What are the connotations and ideologies, meanings and target audience of T the Park festival?

The background of the main page for T in the Park’s website connotes a simplistic, calm and relaxed experience, something which the promoters hope will entice potential attendees to buy passes. On top of the sky-like scene, a rainbow that covers part of the left side of the screen adds to the calm effect, despite also being an indicator of rain. However, the existence of the rainbow, which occurs after rainfall, may instead connote that it is the dawn of the festival season after a prolonged period of inactivity on the festival scene. The rest of the page’s layout is even more simplistic, using bold colours and fonts to catch the viewer’s attention. Text displaying important information of easy to read and is placed at the very top of the page, being the first thing that catches the eye. Overall, the layout of this page promotes the festival using the most simple, yet effective, of techniques while still displaying as much information as required.

Target Audience - In Depth

- The gender that would be more likely to watch my video are males.
- The age demographic that my video is aimed at is the 18-25yr old bracket. However, it could also appeal to slightly older or younger age groups as well, due to the diversity of the music genre.
- Almost all of those who watch my video will likely be of White British origin.
- The dress code associated with my target audience is wide and varying, although the majority will conform to Alternative Mainstream brands, such as Converse and DC, as well as wearing slim-fitting jeans and checkered shirts. Others may be more Rocker or Biker-inclined, possibly adorning leather jackets to fit these subcultures.
- Hair style is another aspect of my target audience that can vary greatly, depending on background. In fact, almost all common hair styles would not seem out of place on people watching the video. I believe that perhaps the most common hair style would be from 1-3 inches, probably with an unkempt look.
- While the aesthetics of my music video, as well as the aesthetics of most music videos in the genre, will appear to be aimed at the working class, it is more likely to be watched by lower-middle and middle class people who pretend that they are working class or think they are.
- Many of my target audience will shun use of modern technology to meet their requirements of looking low maintenance. However, they may wear basic jewellery, almost always ear piercings, or some form of studded item.
- As my music video fits the relatively wide genre of "Rock", it will attract a variety of different people who all consider "Rock" to be their favourite. Fans of music more specifcally similar to A Joker's Rage will listen to bands such as Jane's Addiction and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
- As part of their avoidance of anything "mainstream" my target audience may tend to purchase their clothing from online stores, such as Amazon, or from smaller shops, like Rock Collection.
- Perhaps the main source of entertainment for most of my target audience is music itself. They may also watch various TV programmes and films via the internet.
- Bedroom walls of my target audience may feature band posters, due to their close association with bands and their own identity.
- In terms of films, my target audience will usually prefer lower budget, often independent, films that have more focus on story rather than visuals, although stunning visuals can still be present, in cinematopgraphy rather than special effects.
- The top choice of radio stations for my target audience are Planet Rock, Absolute Rock, and Q. A large portion of TV time will also be devoted to music, through Q, and MTV Rocks, while popular magazines include NME, and, once again, Q. My target audience will be fairly adept at using a variety of social networking sites, specifically Facebook and Myspace.
- The tribal identity of my target audience is defying "mainstream" culture in favour of what has become the second largest subculture, or the "alternative" mainstream.

Michel Maffesoli on Find Your Tribe

While perusing the internet during a particularly dull presentation by a student during one of my lectures at the Paris Descartes University I discovered a very interesting website, created by a British TV station, known as Channel 4, that allows the people of the UK to discover which tribe they belong to. The premise of this website is quite obviously influenced by my own work, most notably my highly successful 1995 book on the decline of individualism, “The Time of the Tribes”, as evidenced by its reference to the existence of many different tribes within society. The multitude of different tribes available on the website show how fragmented modern society has become, thanks to the variety of different spheres of influence available to the average person. However, all of these tribes share common themes. For example, each and every tribe is based on some form of consumerism, with several being hyped as “alternative” to the “mainstream” tribes. In reality, these tribes are equally as “mainstream” as those they are trying to differentiate themselves from. And the majority of that which is consumed by each of these tribes is often linked by some form of brand name. For example, the tribe known as “Rahs” tend to wear brands that many other tribes can’t afford, such as Jack Wills. This financial advantage over another tribe, “Townies”, is almost the only thing that separates them from each other, evidence at how easy it can be for new tribes to create themselves.

