Media Ownership: Twitter Before & After Musk

This can be used as reference for the exam.

 

Song Research

 This is the song research done by Jasmine. She did the research by herself but I helped by brainstorming ideas with her.

General song background and message:

Based on several websites discussing the meaning of this song, here is the overall intended message:

This song was originally intended to be a love song. This song leans towards the common theme of being willing to die for a lover or loving them until death, according to Finneas, the artist's producer and brother. Although, compared to the usual passionate love conveyed in songs, this song was meant to be more about a toxic relationship where one partner would love-bomb another (meaning to shower a partner with love, gifts, and affection and then just stop and leave them hanging after a while, this is a common manipulation tactic in relationships). 

In the second verse, it can also be noted that this song also discusses themes such as insecurity. This verse describes how it is to really love someone, making them look amazing through your eyes and wanting them to know or see themselves through your eyes too. To further add to this, this verse also mentions that a partner not being able to see how amazing they are almost seems like a bit or a joke.

However, after listening to the song, many listeners strayed from this message and instead interpreted and derived many different connotations from this song's lyrics. Learning this, Billie Eilish herself has encouraged this and is accepting towards different interpretations of the song's message. 

In the end of all of this, this song is mainly about persisting through the challenges faced during relationships and the pain that comes with persisting in a toxic relationship. This song doesn’t only convey negative emotions, however it paints a more complex picture of feelings and shows that toxic relationships are not always filled with unhealthy feelings, but also sweet moments. This can often make it hard for people to pull away from their toxic partners.

Why we chose this song:

We chose this song mainly because we wanted to make a music video surrounding friendship. Although that isn't the intended underlying meaning to the song, we realized that by using this song, we could be able to interpret and send our message through the song. Although it is a love song, due to the nature of the lyrics, we are able to relate it to deep relationships between friends. This is also a popular interpretation of the song on social media platforms such as Tik-Tok who have popularized this song by making friendship based content with it. 

We discussed which song to pick before the project through a communication app called WhatsApp. Here is what my teammate, Rachelle, came up with for the concept of the music video using this song:

How we will differentiate our music video:

The original music video was mainly symbolic and described the song lyrics with visuals in which audiences could see to find deeper connotations in. In our music video, we are looking to subvert this and instead be a bit more illustrative with our visualizations of the song’s lyrics. We will do this because we want the audience to be able to derive a solid dominant reading from watching the music video. We would also like our music video to be more saturated and warm compared to the original music video which has a cool color grading. We want to be able to visualize the fleeting moments of childhood friendship by using multiple locations, showing that days are passing by. This subverts the original music video, which only uses a single location for the setting of the entire music video. 

Reflection

Although I didn't do the song research, I did contribute to chiming in with ideas to put into our music videos. I think that Jasmine did a really good job in explaining what we want to do with our music video and how we will do it, as well as breaking down the song's theme and message. I'm glad she was the one to do the song research. In addition, I think that our idea on using several different locations instead of just one like the original music video is very unique and will definitely differentiate us from others. I'm excited to bring our concept to life visually. 

Research: Genre

  This is the genre research for the project. I decided to do 2 detailed research on my genre, and 6 smaller researches to explore the conventions, representations, and further in order to use it as reference when deciding whether to subvert or conform to it in our music video. 

GENERAL CONVENTIONS OF POP MUSIC VIDEOS

• Focuses on the artist
• Fashionable looks
• Choreographed dance routines
• Bright visual effects
• High-quality production/camera work
• Relatable and trendy themes
• Audience interaction and breaking the fourth wall

DETAILED RESEARCH

Song: 

• Birds of a Feather – Billie Eilish

Genre/sub genre:

• Alternative Pop

What conventions does it conform to:

• The music video ‘Birds of a Feather’ by Billie Eilish conformed to several conventions of pop songs. One of them is that it follows a standard pop music structure with repetitive melodies. This structure included a verse, pre-chorus, and a catchy chorus. Additionally, this was done in a more minimalistic way, which is the typical convention for alternative pop music. Furthermore, the song discusses the topics of relationships, love, and connection, which is common in pop music. 

