Fundamentals of Television 1117-116 (01)

Fall 2016

Write-Up #3: Cycles vs. Narratives in Music Videos

Due November 14th

Name:

Time is a complicated concept. In order for a narrative to have a plot, time must move forward in a linear fashion: through
events in a chain of on-screen representations. Narrative plots require a beginning, middle and end. We mark the passing
of this time in linear units like seconds and minutes. However, many of our experiences of the passing of time have
recurring events, themes and experiences. We mark the passing of this time in cyclical units like days and years.
Audiovisual productions make use of both of these experiences of time when telling a compelling story or effectlvely
illustrating an occurence. Music and song also blend these two types of time. The evolution of the genre of the
Music Video yields many examples of video productions that simulateously tell a story while returning to refrains.

1) Watch two music videos featuring/promoting the recording artist Michael Jackson:

http://www.mtv.com/artists/michael-jackson/music-videos/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA&list=PLBF29177C5D2545EF
2) In two or three sentences (approx. 40-60 words) answer each question for the first video:
a. What is the forward-moving narrative of this video? Whats its story?
b.

What is the initial incident, the rising action, the crisis/climax and the resolution?
Describe the on-screen image(s) that illustrates each point in detail.
(If you believe a plot point has been left out or is missing, explain how and why.)

c. What are the cycles of this video? Describe the on-screen image(s) that illustrate each song
chorus or refrain in detail. (If you believe that no visual images or themes repeat, explain how and why.)
d. How are the shots and images from the introduction and verses of the song different from
the shots and images from the chorus or refrain of the song?
3) Repeat questions a through d for the second video you watched.
4) Answer the following questions in a single essay (approx. 150-200 words):
How did the video use Complexity Editing to intensify the audiences experience of the
performance of the song? How did the video use Continuity Editing to create a mental map and
unified experience of space and time for the audience? Describe any special effects, jump cuts,
camera moves (including jumping the 180 vector line) that the video used. Did these work as
continuity editing, complexity editing or both? How and why?
o

In your educated opinion, do you think this video did a good job at getting across the themes, the subtexts and
the emotion of the original song?
What other types of audiovisual productions mix narrative and cyclical time? How and why?

Answer all of the questions in a typed essay between 300 and 600 words in
length. Upload your submission to the assignments section on Blackboard by
9:30am on Monday, November 14th.
You may also select "Captain EO" if you're especially brave: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAvMkZQBIXk