Tuesday, March 27, 2007
EL-P 'Smithereens'
This recent music video is a post-911 Guantanamo Abu Ghraib military torture narrative/spectacle/scene.
The OC effect in NZ
In thinking about how evident is the OC effect in the New Zealand content.
Just as a question out into the open domain. How many people whom check this blog know the band death cab for cutie, or postal service and the decemberists. If you do please leave a comment in this post. Because I have asked all my close friends some of whom are advent myspace users and they still don’t know who they are. So I ask how effective is the OC effect in New Zealand. I guess you can say that we all know who the killers are but that, I think is mostly to do with how the record companies got the radio stations to promote the song. This in effect cause the wave of popularity for the band in New Zealand. It seems as though New Zealand still remains in the dark ages when publicity of generation of popularity is concerned. We still use the normal respected channels of promotion, either though radio stations, free gigs or Music Television. I guess this might have already been picked up by the government and that is why the charter was brought up to overcome this hurdle in technological advancement and distribution of music media. Would shows such as Ponsonby at War, Being Eve or even Shortland St be able to peddle music as effective as The OC, actually are we as a nation of audiences be able to comprehend this phenomenon.
Just as a question out into the open domain. How many people whom check this blog know the band death cab for cutie, or postal service and the decemberists. If you do please leave a comment in this post. Because I have asked all my close friends some of whom are advent myspace users and they still don’t know who they are. So I ask how effective is the OC effect in New Zealand. I guess you can say that we all know who the killers are but that, I think is mostly to do with how the record companies got the radio stations to promote the song. This in effect cause the wave of popularity for the band in New Zealand. It seems as though New Zealand still remains in the dark ages when publicity of generation of popularity is concerned. We still use the normal respected channels of promotion, either though radio stations, free gigs or Music Television. I guess this might have already been picked up by the government and that is why the charter was brought up to overcome this hurdle in technological advancement and distribution of music media. Would shows such as Ponsonby at War, Being Eve or even Shortland St be able to peddle music as effective as The OC, actually are we as a nation of audiences be able to comprehend this phenomenon.
Thinking About Research Essay Topics
Blog Title: Thinking About Research Essay Topics!
Hi Everyone,
My blogger name is ‘Andrea Francesca’. This is my first entry into the FTVMS 323 - Popular Music on Screen Blog 2007’.
I’m taking this Special Topic paper, as the final paper of my BA degree (as an FTVMS major), because I am interested in how 'popular music' is pervasive in modern society, through all forms of new media.
As Nabeel Zuberi suggested, our Research Essay Assignment has lots of scope for us. We can select from many different areas & media formats… to consider how popular music interfaces with all the areas of multi-media including TV, Film, Advertising, the Web, Video/DVD, Radio, I-Pods, Cell phone technology… etc, etc!
I’m interested in obvious media forms, as well as the not so obvious ones. And, I'm interested in how a 'popular song' by a pop-group can end up on TV in more than one advert. Just think of the NZ band 'Goldenhorse' and their smash radio hit ‘Maybe Tomorrow’... it is used in a ‘Watties’ sauce TV advert, and in the ‘Inter-islander Cook Strait ferry TV adverts, and, in some other adverts too.
Also, I'm thinking about how some pop songs are turned into instrumentals… or are simply ‘dumbed down’, with the riff of the song (minus the chorus or lyrics) only being played in a TV advert... and why it is remediated this way?
I’ll put up a short list of examples in my next blog, of pop songs that are featured in different TV adverts, which hopefully will generate some on-going discussion… and may help to kick off some research ideas for us all, as we need to be thinking about our Research Essay Question now!
bests,
Andrea Francesca
Student – FTVMS 323
Hi Everyone,
My blogger name is ‘Andrea Francesca’. This is my first entry into the FTVMS 323 - Popular Music on Screen Blog 2007’.
I’m taking this Special Topic paper, as the final paper of my BA degree (as an FTVMS major), because I am interested in how 'popular music' is pervasive in modern society, through all forms of new media.
As Nabeel Zuberi suggested, our Research Essay Assignment has lots of scope for us. We can select from many different areas & media formats… to consider how popular music interfaces with all the areas of multi-media including TV, Film, Advertising, the Web, Video/DVD, Radio, I-Pods, Cell phone technology… etc, etc!
I’m interested in obvious media forms, as well as the not so obvious ones. And, I'm interested in how a 'popular song' by a pop-group can end up on TV in more than one advert. Just think of the NZ band 'Goldenhorse' and their smash radio hit ‘Maybe Tomorrow’... it is used in a ‘Watties’ sauce TV advert, and in the ‘Inter-islander Cook Strait ferry TV adverts, and, in some other adverts too.
Also, I'm thinking about how some pop songs are turned into instrumentals… or are simply ‘dumbed down’, with the riff of the song (minus the chorus or lyrics) only being played in a TV advert... and why it is remediated this way?
