Music video: One Direction - History

Our first music video CSP is One Direction - History.

One Direction are an English-Irish pop band forming during Series 7 of hit show X Factor and going on to come third. They were propelled to success through social media and become one of the most successful groups ever, breaking many records. Their third album was the best selling album in the world in 2013.

After finishing the show, they signed a record deal with Syco Records (Simon Cowell’s record label) which is part of Sony, one of the ‘Big 3’.

History is their final single and is taken from album Made in the A.M. By the release of this album, Zayn had left to pursue solo projects. The single is their last before taking a career break. They reflect the lyrics (looking back on their huge success) through featuring footage of X Factor, behind the scenes at tours, anecdotes and videos of all the members.

This 2015 video self referentially covers the bands own history since their creation during 2010s X Factor. Their debt to Simon Cowell is acknowledged in this video.



Video analysis and audience appeal

Narrative

• The song is about the history of the band and about moving on towards the future. 
• The band said it marked a ‘period of closure’ for them after the departure of Zayn Malik, who has left the band to pursue a solo career. 
• It features a performance element with each of the band performing live and dancing in unison, cut with black and white footage of all 5 original members on tour and ‘behind the scenes.’ This is nostalgic and will appeal to loyal fans as it will remind them of the band’s success and younger appearances, right back to the start of their career on X Factor (featured in the opening of the video) in 2010. 
• Lyrics such as ‘now my heart’s breaking’ and ‘you and me got a whole lot of history’ and ‘all of the rumours, all of the fights’ can be applied to a relationship between a girl and a boy, but also to the other members of the band. 

Audience pleasures

• Diversion through a feeling of nostalgia
• Personal relationships: Fans were used to contribute to the single’s chorus. (Collaboration / example of Prosumerism)
• Personal identity with the band members (following through Twitter etc.) who were marketed as ‘the funny one’ and the ‘handsome one’ and also relating to other like-minded fans. 
• Surveillance – insight into behind the scenes.
• Intertextuality of previous tours and footage 

One Direction - History: Blog tasks

Industry

1) How were One Direction formed and how is this reflected in the music video for History?

2) What is vertical integration? You may need to check your book for this (or remind yourself from this previous blogpost.)

3) What is horizontal integration? (See link above for help again!)

4) How has technological convergence changed the way audiences consume music videos?

5) As a manufactured band, what influence do Simon Cowell and the record company Syco (part of Sony) have over the content and release strategy of One Direction music videos? You may want to read this text from an article in The Inquisitr about the relationship between 1D and Simon Cowell.


Audience

1) What is the main One Direction audience - demographics and psychographics?

2) What audience pleasures are offered by the music video for History?

3) Pick out three particular shots, scenes or moments in the video that would particularly appeal to One Direction fans. Why did you choose those moments? 

4) What is nostalgia and why is it a key audience pleasure for the History music video?

5) How are fans positioned to respond to the video? What do the producers want One Direction fans to take from the video?


Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this Independent columnist writing about why she loves One Direction. What audience pleasures can you pick out from this article?

Read this Huffington Post article about the video. What extra details are provided in the article regarding the construction of the video?

Read this short Teen Vogue feature on the video. What does it suggest regarding the ending of the video?

Finally, read this excellent Medium blog on the future of the music video in the digital age. Summarise the main points of the blog in 100 words.


Due: next Monday

Summer Term: Welcome back

We hope you had a good Easter break despite the lockdown and welcome you back to (online) school for the new term.

We'll keep posting the work on the blog as usual and ask you to check your school email every day as that's how we'll be keeping in touch with you.

I've also done a video update/lesson to get us started for the Summer term. It's not something I've done before but hopefully it's helpful to talk you through where we are in the course and what we're planning to cover over the next five weeks:


As ever, keep in touch with your teacher over email and make sure you're getting the blogwork done each week. Other than that, stay safe, stay at home and best wishes to you and and your family.

Music video: Introduction

Our next media topic is Music Video.

We will be studying the industry and audience contexts for this topic and need to cover two CSPs:

One Direction: History



Arctic Monkeys: I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor



We need to study the industry and audience contexts for these products: 

Industry: how music video is produced and marketed and how this has changed over time.
Audience: Target audience and audience pleasures. How the internet has changed the position of the audience.
PLUS: Historical, cultural and social significance of the music videos and the impact of the internet on the music industry.

Music video will appear in Paper 1, Section B of Exam
Section B is only on INDUSTRIES and AUDIENCES and will consist of:
1 short answer question
2 medium answer questions – one on audience, one on industry
1 extended essay style question on one of the media forms we have studied, possibly Music Video.  
These essay questions will require you to make judgements and draw conclusions. 

Music video: introduction and history

Music video key conventions

Music videos typically feature movement – often fast paced either in terms of actors, camerawork or editing. Many contain a performance element or narrative. Music videos can also feature visual effects and intertextuality.

Music videos were originally designed as a promotional device to sell the band or artist’s music but have developed over time to become a recognised artform or product in their own right. Modern music videos no longer have the huge budgets of the 1980s and 1990s but digital media means they are now more accessible than ever. Videos such as Psy’s Gangnam Style have received over 3 billion views on YouTube.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality is when one media text references another media text – through genre, conventions, mise-en-scene or specific cultural references.

Music videos often use intertextual references – often to classic films but also to television, popular culture, news, videogames or even other music videos.

Music video history

Originally, music videos were made like mini ‘films’ of the bands performing (e.g. The Beatles, Elvis)

MTV was launched in 1981 as a platform for music videos and the first music channel on television. Programs such as BBC show Top of The Pops also showcased music videos from the charts alongside ‘live’ stage performances. 

In the 1980s and 1990s big budgets were spent on producing innovative and creative music videos such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller that had a film narrative, a well known director and featured intertextuality (horror films)

Music video in the digital age

In 2005 the launch of Youtube changed the way that consumers access and enjoy music video. Now self-promotion is more common.

The rise of new and digital media paved the way for bands such as One Direction ‘manufactured’ by the industry and increasingly promoted through convergence on social media to maximise profits for the record companies.

Other artists were able to make it big thanks to YouTube, digital media and fans' word of mouth:









Problems with piracy

Piracy became a huge problem for the music industry as they could not keep up with illegal downloading and streaming services where fans shared content for free. Eventually, the 2000s saw the rise of streaming services with subscriptions such as Spotify, Apple Music, Beats Music and (most recently) Youtube Music. This has allowed the music industry to start making money again from audiences buying (access to) music. 

New platforms and music apps on smart phones mean that listeners are now becoming one-device consumers and using their phones for all media access. This is an example of digital convergence as audiences can access all media products on one device (usually their phone).

Introduction to Music Video: Blog tasks

Answer the questions below to complete your introduction to the Music Video topic: 

1) What are the key conventions of music video?

2) What is intertextuality?

3) When did music videos first become a major part of the music industry?

4) What launched in 1981 and why were music videos an important part of the music industry in the 1980s and 1990s?

5) How are music videos distributed and watched in the digital age?

6) Why was piracy (illegal downloading on the internet) a problem for the music industry?

7) What digital services did the music industry set up to combat the threat of piracy and illegal downloading? Give examples.

8) What is digital convergence?


Extension tasks

Read this Guardian feature asking whether YouTube is good or bad for the music industry. What is your opinion on this crucial question?

Read this Guardian feature on how videogames are now more important than music videos for breaking new artists. Do you agree videogames are now more influential than music videos?


Due: next Monday