Music Video - Costumes

 

 The clothing worn by James' character represents the "alternative mainstream" fashion that fits the genre of music played by A Joker's Rage. Because this style of dress is so common amongst fans of rock music, it will easily attract fans as they will be able to relate themselves to the character. It also continues the simple yet effective theme that influences the genre of Garage Rock.

Choosing the clothing that was worn by Sorrel was much more difficult as there were several different options available that would still connote the same characteristics of "alternative mainstream" as the clothing worn by James. The final decision was made for her to wear something that would be fitting in the gig scene, that is no effort is wasted on flamboyance but the style of clothing is still relatively represented.

Musical Profile - Festivals

A key indicator of the style of music a band plays, and the type of fanbase they will attract is the variety of music festivals they play. For example, Sonisphere, a metal festival that has previously been headlined by bands that include the Big Four, is a popular location for metalheads and rockers. In contrast, very few Sonisphere attendees will also be present at Latitude, a more family-oriented festival with folk being as prominent in Southwold as metal is at Knebworth.

Given their origins in Glasgow, A Joker's Rage would be unlikely to pass up an opportunity to play at Scotland's biggest festival, T in the Park. The style of music played at the festivals is varied, although A Joker's Rage would have no problem fitting in. The T in the Park website takes a very simple approach in its design, with very little clutter on the main page. The colour scheme of the main page is natural, by making it predominantly blue, representing the sky, with the festivals traditional attractions on a green field at the bottom.

Music Video Analysis - "Wake Up" by Story of the Year

Story Of The Year - Wake Up by epitaphrecords

This essay is an analysis of the video for "Wake Up" by Story of the Year, a post-hardcore song that was released in 2008. It contains several generic characteristics shared by post-hardcore music videos, including the band performing in a warehouse, and a loose narrative, cutting from one to the other throughout the video. It was directed by Ryan Smith. It targets an age group of 16-25yr olds as its primary age group, who like to avoid sharing the tastes of mainstream/popular culture. In April 2010, I attended a gig headlined by this band and the audience consisted of predominantly this age group, while the gender balance of the crowd was probably slightly in favour of males. The post-hardcore genre of the band and song is an offshoot relatively modern offshoot of hardcore punk music, itself an evolution of the original punk movement in the 1970s. While it began to appear during the 1980s, it experienced a growth in prevalence during the mid-00s. The genre differeentiates itself from the earlier punk rock and hardcore punk movements due to the presence of more complex guitar riffs, a wider range of vocals and varying levels of heavyness within the songs sound.

Even though there is no obvious link between the lyrics and the visuals, there is a link between the concept of the video and the lyrics. Both the lyrics and the narrative come across as derogatory of contemporary society and aim to highlight the negatives of modern life. This aspect is most obvious in the chorus, "Wake up, to the sound of this time bomb, wake up, to it's deafening song." These lyrics imply that it is so glaringly obvious something is wrong and that, if we don't do something about it soon, it will be too late. Visuals that illustrate the lyrics includes, towards the end of the video, where Marsala repeats the chorus several times, the camera becomes shaky and smoke fills the screen, referencing the “time bomb” and “deafening song” that the band believes is about to hit contemporary society.

The video frequently cuts in time with the beat of the song, and even changes pace to keep up with the music. An example of this is the opening of the video.  It begins with images of various places, such as a building, an airport and a highway, making use of shadows and low lighting to give it an air of dystopia,  before cutting to a warehouse where the band are playing. This cut is accompanied by a change in the tone and pace of music and features an increase in the speed of the camera's movement. There are also many close-ups of the lead singer, Dan Marsala, in the video. This is achieved through the use of the conventional camera being used to shoot the music video and a handheld camera, used by Marsala himself, which breaks the potential monotony of the regular camera.