I’ll put up a short list of examples in my next blog, of pop songs that are featured in different TV adverts, which hopefully will generate some on-going discussion… and may help to kick off some research ideas for us all, as we need to be thinking about our Research Essay Question now!
bests,
Andrea Francesca
Student – FTVMS 323
Mix Tapes
So the readings from last week got me thinking as to why I own, specifically, the soundtracks to Boogie Nights, Forest Gump AND Pulp Fiction. There's nothing for me to be nostalgic about because I'm a child of the 80s, so is it at all possible to be naive and pretend that soundtracks aren't just a means of synergy and making more money? Take Pulp Fiction for example (or in a broader sense, soundtracks to Quentin Tarantino films). If Quentin Tarantino isn't lying when he says that he comes up with the songs for a film before he even completes the idea of a film, then damn, he knows how to put together a good mix tape. Dusty Springfield, Ricky Nelson, Al Green... on one album? Priceless. I'm sure the dialogue bits are there to sell the movie, but I find myself skipping over them. In a perfect world I'd like to believe that I buy a soundtrack to a film because I see the film and think to myself "I would love to have all of those songs on one CD" not that someone is subliminally selling me a movie and soundtrack. Good music is good music and I think that can make it not necessarily about a product but about an appreciation. Much of the time, songs on a soundtrack will definitely bring you back to a moment in the film. Maybe subliminally that's motivation for buying a soundtrack - always desiring to think of Mia Wallace overdosing when listening to "Girl You'll Be a Woman Soon" by Urge Overkill. Many times though, like in the case of Forest Gump, it's been so long since I've seen the movie that I just listen to the soundtrack because it is such a good compilation of songs from anyone who was anyone in the 60s and 70s. I'd listen to it for the same reason I would listen to any compilation of music from that time period - just because it's good music. Then again, would certain songs be as good as they are without a visual image to associate them with? "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" by Nancy Sinatra isn't nearly as powerful without the memory of "The Bride" being brutally shot by Bill in the beginning of Kill Bill, vol. 1 and every time I do hear "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" I do think of Mia Wallace's overdose. But think of what the drug dealer in Boogie Nights said about mix tapes: "I put all my favorite songs together... When you buy a tape or an album... the bands put the songs in some fucking order... like they want you to listen to it in that order. I hate that. I don't like to be told what to listen to... when to listen to it..." Maybe that can hold true for soundtracks as well. Maybe compilations are a director's way of showing the world what they like to listen to and when they like to listen to it.
Just because it's still kinda legal... "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon".
Just because it's still kinda legal... "Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon".
Preferred invisibility
Canvasing people's thoughts on the prominence of sound in film or the heirarchy of sound vs vision debate, I thought it was interesting to note Kim C's "Film Music Goes Live" post on how presenting the music to a film in a 'live' situation, i.e. with orchestra in front of the screen, can really help to enlarge the experience of the music for the viewer and thus enhance the world of the film and its communication to the audience. I have experienced this myself for example, with live Wurlitzer organ in front of the screen and, and in a more extreme example where actual dominance of sound over the visual medium has occured. I.e.- In various local 'live' band settings over the years, a few images are screened at the back of the stage (usually partially obscured by the drum-kit) that play along with the music and are adding to the ambience of the music not the other way around as has been discussed by many class bloggers. Perhaps this effect was more to do with the lack of inspiring images or in my opinion, a kind of 'afterthought' approach in mapping the images to the music. Or simply these live gigs were more of the 'music and dancing kind'... not to say that this can't be re-engineered in a different way so all the media and people within it are working more seamlessly etc. but that's another blog!
What I wanted to highlight in Kim C's blog were her final words "...perhaps help[ing the music]to become more significant and less invisible". This issue of invisibility I think deserves more investigation from the point of view that some award winning sound designers and composers (names long since lost in the memory banks sorry) are actually basing their reputations on their creations being "invisible". Whereby, if the audience 'notices' or becomes aware of the sound then you're not doing your sound job properly. The craft or the spell of the 'heard but not seen' aesthetic is broken.
I thought this argument essentially about the craft of the sound maker and what they are often trying to acheive was beautifully illustrated in Nabeel's example of "American Graffitti" (1973), where we saw the sound designer being interviewed about applying different recording methods to mimic several acoustic sound environments. This was born out of a requirement to fufill the director's wish of having "wall-to-wall" sound throughout the movie as an important device in creating the 'teenage world' inside the movie. The sound designer then tried to meet this directive in interesting ways.
For example, the radio playing a song in the car was different acoustically to when the character fell out of the car and the song on the radio continued, but sounded acoustically different. Another example is when we hear music playing as the "love couple" dances. The music environment is slowly changed acoustically from sounding distant as if in a gymnasium, which enhances the audience's sense of 'spectacle', to one where the music reflects the characters 'inner world' and their intensity for each other, hence a subtle transformation to a more initimate sound acoustically.
The point is I never really noticed before... and that's great because the American Graffitti case makes me think of how many composers and sound designers are crafting their work to sit just under the radar of perception. I think this perspective can go a long way when thinking about which mediem needs to be noticed more or which medium is dominating. Some artisans are actually doing their best to remain in the background.
