This video is one of my favourite videos ever made, but a artist i very much enjoy. 'We made you' Is a single of Eminem's album Relapse released in 2009, it was released 7 April in that year. Produced by mentor Dr. Dre. The video for this is a very entertaining one with a subliminal message that 'We made you' Meaning Eminem is trying to say to all the celebrities doing stupid things. They wouldn't be where they are now without being 'made' by the public and other people.
The video between shots mainly focuses on Eminem as himself rapping on a Guitar Hero game set out, with the aspects of the game going passed him and him standing on the track line, this shows yet another aspect of pointless entertainment in Eminem's mind.
However in other shots he dresses up or gets actresses to dress up as celebrities in the media spotlight so Eminem, can basically rip there reputation to pieces in a matter of words. Jessica Simpson, Bret Michaels, Britney Spears, Kevin Federline, Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson, Amy Winehouse, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi, Jessica Alba, Elvis Presley, Tony Romo, John Mayer, Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian. These are all the people Eminem features in his video, and all of them he has a go at in some form of a way. To portray this the person he gets t play Sarah Palin is known as a "Pornographic actress. And as you can see in the video every person he does comment on is portrayed or dressed up as in maybe not an accurate reflection but certainly a very humorous and entertaining way. Which after all we'll get people watching it, we'll stick in peoples head, and gain publicity one of the major points of a video?
The main focuses of the video is when the word "RockStar" come in there is a caption that comes out saying "RockStar" This is to portray the parody of the video from "Rock of love" as it is like their symbol.
Throughout the video when you are watching it random objects and camera shots come up. Every shot contains people of some sort, Eminem himself being in a lot of them, also people he's ridiculing will be in the shots, played by actors anyway. Although 50 cent and Dr. Dre both appear as themselves. He even has a go at himself in an elf pink Tshirt and says "looking like someones outfit" and showing him wearing a very small pink Tshirt. However as this is yet another shot of him it will no doubt count as publicity and advertising, so it works in his favour whereas opposite effect when he is ridiculing someone else and tarnishes there reputation. Random objects are seen in lots of shots, such as; Hamburgers, star trek suits cuddly toys, men dressed as bears, these are all relevant in the shots in someway but just add to the hilarity of the shots themselves. The main focus of things on set or screen that come up is whenever in the chorus the word "Rockstar is said" the caption depicting "Rock of love" comes up. This again is to parody another show. And basically just prove he can.
A massive variety of shots are used in this video and i think Eminem and Joseph Kahn put them in as they very watchable and do keep you watching. For example, there is a cu of Jessica Simpson, as this what shes all about being in front of the camera and gaining Media spotlight. The shot with Sarah Palin uses a lot of angles, swings to different people in the shots and has CU's of their expressions throughout the shot. Also perhaps the best example is when Eminem is rapping with the Guitar Hero going passed him as it does look like he's in the game and is a very good idea from Joseph Kahn, also in the chorus it switches from MCU to CU of Eminem a lot.
There are many effects used to match the light-hearted, and entertaining factor of the video. The costumes used are very extreme and over the top, for example Sarah Palin half dressed to portray her reputation of being "sexy politician" and Amy Winehouse drinking with make up all smudged, clothes hanging off looking very rough. Thought bubbles are used with pictures to show what people are thinking. Without doubt the best visual effect used is that of the Guitar Hero bass line how it fits in with Eminem and how realistic they make it look. Keeping Eminem in shot and making it work with the video, it really was a very good idea from Kahn.
The lyrics in the song are very clever, they are both effective and flowing which is important as it gives out messages and is still a good song. It rhymes well and goes with the music. When he is talking about another person there is a shot that is either of them or relevant to them, and in the chorus it shows him making hand actions or body language to portray what he is saying. When he says "Gluteas Maximum" there is a shot of him acting as if he is indeed feeling her Gluteas Maximus. Any other shots that are not verses are filled bu the ongoing parody of Star Trek or Eminem rapping on the Guitar Hero bass line. Overall such is the credit it has received it works tremendously well.
