What is a Music Video? - Miss Miller

Lana Del Rey - Summertime Sadness

Summertime Sadness is by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, it was released on the 22nd of June 2012. The Genre of the song is Trip-Hop. The song was remixed in a year later in 2013 by Cedric Gervais, French born DJ. This is the version I will be analysing.

What is the purpose of a music video?

-A market tool to promote an artist/song, A music video is a success marketing tool that is used in order to promote an artist or a song. They are considered as an add on to music and they usually are produced while the song is in produced and released after to maintain the song in the chart for longer. In addition no music television show would not include the song in their i.e. Top 40 countdown as it would simply become a radio channel which defeats the purpose of its creation. Not all music videos promote the artist as they sometimes do not include the artist but this is no the case for Summertime Sadness as Lana Del Ray features throughout the whole of the footage, but almost every music video is used to promote the song.

-To attract a particular target audience, audiences that don't particularly likely the artists music may be encourage by the use of a music video. If the Video has a attractive narrative they may watch the video without realising that they have lost their opinion of the song and rather change their opinion. Furthermore it may also attract wider audience through the fact that some audiences only listen to music based on the music video otherwise they would be consider to be entertained or appreciate the artist work, i.e. audiences that listen to music via YouTube or Music Television. Some audiences may only listen to new music that hasn't been promoted via YouTube by coming across it in Playlists or by recommended searches. To attract a particular target audience the artist will have to meet the demands of the audience, for example female artist may choose to attract a younger male audience my promoting the female body by wearing less clothing and being more exposed this can be seen partially seen in Summertime Sadness as the artist sexualises her body for the audience in order to promote herself and the song and attract that particular audience.

-A short narrative to represent the artist, in also every music video there is always a narrative that is close to the artist and represents their lifestyle and what they enjoy doing in their some closed life, unless leaked by the media. Lana Del Ray in Summertime Sadness plays a lesbian character who is deeply depressed who then commits suicide by jumping off of a waterfall. The story refers too both of the characters and how their love has become distant over/towards the end of the summer hence summertime sadness. This does not directly have any links with the artists as she is straight and is in a relationship with Steve Merten's a who is an artist also and produced her debut album. The reason behind the link between her and the video may originate from the fact she used to be in a cult ruled by a guru in which she surrounded herself with young girls, this may indirectly be the cause for her song as she has a strong relationship with the same sex. On the other hand the video may refer to the artists alcoholism which she inherit at the young age of 15 which may have strong links to suicide.

What is the style of the music video/What are the codes and conventions?

Summertime Sadness (Remix) has a slightly unconventional style as it doesn't tell the narrative in chronological order, it seems to jump back and fourth throughout the "lesbian" couple relationship at different stages. Its seems to have 3 main stages the Pre-break up, break up and committing suicide stage. It shows all of the stages from both of the characters perspectives. It can be said that this is both conventional and subversive of the pop genre as most female released songs revolve around the idea of a relationship between different sex couples and the problems or benefits of them relationships. It is true that this video takes a very similar stance but on a different level as we rather see a same sex couple in trouble with what appears to have suicidal tendencies which is rather too extreme for a mainstream narrative and audience.



In addition the video seems to always seem to use various filters on the footage which again is not conventional, this is used for two apparent reason. One it is used  in order to make the footage look old fashioned as it can be consider to be set in around 1950's America or to make it seem retro, which can be seen by the classic looking car her girlfriend is driving. It can be said this is conventional as we see a strobe light affect within the transition between the effects. This has connotations that can be associated with a club setting which is a pop genre convention within music videos.

One final convention is the use of fast pace editing, this means that the music video will consist of many different camera angles and shots. This is conventional to the genre due to the fact that the editing needs to be in sync and make sense in relation to the music. If the two had no relation it would mean the music video would be missing consistency and would not make complete sense to the audience therefore making them feel disengaged and will consequently stop watching the due to it unentertaining quality.


What audience does this music video appeal to and why?

The music video appeals to the audience for a mixture of many reasons. The song has an appealing storyline, despite it being unconventional as most music videos follow a straight relationship, but this may appeal to more specific audience. Contradicting this it may also appeal to both males and females. Females may enjoy this video due to the fact that they see the women as more independent not relying on a male counterpart, also enjoying the idea of a relationship with or with a female the video still involves the common parts of of a conventional relationship i.e break up etc. In complete difference it may appeal to a male audience due to the fact the video is quite sexual, displaying specific part of the female body which would rather attract a male audience and maybe a small amount of females who may want to feel or be like the artist Lana Del Rey.