Negus - Synthetic artists sell their image through 2 ways:
Either as the boy/girl next door type that parents will happily allow their children to be watched by.
Or, through sexuality, style and rebellion.
This is formed with a direct purpose to sell hits. Ariana Grande sells her image mainly through the second way and mainly presents herself sexually but with style through her clothing and rebellion by the type of clothing she wears and her actions in her videos.
Negus- Organic artists sell themselves through their music. However star image is also used to sell them as authentic and this can also be demonstrated through the notion that they are rebellious, anti authoritarian and produces of 'real' music that is not fabricated by the industry. James Bay represents this as he sells himself through his music by playing the guitar and singing in his videos.
Britney Spears - Baby One More Time There are the 4 elements of a music video:
Close-up shots (mainly in the chorus).
Lip sync
Performing
Narrative
These are seen throughout many music videos. One example is Britney Spears's 'Baby One More Time' that features these elements frequently.
This shows the close-up shots used in the video of the artist to sell her star image. These are mainly featured in the chorus which is the main part of the song that audiences usually remember and therefore they will associated the chorus with the artist. Furthermore, the audience will remember the artist.
This highlights the element of lip sync in this video. The singing has been previously recorded and the then matched to the lip movements of the artist later in the editing process. This gives the appearance of a live performance and, in the case of this video, also enables the artist to perform a live dance number.
There is almost always an element of performance in music videos. In this case it is a live dance routine performed by the solo artist along with extras and back-up dancers. This is to add something extra to the music video which attracts people to spend time to watch and acknowledge it and the artist.
Lastly, there is usually a narrative in a music video. In this case, Britney Spears's music video is about her imagining life outside the classroom and the sense of freedom that comes with it. It follows the sequence of her sitting in the classroom daydreaming to then being let out outside the classroom and then finally her back in the classroom in the same position as the start of the video where it is then revealed that the whole situation is a dream.
Andrew Goodwin has identified features of music videos which all music videos display.This video demonstrates genre characteristics through Beyoncé having a dance routine on her own and then with Lady Gaga later on.Their costume also matches the genre as they are wearing quite revealing and bright clothing and they are trying to present a sex appeal and it is objectifying women. Andrew Goodwin also says that there is a link between the lyrics and the visuals which is clear in this video. When she says "you want me" she touches her chest as if she's beckoning the audience to her. Another convention that this video displays very frequently is the use of close up shots. This is because the record label wants to sell Beyoncé's star image and also her sexual image. There is also reference to the notion of looking and voyeurism as we are forced to watch the star because the are many shots of her and different effects so she is on screen more than once at a time and the use of the camera lens and the slight reflection you can see of Beyoncé within the lens. Lastly, there is the convention of intertexual references at the start to another media product which is a film called 'Reservoir Dogs'.
Taylor Swift - Bad Blood
The music video demonstrates genre characteristics in the form of the genre of the video being action and the characters are wearing all black clothing. There is also mostly women in the video and therefore their costume is also quite revealing as this is associate with women in music videos and the fact they are trying to give a sex appeal.
There is also a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals mainly in the chorus when the lyrics say "Now we've got bad blood" and the visuals show fight and explosion scenes
There are many close-up shots, demanded by record labels, in the chorus in order to sell the artist and her brand through her music video as together she is being promoted through her music and the fact she's on screen singing it.
The frequent reference to the notion of looking are to attract the audience to look at the artist for example when a mirror is held up and Taylor Swift is seen the the reflection and there is also voyeuristic treatment to the female body as the tracks across Taylor Swift's body when she is lying down.
Lastly, there are many intertexual references in this video to various action films for example Tron, Expendables and Sin City.
