Diverse music videos are music videos that are different in the sense that the content and the structure of the video is more concept based than narrative or performance. In other words it is not mainstream or have typical features that we expect to see in a music video. These music videos are mainly made for niche type audiences just a small group of individuals. The main genres that diverse videos are made for includes electro, club, alternative and at times pop. Diverse music videos are used at times when some artists are looking to reinvent themselves as artists but not to much to shock their fans.
Chris Cunningham
A well know director for creating diverse music videos is a man named Chris Cunningham. Chris Cunningham has created for mainstream artists such as Madonna and not so mainstream artists like Bjork. All his videos are great representations of diverse music video because they all have different great uses of mise en scene that makes it original from other videos.
Here are a some of his work:
- Madonna-Frozen, this video became an international hit and won the award for Best Special Effects at the 1998 MTV Music Video Awards. This video was used for Madonna to recreate herself as a new artist for a new generation.
- Aphex twin, Cunningham's Videos for "Come to daddy" and "Window licker" are perhaps his best known. These two have worked a lot together and have produce a few abstract and surreal videos.
- low-key lighting
- surreal images
- abnormal characters
- no narrative
- disturbing
- original
I think that Cunningham is really creative and I commend his work and originality skills to produce something different every time he makes a video.1 thing I respect about him is that he doesn't care about what people say about his work as long as people are talking about it.
Michel Gondry
Another diverse music video director Michel Gondry has a great eye for music videos. Most of his videos contain colour, dance and theatrics and star motifs as he directs for mainstream artists mainly.
his work includes
- The chemical brothers-let forever be
- Daft punk-around the world
- Gary Jules-mad world
- Kylie Minogue-come into my world
Most of his videos have a concept and performance based structure which is entertaining for the audience.
General characteristics of his work:
- high-key lighting
- lots of bright colours
- concept based
I find gondrys work very inspiring and entertaining because of the dance he incorporates into hes videos and the lively upbeat themes he takes on.
Diverse music videos disadvantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- Allows artist to reinvent themselves
- People are more likely to remember the video longer
- lot more creative and different
- More hype and publicity
- Gets blocked due to censorship
- usually gets more bad reviews than good
- makes the audience feel uncomfortable sometimes
- It can ruin an artists representation and potentially their career.
I think that if the mainstream culture used diverse music videos it would help bring a whole new audience that would appreciate both. However I do understand that some images are controversial and may be disturbing to some.
Conclusion
I have learnt that not creating such a mainstream music video can be a good thing because it can still have great entertainment value and still be successful. Therefore I wish to use Gondrys idea of repeated dance and concept because I believe that my group has the capability of creating a good product along those lines.
Good personal opinion provided on both directors and how you would consider using Gondry's ideas within your work. Both characteristics and examples of directors mentioned.
ReplyDeleteTo improve;
-think of more characteristics of their work. Look at star image and characters.
-whose work do you prefer and why?