Album cover anaylsis

Analysis of the video 'Candy Shop' by 50 Cent

50 Cent walks around the house checking out a lot of the girls. He drives his sports car which looks very expensive and is red which show that it is a statement - this shows he wants to look flash also by him sitting on his car it shows its his pride and joy. 

The woman in the video are posing, and dancing. 50 Cent is throughout wearing a big t-shirt with a blingy massive necklace around his neck. He wears jeans to show he is casual (or trying to look it anyway). However later on in the song he just wears a vest and in some shots nothing. The woman are wearing very little. Lots of the womans skin is revealed, this is what men dream of seeing everyday. The way that they are walking around on show is all for the mens eyes and they are seen as almost objects – just flaunting about. 

There are more women in the video then men – showing how this is a fantasy of men to have loads of gorgeous women (to themselves). 50 Cent is walking around most of the time whilst the women either stand, pay attention to him or dance. By the man being the only one walking about and in the centre of the shots it shows he has power and the woman only walk to him if he wants them (so he has what he wants). All  of the women worship him as wherever he goes he is being stared at. 

The song is talking about sex. ‘The things we do (things we do), Are just between me and you’. It’s very much in detailed into talking about sex, there are no limits as it is full of sexual innuendo. It’s also about guys having whatever girls they want and as many as they like. This plays with the stereotype of male rappers only talking about sex in their songs. 50 Cent is a rapper and this song is rapped by him. This makes it quite conversational yet there is kind of a melody. The objects highlighted in this video are his flash car, the big mansion – which is filled with girls, and his bling that he wears showing his money. There are no brand names in this video although drink is refered to and a ‘candy shop’ sign is added at the end.  

There are many wide shots showing 50 Cent rapping to the camera with just him showing – this shows how he is saying it to us and the power over the girls that he has. When there are shots of guys there are always more girls than guys – this shows how this ratio of men vs. woman is what men really want. The mansion is styled to look quite haunted at first not to give away what is kept in there. This enforces the red coloured car and his wealth. It also shows that this is hidden away and from the outside it doesn’t look nice but on the inside it is a males dream. By there being no other cars in the car park it shows that it’s an exclusive place. There is a shot of his trainer hitting the floor as he gets out of the car – it is slow motioned and has a sound to it to show his importance. Also this emphasises his clean big trainers which shows his money, how young he is and how he may be seen as either normal (appeals to males) or manly (appeals to females.)

 There is a shot of him opening the door- this opens quite slowly showing how there is something in there that he is waiting to see something. In this shot there is a women in the centre who says ‘welcome to the candy shop’, this shot goes closer to her face (zooms in) showing how pretty she is as well as how glued his eyes are on her. 

We see it from his POV. This shows how women are working for the men and awaiting for his arrival. It shows the power he has over them. This shot is juxtaposed to a wide angled shot of him looking rather shocked and ‘wow’ed by it all. There is then a close up of his face looking very pleased and you can tell by his expression that he finds the women attractive. The shot of him rapping to the camera wearing a grey coat shows that he is trying to get that image of the playboy mansion, and this shows how he is acting as the ‘boss’. 

There is a shot of 50 Cent running up the stairs showing that he is like a big kid, who is very excited (this plays on the idea of kids being so happy when in a sweet shop - like the saying where it is difficult to make a choice - 'like a kid in a sweet shop'. This makes him look like a child, which makes him 'ordinary' as every boy would act in this way. 

Photoshop

In class we had a lesson on how to use photoshop. We learnt the basics of creating layers and when you are doing something on a picture you should take into account what layer you are on. Here you can see that is highlighted on the background therefore whatever you are doing (for example if you change the brightness) it will only change the background layer.

We then learnt how you take something from one image and paste it onto another image. For this you use the lasso tool. If you hold down the Alt key and click where you want it to go then it can be selected specifically. Here you can see the area I have selected with the lasso tool because of the line that is black and white. Also you can see in the other picture where I have copied and pasted this image onto the same image. If you wish to change the size of the image but keep the proportions you press Ctrl T, then press the shift key whilst you are changing the size. You can also rotate the image at this size.

 

So here I have used the photoshop techniques on a photograph from the film Cloverfield. Here is the original.

Firstly to the image I copied and pasted an image of the Halo 3 guy onto the photograph. Here is the image to the left.

I also edited the halo man to make him fit into the picture a little bit better. I did this by using the lasso tool going around the outline of him, then copying and pasting him into the image. I then changed this size according to the image. I then edited the colours and the way I did this was by using these editing tools (right) as they can make the image fit into particular photographs. I then also changed the variations by going on Image/Adjustments/Variations. By clicking on the Variations tool it comes up with many options of how to change the colouring on your image. I think the options for this with the original image gave really good options for what you can do with the image colour. Some of them created very powerful images - at a click or two buttons. It can completely change an image (the mood, colours). 

The clone stamp tool, which is found on the left hand side tool bar. Is used to get rid of an area and replacing it with another bit from the image (it's very much like retouching). In this image it had writing on it, but if you wanted to get rid of any of this you would use this stamp tool. The way you use it is by pressing Alt on the area you want the area you don't want to be replaced by. Then you press on the letter to get rid of it and what replaces it is the sea. It can be quite tricky to get perfect as you have to be careful of the shades and colours. Heres a picture of what the tool looks like when you are using it.

We then looked at reflections and how we could create shadows but in this case for this picture it was making a refection. The way you do this is by righ clicking on the layer and clicking duplicate layer. Make sure that the image stays the same size (Alt), then rotate it. You can edit the image using the scrolling editing (picture above starting with the word Normal). You can also go onto Adjustments and edit the contrast and brightness. There is also another editing tool which makes the image rippled as if it is in the water (which is brilliant for a reflection in water). Here below you can see the effect that the ripple had on the photo.