Peace
fiFA
What I wanted to highlight in Kim C's blog were her final words "...perhaps help[ing the music]to become more significant and less invisible". This issue of invisibility I think deserves more investigation from the point of view that some award winning sound designers and composers (names long since lost in the memory banks sorry) are actually basing their reputations on their creations being "invisible". Whereby, if the audience 'notices' or becomes aware of the sound then you're not doing your sound job properly. The craft or the spell of the 'heard but not seen' aesthetic is broken.
I thought this argument essentially about the craft of the sound maker and what they are often trying to acheive was beautifully illustrated in Nabeel's example of "American Graffitti" (1973), where we saw the sound designer being interviewed about applying different recording methods to mimic several acoustic sound environments. This was born out of a requirement to fufill the director's wish of having "wall-to-wall" sound throughout the movie as an important device in creating the 'teenage world' inside the movie. The sound designer then tried to meet this directive in interesting ways.
For example, the radio playing a song in the car was different acoustically to when the character fell out of the car and the song on the radio continued, but sounded acoustically different. Another example is when we hear music playing as the "love couple" dances. The music environment is slowly changed acoustically from sounding distant as if in a gymnasium, which enhances the audience's sense of 'spectacle', to one where the music reflects the characters 'inner world' and their intensity for each other, hence a subtle transformation to a more initimate sound acoustically.
The point is I never really noticed before... and that's great because the American Graffitti case makes me think of how many composers and sound designers are crafting their work to sit just under the radar of perception. I think this perspective can go a long way when thinking about which mediem needs to be noticed more or which medium is dominating. Some artisans are actually doing their best to remain in the background.
Peace
fiFA
Girly Films etc.
I'm a slef confessed fan of girly movies, when I'm sick, when I can't be bothered thinking they are perfect dribble. Using a few hundred examples I want to point to some of the music use in these films, which is interesting for a few reasons.
The use of a pop song is a tried and true method of romantic comedy's, for product placement I'm sure but also to really push the audience to think one particular thing. Notting Hill uses Ronan Keating over and over again that ties the lovers relationship together, it's an easy trick, just like using the same music every time the bad guy is about the enter the room.
Four Weddings and a Funeral starts with 'Love is all around', setting up the style of film from the outset, while the director used the same song slightly changed in his other film, Love Actually. It not only keeps the films tied to themselves but also ties them to the genre and the director, treating them as extentions of each other, not seperate films.
Garden State has always interested me in the way it used specific bands, different songs to move the movie through it's various stages. Whenever the main character 'Andrew' is thinking about something or going somewhere there is another pop-rock track to guide us through. As the movie is all about a sudo journey he takes to find what he is really looking for it fits that the music is not the same and finally ends with a different band of similar music.
The use of a pop song is a tried and true method of romantic comedy's, for product placement I'm sure but also to really push the audience to think one particular thing. Notting Hill uses Ronan Keating over and over again that ties the lovers relationship together, it's an easy trick, just like using the same music every time the bad guy is about the enter the room.
Four Weddings and a Funeral starts with 'Love is all around', setting up the style of film from the outset, while the director used the same song slightly changed in his other film, Love Actually. It not only keeps the films tied to themselves but also ties them to the genre and the director, treating them as extentions of each other, not seperate films.
Garden State has always interested me in the way it used specific bands, different songs to move the movie through it's various stages. Whenever the main character 'Andrew' is thinking about something or going somewhere there is another pop-rock track to guide us through. As the movie is all about a sudo journey he takes to find what he is really looking for it fits that the music is not the same and finally ends with a different band of similar music.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Music in horror films Pt. 2
Picking up from Jxuo63's post (this one), I definitely concur that music plays a seemingly more prominent role in films of the horror genre.
(BTW, One Missed Call is definitely one of the scarier Asian horrors out there, that ringtone haunted me for days too!!)
I was just watching Scream before and I couldn't help paying attention to the score - it's pretty cliched and predictable particularly during the scary bits, but I have to say, it works aye. The fluctuations in volume and build-up of intensity is juxtaposed perfectly with what is happening on screen. You are, for the most part, kept at the edge of your seat.
Eleven years on, viewers are beyond spoilt for choice when it comes to horror films. The recent obsession being that of the sadistic violence type, ie the Saw trilogy and Hostel. That being said, audiences are thus becoming more and more immune to the "cues" music orchestrates in these sort of films. Many a time when I am watching a horror flick, I find I can somewhat predict that something scary is going to happen solely from the music and how it progresses in a scene.
This gives music composers quite a challenge, doeesn't it? Marco Beltrami, who does the score for Scream did an admiral job, in my opinion. As I've said, the music flows and weaves with the action on screen seamlessly. I think, especially considering when it was released, the effect would have paid off tremendously.
I thought the score used in the non-scary scenes were pretty good too. Lots of ethereal-esque sounds which was pretty interesting and refreshing. A good break from the "scary track". It showed versatility which mirrors Beltrami's filmography. I'm now really keen on re-watching some of the movies in his list just to hear other stuff he's done!!
