Using Genre To Describe Our Music Video

Our music video's genre would have been described as "trip-hop". Trip -hop is a reasonably new genre of music which was established in the mid-1990s and is a combination of electro and house music.
This genre of music video does not really have any set conventions, as it is quite experimental and is not generally seen as mainstream.

Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music. It began in the mid-1990s, growing out of England's hip hop and house scenes, including that of the Bristol underground. It has been described as "Europe's alternative choice in the second half of the '90s", and a fusion "of Hip-Hop and Electronica until neither genre is recognizable."


This is is best illustrated by the fact that existing trip hop videos are all very unique and individual, with little to no connecting conventions.

The trip-hop genre perhaps fits best into David Buckingham's theory of genre is;
"Genre is not simply given by the culture, rather, it is in a constant process of negotiation and change"

Genre Theory Theorists

John Fiske:
-What does John Fiske describe genre as?
  - Attempts to structure some order into the wide range of texts

-Name three ways John Fiske categorises genre?
  - A way of categorising texts
  - A way of setting up audience expectations
  - A way of defining codes and conventions for a category of text

Christian Metz:
-What is he best known for?
  - Introducing semiotics to film

-Where was the three main places his work had most impact?
  -Britain, France and USA

David Buckingham:
-What does David Buckingham argue genre is?
  -Genre is in a constant process of negotiation and change

-What type of investigation has David Buckingham undertaken?
  -Empirical

Katie Wales:
-What does Katie Wales say genre is?
  - An intertextual concept

-Where is this concept most appropriately seen?
  - In music videos

Genre

Defining Genre-

• Genre is a way of categorising literature.
• It originated from ancient Greece.
• There were 3 original classifications when the classification system began- Poetry, Drama, Prose.
• Different Genre's apply to different media types, such as film, music, books and TV.

Background To Genre-

• Theory was constructed by Plato & Aristotle
• Sub genres can be created
• Genres are created through conventions as they change genres become discontinued
• New ones are formed constantly, e.g. Thriller/Adventure

Analysing Genre-

• Tony Thwaites & his colleagues confirms textuality and reading
• Each genre has unique visual and sound qualities (four micro areas)
• Through iconography we can recognise the genre through particular ideologies

Analysis of Opening Sequence of Se7en

Micro-elements:
(Denotation and Connotation)
Weather is raining constantly - makes the viewer feel like the film is going to be depressive, dark and gloomy throughout.

Brad Pitt has tie's already hung up for him on coat hanger - shows that he's lazy.

Morgan Freeman has everything lined up, ready for the day - show's he's organised and possibly has a touch of OCD, which he then brings into his job, e.g. tools in the back of the car are organised.

Written Language:
When the first murder has been committed the world "Gluttony" is written on the wall, showing that the murderer is leaving a clue to the crimes he is going to commit - the seven deadly sins.

In the opening credits there is a huge amount of written language, comprising of newspaper clippings etc. These give the beginning of the film a mysterious feel and keep the audience hooked as they want to know more about the murderer.

"Se7en"