Feedback #1

Guys - great start, but take out anything that is cut and pasted from another website. Instead, include a link to the relevant webpage and SUMMARISE any key points, just in bullet points

(Appendix 4)

Autechre - Second Bad Vibel(Chris Cunningham)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hgNwfMoyNs0

I chose to analyze this video because it was the first video Chris Cunningham ever directed.

From the start we can see how it conforms to his distorted style of representation within music videos, the band are not present in any of the shots and we are shown a Montague of images which set up the video's narrative, an alien is shown to be trapped within a dark room, and then a series of flashing images are portrayed to us which create an ambient feel to the video and the contrasts of dark hallways and warehouses very much conflict with the luminous bright colour occasionally shown.

This video obviously has no major narrative and lacks some of the ideas and creativeness of Chris' later video's however because of its changed narrative and uninstructed feel it sets it apart from videos of the time because it is something different. As the video continues we see a robot in a white room appear and we are shown some weird mechanical machinery this however conforms and connects with the techno style of music that is being played throughout so therefore the video does not completely disagree with the music they do have some relation to each other, although the style of video is disjuncture because it shows no real link to the song, and the alien and robot create a whole new set of meaning which are viewed to show the videos difference and originality.

The Montague editing we see in the video very much reinforce its disjunctive purpose, with hundreds of images being shown to the viewer some so fast it is impossible to determine there meaning, this again shows the contemporary style of the video and how it is set apart form the rest. This video is very successful because it was made on such a low budget because of its little special effects and basic images are just being strung together therefore it is something very simple which intrigues the audience, also its use of the images following the beat as well as cuts matching the beats make it a very good video to watch because it creates a key rhythm.

The mise-en-scene of the video is very hard to describe, but the main focus is the alien and the robot within these separate rooms a contrast is shown through lighting when the alien is shown in darkness and the robot to be in a bright white room, and the almost electrical images and lights shown between the robot and the alien show how the images are changing to match the beat of the song, although the video may not have a particular meaning the flashing images and bright and dark colours of lighting really reinforce the electro style of the music.

I wouldn't say many visual techniques are used within the video it seems just to be a Montague of images and short clips, however bright light is used between cuts to signify the change from dark to light and also to match the beat of the music. I would definitely says that this video is post modern because no shots of the band are shown within the video and the bizarre images and clips show no specific meaning or purpose, it reinforces the postmodern style because it breaks the conventions of music videos and clearly shows its differentiation from anything else.

For me the reason the band has no meantion within the video or its distorted narrative is because of the contemporaneous of the video it acts as a real eye opener and will help publicize the band even though they are not mentioned, which is something Chris Cunningham does in allot of his videos, he takes out the technical elements to create something gripping, therefore the video can serve as a subsidiary media text by being outrageous and different is what will help propel the band. Within the video the view of technology/science and other life upon earth is represented through its images, this ideological discourse shows a dark side to the ever changing reality of the world the electro music and mono-tone beat help to make out the future as something almost to fear, and the conflicts between machine and alien within the video to me portray a feeling that not all technology is good. The green wash of the alien shows an inter textual reference to some sci-fi texts, e.g. The Matrix, and the alien clearly is represented as how we depict aliens to look like, with a thin body and large head.

(Appendix 3)

Chris Cunningham Research.
Chris Cunningham started out in the Early 90's in the art departments of major motion pictures, designing robots and creatures for the film Judge Dredd, in 1995 he worked with Stanley Kubrick at this time he directed his first music video, Autechre's Second Bad Vilbel. after this he followed to make a series of videos with alternative English rock bands. He finally made a name for himself in 1997 when he created and directed and abstract video Come to Daddy.

In 2000 Cunningham directed two short films for the Anthony D'Offay gallery titled Flex and Monkey Drummer. This showed a very modern and hyper-realistic take on the world, again setting Cunningham apart with his abstract and distorted style of directing. He again in 2005 showed his disturbing view when he released and six minute showed video titled Rubber Johnny.

Chris' work portrays a grotesque yet beautifully imaginative look towards music videos and he has created a unique reputation for himself in contemporary moving image art. In his music clips and recent video installations, shape-shifting forms inhabit distorted, nightmarish landscapes that exist at the meeting point between the realms of the organic and the technological. Cunningham seems to enjoy creating haunting narratives which can be seen in Come to Daddy and 'Windowlicker' for Aphex Twin. Cunningham possesses an ability to intrigue yet repulse his viewers with his dark and identifiable locations not forgetting his elaborate creations.

