Just a short break in my day

I'm not taking a break from my blog or anything. Just while I was looking around my room my eyes got distracted by the Death Note books in my manga collection and I decided to start watching that again so go blame Tsugumi Ohba if it seems like I'm dead.

Jazz

The jazz genre in the west is something that at the moment isn't exactly popular with jazz not usually being aired on music channels or radio stations unless that channel/station is specific to that genre of music. In Japan however the genre of jazz is increasing in popularity.

One such artist that performs using jazz is Suga Shikao. This artist not only performs jazz but also j-pop and funk.

Suga Shikao - Nobody knows

At the start of the song the camera is at a medium shot. This then cuts between the band members playing their instruments, the equipment the band is using such as the amps for the guitar and such, and for some reason a jar of strawberry jam (we're jammin). The speed of the editing is fairly quick with images on average not staying on screen for too long before a cut is made to another part. There are some close ups of the band but the main focus of these close ups are the instruments the band are playing. There's a variety of camera angles that are used through the video, this could be to make the viewer make up their own mind about the people in the video. Most other forms will have a certain type of shot for one arch type of character and a different angle for another, so here they give high angle shots and low angle shots so its unclear whether or not one thing about the person in the frame is right or not. Continuity isn't quite straight forward here as something like a film is where usually it goes from start, middle to end. Here things go from start to finish of the song in that order but in the middle the scene will change to something else throwing the continuity off. One example of this is when the artist s playing his guitar with only his sunglasses on his head then a moment later he has headphones on as well then the next he's not wearing them again. A second example of this is that the artist is playing his instrument then all of a sudden it cuts to an image of him covered in jam.

The mise en scene of the music video on the other hand is fairly coherent through the entirety of the music video. The colors shown are all black and white with some parts of red, (a key pattern may be turning up because in most music videos there will be two colors that stand out most, like in 'Passion' where it was white and blue). A special effect that is used is when time looks as though it is moving backwards and the jam that was all over the side of his shirt and on the jam jar look as though they are coming off his shirt in the same way it went onto it. A second effect that is used is when a number of images of the artist singing and playing his instrument all come up at the same time.

One thing that may have helped this song become so well known was that it was played in the opening sequence of the the anime show xxxHolic: Kei.

J-Pop

The song Sunaoninaretara (Final Night) that I’m going to be making a music video for is of the J-Pop genre much like the song by Mihimaru – Kibun Joa Joa. Using that music video as an example J-pop usually has the conventions of music being fast much like the speed of editing. Usually people dancing at some point in the video. The singer singing as they look and perform towards the camera. A second example I would like to use is that of Hikaru Utada
a Japanese artist who performs in both Japanese and English. (Much like Bentley Jones except Bentley Jones is English).

Hikaru Utada – Passion


The opening sequence of (first part of the music video) is that of an anime sequence (AMV) which lasts till roughly 1:15 into the video. It then fade transitions into live action with the artist Hikaru Utada Singing. Special effects are used here where what appear to be waves appear around her, these look as though they were hand drawn and do much to compliment the sequence it follows. A lot of CGI is used here with the sorrounding environments and people being rendered using computer technology. In the the next part there is a very good use of dance where the artist is standing in the middle of an area singing while people dance around her, its a good thing to note that for any dance sequense to be any good it usually has to be choreographed, its not often that something can be done off the cuff like that and be good enough to get into a final product. A scene is then shown of the artists head half faded into a picture of clouds as she sings (though I'm not sure what type of effect this called so any answers would be helpful). The music video ends how it began, with another anime sequence.

The speed of editing for this song seemed fairly slow (well slower than other music videos on my blog). This seemed to fit the song perfectly with the tempo of the song. The costume of the people in this music video was fairly odd but stream lined with each other. All of the colours in the video are blue and pink, the costumes all look very regal in a certain way aswell with the artists costume looking like a dress someone might find in a royal wedding or something.

The use of anime isn't a very odd choice when it comes to japanese music videos. A lot of J-pop, rock etc becomes famouse through the use of it on the openings and endings of animes. A single series of anime can have up to 8 different opening songs per series so through this medium a lot of people find out about certain artists and songs. Shows partcularly like Bleach, One Oiece and Naruto are the best to have artists music shown on because at the moment these are the best selling mangas and animes so any band fortunate enough to have their songs played on these is likley to get a large increase in sales.

Lyrics

I will post the lyrics to Final Night here. I am thinking about what I should do for filming so any ideas when reading the lyrics can posted here by anyone who stumbles upon my blog. Thank you in advance if I get any ideas. (also see Bentley Jones - Final Night lower on page).

[Intro]

I know, you know, I know what you did
Yeah, I found out, so grateful, so grateful
You know, I know, you know that it's true
Shut it down now, throw it in

[Chorus]

Every time that you break down and cry
You know I want to say "I love you"
But there's a feeling that I felt inside
That stops me saying the words
Don't ever want to think about tomorrow
Cause we'll only live for tonight

That summer we spent every night
Lying in each other's arms
But by the time the winter came
It'd frozen up my heart
You tried your best to warm me up
But I can't take no more
Without you my heart will thaw

And we hold each other
Like the world's supposed to end
And because of that fact
We both could pretend
That love does exist here
And we were meant to be
But how can we be
Now that I can see?

