Narrative Theories in relation to my music video My music video follows a conceptual structure. This is shown by the use of the abstract imagery which reflects the lyrics. Here are some examples of how I have used imagery in order to convey my lyrics effectively…

Tim O’Sullivan et al. (1998) argue that all media texts tell us some kind of story. As you can see from the image below, my video shows the idea of postmodernism and hyperreality, this is also self-reflexive in that the first thing we see is a screen. Therefore, reflecting society as whole from the use of this method. This is rejecting as well as conforming to his theory, in that my music video shows a story of a girl who is insane; however there is no climax or resolution to this, which is just how she is. Therefore, suggesting that my media text rejects this idea. Although it does tell us a story about ourselves, this media text is showing us that the strange lifestyles of others are a good thing and that being individual is a good thing to have. This music video is highlighting the postmodern nature of our society, suggesting that there is not only one truth but many. So therefore being slightly different is a good thing as opposed to being a shunned thing in society. It could also be said that due to their clothing being vintage and rather old world looking that this would reject this theory, because it is reflecting society from years ago rather than the now.

My media text conforms in that the audience can understand what the music video is about, this is identified by the set of constructions I have used such as lip-syncing which enables the audience to know it is a music video as opposed to a short film for example. It can be shown to be conventional as I have already outlined, therefore allowing the audience to connect the dots and identify my music video to be that. My music video is almost a figment of imagination, it is very clear that there is no effort of verisimilitude, in the way that my media text is not going to be seen by the audience as ‘real’, in fact, quite the opposite. Because my music video doesn’t have a narrative structure, it doesn't tell a story, this is not essential to me and my conceptual genre. Bordwell and Thompson (1997) offer two distinctions between story and plot which relate to the diegetic world of the narrative that the audience are positioned to accept and that which the audience actually see. My music video rejects and also conforms to this in different ways (see below) They based this on Russian film theory:

Fabula (story) is all the events in the narrative that we see and infer. The fabula is defined as the chronological series of events that are represented or implied. This could very much be the idea of drug use or the idea of mental illness, although the audience don’t see the drugs being taken it can be suggests to have taken place due to the way that they are acting etc. Also my post production effects are implying this in a way which comes across as trippy in order to suggest this to the audience.

Syuzhet (plot) everything visible and audibly present before us. Syuzhet is considered to be the order, manner and techniques of their presentation in the narrative. There is no plot to my music video, there is only one central theme and ideas coming off from that. The music video doesn’t follow a pattern and isnt linear in its approach, it is very much all over the place. My music video rejects Pam Cooks theory of the classic narrative structure. This may be because she was a theorist in Hollywood and my music video was not produced, edited or consumed in Hollywood. Therefore the ideals and conventions are much more different.

Claude Lèvi-Strauss’ (1958) ideas about narrative amount to the fact that he believed all stories operated to certain clear Binary Opposites e.g. good vs. evil, black vs. white, rich vs. poor etc. The importance of these ideas is that essentially a complicated world is reduced to a simple either/or structure. Things are either right or wrong, good or bad. There is no in between. This diagram is showing the experimental nature of the art clip. Which is very much how I operated whilst filming and planning. I also used the method of filming a performance, for example recording Liam lip - syncing to the whole song.

My music video suggests the opposite, there is no black and white however a spectrum of grey. This can be seen in my music video whereby there is no ‘good’ and there is no ‘bad’ therefore suggesting that my music video strongly opposes this theory. By definition of this, this makes my music video very postmodern, as it rejects the meta-narrative and is not objective as Claude Lèvi-Strauss would suggest but it is subjective and open to interpretation. My music video could be defined as a concept symbolic style. This is where a music video uses a lot of symbols to build up meaning. For example a graveyard connotes death. In my music video I have used a lot of symbols such as the teacup and effects in order to convey the theme of Alice and Wonderland. I have also used symbol of my actors meaning in order to create a mental illness theme. This theory also suggests that lighting is important in conveying the mood of a music video, my light (hard light) is used to suggest that my music video is a dark meaning and that harsh light suggests that it is a bold meaning as opposed to it being shaded in a fading way. This is because it connotes the idea that the light is bold or nothing. This theory also states that the editing pace is fast, with only a few seconds per shot to build up meanings. This is true to my music video as the longest shot is 2 seconds. This adds to the mania feel I wanted and creates an idea that the video is very volatile - similar to those who consume drugs or who have a mental illness. The theory claims that the imagery can support or contradict the lyrics. This is true in both cases for my video, for example ‘blue caterpillar’ shows imagery of a girl with a blue filter in order to represent the blue denotations. Throughout my video there is constant reminders of the lyrics through the use of imagery. There is no evident contradictions, each shot represents crazy and goes along with the theme, although some fit better into the lyrics than others. This states that a ‘concept video will keep the audience entertained and constantly looking at what or who is on the screen’ This is backed up by my audience feedback, where most people have suggests that they couldn’t stop looking throughout in order to see the next shot. ‘the unusual content is an attraction to many consumers, which draws them in’ this could also be said to be specific to the indie pop genre, my audience expect strange and wonderful videos therefore in order for me