Come To Daddy, Aphex Twin:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5Az_7U0-cK0

This music video was one of Chris' most breakthrough and abstract creations, and really made his name as an auteur. The song is probably Aphex Twin's most known song because of the video, set on the same council estate where Stanley Kubrick shot A Clockwork Orange, much of the original location is now gone having been knocked down.

From the start the video is very contemporary by showing an old women to be walking through a grimy industrial estate with her dog, a poltergeist is born from a TV on the ground a accompanied by a set of young children all with Aphex Twins Richard D. James head, wreak havoc on the estate, and it has social reference to 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' when the poltergeist gathers the children around him. A very well received video due to its outragousness, and was voted 17th greatest video of all time by Q magazine.

Rubber Johnny, Chris Cunningham:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3far9oHZOsI

This was a six-minute short video directed by Chris in 2005, he again used Aphex Twin, who he has regularly worked with to compose the music. The video starts with a doctor trying to communicate with the character Johnny, it seems to be very delusional and strange like much of Chris' work, it progresses to Johnny freaking out and being given a sedative injection, then we appear to be drawn into his mind as the scene cuts using a fluorescent light. Then Johnny's chihuahua is shown drinking in front of the camera which clearly has no link to the video what so ever it is merely just a scene for the music to start as Johnny mutter "Aphex", he then breaks into dance in his wheelchair ans the music begins. This conforms to Chris' very artistic style and how he likes to included weird and wonderful dancing in some of his videos. The video cleverly shows the links between delusion and reality, when his dad enters this delusion is broken. After his father leaves, Johnny is seen inhaling a large line of white powder.

The video then becomes even more erratic and delusional. The white powder effects not just Johhny but the whole world of the video, and the music now follows the narrative and links to the erratic style and becomes a spasmodic remix of the original beat. This very is a great example of how Chris Cunningham has developed as a directed and although it conforms to the music conventions a little more than the rest of his work it is still eye catching and very trippy. With the majority being shot using night vision it gives the video a very eerie feel and illuminates the characters eyes.

Chris' Work:

"Mental Wealth" (1994) commercial for PlayStation
"Second Bad Vilbel" (1996) video for Autechre
"Back With The Killer Again" (1996) video for The Auteurs
"Light Aircraft on Fire" (1996) video for The Auteurs
"36 Degrees" (1996) video for Placebo
"The Next Big Thing" (1997) video for Jesus Jones
"Come To Daddy" (1997) video for Aphex Twin
"Only You" (1998) video for Portishead
"Frozen" (1998) video for Madonna
"Come On My Selector" (1998) video for Squarepusher
"All Is Full of Love" (1999) video for Björk
"Windowlicker" (1999) video for Aphex Twin
"Afrika Shox" (1999) video for Leftfield and Afrika Bambaataa
"Flex" (2000), using sounds created by Aphex Twin
"Monkey Drummer" (2001), using "Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michaels mount" from Aphex Twin's album Drukqs
"Rubber Johnny" (2005), using "Afx237 V7" from Aphex Twin's album Drukqs
"Sheena Is A Parasite" (2006), video for The Horrors

Music Video Analysis - Massive Attack - Teardrop (Director; Walter A. Stern) (Appendix 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6iUBd2D38E

This video is a clear example of an auteur's amplification of a track. This video adds another layer of meaning to the lyrics already in place. The use of CGI and models of the foetus in this post-modern disjunctured music video, added a whole new set of meanings for me as a viewer. When i had previously heard this song, the idea of a foetus did not enter my mind. Having two relative visual viewer inferences; amplification ( the surreal humour could be inferred via the 'speaking' foetus within what appears to be a computer generated womb) and disjuncture; as I previously mentioned, there is no indication via the songs lyrics of a baby, a foetus or anything within this video.

The beginning of this video depicts a journey along an umbilical cord leading to a motionless foetus. This is shown via closeups and blurred to focussed shots of various parts of the body, e.g the feet and seemingly peaceful face. After a minute of the song, and the set in of the lyrics, the foetus' lips mimes the last word of the first verse. 'Breath' is seen via a closeup on the foetus' face.