What conventions does it subvert to:

• The music video subverted various pop music conventions. This includes the usage of a dark and muted colour palette instead of the typical vibrant ones. In addition, the mise-en-scene used were also unconventional as they emphasized on eerie settings rather than the usual glamorous ones commonly seen in pop music videos. This, along with various other factors such as camera angle and movement (e.g. dolly zoom and dutch angle) can cause the audience to feel a sense of discomfort. Moreover, the music video also focuses on subtle body language, building an emotional connection with the reader. This suverts to the convention of pop music where it’s typically fast-paced and involves a lot of dancing. One of the explanations for this is the fact that this is Billie Eilish’s brand image, where all of her music videos tend to give off an eerie and dark vibe. Furthermore, Billie Eilish also represents relationships in a more vulnerable and shows a higher emotional depth that contrasts from the superficial relationships commonly illustrated in pop music. 

Representations? people/place/event & technical elements used to give meaning to the representations:

People:

• The song represents emotionally dependent individuals, underlining the struggles faced when becoming emotionally attached to someone and how it could become difficult to leave the relationship due to the emotional attachment. This representation was done by using visual imageries (mise-en-scene) in the music video, such as the minimalistic and dark aesthetic which is done using the lighting, props and many more. This allows the audience to be more connected to the message of the lyrics as often times, usual pop music videos include vibrant colour palettes and excessive cheerfulness, distracting audiences from the message of the lyrics. Additionally, the mise-en-scene where Billie Eilish is being dragged around on the chair although nobody is there, conveys the feeling being pulled in all directions by someone that isnt even there, symbolizing the lingering effects of any sort of lost love.

Place:

• The setting of the whole music video is simple, therefore allowing the audience to focus on a minimalistic environment to mirror the internal emotional state. Flashy, vibrant, and crowded settings convey success or happiness rather than grand, flashy locations often used to symbolize success or happiness in typical pop music videos. This was also done by using long shots of the subject (Billie Eilish) to emphasize the loneliness felt by people with huge emotional attachments to relationships, specifically when it’s unreciprocated. 

Event:

• The music video illustrates the emotional journey of someone trapped in a co-dependent relationship. A muted colour palette was used to convey the emotional complexity of the situation. It emphasises the sense of despair that these individuals feel during these types of relationships as they feel completely trapped and unable to escape.

 

Song: 

• Doin’ Time – Lana del Rey

Genre/sub genre:

• Indie Pop

What conventions does it conform to

• “Doin’ Time” conforms to several pop music conventions, those that include having generic and repetitive melodies and structure. In addition, the song discusses the theme of love, emotional hardship, etc. conforming to the convention where pop music commonly focuses on relationships and emotional experiences between people. This song is also less upbeat, which conforms to the sub-genre, which is alternative pop.

What conventions does it subvert to

• The music video subverts to the convention where pop music videos typically have high-quality visuals. They use a vintage, retro-like editing technique that gives it an unusual look, especially in the modern days. Typical pop music videos have quick cuts and pacing. However, Doin’ Time features a more slow-paced storytelling, therefore dragging out the scene, allowing the audience to soak the message of the lyrics. It isn’t common that pop music videos also have a more upbeat mood that is oftentimes shown by the cheerful or exaggerated choreographies. “Doin’ Time” subverts this convention by bringing the focus more onto the message and mood, adding an ethereal vibe to the music video. 

Representations? people/place/event & technical elements used to give meaning to the representations

People:

• The music video features Lana del rey as a giant walking through a city. This is a metaphor that represents the feeling that she’s out of place in the world. It adds a sense of empowerment, even while dealing with emotional confinement. Long shots showing Lana towering over the city were used to convey her dominance. Despite this, her size could also symbolize a sense of alienation, feeling detached and different from everyone else.

Place:

• The music video was done in Los Angeles. The city was represented under a good light, conveyed as the ‘city of dreams’. This was shown using the soft lighting that evokes a warm and nostalgic feeling, which contrasts from the song’s true message. In addition, the editing of the entire music video was slow, which gives the audience time to look at the visuals and beauty of the city. 

