Thursday 14 June 2012

Analysing a Music Video: R Kelly Worlds Greatest


Image:  The very first shot of the music video is like the start of a scene (a narrative story) to what the song might be about. From the costume and from the way other performers are acting, we sense that the story is going to be about boxing or a fight. The costume, for perhaps the main character is  red shorts which stand out against the grey scale colouring effect on the moving image. This could connote aggression or even blood shed. Red is a dominant colour within the music video. We firstly can see a shot of the setting in which people are circling a boxing ring, we then have a low angle shot in which shows us the facial expression from the main character. This creates the effect as though he is about to do something meaningful for himself and for other people. Throughout the music video we cut to shots which present fire fighters, new families, people who have an effect on other peoples life. The idea of a boxing ring and the main lead dressing as a boxer, connotes a champion being on top and this is crucial for the idea of the song.

Editing: Throughout the music video, the colour of the moving image is of a grey scale, however the colour red is dominant, red symbolises many things, however in this situation I feel it symbolises passion, but the passion for life and success, The cuts are slow transitions in which give us freeze frames of other people and there lives. With the element of the lyrics in the background the effect it has is massive! As the lyrics are really motivating and have real emotion to how people think in reality.

Genre: The genre of this music video is defiantly R&B, firstly the male Artist is of black ethnicity the lyrics in which that are conveyed, are very inspirational and mean something, or convey deep emotion. A grey scale has been used throughout the recent music videos of Chris brown and Usher these are popular R&B Artists and it is beginning to draw attention to the fact that this colour suggests something about a deep emotion.

Connotation: The secondary level of communication within this music video is the moving image. The lyrics describe a story, about how the character is feeling, if it wasn't for the lyrics I don't think as an audience we would understand the narrative that is being described on screen. The focus is on the black male character where he states words of wisdom with freeze frames and shots of real people. This moving image presents the reality of what the artist is saying.

Target Audience: From this music video I feel that the target audience is aimed to people of all ages, even young children. As the lyrics are meaningful and express emotion in which involve reality but the positive aspects of it. The song gives motivation for people and enlightens us about other people and there image through there professions.

Mode of address:  The tone of the song is quite motivating and also gives a sense of pleasure to life. This is through the moving images and freeze frames that are conveyed of the general public and how we come together as communities to become the 'world's greatest' The audience is directly spoken to from the Artist singing the song. Throughout my research so far this is a common thing that is portrayed throughout these type of music videos. This could be due to the fact that they are celebrities and are iconic to people who listen to the type of music.

Narrative: There most definably is elements of Propp's theory within this music video as the element of a Hero is portrayed and also people with heroic qualities. Additionally there is also a sense of Todorov's theory within this music video as it seems to be an uplifting music video from where some people have been from a disrupted equilibrium and the lyrics and the gestures the main male character makes, its as though the equilibrium is being reinstated.

Post modernism:  I believe there isn't any inter-textual reference to any other forms of media.

Representation: Again the main character of the music video is of a black ethnicity, this represents the type of music that is being conveyed and where it originates from. Obviously the type of character in which we will need to use is a black male, in order to follow the conventions of a typical R&B song. The class that is being represented is working class mostly and this is significant as the song represents the hardship of life but overcoming that hardship in a sense. These elements communicates that the Artist is presenting motivating lyrics that of which convey deep emotions but overall become a positive aspect. Almost in which that the theme of hope is constantly portrayed and also when listening to this type of music its as though they are presenting the message as to 'never give up'.

The story of the music video seems to be a male character he is a boxer overcoming his fight for life to become 'the worlds greatest ' Through freeze frames in which that are conveyed we get to witness other people and a different perspective of there lives and there professions in which they make a difference to the world. These specific elements attract target audiences as the song and music video portrays real emotions in which every person goes though this means an audience member can relate to the song and the music video. However the positive elements create motivation for audiences to make a difference. 

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