Semiotic theory is the science of signs. Codes and conventions are the basis of genre theory. Genre is dynamic, it grows and adapts to society for media texts are there for one wholly cause - to make money. This means the institution producing a particular media product will have an effect on the text and therefore, the audience.
Particular codes and conventions of a type of music are beginning to be almost ignored in this post-modern era. In 2012, Bob Dylan released a video which plays on expected clichés. The audience's expectations are subverted by the controversial, shocking violence.
Indie Rock is a sub-genre of alternative music, originating in the UK and US in the 80s. It is mainly produced on an independent label which gives the artists more creative freedom in their music, resulting in more interesting music which goes against the grain. It appeals to those of the niche audience - those who like music to be different and not sound a particular way in order for it to be successful. The indie rock audience are usually gig-goers and pay money to see a unique experience. Alternative music goes against the sterile, auto-tuned music this society has become obsessed with. Fans of alternative music are often interested in other genres of music including: rock (all sub-genres like psychedelia, metal, punk etc.), folk, blues, hip-hop, and electronic. They love music regardless of how the band looks or what is happening in their personal life.
Genre helps create a target audience so the producers can use the codes and conventions to establish what the product is. The audience use genre to choose what media texts they want to consume - referring to the codes and conventions of that genre - in this case: Indie Rock. Form and content are the most important aspects to consider, for example, a typical music video will feature fast editing as part of the form and what is in the form (the codes and conventions of a typical video of a specific genre).
A typical Indie/Rock video often features either a live band
performance, sometimes including a narrative, or the main vocalist singing on
their own. The narratives created in the video do not necessarily relate to the
lyrics of the track. The editing in the video are usually fast cuts between the
shots and the clothing is most commonly casual. The colour is often edited to
suit the style of the song. For example, in the music video for the song “Still
Life” by The Horrors, the colour reflects the psychedelic nature of the track
itself.
'Pelican' by the Maccabees is their first single from the
new album 'Given to the Wild', and is about the journey through life
represented in an abstract way.
This video shows how the music video for Pelican was made
and the thought process the production team went through when making it. In the
video, it shows behind the scenes, exploring the technical difficulties and
equipment used.
Music videos of this genre can also feature animation, for example, Power Out by Arcade Fire uses animation which has a narrative but the narrative does not always have to be clear and straight forward if the images are slightly abstract it does not matter whereas if the narrative was acted out then it is important that the storyline is obvious and not confusing for the audience. This also gives the artist a visual image for the listener to think about when they listen to the rest of their music catalogue, which is wholly the point of a music video - it is not reflecting a single song, but representing an artist's image.
The interesting thing about the video for 'Fell in Love With a Girl' by the White Stripes is that the majority was made by actual lego, but to save time, animation was used subtly.
Music videos of this genre can also feature animation, for example, Power Out by Arcade Fire uses animation which has a narrative but the narrative does not always have to be clear and straight forward if the images are slightly abstract it does not matter whereas if the narrative was acted out then it is important that the storyline is obvious and not confusing for the audience. This also gives the artist a visual image for the listener to think about when they listen to the rest of their music catalogue, which is wholly the point of a music video - it is not reflecting a single song, but representing an artist's image.
The interesting thing about the video for 'Fell in Love With a Girl' by the White Stripes is that the majority was made by actual lego, but to save time, animation was used subtly.
