Artists Website Link

This is the link to my artist's website: https://skrattches.wordpress.com/

Artists Website Task

For this task we were assigned the objective of creating our own webpage for an existing artist, or our own artist that we wanted to create. I chose to create an artist, going by the name of 'Skrattches', using songs by the band 'Crystal Castles'.

We firstly began by choosing a theme that I felt symbolized the ideologies of my artist, in keeping with Dyer's Star Theory, I chose the theme 'Cubic' as I felt that the darker tones and atmosphere of the website, strengthened the symbolic conventions of my artist being a darker artist.

After deciding my theme I made my first post. As creating an artist from scratch, while it did not have to be in particular detail, I had to decide what kind of a relationship my audience and artist would have. For example, I chose to have this message accompany my first post.

I chose this type of message as I felt that my artist, as they were fairly unknown, would want to keep a positive relationship with the fans, as, according to Dyer's star theory paradoxes, an artist must be both present and absent, and I felt that using kindness would encourage a good relationship with their audience.

Furthermore, I feel that within the Experimental electro music, a common stereotype is that the music, and artists are constructed, corresponding with Dyer's theory, to be aggressive. However, I felt that subverting this stereotype offered a unique selling point for the band, and the audience could empathize more easily due to this.

I wanted to incorporate certain genre conventions into the band's webpage, as well as trying to subvert some as well. I tried to apply Dyer's star theory while creating this webpage, by considering his statements that 'stars are constructed' and 'stars are an ideology'. I felt that when creating the website, I wanted to include enough evidence of the band's ideology, which is the reason for the photo of the live performance, portraying passion and fan interaction, while the animal photo demonstrates the quirky ideology, which I wanted to incorporate within my band's ideology. While I feel that the photo of album artwork demonstrates an interaction with the fans, while also presenting a constructed creative ideology. 

I decided to compare my webpage to an existing artist of a similar genre and discuss how Dyer's theory can be applied to both websites, yet in different way. Above is the webpage for the experimental electro band 'The XX'. Although a very minimalist style was chosen for this website, the tabs above provide all the necessary information and links to delve deeper into the band and their ideologies and image. I feel that, using Dyer's theory, 'The XX' have used this minimalist style so as not to reveal much about their music, to encourage the audience to explore them and their work. Compared to my webpage where I focused on portraying my band's ideology as clear as possible. I feel like this webpage also applies to Dyer's paradox, that 'a star must be both present and absent'. Due to the very plain webpage the absence is already there, however, the extravagant 'X' in the middle of the webpage, which uses impressive effects, portrays the band's individuality.

Homepage Comparison Task

Goodwin's Narrative Theory

Goodwin's Narrative theory implies that music videos are built around their song, and often do not follow the same structure as that of a film or television show (Normality- Problem- Resolution).
Goodwin also suggested that music videos adhere to one of three categories. These three categories being:

Illustration:
Where the video tells the story included within the song. An example of this could be Cage The Elephant's 'Ain't No Rest For The Wicked' music video:

Cage The Elephant's video corresponds with their lyrics, and tells the story of a man encountering different scenarios on a walk. The video provides some more detail on how his car crashed, however lyrics such as 'Out the corner of my eye, I saw a pretty little thing approaching me'. As these lyrics are sung, we are shown an image of an attractive woman hitting on the lead singer.

Amplification:
The images seen in the music video amplify the lyrics of the song, providing a clearer view of the deeper meaning of the song. An example of this is D.A.'s music video for 'Glowing'.

















D.A.'s music video also corresponds with the lyrics provided, however within this video, the images of apocalyptic situations are shown to amplify the message within the song, connoting how we are already experiencing apocalyptic situations. An example of this is the image of the malnourished child, which emphasizes the depressing message of the song.
  












Disjuncture:
When no connection can be found between the lyrics of the song and the images in the music video. An example of this is OK GO's music video for 'Needing/Getting'.

OK GO focus on the use of visual spectacles within their music videos, in order to wow the audience while they listen to the music. However their music videos do not correspond to the lyrics of the song, which are about loving someone but not acting upon it. While their video just plays the song using a car, which is impressive, however, not related to the lyrics.

