music video analysis- free choice (updated)

Analysis of a music video

Extension - only complete this task once you have completed all other work set over the past two weeks!

For this task, you will analyse a music video. It can be any genre, from any era, be in any style, and be any length. It cannot simply be live footage from a gig, though many music incorporate live footage.

Watch the music video you have selected twice in a row. This will help you to make a detailed textual analysis.


BTS- spring day

https://youtu.be/xEeFrLSkMm8

Name of video: BTS (방탄소년단) '봄날 (Spring Day)' Official MV

Year released: 2017
Record label: Bighit
Album: You never walk alone
Style of music video (narrative, performance or abstract): narrative (a homage to the sewol ferry tragedy)

• What group of people (if any) are predominantly represented in this music video? What message about this group of people is presented?

Asian men- they're represented as sensitive, artistic, morally just.

• Who is the target audience for this promotional video? How do you know?

The target audience is female girls due to the fanbase set up from hegemonically attractive representation and persona set up of the members. The subsidiary audience of those involved in the sewol ferry tragedy movement. 

• Outline three striking aspects of mise-en-scene

The snow which fills a lot of the frames both on the ground and falling, the colour palette of natural and pastel tones which create a reminiscent and serious atmosphere, the use of striking exterior setting and abstract interior settings and the recurring sight of clothes.

• Give one example of a hermeneutic code from this video

The prop of the shoes that jimin picks up from the beach and hangs on the tree, it functions as a symbolic code for the dead but not blatantly- raising questions.

• Is this video conventional or subversive? How do you know? Give one example

The video is subversive within the kpop industry- it lacks performance aspects which are almost always emphasised. it takes a serious tone and pays homage to a serious tragedy with its use of complex symbolism.

• Does the music video make use of intertextuality? If so, how? And why?

The music video uses intertextuality and further references to serious issues.

It uses intertextuality to makes comments on society whilst reflecting the effects of the sewol ferry tragedy.

The members represent the survivors of the tragedy.

Here Taehyung can be seen as a character with survivors guilt, many survivors of the sewol ferry tragedy had suicidal urges as portrayed here, especially as the captain of the ship instructed passengers not to evacuate and stay aboard and he and the crew evacuated. It also highlights the theme of life meeting death, Taehyung may be trying to kill himself and reach death where his loved ones are. The close-up focus the audience on his emotions which are extremely prevalent- his head is on a train, it's connoted he is suicidal. The mise-en-scene of the snow introduces the idea of the cold (which is reinforced by the mise-en-scene of his hat) and has a polysemic meaning. It's cold physically, cold inside taehyung as he feels no warmth or happiness and a cold world we're living in where the sewol ferry tragedy happened- it also suggests feeling numb which is common within those suicidal. The close up also positions the audience on the track next to Taehyung so they feel danger and vulnerability he does. 

His darker blue costume and white surroundings set up a binary opposition between him and the world around him, the use of colour creates othering between taehyung and the world which encapsulates survivors guilt. The soundscape is completely grabbing the audience's attention and setting them on edge, each of his movements is magnified by the crisp sound of the snow.

In these shots the audience sees Jungkook deep in thought, the mise-en-scene of the window acts as a symbolic code for reflection connoting he is reflecting upon the incident and his lost loved ones as a survivor. The mise-en-scene of his costume connotes it's cold and ties in with the theme of spring day and the lyrics. His gaze lands on the window which is shrouded and hard to see through telling the audience that he doesn't know where he is going and may feel lost. The colour palette is sparse and muted creating a depressing atmosphere as the song opens.

Here Jimin goes back to the sea to reminisce, the empty and overwhelming use of blue and water reflects the emptiness and sadness he feels over the event- emphasised by the use of a wide shot. He is extremely small compared to the ocean which highlights how man is weak compared to nature (as in the sewol ferry tragedy), something previously explored by taehyung juxtaposed with the snow. the stripes on jungkook's and especially jimin's connote a prisoner stereotype and can be seen to suggest they are trapped. 

The abandoned luggage and clothes function as a symbolic code for those who went on the field trip only to never come back. Throughout the video, clothes are used to represent the dead and this is an introduction and establishment of that.

The mise-en-scene of setting in this shot is also key; in the lyrics 'snowpiercer' is referenced (a movie made by Korean director Joon-Ho Bong - which takes place on a train. The train is used as a vehicle to symbolise human society with the upper class and government at the front of the train and the lower classes at the back. This can be seen as a criticism of how younger people and ordinary citizens are always expected to follow orders, which turns into an abuse of power just like with the students on the ferry.