This video can be interpreted in many ways, via preferred reading etc. However I understand the video to be a mother singing to her unborn child. The song, possibly being familiar to the foetus, attracts it's attention and evokes a reaction. (Opening of the eyes, the humorous and seemingly impossibly singing along of the words). The close-ups onto the foetus' face and lips can be considered the meat! of this video. However not being a pop song, the voice may not be seen as the essential part of the song by the artists. Yet in this case, the focal point is still the unborn baby's lips whilst appearing to sing along.

The video could also be noted as having it's own meta-narrative, with the foetus progressively gaining more movement, opening it's eyes as the song progresses. Also the foetus seems to have hair towards the end, whilst it does not or it cannot be seen at the start of the song.

The pace of the video is added to via a visual contrast. It too is slow paced, and the pitch of the singer's voice is anchored by the video's dull lighting combined with bursts of fragmented light onto the foetus' body.

There are a number of point of view shots which could be noted as filler shots. As there is not a great deal to be seen within a womb. The cuts are also represented via the music. These are suggested by Steve Archer' technical aspects of a music video, as was the meat i mentioned previously. Cuts to ECU's (extreme close ups) of the lips in sync with the music anchor this theory.

When it comes to lighting and colour within this video. It is very basic. The lighting is very dull, obviously adding to the verisimilitude of the video as it isn't going to be sunny inside a womb. However, light passes through or radiates into the womb, at which points the singer uses a higher pitch and tone in her voice.

Mise-en-scene in teardrop is at a low. However it is clear to see that verisimilitude was taken quite seriously in this video, as there are various human tissue and other such things floating around in what has to be amniotic fluid. However, for such a developed baby (be able to open it's eyes, move its limbs and discern light, i have researched it to be around the ninth months) so for a foetus to have that much room inside the womb is completely unreal and takes away from a verisimilitude perspective.

The womb is most probably constructed via CGI, so the foetus' P.O.V shots and shots of the Foetus look exceptional and it makes for a superb disjunctured music video.

Spike Jonze Research : Auteur Director! (Appendix 1)

Spike Jonze was born Adam Spiegel October 22, 1969. He is an American director of music videos and commercials, and an Academy Award-nominated director and producer in film and television, most notably the 1999 film Being John Malkovich and the 2002 film Adaptation., both written by Charlie Kaufman. He is also credited as a co-creator of MTV's Jackass.

In 2006, he was nominated by the Directors Guild of America for "Outstanding Achievement in Commercials in 2005." He was nominated for a body of work that included "Hello Tomorrow" for Adidas, "Penguin" for Miller Beer, and "Pardon Our Dust" for The Gap. He was a producer and co-creator of MTV television series Jackass and Jackass: The Movie, also directing some of the segments. Jonze has acted in some videos and films; his most prominent role was in Three Kings as the sweet, dimwitted, casually racist Conrad, in which he was directed by friend David O. Russell.
Jonze was also a co-founder and editor of Dirt magazine along with Mark Lewman and Andy Jenkins, as well as an editor for Grand Royal Magazine and senior photographer for Transworld Skateboarding. In the past, Jonze shot skateboard videos, most notably Blind skateboard company's Video Days in 1991. He also co-directed the Girl Skateboards film Yeah Right! and the Chocolate Skateboards video Hot Chocolate. In the closing credits montage of Yeah Right! Spike is shown doing a ‘nollie heelflip’ in loafers. He is also co-owner of Girl Skateboards.

The Adidas advert is the blatant work of an auteur. It's unusual as 'light illuminates' the dark surroundings as the subject runs in the trainers, they allow the wearer to run upside down and create surfaces out of nowhere. Its a great advert, take a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENleEsKhOj4

Uniquely, Jonze has many alter egos, which have included Richard Koufey (alternately spelled Coufey or Couffe), the leader of the Torrance Community Dance Group, an urban troupe that performs in public spaces. The Koufey persona appeared when Jonze, in character, filmed himself dancing to Fatboy Slim's "Praise You" as it played on a boombox in a public area. Spike showed the video to Slim, who loved it. Jonze then assembled a group of dancers to perform to Slim's "Praise You," which was taped outside a Westwood, California movie theater. The resulting clip was a huge success, and 'Koufey' and his troupe were invited to New York City to perform the song for the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The video received awards for Best Direction, Breakthrough, and Best Choreography, which Jonze accepted, still in character. Jonze made a ‘mockumentary’ about the experience called Torrance Rises.

