More Related Content
Bad blood (2)
- 2. LYRICS The lyrics ofa track help to establish the general feeling and sense of subject matter. In this case the action often taking place on screen within the music video matches the lyrics being heard, however this does not apply to every single word. The very first opening line (āCause baby, now weāve got bad bloodā) can be associated with the visual of Selena Gomezās character (Arsyn) pushing Taylor Swiftās character (Catastrophe) out of the window. When paired together the action and lyrics imply that the characters are not on good terms, the phrase āBad Bloodā meaning ill-feeling between the ties between them. When introduced to the character āThe Trinityā her facial expressions of concern and sadness mirror the line being heard at the time. This key line (āOh, itās so sad to think about the good timesā) in building up to the chorus which contrasts the action that is about to take place. The quick cut to the character Dilemma shows her to physically punch the wall she is sitting next to. The line heard at this point is (āYou know it used to be mad loveā), this links as the action of a punch is often associated with the emotion of anger. Yet again Taylor Swift is interlinking the visuals and voice of the song in order for her audience to understand the storyline of the ābad bloodā music video.
- 3. MUSIC The ābad bloodātrack has an upbeat fast tempo, which matches the editing and action taking place onscreen. The quick pace of the sound being played drives the editing of the clip and therefore this is why the frames used are fairly quick and do not linger on one piece of action for too long. In particular the editing has been purposefully inserted by the director in order to enhance certain aspects of the song, a prime example of this is when the beat drops within the chorus and Taylor Swift is seen to be walking directly towards the camera. At this moment she comes across as a powerful protagonist which is why the music is used show her strength in the role she is portraying. Another example of where the music matches the action taking place on screen is at the very beginning of the clip. In the first few seconds the viewer hears the urban noise of the setting (London) and as the camera zooms through the window this switches to a buzzing sound. This closeness to silence is then interrupted by a heightened music sting which is matched with a male character in a suit to be thrown onto the desk. This action alongside the sound used is essentially setting the viewer up for what the rest of the music video is going to pan out like.
- 4. The song āBadBloodā is produced and sung by one of the most successful female artists within the Music Industry at the moment. Taylor Swift produces and sings the song āBad Bloodā and it is evident that this video conforms to the pop genre, marking a complete transformation from her country and āAmericaās sweetheartā image. This previous image can be noted in one of her first ever popular songs āLove storyā, which has now reached 382 million views on YouTube, this figure now appears small in comparison to the 1 billion views she has received on her āBad Bloodā music video. Taylor swift and her management realised over recent years music videoās have become less emphasised on and less money has been pumped into producing them in comparison to the 80ās when music videoās where at their prime. (Think, Michael Jackson and Madonna). The Pop culture has a large audience despite being primarily focused on a younger demographic, and often music videoās are constructed around this concept. The settingās of pop tend to be locations that create a carefree atmosphere, for example: a beach and fairground. Although āBad Bloodā doesnāt directly fit this it is clear that it meets the expectations of pop as there is elements of Voyeurism and bright lighting.
- 5. Taylor swiftās āBadBloodā shows typical characteristics of a music video as there is a large number of outfit changes throughout. The costumes at times can be viewed as an audience as particularly skimpy and exposing. This relates back to the idea of voyeurism as essentially it is something as viewer, we shouldnāt be seeing. It creates an exciting element, which expands her demographic as primarily her audience is targeting young girls yet the costumes imply that she is trying to widen her audience to appeal to men. This is often the case within the pop genre as it is evident within the music industry that āsex sellsā. However, despite this it could be suggested that the costumes and persona that Taylor and her co-stars take on is one that influences women empowerment, as they perform in unison and are not shown as passive as they fight each other in order to resolve an āBad Bloodā between them.
- 6. The setting ofLondon has rose within Music videoās and feature films over recent years. The 2012 Olympics sparked this as known it is a location that can be recognised by Americans. Taylor swift has taken on this approach as the first initial shot of her music video shows the London skyline at night, which as an audience we can pinpoint key landmarks. For example: The Gherkin. The Majority of the video takes place in an underground lair that perhaps has been previously abandoned. The fighting and combat implies that this location is used as training and therefore reinforces the idea of woman empowerment. The various different aspects of the location implies that the females are ready for war and are considered as dangerous.