Event:

• Although the music video doesn’t specifically feature an event, it does illustrate the journey or more specifically, break through of individuals breaking free from the burden of a relationship. This was represented using several technical elements in which one of them includes the mise-en-scene where Lana del rey moves slowly, indicating a sense of moving forward despite feeling weighed down by burdens.

SMALLER RESEARCH

Song:

• Magnetic – ILLIT

Genre/Sub-genre: 

• K-Pop (Korean Pop)

Target audience and how they are appealed:

• ILLIT’s target audience consists of children, teenagers and young adults aged 12-23 who enjoy upbeat and catchy songs, as well as k-pop fans. The usage of attractive, young idols appeals directly to fans who admire them (star appeal). Vibrant colours and trendy outfits were also shown in the music video, this can serve as a strong visual appeal to this age range as they are mostly fashion-conscious. 

What would you like to use on your music video from this:

• I like the vibrant and eye-catching colours, as well as outfits featured in the music video, it really grabs my attention and I think that it will do the same for the rest of their audience. They also used quick cuts on scenes where the song is more energetic, I think that this is a really good use of technical elements. 

What would you like to avoid in your music video from this:

• The music video used very complex settings, which I think may take away from the connection and message of the song. I would say I’d rather use a simpler set for my music video project later on. In addition, some other features such as the CGI in the video would require very professional skills, which I don’t think me and my team could fulfill. 

Song:

• Die With A Smile – Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

Genre/Sub-genre:

• Pop and R&B

Target audience and how they are appealed:

• Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’s target audience consists of a wider age range of young adults to adults (18-35). The song uses catchy and memorable phrases that will stick to the audience, appealing to those who listen to mainstream pop music. In addition,  Bruno Mars’ smooth vocals appeal to individuals who are drawn to heartfelt, emotional music (which again, commonly come from this age range).

What would you like to use on your music video from this:

• I really liked how laid back and natural the video played out, as if Bruno and Gaga were really enjoying filming and singing in the music video. The colours in this music video was also very bright, I found myself being drawn due to it.

What would you like to avoid in your music video from this:

• I would say that the video may be too cliche and the scenarios feel too predictable. I also felt bored of watching t after the first time since there was no change in settings.

Song:

• Espresso – Sabrina Carpenter

Genre/Sub-genre:

• Pop

Target audience and how they are appealed:

• Teenagers and young female adults aged 15-27 and enjoy energetic pop music. In the music video, Sabrina had a charismatic and confident body language and representation, in which it appeals to audiences who admire strong female characters in pop music.

What would you like to use on your music video from this:

• Again, I love the bright colours used in the music video. I also like the addition of a powerful, confident, and feminine female character. 

What would you like to avoid in your music video from this:

• There was a lot of CGI in the music video, and I think that that is out of our budget and skill-set, so we will not be including as much CGI as that on our project.

Song:

• Mantra – JENNIE

Genre/Sub-genre:

• Dance pop

Target audience and how they are appealed:

• Teenagers and young female adults aged 15-27 and enjoy energetic pop music with a hint of hip-hop. In the music video, JENNIE was portrayed as a confident, independent, and wealthy girl. This audience group would love to see the representation of those types of characters as it makes them feel empowered, therefore appealing to them.

What would you like to use on your music video from this:

• I love the trendy fashion pieces she wears, it really appeals to me and I pay attention to it, so I believe that if we use trendy fashions into our music video later on, it will engage the audience more. 

What would you like to avoid in your music video from this:

• There were lots of designer products, as well as sports cars and other props that we cannot afford. Moreover, they were able to shoot JENNIE in a city where there was nobody there, this would be difficult to achieve as I assume they probably rented out the whole street for them to shoot, and we don’t have the budget for that.

Song:

• From The Start – Laufey

Genre/Sub-genre:

• Jazz pop

Target audience and how they are appealed:

• Female teenagers and young adults aged 17-25 who enjoy jazz music.These people also like

retro and vintage cultures as well as appreciate artistic expressions. This audience is appealed

by Laufey's "unusual" dancing during the music video, which some may find "weird" but not

those who understand the meaning and appreciate this 'unusualness'. Moreover, the color scheme

        and props in the video has old-school and a 90s vibe to it, which helps to appeal to retro and

             vintage culture enjoyers.

