The questions we asked the focus group:
What did you imagine for each verse? - bubbles, piano, close ups
What ideas do you have for the second verse? - parks, SRS, handheld camera
Do you like the use of handheld camera?
We're not sure on the next part, what do you guys think? - shrek intertextuality, nostalgia VCR, links to visual tea.
What do you think the song means?
How do you imagine their relationship?
(me and my partner worry laugh)
Do you like the use of computer games- social comment- capitalism- chucking money away?
Do you like the use of flashbacks?
Do you all prefer narrative music video for this music video?
Are you all hearing it negatively?
Do you like being an active audience and spotting social comment?
What representations would you like to see of female and male in music video?
Do you imagine black and white, colour or both?
Equal shots of the female and the male or more of a certain one?
What outfits do you imagine them wearing?
What ideas do you have for the second verse? - parks, SRS, handheld camera
Do you like the use of handheld camera?
We're not sure on the next part, what do you guys think? - shrek intertextuality, nostalgia VCR, links to visual tea.
What do you think the song means?
How do you imagine their relationship?
(me and my partner worry laugh)
Do you like the use of computer games- social comment- capitalism- chucking money away?
Do you like the use of flashbacks?
Do you all prefer narrative music video for this music video?
Are you all hearing it negatively?
Do you like being an active audience and spotting social comment?
What representations would you like to see of female and male in music video?
Do you imagine black and white, colour or both?
Equal shots of the female and the male or more of a certain one?
What outfits do you imagine them wearing?
Analysis of the results:
After asking questions to a small focus group of my peers, they all had a completely oppositional readings.
However, the target audience focus group heard the song differently, and understood it as the male being more interested than the female.The the man is completely head over heels in love with her while she is not interested.
This point of view is un stereotypical as in the media is a common representation that the woman is more interested than the male.
One member of the focus group suggested that we begin the music video with the introduction of the female love interest. Although the idea suggested was interesting, we decided that this idea does not fit the brief which asks us to launch a new star. It is more suitable for the first shot to introduce our star, Ben. After we suggested the idea of the star playing the piano the group appeared to respond positively to this idea especially because they recognised it was a piano dominated track.
A member of the group also suggested we include a montage of the memories he is singing about which is a very good idea and something that we had previously seen in the Taylor Swift music video 'White Horse'. It is useful to know that this would still be an effective editing technique which we will definitely use in our music video after a member of the group independently suggested it.
The group imagined hair flicking which we had previously imagined for the line 'you should never cut your hair, coz I love the way you flick it off your shoulder'
The group responded well to the hand held camera - and didn't seem to comment that the use of it was unprofessional. It was implied that this would make the music video more personal e.g it looks like he has filmed her and these would then be old tapes.
Intertextuality with Shrek - group responded well, seemed humorous.
'would you ever feel guilty if you did the same to me?' - this was a line that Rhiann and I were previously very confused about concerning the meaning. However the focus group suggested that this meant the relationship was 'very one sided'. Originally, we intended the reading of our music video to be a traditional happy love story. Both characters in the relationship would have a mutual love for each other and the narrative would centre around their unwavering happiness. However as Hall suggests audiences read and understand a text according to their cultural upbringing the focus group had an oppositional reading and seemed to think that the relationship was not a happy one. This narrative would be more compliant with Todorov's theory of the loss of equilibrium in a once happy relationship which is now an unstable one. We think that this alternative idea would make the narrative more interesting. One girl said that 'She is out all of the time' and that he is more in love with the girl than she is with him. Therefore we may include a theme of unfaithfulness in the narrative.
Computer games - capitalism comment - spending money - no real comment, perhaps this is too much of a mature concept for our younger target audience. I don't think a young audience particularly wants to be that much of an active consumer like Blumler and Katz suggest.
The focus group also suggested that we should include flash backs - I like this idea of memories which we will include in our music video.
