Textual Analysis of Magazine Adverts

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
NME Magazine - Half page ad

The overall theme of this magazine advertisement is very animated. This could mean to the audience that the band are quite animated, obviously this would not be fully defined through listening to their music but could mean that they are very animated in their performances and generally put on a good performance, therefore the advertisement isn't just advertising the bands new album but also promotes the band as well.

The image of this magazine is a blacked out penguin with some white basic features and a black and white studded belt (a typical rock convention of clothing). Again this gives off different meanings to the audience, one could be that the use of the cartoon penguin shows how random the band are, another shows the band is unique and very individual (another typical convention of indie rock). Another connotation that I got from this image, along with the pink glow around the penguin it almost gives a hallucination effect which links to the typical convention of rock being 'sex, drugs, rock and roll'. Also showing that they are sticking to the typical rock conventions.

The colour scheme in this advertisement is very mixed and matched and all colours are pretty much opposite. This again follows the stereotypical hallucination (sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll') motif that is represented through the media text. Obviously, the use of the clashing (opposing) colours are also used to make the text stand out to the audience and to make it as eye catching as possible, a clever technique commonly used throughout advertising. However, even though the colour scheme in the advertisement shows 80s rock 'n' roll conventions (mainly from The Sex Pistols) it also connotates a different meaning. This is that they are new and are bringing a new style to the typical rock conventions through the use of bright colours.

By Ryan Wiles


Mr Hudson - Album Release
Magazine Ad

The magazine advert I am analysing is very plain and has limited information but the most important information is shown on the advert. The main thing that we, as the audience, can see and that stands out is the title, Mr Hudson. This is because it’s at the very top of the advert in big and bold black lettering. Mr Hudson is new to the music industry as a solo artist so this is good as it will help to attract a new audience to his music. Underneath, is the name of the album ‘Straight No Chaser’. This sub title is slightly smaller than the main title and isn’t as bold but still stands out as the background is nothing but white.

The reason behind the white background is so the main focus is on Mr Hudson. The picture we see of the artist is central position and is showing his upper body only. There are three seperate images of Mr Hudson but in all different directions to get a movement effect as if he was moving. They are different colours which is eyecatching as the rest of the advert is black and white.

Towards the bottom of the advert on the top of the picture, we see a small amount of information about the album and what’s included. This is written in white so it contrasts with the main title and sub title. It lets us know the date when the album is due for release and the popular, new, recognisable songs that are included such as ‘White Lies’ and ‘Supernova’. The audience can also see that Kanye West was included in Mr Hudson’s debut single ‘Supernova’. This helps to promote Kanye West as a popular artist himself even more but also helping Mr Hudson attract an even wider audience as well as a new audience based on different genres of music.

At the very bottom of the magazine advert and the final thing we see is some institutions to do with music such as ‘Mercury Records’ and a company called ‘GOOD – getting out our dreams’. This once again helps to promote the institutions and get them a wider audience. There is also ‘www.mrhudson.com’ which once again helps to promote him as popular, new, young artist.

By Lauren Fitzgerald


U2 Magazine advert

The colours chosen for the advert are deep red and gold, these are quite royal colours which implies things about the band. The fact that it is the band's 25th anniversary and they're still on-going very strong is almost showing they are seen as royalty. The colours are very basic and formal reflecting the style of music and reputation the band has.

At the top of the advert is written in large font: 'an unforgettable album'. This is positioned at the top so it is one of the first things the audience would see. It is also worded in a clever way to make the reader want to purchase the item. The use of the word 'unforgettable' straight away signals to the reader that there is something special about it. Underneath that, is written: '25 years on, the fire burns bigger, bolder and brighter'. The use of alliteration is eye-catching to the reader.

There is a picture placed on the top half of the magazine advert. It consists of a castle. The castle represents the bands background of where they came from - Ireland. This could imply to the audience that even though they started over 25 years ago and have gone up in the world, they will always remember where they came from. The picture of the castle looks very classic and formal which again reflects the image of royalty. The use of shades of only black and white keeps to the formal theme. The effects used on the clouds makes it look like the dark clouds are being pushed away and the light clouds are coming through, shining onto the castle, almost as if it's the re-birth of the band.

The band name and album are made the main focus of the advert as the text is very large. It is also in a different font to the rest of the texts (which is all classic font) therefore, it stands out even more. Under this, the reader is then told about all the items they can purchase by U2, which is there to promote all of their music. 'CD, LP Vinyl, Deluxe 2 CD Edition and Limited Edition Box Set.

It then goes into more detail of what each consists off. This is to tell the reader all the extra's they would be getting if they purchase the DVD. In the Limited Edition section, it is mentioned how included in the pack is documentries and rare footage. This makes the audience feel that they are getting that little bit more by being able to view footage that not many others have. It also gives the audience closer relationship to the group.

Right at the bottom, is the day the CD is out so customers know when to purchase it. Also, is the band's website so they can have a look at more merchandise and info on the band.

By Priya Gohil

Textual Analysis of DVD Covers

Britney Spears – In the Zone


The first thing noticed on the front cover Britney’s face. It is mainly focused in around Britney’s contact with the audience. Her hair is blown back and the audience are made to focus on her sexual, yet natural expression. This technique is used to draw male audience. The way she makes eye contact and her mouth is positioned slightly open is known as the male gaze.

The camera angle of her picture is a close up. This is quite personal. As the audience would pick up the DVD the image is quite ‘in your face’ almost invading their personal space. This could be her way of making the audience feel closer to her as a person, letting them feel as if they will get up close and intimate with Britney herself.

The font and colour of the titles on the front cover is pink and rather plain and simple. Like most traditional DVD covers, the writing is placed at the top so it can be seen by audience on shop racks. ‘Britney Spears’ is placed at the top as it is a name that can be recognised instantly, implying she is so famous that even only her name can get the audiences attention. ‘In the Zone’ is written at the bottom in a slightly bigger size of font, this could be to emphasise to the audience what the DVD is called and to remember the name. The tone of the front cover is mainly blue. The negative blue image against the pink writing causes it to be more effectively eye-catching to the audience.

The colour scheme on the back is introduced from the writing at the front. The colour gradually goes from light pink to a deeper pink with small floral patterns in the background. This shows her feminine side and is able to draw young girl’s attention.

There is a short paragraph at the top invites the audience to ‘join’ Britney on her journey through her day to day life and filming of her multiplatinum album that is soon to be released. This promotes her album. This also creates an almost personal bond with Britney as it’s an ‘invitation’. It also mentions about her collaboration with Madonna, which at the time was red hot gossip which everyone wanted to know about. Phrases such as ‘Come into Britney’s professional and private life; meet the family’ develop that personal bond and make the audience feel privileged to be apart of it.