Jonze was an avid BMX freestyle rider in his youth. As part of the famous Rockville BMX crew he was known for making fast friends with touring BMX teams that came to town, befriending riders and often touring with them for short periods afterwards. He eventually landed a sponsored ride with Haro Bikes and received limited fame as a BMX personality appearing in many BMX publications such as Freestylin'. He was featured in an early-1990s "Spike-Needs-A-Girlfriend" contest in Christina Kelly's 'What Now' column in Sassy Magazine. His requirements for a girlfriend were: "short hair, clear skin, and good teeth."

On June 26, 1999, Jonze married director Sofia Coppola, whom he had known for nearly ten years. On December 5, 2003, the couple filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." The character of John, a career-driven photographer (Giovanni Ribisi) in Coppola's Lost In Translation (2003), was rumored to be based on Jonze, though Coppola has vehemently denied this. He is now dating Michelle Williams (former fiancée of Heath Ledger and mother of his daughter Matilda). Jonze and Williams publicly came out as a couple in October 2008.

Below is a list of every Music Video Jonze has been acredited to in acending date order :

"High in High School" by Chainsaw Kittens (1992)
"100%" by Sonic Youth (1992)
"Cannonball" by The Breeders (1993) (co-directed by Kim Gordon, produced by Steve Reiss)
"Country at War" by X (1993)
"Daughters of the Kaos" by Luscious Jackson (1993)
"Hang On" by Teenage Fanclub (1993)
"Time for Livin'" by the Beastie Boys (1993)
"All About Eve" by Marxman (1994)
"Buddy Holly" by Weezer (1994)
"Ditch Digger" by Rocket from the Crypt (1994)
"Divine Hammer" by The Breeders (1994)
"Feel the Pain" by Dinosaur Jr. (1994)
"I Can't Stop Smiling" by Velocity Girl (1994)
"If I Only Had a Brain" by MC 900 Ft. Jesus (1994)
"Old Timer" by That Dog (1994)
"Ricky's Theme" by Beastie Boys (1994)
"Sabotage" by Beastie Boys (1994) (also writer)
"Sure Shot" by Beastie Boys (1994)
"Undone (The Sweater Song)" by Weezer (1994)
"California" by Wax (1995)
"Car Song" by Elastica (1995)
"Crush with Eyeliner" by R.E.M. (1995)
"Freedom of '76" by Ween (1995)
"It's Oh So Quiet" by Björk (1995)
"The Diamond Sea" by Sonic Youth (1995)
"Who Is Next?" by Wax (1995)
"Drop" by The Pharcyde (1996)
"Da Funk" by Daft Punk (1997)
"Electrolite" by R.E.M. (1997)
"Elektrobank" by The Chemical Brothers (1997)
"It's All About the Benjamins (Rock Remix)" by Puff Daddy (1997)
"Liberty Calls" by Mike Watt (1997)
"Shady Lane" by Pavement (1997)
"Sky's the Limit" by The Notorious B.I.G. (1997)
"Home (Sean Lennon song)" by Sean Lennon (1998)
"Praise You" by Fatboy Slim (credited to "Torrance Public Film Productions") (1998)
"Root Down" (version 2) by Beastie Boys (1998)
"The Rockafeller Skank" (version 1) by Fatboy Slim (1998)
"Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim (2000)
"What's Up, Fatlip?" by Fat lip (2000)
"Wonderboy" by Tenacious D (as Marcus Von Bueler) (2000)
"Island in the Sun" (Version 2) by Weezer (2002)
"It's in Our Hands" by Björk (2002)
"Big Brat" by Phantom Planet (2003)
"Get Back" by Ludacris (2004)
"Y Control" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2004)
"Triumph of a Heart" by Björk (2005)
"Blessed Evening" by Foetus (2005) (cinematographer only, directed by Karen O)
"Flashing Lights" by Kanye West (2008) (co-directed with West)
"The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)" by Weezer (2008)

The Video that he produced for Fat Boy Slim's 'Praise You' which is being touted by MTV and Much Music as being the most original video ever. It takes place in the lobby of a movie theater, with a slightly out of date dance troupe bustin' out some b-boy moves. Spike, as the leader of the pack, definitely makes the video worth watching!

Do it!!....>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ULVQOneeZE

The information i have researched has come from 'Spike's Original Website', Wikipedia and IMDB...