C2 Music

     04/03/25

L/O: To explore the content and format of the unit

Music Videos & Online Media

DO NOW:

• There are two media exams
• The overall mark of the two exams is 70%
• Component 2 is worth 30%
• The main purpose of all media is to make money
• You may see a music video on social media or the artists website

Topic Contents:

• Three music videos in depth
• Stormzy - Superheroes (contemporary)
• Taylor Swift - The Man (contemporary)
• TLC - Waterfalls (historical)
• Websites and social media for two of the corresponding artists:
• Taylor Swift
• Stormzy

This unit covers media language, representations, industries, audiences & contexts

Why do artists / record labels create music videos?

• To help make the song / artist memorable
• To allow the artist / song to be seen / heard on more platforms - music, channels, DVDs
• To promote an artist's skills - dancing or acting potentially
• To help sell a song
• To promote an artist or song
• To introduce a new artist / song
• To show off an artist's image
• To provide a visual representation of the song and its narrative
• To entertain the audience
• To allow the audience to connect with the singer / feel like they're watching them live

Why do audiences watch music videos?

• Entertainment
• To see the artist
• To tell the story

Promotional Tools

Record labels use music videos for a number of purposes:

• To convey the meaning of the song
• To promote the artist's image, identity, talent or status for an audience
• To showcase or promote the artist's musical prowess for a specific audience

The media language can convey the meaning of the song through the tone of the video (e.g. upbeat or dark and sinister, polished and glamorous), which will primarily be determined by the use of mise-en-scene, supported by the camerawork and editing

Types of Music Videos

When watching music videos, we can split the footage into three categories:

• Performance: where we see the artist singing and / or playing the song, often with dancing, usually with direct address to camera to personally position the viewer

• Narrative: where we see the storyline of the video. Narrative music videos might narrate the song or create a parallel narrative that comments on the meaning of the song

• Conceptual: sometimes there are simply images, or lights, or special effects that are more about 'mood' or 'feeling' than a story.

Conventions of Music Videos

These are conventions of performance music videos:

• Lip syncing
• Live performance (playing instruments etc)
• Main focus on artist / band
• Perform the camera(s)
• Choreographed dancing (depending on the genre)

These are conventions of narrative music videos:

• Video tells a story
• Usually filmed and edited like a movie
• Story often matches lyrics or is a metaphorical representation (not always)
• Artist might appear as a performer and often directly addresses the audience

These are technical conventions of music videos (applies to both narrative and performance):

• Range of shot types used
• Multiple close-ups of the artists
• Usually edited to the beat of the music
• Narrative sequences use continuity editing
• Intertextuality is often used, referencing iconic films or other media texts

Set Texts - Music Videos

Narrative performance conceptual or a mix

What happens

Add a link to the lyrics - how do they link

What conventions are used

What genre music is it?

The Man - Taylor Swift

• A narrative music video
• Context - A dominating man who objectifies women through his life - in the office, on the subway, on a boat etc, a commentary on how Taylor could act if she were a man and not be judged for it - double standards - how differently she would be treated 
• Lyrics - https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-the-man-lyrics
• Conventions - Matches lyrics, intertextuality, range of shot types, lip syncing, edited to the beat of the music
• Intertextuality - Scooter Braun, Leo in St Tropez, her previous albums, Miss Americana (turned into "Mr Americana") and Sundance film festival (turned into "mandance"), her lucky number "13" used in "13th Street Station"
• Genre - Pop song 

Superheroes - Stormzy

• A narrative music video
• Context -  A boy is nearly hit by a car but saved by a man with powers - intertextual reference to Noughts & Crosses - video has multiple narratives surrounding black people and Black Lives Matter
• Lyrics - https://genius.com/Stormzy-superheroes-lyrics
• Conventions - Tells a story, a metaphorical representation of the lyrics
• Genre - Rap

Waterfalls - TLC

• A narrative and performance music video
• Context - Artists are singing in the ocean while cross cutting editing from the artist's performance to a 2 montages: One of a man being shot while selling drugs as his mother pleads him not to go and do it, another where the man dies because of HIV. 
• Lyrics - https://genius.com/Tlc-waterfalls-lyrics
• Conventions - Tells a story, edited in a montage, artists appear as performers and directly address the audience, cross cutting between performance and narrative
• Genre - Hybridised R&B with hip-hop

     07/03/25

L/O: To explore the music industry and the role of the music video within it

The Music Industry

DO NOW:

• To make money
• To promote the song or artist
• To show the artist's talents, to convey the meaning of the song
• Narrative and performance
• Dancing, acting, singing

Overview

• In the UK, the music industry contributes billions to the economy; it is a massive global media industry
• The uk exports a lot of music around the world
• Due tot he changing way we consume music, the industry has faced many challenges recently
• Most people download music or stream it rather than buying physical copies
• Streaming now accounts for 80& of music consumption in the UK
• The technological developments that once threatened the music industry have allowed it to generate revenue in different ways and to extend their reach to different and new audiences

Taylor Swift Website Links

This has links to the streaming sites: Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes store, Deezer, Tidal, YouTube music, Target and Soundcloud

Stormzy Website Links

This has links to the streaming sites: Apple Music, Deezer, Napster, iTunes store, pandora, Spotify and Tidal