There a bold little title headings in black which are made to stand out against the pink background as they are ‘extras’ you get with the DVD. There is one named ‘In the Personal Zone’, implying to the audience they meet with Britney on a personal one to one level.
It is made to look very organised.

By Priya Gohil

Britney Spears Inside cover


Inside Britney’s promotional video are a few pictures of herself with small text going down the left hand side.

The writing includes information about the songs on the bonus CD. There are short paragraphs on each song mentioning who wrote them, who produced them, who the institution is etc. At the bottom is written a bit about the photos, for example, who the photographer was, who the stylist was and who the designer and set designer were.

This information is there as it is for institutional purpose. The fact that it’s positioned on the left of the page and is such small font is so that it doesn’t take up much of the page and the main focus is still Britney.

There is one main picture of her in the middle and three small ones on the right. The main picture is much larger than the others so is made obvious to attract most the attention. She is also positioned in the male gaze. The colour goes from blue on the left hand side and gradually turns pink on the right, copying the actual DVD cover where the front is blue and the back is pink.

The colour pink and the floral patterns sort of link back to her when she was the young pop singer as these things can link to Barbie therefore she gains her younger audience she already had. But the sexual pictures are used to slightly rebel against that and show she is still changing and is now grown up. The floral patterns can also be looked at like a tattoo and can also resemble rebelling.

The main picture is of her very seductive and sexual. Her lips are positioned to a pout and her eyes are slightly closed but looking at the audience. Her hair is not positioned in a specific place and is free to wave about, this shows that she is less than perfect, but still manages to look very pretty. This is a complete male gaze.

The smaller pictures are also male gazes. In two of the pictures, she is dressed in just a fur scarf that she is clinching around her top half. Her mouth is open so it looks sexualised. The close up picture of her shows how pretty she looks. This is so younger girls can idolise her. The one under that is a mid-shot which manages to get in her perfect stomach which so many women wish they had. It is something all men would like to see. She has the perfect figure and again is something all the fans will idolise. The picture right at the bottom has a almost neutral expression.

There are a few pink patterns which are also carried from the back of the actual cover giving it a feminine touch.

By Priya Gohil







Textual Analysis of DVD Cover
Mariah Carey ‘The Adventures of Mimi’


The DVD cover is eye catching and appealing to the R’n’B genre audience. Mariah’s name is light pink against a black background so it stands out. It is positioned at the top of the DVD cover. It will be the first thing the audience will notice while it is on the rack at shops. Because she is such a well known and established singer, audience will instantly recognise the name. The font is quite curvy and girly, which expresses her personality and character.

‘The Adventures of Mimi’ is positioned at the bottom of the cover, also in the same font as her name. This is also made to stand out against a black background.

The main image is of Mariah, positioned exactly in the middle of the cover focusing on all attention of her. She is stood in front of tons of spotlights shining at her. This is the sparkling image Mariah is known to have by all her fans. She is dressed in extravagant clothing. This is a typical convention in the R’n’B genre. She is holding a gold microphone. This makes it obvious to the audience, what her main focus is. She is dressed in all gold, implying to the audience how high maintenance she is.

The theme of black, pink and gold is carried around to the back of the cover.
There is a big picture of Mariah whilst performing on the left hand side of the cover. She is dressed in a small ‘bra-like’ top and shades. This is also a typical convention of the genre. She is posed in a sexual way, pulling in all the men and teen age boy audience. This is a big difference from when she first began. It also shows how she’s changed overtime from the ‘good innocent girl’ look, to the ‘grown up sexy women’ look.

At the top is a short blub about the DVD. On the right-hand side of the cover are some of the songs she performs on the DVD. They are all well known songs which the audience would recognise. This also lets the audience know exactly what they are getting from purchasing this DVD.

At the bottom is all the legal advice. This is all in very small righting compared to the rest. Showing that it is less important, compared to Mariah. This shows how big she is in the media world and how well known she is, and that she in fact rules over most industries.

By Priya Gohil


Textual Analysis
Promotional DVD Cover
Madonna – The Confessions Tour

The title of this DVD cover has been written in a bold/modern font. This shows that Madonna is trying to create this bold/modern image for herself. The fact that it is also neon pink and neon blue makes it stand out and shine, almost the same effect as a spotlight. Also the ‘O’ in ‘Madonna’ is a disco ball. This could show that because disco balls were most fashionable and commonly used in the 70s, which was when Madonna first made a big impact in the music scene. Obviously the title is also placed at the top so that when it is in racks in shops the audience can see her name first, also another reason that her name is so bold and brightly coloured.

Under the main title of Madonna there is some writing that follows: The Confessions Tour. The writing is in a font that makes it look like handwriting. This is so that it seems to the audience that it is Madonna’s handwriting and therefore Madonna’s own confession. This adds another ‘special feature’ to the DVD/CD in a way because it is almost like she is letting you invade her personal life.

The main image of this DVD cover is a close up of Madonna. She is pulling a quite sexualised image with her eyes quite wide and her mouth slightly open. The hat looks like a horse riding hat. This could show that she has skill and is in control of her life. She is also wearing lots of make up making her look like she is quite high maintenance and that she also takes pride in her image.

There is a special features blurb on the front of the DVD cover. This tells the audience what they are going to get from the promotional DVD, and also what is so special about the DVD (why they should buy it). The list of songs and other features on the back cover are also used for the same reason. Also on the back cover the disco ball is used as the main background image, against a dark background. This shows that Madonna is again still about the music and her musical past (1970s) but also I think this means that she is also more about dancing now, attracting more of an audience as she is promising more of a performance (dancing and singing).

By Ryan Wiles











Textual Analysis of DVD Cover

Michael Jackson: 'Bad' the Japan Tour '87

This DVD front cover consists of a main image of the artist with his name running vertically down next to the artist in a camouflage of red and black in a bold font and capital letters which covers the whole length of the right side of the cover. The image is a medium shot of the artist in a military-style black and white costume, which shows that he is ready, prepared or secure for anything. It also gives the artist a hint of threat, relative to the title of the tour 'Bad'. The artists name is so enlarged and in such a bold font because it is one of the most well known names in the industry, but the use of the colouring (red and black) adds a sense of rebellion, and again relates back to the name of the tour 'Bad'.

Above the image is some more text consisting of where the tour is (Japan) in capital letters in black, which is followed by the name of the tour 'Bad', which is in a bright red, graffiti style writing. The use of the graffiti style writing in bright red also adds to this rebel or 'bad' image again. This theme of black, white and red carries onto the back cover and the spine of the DVD. I think this shows that its the same artist (black and white) with something new or a new edge (red). On the back there is a black and white image of the artist in performance, a list of songs in black capital letters, an image of the album the tour is promoting and then institutional information in small black font, with the disc formatting and other information at the bottom in a red table.

