Lyric Timings

The following lyrics include a number next to each line to show how long it takes for the artists to sing this line in the song. The reason why I did this is so that I know the pace that I need my actors to sing at in order for the lip-syncing to be accurate. This also gives me an idea of how I should edit my music video because most existing music videos edit the song according to the pace of the song. From doing this I can see a pattern in the lyrics and the pace of the song through doing so. I did this by closely listening to each line of the song and counting how many seconds it takes for the artist to sing them. After timing several lyrics I began to learn the pattern/pace of the song which will be very helpful when I come to creating my music video because I now know that the longest lyric is 4 seconds long therefore I have a clearer idea of how long I want my shots to be.

"Scream”

[Michael]

 Tired of injustice (2 seconds) (0:22 - 0:24)

 Tired of the schemes (2 seconds) (0:24 - 0:26)

 The lies are disgusting (2 seconds) (0:27 - 0:29)

 So what does it mean (2 seconds) (0:29 - 0:31)

 Kicking me down (2 seconds) (0:31 - 0:33)

 I got to get up (2 seconds) (0:33 - 0:35)

 As jacked as it sounds (2 seconds) (0:35 - 0:37)

 The whole system sucks (2 seconds) (0:38 - 0:40)

[Janet]

 Peek in the shadow (2 seconds) (0:45 - 0:47)

 Come into the light (2 seconds) (0:47 - 0:49)

 You tell me I'm wrong (2 seconds) (0:49 - 0:51)

 Then you better prove you're right (3 seconds) (0:51 - 0:54)

 You're sellin' out souls but (2 seconds) (0:54 - 0:56)

 I care about mine (2 seconds) (0:56 - 0:58)

 I've got to get stronger (2 seconds) (0:58 - 1:00)

 And I won't give up the fight (3 seconds) (1:00 - 1:03)

[Michael]

 With such confusions don't it make you wanna scream (3 seconds) (1:03 - 1:06)

 Your bash abusin' victimize within the scheme (3 seconds) (1:08 - 1:11)

 (Janet)

 You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize (4 seconds) (1:12 - 1:16)

[Both]

 Somebody please have mercy (2 seconds) (1:16 - 1:18)

 'Cause I just can't take it (3 seconds) (1:18 - 1:21)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (1:21 - 1:23)

 Just stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (1:23 - 1:25)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (1:25 - 1:27)

 Make me wanna scream (2 seconds) (1:28 - 1:30)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (1:30 - 1:32)

 Just stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (1:32 - 1:34)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (1:35 - 1:37)

 Make you just wanna scream (2 seconds) (1:37 - 1:39)

[Michael]

 Tired of you tellin' the story your way (4 seconds) (1:39 - 1:43)

 It's causin' confusion (2 seconds) (1:43 - 1:45)

 You think it's okay (2 seconds) (1:46 - 1:48)

[Janet]

 You Keep changin' the rules (2 seconds) (1:48 - 1:50)

 While I keep playin' the game (2 seconds) (1:50 - 1:52)

 I can't take it much longer (2 seconds) (1:52 - 1:54)

 I think I might go insane (2 seconds) (1:55 - 1:57)

[Michael]

 With such confusion don't it make you wanna scream (3 seconds) (2:02 - 2:05)

 Your bash abusin' victimize within the scheme (3 seconds) (2:06 - 2:09)

 (Janet)

 You find your pleasure scandalizin' every lie (4 seconds) (2:10 - 2:14)

[Both]

 Oh father, please have mercy 'cause I just can't take it (4 seconds) (2:15 - 2:19)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (2:20 - 2:22)

 Just stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (2:22 - 2:24)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (2:24 - 2:26)

 Make me wanna scream (2 seconds) (2:27 - 2:29)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (2:29 - 2:31)

 Just stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (2:31 - 2:33)

 Stop pressurin’ with me (2 seconds) (2:33 - 2:35)

 Make me wanna scream (2 seconds) (2:35 - 2:37)

[Janet]

 "Oh my God, can't believe what I saw (2 seconds) (2:42 - 2:44)

 As I turned on the TV this evening (2 seconds) (2:44 - 2:46)

 I was disgusted by all the injustice (2 seconds) (2:47 - 2:49)

 All the injustice" (1 second) (2:49 - 2:50)

[Michael]

 "All the injustice" (1 second) (2:49 - 2:50)

[News Man]

"A man has been brutally beaten to death by

 Police after being wrongly identified as a

 robbery suspect. The man was

 an 18 year old black male..."

