Music Television (Discussion)
From Screenpedia
Types of expression
Allan contends that one can group music videos according to types of expression -- separate from genres based on content. That is, genres such a rock, pop, rap, country and R&B are the most common way of grouping music videos, but cutting across those genres are certain expressive forms. Allan lists four of them:
- Performance - Group 1
- Narrative - Group 2
- Nonnarrative - Group 3
- Graphic - Group 4
Each group should be prepared to explain one type of expression to the class, and describe one video that exemplifies it.
Then, each group should choose one well-known song and pretend they're video producers. Imagine how a video for that song could be created that uses the narrative, nonnarrative and graphic types of expression.
All groups
- How does the Replacements' Left of the Dial break the conventions of the music video? Be as specific as possible and draw examples from the video.
- List the five principal antecedents of (or influences on) music television and explain the specific aspects they contributed to music TV.
- Dance & party TV programs: American Bandstand, Soul Train
- Hollywood movie musical: narrative presentation with music
- TV variety shows: presenting musical acts
- Soundies, Scopitones, telescriptions (short films of performances): music films before music TV existed
- The Monkees: music videos inserted into narrative
- Aside from genres and types of expression, what generally characterizes the music presented in music videos? Allan calls it "The Sound of Video."
Sample analysis
- Tom Waits - "I Don't Want To Grow Up"
- Tom Waits - "God's Away On Business"
- Tom Waits - "Hold On"
- Los Lobos - "Shakin', Shakin' Shakes"
- Los Lobos - "Kiko and the Lavender Moon" (directed by Ondrej Rudavsky, 1992), QuickTime version
- Billy Bragg - "Waiting For The Great Leap Forward"
- How does this video use these types of expression? Is one type dominant?
- Does it fit the generalizations about the sound of video that Allan specifies?
Bibliography
- Butler, Jeremy G. Television: Critical Methods and Applications. Mahweh, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2007.