Representation is used in this text with the use of the main image of the artist (the most famous one) covering the majority of the front cover. This technique basically uses the most well known artist/actor who is most recognisable to an audience so that it attracts more attention from the audience. Representation is also used in this media text through the use of the artist being dressed in a military style costume. Men are meant to be able to fight and are stereotypically seen as strong, and should be ready for violence (soldiers etc). However, I don't think that the artist is trying to portray himself as a violent person, but that he is fulfilling a rebel image which is necessary to the name of the tour 'Bad'.

This DVD cover uses many codes and conventions typical to its genre of text. It has the most famous (in this case the only artist) artist as the main image covering most of the front cover enabling it to attract a wide range of audience by using a well known artist. It has all the legal information, an image from the performance on the back cover which is a slight glimpse at what they are getting from this text, institutional names and logo's and a brief summary (in this case a list of songs) so that the audience knows what they are getting from purchasing the text.



By Ryan Wiles

Kylie Minogue: 'Live in Sydney'

The front cover of a DVD is the most important thing when promoting this kind of product. It has to stand out from everything else you can see and most importantly, appeal to its target audience and be eye-catching to draw people’s attention and for them to buy it.

For the DVD cover I am analysing, ‘Kylie Live in Sydney’ which was released in 2006, is very basic and plain. The main theme/colouring of the cover is white. This represents innocence and is a pretty modern colour and also makes Kylie stand out as there is nothing to focus on in the background, which would appear to be plain black. The lettering is also pretty simple and is also in white. Along the left hand side of the cover, the audience will be able to see the title ‘Live in Sydney’. This will be able to attract the target audience as it was filmed in her homeland of Australia so it relates back to Kylie a lot. The first thing us, as the target audience, would be able to see is the ‘Live’. This would also be seen as an attraction as it shows it’s a live performance. The font for ‘Kylie’ is bigger than the other writing on the cover and it also stands out as its different and in italic. It is also really recognisable as it’s the same font and style that appears on her albums as a motif and logo as well as her own name.

The audience can see clearly that the main focus is on Kylie as her picture fill the whole of the cover and she is positioned perfectly in the centre so all eyes will be on her. In the picture, we can see that Kylie is performing, in which she likes to be known to do, and it also gives her a sense of power over others as her standing position is quite big with her right arm in the air. The picture represents that she has male gaze as her dancers are all male and she’s in a central position which would attract males as her body language is sexual and would give her a wider audience of gender and age. She is also dressed in white which shows her innocence but is also short, revealing and shows off her figure. This gives her a new sexy image. There is no other writing on the cover and that shows us that they want the main focus to be on Kylie and what she’s doing.

The back of a DVD cover tells the audience about what is to be expected and all the important and main information that appears on the back.

The back of the DVD cover, ‘Kylie Live in Sydney’, completely contrasts with the front cover. The background is a purple colour whereas the front covers background is black and white which shows the contrast between the two. The audience can see an outlined image of Kylie singing in which will appear in the DVD. Behind Kylie, on the background, there is a white light. This could represent a spotlight on Kylie so she’s the only one seen and could also relate back to ‘Fame’ as the movies all singing, all dancing and this could be the sort of idea Kylie could be getting across to her target audience.

There is a lot of detailed information on the back of the cover to do with what’s involved within the filming for the DVD, special features, institutions etc. We can see on the right hand side, a little image of Kylie’s new album ‘Fever’. With having this on the back of the DVD, it will help to promote her new album and get more buyers. At the top, in bold white font, we see a review from ‘The Independent’ which lets us see what others think about the DVD. Quotations such as ‘riotous fun’ and ‘a fantastic encore’ are eye catching and let the audience know what they’ll be in for if they buy this certain product. There is then a blurb of what happens throughout the concert and words such as ‘theatrical extravaganza’ is appealing as it sounds as if Kylie has put a lot of effort into making this particular concert better than any other tours she’s done before. They also mention popular and recognisable songs, ‘I Should Be So Lucky’, ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ and many more. This will attract the audience as they are memorable songs that everyone knows. There is also a running order so the target audience can see what happens throughout and what songs Kylie will be performing and also in a white outlined box in the left hand corner, is information on special features.

By Lauren Fitzgerald

Greenday: Live 8 Berlin

A DVD cover is the first thing the audience will see when purchasing the product. It has to appeal to our target audience and also be eye-catching as this will attract the audience’s attention. For it to be eye-catching, the title has to be bold and have something that relates to the artist.

For the DVD cover we are analysing, Greenday is at the top of the cover, which would easily be seen on a rack, and is bold and black. This would attract the audience as it stands out from the rest of the cover, is bigger than any other writing and is a well recognised band name. Underneath the title, we have a sub title ‘Live 8 Berlin’. This is also eye-catching as it’s in red, which is a conventional colour to Greenday, and shows us that the band gets involved in charity work.

The main image is of Greenday, positioned right in the centre. Behind is a small city blurred out and dull, it shows us the band have power as they are the bigger picture. They are standing upright in a strange position pointing and staring at you as this also helps to attract attention as they are pulling the audience in.

The clothing of the Greenday members is very modern with them wearing suits, skinny jeans, t shirts, and converse. This once again helps to attract the audience as they are up to date with the ‘teenage’ fashion. We see that Billy Joel, the lead band member, is wearing all black but also wearing a red tie. This once again helps represent Greenday as their colour and also shows us he’s slightly more important than the other members as they are wearing no other colour than black.

Normally the front of a DVD cover, you would be able to see all the information about the DVD. On the front of Greenday’s cover, we see none of this as it’s not the main focus and they want all eyes on the band themselves.

The back of this cover is quite dull and dark except from the bold red writing that is used on the tie and Live 8 Charity on the front. This links us back to the front and is used to stand out and contrast from the rest of the cover.

The ‘Greenday’ and ‘Live 8 Berlin’ is set out in exactly the same way but also has popular and recognisable songs underneath such as ‘American Idiot’ and ‘Minority’. If some of the target audience aren’t too familiar with the band but know these songs well, it could help attract new people as well as the bands main fans themselves. We can also see a picture of the band 8 logo as it shows Greenday’s new side and a new side to rock, that bands of that genre aren’t afraid to help out with charity work.

The whole back cover has a photo of the band leader as he is the most known. This is also easier to sell as he is popular with the fans. It also shows that the band play live instruments that is a genre convention of a rock band.

At the bottom of the back DVD cover, they have given us all the legal information, websites of Greenday, as well as the company who made the cover, this helps to promote them and attract new audiences for them. It also has the institutions and who it was designed by.

By Lauren Fitzgerald

Bruce Springsteen: Working On A Dream

Inside Cover Analysis

The inside cover for the DVD I am analysing has no writing and is the same image that covers both sides of the inside cover. The image is very basic but at the same time very realistic.