Throughout the video, the logo associated with the album which features the song, The Black Swan, plays a fairly important role. It is used in the narrative in the form of a graffiti emblem sprayed onto plain t-shirts and already appearing on the clothing worn by members of the group within the narrative. It is also heavily featured at the end of the video in several different forms. This includes on buildings, billboards, a water tower, planes and road signs, heavily promoting the band and album. Instead of using sexuality to promotoe the band, Goodwin's notion of looking is referenced with Marsala's use of the handheld camera. By pointing the camera at himself, and with the TV behind him, the video image is looped several times due to what is being shown on the TV also being captured, in turn making it appear on the screen.

As previously stated, both the video and lyrics refer to the band's attitude towards contemporary society and the way in which this attitude is promoted. The notion the effectiveness of a cause you truly believe in is accomplished by highlighting that a small-scale operation is able to make themselves known on a much larger scale, by displaying an image in various places. This is a form of protest as well as a quasi-tribute to anonymous artist, Bansky.
The video contains elements of performance and narrative, cutting from one to the other throughout the course of the video. They are also linked together as they are taking place at the same location, but only existing together towards the end, when a smoke grenade is thrown into the warehouse, to cover the fact that the activists have been there, promptly explodes near a guitarist as he is playing.
The point of this video is to highlight the importance of standing up for the right cause and making sure changes are made before it is too late. There is also a secondary emphasis on the value of grass roots and small-scale organisations of activists that aim to promote their cause.

Similiar Artist Imagery Part 1 - Images

According to the band themselves, A Joker's Rage are significantly influenced by Jane's Addiction, an alternative metal band from Los Angeles, CA.

When considering bands that have a similar sound to the band that I am promoting, A Joker's Rage, one stood out much more than the others. This band was the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, a garage rock band from Los Angeles, CA. Their style was almost identical to A Joker's Rage, despite coming from very different backgrounds. Both bands are also able to create their own sound, despite the similarities in style of play.

 

Along with Jane's Addiction, A Joker's Rage quote American alternative metal band, Faith No More, as a key influence on their own bands sound.

What is UK Tribes?

What is Find Your Tribe/UK Tribes? How was information gathered, by whom, and for what purpose?
UK Tribes is a Channel 4 commissioned project designed to find out how to keep certain youth cultures interested in their TV productions. Find Your Tribe is an aspect of this project that looks to find quantitative data about this.

Qualitative research was also carried out through desk research, interviews, diaries and self-reports.

Description and facts about my target audiences' tribe

According to UK Tribes, my target audience of Metalheads have a very fluid membership, of mostly white working and middle class teenagers. Despite large numbers of Metalheads coming and going frequently, there are often small numbers of loyal fans that maintain their identity from their early teens through to their late twenties.

Most members are very likely to use the internet to explore their musical taste and talent, with key use of YouTube and MySpace. They are also likely to use file sharing software, like LimeWire, to pass on music they have discovered to others. There are also some attempts to discover “underground” music by attending gigs at local venues.

As a sub-group of the Alternative culture, my target audience are very passionate about music, something which can heavily influence whether they are interested in my choice of song, Elegant War by A Joker’s Rage. And although they like to make their own choices, they are slightly influenced by popular alternative music magazines, such as NME and Q.

Metalheads are also the most likely to attend music festivals, Download and Sonisphere being the favourites, while also being slightly interested in Bloodstock Open Air, Damnation, and Leeds. The TV channels most associated with Metal music are Kerrang and Scuzz, although Kerrang is sometimes frowned upon due to its tendency to also air music more in tune to the tastes of Emos and Scene Kids, two tribes that Metalheads supposedly frown upon due to their music tastes and fashion sense.

The idols of Metalheads are likely to be musicians who have sustained their career and lifestyle for many years. For example, Lemmy of the band Motorhead is seen by many UK Metalheads as the most popular icon for his ability maintain a rocking and partying career since the 1970s. Members of the popular US band, Metallica, is also considered icons within the sub-culture due to their constant presence at the top of the scene, as well as touring all over the world.

The sub-culture can be divided up even further based on the timeframe and sub-genres that members listen to. A prominent example of this the NWOBHM scene that has maintained a significant fan base despite its heyday being in the 1980s.

