Semiotics

This refers to the analysis of representation, the idea of reality was important in our music video. We wanted to create a sense of authenticity and we did this by developing the props of a typical R&B music video. Typically artists would have expensive jewellery and elaborate wardrobes and cars, however in our music video we used basic necessities such as typical R&B hip hop clothing and used dance as a tool of expression. By not using elaborate props we could make our music video much more convenient and appeal to possibly a wider audience, this wider audience would be the people who would appreciate the idea of legitimacy and the idea that this actually could happen. This construction of reality helped a lot in not only reflecting the R&B genre but the concept of our music video. Also we furthered the transgression of the concept of the music video by incorporating reoccurring themes; by doing this we could establish familiarity so that the viewer was less confused about the suggestion of the music video. Through constant re-use of our key motif we hoped to make the music concept seem natural and unmediated, so we had to be very ‘picky’ on location as visuals are very important in either reinforcing your concept and if used in the wrong manner can lead to contradiction of the music video concept. So we decided to stick with the basic theme of unchanged backgrounds, we felt if we tampered with the background it may affect the natural setting making it appear less authentic. Basic colours such as red, white and black because after discussion we decided to incorporate some binary opposites to create the effect of past, present and future – the idea of Black vs. White, Sad vs. Happy, Up vs. Down as Levi-Strauss suggested.

Semiotics played an important role in developing the analytical perspective as it made us consider ways in which our product would have been interpreted and helped us modify it as we had to consider questions such as, what is being represented? How is it being represented? What is the influence of these factors?