Planning Artist Representation

Planning Artist Representation

Artist representation is essential within a music video because it helps the audience when wanting to watch a music video whether this is something they would like and enjoy as if they see an artist which is conventional the music videos that they usually enjoy, this might entice them into watching our music video based on the representation of the artist, before even hearing the music the artist has to offer. In addition to this, artist representation is important as it also sets the scene for the music video. It would be diverse and uninteresting for the audience to watch a music video if the artist was represented differently to how they would be in a conventional music video as this may be hard for the audience to understand so may make them disinterested in the entire video. Furthermore, if the artist representation is clear, this can also help to bring across connotations of the artist which may help the audience to build a relationship with the artist as they are able to understand the story line and the emotions of the artist more clearly. 

Throughout the entire music video the artist will keep changing the look she is wearing depending on the part of the narrative and the location in which the particular shot is being filmed. One look which will be included in our music video is an "everyday look" which mainly used with the narrative to show the artist when she was younger and of her reminiscing on happier times with her friends and surroundings in which she enjoyed. This look will include an outfit that is simple, which could possibly include jeans, a lightly coloured, preferably white top. The colours used within the outfit that we have chosen have connotations of vulnerability as white suggests purity and innocence. This will make the audience sympathise for the artist as they feel sorry for her as she is seen to be vulnerable and this is what was set up for her with the path that she decided to take. However, this is a conventional aspect of a soul music video which may help to engage the audience further. Aside from this connotation, the colour white also has connotations of positivity which further helps to portray and explain the narrative to the audience as this again highlights the fact that this is when the artist was happier. With minimal makeup and straightened hair which is down, which again helps to show the age group of the artist at this particular time to help the audience understand the narrative more clearly. This simple look could remind the audience what the artist was like before fame and reiterates the happy memories she had. This is already engaging for the audience to watch as they will be able to relate to the casual clothing as this is something the audience will wear on a daily basis. Additionally to this, the outfit choice will be useful to the audience as this will help them to understand the narrative more and allow them to differentiate between the different stages which the artist is at and is trying to show through the music video.

Another look in which the artist will be seen in is a different style when she is performing on the stage, in this scene she will be wearing a dress, heels with glamorous hair and makeup. The main reason for this look is to provide a clear change in narrative for the audience so that this is easier and clearer for them to understand. This look that we will use for our artist is conventional to the soul genre because it shows them as glamorous which they are normally perceived to be in this genre of music video when they are performing most typically.  Furthermore, this is also is conventional to the genre as it helps to portray them as talented to the audience as most famous stars are usually glamourised before performances and shows that they take on. Furthermore, the red used on the artists lipstick could infer the love side of the genre, which is conventional as many soul genre artists include this topic. The artist carrying off this glamorous persona represents her as wanting to mask and hide their insecurities which could also be what their lyrics are about. This helps the artist and audience to build a relationship because they can see her hiding her true emotions and this is relatable for many of the target audience as they may have had to hide their emotions before and are able to sympathise for the artist. The black high neck dress will also be worn by the artist when she is performing on stage. The high neckline could represent how the artist is feeling as she may feel suffocated in the situation she is in as she feels trapped in her own feelings and as though she cannot escape this feeling. The dress is also dark and black which has connotations of death and depression; this could represent the death of her previous life when she was happy, and how helps to illustrate to the audience how unhappy she is now. This will make the audience sympathise for the artist as throughout the use of close up shots used in this particular seen this will help to convey the emotion that she is showing. The audience will be able to relate to her more and feel as though she is down to earth as she is showing her raw and inner emotions. Furthermore, the black, high heels that will be paired with this outfit help to show the instability that the artist is feeling and portrays as the audience can infer that she needs somebody or something to hold her up. This could represent and the audience could infer the artist as weak as she needs additional help, and this could be due to her fragile state and emotions which have occurred due to the subjects and topics her lyrics are about.

The final look which will incorporate into our soul music video is quite a plain and simple look as the artist will be dressed in all black. This includes a black top, skirt, tights and pumps. This look will mainly feature during the scenes of when she is performing the song on the piano. The colour black again could represent the feelings and emotion of the artist and the depressive state in which she is situated in currently as she feels so lonely which is conventional of the soul genre for the artist to be dressed in dark clothing as it helps to represent the emotion of the artist to the audience more clearly without them having to much difficulty understanding this. Additionally, the artist here is represented as emotionless, due to the connotations of the colour which she is wearing. Showing she had no feeling or emotion to that particular period of her life which she is singing about which relates to the lyrics of the song which she is singing. The audience will be able to relate to her more and feel as though she is down to earth as she is showing her raw and inner emotions. The black outfit contrasts with the white keys which are on the keyboard. The white represents positivity and the black represents negativity. This could help represent to the audience that the past is still impacting the artists present as she still thinks and reminisces about it as she has now found fame and is not happy with this choice. In contrast to the previous point of the artist wearing high heels the artist is now wearing flat pumps. This could also infer her to the audience clearly. She is lower than she would be in a higher form of shoe, which could show her vulnerability and powerless state. The audience may sympathise for the artist as they have been in this position before and understand how low she is feeling.

The target audience will be able to build a relationship with the artist in our music video through the image that we have created for her which helps to show her personality and emotions clearly, this can be seen through the use of dark colours such as black and the details in the clothing which could refer to the highness of the shoe to colours of the artists makeup. The representations of the artist which we have used are conventional to the soul genre which will help the audience and artist to build a relationship as they will be engaged in the video as we have researched that this is what the audience expect, and enjoy to see in this particular genre of music video. This style of representation may be more interesting for the audience to watch as this helps to show the genre more clearly and helps them to grasp the understanding. However, they may not enjoy a pop music video as the representation of the artist in the particular video does not have much to do with helping to tell a narrative and does not make it clear for the audience. The audience is able to build a relationship with the artist also because she is shown to be both ordinary and extraordinary which relates to Dyers theory. This is because the video helps to show her lifestyle before fame, and shows her lifestyle now when she is famous. This helps the audience to relate to the artist as they could achieve this also. Planning ahead the representation of our artist will hopefully help to create a successful music video. This is because it has enabled us to think of certain connotations which the audience will enjoy as this is what they are expecting and would like to see within this genre music video. We have had time to think carefully around connotations and which may help to represent the artist in which the way we would like, and how the representation will help the audience to understand the narrative more clearly.