Music Genres

OK GO's 'White Knuckles' video.








Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' 'Higs-Boson Blues' video.

Introduction to A2 Course

What will you be doing this year with the blog?

This year, within the A2 Course, I shall be investigating the music industry, instead of the film industry. I will explore the industry, and the conventions and techniques used by institutions to present their artist. I will also be looking at various theories throughout the course, like Richard Dyer's Star Theory. I will also be documenting the pre-production, production and post-production processes for a music video of my own, while also promoting the artist and creating their own ideologies and image.  

What have you learnt from your previous blog?

I will experiment with different levels of creativity throughout this year, while also experimenting with different formats and websites, such as Prezi and Wordpress. I have learnt that the level of detail used in my posts needs to be significantly increased and the amount of pictures and screenshots should be increased.

What have you done right/ you thought went well?

I feel that the amount of photos I kept within my blog was positive, I feel like the length of the blog posts, and the detail that I went into was enough for the course's requirements, although I will have to increase that for this upcoming course.

What could you have done better/why?

I feel like the main problem with my AS blog, was the creativity. I feel like I need to increase the amount of detail within my posts, and the creativity needs to be increased much more, I should experiment with videos and different ideas while posting.

What are your goals for the next year and how will you approach your new posts for your blog?

I want to increase the amount of detail that I use within my blog, as I feel that the new course will require more information, I would also like to use more creative ideas, such as videos, interviews and experimentation with more impressive design ideas for my blog.

Textual Analysis- Madonna 'Like A Prayer'

Textual Analysis- Madonna ‘Like a Prayer’

Within Madonna’s music video of ‘Like a Prayer’ we are immediately presented with various information concerning mise-en-scene, sound, lighting and editing. As the music video begins we are able to hear diegetic sirens in the distance, this instantly presents danger and worry within the audience, while the girl dressed in a revealing black dress running from the sirens make us question her motives, and the situation in the music video. We are then presented with a straight cut to a burning cross. An infamous symbol and indication of the Ku Klux Klan, elements of religion and prejudice are presented within the early moments of the video. Following this we see a group of white men beating a black man, while this could suggest that the black man is being represented negatively, the use of darker costumes and sinister facial expressions suggest that the white men are behaving incorrectly. This reinforces the connotations of discrimination regarding race. 

After this, we are shown a typical parish church, instantaneously contradicting the violent actions that we witnessed before. As we see Madonna enter the church we notice that her clothing is more revealing than before, which connotes sexuality, an unusual occurrence in a place of religion. However, we are then presented with an extremely controversial image, we are shown a statue of Jesus, however this statue portrays Jesus as a black man. Which, especially regarding the racial complications of religion, can be seen as highly disputable. Furthermore, we are then presented with Madonna lying provocatively, and combined with the sexually orientated clothing that she is dressed in, and the fact that she is lying on a pew, further cements the controversy which runs throughout the video.

We are then provided again with controversial image within the church. As Madonna holds a knife to her hands, we see that she cuts them on the blade, however when we see her hands, the cuts are in the form of crucifixion wounds, suggesting that Madonna, had to experience what Jesus experienced. Which could again be considered controversial among devout Christians, as she is a woman.

After the scenes within the church, we are taken through a flashback, which we can see by the change in exposure. Within this flashback we can see that Madonna was in fact raped by the group of men that we saw at the beginning beating the black man. After the rape, we are shown the black man coming down the stairs to help Madonna and check that she is okay. However, only to become ensnared in the headlights of a police car. Which could suggest both racism in authority, while presenting a bigger issue of racist presumptions, and the negative situations that can occur due to this.

Arguably, the most controversial image presented in the entire video, is the intercourse which occurs between Madonna and Jesus. While immediately this could blatantly cause offence to any follower of the religion, the fact that she is having sex in a church, which not only suggests disrespect, but arguably Madonna could be seen as a temptation, having seduced Jesus purposefully.

In conclusion, Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’ can be considered an extremely controversial music video, which not only arguably disrespects religion, but also, presents issues regarding rape, racism and injustice. 

Ariana Grande Presentation

Travis Scott Presentation