Throughout the song the video takes different speeds and rhythms, it does not follow a consistent beat, which although unusual is effective and makes it very good to listen to. The fast bits are matched by fast rapping and fast shots, that change camera angles quickly. And the slower bits for example at the end when he is talking about Amy Winehouse in rehab, it slows down and then speeds up when he is speaking, that is effective. The most noticeable part of the music and camera shots, is that when the "RockStar" bit comes up the music stops and then continues when the caption has gone, this is so the main focus is on the caption.
The video itself does feature a lot of messages and the mise-en-scene, which i looked at a moment ago has messages and meaning. Every shot and every detail is looked at to make sure it is right. For Example in the Sarah Palin shot the accessories behind the desk, the flag, the picture, the head of animal, all portray different things. The desk and flag meant to look like political and native, but the head of an animal is stereotyped as being from Alaska she hunts animals. There is a bit of inter-textuality obviously the RockStar caption is writing that is meant to bed by the audience, the thought bubble portrays information without text, just showing pictures of what he is thinking. And the clothes and what is on shot does give out messages or signals of what the shot is about. For example, Eminem's pink Tshirt in the shot with him.
The video is very different from the stereotype of a hip hop Video. I mean in very few hip hop videos do you see mean dressed up as teddy bears, or Eskimos being sick. This is because it isn't like many other hip hop songs it focuses more on the entertainment side and isn't about Eminem himself, it is about other people. At the same time it does have the same effect as a hip hop video and earns respect because he dares to say what he is saying, and dares to use the shots he does. The shots do not have Fast cars, Half naked women in clubs (Although of course it does have half naked women on the shots) Not the type of thing that you would expect from a video of it's type. Yet it did win Hip hop's most prestigious video award, I think everyone enjoys the difference and the entertainment aspect, the comedy of the shots of people the viewers will recognise. And the Director and Eminem have thought about that hard, and it has payed off very well, it could've easily gone drastically wrong and been a very poor video just showing people badly dressed up. But Kahn showed why he is such a respectable Director.
Unusually again for a video there isn't much of a narrative or storyline, yes it does focus on celebrities a lot and lots of the shots are about them, but there isn't really a storyline. Although i do not think it needs one as it is extremely fun to watch anyway. He does go in order of slagging people off and the shots are relevant to what he is saying so it's not completely random, and it doesn't lose the viewer. Also at the end you can tell when the video is going to end because the music slows and the shots get slower. The Star Trek spoof scenes, of which there are four go in order and have a certain storyline to them, where Dr. Dre is the captain, Eminem comes on and crashes the ship. And the alternative shots of different celebrities are in chronological order.
This video however is not unlike others in it's purpose, and although sending out a message it does what Eminem wants and gives him major publicity, as he is in lots of the shots either as himself or dressed up. The fact that the video is funny and entertaining, will mean the viewer will go away having a positive perception of Eminem, and see him as a very good entertainer and maybe make them watch another one of his videos. the recognition it has received from MTV awards, and the Grammy it received, show it has been accepted extremely well, and this is obviously major publicity for Eminem as it shows his name up in lights, and a lot of people are watching. The video itself is entertaining and people may watch it again just for a laugh or recommend it to other people, thus giving the song more listens to make it more popular and push it up the charts, and in the end as what it's all been about all the way through give the artist more pounds, or dollars in this case.
Hip hop fans although maybe not seeing the usual, average, "playboy" Video will accept this video a lot because it is funny, and respectable because of what he says and how he says it. And the song itself does feature very good verses and rapping from the man himself, which is what Eminem fans come to expect when hearing a song by him. As it is very funny, but the comedy is very immature but still funny at the same time, maybe people who are serious may not find it to funny and see Eminem as a bit of a "fool" (many people do!). But I've showed it to my Parents both who are old! And they find it very funny, so this proves to me it must be a naturally funny video. And most people of whatever interests watch it, will find it "entertaining" which is what the video is aimed to do... Entertain.
