchise from London's iconic radio station, Capital. The station appeals to a niche target audience of older teenagers and young adults, it mostly plays RnB and rap music. The RnB and rap music is often explicit and the radio station would feel that it should be allowed to play the music uncensored. They could argue that their audiences are generally old enough to be exposed to the explicit themes and language, and that the artists themselves should be allowed to express their emotions within their music in order to portray a more realistic narrative within the song; this would allow the audience can connect with the artist and enjoy the music more.

Censorship from a fans point of view (Against)

Fans for Eminem may argue that music is an artists way of expressing themselves to their audiences, censorship can be seen to be blocking this freedom and downgrading various pieces of work.
In the song 'Kim', Eminem talks about murdering his wife, which society would understand to be totally wrong and Eminem has declared to be something he would never think of doing. The song itself is an exaggeration of the artists personal hatred towards a women. The content within has allowed him to express these personal emotions, this is what builds a relationship between him and the audience. Censorship can be argued against here as it damages this personal emotional connection due tot he artist not being able to portray his emphasized emotions.

To conclude, it is obvious that censorship is a controversial subject within the music industry; it can be seen to have both its pros and cons. Although it can be seen to protect young listeners from influences from harmful or explicit material, it can also be argues that this is not the responsibility of the artist. A valid argument could be that it is the duty of the parents and schooling to educate children upon the morals of life and protect the from harmful content, preventing bad influences. The could be seen as being suppressed through censorship, not allowing them to express emotions or experiences. Many would argue that artist should have freedom with their lyrics and content and that protection should be covered elsewhere. Although this may be the case, if censorship was prohibited then radio stations wouldn't be able to play popular artist such as Eminem who include explicit content within their works. This could be seen to ruin a radio stations reputation and ruin the entertainment for fans who enjoy listening to their favourite artists. Overall I feel that censorship must stay, particularly on radio or popular day time television songs. However I also feel that there could be channels that may be uncensored, allowing artists to truly express themselves.