Textual Analysis 50 Cent ft Olivia- Candy shop
The video I am going to be analysing for my textual analysis is 50 cents candy shop, which was made in 2005 and it is featuring Olivia. This song is in the genre hip-hop or gangster rap. This music video has many codes and conventions that come together to make the song look how it looks.
The video starts off with 50 cent pulling into a mansion driveway, with big black gates, driving a tinted out red Ferrari. These conventions at the start are used to show the audience that the main character in the video is entering a dark place, which could be dangerous. This then shows the audience that 50-cent is brave and strong, which helps to connote his masculine personality. The red Ferrari is used to connote that 50-cent is rich and has a lot off power, which makes the audience feel safe. This is a common convention of the rap genre. The story then enters the house and an eye line match from the woman to 50 cent as he looks at the girls in the room. This shot has been done to show the audience the realisation of where he is, almost like it’s a brilliant surprise. This is shown through the eye line matches. Mise-en-scene is location, props, costume, make-up etc. everything in the video that is used. This is used very frequently in 50 cents music video ‘Candy shop’ seen when he walks down the hall and meets the lady with the pink skirt, top and the whip. This costume is used to show the audience the sex appeal and sexual tension between both characters in the video. Furthermore the slutty costumes that are being worn by the female actors in the video are short and tight, connoting that they want 50 cent to come to her, and also to show that 50 cent has a choice of any girl which is every mans dream. This is a stereotypical representation of men AND women in not only the hip hop genre, but almost all media text. Furthermore, each women 50cent walks and finds, they have a different scenario, which appeals to him. For example he walks into a female actor when she is dressed as a nurse in
her “doctors setting” which connotes that she will look after him, this also relate back to the videos name ‘Candy Shop’. The nurse costume reinforces the common male fantasy of the ‘sexy nurse’. As a kid or as an adult when you enter a sweet shop you automatically don’t know what to look at first as everything is so colourful, good looking and tasty. This can then reflect the video as 50 cent walks around the house there are so many women dressed in different costumes offering something different. This is clever how they have linked the video name to the narrative in the video, as it helps the audience to understand the music video and the lyrics. Another convention they have used which is similar to a thriller convention is how they made the main female character easy to detect from the other females. They have done this by the dance routines and the clothing. The dance routines have been choreographed so that the main character ‘Olivia’ is at the front. This shows the audience that she is the sexiest and the one everyone wants OR that she is the queen prostitute in the brothel called ‘The candy shop’. This also relates to the ‘Candy shop’ title as she is like the nicest most expensive sweet in the shop. The clothing has also singled ‘Olivia’ out as the rest of the dancers have the same red colour as ‘Olivia’ but she has ‘sexier’ clothing on which is revealing but sexy. Red simply connotes lust and sex- again reinforcing the gender stereotype. This is done to show the audience that she is the girl that 50 cent is looking for, but has to find her first. This chase connotes how he has finally found his ‘candy’, which can be seen as a sexual connotation. This is a common representation of men and women, meaning that the male has to chase the female if he wants her, and furthermore this also is a typical antistereotype of women that they are just sexual objects that men can just use when they want. Another convention is the high angle on ‘Olivia’ at the start as 50 cent walks through the door. This shows at the beginning that she is in control and the leader of the house. This connotes a ‘whore house’ and she is the most premium whore, meaning she has the most people want her. This then shows the audience that 50-cent will pursue her, as this shot is followed by a close up on 50 cents face as he is looking at her up and down. This shot also shows the audience that she is the best girl there and he is the best boy in his crew so he by default gets the girl. This is another representation on a rap music video that the men are in control and get everything they want. Furthermore there is a lot of close ups in this music video, especially when 50 cent meets the different girls in each room, with different sexual fantasy’s. One of the main close ups is when 50 cent is in the room with the girl in the tight pink lycra nurses outfit. They have done this to show the audience how sexy she looks and to also show that she is all over 50 cent, and that she is ‘horny’ for him, something that is a common representation of the rap genre. This video, and many other videos in this genre exploit women to be these sex magnets that men can show off like trophies. However they have created so many stereotypes of women that many people now think it’s the norm, for these types of stereotypes like women should be half naked in music videos to look sexy. This is shown a lot in this video and is wrong. I feel that this video is made well and linked into the man, however they have exploited the women to much, and its gone past sexy, its now slutty and crude.