Overview - Vinyl records

As most of our music consumption is digital, CD sales are in decline. However, vinyl records and cassettes are becoming popular again, this may be appealing to fans as:

• They contain special designs and posters in the sleeves
• Collectability of the products
• Owning a physical copy 
• Nostalgia
• New trend
• May enjoy artwork, feel or quality

Ownership

• Record label are companies that make contracts with artists and release their music. Record labels usually fund the costs of producing, distributing & circulating music to audiences,
• They will have separate production teams (record, mix & produce music) and distribution teams (marketing, press and promotion)
• A single release from an album is normally accompanied by a music

The Big Three

• There are currently three major record labels in the industry: Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group & Sony Music
• These three are part of major conglomerates and are horizontally integrated (also have film studies, TV companies, etc.)
• They all have subsidiary record labels, most of which were previously independent & associated with specific genres. E.g. Island Records
• These major labels are able to invest large amounts of money in artists that are, or are likely to be, commercially successful. Videos for major artists often have a budget of over a million dollars
• They are able to reach large audiences through high-profile marketing campaigns. They can also benefit easily from synergy with other companies in the conglomerate (e.g. their songs in their films) 

Independents

• There are also many independent labels not linked to the majors.
• They are often associated with more alternative acts - for example, indie was traditionally a non-mainstream genre
• Most of these have to go to the majors to get distribution deals however, so the majors still get a cut of the revenue
• Some (very few) artists do not sign to a label at all. They use the internet to promote and distribute their work

Taylor Swift's record label is with Universal Music Group

Stormzy's record label is with Def Jam Recordings - Warner Music Group

Regulation

• The industry isn't regulated by a single organisation, but there are regulatory guidelines in place for music products in Britain
• The BPI runs the Parental Advisory Scheme, which is voluntary, and uses the logo to notify audiences about content that might be offensive or unsuitable to children
• It is the record label's responsibility to assess the product and apply the logo where appropriate - both on a physical product or online. Reasons to apply this are: 
• Strong Language
• Depictions of violence
• Sexual behaviour
• Discriminatory behaviour (e.g. racism)
• Dangerous or criminal behaviour (e.g. drug abuse)

Regulating Music Videos

If released on DVD:

• Since 2014, all music videos on DVD now need to be classified if they would achieve a 12 certificate or above

If released online:

• Since 2014, the BBFC has been working with Vevo & YouTube to age rate online music videos.
• UK record labels submit any video they feel would gain at least a 12 certificate

     07/03/25

L/O: To explore music audience appeals and fandom

Music Audiences

DO NOW:

• Fans may buy vinyls for the collectability of them
• The big three are Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group & Sony Music
• Streaming services have affected the way in which we consume music in the last 20 yrs
• Synergy in media industries is a mutual deal between companies to benefit each other Two platforms or products are used to help sell the other and therefore increase overall revenue
• Smaller music labels that were once independent but merged into a conglomerate, typically of the same genre

Overview

• Music plays a really important part in the lives of many people as it is often tied in with IDENTITY. It is particularly associated with youth culture as most people discover and become fans of certain genres of music in their teenage years.
• Many genres have developed over time. Pop, for example, is a very broad genre with mainstream appeal, whilst Rap has more specific conventions and a more niche audience. Hybrid genres (Indie-Folk) have also developed over time.
• Different genres, especially those that are less mainstream, often have a particular identity or image that are associated with them. Fans may respond positively to the music and then adopt the style linked to that genre. For example, emo. They might also share the particular values and beliefs that are communicated through the music.
• A great example of this is the Punk culture from the 70s which conveyed rebellious anti-establishment beliefs which changed mainstream values. Some people saw this as a threat to society though - showing different responses to the same music.

The Star Persona

• The image of an artist that we see in the media is a very carefully constructed representation designed to appeal their target audience; it is not 'real' - a character.
• This STAR PERSONA is established using many different elements: 
• Music & lyrics
• Visual imagery (music videos, publicity shots, album artwork)
• Design of any artwork, website & merch
• Social media posts
• The persona embodies different values & beliefs too
• This can change and develop over time as artists get older and possibly change genres.

Case Study Research

Taylor Swift's star persona:

Look: Swift has a feminine attire, following trends and current stylistic choices whilst maintaining her own persona. She often tends to post photos of herself smiling, conveying a kind and wholesome personality, whilst maintaining a glamorous look. Her appearance is quite generic, with no offensive standing out points.

Values & beliefs: Taylor Swift is transparent about opinions that cause a divide within her fanbase, such as her voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the recent presidential election due to their feminism and choices. She is also a paradigm of feminism for her younger fans, with the ideology presenting in her look, lyricism and music videos.

Messages: Taylor often presents how she values her fans through her comments and interacting on fans' post. She appears self-aware and respectful, apologising for any mishaps she causes publicly and owning up to mistakes. 

Stormzy's star persona:

Look: Stormzy is represented for a role model for young black people; he has a laid-back, streetwear style whilst conveying a stylish look. 

Values & beliefs: He is not afraid to communicate his controversial opinions and beliefs.