In the film a character decides to revolt against the injustice by walking to the front of the train to protest- here namjoon is doing the same thing, he looks to the audience and they are positioned as someone following him representing namjoon as smart and powerful as he is leading them. Even though namjoon is inside he still wears a very covering outfit, it's cold within the train (society) and outside of it but there's light shining in from the windows making the outside seem more alluring.

omelas is a town from the book 'the ones who walk away from omelas.' It's a story of utopia society who's survival and happiness depends on the suffering of a child- someone's happiness and prosperity depends on another's suffering, there's those who ignore the suffering to stay happy (ignorance is bliss) and those who walk away from it. it's key that the omelas sign is the first obvious use of practical lighting that isn't motivated or natural. the colour is very clearly synthetic.

Here Hoseok and Yoongi (right) represent those who stay in omelas- the utopian land is full thus 'no vacancy.' 

this scene reflects that of one in the snowpiercer. Namjoon (crowned) represents the man walking to the front of the train to seek justice, in the film when he reaches the front of the train he is bombarded and has things thrown at him. In short- he is attacked by those in power not letting the oppressed rebels through. Although the scene looks fun it represents conflict and oppression. The crown on Namjoon's head, cake and streamers have the cumulative effect of connoting it's his birthday party but his facial expression is completely solemn. the crown shows that he is the one the audience should be following, it directs their attention to him and symbolises him as a moral compass. however, the crown isn't real and instead of gold it's silver- he alludes to someone who is the leader of the lower classes so not as powerful or wealthy etc

this scene denotes seokjin stuck at the bottom whilst his peers climb to the top- this symbolises the victims of the tragedy continuing their lives whilst those who were killed are clearly stunted. polysemic- could also represent people being told to stay behind on the boat whilst the rest escaped. 

 the rusty merry go round behind jungkook represents loss of childhood- referencing the students on the boat who were killed. the name of the album can be seen on it encoding the message that this loss doesn't have to equal despair or loneliness and the dark times can lead to such a discovery. the happiness of childhood and playing on the merry go round is set in binary opposition to the rustiness, sad song, themes of death and slow motion effect- it makes the audience feel unsettled,

these are scenes of the survivors continuing with their lives, it is connoted that they are in the motel named 'omelas' which captures the sense of survivors guilt- they live happily and prosper because they lived whilst others died. the blue connotes water and suggests they can't get away from what happened they're constantly submerged in it. this is encapsulated perfectly in the shot of seokjin and jimin through a fish tank- the seaweed and fish are distorting the audience's view of them.

however they still feel the emptiness of the loss. The gaze of all the members lands on the cake, the same one they were throwing at namjoon, this connotes that the source of their misery is societies actions which can be lead back to the sewol ferry tragedy and how the government tried to downplay it. A jarring juxtaposition is set up between the sombre mood and signs of happiness and party (proairetic codes of the red cups and candle)

here jimin symbolically picks up the shoes of a survivor, this is a further example of clothes being used to represent the deceased and shows how the survivors are holding onto them and they are not to be forgotten. it is important to note they look like his shoes too, they could have just as easily been his pair of shoes- links to the theme of survivors guilt.

the laundry room scene reinforces the theme of not forgetting the deceased- seokjin stares into the washing machine and the audience is also forced to focus on them, the inside of the washing machine has clothes which represent the victims submerged in water been spun around- this reflects the happening of the sewol ferry tragedy and seokjin's fixation on it shows how he can't forget.

the empty baskets that used to have clothes in them represent the lives (clothes) lost to the sewol ferry tragedy (the washing machine). the orange mountains behind seokjin are in binary opposition to the blue water- they look like a utopian society (omelas) and represent survivors being able to go on whilst the dead are stuck in the washing machine (highlighted by the shot seokjin from within the machine looking back mournfully)

'don't forget'

Once again clothes are used to represent the deceased, the mountain of clothes, in particular, supports this theory.

these shots represent the survivor's realisation and acknowledgement of the issue (supporting Todorov's theory of states of equilibrium) and how they must seek for justice. the train moves on showing how life progresses but it's still cold and covered in snow. jungkook looks up at the camera and lights of the merry go round turn on immediately acting as an obvious symbolic code. jimin faces the camera completely for the first time holding the shoes and hoseok lets go of the paper airplane which flies away from the train (all of these actions suggest a volta of some sorts).

the yellow ribbons on the merry go round are similar to the sewol ferry yellow ribbon campaign.

here jungkook 'wakes up' and follows in namjoon's footsteps to seek justice.

however, everything has gone dark and is now empty. creating the sense that hope is lost and he is alone.

he thinks he is alone the members join him (you never walk alone)- this creates an uplifting sequence within the music video of tragedy, encoding the ideology that there is hope for the survivors and introducing another theme that there is light at the end of the tunnel for everyone.

