Write up of our 'Star Vehicle' Media Project

Write up of our 'Star Vehicle' Media Project - Rhys Wallett

https://doc-14-58-docs.googleusercontent.com/docs/securesc/km2tgmndftsaj5j1ikovgtjhl6j3r4jv/h2u1728671lidp088526ls9emnbqu7vc/1511805600000/02371770692509184141/02872537224512968273/1t5cThbO1Zrc6R70m8_J6hfTOrX8cxD45?e=download&nonce=5dgei1kvqmvb0&user=02872537224512968273&hash=otrqejp9e30iqspav0jb1gf7qvhioqtv

For our media project, we had to choose a music author and see how their music videos contributed to their brand image, the reason for certain inclusions and their effectiveness and how an audience will infer from these music videos and what opinions they will form. Our group decided to go with the pop/indie phenomenon Imagine Dragons as we felt that all their music videos were so abstract and different from each other respectively, there would be an abundance to say about each specifically. While we did produce a video explaining vaguely what occurs in their 3 music videos "On Top of The World", "It's Time" and "Thunder" and how this links to their brand image, this write-up allows a more critical look at these music videos to form a further advanced interpretation of these music videos.

If we start with the music video for their hit song "On Top of The World", which was released in their 2012 album Night Visions, in our video production we argued the following bullet points about the music video:

• Both narrative and thematic
• Satirical by exploiting American conspiracy
• Quirky yet humorous
• Shows dichotomy/ togetherness in community
• Binary opposites amongst star vehicles

For quick evidence, the first bullet point is proven as being narrative as it follows all four members of the band with a close up of each of them getting ready before leaving the house, a wide shot of all 4 walking on a zebra crossing on their way to the set and wide shots of them leaving the fake moon landing set. However it also proves to be thematic as later in the music video, we see a high angle shot of a crowd holding the fake astronauts in the air cheering. The second point can be argued is that they're using the conspiracy that the moon landing was fake to be the premise of their music video, and so this blatant mocking of the event proves they're being satirical of America. The third, quirk wise its shown by the extreme background of each 4 members, especially with Ben McKee where his opening close up shot has the mise en scene of wearing an ugly beige suit, flowery shirt and dark yellow tie, which together has pragmatics of abstractness, quirkiness and boldness, therefore his abstract costume adds quirk and humour to the music video. The fourth point is evident with the starting 4 close up's of the individual band members, with Dan being a successful businessman/ family man, Daniel being a hippie, Ben a pompous nerd and Daniel Platzman a cool motorbike rider, the four polar opposites of categories men can fit into. Yet how they all come together of the wide shot of all 4 of them in their astronaut gear walking down a corridor shows how they have all come together to form a sacred bond and this also provides the same evidence for point number 5.

For their brand image, "On Top of The World" allows their brand image to be quirky, funny and innovative while calling out hushed topics as this is shown by the polar opposite and the oddity of all 4 respective band members, the scene of a child which the mise en scene shows him wearing a tin foil hat allows a comedic aspect to be in the music video and the decision to exploit the Fake moon landing conspiracy shows they're confident enough to poke fun at America for their profit and cheeky persona.

However, when we look at their other music video "It's Time" from their album Night Visions, we get completely different decisions for their brand image due to its complete difference to "On Top of The World." In our video production, we stated that "It's Time" was:

• Juxtaposition between audio and visual (Video is gloomy, song is happy)
• Thematic (And also performance) music video
• Close up's, wide and mid shots used
• Use of mono to give bleak pragmatics

The first point can be argued as to how the mise en scene of the background is black and white and cloudy, plus with the fact they are in a desolate area, has connotations of sombreness, isolation and melancholy. However, the beat of the diegetic music is quite upbeat and happy, creating a discern between the happy and gloomy parts of the video. The second point can be argued as to how it is a tie of performance and thematic as there is no real narrative to them walking in a desert, however when they bust out into song, it allows it to have a performance aspect and the Visual in the background such as the clouds opening at the end of the music video allow it to be thematic. Point three can be proven by a) the close-up shot of Dan holding the glowing rock, b) the wide shot of the 4 band members walking westwards on a hill and c) the mid shot of Dan singing to the tune. And 4 is self-explanatory, as the music video is in black and white, this allows the connotations of gloominess and bleakness to show as black and white have pragmatics of sombreness.

Brand image-wise, I feel that this music video allows them to have a more philosophical and aspiring look shown in "On Top of The World" as the walking in a field for a form of redemption allows them to have the 'troubled past' persona many band artists use to sell their product (eg: Emilie Autumn) which allows feelings of sympathy and thought to be had for the audience, allowing the said audience to think of Imagine Dragon's as aspirers and troubled.

Finally, when looking at their music video for "Thunder" from their most recent album Evolve, we can get further and still stranger points to back up their complex brand image. In our video production we argued that "Thunder" was:

• Could show the abstractness in urban life
• Mono except for the album's cover (Advertising album)
• Copied "Lady Gaga's" type of music video

The evidence for the first point is how the background for the music video "Thunder" is set in an urban layout, and the decision to have a lot of alienated characters acting strangely in the city could show the 'aliens' living in the city as if living in the city is almost macabre. The second is again straight up, the music video is black and white except for 3 bolts of colour (Yellow, Cyan, Light Blue) which are the prime colours for their front image for their album Evolve and is, in fact, intertextuality to their other music video"Believer" also in Evolve where those same 3 colours are the primary background within, which a true Imagine Dragon's fan would be able to spot. And the last point can be argued given how Lady Gaga's music videos are generally abstract and disturbing in a good way, with the same idea being used herein "thunder" with having supernatural humans performing in the empty streets of a city.

When looking at what this adds to their brand image, an audience would be able to identify them as quirky and fun similar to their primary brand image in "On Top of The World" as the innocent yet confusing aliens who contort and dance throughout the city allow us to feel honoured by the bizarre of the situation, portraying them as abstract and creative as a band.

In conclusion, based on a critical look at these 3 music videos, Imagine Dragon's have gone for the likable approach in their music videos, with the abstractness, complex emotion and satire woven in them respectively to allow an audience to look at them more like "music and millennial icons" than intense and gritty, allowing this sympathy to be a catalyst for the said audience's to purchase their album's.