What might marketers find useful about this?
Marketers can use this research to pinpoint the best audiences for them to target with certain products. They can also find out how well different subcultures can be interested in similar things, by blending different ideas together.

New Idea

The new idea I have chosen is based around the 1994 film by Danny Boyle, 'Shallow Grave'. The reason I have decided to do this is because it allows me to incorporate the techniques I learned while filming the opening to a thriller in my AS coursework, as well as referencing the origin of my band, the film being set in Scotland. To achieve this will be replicating scenes from the film.

My Tribe and My Audiences' Tribe

You are a Scene Kid! Your hair is your life – it moves from blonde and spiky, to jet black and asymmetric and on to a neon pink beehive, sometimes all in the same day. You need to update your look when you’re moshing at three or four shows a week and documenting it for your public on MySpace, after all. Clothes-wise, you stick with a formula – superskinny jeans and a kiddy tee. Let the hair do the talking.



You are a Mosher! To join this tribe is easy – it’s mainstream alternative. Pick up a long coat like the one from The Matrix, spike your hair up to one mohawk and add a snarl of misunderstanding. Music is your life – as long as it’s loud and as long as it rocks. Your iPod is permanently plugged into your ears, volume up to 11.

Abandoning Old Idea

I have decided to completely change my idea as I believe that it does not fit completely with what I want to accomplish. For example, while my plan for the video was ordered to work well with the timing of the music, the story clashes with the style of music, as well as its tone, which is of a rebellious nature.

Another major reason for the change in my idea is that the three characters which were to appear in the video are all very one-dimensional. All of the characters meet a gender stereotype. The boy was portraying the underdog, a character mold used all too often in modern media. The first girl was portraying a character with similar traits to the typical head-cheerleader type from modern American films set in a high school. To complete this image, a second, angelic girl is featured to give the "hero" a way to find the happy ending.

Idea Storyboard

Original Idea

The idea I have come up with involves a boy/young man who is reminiscing about recent events that have happened to him, occuring in flashbacks that happen as he goes about getting up in the morning.

The first shot is a birds eye shot of him in bed. As the music begins, with a steady drum beat, he opens his eyes. Then the camera cuts to his feet moving to the floor, still in time to the opening drum beat.

As a guitar riff begins, the character is shown walking down a set of stairs in his house. The camera then cuts to a bathroom door closing, fading into the first flashback.

This flashback is of him talking to a girl in a public area, such as a park. In this, she is clearly shown rejecting him. The flashback ends and he is shown to be brushing his teeth

Another flashback begins when he spits his toothpaste into the sink basin. In this flashback he is talking to a different girl, who is much more accepting of his presence, indicating that they are in some form of relationship. As this flashback ends, the mian character is shown to be getting ready to have a shower.

A third flashback begins with a shot of the shower faucet being turned on. In flashback shows the first girl now talking to the main character, trying to convince him to leave the second girl for her. This flashback ends, showing him putting his shirt on after the shower.

As he goes back up the stairs, the camera centres on the bedroom door. The final flashback begins after he enters through the door and closes it. He is shown to be deciding between the two girls.

As the music ends his decision is made clear by showing the second girl in the bed.

Final Choice

I have chosen to create a music video for "Elegant War" by A Joker's Rage. I feel it has the best potential for the video.

Possible Choices

"Thin Black Jeans" by Silent Sundays

This song has made it to my final three options as I feel the song has good potential for a music video. The vocals are slightly reminiscent of Paul Weller of The Jam, as well as incorporating a more modern pop punk sound. The guitar riffs and drums retain a classic punk rock sound while also showing skate punk and indie rock influences. The song itself is short enough to be able to promote it alongside a music video without it dragging in the middle.



"Elegant War" by A Joker's Rage

The opening drum solo is vaguely similar to the opening of Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness" although with a rock sound rather than metal. The vocals are reminiscent of Jane's Addiction, with the band citing them as an influence on the band, Overall, the song is very solid and is currently my most likely final choice.