Overall i think the video is very effective and does what it is supposed to do, Although not the usual Hip Hop/ Rap video it still works very well. The shots from camera and what is on set add to it very well, and whichever way you look at it, it is an entertaining video be it for the right or wrong reasons. Despite this it has had mixed reviews, The guardian saying " Eminem should stick to what he does best, and stay away from this" Whereas other sources saying "Hilariously funny, and at the same time a very good song, from the king of entertainment" From a Youtube user. All in all though he has made a video that is entertaining and gets people talking. It has won numerous awards including at MTV music videos "Video of the year" so it must have done something right. And it does entertain and give him publicity, popularity fame and of course money which is what all this in the end is for.
'Hey ya' by OutKast was released September 9th 2003, with the music video on which i will be concentrating on released September 5th in the same year. It was directed by Bryan Barber who has directed other music videos such as; Anastasia's smash hit "left outside alone" and Cornish act Joss Stone. This is a video i enjoy because of the enjoyment and feel good factor that comes with it as well as being a big fan of OutKast and Andre 3000 who is also in the video.
The main point of the video is that is set and based on The Beatles performance on the Ed Sullivan show on February 9th 1964, however the video is set out so it is portrayed as being played in London this is shown at the start when the manager of OutKast portrayed as The Beatles says "i haven't come over the big sea for nothing" talking presumably about the Atlantic Ocean. When they are introduced by "Ed Sullivan" he announces them as OutKast with the band members in black and white through the camera lens. This is how Sullivan introduced The Beatles back in 1964.
All through the video you can see they have tried to adapt almost exactly to the show. They are each wearing green outfits and the set in the back ground is predominantly green. All the instruments are shown when they cut to a mid shot of the set, portraying a live act. There is also an audience who are very supportive and add to the atmosphere of the show. Through every shot that is shown in the video it is either of the band and set or of the crowd, there is no other alternative shots from outside the set or crew. One of the shots the video often cuts to is that of the camera man with an old 60's camera and shows a black and white shot through his lens of either the audience or the set itself. It is a very good idea from Director, Barber. The set is laid out so it can all be put on one shot with instruments and the band members, backdrops and lights can also be seen from the shot, and this adds to the all round feel that you are watching a live TV show.
Throughout the video, despite the limited space they are constantly adapting and changing to different shots. The one most used is the mid shot of the band and the set which just gives an overview of what happens. Also they cut to shots of the audiences reactions which acts as if live. They seem to alternate between these two parts of the studios, and if someone from the audience is doing something that is relevant to the video it will cut to a shot that will focus on them. Or if the lead singer is performing they will focus on him, if there is an instrumental they will focus on the band and the instrument that is playing. The shot that i think is the most interesting and effective, is when the music video camera, shoots the camera man who is an actor portraying the camera man on Sullivan's show from 1964. It focuses on his old camera and the screen on the camera to show what is being recorded is focused on and gives a black and white effect to the music video and it focuses on the band in black and white. This is interesting because in excess it is a camera recording a camera and the shot it puts out. And links the current video to that of The Beatles in 1964.
There is no real new special effects throughout the film or modernised shots because it is based on a production 40 years old. They use the effect with the camera looking through the other camera. At the start when they show Sullivan in black and white announcing OutKast are coming onto the stage, this adds to the feel that it is in fact from the 60's. When the lyrics say "Polaroid picture" there is a shot of people from the crowd shaking a Polaroid and getting a picture of Andre 3000 performing. Using old cameras that would've been used by the audience watching The Beatles back then.
