Theoretical approaches in my music video.

One theoretical approach to my music video relates to the idea of post modernism which is the idea that in media there is nothing new, there is only ideas recycled and called new by being presented in another way. The theoretical  approach of intertextuality also informs some of my ideas for the music video, this is evident in the idea of referencing other medias. In my media production there are many intertextual references, one reference is to the film "Tsosti", directed by Gavin Hood. In the opening scene we fade into the title of the film using stencil type so that you can see through the letters. I was going to incorporate this into my music video during the chorus to the song to show some reference to the lyrics as the video plays behind the lettering.

Another form of intertextuality that I used was referencing the music video for BoB and Bruno Mars "Nothing On You". During the video as BoB walks down a street the film is shown frame by frame like a photograph, in my music production this technique will be a main focus of the video. I  used the idea of the walking down a street while jumping through the editing technique of cutting to jump to other parts of the narrative. Linking into this is through the music video for the band Cage the Elephant and their song "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked". They use a different techniques to film a character walking down a street, this is through the use of green screen to place images within the frame.




Intertextuality is also demonstrated through the use of stop motion. Referencing the music video by Plan B, "No Good", where it is filmed completely in stop motion and items move around the room and over the singer. I am going to employ this technique during the scenes where the camera cuts away from the main narrative to a variety of other cut away scenes.




I aim to subvert the genre of Hip Hop/Rap which usually objectifies women in the lyrics and through visuals. In my video I am using the idea of female empowerment by having the female character shown in a more dominant way through the mise en scene, performance and cinematography (close ups, low angles). Although the song is recognisable as being from the Hip Hop/ Rap genre, the lyrics do not conform to stereotypical lyrics, they are subverted mainly through the use of adolescent humour.

The lyrics of the song focus on the themes of addiction and obsession. This can either be seen through the physical representation of being addicted to cigarettes, this idea is extended through the narrative which parallels the idea of being emotionally and physically addicted to one woman.