We then looked at text and how to edit text. You can do this by righ clicking on the text and going on effects. I embossed my writing, gave it a drop shadow, inner glow and outer glow. I think that this works with the image as the colours I have used blend it but also the shadows make it stand out and give the writing some texture.

If you wish to save your finished image, then you can flatten the image. By going onto layers, flatten image. However you would only do this if you are sure you do not want to go back and edit any of the layers as this wouldn’t be possible to do if you flatten the image.

Here is the final image which I am quite pleased with for a first attempt.

Negus' Theory

Negus’ theory is that there are two types of bands,
1) Manufactured bands
2) Organic bands.

Some are created or made, others are found. The ones that are created are usually for the short term, who sell lots of one album. Manufactured star images are often constructed by the record label. They will have song writers who will get put together with artists. It’s not about the quality of music its about throwing it against the walls and seeing what sticks because the artist will be given a short amount of time to prove their success before other combinations are tried out. Manufactured bands/artists have an emphasis on single sales and promoting the first album instead of a number of albums. Their audience is less sophisticated than organic audiences, the audience is mostly teenagers and the reason for them having an emphasis on singles is because the tastes of teenagers constantly changes. So they will make money through one hit songs. The problem with this is the initial audience will probably get bored of you after the first album because they grow up and their taste in music changes. Synthetic acts are often sold on their look or personality.

However The Spice Girls are just one example of one band that totally went against this theory as yes they were manufactured as auditions put them together but they became massive and long lasting.

Bands that are organic (that are found) already have an image that is just enhanced by the record label – rather than created by. Creativity is already in the artist, the record label just help them. With these kinds of bands the emphasis is on the album sales rather than the singles. Organic bands normally have a long term career and they develop slowly. Also organic bands might want to do an experimental album that isn’t commercial. It also takes these acts longer to write an album. Organic acts are often sold on their ‘authenticity’ – both socially and musically.
For example Kings of Leon is an organic band. In their video Red Morning Light it has been constructed to look unconstructed. They used a handheld camera which makes it as if one of the band members have filmed it – this makes it like a home video which makes them seem like ordinary boys. (The theory of Dyer that they are extraordinary and ordinary is shown in this video). They look extraordinary through their jamming and them on stage, showing how talented they are through use of close ups on the instruments that they play. But also the public relate to them (they are seen as ordinary) through them being with friends, smoking, in a bar, having a friendship – acting like real people. The lighting is realistic so that this again is like a home video and not all ‘glitzy’ and their working on the image of being just a band of down to earth guys. Because of the homelike feel to this video and behind the scenes it makes us feel like we are their friends and with them but its mediated, and we aren’t really with them.

The image for manufactured artists are more extreme and very obvious so that the audience get what they are about instantly, whilst organic bands book more emphasis on the actual quality of the music. They are both manufactured to some extent by record labels – but by different amounts. The short time acts get quick bucks that fund the longer term acts, so the success of manufactured acts will fund the development of organic acts. The long term benefit of having synthetic acts is that this ensures that there are funds for day-to-day running of the company and also for long term profit.

Richard Dyers theory

Dyers theory is that star images are constructed even if they are represented as a real person. A star is a product as they are bought and sold. Stars are constructed out of a range of products (e.g videos, artwork, live performances, social media such as facebook and twitter.) Star image stands for a set of meanings and values such as rebellion, originality, youthful, aggression and anger, sexual magnetism. For example Amy Winehouses image was about sex and drugs, but also creativity and talent. These meanings are what sell the products. Stars are commodities that are produced and consumed on the strength of their meanings.

1^st paradox

A star is both ordinary and extraordinary.

The reason being for them being ordinary is so that people can relate to them. And for them to be admired and looked up to, they must be extraordinary. This also gives you a reason to buy it as it is something special.

Adele shows this as she is very much all about the singing. In her videos and when she performs there is no visual display, this shows her to be ordinary. She is also a larger women, who has a personality – you see this in interviews when she speaks, and this range of things feed into her image. However her voice makes her extraordinary, and the talent she has of song writing. Her lifestyle now is a lot better now that she has got a lot of money – this makes her extraordinary as she is wealthy. Also she has been successful (through her getting awards.)  You can see in this image that it is all about Adeles voice, there aren't any gimmicks - she isn't about the look and they are playing on that idea of her looking like a normal, large woman, this shows that they are wanting to portray this image of her just being ordinary which gives her a less extravagant look and more down to earth normal image which people warm to.

2^nd paradox

A star needs to be both absent and present.

By the stars being present the public are able to know about their daily life (private life), for example on twitter they are getting a direct address from the stars. Beyonce tweeted about her pregnancy and fans know about it immediately. Fans feel that they are getting it straight from her, and it was the most retweeted tweet ever! In stars videos they directly address the audience through looking into the camera. This creates a feeling that the star are singing just for you and that you are there with them. This brings a closeness between the fans and the stars. Also through the use of big close ups it feels as if you are with them – this is seen in videos but also on album covers. However Adele closed her eyes in one of hers this shows that she is not about the fame and its about the music (or at least that’s what they want people to believe.)

However between the star and fans there must also be an absence. The promise of closeness is never completely fulfilled. There should be no personal relationship. This encourages the audience to keep trying to get close to them – and the way that they do that is by seeing them live and reading all about them. This is the idea to close the gap between reality and the promise of closeness.

An analysis of the video 'Love the Way You Lie' by Eminem featuring Rihanna

Star Image - Two Door Cinema Club

Here is a powerpoint I prepared to present my analysis of how the star image of Two Door Cinema Club is constructed through one of their videos, a piece of artwork and some other products. I have also considered about how their image has been constructed in such a way as to appeal to the intended target audience.