Genre Essay

Genre is the term for any category of literature weather it be acted, read or performed as well as various other forms of art or culture. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time as new genres are invented and the use of old ones are discontinued. Often, works fit into multiple genres by way of borrowing and recombining these conventions.

The Genre of my particular music video is a mix between Rap / Reggae. This is shown by the use of lyrics throughout the song as well as the subtle beat alongside the lyrics. The genre of Rap / Reggae is also represented through the mis-en-scene in the music video.

Conventions of literature of any form is key to creating the specific genre. Since my music video has two different types of genres, I have two different sections of conventions. Firstly, Rap. Rap music videos are presented in such a way that would intimidate a particular type of person. Drug and Crime based cultures are what the rap genre is related with. The lyrics are key to the representation of the musician which form part of his/her image. Some of the most popular rap music videos are shown to be abusive or sexist towards women, Money and some form of personal wealth and some type of fame weather it be social popularity or media related. These conventions are all to represent that individual musician who wishes to be portrayed as that type of person to attempt to target that audience.

Reggae is much different compared to Rap, which is odd considering my music video contains parts of both genres. Reggae is presented in a much different way in terms of music videos and mis-en-scene. In fact, it is almost the opposite to the Rap convention I have discussed. Typical reggae conventions include some sort of peace. This is stereotypical because of the Jamaican legend, Bob Marley. Most of his songs included some sort of Love and Peace which was portrayed through his music videos. This helped to create his image as people see him and remember him as today. Some other typical conventions of this genre are the use of camera movements and decisions made. A small range of shots are made and the use of cuts are dramatically pulled back to stop any sudden movements to create uneasiness etc.

Genre can be shown in many different ways for different types of media that need to be generalised in to a genre. Genre can be sectioned down in to several sub-categories. These sub-categories help the audience to decide what film they want to see and experience dependant on the individuals mood at the present time. For example if the individual is in an emotion mood then he/she will go see a film that offers emotional pleasures. If the individual is in a optimistic lively mood they may go see one containing Visceral pleasures and the last genre pleasure is Intellectual pleasures.

Mock up Back CD cover

This is a mock up of the back of my cd cover i am going to design. I have completed this using existing images on google and edited on to the top of a grafitied wall edited with a photo shop filter. I have created a list of songs of which i feel that represent MIA and what she has been through. Such songs as 'Stereotype' and 'Border' and 'Passport'. All these represent what she has been through in her life, been regarded as an immigrant even though been born in the UK. I plan to do my CD cover like this when i have a range of images of my own to use.

Late Stages of Design

This is one of my final designs for my CD Cover that i had to create. I am happy with the outcome and i feel that it really represents the two genres of my music. On one side it portrays the conventions to do with he Rap genre. And on the other side, bright colours re enforce the genre of reggae. i have used the mtv logo as the 'm' of the name to show that it is music realted. I plan to make further tweaks to it but for now this is my final piece.

Further Experiments

This is my progression with text so far. I have added a simple next font to the CD cover which at first was simple and boring until i added a graffiti backdrop like i did the image. This created interesting attracting visuals. I now plan on developing this idea and possibly exploring things which may fill up the space e.g shapes, text etc.

This is the same image but has been slightly edited to have a range of graffiti in the background to back up the genre once again. Also once again, the bright colours of graffiti have been shown to keep the genre presentation.

Image & Text Experiments

This it the image which has been editied in photoshop. I have added a grainy effect to it to represent the tough genre of rap along with bright colours to represent the reggea genre part of my music video.

This is the original existing image which i got from google.

Possible Fonts to use for my CD cover.

These are some fonts that i have selected for my music cd cover. I plan to experiment with these in depth and try them against different images in different formations to get the most effective CD cover for my music video. I will post up these experiments to show how i have used them effectively.

Conventions of Rap/Reggae Genre Music Videos

The specific genre for my chosen music video is a mix bewteen Rap and Reggae. This mixes together to form a slow relaxed beat with a light form of rapping instead of singing, to form M.I.A - Paper Planes. There are two different types of conventions of for the music video because the music is mixed between the two genres.