The image of the inside cover, shows Bruce Springsteen in amongst a field of flowers. The colouring is very different with the background being dark and blue and the flowers towards the front of the cover being yellows and oranges. The background is blurred which shows this is not the main focus but it helps to build up the picture by being able to focus on other things within the image. The blue within the background represents calm and peace which is the kind of feeling Bruce Springsteen will want to get across to the audience when it comes to his music. With the flowers being a completely different colour of yellows and oranges, this could represent the happiness he has when it comes to producing and performing his music and also looking at the inside cover, you get the feel of it being the autumn season.

It is easy to see that Bruce Springsteen is blue, the same colour as the background, so he stands out against the rest of the image with him being positioned in the middle of the flowers. He is positioned more to the right rather than central as this looks as though he is walking through the field rather than being posed and also emphasises everything else around him within the image. We can also see this as he is looking down. He is also with a guitar that shows his music is important to him and represents him as an artist.

The inside of this cover has no writing which shows that its not important. This then lets the audience to mainly focus on the singer and everything around him and gives them a nice feel to the album.

By Lauren Fitzgerald

Cities 97 Sampler (Live from Studio C) 20th Anniversary


The inside cover of the digipak that I am analysing consists of three parts. When you open the digipak it is evident that there is two discs however, I am only analysing one side of the digipak.

The first section of the fold out digipak has a white background with a lime green silhouette, showing use of ambient lighting, and there is a double of the silhouette just a little bit to the right of the lime green one in a lighter green. The silhouette is of an artist singing, whilst sitting on a stall. This connotates a strong belief in live music, and could also connotate a belief in a laid back lifestyle. There are three stills, all framed at different angles also on this inside cover. They consist of a shot of an empty recording booth, a producer equalising music in his studio and also a singer learning his lyrics.

This is followed by the title ‘For love of the Earth’. The small paragraph following this title talks about how they have chosen a more ‘eco-friendly packaging’ and explains how they have done this. This connotates to the consumers of the text that the product has been made for good cause and with the use of the green and the environmentally friendly packaging it also connotates a healthy (green) lifestyle.

On the opposite side of the inside flip out cover there is an abstract image. This consists of a red hazy background with a bright spotlight at the top. This connotates a sunset. A sunset is a very beautiful and a very natural thing. So this idea of being environmentally friendly comes back into play, even though it is a picture of technical equipment.

On the reverse side of the CD base there is a blurred, wide–shot image of two musicians. I think the blurred effect connotates that this digipak isn’t about names and faces but purely about the artist. Coming away from the glamorous, high profile life of artists and bands, and making it just about the music.

By Ryan Wiles

Textual Analysis of Promo Videos

Textual Analysis

Promotional Video: Britney Spears

The opening sequence of Britney Spears' promotional video includes an establishing shot of New York City. This consists of the well known images of the sky scrapers and the hustle and bustle of New York, which is world famous in itself. The camera then pans to show a crowd of Britney fans waiting outside the concert, implying that throughout the whole of New York City, Britney is the main focus. Whilst this is going on Britney herself is narrating and her use of informal (chatty) language marks the start of the friendly bonding between Britney and the audience which remains throughout the whole video. There is also a photo montage of Britney in the press, when she was a child, when she was growing up, when she first hit the charts and then up to the present time. This again makes the relationship between Britney and the audience very personal and also brings Britney down from this publicised superstar to an ordinary person, which I believe to be one of the main purposes of this video. Britney Spears is one of the most well know and most publicised celebrities, lots of remarks have been spread worldwide about Britney and overall have caused many people to dislike her, this video brings her back to reality and shows she is an ordinary person.

This promotional video was released by Britney's record company. I think this is key to the messages that come out of the promotional video such as recreating Britney as an ordinary person, making her easier to get along with therefore creating a friendly relationship between audience and artist, therefore leading to higher record sales and more sold out concerts. Another aspect of institution that has come out of the promotional video is another piece of memorabilia. The video itself can be sold to the public so therefore it becomes a wanted item for Britney fans.

Another key aspect of artist's promotional videos is the notion of looking that the audience feels when watching the video. In Britney's promotional video there are several clips of her backstage and behind the scenes and obviously there are also several clips of Britney performing live in concert. This gives the audience an almost V.I.P like status as they are watching her backstage and also gives the audience that they get to see the concert from the front row of the audience. This makes the audience feel closer and more personal to Britney and the friendship that I mentioned previously is continued between Britney and the audience.

The use of special effects is very minimal in this promotional video. There is a photo montage (almost like a collage) at the beginning of the video of Britney through the years, even as a child, creating even more of a personal friendship between herself and the audience. Apart from the photo montage at the very beginning, there is minimal special effects used with just the use of a teaser before the breaks showing clips that would be showing in the rest of the video, and also the best bits of the video which were still to come. This is cleverly used in the video to make sure that the audience are hooked throughout the whole video and to make sure that they keep watching. The lack of special effects in this video also adds to the whole feeling of this video being about the real Britney Spears, without all of the glamour and the paparazzi (without all the special effects), which again is allowing the audience to become more familiar and personal to the person she is rather than the outrageous pop star the press has presented her to be. This also implies that everything that the audience see in the promo video is real and that she’s not making it fancy and fake to attract people.

The setting for Britney's concert is a big and very old hall. It has some amazing architecture and is very old, it looks like a venue for art galleries and opera singers to use. Obviously, the use of a venue like this completely contrasts to Britney's music. This has been used to show that she is rebelling against the innocent pop princess that she started out as and is now this sexy, rebellious and mature artist. The maturity side of her image also comes from the use of setting in this video. The use of an old, artistic building creates an image for Britney as a piece of art, and much like most art galleries art is very expensive so she has made a 'high art' image for herself. Although the use of pink and relatively girly titles and subtitles throughout the video contrast to this new image that she has created, and that she still is quite a girly girl. This allows Britney to at the same time attract new older audiences as well as keeping her younger fans that she already had.

There is lots of simple panning in this video; this was mainly at the beginning, the end and during Britney's performances. This was done to establish the scene whilst inside and outside of her performance venue. This was so that the audience could see the whole interior and exterior of the venue, so it was like they were at the concert and therefore more personal and closer to Britney. The camera angles mainly used in the video are close ups on her face to help carry emotion from artist to audience easily, again creating a personal bond between them and also lots of medium wide shots, enabling the audience to see the surroundings of her concert, again making them feel as if they were there.

There are a few intertextual references in this promotional video. It features Britney collaborating with the Ying Yang Twins. Two of the most famous hip-hop artists in the world. In this day and age hip-hop music is very popular and is targeting a much larger audience and Britney as an artist has obviously recognised this and chosen to collaberate with them to get her face into the new scene, and also to attract a wider audience. Another reference in the video is to Britney's roots, by the use of her singing a country/western style ballad. This again targets another audience, enabling Britney to cover an extremely large range of media consumers. This also shows that through the reference to her roots, she is very much family orientated and again is creating this down to earth person that audiences should love.