But yeah, music in horror films...paramount in helping provide the chills (and squeals) but also, I believe, could work equally as well in smaller doses. As I mentioned earlier, audiences of today are becoming immune and more akin to music's part and role in a scary movie. Something that I think should be explored more in this genre is the use of no music - what a lot of Asian horror films pull off really well. I always tell people, if they want a really good scare, to not waste their time with a Hollywood horror flick, but to watch an Asian horror instead.
I watched One Missed Call about 3 years back (I think) when it featured at the film festival, but I'm pretty sure there were quite a few scenes that were extremely scary not only because of the story or clever cinematography, but also because there was no music - there was nothing to pre-empt and cue audiences that something terrible was about to happen.
I have a few other thoughts to share from reading other entries from you guys but it'll have to be for another day... ;)
(BTW, One Missed Call is definitely one of the scarier Asian horrors out there, that ringtone haunted me for days too!!)
I was just watching Scream before and I couldn't help paying attention to the score - it's pretty cliched and predictable particularly during the scary bits, but I have to say, it works aye. The fluctuations in volume and build-up of intensity is juxtaposed perfectly with what is happening on screen. You are, for the most part, kept at the edge of your seat.
Eleven years on, viewers are beyond spoilt for choice when it comes to horror films. The recent obsession being that of the sadistic violence type, ie the Saw trilogy and Hostel. That being said, audiences are thus becoming more and more immune to the "cues" music orchestrates in these sort of films. Many a time when I am watching a horror flick, I find I can somewhat predict that something scary is going to happen solely from the music and how it progresses in a scene.
This gives music composers quite a challenge, doeesn't it? Marco Beltrami, who does the score for Scream did an admiral job, in my opinion. As I've said, the music flows and weaves with the action on screen seamlessly. I think, especially considering when it was released, the effect would have paid off tremendously.
I thought the score used in the non-scary scenes were pretty good too. Lots of ethereal-esque sounds which was pretty interesting and refreshing. A good break from the "scary track". It showed versatility which mirrors Beltrami's filmography. I'm now really keen on re-watching some of the movies in his list just to hear other stuff he's done!!
But yeah, music in horror films...paramount in helping provide the chills (and squeals) but also, I believe, could work equally as well in smaller doses. As I mentioned earlier, audiences of today are becoming immune and more akin to music's part and role in a scary movie. Something that I think should be explored more in this genre is the use of no music - what a lot of Asian horror films pull off really well. I always tell people, if they want a really good scare, to not waste their time with a Hollywood horror flick, but to watch an Asian horror instead.
I watched One Missed Call about 3 years back (I think) when it featured at the film festival, but I'm pretty sure there were quite a few scenes that were extremely scary not only because of the story or clever cinematography, but also because there was no music - there was nothing to pre-empt and cue audiences that something terrible was about to happen.
I have a few other thoughts to share from reading other entries from you guys but it'll have to be for another day... ;)
Music Video Belonging to the Commercial Enterprise
I like what Rebecca said: "The music video belongs to the realm of commercial enterprise; and this can be hard for “legitimate” bands to contend with." As a metal enthusiast, I believe bands that play heavy music aren’t just challenged by the fact that there sound isn’t commercial. They are also challenged by the visual representation constructed on behalf of commercial enterprises. Music videos of the commercial realm generally stick to the stereotypical nature of a particular genre discourse. For example, emo music videos mostly contain high school kids with fringes. In the case of metal, ever since the 1980's the genre has been scarred with the imagery of bands such Metallica, Cradle of Fith, Marylin Manson and more recently Avenge Sevenfold and Slipknot. Believe it or not, there are lots of metal bands, both underground and commercial, that don't dress like Goths or mongolo Bougans. Unfortunely, only the people who listen to metal and attend metal gigs are aware of this, thus making it harder for non metal listeners to on one level, appreciate the positionality and subjectivity of members of the metal community and on an other, make it harder for non-metal members of the audience to uncover the better (or”legitimate”) bands of the genre. The mythologices constructed around metal ideology it seems, are distorted by the few metal videos you see on commercial television. C4's The Steel Mill does show a great variety of metal videos, not just the image couscous efforts of certain Thrash and Black metal bands. But I am left wondering, are there better metal bands out there? Is the only reason better metal bands aren’t on commercial television because they don’t aspire religiously to a visual "metal discourse"? If there is such thing as metal discourse...
Language and Music.
Here's some more example MP3s to chew on. For the record, the Mad Bastards songs I posted earlier are still available for download, but I'll take them down at the end of the week.
The sample songs this week are from Yokko Kanno, a multilingual Japanese artist. The songs themselves include lyrics in a number of different languages, including Russian, Japanese, English and the odd bit in Latin, and I was struck by how distinctive it makes the songs.
Any anime fans out there will have encountered these as the theme music to seasons one and two of the Ghost in the Shell television series.
Yokko Kanno - Inner Universe.
Yokko Kanno - Rise.
What do people think?
- Kevin.
The sample songs this week are from Yokko Kanno, a multilingual Japanese artist. The songs themselves include lyrics in a number of different languages, including Russian, Japanese, English and the odd bit in Latin, and I was struck by how distinctive it makes the songs.
Any anime fans out there will have encountered these as the theme music to seasons one and two of the Ghost in the Shell television series.