However the next scene reintroduces the somber tragic tone, the members reach the train and jungkook sees the version of himself on it but it still passes, representing how whatever justice they receive the dead will remain dead. this concept is reinforced and accepted by the tunnel plunging into darkness, jungkook and namjoon lowering their heads and closing their eyes and the match going out.

By relighting the match jungkook references the 'little match girl' a fairy tale in which whenever a girl lights a match she sees her loved ones who have passed away. this offers the message that although gone the dead can remain present through our remembering of them.

the pile of clothes outside the train represents the dead no longer being a part of this world. in the snowpiercer movie the citizens are stuck on the train because the world outside of them has been completely frozen, it represents how you seemingly can't escape an oppressive society. However one of the character's (who was Korean) suspects there is a possibility of life outside the train, there is a way out of the oppressive society. The character knows because he sees a snowflake which wouldn't be able to form if the temperature was subzero. 

'snowflakes are falling' -bts spring day lyric.

but this is how they remain in our memories.

here jimin steps out of the train and oppressive power corrupted society that tried to downplay the tragedy through the media and the audience is positioned as invited to come with him.

the survivors feel free and liberated, the light is right above their heads and there's no focus on snow. unlike before they're all together, united and walking in a particular direction- away from the train towards the tree.

they have escaped the oppressive corrupt society. the train is far from them now- emphasised by the use of a wide shot.

the tree represents hope, life, a spring day.

jimin carries the victims with him out of the oppressive society

in many cultures shoes are hung on trees to commemorate the dead.

• How does the editing of the video fit the nature of the song it accompanies? 

the editing is slow-paced with use of slow-motion effects to create a still and sombre tone, it feels mournful and depressed throughout the video. it also interweaves all of the themes to create a product with layers, on the surface it's an aesthetically pleasing music video for a nice song but the audience can take more than that away- hall's reception theory + passive/active audiences.

formation- representation

In today's lesson, we shall be exploring how black identity is constructed and represented in the music video to Formation. We shall also be exploring the purpose of Formation, and its political messages.

The conclusion we shall make is that Formation resists stereotypical representations of black people by presenting black identity as complex and challenging

Top tip - in your own essay responses, point out your conclusion in the introduction. Remember, in media studies, you are making an argument

Task - watch What Beyonce Taught Me About Race | Brittany Barron

Formation as a reaction to historical racism

In the last session, we explored the Antebellum South and slavery. Slavery was finally abolished in North America in 1865, following the collapse of the Confederacy and the American Civil War. However, despite being illegal for a relatively long time, there still exists great discrepancies in the rights and lives of black and white people in America (and many other countries).

The act of owning another human being seems bizarre now. So how was it ever justified in the first place? One answer is that it was justified by flawed, racist scientific assumptions.

Task - study the above image from Types of Mankind (1854), and answer the questions below:

• What assumptions are made here about black people and white people? 

That your race affects your skull and brain, leading to the false conclusion that black people aren't as smart as white people because of their race.

• What purpose does this image serve?

this image sets a hierarchy within society, attempting to establish white people as 'superior' intellectually and visually, the picture of the black person next to the monkey compares the two suggesting black people are a mix of human and chimp which is incredibly racist.

• Consider the sociohistorical context of the time this image was created. What is this image attempting to justify?

It's attempting to justify the treatment of black people from a false biological standpoint, it's suggesting white people have a right to treat black people as less than because of their genes and fictitious stunted iq.

Formation as reappropriation 

Reappropriation is the process of taking an offensive word, concept or idea, and then changing the meaning of it.

Task - analyse the above image using the textual analysis toolkit, and answer the following questions:

• What ethnicity/ethnicities are being represented in this image?

African American

• What media language is being used to represent these ethnicities?