- 7. Taylor Swift motivatesthe cuts of the camera as it consistently follows her movements throughout the entirety of the clip. Therefore she obtains the most prevalence in comparison to the other characters seen within the clip, this in reinforcing her importance as a character within the music video. The frequent use of close ups allows the director to introduce each character to the audience. ( For example āThe Trinityā, āCut Throatā, āDilemmaā , āSlay Zā, āHomesliceā, Mother Chuckerā, āLunaā and āThe Crimson Curseā ) As the music video progresses other shots such as two shots, mid shots and extreme close ups are also used in order to do so. The cuts between each introduction of the characters is fairly fast paced, this in fitting with the beat and tempo of the song. At various points within the video low angle shots are also used to make the female protagonists appear powerful. This fits with the overall message of the video, and how women can be independent and empowered without the need for a male figure to guide them. This idea is reinforced at the beginning of the music video when Taylor Swiftās and Selena Gomezās characters are able to single handily protect themselves from the attackers in suits.
- 8. There is alarge amount of editing that takes place in order for the music video to feel like a feature film for the audience to watch. This feeling is enforced from the off set as there is titles to accompany the shots. The words, especially the names of characters, make the audience feel connected as they no longer feel they are watching a music video- instead a short film. This is a clever and interesting move made by Swift and her management as she has realised over recent years Music videos have become less important. By spending on a production this has proven successful as āBad Bloodā has now hit over 1 Billion views. A significant part of the editing is the special effects that are used. The explosions that erupt behind the characters can be recognised as the pinnacle moment of the music video. The slow motion and extreme close ups emphasise that the battle is amount to commence. In addition the editing is fast paced and can be recognised as rapid editing, this fits the theme of the music video as there is a lot of anger.
- 9. The Narrative ofTaylor swiftās āBad Bloodā video starts within an office setting. It shows a fight that is taking place between the two females, catastrophe and Arsyn and a male worker. However a betrayal occurs and Catastrophe is pushed out of a window by her so called ally Arsyn. This sets the tone for the rest of the music video as the āBad Bloodā has begun. The video continues by showing that the women are preparing for a battle as Catastrophe is building a female army in order to prepare for revenge. The narrative ends by two sides of the army meeting at a abandoned wasteland area, the colouring and effects behind them emphasise their anger and that there is no longer any friendship between them.
- 10. The star imageand brand is associated with the lead singer of the music video, in this case Taylor Swift is the prime example. She has appealed to her audience in various different lights in order to increase the amount of downloads and views she achieves from the track. The first main example is linked to downloads and by featuring Kendrick Lamar in her song she is expanding the genre of music she applies to. Their popularity within the music industry combined is what allowed them to create an image that can be recognised by the majority of music listeners within the industry. Taylor Swift then alternatively appeals to fans of action movies as her music video essentially mimics action scenes of a block buster superhero movie. The use of Swiftās costume design, names such as Catastrophe and Arsyn, and use of special effects interlinks all of the superhero esc theme together, by doing so she is creating an positive image whilst still sticking to the pop genre. Taylor swiftās image is of particular importance during this video as it heightens the contrast between her previous American Sweetheart image. This new profound image of her progressing from her childhood to adulthood also means that the fans she grew up with have remained loyal to her and her brand.
- 11. Taylor Swift andher marketing team have been particularly wise in the recruitment of individuals who appear in the music video. This is because in the year this music video came out (2015) they knew what was popular within the industries at the time. For example some of the celebrities involved are known faces across the globe and this helped Swift attract the publicity needed in order to make up the funds to produce this project. The list begins with Selena Gomez, another known singer within the industry that appears to the same target market and produces a similar genre of music. This genre of music however also progresses into the rap industry as one version of the song features Kendrick Lamar, he also was becoming known for his music during this year. Swift has also branched out towards the model industry, including models such as Cara Delevigne, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, and Cindy Crawford, by doing so she is expanding her target market and attracting the likelihood of more viewers. Finally Taylor has also attracted fans of the television show āGreys Anatomyā by including one of her close friends Ellen Pompeo, this show in being one of Americaās grossest earning TV series that has renewed its contract for itās 13th season.