Yokko Kanno - Inner Universe.
Yokko Kanno - Rise.
What do people think?
- Kevin.
Admin Stuff and Roll-Call.
Greetings everybody.
I just wanted to note that my office-hours on Friday this week will go 1-3pm due to essay timetabling for FTVMS100, so I'll be there longer than usual if anyone wants to talk.
Here's the current list of posting names I can't associate with Actual People on the blog, so if one of these is you please put up a hand or send me an email with your ID number and the like.
Sarah G
Hye-Young
Elaine L
M Liu
VNess
Kelly
Josh
In many cases it's because my class list is out of date rather than because you've chosen weird names.
- Kevin.
I just wanted to note that my office-hours on Friday this week will go 1-3pm due to essay timetabling for FTVMS100, so I'll be there longer than usual if anyone wants to talk.
Here's the current list of posting names I can't associate with Actual People on the blog, so if one of these is you please put up a hand or send me an email with your ID number and the like.
Sarah G
Hye-Young
Elaine L
M Liu
VNess
Kelly
Josh
In many cases it's because my class list is out of date rather than because you've chosen weird names.
- Kevin.
The Pinnacle of the downfall of society
I read Katherine Dieckmann's article "MTV Killed The Music Video Star" with a smile spread on my face and after re-reading it I decided she's my new favourite person. Thanks goes to Nabeel for including my exact feelings about MTV and their 'culture' creation since the early 80's.
I just wanted to include this news article:
MTV To Change Name
At a meeting last month for the heads of the company, MTV have decided to alter the brandname of their internationally successful television channel.
"It's the final step in a process that's been underway for some time," admits a representative. "We have come to the realisation that we do not, in fact, screen much music content at all anymore."
Because of this, the company has decided to change their name from "MTV" (Music Television) to, quite simply, "TV".
"Quality programming like 'Date My Mom' continues to set us apart from other channels," the representative proudly claims.
"Our name change in no way compromises this individuality."
---
Actually from my own website www.bigstarnews.com, I thought it was a happy coincidence.
Ben
I just wanted to include this news article:
MTV To Change Name
At a meeting last month for the heads of the company, MTV have decided to alter the brandname of their internationally successful television channel.
"It's the final step in a process that's been underway for some time," admits a representative. "We have come to the realisation that we do not, in fact, screen much music content at all anymore."
Because of this, the company has decided to change their name from "MTV" (Music Television) to, quite simply, "TV".
"Quality programming like 'Date My Mom' continues to set us apart from other channels," the representative proudly claims.
"Our name change in no way compromises this individuality."
---
Actually from my own website www.bigstarnews.com, I thought it was a happy coincidence.
Ben
Andy Warhol- The undefinable man
Andy Warhol the worlds fascination with the man who helped define a decade
but yet we find it hard to define the man. Who was he? A painter, a celebrity, a commercial illustrator, writer, avant-garde filmmaker, an artist. His origin of birth Pittsburgh, but the birth of Andy, began in the sixties with the famous painting of a soup can, Campbell’s Soup Can, which was the beginning of his “15 minutes of Fame”, and the start of many paintings immortalizing famous American products. “The Factory” an underground studio, embroiled in controversy, rebellion and revolution; musicians, artists and celebrities alike sort refugee, sanctuary within the Studio walls, where Pop Culture flourished, as Warhol’s work revolved around the very essence of Pop Culture, it is what fed him metaphorically speaking. Andy used the ‘The Factory’ literally as a factory where he thought of himself as a machine his desire to make art of mass-produced items but to mass produces the art itself (Murray, 2006). The ideal of production work and limitation of creative thought was the objective; this seems reminiscent of Fordism.
What's great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coke, Liz Taylor drinks Coke, and just think, you can drink Coke, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it.
– The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: (From A to B and Back Again), 1975, ISBN 0-15-671720-4
This quote seems to sum up Andy’s feelings towards popular culture and the ambiguous nature of his perspective and the person he is. Andy Warhol seem to be all about art and be able to relate art to life in all its facets "Making money is art, and working is art and good business is the best art."(Wikipedia, 2007).
Andy used art as a means of defining him, he explained his work expressed and meant nothing and that "If you want to know all about Andy Warhol," he said, "just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it." (Murray, 2006). A man that seemed so unaffected and emotionless, is a way to define him, but doing that would be what he would want to be defined as defining him would define him through his art, but he was much more than that, as I think there is much more
to him than just the surface and what lies behind it.
but yet we find it hard to define the man. Who was he? A painter, a celebrity, a commercial illustrator, writer, avant-garde filmmaker, an artist. His origin of birth Pittsburgh, but the birth of Andy, began in the sixties with the famous painting of a soup can, Campbell’s Soup Can, which was the beginning of his “15 minutes of Fame”, and the start of many paintings immortalizing famous American products. “The Factory” an underground studio, embroiled in controversy, rebellion and revolution; musicians, artists and celebrities alike sort refugee, sanctuary within the Studio walls, where Pop Culture flourished, as Warhol’s work revolved around the very essence of Pop Culture, it is what fed him metaphorically speaking. Andy used the ‘The Factory’ literally as a factory where he thought of himself as a machine his desire to make art of mass-produced items but to mass produces the art itself (Murray, 2006). The ideal of production work and limitation of creative thought was the objective; this seems reminiscent of Fordism.
