Music video essay.

For my essay i will be talking about Spike Jonze. Spike Jonze is an American director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He's work includes music videos, commercials, films and television. His first ever music video was "High in High School." The three videos i will be talking about are, Weapon of choice (fatboy slim) Sabotage (Beastie boys) and Buddy Holly (weezer)

In Weapon of choice the theme is humours and funny. It shows the idea of a ordinary person doing something completely extraordinary. For example Christopher Walken is playing a businessman who upon hearing the tune of the music start to move his head and then suddenly stands up and starts to dance. The camera use in this video uses a lot of long range shots and tracking shots, to capture the dance sequence. The lighting is bright in some areas however in others it is darker. This gives it a more mundane feel to it. The editing is slow, this gives us time to take in what is happening and analyse to video. Is also makes it seem neat and almost as if it was in one take.

This music video conceptual as it doesn't tell as story or have any images of the band performing.

In Buddy Holly music video by Weezer the theme is cheerful and playful giving a happy feel to the video very much like what he did in weapon of choice. The band is playing in an American dinner that is mostly full of teenage boys and girls. This gives a party like feel to the music video also. The cinematography used a lot of close up shots unlike weapon of choice. This used more long range tracking shots. The colours used were dim but bright to give off an American 80's dinner look and feel. The colours where bright however this helped add a friendly and happy feel to the clip. Like he did in weapon of choice he used a lot of artificial lighting to capture the idea of an 80's look and feel. The editing for this music video was very complicated. It was a slow cut giving you time to get into the mood of the video. However, the band were actually filmed in a different stage at first and the editors of the music video took clips and scenes from the tv show ‘Happy days’ and cut the band into it. It is cut so well though, that you would not notice it and for someone who has never seen happy days, it would seem like just another normal music video.

This music video is Coneptional, performance based and narrative.  As it has a dance competition and is a early version of a concert. It has the band shown to be performing and the story told is that of a American party set in the 80’s at a dinner.

The last Video is Sabotage by the beastie boys.  The theme is conical as well as happy and energetic. Very much like Buddy Holly. It s set in a 80’s American cop show like professionals, or saint. The band are dressed as three police officers who drive around stopping crime.  Like in Buddy Holly it uses lots of close up shots. Unlike the other two music videos, the lighting was natural lighting based on the time of day and the weather, a small amount of artificial lighting was used however to tweak it up a bit, or when they were in the interrogation room. This adds to the colours, because it was shot in daytime in natural environments the colours was grey and dull, unlike the clothing the three band members were wearing which was bright making them stand out more. However these factures gave the music video a better feel and it looked as if it was a trailer in fact, for an American cop show.  The editing was very quick and upbeat. Again unlike the other two videos. It did however keep in time and match with the music and song it was shot for.

The purpose of these music videos is to give entertainment. There is no notion of looking in any of them. Non of them are disturbing or dark, they are all bright at some point, and all give off a happy feel. Also I think they show that Spike Jonze has a very good imagination and show he is a creative person.

The target audience for each of the videos differs. Weapon of choice is aimed more towards adults I think as it stars Christopher Walken who many younger people may not of heard of. Also the setting suggests that it is not aimed at children or teenagers as it is set in what looks to be a hotel.

The Buddy Holly music videos is aimed at the older generations who were around to see Happy days, and teenagers. What suggests this is where it is set, and who the main participants in the video are. The dinner is filled with young men and women dancing together and having a nice time. But the setting suggests it is also aimed at the older generations who would of watched Happy Days while growing up.

In the Sabotage video the target audience are adults and elderly people who like American or British cop shows. This is suggested because of the way the lighting and clothing is set and designed.

Spike Jonze seems to make bright and happy videos. The videos give a sense of joy and funniness in some cases. They also have a sense of entertainment as well. I think they promote the band very well as in two video’s the band are acting along with everyone else. This makes will give the band more viewers. However the weapon of choice video doesn’t promote the band as such as it isn’t really a band, they use more technology and media to make their music. I think all of the video’s suit the music tracks that they are shot for and matched with. All in all I think the three music video’s I have chosen are good and fit perfectly.