Messages: He is very supporting to his audience, along with other artists as he is known for collaborating with alot of artists

Fandom

For those people who are really into a particular artist or genre, music offers many opportunities to engage in fandom; they might:

• Buy physical copies of music, including limited editions and rare releases
• Collect memorabilia
• Buy official merch 
• Dress like the artist
• Go to many concerts
• Follow them on socials
• Enter competitions
• Join online fan community or create their own fan site

Target Audience

• Although the main TA for popular music tends to be young people, the audience demographic for music is actually very broad
• There are now more artists of all genders, ethnicities and ages that will appeal to a wide range of people
• Particular genre will have more specific audience

     21/03/25

L/O: To explore the historical case study

TLC: Waterfalls

DO NOW:

• Niche is a small specific target audience
• Star persona is a carefully constructed representation of an artist or band
• Streaming services have affected the way we consume music in the last 20 years
• Personal identity, social interaction are provided by fandoms
• Go to several concerts, buy merchandise and vinyls, join a fandom

Overview

• TLC is an all girl R&B group: at the time of the release of 'Waterfalls', the members were Tinonne 'T-Boz' Watkins, Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopes and Rozonda 'Chilli" Thomas
• 'Waterfalls' is a track from their second album, CrazySexyCool (1994), and achieved international success, reaching number one in many territories
• The group was originally formed as a fusion of R&B and hip-hop (a hybrid that became popular in the 1990s). TLC combined the smooth and soulful elements of R&B and the tougher, more 'street' approach of rap, to create a girl group with a 'tomboy' image
• Unlike many girl groups, TLC had more of a 'rock n roll' image. In the press, they were honest about their individual battles with addiction, police arrests, abusive relationships and their spats with each other. These issues were often explored in their music, arguably making TLC more 'gritty' than other R&B.
• In 2002, Lopes was killed in a car accident, but the remaining members of TLC continue to record and tour as a duo

Meaning

• 'Waterfalls' is an episodic song; several different scenes are depicted in the lyrics
• Each plotline unfolds as a cautionary tale against various vices
• The first scene and the first verse describe a mother-son relationship in which the son resorts to unorthodox methods to make money. His greed, his vice, his 'waterfall', ultimately leads to his death
• The second scene follows the story of a different man with a different 'waterfall' he is chasing. Specifically, his vice, his insatiable physical desires result in him contracting HIV, the 'three letters'

Media Language

• 'Waterfalls' blends three types of music video genres: performance, narrative and conceptual. There are two clear narratives with characters and situations that directly relate to the lyrics of the song: in the first verse, a young male dies during a drug deal and in the second, an adult male contracts HIV. The conceptual element is the liquid, waterfall effects on the girls, and the performance is their performing to the camera.
• There is clear illustration of the lyrics: for example, there is a mother literally gazing out a window at her son and a man literally doesn't recognise his own reflection
• Intercut with diegetic sounds with the narrative sections are shots of the members of TLC performing the song and dancing in sync; demonstrating typical codes of the music video form. These performance sections use multiple formal conventions: close-ups of their faces, direct address, and in terms of editing, dancing moves cut to the rhythm of the music
• There are also more abstract elements in the video. The band members first appear like water spirits, liquid versions of themselves (an intertextual reference to Terminator 2). Bookending each section, there is also a montage of flying imagery, with natural and urban landscapes zooming past. SFX are used to portray the ghostly characters of the mother and son, and the symptoms of the mans disease. The use of CGI adds an almost supernatural element to a song about very real social issues

Mise-en-scene

• Typically, inner-ctiy sets and locations have connotations of a 'ghetto' culture and the costumes (baggy tracksuits, baseball caps, dark glasses) connote a dangerous urban environment. These elements of the mise-en-scene could also demonstrate intertextual links to films of the 1990s.
• In the HIV narrative, the iconography of the romance genre is used: attractive semi-naked actors, silk stockings, tangled sheets and large mirrors; yet these swiftly become threatening and horrific to show the symptoms of the disease (over-exposed image of his face and glowing eyes resemble the transformation scene from a horror movie).

Symbolism

• Symbolism is used to communicate meanings through connotations
• Drugs aren't explicitly shown, and neither is any clear HIV diagnosis
• Drugs are symbolised by a brown paper bag, and AIDS by skin deterioration and a montage of photos of the female's previous boyfriends

Special Effects

• SFX are also used to balance the gritty realism of the narratives with something almost magical. 
• The opening shot appears if we are falling from space (possibly connoting an angel) and TLC members appear first as beings made from water. This links explicitly to the title and metaphors of the song
• The mother appears as a 'ghost' trying to prevent her son from approaching the gang: and the son later appears as a 'real' ghost that the mother can't see
• The SFX in the HIV narrative makes the disease seem more like a magical curse than a STI
• This alters the tone of the song, and makes it more expressionistic than naturalistic. Expressionism is an artistic movement where inner emotions are explored, often in an abstract way.

Context

• Many R&B videos focus on romantic narratives and, often, hip-hop videos feature groups of men celebrating their wealth often achieved through crime. 'Waterfalls' references these genre conventions by showing the temptations of both sex and crime. Its overall message is less glamorised and more cautionary than many videos in this genres (challenges the stereotypes of the genre)
• In the 90s, there was a lot of public concern and media coverage of songs two issues - the spread of HIV (a deadly condition at the time) and the escalation of street violence related to drug gangs. 'Waterfalls' attempts these through two tragic but sympathetic narratives: a young black
• TLC were the second-biggest girl band of the 90s after the Spice Girls, who had a similar message of female solidarity and empowerment. The song could fall into the sub-genre of 'socially aware' hip-hop tat explores real-life issues but in a sympathetic way, rather than glamorising damaging lifestyle

Representation

Age

• Representation stereotypical in the video. The young man is portrayed as well meaning but impulsive. Ignoring the fears of his mother, who is represented as wiser, concerned and loving. The young adult couple in the other narrative are shown as wealthy (through media language and mise-en-scene of the bedroom) and sexually active, but ultimately irresponsible.