[Michael]

 With such collusions don't it make you wanna scream (3 seconds) (3:09 - 3:12)

 Your bash abusin' victimize within the scheme (3 seconds) (3:14 - 3:17)

[Janet]

 You try to cope with every lie they scrutinize (4 seconds) (3:18 - 3:22)

[Both]

 Oh brother please have mercy 'Cause I just can't take it (4 seconds) (3:23 - 3:27)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (3:32 - 3:34)

 Just stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (3:34 - 3:36)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (3:36 - 3:38)

 Make me wanna scream (2 seconds) (3:38 - 3:40)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (3:41 - 3:43)

 Just stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (3:43 - 3:45)

 Stop pressurin' me (2 seconds) (3:45 - 3:47)

 Make me wanna scream (2 seconds) (3:48 - 3:50)

Lyrics Analysis

Song Choices

As soon as I received my coursework brief I immediately started thinking of different songs which I could use for my music video and these are the ones which I had to choose between:

• Beyonce – 1+1 

• Beyonce – End of Time 

• Beyonce – Get Me Bodied 

• Beyonce – Blue 

• Beyonce – Smash Into You 

• Beyonce – Broken Hearted Girl 

• Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson - Scream  

• Clyde Carson – Slow Down 

• Nicki Minaj – Your Love 


The first artist who I wanted to choose a song from was Beyonce because I am a big fan of hers, therefore I know many different songs which I could have used and I know most of the lyrics to her songs, making the pre-production process much easier.


After a lot of thinking, and conferring with my friends and family, I decided to pick Scream by Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson because when listening to the song I had very clear ideas of what I wanted in this video and got really excited thinking about my video. I automatically knew which actors I wanted for my video and have already asked them if they would do it and they both said they would. I also really like the lyrics as it doesn't talk about love or heartbreak, it talks about the artists feelings towards the paparazzi and their lack of privacy, making it less conventional and more interesting for the audience to listen to/watch. Plus, the official music video for this song cost $7 million and is set in space, making it impossible for me to take any ideas from this video because I don't have the money or the resources to steal any of the ideas. This is a positive thing for me because it will make my work a lot more original and will avoid it looking anything like the original video, making mine unique. 


My initial ideas for this film were to have it set in an empty, derelict, square room in which one of the artists is in and then a room similar to this (or redecorate the room) and place the other artist in it. I would have slightly low key lighting and have a rock type theme (mise-en-scene). I would have a male and a female actor to match the artists in the song and they would be wearing typical rock clothes such as leather jackets and big boots. At the end of the song I would like the two actors to join together besides a wall with the screen split in the middle to show that they are both feeling the same thing and to add a bit of mystery to the film because it shows that the two characters don't actually know each other. During the television article part of the song, I would like to include an old-fashioned TV with a person saying the film article on the TV and once that section finishes one of the artists smashes the TV with a sledgehammer to match the lyrics and the message of the song. All of the ideas that I have thought of are realistic and genuine ideas that I am really considering doing but some of these ideas may be quite dangerous so I will have to form a risk assessment if I were to do these ideas. 

Narratives, Techniques and Conventions

All music videos share the same conventions which makes them distinguishable as music videos. Some of these conventions are: a performance from the artist as well as a narrative/story; lip-syncing; medium-close ups of the artists and multiple locations and costume changes.

Meatloaf - Objects in the Rear View Mirror 

Narrative : - Friendship between two friends but one of them dies in a plane crash. Singing about the past as if reliving their time together and the moment he died. Challenging old vs new.