They're represented as rich and powerful due to the use of mise-en-scene. The white extravagant outfits connote that they are wealthy which is reinforced by the colour palette of the setting- red and black. The fans act as a symbolic code for power and all of the women supporting Beyonce are holding one. Further wealth is connected by the lavish sofa, extravagant wallpaper and framed pictures.

The use of camera shot also represents them as powerful. The women fill the frame asserting dominant and the mid-shot positions the audience as sitting opposite- they are faced against this group of rich and powerful women which highlights it. All the characters are utilising a direct mode of address to assert power and confidence.

• What ideological message is being constructed about ethnicity here? Is it simple and straightforward, or challenging and complicated?

The ideological message is challenging and complicated, the use of reappropriation demonstrates the convoluted history of black people and makes it impossible for this to be a straightforward representation. They're taking the place of empowered white people who oppressed them whilst defeating oppression.

• What impact does this image have on the young, black, female target audience?

it inspires and sets up a role model figure, it holds lots of racial culture and teaches young black women to embrace said culture and be proud.

• How can we apply the concept of reappropriation to this image?

The use of mise-en-scene makes clear references to the antebellum era- a time of struggle and distress for black people, which juxtaposes with the power and confidence they hold in the shot.

Formation as a criticism of the response of the US government to the Hurricane Katrina disaster and its aftermath 

Last time you researched the US government's response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Since this is already in the bag, you will want to have a little more context, so as part of your wider reading, watch this documentary on the government response to Hurricane Katrina. 

Formation as a celebration of black culture

So all my red bones get on the floor
And all my yellow bones get on the floor
And all my brown bones get on the floor
Then you mix it up and you call it Creole

Task - read Beyoncé, Creoles, and Modern Blackness by Tyina Steptoe

In this article, Steptoe argues that Beyonce has rejected "monolithic", as in simple and straightforward representations of black identity, and instead presents a range of disparate and complex black identities for the audience to engage with and to identify with. 

While watching clips of the video and TV performance, I was struck by one particular aspect of the new song – Beyoncé’s rejection of a monolithic blackness. In the lyrics to “Formation,” Beyoncé does more than proclaim black pride during a particularly tense period of race relations. She also highlights the diversity that has historically existed among African Americans.

Task - analysis of black identity

• How is black female identity encoded in this image? Make reference to hair, costume and mise-en-scene in particular

• What ideological message is presented to the young black female target audience?
• What impact does this have on the young, black female target audience?

• How is black female identity encoded in this image? Make reference to hair, costume and mise-en-scene in particular

Beyonce is wearing braids which is a famously black hairstyle, in fact these days cultural appropriation laws deem it only a black woman's hairstyle due to reappropriation so it fits perfectly with formations themes.

Her costume of a fluffy white coat is unapologetically bold, it makes a loud statement reflective of strong black women's impact. Her bright jewellery reinforces this.

The way she's hanging out the window connotes she is proud of how she looks and wants to flex and be bold. 

The sparse chipped wall behind the car connotes that they are in a 'ghetto' area, land black people were forced onto by marginalisation and oppression, but they are no qualms in regard to that. 

• What ideological message is presented to the young black female target audience?

to be unapologetically bold and proud.

• What impact does this have on the young, black female target audience?

it condemns any insecurity or self-loathing as a result of racism and encourages self-love

• How is black female identity encoded in this image? Make reference to hair, costume and mise-en-scene in particular

the curls in her hair was something associated with black women and condemned in the past as a result of racism. it was a metonym for black culture resulting in racism. here she is clearly proud and embracive of it encoding the ideology that black women should embrace their culture.

• What ideological message is presented to the young black female target audience?
• What impact does this have on the young, black female target audience?

Formation- context

It's clear from watching Formation that there is a lot going on. Formation makes use of a range of different techniques in order to create meaning for its audience. However, unlike Riptide which can possibly be described as being 'weird for the sake of weird', Formation has a clear and savage political message to present to its audience.

To do so, Formation makes intense use of the concepts of intertextuality/referential codes and bricolage

Task - If possible, go through Formation and make screenshots of each of the different aesthetic and visual styles that the video demonstrates, including from different eras, settings and situations. Why is this video not just a dance routine in a studio? Why combine so many styles and themes?

The many different things in the music explore and represented African-American culture- a group typically underrepresented in the media. The music video acts as a platform for voices and messages of diversity and culture, the use of a mixture of themes add more impact and represent African-Americans, and Beyoncé as even more powerful.

my internet glitched and the rest of the work deleted ffs.