During the entire video we see Britney in very different outfits. Mainly whilst she is performing she is wearing tight sexy clothes, helping her create the new sexy, independent image she is looking for. However, during her country ballad, she changes into a white dress, this again enables her to attract her long-term younger fans who still think she is innocent and still a pop princess. The white dress shows she still has her sweet and innocent side although she is trying to break away from this look. So through this technique she is still targetting a very large audience. This promotional video was brought out soon after Britney's collaboration with Madonna with 'Me against the Music'. In the 1980s Madonna was very well known for her over the top and sometimes obscene sense of fashion, well known as power dressing. In the video for 'Me against the Music', Britney uses a slight hint of power dressing in her costume, creating a sexy business woman image. This exact costume is worn again by Britney in the video, again adding to this more mature image of Britney, attracting more fans and showing that she is following in the footsteps of a legendary artist, like Madonna. This also opens up Britney to Madonna fans, another audience Britney would of attracted.

The lighting that I thought was significant in the video is most vital when Britney is performing on stage. This involves very dim lighting in a very beautiful setting creating a very intimate, passionate and almost sensual atmosphere for the audience and Britney. Intimacy with fans and artists is very rarely unheard of, and again this enables the audience to get closer and become more personal with Britney, the main message of this video as well as promoting her as an artist.

The role of the musician in this promotional video, is a narrator over the top of the action on screen and a performer. Britney narrates whilst clips are showing on the screen, almost giving a personal commentary of her life. The fact that Britney is addressing the audience again carries on the connection between artist and audience I have talked about quite frequently in this analysis. The other role that Britney has in this video is as a performer. Britney is lip singing in this video, when she is performing live, this allows her to show off her other talents such as dancing. This shows that she is an established performer and not a manufactured performer, and that she is an all round performer as well. This makes people want to go and see her live because they know that she is going to do an amazing performance, therefore making her more money and attracting new audiences.

Britney breaks a key convention of a successful artist by lip syncing live to an audience. Many people think that when artist's do not sing live that their voices on CD's etc, are not actually themselves. But she only lip sings in this video, so that she can show off her amazing performance skills as a dancer. Britney sexualises herself throughout this video, although some may think this is degrading and quite a shameful display, it establishes the new image that Britney wants and needs, to ensure that she stays successful.

By Ryan Wiles



Promo video textual analysis
Backstreet boys – Never gone
By Priya Gohil

The promo video starts with Backstreet Boys’ music video ‘incomplete’. This is to promote the songs and the audience are able to watch it whenever they want rather than just listening to it.

The album could be called ‘never gone’ as they, for a while stopped making music and as this is their new comeback album, it could imply it was like they were never gone. This could link back to why they started the promo video with a music video – to remind the audience of what they are capable of and how good they are.
The music video then cuts out and short memorable clips of the video play building up to a title page introducing ‘behind the scenes of Incomplete’.

Howie D introduces himself and the set for the behind the scenes footage. The audience get a chance to bond individually with him as a person rather than all of them as a group. The audience get an understanding of what his personality is like and who he is. Howie comes across as a funny and friendly man.

Howie is then filled in by the director of what he needs to do. The audience are made to feel as if they are getting a personal tour of the set and are also in the conversation between howie and the director.

The director then tells the audience about the ideas of the video – instead of a narrative based video, it is based on pure emotions of the lyrics. The audience are positioned so it feels as if they are included and discussing with the director. The camera angle is a mid shot and positioned straight on so the director is almost looking directly at the audience.

An objective shot is used treating the audience as an observer of the filming, back-stage with the camera crew making sure everything’s correct.
Kevin, another band member is next to be introduced, to have his turn to bond with the audience. As the audience, we are shown his talent, to play the piano, as a short clip is played from the actual music video. The camera angle is again, mid-shot, zooming into close up. This is so the audience get up close and personal with each band member. Kevin comes across as the slightly sensible one of the band. He talks to the audience about how well he thinks this shot went, as if he was updating a friend.

Next, A.J is introduced, and straight away, we are shown he is the funny and lively band member. He comes on making jokes immediately building connections with the audience.

Nick is one of the last to be introduced and then there is a short clip of the boys playing golf and having a laugh, inviting the audience to learn their hobbies and interests. We get to see the boys messing about, coming out of the whole sad atmosphere from the song.

After, the boys joke about, it’s back to work and the audience are shown the amount of effort and emotion that goes into their video.


Promotional Video Analysis

Kids In Glass Houses

The promo video starts of with clips of the band performing and making their music video for ‘Give Me What I Want’ which gives us, as the audience, a feel of what they do and what they enjoy. You also get a real insight to the band themselves and what they’re like. The opening also has the song playing in the background which makes the audience become familiar with the track the band are promoting.

Through Kids In Glass Houses doing a promotional video of their music video, it helps to make the audience feel apart of the filming and to become more intimate with the band. This could’ve simply been done so that the target audience can link to the band and also be involved with what they get up to when it comes to making a music video.

It then cuts to a medium shot of the band. They introduce themselves and talk about the music video and where it’s set and the different scenarios the band have come up with to be shown throughout the video which relate to the target audience such as having a fancy-dress party scene and also a gig scene. As they are talking, it shows us a quick clip of the video and once again gives the audience a real insight.

We then begin to see clips again of the band making the music video and the director filling them in with what they need to do. The audience are made to feel as if they’re part of this and are also involved within the conversation.

In between shooting, the band talk personally to the camera and this lets the audience get to know what they’re like. We see that the band like to mainly talk about the music video and this shows the audience that their music is the most important thing to them.

The band members clothing throughout the promo are very up to date and modern. When filming the music video we see them dressed in suits and looking smart. Behind the scenes and at other parts throughout the music video, they are dressed in checked shirts and skinny jeans which are recognisable and a genre characteristic of the indie music scene. The lighting throughout the whole promotional video is quite bright which brings an uplifting and fun feel to the video as well as the band.

The overall camera angle that is mainly used throughout, is the medium shot. The audience can see everything that’s going on and happening and gives them a real feel to the making of the video and a connection to the band.

The cast for the music video are fans of the band and the director then talks to the camera about the gig scene that is going to be filmed next. This shows that the band like their fans to be involved with making their music videos and is personal to them but it’s also a gift to the fans as they are so closely connected to the band within making the video. Through this it’s easy to see that the main target audience and fan base are teenagers with most of the cast and fans being mainly girls.

When it comes to a break within filming, several of the band members talk closely to the camera about songs and the artists they like which once again shows that music is important to them but we also capture that the band are out-going and fun characters with great personalities.

Towards the end of the promo video, they show the music video as it attracts the audience as they’ve been following the making of the video. With being able to watch this, its easy to see that the band like to have fun and up for a laugh as well as performing great music and getting their fans involved in many ways possible.

The promo then ends with a fade out to finish the video off.