Reggae Music Video Conventions



- Slow Shots

- Small amount of cuts

- Some sort of sings of peace or love

- Happiness

- Bright constrasting colours in well lit areas

These conventions all portray happiness or love is some sort.



Rap Music Video Conventions

- Discriminaton of women in some sort

- Fame

- Money and personal wealth

- Representations of ''Gangstas''

Test Shots

Today i have conducted a range of test shots within the green room. I wanted to do this because today i couldn't film what i specifically wanted to so i though i would take advantage of the free time to test out different types of lighting positioning so that when i came to shooting for my actual footage, i would be able to get straight on with it and save alot of time on the day. This will also allow me to effectively get the most out of the green room and the lighting.

I plan to try out several different other shots that i will be shooting on the actual day and possibly make some alterations and adjustments.

My chosen music video song

For my final choice i have decided to create a music video to M.I.A - Paper Planes. I have chosen this song because i feel that the lyrics are very understandable as well as been very captivating and statmental. I have done a previous music analysis to this video further down my blog which i feel with give me an advantage because i have already studied the lyrics and found out exactlly what she is trying to express through her lyrics.

For my music video i plan to include a large range of shots and then montage them all together. My idea is to give each and every shot a menaing and then montage all of the bits together to give a clear understanding of what the lyrics are representing. I want to make my video as individual as possible compared to the current music video that excists with the song. I have already began taking test shots of what i plan on doing. My next stage is to develop my storyboard further according to the recent changes i have made.

Music Video Analysis 3

This is a fairly well known song from 'Mumford and Sons'. This particular song from the artists is trying to describe in several different meanings, hope. My first interpretation of the song is fairly simple but also slightly underestimated and simplified. I feel that the song is trying to describe the basic feelings of a human being and to not give up when things get tough and to live life to its fullest no matter what gets in your way. This is personally one of my favourite songs right now.

The opening clip starts off with 4 people with suits on riding bikes in what looks to be the middle of the desert. The use of suits instantly individualises the people from the mise-en-scene. This is showing that they are either travelling or visiting the country for tourist purposes. The motorbikes also represent there social class and wealth which also helps to represent them as tourists and individuals within the surrounding area.

The opening line 'Its empty in the valley of your heart' may be suggesting some type of loss that has caused pain to your heart. This could be a girlfriend, family member, close friend etc. The song has a basic ptogressive narrative throughout the full song. It starts off with mentioning all the downsides on life or things that can go wrong within anyones life.

'It's empty in the valley of your heart'

'The harvest left no food for you to eat'

'Away from all the fears'

'And all the faults you've left behind'

These lines are all representing bad things that can happen in your life or offering different types of ways of explaining or describing them. As the progressive lyrical narrative continues the lyrics start to brighten up. The song is telling people to leave all there fears, faults and bad memories behind and enjoy life while you can. There are several lines that indicate hope.

''I can see widows and orphans through my tears
I know my call despite my faults
And despite my growing fears''

''So come out of your cave walking on your hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You can understand dependence
When you know the maker's land''

''And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways''

''But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck''

The Music Video

The music video is very simply put together but doesn't show much narrative. It is formed using a range of simple camera movements and shots. A tracking shot is used throughout the whole music video to track the movement of the motorbikes. The second part of the music video consists of 4 villagers dancing with the bands instruments. A series of cuts are put together in the opening minute of the video. It cuts back and fourth to the band and the villagers possibly to show the similarities between the two groups. A large amount of tracking shots are shot from behind which show them driving away possibly to represent leaving there fears behind.

A constant stream of shots are taken that go back and fourth from the band to the villagers. The opening clip shows them handing over there instruments. There instruments may be representing there hope, or possibly even representing there music. This may be a form of passing on hope to those who need it, which in this case would be the villagers who are described to be as poor and without food due to drought. This is described within the lyrics.

Music Video Analysis 2

This music belongs to Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam. The reason i have chosen this song to analyse is because i feel that it has some very stron lyrics and meanings behind it which are clearly visualy represented within the created music video.

