Mood Board

Genre Case Study

Genre

The genre of indie folk tends to refer to music produced independently and features melodic verses and 'laid-back' choruses. Indie folk - and its sub-genres - can be identified by its noticeable hybrid of traditional folk music and instruments with more contemporary sounds. While our chosen song contains some elements of indie-pop, it can be best categorised with indie folk among artists such as Ben Howard, Damien Rice and Beth Orton.

Many music videos within the indie folk genre are performance videos, featuring the artist singing to the camera (and may be playing an instrument - usually a guitar). To make our video as conventional as possible, we will likely try to follow these typical features. This is important because, according to Christine Gledhill, 'Genres permit the creation and maintenance of a loyal audience which becomes used to seeing programmes within a genre'. This means that straying too far from convention would be unpopular amongst the indie-folk fanbase.

All genres within the music industry - not just indie folk - use shared characteristics. Gledhill claims that this is so that audiences "can rely on [them] already having knowledge and expectations about the works within a genre." This is achieved through grouping similar sounds and music cultures together so that people can identify more easily with groups and music they like.

This concept links into the creation of music videos as well as the music itself. Because our song is in the indie folk genre, our video will not use characteristics such as satanic imagery and strobe lighting which is commonly found in music videos for death metal (and some other sub-genres of metal and hard rock). As seen in the screenshots above, all from different music videos in the indie folk genre, a convention of indie folk is close-up shots of the artist performing their music. This is a decision made to increase the recognition of the artist so that audiences can better identify them with their music.

However, this does not mean that our music video has to strictly stick to convention. As stated by Nicholas Abercrombie, “The boundaries between genres are shifting and becoming more permeable”. This means that, unlike the past where conventions within music would not mix with contrasting genres, we are becoming more accepting of the merging of different genres and sub genres. For example, in our music video we could use elements of concept imagery which is a convention of experimental/electronic music mixed with the narrative and performance aspects of indie folk.

Music Video Recreation

Music Video Inspirations

These are a range of music videos from other artists within the same genre as our chosen song. Looking at conventions of a music genre through pre-existing videos should help us to better plan and direct our own music video.

A noticeable convention in the music videos I have found is that there is a focus on one 'character', who is portrayed by the singer.

The artist in each of the videos has frequent shots in which they lip sync to the camera; thereby forming a more personal connection between the audience and the music.

There is also a small focus on instruments in two of the videos ('Shine' and 'Only Love'); usually including a brief shot of the artist holding or playing a guitar, or an instrument in the background of the video.

Another convention within these music videos is the frequent movement of characters to transition between shots. For example, in the video for 'Stolen Car', the singer is shown to be continuously and fluidly moving between shots. This is the same for 'This Is The Life', 'Only Love' and 'Shine' where the camera mostly follows a single person as they move between scenes.

Annotated Song Lyrics

These are the lyrics to 'Kings' by Samuel Ford; our choice of music video song. Knowing the lyrics is important because it will allow us to more accurately draw links between the visuals in our video and the music and lyrics of the song.

Kings

Hold your tongue,

don’t let your fear become

a call for your pardon,

a call for your sins.

From this first verse, the lyrics tell us that the subject of the song has done something to hurt the narrator, and so we can convey from the song is about a broken relationship.

Take your time,

there’s no need to hide your crimes

from all that surrounds you.

So live like we ought to,

live like we’re born to,

live like we're all of us kings,

together we'll learn,

to grow when we're broken,

grow as we’re open,

grow with the age of defeat,

together we’ll learn.

Together we’ll learn to lose,

and we’ll love.

The chorus mentions learning and breaking, which implies that the relationship can be repaired. The chorus' music is also more upbeat, a contrast to the slow and quite melancholy verses.

Break your glass,

it's too soon to cloud the path,

of hope it is waiting.

So live like we ought to,

live like we’re born to,

live like we're all of us kings,

together we'll learn,

to grow when we’re broken,

grow as we’re open,

grow with the age of defeat,

together we’ll learn.

Together we’ll learn to lose

and we’ll love.

(Instrumental)

Hold your tongue,

don’t let your fear become

a call for your pardon,

a call for your pardon.

The first verse repeats, this time more monophonic, representing a resolution to the song. The change in tone also represents the change in the meaning of the lyrics. Whereas previously they portrayed mistakes and regret in a relationship, now they represent forgiveness.

After analysing the lyrics, we decided to opt for a plot about a broken relationship, and the lengths the affected parties go to to rebuild it.

Music Video Song Confirmation

When our group decided on the song we wanted to use, we contacted the artist.

Music Video Song Choice