By Lauren Fitzgerald

Textual Analysis of Music Videos

Kiss Kiss – Chris Brown

"Kiss Kiss" is a song by Chris Brown, released as the second single from his second studio album Exclusive. Chris Brown cleverly uses a well known R’n’B artist to promote himself and his music career. T-Pain is already a well established artist and this only being Chris Browns second albums tells the audience how big he is already in the music industry.

The video is set in a high school which is to show the youth and playfulness of Chris Browns personality. The target audience is clearly high school teenagers, mostly male as the story within the video is based on two male characters that both fall for one girl. Chris Brown plays both male parts in different stereotypes. There is the typical high school jock, the nerdy school boy and the beautiful girl that everyone falls for. The narrative is used as comedy while Chris Brown battles with ‘himself’ to get the girl. This story follows many conventions of American teen comedies. The video uses various resources of intertextuality to appeal to the audience such as the dancing in the basketball court which can be compared to the film ‘High School Musical’.

The video opens with a typical scene of a high school corridor; students at their lockers, at the water fountain and many other recognisable places. As the beat drops, Chris Brown enters, straight away showing his stereotype of ‘jock’ through costume and actions. There is a low angle shot so it makes the audience look up to him as he is a powerful character. He barges through pushing people out the way forming his ‘bad boy’ reputation; following him is his big group of friends to give him the popular image. It is very lively and fun, with him dancing through the hall with people throwing paper, riding on skateboards and other fun things. This is used to imply he is very rebellious as well as a fun character. A teacher then walks in to the hectic corridor and instead of telling people off; he joins in and dances too. This is used to join in on the comical sequence and could also imply that the ‘bad boy’ can get away with any sort of mischief. It portrays to the audience that they should enjoy the school life and have a fun time instead of always worrying about typical problems teenagers have about looks and other issues which most teenage boys would agree with. Although it is a typical school scene, there are many iconic symbols used to show that it is a representative R’n’B music video, such as good looking girls, big jewellery and cars. In this particular scene, the cutting rhythm is quite fast implying that high school life is very fast paced and enthusiastic and fun.

Chris Brown uses a number of choreographed dance routines throughout the video, used to express the atmosphere of the video and also to highlight his passion for dance. Most dances introduced have a lively and fun atmosphere. There is a very distinctive establishing shot for one of his dance rountines. It is outside the front of the school, this once again can be linked to High School Musical, where they dance outside the front of the school. There is one dance routine on top of a school bus which shows a sense of just having fun as well as being rebellious and breaking rules. This portrays Chris Browns personality in real life. The low angle shots of Chris Brown shows how he is looked up to by teenagers and how so many boys wish to be like him. There are a lot of close up’s in the video as it is a short story, so facial expressions of the characters are very important in this aspect. They are also important as they are used to keep reminding who the artist of the song is.

The geeky character is then introduced, also in a very comical way. He is wearing the typical nerdy clothing with glasses and books in his hand. This character can also be instantly identified by teenagers. He, like a sweet gentleman, helps the girl pick up books she had dropped on the floor, catching the attention from the girl. He is then shown again in a dance scene, whilst the jock dances perfectly and he falls flat on his face, again showing his uncool personality in a comical way. At the basketball match he is dressed as the mascot which is a nerdy thing to do. The jocks then start to bully him, as they see the girl is watching. Instead of impressing her, this does the complete opposite.
Music videos of this genre often tell a story relating to the lyrics, in ‘Kiss Kiss’ the artist is showing how he will do whatever it takes to get the attention of a girl. The first character that the artist creates is one with full confidence who is fun, rebellious and obnoxious as he is the leader of the pack and all other school kids have respect for him, this is shown with his two little sidekicks who are always following him and dancing with Chris Brown. He shows off this dominant male role through the use of violence as he rugby tackles the nerdy kid to the ground after he is seen talking to the pretty girl.
The second character who comes across as the ‘geeky’ kid with no friends and no confidence, this violence though comes across as comical because of the way the character looks. The artist puts across the message that you have to be kind and caring to get the girl as she walks off with the geek character in the end and this makes the particular character get what he deserves as the representation of him is nice and friendly despite being uncool. This tells the target audience ‘teenage boys’ that it doesn’t matter if you have nice cars and are popular, its whats on the inside that counts. In this aspect, Chris Brown is once again implying he is a role model to these boys and they will take this into consideration. It’s almost as if he’s giving advice to his ‘friends’.

The artist hasn't aimed to make the video look like a work of art as it is simply a video which looked fun to make and what it does is help to show off his personality. The video reinforces gender stereotypes of young males having a laugh and messing around with eachother.


By Priya Gohil



Textual Analysis of Music Video

Green Day - American Idiot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg7YjwZzNz0

'American Idiot' was released by Green Day in 2004, and signalled the comeback of the band into the public eye. The album, which has the same title as the first song released from the album which I am analysing, renewed Green Day's success from a year long length of time in which the band released no songs/albums and were rarely in the public eye. 'American Idiot', which is still known today as one of the best punk rock songs ever released, flew straight to number one in the US and the UK charts, and created a whole new audience. Targeting the younger ‘MTV’ generation, where they know so many more people from this audience purchase and consume music.

Many different camera angles are used in this music video. One of the main camera angles that is used several times in the video is the close up shot. Mainly, the close ups of the band are used to sell the artist, and so each band member has a selection of close ups each throughout the music video. This enables the audience to not just become familiar with the band members, but I also think they are used for the re-introduction of the band after the year long period in which the band didn’t make any songs/videos. The idea of the notion of looking is one of the key elements of a music video, which you would be able to identify in nearly all music videos. The video for 'American Idiot' is no different, at the beginning of the video; the audience are placed behind a camera and are watching the band through the camera. This gives the audience a notion of looking, and makes the audience feel as they shouldn't really be there and they are snooping in, and also gives the band a more exclusive image as everyone that watches the music video would be feeling as if they are having a sneaky look. I think this represents the big come back that Green Day wanted and achieved through the video. This effect has also been chosen very carefully and has worked very effectively as it puts the audience in the role of 'the American idiot society', so the band when singing the lyrics (that are talking about breaking the ways of this society), are singing to and telling the society (the audience). This also gives the band some authority as if they are an up and coming political movement in society. There is a lot of camera movement used in the video, this gives the audience the feeling that everything is happening quickly and everything is overly manic, which could represent the sudden renewal of success for Green Day and the quick effects that they are going to have on the music scene and current life itself. It also creates a sense as if they are on CCTV surveillance and therefore create this breaking the laws set by society atmosphere to the video.

The editing used in this music video has been selected appropriately and all editing such as the jump cuts and the quick cuts, follow the pace of the song. The jump cuts and quick cuts are used to keep the music video flowing as quick as the drum beat, and to also add to this manic, very hectic feeling of the music video.