What would you like to use on your music video from this:

• In the music video, they used close up shots to focus on Laufey's emotions and hands. I would like to use this as this method effectively brought my attention to the intended subject, which is what I want to do with our audience.

• Soft and dreamy lighting

What would you like to avoid in your music video from this:

• I do think that the colors used in the music is too bright, especially when it's paired with the relaxing music. Moreover, the performance in the music video are literal interpretations of the lyrics. This takes away the open-to-interpretation feel from the audience, therefore decreasing their engagement.

Song:

• Make You Mine – Madison Beer

Genre/Sub-genre:

• EDM Pop

Target audience and how they are appealed:

• Madison Beer's target audience are teenagers to young adults aged 17-27 who enjoy energetic music. This is because Madison is portrayed as a fashionable and confident woman, which may appeal to this age range as they're the individuals who are self-conscious and may see Madison as an inspiration.

What would you like to use on your music video from this:

• I love the high quality visuals in this music video. Madison's outfit throughout the music video was also very trendy, which I love. I would like to use this idea in the music video project.

What would you like to avoid in your music video from this:

• In the music video, there are lots of large rented space and complex props which may not be cost-effective so it's better if we don't do this in order to save costs.

Reflection

I honestly find research tasks to be very boring but this one was more fun compared to others as I get to listen to music while also observing the videos. Some difficulties that i faced while doing this genre research was that I procrastinated doing this research so much that I ended up doing it the night before the deadline. I also had to cram it with my studies for a math test the next day. This was very stressful and I wouldn't want to do this anymore next time. I should make a to-do list and schedule my tasks for media so that I can keep track of everything. Despite it being rather boring, researching pop music video conventions can help me gain a deeper understanding on it so that I can effectively appeal my target audiences. I

Research: Industry

 This is the industry research for the project

Song & Company:

• Bad Habits – FREENJOY

Description: 

• FREENJOY is a privately held, international direction and production company founded by Nathan Scherrer in 2014, a Grammy award winning producer.

Genre: 

• Synth pop

Other content they produce:

• N95 – Kendrick Lamar (2022)

• Party Monster – The Weeknd (2016)

• Sweetest Pie – Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa (2022)

• Positions – Ariana Grande (2020)

• I Know – Travis Scott (2023)

Company size and age:

• FREENJOY was founded in 2014 and now has 2-10 employees.

Most successful product:

• Flowers – Miley Cyrus (2023), this song reached approximately 883 million views as of October 2024.

Song & Company:

• Cosmic – SM Entertainment

Description: 

• SM Entertainment is one of the largest media production entertainment companies in South Korea.

Genre: 

• Korean pop

Other content they produce:

• Psycho – Red Velvet (2021)

• Walk – NCT 127 (2024)

• Supernova – aespa (2024)

• Smoke – Jaehyun (2024)

Company size and age:

• SM Entertainment was founded in 1995 by Lee Soo-Man and is now one of the largest media entertainment groups in South Korea, with thousands of staff (including artists, production team, etc.)

Most successful product:

• Don’t Mess Up My Tempo – EXO (2018), this song broke records and the group has held numerous sold-out global tours.

Reflection

While researching FREENJOY and SM Entertainment, I gained knowledge about the different scales and focuses of companies within the media industry, specifically music. I learned that different media companies use different methods to appeal to each of their target audiences. For example, SM Entertainment is a massive korean music video production company, which are famous for holding worldwide concerts for their artists as well as engage with even international fans. Some difficulties I did face in this task was trying to find the songs other than the very popular one as I had to visit a few reliable websites before getting to one where I could find other less famous songs. This task is rather short compared to my other research posts as I wanted to keep it very simple and easy to understand. Additionally, my main focus isn't really in the industry but rather to the genre. Overall, I liked making this research as I got to gather new information about the production companies, as well as gain knowledge on how certain media companies target their audiences.