Applying Genre Theory to "Fairy Tale of New York"

Applying Narrative Theory to Music Videos

Music video inspirations

"Skins" (TV Drama)

"Skins" is a TV drama shown on E4 in the UK. This represents teenagers as going out all the time, having fun, being rebellious and getting intoxicated. This links with idea of our chosen track 'When We Were Kids' as it is all about growing up too fast and wanting to be a kid again. Therefore, we thought using this type of imagery in our music video would contradict the song very well.

This is a montage of clips from series 3 of  "Skins" which shows lots of young adolescences having fun, being rebellious, but they are also represented as hedonistic - this may be a representational issue in the music video we produce.





"Kids" (1995)

released: 17 May 1996 (UK)
director: Larry Clark
writers: Larry Clark, Harmony Korine and Jim Lewis
stars: Leo Fitzpatrick, Justin Pierce and Chloe Sevigny

This a film which IMDB describes as 'A day in the life of a group of teens as they travel around New York City skating, drinking, smoking, and deflowering virgins.'

This is the official trailer of the film. Similar to "Skins" it portrays teenagers as constantly going out - staying away from home, having a good time with their group of friends, but these teenagers are also represented as hedonistic. This film has also influenced us as our music video is going to be concentrating on a strong friendship between two characters. However, this film focuses on a group of friends.






Friends (TV Series)

Friends is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman and it aired from 1994-2004. It revolves around a circle of friends who live in Manhattan. The theme tune of the song 'I'll be there for you' immediately indicates that it is about friendship. This could be an inter-textual reference in our music video as our idea focuses on a boy and a girl who are best friends and grew up together, therefore they would always look out for each other. The lyrics of the theme song also mention the responsibilities of growing up, therefore this links with the idea of wanting to be a kid again because there is a lot less to worry about. Additionally, "Friends" shows a group of friends having a laugh with each other and always going out with each other. For instance, they go to a Coffee House called 'Central Perk', therefore we thought it would be a good idea to include the playhouse café in Norwich into our music video as it is a popular place for friends to hang out.

 

This is the coffee house in the show friends - Central Perk

Music video planning

Applying Goodwin's Theory to Echosmith's 'Come Together'

moodboard

Research Ideas

 

This music video 'Stay High' has influenced are ideas for our music video as it gives a realistic interpretation of a young adolesences behaviour in society today, such as going to parties and getting intoxicated which is one of the ideas that we want to include in our montage for our music video -'When We Were Kids'.
Also, this has given us ideas as to what camera angles and movement we may involve. There is a variety of slow motion and fast paced movement in this video, however, as the track we have chosen is very upbeat, the edit of our music video will be at quite a fast pace. This song gives a narrative story based on the girl who is very intoxicated and lost herself in the music; this is something we could try with our own music video and focus it on a particular character.





Another song/music video that has been an influence for us is 'Sigma - Nobody To Love' as it involves very positive imagery and uses a beach as a location. This is a location we could potentially use as it has a summer vibe and the performers illustrate that they are having fun, which is something we want to get across in our own music video. Also, going to the beach is a very common thing that teenagers do in the summer. Similarly, to 'Stay High' the movement used in this video has a range of fast pace movement and slow motion.

The use of media language in "Afrika Shox"

The use of media language in africa shox from laurenstandley

Chosen Track Lyrics

When We Were Kids

'Did you ever wanna settle down?
I hit the floor running with a cunning frown
But we’re as gone as dead cassettes
These Silhouettes and cigarettes Seem

To often take a little pain away
if you butter up a pill it’ll hide the taste
but bitter as the bullshit is
you cant disguise your lies like this

and all the silhouettes of the days that passed
are ghosts that circle my head far too fast
it seems my themes to seem subdued
I whine and chime my foul mood

Back when we were kids
with little pens and crayons
we didn’t understand the sadness
madness the world had to lay on
nowadays its all about new changes
take me back to RC cars these bars
aren’t on par with old crazes

I take a little time to catch my breath and
Get my bearings straight and start afresh
While Thoughts creep back behind these eyes
Of how much life can pass me by scream

A little louder at the thought of it
Creating my own drama and calmly knit
This web of lies and sell it to
Anyone who thinks its true

I cant help but assume its Someones fault
not my own if so its only ever by default
pity is its half and half
this sickly city heart to heart

Back when we were kids
with little pens and crayons
we didn’t understand the sadness
madness the world had to lay on
nowadays its all about new changes
take me back to RC cars these bars
aren’t on par with old crazes'

These are the lyrics to "When We Were Kids". The lyrics are clearly about childhood and growing up - this gave us the idea of young people wanting to grow up too fast, therefore there it is a lot of imagery we could include and perhaps edit this into a montage of lots of fun things that teenagers do in modern society. "Skins", a TV Drama has inspired our ideas as it contradicts this song very well.

Other Possibilities

namestɅge: When We Were Kids



This is a track we found through another student in our class who did not wish to use it, therefore we wanted to take the opportunity of potentially using it for our music video. The idea I have for this music video is somebody or people who are trying to grow up and be an adult and settle down, but they're finding it difficult to escape from their childhood/teenage years when they didn't have as many worries.

Possible Tracks

Million Faces



I believe this song would be a good choice as it appeals to a teenage audience because of its pop/rock genre, therefore it could potentially be relatable to many people. This song is quite upbeat and sounds very fun, consequently I could imagine a few scenarios such as a group of friends having a good time and a laugh together, being at a party, being at the beach, camping in a woods or being rebellious - events that would be expected in teenage years. 

Chasing Tigers



These are a local band based in Norwich. Their genre is indie rock which is very popular to this modern day, therefore this would also appeal to a large teenage audience. If we were to use this song for a music video, I can picture it being about a guy wanting to save his relationship with the girl he loves.

Only Shadows



This is another track we could possibly use as the lyrics come across as very meaningful, therefore we could create a purposeful music video in the relation to the song. I can imagine this song being about two people in a relationship or two close friends that mean a lot to each other and want to prove this.

Lauren Standley A2

Hi, this is my new blog for my A2 coursework.