Gender

• Representation mainly stereotypical in the video - young men presented as impulsive and reckless. However, the woman in the second narrative is represented anti-stereotypically, as she is promiscuous and at fault for the death of the man and transmitting HIV.

The band

• TLC are represented as being supernatural beings. they manifest from the water-based geographical features in the chorus of the song. Once in 'human' form, their costume and make-up create a complex representation of gender: parts of their image are traditionally feminine 9make-up accentuating eyes and lips, colourful costumes and skimpy tops baring their slim midriffs)
• However, some elements are more masculine

Social issues (ethnicity)

• Represented sympathetically, linking to the band's comment that they wanted to send a message without 'preaching'
• The young black man is not a typical gangster, but rather represented as someone trying to make easy money to help his family. He becomes a victim of the violent black male gang members (who reinforce ethnic and gender stereotypes through the use of props, dress and gesture codes)
• The sexuality of the couple is first represented as glamorous and intimate, and the multiple close ups of the men as he begins to become ill encourage our empathy rather than condemnation

                  21/03/25

L/O: To explore the contemporary case study

Taylor Swift: The Man

DO NOW:

• Narrative, performance and conceptual
• R&B and Hip-hop
• Mise-en-scene is used to present iconography and set scenes for the narrative sections, and symbolism is used to communicate meanings through connotations
• Waterfalls is expressionistic
• Areas of representation in Waterfalls are: age, gender and ethnicity

Overview

• Taylor Swift is one of the worlds best selling artists, having sold over 200 million records globally. She is the most streamed female artist on Spotify 
• The Man was released in Feb 2020. It was the fourth single to be released from her 2019 Lover album. The MV has had 107 million views on Swift's YouTube channel
• The lyrics of the song explore how different Swift feels she would be treated if she were a man. The key issue of gender bias is represented through character in The Man and his interactions with others in a number of different settings.

Conventions

The Man is classed as a pop song, however it challenges stereotypes of this genre through:

• There is no performance element - no lip syncing, direct address, etc.
• It doesn't show the artist singing the song in any form. Instead, she acts as a character and doesn't use direct address. The video mostly tells a story but ends with a short part showing how 'The Man' was made, revealing it to be Taylor Swift

Mise-en-scene

• The video constructs a linear narrative, by following The Man's typical daily activities in various locations including the subway, office and park
• The every day settings are specifically chosen as these areas are where women experience sexism in their every day lives
• The Man is also shown in more glamorous locations - enjoying leisure time on a yacht and a tennis courts
• This reflects the gender and pay gap between men and women
• All of the women on the yacht wear the same yellow bikini - objectifying them

Propp's roles

• The character of the Man could be described as the false hero, according to Propp's character roles, as Taylor Swift is 'unmasked' as the real hero at the end of the video. This is highlighted by the credits 'written by' and 'directed by', encouraging the audience to view er as a powerful and successful woman

Intertextuality

Intertextuality also creates layers of meaning in the video:

• The Wolf of Wall Street references:
• The pose in the office
• The yacht
• Misogynistic, businessmen
• The man smashing his racket references John McEnroe, the tennis player notorious for his angry outbursts on the tennis court in the 80s, especially a match in 1984.
• Swift references her own media:
• Albums and songs are graffitied on subway walls 
• The sign with the scooter references her fight for the rights over her music between Swift and producer Scooter Braun and the 'missing' poster helps to further anchor this meaning

Media Language

Clothing codes & props

• The Man is constantly wearing a suit, connoting his importance, wealth and education
• In the yacht scene, all of the women wear yellow bikinis which objectifies them - links to the Male Gaze theory
• In the scene where he leaves his room, he is wearing a suit despite just leaving his bed, implying that he was simply doing business with the woman
• After leaving his room, we see the Man has a photo of himself on his wall, suggesting his arrogance and confidence

Colour palette

• The fact that on the subway wall the Man's urine is blue, which is the stereotypical male colour, however it is also glittered and sparkling, possibly foreshadowing that 'the Man' is actually Taylor Swift as this is far more feminine
• In the bar scene, the red atmosphere connotes the Man's arrogance and true nature

Gesture codes incl. facial expressions

• In the scene on the subway where the Man is manspreading and flicking cigarette ash onto the woman next to him, both actions reflect a disregard for others
• The Man winks at the camera, suggesting his arrogance, confidence and the stereotypical masculine sexual desire
• When he is in the office and throws the paper behind him, the women run to catch it with smiles, suggesting that he is idolised and obsessed over by the women
• In the office scene, the Man recreates the pose from 'The Wolf on Wall St.' - a film about a misogynistic businessman, mirroring his attitudes
• The Man urinates against a wall in the subway, a stereotypical, rude gesture that men do
• In the scene where he leaves his room, he checks himself out in the mirror before leaving, connoting his confidence and self-worth
• When he is holding up his daughter, he flexes his muscles as if in attempt to show off to all of the women obsessing over him.