The target audience had a negotiated reading of our idea of narrative throughout. They said they would like a narrative - entertainment but still maintaining an element of performance.
Heart pendant - One member suggested we use a beach location.
In the conclusion of the song the focus group suggested that the star has to eventually give up and let go of the relationship.
Representations - The focus group were appreciative that stereotypes of a boy girl relationship were broken.
The target audience said that they imagined some of the music video being black and white like we said therefore in terms of Morley's readings this reading was dominant. A black and white effect would be good to use on the memories.
They also suggested that we only see small glimpses of the female love interest - they would like to see more of the male.
After asking questions to a small focus group of my peers, they all had a completely oppositional readings.
They understood the relationship completely different to how we did. For example we had planned our narrative around the idea that the singer and his love interest were in a happy relationship.
However, the target audience focus group heard the song differently, and understood it as the male being more interested than the female.The the man is completely head over heels in love with her while she is not interested.
This point of view is un stereotypical as in the media is a common representation that the woman is more interested than the male.
One member of the focus group suggested that we begin the music video with the introduction of the female love interest. Although the idea suggested was interesting, we decided that this idea does not fit the brief which asks us to launch a new star. It is more suitable for the first shot to introduce our star, Ben. After we suggested the idea of the star playing the piano the group appeared to respond positively to this idea especially because they recognised it was a piano dominated track.
A member of the group also suggested we include a montage of the memories he is singing about which is a very good idea and something that we had previously seen in the Taylor Swift music video 'White Horse'. It is useful to know that this would still be an effective editing technique which we will definitely use in our music video after a member of the group independently suggested it.
The group imagined hair flicking which we had previously imagined for the line 'you should never cut your hair, coz I love the way you flick it off your shoulder'
The group responded well to the hand held camera - and didn't seem to comment that the use of it was unprofessional. It was implied that this would make the music video more personal e.g it looks like he has filmed her and these would then be old tapes.
Intertextuality with Shrek - group responded well, seemed humorous.
'would you ever feel guilty if you did the same to me?' - this was a line that Rhiann and I were previously very confused about concerning the meaning. However the focus group suggested that this meant the relationship was 'very one sided'. Originally, we intended the reading of our music video to be a traditional happy love story. Both characters in the relationship would have a mutual love for each other and the narrative would centre around their unwavering happiness. However as Hall suggests audiences read and understand a text according to their cultural upbringing the focus group had an oppositional reading and seemed to think that the relationship was not a happy one. This narrative would be more compliant with Todorov's theory of the loss of equilibrium in a once happy relationship which is now an unstable one. We think that this alternative idea would make the narrative more interesting. One girl said that 'She is out all of the time' and that he is more in love with the girl than she is with him. Therefore we may include a theme of unfaithfulness in the narrative.
Computer games - capitalism comment - spending money - no real comment, perhaps this is too much of a mature concept for our younger target audience. I don't think a young audience particularly wants to be that much of an active consumer like Blumler and Katz suggest.
The focus group also suggested that we should include flash backs - I like this idea of memories which we will include in our music video.
The target audience had a negotiated reading of our idea of narrative throughout. They said they would like a narrative - entertainment but still maintaining an element of performance.
Heart pendant - One member suggested we use a beach location.
In the conclusion of the song the focus group suggested that the star has to eventually give up and let go of the relationship.
Representations - The focus group were appreciative that stereotypes of a boy girl relationship were broken.
The target audience said that they imagined some of the music video being black and white like we said therefore in terms of Morley's readings this reading was dominant. A black and white effect would be good to use on the memories.
They also suggested that we only see small glimpses of the female love interest - they would like to see more of the male.
An outstanding piece of research here and i have seen how this has really helped you to improve your music video. Well done - you are really pursuing full marks with your research and planning.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it could still be further improved- Add into this Hall/ Morley. State where you got intended readings, negotiated readings and oppositional readings.
ReplyDeleteThis has been improved.
ReplyDelete