Script

Throughout the course of this essay I will be looking at, how music videos use various styles and how the following music videos follow these specific styles as well as various techniques used within these music videos.

The first music video I have chosen is Eminem’s “Venom” (2018), this specific music video can be described as a “Illustrative or Interpretive” this also uses animation specifically the use of CGI, to simulate the Symbiote from the movie, meaning an element of animation is used. In the past this idea has been used before, an example of this would be the music video by “Massive attack, young Fathers”- Voodoo in my blood (2016). Which uses a similar CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) effect. Another example used further in the past is Bjork’s “hunter”, which used CGI as a face mask for the singer. Since then technology has advanced and the CGI is designed to look more realistic, a technique that’s now well associated with modern day movies, to make things look realistic. Furthermore, lighting has also improved and in comparison to the aforementioned example of “Hunter”, there is the use of more locations that make the music video more and more effective to the audience. The convention that this specific music video uses is Allusion, this is simply because the entire music video is used to promote the new Marvel movie, “Venom” (See Images).

The Music video also uses a chroma key effect which involves the characters having their, faces being overlapped by the artist’s face making the characters seem possessed by the artist.  (See image one). In terms of techniques that the music video uses, lip syncing is the most evident one as, the characters as well as the artist, are seen in the video to be mouthing the song’s lyrics. The camera angles used were mainly normal angles that use a tracking shot, that follow the characters as they lip sync to the music. High angles are used in the music videos to show the power the symbiote has over the characters. Furthermore lower angles are used for smaller objects for instance the dog in the music video, to show how small it is. This uses Allusion as well as the music video makes references to the characters, Eddie Brock, Venom and also make references to Marvel all through the use of lyrics. By doing this, not only has Marvel overall their movie promoted through  a big artist, also Eminem may have received more and more recognition as an artist as well as drawing a niche audience to listen to the music that he’s produced. Meaning that “Kamikaze and Venom” both are being promoted through the song the artist has produced meaning an audience will be drawn in that are more inclined to listen to the music.

The next music video that I will be analysing will be, “Good Guy” (2018) by Eminem, this particular music video uses the style of popular music genres. Furthermore, another style used in this music video is Narrative. This particular style has the audience involved within a story told within the music video. This particular music video uses many conventions mainly the use of Links to other artists and also “Extending or consolidating song’s meaning”. The music video follows each style as first off the video features artist, Jessie Reyez.  So it has links to other artists calling for further promotion, so the convention here is an allusion which means that there is another featured artist for more promotional material. Music videos like these have been made over the years and a common example would be the Disclosure album, “Caracal” which uses a narrative in the music video to tell a story just like this music video. In this video the use of red and dulled colours are to connote, danger, hate, and death (SEE IMAGE 1). whereas the greyish dull colour scheme used in this music video is to suggest, emptiness, depression and sorrow (See Image 2). Which does show throughout the music video in the form of the artist’s actions, and use of facial expressions to get emotions across more clearly. The music video does utilise many different shots including tracking shots with a steady cam as the characters move in the video. There are also low angled shots to connote power, between both artists.   The use of lyric interpretation is strong in this specific music video as it links to the theme of the song, which foreshadows the breaking up of the couple and the situations that both are going through. The use of far shots ( see IMAGE 2) is a clear representation of the artist that give the audience a full shot of the artist. The use

Of a tracking shot in the first scene of the video allows the audience to follow the story as if we were walking with the characters.

The final Music Video I’ll be having a look at is again by Eminem and is named “Without me” and was produced in the year 2002. This music video follows the style of, a pastiche/parody. These specific music videos are usually to pay homage or mainly to “mock” another form of media. In this case, Eminem’s “Without me”  does that by putting a comical twist on the music video, paying it’s respects to the Batman and Robin television series, (also a use of intertextuality as it makes references). The comical colour schemes (as aforementioned) give off a jokey tone and colourful vibe that makes the audience feel at ease. Many common techniques are found in the making of this music video, as aforementioned the use of the technique “intertextuality” is to  make a reference to another media text and this music video does have, references in the form of the video’s use of “Mis-En-Scene” which is the inclusion of the batmobile, and the signature costumes both belonging to Batman and Robin. (See Image one)

Furthermore, in terms of angles used in this music video, there are an array of angles that range from mid shots that goes to far shots that mainly express how the characters in the music video is. The use of a low angle is to show the power the character has over others whereas, if a more high angle was used, then it’s to emphasise either how small the character is or feels in the world.

Through the use of colours there are comical yellows that connote joy, innocence and there are blacks to show the darkness, stealth and mystery. The red in the music video is to connote how rich someone is, romance, also loyalty (in this case the way Robin is to Batman).

In conclusion, Eminem has proven that his music has covered many different aspects of music and has shown that through the use of his Music videos. Such as Narrative, Interpretive and also having an allusion whilst all sticking into the “pop” genre as his music does seem popular for all sorts of audiences.

(My video)