to produce this I checked to ensure that my audience were happy throughout as my blog already suggests. Sven Carlsson (1999) suggests that music videos in general, videos fall into two rough groups: performance clips and conceptual clips. When a music video mostly shows an artist (or artists) singing or dancing, it is a performance clip. When the clip shows something else during its duration, often with artistic ambitions, it is a conceptual clip. My music video would be in line and conform to Sven Carlsson in the conceptual way and performance way. This is because my music video features a lot of the artists singing, although this is done in a strange way, it is still conforming to the performance idea. However my music video also displays a lot of artistic tendencies, such as the food eating and the teddy bear, which are selected in order to convey a deeper meaning. This therefore is showing rather than telling. Which is very much a conceptual feature rather than performance. Art Clip If a music video clip contains no perceptible visual narrative and contains no lip synchronized singing then it is a pure art clip. The main difference between a music video art clip and a contemporary artistic video is the music. While the music video uses popular music the artistic video uses more modern, experimental music, such as electro-acoustic music. This brings me to the conclusion that although my music video agrees with this to a certain extent, it can be said that my music video does contain a performance element. This therefore would make my music video a hybrid genre. Combining Art and Performance elements. Performance Clip A music video clip which contains mostly filmed performance then it is a performance clip. A performance clip is a video that shows the vocalist(s) in one or more settings. My music video strongly agrees with this because I use three different locations – such as the bath, outside against a brick wall and in a playground. Common places to perform are the recording studio and the rehearsal room. But the performance can take place anywhere, from the bath tub to outer space. Walking down the street is another performance cliché, which is common in rap videos. This type of performer is the electronic shaman.

Sometimes the shaman is invisible and it is only her or his voice and rhythm that anchor the visuals. He or she often shifts between multiple shapes. At one moment the electronic shaman animates dead objects or have a two-dimensional alter egos (as in cartoon comics), seconds later he or she is shifting through time and so on. This is a good example of my music video, although the singer remains the same throughout , it is not clear to the audience who is the singer, which is the way I intended it. I used the cast in order to each sing the lyrics in order to suggest this theory of the shaman, creating an idea that the voice is changing throughout each person it comes out of. It can be said that my singers alter egos are represented throughout the video, for example the Mad Hatter suggests the fun and playful side, Alice represents her reserved side, the Queen of hearts represents her angry and need for authority, the white rabbit represents her need for anonymity and the other character (doll face) represents her narcissistic way as she is constantly posing and acting in a way which suggests she loves herself. This conforms to Carlsson (1999)’s theory developed a mythical method of analysis of music video - centred on a "modern mythic embodiment" Viewed from this perspective the music video artist is seen as embodying one, or a combination of "modern mythic characters or forces" of which there are three general. The music video artist is representing different aspects of the free floating disparate universe of music video. Michael Shore(1984) argues that music videos are: recycled styles … surface without substance …simulated experience … information overload … image and style scavengers … ambivalence … decadence … immediate gratification …vanity and the moment … image assaults and outré folks … the death of content …anesthetization of violence thorough chic …adolescent male fantasies … speed, power, girls and wealth … album art come to turgid life … classical storytelling’s motifs Michael Shore argues that music videos are recycled styles, my music video is definitely this idea, in that it is heavily focused on Alice and wonderland, the idea that it is a repetition of the film could be said. It can also be said that it immediate gratification is presented in that the choice of colours and aesthetics back this point up, therefore making the audience gratified. However it can be said that although my music video does conform to certain elements of this theory it can be said that there is an underlying meaning, which rejects this theory completely. My music video has a deeper meaning of drugs and mental illness therefore suggesting that it is not simply just aesthetics.

Because my artist is a commercial exhibitionist and the pressures of the institutions in order to show the singer, my music video does display elements of performance. (such as lip-syncing). Because of the idea that my artist is open due to the drive of money is can be said that her appearance in my music video is crucial to the label and this idea. Therefore I used this theory in my production of my music video in order to conform to the conventions of these theories. It can be said however that the use of the shaman and the idea that my genre is indie (which usually sees less narcissistic behaviour as it is much more about the music, there must be a face to the voice. Sia is a good example, because although she likes to remain anonymous, she still has a motif which generates income, therefore making her a commercial exhibitionist.