What's great about this country is that America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you know that the President drinks Coke, Liz Taylor drinks Coke, and just think, you can drink Coke, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good. Liz Taylor knows it, the President knows it, the bum knows it, and you know it.
– The Philosophy of Andy Warhol: (From A to B and Back Again), 1975, ISBN 0-15-671720-4
This quote seems to sum up Andy’s feelings towards popular culture and the ambiguous nature of his perspective and the person he is. Andy Warhol seem to be all about art and be able to relate art to life in all its facets "Making money is art, and working is art and good business is the best art."(Wikipedia, 2007).
Andy used art as a means of defining him, he explained his work expressed and meant nothing and that "If you want to know all about Andy Warhol," he said, "just look at the surface of my paintings and films and me, and there I am. There's nothing behind it." (Murray, 2006). A man that seemed so unaffected and emotionless, is a way to define him, but doing that would be what he would want to be defined as defining him would define him through his art, but he was much more than that, as I think there is much more
to him than just the surface and what lies behind it.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
music&visuals in music videos
Referring to “Image Supremacy” about image dominance in film based media. In terms of music videos I believe image can be secondary, although I guess it can depend on whether one was introduced first to the song, or the music video. It is known that the images to music videos are rarely a visual narration to its song. So I believe that we do at times question ‘how an image fits into the structure of a narrative’, where in this case the song is the narrative. Most often songs don’t have storylines that can have a direct visual narration, but I believe that we still often try and interpret music videos via the words of the song.
However in some other music videos where there are references to existing media such as film or TV series where the visuals and song have no connection whatsoever except for synergy. For example ‘Lights surrounding you’ by Evermore, the visual narrative is the life story of a Home&Away character, and the song is about a relationship. Here in one way I think the visuals can be powerful when watching the music video because the images don’t relate to the words at all. “Image Supremacy” states how image forms the basis of understanding and here I see the visuals as creating a narrative of their own because the music video uses a montage of images to tell the story of Sally the H&A character, but not an understanding of the song itself. I think the music still drives the music video because the music has an engulfing presence where the visuals don’t because there is no dialogue or sound effects for the visuals so it is the music and lyrics that are primary and controls the way we try and understand the visuals in terms of its relation with the song.
However in some other music videos where there are references to existing media such as film or TV series where the visuals and song have no connection whatsoever except for synergy. For example ‘Lights surrounding you’ by Evermore, the visual narrative is the life story of a Home&Away character, and the song is about a relationship. Here in one way I think the visuals can be powerful when watching the music video because the images don’t relate to the words at all. “Image Supremacy” states how image forms the basis of understanding and here I see the visuals as creating a narrative of their own because the music video uses a montage of images to tell the story of Sally the H&A character, but not an understanding of the song itself. I think the music still drives the music video because the music has an engulfing presence where the visuals don’t because there is no dialogue or sound effects for the visuals so it is the music and lyrics that are primary and controls the way we try and understand the visuals in terms of its relation with the song.
Music in horror films
Hi everyone, I just saw a Japanese horror film called “Chakushin ari” or “one missed call” yesterday. The film is all about cell phone. People mysteriously start receiving a strange message from the future with a terrific ringtone. Anyone who gets this message would die in several days mystically. Therefore, all the characters consider that ringtone as the premonition of death. After watching, I kind of had some new thoughts of movie soundtrack. Compare with other genres, music usually plays a more significant role in the horror movies. Take this film as an example, although there are a few horrible scenes when the evil spirit comes out, the most impressive element still is the ringtone. Even several hours after you watch the film, you cannot get that weird tone out of your mind. I guess this is what director want. In horror movies, some suitable music and sound effects are necessary. They may create the ambience and evoke audiences’ emotion. Apart from the strong visual impact, a good horror film would take its impressive soundtrack as its secondary weapon to achieve the goal of scariness.
By the way, I downloaded that ringtone to my cellphone as an incoming tone. But my roommate finally get annoyed. : ) I have to change it now. Anyway, I still think it is a really good tone. Anyone who is interested in the film or the ringtone can check it out. Click here
Jxu063
By the way, I downloaded that ringtone to my cellphone as an incoming tone. But my roommate finally get annoyed. : ) I have to change it now. Anyway, I still think it is a really good tone. Anyone who is interested in the film or the ringtone can check it out. Click here
Jxu063
Film Music Goes Live
There’s been a lot of discussion lately that questions the position that sound occupies (or, perhaps more appropriately, is relegated to) in film. Darren is indeed correct when he says that, even when it remains in the background, a film score can be very effective. But something interesting happens when that score is remediated, brought out from behind the screen, and performed by live musicians – as I discovered on two occasions last week, first of all when I attended a performance/screening of A Throw of Dice (Franz Osten, 1929) at the Civic last week.