Techniques and Conventions : - sepia tone
                                                 - lip-syncing
                                                 - hand-held camera
                                                 - acting
                                                 - multiple locations
                                                 - pan
                                                 - dark colours at the end to connote death
                                                 - sexualisation of women
                                                 - soft lighting to represent past


OK Go - Here It Goes Again 

Narrative : - No narrative

Techniques and Conventions : - one edit/shot
                                                 - dance routine/performance
                                                 - still camera
                                                 - indie due to the outfit choices (mise-en-scene)


Kings Of Leon - Sex On Fire 

Narrative : - No narrative

Techniques and Conventions : - dark lighting
                                                 - orange connotes fire
                                                 - pace of editing matches song
                                                 - different cinematography
                                                 - performance and acting
                                                 - slow motion
                                                 - zoom in
                                                 - simple building (derelict)

Michael Jackson - Thriller 

Narrative : -

Techniques and Conventions : - generic conventions of horror films
                                                 - voyeurism (pleasure of seeing the artist)
                                                 - 2 levels of diegesis (in the film and watching it)

Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer

Narrative : -

Techniques and Conventions : - lots of extreme close ups
                                                 - stop motion video
                                                 - creative/artistic image

Beyonce - Single Ladies

Narrative : -

Techniques and Conventions : - performance
                                                 - entertainer
                                                 - greyscale
                                                 - light changing
                                                 - simple yet effective
                                                 - artist and camera moving at the same time
                                                 - lots of zoom ins and out

OK Go - The Writing's On the Wall
Narrative : -

Techniques and Conventions : - one shot
                                                 - creative/inventive
                                                 - challenging conventions

Bob Dylan - Duquesne Whistle
Narrative : -

Techniques and Conventions : - challenging audiences expectations
                                                 - breaking conventions
                                                 - controversial
                                                 - violence to make the audience talk about it

Likes and Dislikes of Music Videos

Panic At The Disco - I Write Sins Not Tragedies 

Like : - the video links to the lyrics very well

          - quick shots to match the pace of the song

          - lots of different shot types

          - story telling/narrative

          - mystery when the characters change

          - mise-en-scene is traditional to match the theme of the video (wedding) but also circus theme due to face paint and acts

          - as if the artist is speaking to the actor through the lyrics

Dislike : - don't like how some of the seats are empty

               - the female protagonist's acting/performance

Beyoncé - Pretty Hurts 

Like : - story telling/narrative

          - video matches the lyrics

          - multiple costumes and locations

          - little lip-syncing to focus on the audience on the video and lyrics

          - powerful and inspirational

Dislike : - not many close ups

              - unsure on why actress eats cotton wool

              - may make people uncomfortable/squeamish because of the needle

Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World) 

Like : - dominance of the colour red, connotes love, matches lyrics

          - use of editing (jump cuts, reverse, quick shots (flashes))

          - good lip-syncing

          - large variety of shot types

Dislike : - costume choices (doesn't reflect Rihanna's style)

              - balloons

              - blue sky near the end doesn't match the rest of the video

Nickelback - Rockstar 

Like : - simple video, yet effective

          - contains multiple celebrities (to increase popularity)

          - good lip-syncing

          - focuses on the lyrics rather than the video

Dislike : - one main shot length and type

              - little use of editing 

Eminem - Without Me 

Like : - comic strip style (tells the story)

          - good use of cinematography

          - quick shots to match pace of the song

          - funny

          - lots of locations and costumes

Dislike : - random

              - may be inappropriate to a younger audience

              - stereotyping too much (may offend the audience)

              - no distinctive narrative

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge 

Like : - tells story/narrative

          - use of fades

          - use of cinematography
          - purple fog in the introduction
          - good locations
          - instruments included to make them look more like a band

Dislike : - too repetitive
              - a bit messy with the use of editing
              - mise-en-scene (bobble hat)
              - random

Rihanna - Umbrella 

Like : - rain and glitter falling

          - mirror effect to create two of her

          - relates to lyrics

          - selection of costumes and locations
          - editing matches well with the pace of the song
          - dominance of the colour black to draw the song more on the lyrics and what is happening

