History of music videos

Sight and sounds
In 1911 Alexander scriabin wrote a symphony ‘prometheus - poem of fire’ for orchestra and light organ 

Synaesthesia - the mixing of the senses, one sense evokes the other there was an experiment by Wolfgang kohler asked people to name one shape booba and the kiki 

97% of people names the angler shape kiki and the other booba 

Sergei Eisenstein 1938 ‘film Alexander nevsky'  was the first film to have a battle scene with music along side it.

1940  
Soundies
Make in 1940’s for panorama visual box. Short music video usually just of bands playing. Soundies were three-minute musical films, produced in New York City, Chicago, and Hollywood, between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences, similar to later music videos and they would cover a wide range of musical genres.  The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was released in March 1947. The films were displayed on the Panoram, a coin-operated film jukebox or machine music, in nightclubs, bars, restaurants, factory lounges, and amusement centers


1956 
Tony Bennett was filmed walking along side the serpentine in Hyde Park while his song ‘stranger in paradise’ played

Hollywood and modern videos 

- Click track 
- Lip syncing 
- Choreography
- Lighting 
- Costumes
- Camera work 

1964
A hard days night - The Beatles 

Strawberry fields forever was the very first music video created.

1968 
The door - the unknown solider was a political statement ( very anti-war ) 

Before the 1980’s 

TOTP's was showing videos each week in the 1970’s ( but it have strict restrictions)

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody was the first music video produced by the recording company that produced the song. It was originally made so the band would not have to mime on TOTP ( the song was to complex to do this) So they had to create a music video that had to be edited in 2 and a half days to be shown on the show.

1980’s

1981 - MTV 
The first video shown was video killed the radio star. It is best known as marking the debut of MTV, when the U.S. channel started broadcasting at 12:01 AM on 1 August 1981. On 27 February 2000, it became the one-millionth video to be aired on MTV.

1980’s The concept of narrative video 

Concept - a music video based around a single idea (Michael Jackson - thriller) 

Narrative - Based on a story that used imagery to support the story line (A-ha - take on me) 

Music videos became much better because; 
- Technologies had become much easier to create better videos and it was easier to film (special effects & animation)
- Music videos became more mainstream 
- Music itself was developing 
- New wave
- Punk
- The show YoMTVraps brought hip-hop into the music sense

Eurythmics - sweet dream (made of this)

- saturation 
- dissolves 
- graphic match 

RUN-DMC - it’s tricky

Kris Kross - Jump 

The Jam - Town called malice 

1990’s - 2000
The Autuers 
MTV began listing the music video directors as well as the artists, music videos became an Autuers medium.

David Fincher 
He produced the song Madonna - Express yourself and the trailer for girl with the dragon tattoo

Walter stern 
Prodigy - Fire starter
The verve - bitter sweet symphony 
Massive Attack - Teardrop 

The most expensive music video was Michael Jackson - scream £7,000,000

Music video research

Goodwin’s theory of music videos; 
- There is a link between the visual and the lyrics
- Links between the visual and music 
- Have certain genre characteristics
- Have intertexual references
- Contain Notions of looking
- Show Voyeurism 
- Includes demands of the record label 
- Whether the video is performance, narrative or concept based   

Dance characteristics
Dancers, unique clothing, bright colours, the video focuses on the single not the album, Use of technology/ recording & production, Upbeat tempo, advertisement (sponsorship)

Electric dance characteristics 
Tend to be set in a club environment with dancing crowds, Flashing lights, features DJ equipment, mostly performance based, fast pase and fast editing, special effects 

Hip- hop & Rap characteristics
Mixture of narrative and performance based music video, Tends to be sent in low class areas, Wide range of different styles and settings for theses genres.

Soul characteristics
The majority is narrative, Mono-tone colour scheme, Slow cuts and editing, No special effects really used.

Pop characteristics
Catchy or repetitive  usually upbeat tempo or moderate beat, able to dance to, kiddie or bubbly subjects usually attacked to kids, teenagers and young adults, bright colours, Use of special effects, Can vary form being narrative or performance.

Rock characteristics
Video usually show a performance, There is a band, The band is always wearing dark clothing (leather, tight clothing, big hair) which is either plain or have images on, editing is in time with the beat, close ups on the band there instruments, Emphasis of the performance by recording the crowd.

R ‘n’ B characteristics
Dancers, Clothing is either casual or smart, love , sex, jewellery, up beat tempo, sponsorship, edited orientated, drinking & socializing, location like bars and clubs.

Country characteristics
Tends to have a strong narrative aspect, Stereotypical locations like rural areas, Mise-en-scene tends to very traditional or set in the elder generation , e.g. Victorian, the artist usually feature in the video.

Reggae characteristics 
Location tends to be in Jamaica or similar places, Very feel good lyrics, Cheerful video, with bright colours but basic, very laid back looking lifestyle.