Technical codes

• The man is often framed in the centre, showing the focus is on him. The camera also tracks his movement emphasising that he is at the centre of the narrative

Context

• The social context of feminism has influenced the video as Swift is assuming the role of a man in order to express her feminist views. She mocks the patriarchy throughout to make a serious point about gender discrimination
• Swift is well known for using her videos to criticise people from her personal life, and this video appears to reference Jake Gyllenhaal, who she dated in 2010 and is similar and appearance to the Man
• In the subway scene, The Bo$$ Scotch poster with the tagline of 'Capitalise on the feeling' and the word 'greedy' graffitied next to the poster may refer to Scott Borchetta, who founded Swift's former record label
• Various members of Swift's family and friends make cameo appearances in the video, adding to the personal tone. Her father, Scott Swift, appears in the tennis scene as the umpire
• Swift's Netflix Documentary is referenced in a poster which shows an alternative version of the film starring her male alter ego - Mr Americana (Tyler Swift)
• The video was inspired by the #MeToo movement at the time. A lyric from the song - 'When everyone believes ya, what's that like?' - could be a reference to the slogan #believewomen which was used as part of the #MeToo movement

Representation

Men

• Men are represented as misogynistic, wealthy businessmen who do not care for anything but their own personal lives.
• Constructs the Man to make a statement about misogyny and male privilege
• Men are represented as disrespectful, with the Man engaging in exaggerated versions of several male behaviours which are often criticised in society
• The posters highlight hypermasculinity in action movies and male stereotypes are reinforced in the newspaper the Man is reading, with headlines such as 'Year's most eligible CEOs' and 'Men we love in sports'
• the mans voice is performed by The Rock, who is a well-known star who represents hypermasculinity

Women

• Women are represented as naïve to the misogyny and their treatment from the patriarchy, as if they are unsuspecting of this.
• They are desperate, secondary supporting characters until the end
• Women do not come across brilliantly within the MV despite Swift's feminism

Taylor Swift

• Taylor Swift is represented as the hero within the MV, as she is shown to be directing 'the Man' and therefore holds authority over him, and is eventually revealed to be the Man.

Inequality

• Inequality of gender is represented through the unfair treatment of women within the patriarchy. Particular gestures codes such as manspreading and flicking a cigarette onto an old lady imply that men are unbothered by the treatment women receive and contribute to it.

                  28/03/25

L/O: To explore the contemporary case study

Stormzy: Superheroes

DO NOW:

• No performance aspect
• Swift's previous albums, the wolf on wall street
• Media language is used to create meaning through mise-en-scene - the suit - and gesture codes - manspreading, etc. -
• The Man represents the false hero in Propp's character roles
• Gender and inequality are represented in the Man

Overview

• Superheroes was released on Dec 13 2019 as a part of Stormzy's second album, Heavy is the Head. The video for Superheroes premiered on Sep 9 2020 when it was shown in school classrooms in London, Glasgow, Dublin and Manchester at the start of the term when schools re-opened after having been closed since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic
• The video was directed by British filmmaker Taz Tron Delix and produced by Argentinian animation studio 2veinte. Stormzy dedicated the video to Chadwick Boseman following the actor's death in Aug 2020. The video ends with the text "RIP Chadwick Boseman, 1976-2020. Forever a superhero in our hearts"
• In 2020, Stormzy donated £500,000 to the Black Heart Foundation to provide educational scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and pledged to donate £10m over the next decade to help combat racial inequality in the UK

Conventions

How does 'Superheroes' challenge conventions of MVs?

• Expressionistic
• Subverting music video conventions. Superheroes does not include the artist performing the song. It is entirely narrative based, with Stormzy featuring as a character leading the young boy on a typical hero's journey, showing him other characters who have found their gifts or superpowers, The lyrics narrate the story throughout, and the visuals contain many cultural references and people and events from 2020.
• The animated nature of the video enables the characters' superpowers to be constructed imaginatively, such as the scene where the boy has 6 arms, demonstrating his talents

Mise-en-scene

The video constructs a linear narrative

Colour Palette

• The opening establishing shots illustrate the urban setting with pink skies, flowers and trees and birds singing, connoting a hopeful, peaceful, optimistic tone despite the UK cityscape. The pastel colour palette with soft shading throughout the MV, subverting conventions of grime and typical conventions of Stormzy's videos

Propp's roles

• Stormzy is shown in the role of the hero, who rescues the young boy when he falls when flying by himself.
• The 'young black kings' and 'young black queens' could be seen as Proppian heroes, who receive help from Stormzy and other inspirational figures on their journey towards empowerment, also displaying Stormzy as the donor or helper

Intertextuality

• Noughts & Crosses: Stormzy's character waves the book in the police's face - a book about racial inequality - Stormzy is in the adapted series, which is synergy as it promotes the series and the series promotes Stormzy's music
• Toy Story: The scene where Stormzy flies with the young boy mimics Buzz and Woody flying together
• The Matrix: the scene where the young boy sends the pens flying at the board showing his intelligence mimics a matrix scene
• Little Simz: a famous black music artist who is shown as inspiration to the girl in the video to accept herself for who she is when she is worried about body image - shown on a poster on the girls wall
• Chadwick Boseman: an inspirational actor who was strongly involved in BLM

