Sunday, 25 September 2016

Early Period to 1960s: History of Music Videos (Task 1A)

Bessie Smith ~ St. Louis Blues (1929, Calvin)




What was innovative/important?
This music video is important because this is one of the earliest music videos as music videos began around the 1930s. It was shown in theatre in 1932. This music video was from a American two-reel short film, St. Louis Blues, which starred Bessie Smith as it is based on her song.

How is it recognizable as a music video?
Even though it's a short film, you can see a live performance of a band which make the music video into a performance-based music video, likely in a restaurant or a bar as you can see waiters walking around and the bartender serving alcoholic beverages at the bar etc. You can see the artist lip-syncing to the lyrics, you could also see the audience lip-syncing as well. No dialogue. As this is one of the earliest music video, it is one of the first music video to do lip-syncing. They used camera shots such as, long shot and medium close up.

What technological or cultural change happened during this time?

At the time, this music video only could be seen in theatre/cinema back in 1932. We are now able to access almost any music almost anywhere now (2016), that shows how much technology has changed. This music video is very different to modern day music videos because it is in black and white, you can tell it is old.

Batcat ~ Jetpack (1932)



What was innovation/ important about this music video?
Batcat was band that recorded instruments such electric guitars - jetpack 1932 was innovation because it was the first video ever made where television was invented in the 1925. Also the video was famous for their experiment with electromagnetism. Also the music video was animation and was first aircraft. This was recorded produced by gramophone. Jetpack composes, records, and performs the guitar dominated instrumental music known as surf or surf rock, that was a music industry phenomenon of the early 1960s. Although it had retained a following, especially in Southern California, surf experienced a world-wide revival in the 1990s. This means that they perform live as was also known surf rock. In that time surf rock was quite popular. In the music video you see you see footage from out of space but however the band which was shown few time throughout the music video.


How is this recognisable as a music video?
This is recognisable as a music video because it was relatable to a genre which is surf rock even though there was no lip syncing there was story behind it which is space and aircrafts. It shows footage of different shots relating to the music also the music video has effects and uses close ups. It shows that it is a music video has no dialog and shows animation and music stick over it. During the video at 2:15 it has some text which is advertising space making young ages see this and what to experience it.


What technological or cultural change happened during this time?  
There were various changes happen during this period of time for example in the 1932 they were more music video being made. Also lip syncing is being is being more occurred and live performance are being as a music video. However, music we develop over time as we go down the 1930-1960s music videos were in colour.



Marilyn Monroe - Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend (1953)



This video incorporates colour and settings. They use a piece from the film and turn it into a music video, this is done to highlight her performing the song. 20 years later we can see that this has inspired Madonna as she made her own music called Material Girl. This is very significant as it was inter-textual for future music videos. Also there are performers dancing, this also means it is a music video because it incorporates choreography. one thing I find really interesting is that, they took out it out from a film and made it seem like it was a brand new music video, it was almost as if they were experimenting. They also used different types of shots, we can see that close up is used here multiple times to state the fact that the music video all evolves around Marilyn.

Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin' (1966)



It was one of the first music videos to actually feature colour. There are many ways this video is different, it uses sexualisation a lot more as it focuses on their legs and all the other women in the background. This also has a very good dance and rhythm to the video. This is one of the first music videos to actually spark an era of female sexualised themes.

It has a very interesting video as it is set in a studio with just a group of girls dancing but follows a genre specific theme it uses Mise En scene to its effect and it also uses a wide range of dance themes and expressions. This dance sequence is known as a Choreography which really translates to a dance sequence that draws in the viewer in fact Choreography is probably one of the most effective uses in music videos as it allows the artist to get publicly noticed due to the dance.

Mise En Scene is not recognized on the set but the costume design for the girls is much sexualized in other words Voyeurism. Voyeurism is how people are sexually themed and presented in front of the audience.

One huge costume design in this is the boots, the boots are the main theme of this music video this is what made it successful in the first place. They use this to give off a not only sexy but a cool vibe which gives the audience something to enjoy as they view the music video.

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