"Heavy Metal Josh" by Elephant Juice

As soon as the song starts it displays a strong influence of punk rock, specifically the UK style of punk showcased by bands such as the Sex Pistols. Similarly to Silent Sundays "Thin Black Jeans" the vocals seem to be influenced slightly by Paul Weller.

Goodwinn's Theory on Music Videos

1. Music Videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (E.g. Performance in a Metal Video)

"Sorry, You're Not A Winner" by Enter Shikari shows the band performing in front of a small audience in their living room.



2. There is a link between lyrics and visuals. (E.g. Illustrative)

"Hero of War" by Rise Against contains many clips relating to the war in the Middle East. This complements the lyrics which are about a soldier who ends up doing things he never believed he would while in a war situation.



3. There is a link between music and visuals. (E.g. Illustrative, tone, editing)

"Bodies" by Drowning Pool often cuts according to the music and vocals.



4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work. (A visual style)

"Unleashed" by Epica frequently cuts away from the story of the video to show close-ups of the band. The entire band also feature in the story itself.



5. There is a frequent reference to the notion of looking (Screens within screens) and a particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

"Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls is based around looking through telescopes at people going about their lives. Scenes from The City of Angels are used for this.



6. There is often an intertextual reference.

"1985" by Bowling for Soup contains many references to things from 1980's, specifically 1985, culture, both visually and in the lyrics.

Analysis of "Just Like You" by Three Days Grace

“Just Like You” is a 2004 song by Three Days Grace, a Canadian Post-Grunge band. The video is based around the idea of everybody conforming to an image that higher powers choose. This is accomplished by portraying everyone wearing identical jumpsuits and masks. While the band doesn’t conform to this image, the crowd’s view of the band is distorted by a glass wall that portrays them in the same way as they are dressed. The higher powers watch over the crowd to make sure they all obey while faceless armed guards are stationed all around the room. This is likely an intertextual reference to the 1927 film, Metropolis.

After a power surge causes the lights to flicker and the true image of the band breaks through the glass wall, members of the crowd begin to slowly react to the music. At first it is a very slight reaction, however it begins to increase. The higher powers begin to notice this and motion to a guard. When the guard move towards the member of the crowd who is most active, he abruptly stops in fear.

As they continue to play, the band is able to shatter the glass wall, immobilising the guards and causing the crowd to shield themselves from the glass. As the crowd begins to remove their masks the lights are shown once again, this time flickering constantly. This connotes that the higher-ups have lost their power over the crowd. The crowd begin moshing as the guards are lost in the crowd. The video ends with the crowd as it was at the beginning, possibly connoting that you can’t escape the higher powers.

The video is generally about breaking free of conformity and enjoying yourself. However, it also refers to the use of force to maintain control, when a superior motions to a guard to stop a non-conforming crowd member. As the final shot of the video is identical to the opening shot it implies that even if you rebel against an authority it is a futile attempt to escape their control. The identical jumpsuits and masks worn by both the superiors and the crowd may refer to the fact that members the same society/culture/sub-culture often wear similar clothing. The fact that the superiors are also wearing these clothes connotes that they also control the fashion styles, rather than it being free choice. Use of the glass wall may also be a reference to the influence of authority in deciding whether the masses are allowed to see the truth or what they want them to see. This is also present in the use of armed guards to prevent anyone breaking the pattern of conformity.

All of the references within the video are the band’s view on how the everyone is controlled by higher powers, by using the music industry as an example.

Video Task

Rifoki - Zombie Attack from Dim Mak on Vimeo.

This video styles itself as a 1950's Horror film based on a zombie invasion. This is interesting because it takes advantage of editing to achieve such a state.



This is my favourite of the three videos as it uses many different devices that all add to the video. Not only does it use a large number of different clips of animals fighting in the wild, it also contrasts this with the portrayal of the band. The entire band are playing inside a cage, something normally associated with captive animals, while a free tiger roams around outside. Also, the lead singer is wearing what appears to be a coat made of feathers. This implies that humans are at the top of the animal kingdom.



This video is unusual as it doesn't follow the convention of it's genre, i.e. the band performing. Instead it uses an odd sequence that more closely resembles a dance video.

A2 Intro