The use of green in this video has a very successful effect for the video. In the lyrics of 'American Idiot', the band addresses this new idiotic society that is running their country, which is obsessed with money and fame. I think that the use of green could represent this obsession with money that American society has, or could just simply represent the band. The use of the green liquid bursting through the walls on either side of the band could also represent the bands comeback, and that they are breaking the boundaries and hitting society hard. The use of this mouldy/stale looking American flag is also a successful prop in the video. This could represent that America is loosing its edge, everything is the same and it’s just getting 'old'. This could also represent the obsession with money and power again. A noticeable part of this music video is the re-occurrence of a middle aged man dressed as if he were a business man, who gets covered in green paint. I think that this is Green Day's idea of 'The Man'. Basically, an idealistic role model for all Americans. I think, again, the use of the green paint being chucked all over him, shows how Green Day are trying to come back into the public eye and bring a sense of individualism with them, breaking the mould of the 'ideal' person that society has created.

The complete narrative of the music video, and the role of the musicians in the music video, is purely performance based and performing. This might of been chosen to do, to show that Green Day, unlike other bands who have stories or represent current events through their videos, are completely about the music. A strong belief carried by most respected rock artists/bands. The whole of the band are all dressed in black and have some wacky hair styles and (most noticeably) the lead singer, are wearing make up. This again is a stereotypical image for many rock artists and so this is a convention that is followed in this video. This image is a complete contrast to the re-occurring 'ideal' image of 'The Man'. This again represents this breaking the barrier/individualistic motif that is being carried throughout the video. This is also showing off their musical skills.

The setting of the music video is an abandoned warehouse. This represents to me, as the audience, that they have broken in to play in a warehouse and also gives the band this 'anti-American society', secret organisation identity and this gives off a message of danger for society, a message such as 'Watch out for us' or 'We're hitting you by storm' etc. Also, it gives the band a 'true rocker' image and proves that it is purely about the music, they don't need audiences etc. This also proves that Green Day are really against the society, they have removed themselves from the high flying, glamorous music industry and its pursuit of money, and chosen a lower class setting.

The lighting in the warehouse in the video is all very natural and is quite dark. This again removes the band from the glamorous, high budget music videos and adds even more individuality to the band and also makes this video unique. There is very little relationship between visuals and lyrics which again proves that the band are all about the music and not about a storyline in the video. Although mentions of the ‘idiot society’ cause a very quick appearance of society’s idea of the ‘ideal person’.

Although, in this music video the band are very hypocritical. They are saying how everything is either for money or power in society nowadays, but they are doing what society wants them to by producing music videos to be aired on TV, to gain more money and more viewers and therefore more power for different conglomerates. This loses some of the 'true rocker' image for the band, but overall the message that they are fighting back is very clear through the music video.

By Ryan Wiles



Textual Analysis

Chris Brown – Yo (Excuse Me Miss)

"Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" is the second single from Chris Brown's debut album Chris Brown, released in 2005 in the U.S. and 2006 worldwide. "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)", produced by Dre and Vidal, became Brown's second top ten hit in the U.S. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA.In other countries, the song reached number thirteen in the United Kingdom and number ten in Australia.

The song starts off with the beat to his first single he released. It was a hit and reached number 1 in many countries. This is used to remind the audience of who he is as the song ‘Run It’ is very well known.

The video is first set in a clothing shop, this is a convention of the R’n’B genre as fashion statements are very important and tell you a lot about the artist.

In the ‘story’ Chris is late to work; this is something many teenagers can relate to. It reminds the audience Chris is also just a normal teenage boy who works like themselves. The use of comical humour is to show Chris’ fun and youth side.

As he see’s three girls, the starts to chase after them. The girls are typically very attractive and good looking – another typical genre convention.

There is a close up of the MP3 player to show Chris has the latest technology and how up to date he is. This is something he probably has in common with many boys of his age.

There are also close up’s of Chris’ reaction as he notices the girl and close up’s of the girl. This is the start of their ‘love story’. The close ups are used to capture the emotions and facial expressions of both of the ‘characters’ in the video.

The story moves along as Chris dances to get the girls attention and chases her. This is to show off his dancing skills. He is known for his style and unique dance. It is used in many R’n’B music videos to show off the many talents each artist has.

The action is then taken to a basketball court. It shows off the hobby of the artist as he takes the ball and spins it on his finger then shots it at the hoop. As he starts to dance on the court, all eyes turn on him making him the main focus of everything.

There are many close ups of his face to make sure the audience remember his face.The story comes to an end as he finally gets the girls number, showing his power as a young boy, but still getting all the pretty girls. This shows how the artist can work his charm and get his way.

As the video comes to an end, it is cleverly constructed as the fans get to see a glimpse of his next single that is soon to be released.It benefits his production and label company as if more people see the ‘teaser’; they are likely to buy it when it comes out. ‘The Teaser’ has become ever more popular in the recent years as more artists have started doing it, as if it’s a trend.

In this piece, we see a different side of Chris. He’s seen dancing on cars and dressed in black clothing hiding his face. It shows his rebellious mysterious side.

Expensive cars, clothes and jewellery are all shown in this short clip – all fitting to the genre, focusing on Chris’ wealth even though he is so young.

Low angled camera shots are used to make the audience feel as if they are looking up at Chris emphasising how young he is but is already so high up and powerful in the music industry.

He specifically points at his jeans to make a statement of his individual fashion sense. His jeans are labelled with his name on them.

The video ends as Chris walks to the screen and it fades out.


By Priya Gohil


Textual Analysis of Music Video 2

Taylor Swift - White Horse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1Xr-JFLxik

'White Horse' is one of the songs from Taylor Swift's debut album 'Fearless'. The music video shares an almost exact copy of the narrative from one of her previous videos 'Love Story'. The music video concludes of a girl (Taylor Swift) reminiscing over the good times that she shared with her ex lover, and is coming to terms with the fact that she has to tell him no, and to stop letting him mess her around.

The camera angles used in the video range from close ups, medium wide shots, 2 shots and there is also an over the shoulder shot. The close up shots used at the beginning are of a females mouth and a male mouth in two different locations speaking on the phone. Almost instantly, Taylor Swift's face is introduced with an intense close up of Taylor with a very upset look upon her face. The use of these close ups, makes the audience feel more involved and intimate with the artist and also allows the audience to have sympathy for the artist and feel some of the emotions that she is feeling. This could also of been used for the audience to relate to this situation that Taylor is in, whether they've been in the situation or if they have seen someone close to them in such a situation. The medium wide shots are used in the video to show the audience that Taylor is on her own in what looks like a family home. This allows the audience to sympathise with Taylor, and makes us as the audience feel very sorry for her as she is all alone in a place that should be filled with people and that probably is filled with happy memories. The 2 shots and the over-the-shoulder shot are used cleverly in the video to allow the audience to become intimate with the artist and her lover, and the situation that Taylor is in. Putting the audience in the middle of all the action is a very clever technique as it involves them and makes them engaged to watch the rest of the video. The editing that is used in the music video is quite basic and transitions are mainly fades. This, I believe, follows the slow, calming pace of the song, and could also represent a blink; as in much of the video Taylor is shutting her eyes and looking back on what has happened etc.