Textual Analysis Jay-Z & Kanye West - Ni**as In Paris (Explicit) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG_dA32oH44
The music video that I will be analysing is Ni**as in Paris by Jay-Z & Kanye West, Firstly this video is a performance video; The image that both artists are trying to convey is what the experience would be like if the public went to see them live, I feel as if the main reason why this video has been made was to promote themselves and try and encourage the public to buy there tickets. These two artists are world wide stars and are always touring in order to populate there fan base, this also is an attempt to do just that. Both artists are performing their own song to a large crowd during a concert, as you can see the audience in the video are all enjoying themselves, this is shown through various close ups of individual people in the crowd, everyone is happy, smiling and having fun which is what the artists are trying to portray about their live performances. There are many females in the crowd, there are close ups of some in very little clothing and also showing a lot of cleavage, this is a convention of the hip hop/rap genre as the artists like to think that the women shown in the video thinks they are attractive, as well as all of this it attracts the male audience as well, linking to voyeurism and exhibitionism. The fact that the strobe lights are flashing down onto the crowd also show this as you are able to see everyone’s arms in the air, this is a clear sign that they are enjoying the music. Many editing techniques have been used within this music video, different editing effects have been used throughout, for example a symmetrical effect has been used to create an illusion, and this can also connote drug use. Another key element in this video is the lighting; as you can see in the image above blue lights are used, blue is seen as a masculine colour, this has been done because its seen as more of a masculine song, and also that both artists are male. This has been done to allow the audience to create a visualisation of what it would be like being there. Other images are added such as a lion, this has been done to connote danger and that the two artists are not to be messed with, a lion is also a very dominant animal, it hunts and kills in order to survive, this can be related to the artists as they have been brought up in a rough part of America were they have been involved with gangs, causing trouble in their childhood. As well as this the lion is also seen as this king, which can link to the artists as they are very popular and well known in the music industry. This has also been added with a lion roar sound effect. Both artists are wearing all black, this separates them from the crowd because everyone else is wearing smart/casual clothes. Both are also wearing a lot of jewellery mainly chains and rings, this is typical in the hip hop/rap genre of music videos because it connotes wealth and wealth connotes power. This can also then link to the lion being shown in the video regularly. Many high angled shots have
also been used in order to show the importance of each artist. As well as this low angled shots have been used to show the crowds perspective.
Textual Analysis Russ Chimes’ ‘Turn Me Out’ music video is a prime example of effective simplicity. Created using only characters and props in front of a green screen, this video has clearly been achieved on a minimal budget yet still appears sophisticated and appealing. This video features characters performing simple dance moves and actions. They are all seen to be standing still in the beginning, made to look like they belong in the pages of a magazine. They do not look directly at the camera and are lighted in a flattering way. The characters are often standing still making gestures with their hands such as a wave or flick of the wrist. These actions are often repeated, for example on woman made a coughing gesture, covering her mouth with her hand. These random actions are intended to make the audience question their purpose, as well as using random, unrelated props to fulfil a similar idea. This was then repeated on a couple of occasions throughout the video. An example of this is a young man standing still holding an owl and a woman with a fake bouquet of flowers coming out of her mouth. Use of bizarre and random objects creates an interesting and captivating effect for the audience to view. The props and costume create a retro, vintage style. Use of an old box TV and clearly old-fashioned clothes creates an impression of youth and time. Each of the characters are dressed in suits or skirts and blouses, seemingly conventional and traditional ways to dress. The costumes are used to compliment and contrast the colour scheme behind. An example of this is use of a pastel blue background where the young girl is wearing a light pink shirt. By doing so, it further creates the impression of a magazine fashion shoot. This is an example of voyeurism, where a person views a video in order to gain pleasure. However, the intent of the video is not sexual. Using a range of different editing techniques such as text, reverses, repeats and fast paced editing in order to capture the pace and beat of the music. Text appears following a large pendant in the first shot, ‘Turn Me Out’. This ensures the audience of what they’re watching and introduces the song. Related words and lyrics return at various stages of the video.
I find this video is effective and appealing. The ideas incorporated within it are simplistic and compelling and I believe this is a key factor in creating a successful music video. By Sophie Pettitt