[Chorus Repeat]

We've become so rediculous
That happiness oblige
We should be free for you and me
To cross the great divide
And when we go our seperate ways
And become who we are
I'll still keep you in my heart

And we hold each other
Like tonight is our last
And because of that fact
We forget the past
Our star syncopation
Was never meant to be
So let's not resist so insistently

[Chorus Repeat]

And this my sweet darling
Is our final bow
The curtain will fall
As we wave to the crowd

So pick up all your flowers
And pick up all you pain
And take them home
Knowing you won't see me again
And hold them tight
With the memory of our final night, ah-ha

(I want to give it all to you)

And this my sweet darling
Is where we shall part
They cannot forgive us
For this broken heart

No matter what our lives will be
Atleast we can be true
(Loving you) is the only thing I can't do

[Chorus Repeat]

(woah, only tonight)

[Chorus Repeat]

All my life I've always dreamed to be with you
All my heart desires filled with love so true

[Intro Repeat]

J-Rock

One of the most recognised genres of music across the world is that of the rock genre. A key difference between rock from the east and the west is that Eastern music seems much more melodic when compared to that of western music which focuses much more on a beat or rhythm, this difference though transcends most genres of music. In the rock genre two big names are L'arc en ciel and Bump of Chicken. Firstly the band L'arc en ciel (French for the rainbow) is a rock band that was once at it peak in the years 1998-2000 where they had block buster success with their first number one single Heart. Then the following year two of their albums Arc and Ray were released on the same day of 1st July. The album Ray was released the following year in 2000, this marked the end of their new material for many years. Below is the music video Ready steady go.


Firstly there are lots of ECU (extreme close ups) being used through most of this music video of the band e.g. the singer, his mic, the jewellery, what the band are wearing etc. An effect is used where the reflections of the band are showing up on top of an eye to show that they are being watched. This effect could show how they are being perceived in different ways as every time the eye blinks the image shown from it is different. Until the last minute or so of the video it is very rarely that the camera zooms out to show the whole of the band or even a clear picture of any of the band members face. up until the same point the background seems to just be a blank void so much like the band it seems to be hiding something. Once it get to approximately the last minute of the music video the background changed to something that I'm not quite sure is. The best way I could describe it as is if the Hadron Collider had worked and the universe was imploding in on itself (hows that for abstract)? This is also the segment of the song where the camera zooms out to show the band members all playing in the same frame. Through the entirety of the music video the editting is very fast and quick as no image stays on screen for long and it keeps the viewer interested. Unlike many music videos this video doesn't have a story being shown visually like in many other music videos.

The band Bump of Chicken is a fairly successful group that was first made in 1994 and since their third single Tentai Kansoku have regularly placed in the top 10 when a new single from them comes out. They have been releasing music from 1999.

Bump of Chicken - Karma

At the very start of the song before the lyrics start there are a large number of ECUs which are used to show the band. Once the lyrics begin to play the camera zooms out to a medium shot which shows the entire band playing their instruments as the camera pans around the band. (This movement of camera going around the band may have also been accomplished through the use of a revolving floor that the bands may have been playing on). The mise en scene for this part is dark and ominous with stormy clouds up above. Lots of special effects and camera tricks are used through this music video such as the area that the band is playing in looks as though it is all CGI rendered e.g. the back drop of clouds as they turn to light at the end of the music video as well as the floor being dead one moment then flowers at certain points when the only two people in the frame are the singer (Motoo Fujiwara藤原基央) and some person sitting down in the field of flowers. One more piece of special effects is when the camera seems as though its moving along what seems to be a helix where the band are standing playing their instruments because as they are shot from a birds eye view they go past the centre of the frame and go off into the top left corner. The story seems to be of someone who is grieving or something i.e the white flowers seem to signify the funeral of a a loved one. This has part of a story to it unlike ready steady go.

Parodies

Music that is considered parody or anything for that matter is under fair use policy and so the person(s) who created the parodies can not get in trouble for such a thing (or so youtube says). in the west when speaking of music in the parody genre many would first think of Weird Al Yankovic as he has done many parodies of great songs such as Micheal Jackson's- Beat it, bad as well as other songs by other artists. .

Weird Al - Gump

Now it begins............AGAIN! (What fun!)

Finally!........I am off of my work experience and so I now actaully have ample time to update the blog. (Not to mention all the time I'll have off in the summer holidays). I'll have to begin creating a story board for the project aswell as doing other things aswell as learning how to do some dancing. (Can't see me busting some moves going to well). Ishall be making videos of me trying to learn some hip hop, among other things so expect hilarity if I do get round to doing so. Heres to some fun times, and thank you to Bentley Jones for your support.

About the Updating......

Work experience has kept me so busy that I haven't really had time to write anything on here between work and sleep so I'm finally here again. Unfortunatley I haven't really had much chance to look at music videos because of my constant working, though as I went on my youtube to check my messages this video popped up in my recommended page so here it is.


I think its a good example of what a music video should be like. Firstly the editting is very quick and no shot usually lasts longer than a few seconds so it keeps with the pace of the song. secondly the mise-en-scene is quite unique with both singers having diferent settings almost as a way to show their contrasts withing the same room. A lot of dancing is used in this video as well as a DJ playing working the turn table which relates very well to the song. Lastly is that the lip synch is very good with no part of the video lagging behind the audio.
I know this was bit of a short update but more shall be coming soon (If you're lucky that'll be tomorrow).