Iconography

• The masks symbolise the pandemic ongoing through 2019 and 2020
• Black Lives Matter - a global movement - is illustrated with grafitti, protests, etc. however there is no violence displayed, but rather people standing together and there is diversity in ethnicity in the crowd 
• Iconography used in the video is associated with black empowerment. The placards and raised fists in the protest scene send a message of Black power. Then, the symbolism at the end of the video when Stormzy places the world in the boy's hands before leaving him, sending a clear message of optimism for the 'young black kings' and 'young black queens' who have the power to change the world

Media Language

Clothing codes & props

• The boy's Adidas tracksuit was selected by the director to reflect a style similar to the dress code in Stormzy's Sounds of the Skeng video, adding authenticity and relatability for the young audience
• A range of people and props are shown to demonstrate the talents of 'young black kings & queens'
• The 'Noughts & Crosses' book that Stormzy holds to the police's face symbolises the racial inequality they face

Lighting

• The opening establishing shots illustrate the urban setting with pink skies, flowers and trees and birds singing, connoting a hopeful, peaceful, optimistic tone despite the UK cityscape. The pastel colour palette with soft shading throughout the MV, subverting conventions of grime and typical conventions of Stormzy's videos
• The colour palette throughout remains in pastel, creating a positive, empowering tone for the video
• The fact that Stormzy lights up white when using his 'superpower' could suggest that skin tone does not matter to light up, connoting hope and optimism

Technical codes

• A low angle shot establishes Stormzy as the hero the first time he meets the boy. The boy is looking up at him from the corner of the frame, positioning the audience to view Stormzy as an inspirational role model
• The high angle wide shot immediately after establishing Stormzy as a role model creates the impression that he and the boy are at equal heights, symbolising their equality, despite their large difference in heights

Context

• The video contains many references to pop culture chosen to represent Black culture in an empowering way. These include rappers Dave and Little Simz, and footballer Marcus Rashford
• Malorie Blackman's Noughts & Crosses novel is also referenced in the video, in which Stormzy appeared in the series
• The scene that depicts the BLM protests reflects the social and political climate of the summer of 2020, shortly after the death of George Floyd in the US. Stormzy took part in the London protests, and the scene with the placards also reflects the social context of the pandemic, as the protesters are shown wearing face masks
• The use of the Rashford shirt reflects social and political contexts as, at the time, Rashford had made a stand against the UK government on their decision to end the free school meals provided during the pandemic. Rashford successfully pressured the government into reversing their decision, so Stormzy wanted to represent him in the video as a hero and role model to young people. Having a young girl represent this subverts the stereotypes of the masculinity of football and empowers women
• Stormzy is well known for his political activism, using social media and high-profile performances, such as his headline slot at Glastonbury in 2019, to both support and criticise British politicians and encourage young people to vote

Representation

Men

• The 'young black kings' are represented as empowered by education in the classroom scene and as talented and creative in the scene in the music studio. The central character is represented as vulnerable and lacking in confidence at the start before he is guided by Stormzy on his hero's journey where he is inspired and empowered by the positive

Women

• Chopping veg and washing dishes reinforces the stereotype of females being more powerful in domestic settings but also suggests that the girl is a superhero as she is caring for her grandmother
• The scene where a young girl is shown anxiously looking at herself in the mirror represents the issue of body confidence. It is transformed into a moment of empowerment when she is inspired to embrace her natural beauty by looking at a picture of the music artist Little Simz. Her gesture codes show this transformation, and the picture highlights the importance of positive role models for young black females

Stormzy

• Represented positively as a black role model with the power to inspire the younger generation. From the start he is shown to be caring, taking time to support and inspire the central male character. He is also reading Noughts & Crosses, which he presents to the police. This highlights the issue of racial profiling and represents education as the route to empowerment and equality
• The events of the 2020 BLM movement are depicted in the graffiti shot and in the scene where the protesters are holding placards and wearing ace masks due to the pandemic. 

Inequality

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Family

                  01/04/25

L/O: To explore the contemporary case study

MV: Audiences & Industry

DO NOW:

• Superheroes challenges conventions of a mainstream music video as it is animated
• Intertextual references to Noughts & Crosses and The Matrix are made
• Colour palette and lighting create a positive and optimistic mood for the video
• Stormzy plays the Proppian hero role
• Equality and gender are represented in Superheroes

Taylor Swift: Industry

• Taylor Swift signed a song writing deal with Sony Records in 2004 and a recording contract with Big Machine Records in 2005. She signed to Republic Records in 2018, the label under which her 2019 Lover album was released. After a dispute with Big Machine Records, she began re-recording her first six albums
• Swift's music is promoted to audiences through her website and its convergence with her social media accounts. The official website promotes album releases such as 'Taylor's version', sells merchandise to global audiences and advertises tour dates such as The Eras Tour
• Prosthetic makeup was used to transform her into the Man. This involved her wearing a muscle suit and having facial sculptures which took 4-6 hours to apply for each day of filming. The final, BTS shots of the video reveal the transformation of Swift into the Man and remind us that she is both the writer of the song and the director of the video
• Swift was the first person to receive the Woman of the Decade Award at Billboard's Women in Music Awards in 2019

