Media Forms
How is it a typical of a music video?
The Ill Manors music video contains many of the conventions of a typical music video. One convention that is evident in this music video is the use of fast paced editing, this is shown through out the video, it gets the audience to feel like they are more involved in the film. The use of fast paced editing with the shots that are shown create a sense of personal identification (Uses and Gratifications Theory Blumler and Katz) with the music videos core target audience.
Another convention that is constantly seen through out the music video is the use of narration from Plan B (Ben Drew). This is effective as it focuses the audience to pay attention to how everything being shown in the clip refers to his past or what has been going on around him. Furthermore the fact that Plan B is contradicting his ideals in his music it gets the audience to wonder if he truly means what he is saying. This is evident in the way Plan B says, " Truth is here, we're all disturbed. We cheat and lie its all absurd. Feed the fear that's what we've learned. Fuel the fire, let it burn" From the lyrics above we can see that Ben Drew is saying that these youths that are being portrayed in the clip had turned into this because of how the public have been ignoring them and treating them like they should be feared.
Finally, another key convention shown in the music video is the use of equilibrium and disequilibrium (Vladamir Tododrov). This is evident in the way the start of the music video was of Plan B pretending to play the violin with buildings having black smoke coming out of some of the buildings. Then as the beat dropped it started to show children and teens wearing hoods and smoking. Firstly the use of having Plan B standing over a "Broken Britain" could enhance how he is trying to state that If people do not take these youths into consideration then it will be these youths that find ways to cause havoc just to gain attention. Furthermore in the music video their is a shot of Plan B telling the camera man to follow him as well as him pointing at what is happening in a way that gets the audience to ask why is the news not making these youths look like victims instead of the real enemy.
Media Representations
How does it represent the London Riots/Rioters
Axiomatically, from a Prefered reading (Stuart Hall) the London riots and rioters are being made to look like they these youths were the ones to blame. This is evident in the way that these youths are causing havoc and are taking the governments "generosity" for granted. A key part of the the music video that stood out to me was how their was a shot of David Cameron standing on a podium throwing money at youths after closing their youth center down and these youths were saying how they were going to attack people because there is free health care. Furthermore, the shots of youths wearing hooded jumpers and committing crime all reinforce the dominant stereotype of youths being criminals. This could be a way of Plan B trying to show the audience how they turn into these "hood rats" "scum" or" scoundrels".
On the other hand, if we were to look at this music video from the oppositional reading (Stuart Hall) then we would say that these youth have turned into this because of how the news are trying demonise these youths. This is evident in the way their was a newspaper article with the heading saying "Council Estate kids scum of the earth". This is suggesting that society has completely given up on youths and is placing, no branding, these youths as being dangerous and being criminals. Furthermore their is evidence in this Ill Manors music video that the riots were bound to happen it just depended on when it was going to happen. This is evident in the way David Cameron was closing down youth centers and building blocks in the local area making London look less aesthetically pleasing then it use to be.
Finally, if we look at the negotiated reading(Stuart Hall) we can see that the London riots and rioters had two culprits as to why they happened. Firstly we can see that one of the main problems were the youths that were involved in the riots, the second cause to why the riots occured was the government and our prime minister David Cameron. In general the London Riots represented London as being corrupt and about to break down this was evident in the way police forces were using the riots to assault civilians who they deemed to find "Hostile". This also represented the rioters as being the victims as well as the perpetrators.
Media Audience
What Audience pleasures does it offer?
Firstly, we can see that the music video is taking the two step flow theory into consideration as it is suggesting that the audience are not passive and have control over what media they choose to consume. However, throughout the course of the music video we can see that Plan B is discreetly using the newspaper articles that demonis these children as a way of saying "listen to our side of the story as well".
Secondly it also gives the audience a sense of pride as they get to feel the hype of the riots as they, youths, could have been apart of the riots. It also gives them pleasure as they may not have been involved in the crimes that were committed yet wanted to feel the hype that was going on about it or just that they wanted to be apart of the riots because of what the government had done to them. In terms of uses and gratifications theory this would relate to personal identification as it suggests that the audience are relating to what is being shown on the screen or what is being shown in the shots.
Finally, we can see that Plan B is also trying to use this music video as a way of surveillance (Blumlar and Katz) for the people who do not usually pay attention to the alternative representation of Britain. Furthermore, we can see that Plan B uses this Ill Manors music video as surveillance as he practically takes you on a safari around the parts of Britain that are not being shown on the media.
Media Institution
How does the Music Video help to promote the film?
The Ill Manors music video helps promote the film as it is narrated by Plan B. This is unique and is hardly done in music videos because most videos are done to entertain the audience. Although this music video does have a sense of entertainment it is mostly done to promote Ill Manors as well as to expose what is happening in Britain. Furthermore, this music video promotes as it shows the location of where the Ill Manors Film was shot.
Also the Ill Manors music video shows synergy with the the Ill Manors film as it shows characters from the film in the clip. This is effective as it creates a sort of background story to why the characters turned out how they did. Furthermore, the title of the music video is the title of the film so this instantly promotes the film. In the music video the title of the film is partially mentioned so tells the audience it is about what happens in society where kids are disadvantaged.
Ill Manors Soundtrack Research Task
The production Companies involved are:
- Microwave
- Film London
- BBC Films
- Aimimage Productions
- Gunslinger (co-production)
- Head Gear Films (in association with)
- Ill Manors
- Metrol Technology (in association with)
The Distributors involved are:
- Revolver Entertainment (2012) (UK) (theatrical)
- Revolver Entertainment (2012) (Ireland) (theatrical)
- Benelux Film Distributors (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- DistriB Films (2013) (France) (theatrical)
- Benelux Film Distributors (BFD) Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Benelux Film Distributors (BFD) Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Berkshire Axis Media (2012) (Canada) (all media)
- Film1 (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
- Koch Media (2014) (Germany) (DVD)
- Koch Media (2014) (Germany) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Mozinet (2013) (Hungary) (all media)
- Multiple Media Entertainment (2014) (Canada) (all media)
- Pinnacle Films (2013) (Australia) (DVD)
- Revolver Entertainment (2012) (UK) (DVD)
- Revolver Entertainment (2012) (UK) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Revolver Entertainment (2012) (UK) (video) (Video on Demand)
- Synergy Cinema (2012) (France) (all media)
- The Ill Manors album was made free to download online
- The Ill Manors album received a mixture of negative and positive reviews.
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