Dislike : - Jay-Z was supposed to be in parts of it but only featured for a second
               - water splattering on the screen looks too fake

Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag 

Like : - good narrative

          - full focus to point out either the character or the background 
          - performance and acting
          - editing matches the pace of the song
          - funny
          - acting and performance join together at the end

Dislike : - same mise-en-scene but in different colours

Nicki Minaj - Moment For Life 

Like : - good fairytale narrative (stereotyping)
          - good mise-en-scene
          - multiple locations and costumes
          - slow motion when she enters the room
          - relationship between Nicki and Drake
          - lyrics link well with the video

Dislike : - introduction too long (speaking)
              - silver head jewellery
              - too many fades in a row

Music Video Analysis'

Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues (1965) 

Cinematography : - one shot                                    
                              - medium-long shot                                    
                              - still shot
                              - rule of thirds (artist on right)
                              - zoom out at beginning

Editing :                - no use of editing (one shot)
                             - speckled effect to look old-fashioned

Mise-en-scene :   - greyscale (cheaper)                    
                            - run-down street (alleyway)                      
                            - bold text                                                    
                            - young man (21?)
                            - last paper read "what?"
                            - looks rock'n'roll (open collar)

Sound :               - country-like music
                           - powerful lyrics towards the artist (sharing his feelings)


Cliff Richard - Summer Holiday (1965) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbajf_rHzys)

Cinematography : - pan                                              
                              - close up                                                    
                              - point of view (POV)

Editing :                 - fade ins/outs
                              - continuity editing

Mise-en-scene :     - red bus (iconographic of London)(traditional)                                                
                              - people riding bikes and waving (happy atmosphere)
                              - berets and sign saying Paris (France)
                              - colour shows higher budget

Sound :                 - happy song (appeals to families)
                             - bus horn
                             - people cheering


The Beatles - Hard Days Night (1964) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70QfHtKdh_0)

Cinematography :  - close up of feet running              
                              - tilt up to see girls                                        
                              - pan to other characters                                

  Editing :              - cut aways
                             - quick edits/shots
                             - shot reverse shots

Mise-en-scene :    - greyscale                                          
                             - girls chasing them and screaming                
                             - newspapers                                                  
                             - telephone boxes (London)
                             - realism

Sound :                 - happy, jolly song but lyrics are talking about being tired
                             - girls screaming


The Beatles - Ticket to Ride (1965) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DW-Wdg6JvU)

Cinematography :  - long establishing shot                  
                              - zoom in                                                      
                              - close up of lips
                              - lots of close ups
                              - birds eye view
                              - medium-long shot of band

 Editing :               - quick edits/shots
                             - out of focus

Mise-en-scene :    - bright colours                                  
                             - instruments                                                    
                             - girls in pink
                             - performance
                             - iconic image
                             - exotic location (skiing)

 Sound :                - performance matches the tambourine being hit in the song for example


The Beatles - Hello Goodbye (1967) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBZ8ulc5NTg)

Cinematography : - long shot of band                          
                              - close up                                                      
                              - bad framing                                              
                              - moves out of the camera rather than editing it

Editing :                  - one very long edit/shot at beginning
                               - 4 shots in 39 seconds
                               - quick edits at the end

Mise-en-scene :      - curtain going up                              
                               - bright colours                                                
                               - instruments
                               - points = Elvis = big stars

 Sound :                 - movement in the frame at the end of the song when it is more upbeat


About The Beatles : 
- 85 million people watched The Beatles play 3 songs on the TV, shortly after John F.Kennedy died
- technological advancements helped sell the Magical Mystery Tour film
- 400 million people watched The Beatles new song "All You Need Is Love" in 1967
- The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour film was shown on TV, Boxing Day 1967
- introduction of film is very colourful but it was shown on BBC in black and white
- BBC banned "I Am The Walrus" because it says 'knickers', despite the fact that it says 'everybody smoke pot'
- they are putting their own ideologies into their music