The interesting thing about this film is that it has been re-scored by Nitin Sawhney, and so has already been remediated before it reaches an audience. I think that this in itself is an attempt to make the silent film’s score play a more significant part in the viewing experience – its modern yet ethnic twist has more relevance to a contemporary audience. Having it performed by a live orchestra gives the music even more prominence – as well being able to see it being performed, you can’t beat the acoustics of a concert hall. The music envelops you in a 3-dimensional way that draws you even further into the world of the film, enhancing the overall experience.
Still on the AK07 trail, I also went to a performance by The Spaghetti Western Orchestra. Contrary to what their name suggests, this group is neither an orchestra, nor a wayward group of American bandits. The 5-piece band is a tribute to the music of the spaghetti westerns, and is an example of how film music can come to have meaning in its own right. I think they’re also an extension of the ‘nostalgia culture’ that Pauline Reay mentions in her article. Delightful Foley compositions were interspersed among their interpretations of signature pieces from films including Once Upon a Time in the West and the Dollars trilogy. One performer strutted across the stage with his microphone in a box of cornflakes to simulate gravel, while another clinked metal rods together to evoke the sound of a railway being built. So as well as being nostalgic, the orchestra brought some transparency to the sound design process of western films.
If my experience at these performances is anything to go by, I think they are the kind of things that will help people develop a greater appreciation for film music, and perhaps help it to become more significant and less invisible.
The interesting thing about this film is that it has been re-scored by Nitin Sawhney, and so has already been remediated before it reaches an audience. I think that this in itself is an attempt to make the silent film’s score play a more significant part in the viewing experience – its modern yet ethnic twist has more relevance to a contemporary audience. Having it performed by a live orchestra gives the music even more prominence – as well being able to see it being performed, you can’t beat the acoustics of a concert hall. The music envelops you in a 3-dimensional way that draws you even further into the world of the film, enhancing the overall experience.
Still on the AK07 trail, I also went to a performance by The Spaghetti Western Orchestra. Contrary to what their name suggests, this group is neither an orchestra, nor a wayward group of American bandits. The 5-piece band is a tribute to the music of the spaghetti westerns, and is an example of how film music can come to have meaning in its own right. I think they’re also an extension of the ‘nostalgia culture’ that Pauline Reay mentions in her article. Delightful Foley compositions were interspersed among their interpretations of signature pieces from films including Once Upon a Time in the West and the Dollars trilogy. One performer strutted across the stage with his microphone in a box of cornflakes to simulate gravel, while another clinked metal rods together to evoke the sound of a railway being built. So as well as being nostalgic, the orchestra brought some transparency to the sound design process of western films.
If my experience at these performances is anything to go by, I think they are the kind of things that will help people develop a greater appreciation for film music, and perhaps help it to become more significant and less invisible.
Timbaland: Producer or Reproducer?
Timbaland re-tunes artists with the popular sound of the day. His influence helps artists who are struggling to keep cool with their tired song styles. Although, manufacturing a pop star is old news to the music industry, its even a public phenomenon. American Idol has is entering its sixth season. Except, American Idol forms new stars from the roots up. Timbaland uses existing high profile stars that are still within the public eye but need to move along faster to keep with the times. Highly mediated artists like Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake are such artists. They boast numerous number one hits but need to move beyond 'I'm like a Bird' and 'Bye Bye Bye'. Nelly Furtado's second album crashed. The folky Pourtegese world-music sound of 'Folklore' just wasn't cool enough. Timberlake never really lost fame but entered risky territory as he adopted a hip hop flavour. His reputation with N Sync might have lost him credibility as a rapper. But beyond Timbaland's studio, Furtado's new album Loose was a smash as with Timberlake whose new hip hop inspired album was accepted and praised. Timbaland rekindled their fame. His work with the famous proves that he isn't a producer who markets the unknown, rather he reproduces and remediates. He is a reproducer not a producer.
A night at the movies (without the movies)
So this is kind of relevent to those who appreciate classical film scores.
The Auckland Philharmonia is presenting a concert on the 2nd of June called a night at the movies featuring well know movie scores presented in such a way as so that one can appreciate the music without those pesky images getting in the way.
This is a really good opportunity for everyone to see how orchestras work to create for the ear what images create for the eye.
programme includes:
Herrmann's North by Northwest Overture, Vertigo Prelude and Psycho Suite,
Various music from James Bond films
Schifrin's Mission Impossible
Rota's La Strada Suite
Williams' Harry Potter theme and music from the Star Wars trilogies.
As well as music from Gladiator and Spiderman.
It should be a great night.
Tickets from tiketek.
Andrew
The Auckland Philharmonia is presenting a concert on the 2nd of June called a night at the movies featuring well know movie scores presented in such a way as so that one can appreciate the music without those pesky images getting in the way.
This is a really good opportunity for everyone to see how orchestras work to create for the ear what images create for the eye.
programme includes:
Herrmann's North by Northwest Overture, Vertigo Prelude and Psycho Suite,
Various music from James Bond films
Schifrin's Mission Impossible
Rota's La Strada Suite
Williams' Harry Potter theme and music from the Star Wars trilogies.
As well as music from Gladiator and Spiderman.