Throughout the song what the singer is saying and the shots are linked. As it's a live performance the dancing while the music is played can be seen. Also naturally as its a performance you can watch him singing it, and the backing singers. So constantly throughout the video the lyrics and visuals are going to be similar. As i referred to in the previous paragraph when the singer says "Shake it like a Polaroid picture" you can see the woman taking a picture through her old fashioned camera of Andre 3000 and shaking it to get an accurate picture of him. As well as this at the end when the lead singer addresses the crowd he addresses the ladies in the crowd, and the shot immediately turns to them jumping and screaming.
As the video is "as live" despite it being portrayed from the 60's the visuals and the music are very close. Whenever there is an instrumental in the song, there is a shot of who is playing the instrument, likewise with the singer. When the music is quicker and more upbeat, t shows the lead singer dancing to the music and the tempo of it, as well as the rest of the band who are also dancing. This is also showed with the crowd and there dancing. There is one shot in the middle of an old lady who seems out of sync with the rest of the crowd, looking bored and upset by the mad people dancing next to her, however later on in the song, when the music is more upbeat it cuts to the same shot but this time she is dancing with people next to her. This is a shot that brilliantly portrays how the song is shown.
There is none or very little inter textuality, it's not really that type of music that needs information on it, as it is a live set. When watching a live set there is rarely any text because it as live.
It is a hip hop song, and OutKast are hip hop artists or that's what there known as, but if you watched the video without sound, you would not think of it as a hip hop video, it has very few characteristics of a hip hop video, apart from the dancing. But the outfits do not look like what a Hip Hop artist would wear at all; they are wearing what looks to be a jockey’s outfit, or very old outfits. As it is set in the 60's and there was no hip hop back then, it would look weird if there was any hip hop characteristics. And the only shots are from the old fashioned set studio.
It is very different to most other videos obviously because it is set as a live performance and set. So it definitely doesn't follow a storyline like many other videos do. The only real narrative it goes through is as if in real time. The performance of the song from start to finish. The audience reaction is as live as well. And the shot of the old women bored, and then entertained and happy, is shown as in chronological order.
This video just being of a set from the 60's with no alternative shots from any other venue could've gone badly wrong, and could've been very boring, compared to the Eminem song I reviewed before with lots of different shots, it's completely different. However it does promote the band very well, there are countless shots of them performing the song, and at the start the pre-video bit of what looks to be his manager giving him money, will no doubt show he has money. The live audience reaction to the song, which is one of great happiness entertaining and screaming, so much so, in one shot there is a shot of a woman who comes onto stage to dance with the band being taken away by security. The reaction of the audience shows the viewer that there music is enjoyable. There are numerous shots of performers close up, this advertises them and their face to the viewer. Overall it is a massive advertising project for OutKast and will gain them massive recognition. Not least for the awards it one.
It is difficult to say who this video is aimed at, obviously Hip Hop fans and Outkast fans, simply because it is a very good and well charted hip hop song, and follows the quick upbeat and rapping parts that are essential to any hip hop song. However as it got to Number one in charts from UK to New Zealand it must’ve appealed to the masses. The video could be down to this as it is a very good and interesting video to watch, because it is as if you are watching a live performance. It is interesting they have related it to The Beatles performance all those years ago, this may keep the viewer engaged to see how they have done it. Maybe even people who watched that version of the Ed Sullivan show or fans of The Beatles may relate to it. Also OutKast tried to show it could be suited to anyone when they showed the picture of the elderly lady dancing to it.
Overall I think this is a great and very imaginative video, done really well by Brian Barber the idea of a live set was a risky one because it limits them to very few shots of things. But they worked it really well. The awards it has one 2003 Hip Hop video the year, portrays the entertainment of the video. A particular highlight was the interesting ways they related it back to the 60's version, the camera shots showing the set, the old cameras, all made it work very well. The live set idea worked very well and gave the feel as if you were watching it live. Also the way the performers in OutKast entertained in the video, as if they were really enjoying it and working the crowd added to the atmosphere. This is a really popular video, and definitely my favorite for the sheer enjoyment of it and how light hearted it is, and if I was bored and wanted to watch a music video this would be the first one I would turn to.
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