Taylor is not dressed up, like a Hollywood high budget actress but instead is dressed in casual everyday clothing and so is her lover. The use of the family home and the simplicity of the costumes makes the video and the overall situation that Taylor is in much more personal for the audience and adds this sense of the whole situation being very close to home, and adds this overall sense of realism to the video, for the audience. This technique makes the audience feel more involved with Taylor and the situation she is in.

By Ryan Wiles


Textual Analysis of Music Video

Beep - Pussycat Dolls

‘Beep’ was released by Pussycat Dolls in 2006, and although it didn’t perform as successfully as the bands previous two singles, it still scored number one internationally becoming their third Billboard top twenty success. PCD, which is the album that Beep was track listed, was the bands debut album that helped put them into the public eye. ‘Beep’, which is one of the Pussycat Dolls least popular songs, but still managed to reach within the Top 10 in many different countries and reaching number 1 in Belgian and New Zealand, creating a wider audience for the band.

There are several camera angles used throughout this video. One of the main camera angles that is used several times in the video is the close up shot. The close ups are often used to sell the artist and band, so each member has a selection of close ups throughout the music video. This enables the audience to become familiar with the band members and get to know each of their personalities. At the start of the video, we see a medium shot of the popular ‘Doll’ sign which is big and lit up against a back wall. This helps to attract the audience and fans. In the same shot, there is one of the band members doing a memorable move of the Pussycat Dolls which shows us that they dance as well as sing. There is also a medium shot of all the girls, showing us each of their personality and hobbies such as socialising and dancing which the younger members of the audience can really relate too. It then cuts to a close up of the main artist, Nicole Scherzinger, as she is the most recognisable. Throughout the music video, we see a lot of close ups of Will.I.am who features alongside the band in ‘Beep’. This helps the band to attract a new and wider fan base as he’s also recognisable and well known mainly through chart topping American band, Black Eyed Peas. There is a lot of camera movement used in this video, this gives the audience the feeling that things are moving quickly which could represent the success the band are planning throughout their career and with them becoming more popular, not just with singing but the overall performance a band should give itself.

The setting of the music video is an apartment. This represents, to me as the audience, that the band are very close and enjoy spending time together like any normal friendship group which helps the audience relate to the band once again and share something in common with them. This then gives us the idea of the girls being laid back and down to earth and brings them down to the audiences level.

The narrative of the music video, and the role of musicians in the video, is purely performance based. This could’ve been done as performing is what the band want to be known to do as they are more about music rather than anything else and putting on a great show through performance, as before becoming recording artists, they were a burlesque dance group. The girls represent their role well by showing off their dancing skills which is what they’re mainly known to do as if it’s one of their motifs and you could also see it is their unique selling point as not many girl bands use a lot of dance the way the Pussycat Dolls do. They also bring Will.I.am into the song and is shown producing and changing the beat. This shows the audience that the band are happy to collaborate with different artists and genres and not be afraid of trying out new things. Will.I.am helps to promote ‘Beep’ as promoting is what he is known to do as well as helping to promote Pussycat Dolls in helping them to attract a new audience of genre and age. The band seem to represented as ‘sex objects’, and although they have men staring at them the audience can see that they ignore it. This shows that, although the band can attract men and have a male audience, they were more focused on what they’re doing rather than them playing on being seen as ‘sex symbols’ to a certain audience.

Pussycat Dolls use many conventions in this music video. They’re clothing is very little and shows off their figures which is something a typical R ‘n’ B artist would wear. This gives us the idea of them wanting to attract men and have a real ‘showgirl’ image. Another useful convention for R ‘n’ B they use is obviously dancing. Each member has been recorded individually dancing not only establishing them individually but also as a group.

The clothing that is used in this music video is casual but tight. The band choose to wear clothes like this as it shows off their good figures and is a genre characteristic of R ‘n’ B. The audience see that the girls are dressed in tracksuits, almost dance style clothing. The colours appear to be bright and stand out showing the audience that they’re out-going and fun. Some of the band members are dressed mainly in white which is often known as an innocent colour. They could have done this to get the focus away from their looks and figures and concentrate more on their personality and performance skills.

Throughout the music video, we see a lot of the logo of ‘Dolls’ which obviously represents the band name. This is recognisable for the audience as it really relates back to the band. We also see the girls with Nokia phones throughout the video. This shows us, as the audience, that Nokia could be a sponsor of the band and that they’re also helping to promote the phone brand and also once again attracting a new audience.

By Lauren Fitzgerald


Textual Analysis of Music Video

Home - Michael Bublé

‘Home’ is a song by Michael Bublé that was released in 2005 from his album It’s Time and was a hit for Bublé in both Canada and the United States. Since the release of the original version, two covers have also been released as singles by other artists with the most popular being Westlife, who released the song in 2007 and hit the top ten in several European countries.

The video is set in a theatre which shows the emotion and largeness the theatre brings to its audience and is also a genre convention of a jazz music artist. You can clearly see that the target audience is those who are into theatre and an audience of mainly the older generation but also many older teenagers. This is because the story is mainly based around love and the emotion of what a relationship can bring to a certain individual or a couple.

The video starts off with a close up of a letter that is being written which gives the audience an idea of what the video is going to be about. The camera then slowly moves in onto Michael Bublé and cuts straight to a close up of his face so the audience can capture his emotion and how he’s feeling. We then quickly see a shot of a picture of a young, pretty girl who is the main focus throughout the video.

The camera angles used in the rest of the music video range from 2 shots of mainly close ups and medium shots. The close up shots allows you to capture the emotion of the artist and the audience to get the feeling that he is hurt and feeling alone and wants everything to stop. The use of these close ups, makes the audience feel more involved and intimate with the artist and also allows the audience to have sympathy and could have also been used for the audience to be able to relate to if they’ve ever been in the same situation. The medium shots are used to get the whole effect of the story and for the audience to keep focused.

The editing in the music video is quite basic and the transitions mainly fade from one to another. This keeps the peacefulness of the song without there being too much happening and it keeps the audience focused on what’s happening by things happening slowly. The lighting is quite dull and dark throughout the video as this makes it feel more intimate.

Michael’s clothing is very casual and young with him just wearing jeans and a jumper. He is also wearing dark colours which links back to the whole theme and colouring of the music video itself.

The music video ends with lights being turned out as this gives you the idea that everything is over and the final shot is off ‘Michael Bublé, One Night Only’ outside the theatre which then slowly fades to give a peaceful ending to the story.

By Lauren Fitzgerald