Taylor Swift: Audience

• On 25 Feb 2020, she posted a short trailer for the Man music video on her social media accounts, announcing to her fans that it would be released two days later on her YT channel. Swift answered fan questions on 27 Feb in the hour before the premiere of the video. The hashtag #TheMan was used by fans to share responses to the video after its release
• This meant for free marketing and promotion of her MV as hashtags are easily accessible
• The point of this teaser trailer was to create hype
• Swift posted thank you messages to the actors in her MV thanking them for the parts they played. She posted a message to Loren Gray who played the part of the tennis umpire, saying '@loren your eye roll really was astonishing'
• These actors may then go to repost these, potentially widening the target audience of the MV to fans of the actors featured
• Swift's social media often take a more personal approach to connect with her fans. She often posts about her cats and has also expressed her views through social media on issues such as the #MeToo movement and the 2020 US Presidential election
• On International Women's day in 2020, The Man was added to playlists on streaming platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify
• British Politician Liz Truss quoted words from the song during a debate on gender equality in the House of Commons

Reception Theory

• Stuart Hall came up with the idea that media producers encode messages with intended meanings, but audiences actively decode these messages based on their own experiences and contexts, leading to diverse interpretations
• Hall identifies three potential ways audience may decode a message:
• Preferred / Dominant reading: The audience accepts the intended meaning of the message
• Negotiated reading: The audience partially accepts the intended meaning but also incorporate their own interpretations and perspectives
• Oppositional reading: The audience rejects the intended meaning and interprets the message in a way that contradicts the producer's intent.

Taylor Swift: Audience Response

• The preferred reading of the video would be for the female audience to feel empowered by the feminist message which would be to campaign for gender equality. The representation in the video are also mocking and making a parody of large stereotypes of men for entertainment purposes
• The oppositional viewpoint may come from a male audience, who may feel that the negative representations in the Man are misrepresenting them as a social group. For example, some responses to the video argue that the negative male stereotype represented is outdated and offensive

Stormzy: Industry

• His first album, gang, signs and prayer was released independently. It was the first rap album to win the BRIT award for British album of the year
• He was then signed to Atlantic Records in 2018, under which his second album was released. This album features the track Superheroes
• In 2020, signed to Def Jam, a newly formed sub-division of Def Jam Records based in London which focuses on UK rap and grime artists
• The production company responsible for producing the Superheroes video was 2veinte, a well-known boutique design and animation studio established in Buenos Aires, who work with frame by frame 2D animation. They had to use simple backgrounds after the establishing shots in order to focus on the characters and minimise scenic details to produce this video in just eight weeks
• The official website promotes tours, album releases and associated merch and is currently promoting Stormzy's third album.
• His brand #Merky has pledged to donate £10M over 10 years to Black organisations in the UK to fight racial inequality
• Stormzy is known for bringing the grime music genre into the mainstream
• Stormzy was the first unsigned artist and the first grime artist to appear on Later with Joois Holland on BBC2.

Stormzy: Audience

• The primary audience for the video was school pupils in the UK, with the video being streamed to classrooms on 9 Sep 2020
• Before the MV was aired, Stormzy sent a message to schools welcoming pupils across the UK back to school and telling them they would be the first people anywhere to see the video. He told then "I think it is important that you guys understand how powerful you are. Despite the colour of your skin, despite where you come from, despite your religion, despite whatever it is that you feel may be holding you back: you are a superhero.
• The target audience for Superheroes, Black British males and females from Gen Alpha, is younger than Stormzy's typical target demographic (male and female millennials / fans of the grime genre) due to the focus on younger characters and the animated nature of the video
• Older, Gen Z audiences reacted on social media to Stormzy's use of lyrics from 'Someday', which feature at the end of Superheroes track. This sparked comments such as "Man is singing Tracy Beaker riddims on his album?? Give that man a grammy"
• Stormzy is the 5th most popular rap / hip-hop artist in the UK. On instagram, 52% of his followers are male and 48% are female
• Stormzy's music is promoted to audiences through his website and its convergence with his social media accounts
• Stormzy's social media accounts take a more personal approach to connect with his fans. Stormzy has expressed his views through social media on issues such as the BLM movement and the 2019 UK general elections

Stormzy: Audience Response

• The preferred reading of the video would be for the young Black audience to embrace the positive message of strength and hope in the song and feel empowered and inspired by Stormzy and the other role models featured
• The oppositional reading of the video may come from an older, white audience who may not understand the representations and issues faced by the Black community

Online Media - Websites & Socials

Why do musicians / artists have websites?

• To help promote a new album and tour
• To direct fans to their social media accounts
• A place to sell merch, an important revenue stream for artists
• To help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release

Homework

In the music video 'Waterfalls' by TLC, it is demonstrated through multiple factors that music videos reflect the time in which they were created: the water effects they edit on the TLC members makes an intertextual reference to the film 'Terminator II', which was a very popular film at the time during the 90s. Both of these media forms utilise SFX to create liquified effects on people, making a direct reference.

The music video has a large narrative factor to it, with two narratives displayed within it. These are anti-stereotypical for the 90s, as rather than highlighting and promoting crime in urban settings and presenting it in a positive light, 'Waterfalls' presents the themes of crime and debauchery as destructive and fatal. This highlights these contemporarily 'cool' themes as threatening and risky, bringing awareness to society as their label was the 2nd largest girl group in the world at the time, meaning their audience was wide. TLC attempted to raise this awareness due to their own personal experiences in their lives, in which they all experienced the true brutality of these specious themes and raised awareness of the reality of theme through their music video. 