It should be a great night.
Tickets from tiketek.
Andrew
Image Supremacy
In Wednesday's lecture when we watched the clip from American Graffiti, Nabeel was talking about how music had been worked into the film's diegesis and the short clip was talking about the concept of the world of music that was used to try and evoke the era etc. What struck me as interesting about these comments and past commentary I have read that mentioned the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound and music was how this showed the supremacy of the image in the world of film-based media.
Perhaps this only shows a bias within critical circles, however what I mean by this is that we never (or perhaps I have not come across it yet) refer to an image is being strictly diegetic or non-diegetic, and how it fits into the narrative, but only really for music and sound. It seems the way our visual culture and language in terms of story-telling is based primarily around the image in this sense - what we see is a basepoint from which what we hear can add to or alter this. We very rarely question how an image fits into the structure of a narrative because the image that we see forms the structure of the narrative, the basis of understanding, from which sound is a secondary functionary. The only common occurence that I can think of that strays from this image-based dominance is in the use of a montage (cue Team America music), where the music more consistently carries the story while the image changes.
Can images non-diegetic, or is it a symptom of our current visual language that prevents this from really being the case? At least this is true for mainstream filmmaking, perhaps avantgarde cinema more readily embraces the idea of letting music take a more dominant role than the image. Also this is a bit like the Tarantino idea of wrapping a narrative around a selection of songs or music and basing image upon this, although this occurs prior to the making of the film and does not in a storytelling sense allow the music to strictly dominate the narrative.
I was wondering if there are many ways in which image can be non-diegetic, allowing sound to primarily hold the narrative. Is it possible for an image to be diegetic?
Perhaps this only shows a bias within critical circles, however what I mean by this is that we never (or perhaps I have not come across it yet) refer to an image is being strictly diegetic or non-diegetic, and how it fits into the narrative, but only really for music and sound. It seems the way our visual culture and language in terms of story-telling is based primarily around the image in this sense - what we see is a basepoint from which what we hear can add to or alter this. We very rarely question how an image fits into the structure of a narrative because the image that we see forms the structure of the narrative, the basis of understanding, from which sound is a secondary functionary. The only common occurence that I can think of that strays from this image-based dominance is in the use of a montage (cue Team America music), where the music more consistently carries the story while the image changes.
Can images non-diegetic, or is it a symptom of our current visual language that prevents this from really being the case? At least this is true for mainstream filmmaking, perhaps avantgarde cinema more readily embraces the idea of letting music take a more dominant role than the image. Also this is a bit like the Tarantino idea of wrapping a narrative around a selection of songs or music and basing image upon this, although this occurs prior to the making of the film and does not in a storytelling sense allow the music to strictly dominate the narrative.
I was wondering if there are many ways in which image can be non-diegetic, allowing sound to primarily hold the narrative. Is it possible for an image to be diegetic?
Music and Directors
German director Wim Wenders once stated that music for film is one of the most important elements in the film making process, and he said that he devotes at least 50% of his efforts on getting the right music to go with the visuals. He's one of a few directors who uses music directly to inspire narrative and cinematography either before shooting begins or during the shoot, whereas many directors find the music in post-production or leave it to a composer to score. Many of the directors like Wenders have a real passion and understanding for music, and the power of the medium in relation to combining it with images. Whenever a Wender's film is going to be released, you just know that you'll get a great compilation of music on the soundtrack, like for example "Until the End of the World", "Wings of Desire", and "Faraway, So Close" where you'll find artists such as Tom Waits, Lou Reed, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, U2, David Byrne and many more great musicians. The success of his marriage of music and image comes from the way he uses the music to create mood and atmosphere, yet also convey the emotions of his characters in relation to their surroundings, usually in a stark and quite often foreign landscape. This might have to do with him being a German director who mostly works in America and other parts of the world.
I guess the main point here is that directors like Wim Wenders, David Lynch, and Jim Jarmusch in particular use and choose their music so carefully, making sure that the music or sounds used are appropriate to the visual. In a Lynch film, you'll find a wide variety of music used from different genres and time periods that are juxtaposed together to reflect the characters feelings or convey parts of their character in a setting. It's a highly intuitive process for Lynch, but he'll spend a lot of time making sure he gets it just right.
Having a love for all the elements of film making, and taking a holistic approach to the process really pays off. The films are not only an aural and visual feast, but the resulting soundtracks are infinitely more interesting and coherent than most of the disjointed compilation soundtracks on the market.
I guess the main point here is that directors like Wim Wenders, David Lynch, and Jim Jarmusch in particular use and choose their music so carefully, making sure that the music or sounds used are appropriate to the visual. In a Lynch film, you'll find a wide variety of music used from different genres and time periods that are juxtaposed together to reflect the characters feelings or convey parts of their character in a setting. It's a highly intuitive process for Lynch, but he'll spend a lot of time making sure he gets it just right.
Having a love for all the elements of film making, and taking a holistic approach to the process really pays off. The films are not only an aural and visual feast, but the resulting soundtracks are infinitely more interesting and coherent than most of the disjointed compilation soundtracks on the market.
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