This song is definitely written from MIA's perspective while in the US and the West. Visa-immigration issues, questioning the value of her art and her contributions to culture, poor job opportunities for immigrants, a belief that minorities are likely to be criminals, a general belief that immigrants are somehow bad for the economy, it's all there.

Mia's early life has strongly influcenced the lyrics chosen for this particular song. Mia grew up in a corrupted govermental system which created several different sterotypes to people with different skin colours or coming from a different country. She was sterotyped to be one of those individual 'immigrants' even though she was born and raised in south-london. The lyrics in this song strongly represent that.

The song starts with a very relaxing, trance type of beat. This may instantly represent the type of person she is. This also may be representing how she feels about the topic she is discussing within the lyrics. The opening shot is of paper planes flying towards the city. This is possibly representing the immigrants flying over from their country to the big city life. The opening lines ''i fly like paper, get high like planes'' may be showing one of the first signs of sterotyping towards people who come across over-seas, this is suggesting that maybe they're drug addicts or something to do with that sort of social identification. The second opening clip shows a man walking along with a suitcase which with worn run down clothes. This is helping to show what the song is about in more detail and to help people understand what the rest of the song is going to revolve around.

One of the second clips that show the particular sterotype Mia is singing about, is the group of clips which show her working in several different 'lower class' jobs that are not particually considered glamerous or well paid. These include shots of working in a convinience store stacking shelfs. Working in a burger van and also taxi driving. These are all sterotypes that people are commonly faced with and choose to accept it.

Several other sterotypes are represented through the use of different sounds throughout the song. These include sounds of a gun and sonds that represent money. One particular line '' All i wanna do is ( bang bang bang ) and a ( cashier opening sound ) and take ya money'' This is suggesting that the sterotype of immigrants are violent theifs along with the already exsisting sterotypes.

The use of camera movements, angles and shots through out the video are very simply but effectivly put together. The starting clips are edited to match the beat of the song all the way throughout. This gives the music video a large range of shots because so many cuts have been used to split up the clips.

There is another interpitation to this particular song which is to do with dealing with drug dealers and themordern corrupted american society who are compulsivly obsessed with making money. I have highlighted the lyrics to which i think may represent the second interpritation of drug dealing.

I fly like paper, get high like planes
If you catch me at the border I got visas in my name
If you come around here, I make them all day
I get one down in a second if you wait

Sometimes I feel sitting on trains
Every stop I get to I'm clocking that game
Everyone's a winner now we're making our fame
Bona fide hustler, making my name

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG BANG!
And KA-CHING!
And take your money

Pirate skulls and bones
Sticks and stones and weed and bombs
Running when we hit them
Lethal poison through their system

No one on the corner has swagger like us
Hit me on my banner, prepaid wireless
We pack and deliver like UPS trucks
Already going to hell just pumping that gas

Genre of my Music Video

My particular music video genre is a mix between Rege/Rap. There is a soft underlying beat constantly running throughout the song. The genre of the music is represented and supported by the use of a obvious beat. The genre is also re enforced by the use of the video and body language. In my particular video the genre is backed up by the use of clothing as well as the surrounding settings. The artist is shown wearing baggy clothes, hoodies, tracksuit bottoms etc, these are all conventions and stereotypes of the particular individual that may be interested in the genre of the music. In my Music Video i plan to largely enforce the genre of the music video through the use of setting and costume. The areas i have planned to shoot in are run down graffiti areas which people may judge the type people living in that area therefore they will class my actor as part of that society.

Genre

Genre is a form of short listing films in to catergories which make it easier for audiences to pick and choose what type of film they wish to view.

Different Genre's

- War
- Romance
- Sci-Fi
- Adventure
- Comedy
- Crime and investigation
- Drama
- Musicals
- Western
- Horror

Genre development

Christain Metz in his book "Langauge and Cinema" (1974) argued that genres go through a typical cycle of changes during their lifetime.
- Experimental stage
- Classic stage
- Parody stage
- Deconstruction stage.