The music video blends performance, narrative and conceptual elements into one hybrid music video: Performance aspects appear in intervals through cross-cutting, where the TLC members are shown to be lip-syncing with direct address to the audience in the water; narrative aspects are arguably the main element in this music video, where two narratives are shown within the video: The first narrative displays a young boy and his mother arguing over his promiscuous ways of making money through drug deals, in which he is killed by a gang. In this scene, the urban setting is used to display connotations of a 'ghetto' culture and the costumes (baggy tracksuits, baseball caps, dark glasses) connote a dangerous urban environment. These elements of the mise-en-scene could also demonstrate intertextual links to films of the 1990s. More to this, the second narrative displays a man who has contracted HIV due to his insatiable sexual desires, which eventually leads to his demise. The iconography of the romance genre is used: attractive semi-naked actors, silk stockings, tangled sheets and large mirrors; yet these swiftly become threatening and horrific to show the symptoms of the disease (over-exposed image of his face and glowing eyes resemble the transformation scene from a horror movie). Finally, the conceptual element is the liquid, waterfall effects on the girls.

                  04/04/25

L/O: To explore the contemporary case study

Music: Websites & Socials

DO NOW:

• Hyperlink
• Both Stormzy and Swift present themselves as friendly and interactive on their socials in a more personal way
• Entertainment and personal identity
• Entertainment and personal identity
• Audiences can respond oppositionally, neutrally or preferably

Why do musicians / artists have websites?

• To help promote a new album and tour
• To direct fans to their social media accounts
• A place to sell merch, an important revenue stream for artists
• To help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release

How do these appear on the Taylor Swift website?

• To direct fans to their social media accounts
• One important reason for musicians to have websites is to direct fans to all of their social media accounts. With so many social media platforms that artists are expected to appear on, it is helpful to have one place where they are all listed. On Swift's website, the bottom right-hand corner of the landing page has a navigation bar, with links to seven different social media platforms. These include YouTube, where official content like music videos are released, as well as TikTok, where more spontaneous video content can be shared with her fans
• To help promote a new album and tour
• Another essential reason for artists to have websites is to promote their albums and tours. On Swift's website, carousels and thumbnails are used with her album covers or bonus content images to promote new albums or tours, along with merch sliders with new releases plastered on that are on the main page of the website.
• A place to sell merch, an important revenue stream for artists
• Musicians also use websites to sell merch: merch sliders with new releases plastered on that are on the main page of the website.
• To help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release
• On Swift's website, there are lots of 'Shop Now' hyperlinks which take you to her shop.

How do these appear on the Stormzy website?

• To direct fans to their social media accounts
• On Stormzy's website, there is a menu on the left-hand side of the landing page, with links to five different social media platforms
• To help promote a new album and tours
• On Stormzy's website, his albums and current tours are on display on the main page
• A place to sell merch, an important revenue stream for artists
• At the top of the main page on his website, Stormzy's merch is hyperlinked, directing users to his shop page
• To help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release
• On Stormzy's website, his albums and current tours are on display on the main page, along with his merch is hyperlinked, directing users to his shop page

Websites: U&G

Personal Identity

• On Taylor Swift's website, her merchandise may provide a sense of personal identity for users along with her 'eras', which some users may resonate with specific eras. There are clear feminist messages within her lyrics along with on her website
• On Stormzy's website, his merchandise may provide a sense of personal identity for users. Fans can relate to Stormzy and his music due to his ethnicity and gender also

Information

• On Swift's website, there is information about previous tour dates, with their surprise songs, along with her albums, merch, socials and eras.
• On Stormzy's website, there is information about his current tours

Entertainment

• On Swift's website, users may find the 'directed projects' videos at the bottom of the main page entertaining, or simply listening to her music linked
• On Stormzy's website, users may find his music videos linked entertaining

Social Interaction

• On Swift's website, there are social medias linked at the bottom right hand side of her page, along with hashtags frequently used that fans can use to interact together
• On Stormzy's website, there are social medias linked on the left side of the page

Social Media

• Social media offers a range of platforms and tools that can be used in a myriad of ways
• We use social medias in very different ways to celebrities
• To post information about tour dates, new releases or teasers
• To interact with their fans
• To present themselves in a personal way
• To promote their music, brand or label
• To emphasise their star persona

How can an artist use their SM profile to promote themselves?

• Artists can post information about tour dates, new releases or teasers, and also  promote their music, brand or label through bonus content

How can artists use tweets to engage / attract their target audience?

• Artists can post tweets relating to their personal identity and opinions, which typically align with their target audience; e.g. Taylor Swift posted about who she was voting for in the U.S presidential election, and her fans agreed and supported her opinion

What is a pinned tweet / post and when might it be used?

• A pinned tweet is what an artist can used to keep information or teasers at the top of their profile, which helps to continue a hype chain whenever fans check their profile

What purpose does the profile picture serve?

• A profile picture can display an artists album covers, new releases, or a photo of themselves that fans can resonate with, maintaining a colloquial relationship with fans

How could you apply Dyer's Star Theory?

• Dyer's star theory can be applied as it is the idea that celebrities are constructed in order to make money, and so artist's social medias can be specifically constructed to appeal to their target audiences