Sub Genre: Indie Rock and Roll Music Videos

As a group we have decide to go down the route of producing a music video and other products for a independant rock and roll band. Indie music deprives from working class. gritty routes. This is portrayed through the music and the videos. Early roots started in the sixties and a massive boom of popularity followed. Many artists nowadays have been inspired by such bands as The Kinks, The Beatles, The Clash, The Who, The Jam as well as solo artists such as Jimi Hendrix. Music videos from this period focus on the band and the performance they are doing. Camera shots mainly focus on the band members and there guitars and drums. Fashion and the bands style is also a key element. Bands set trends and fashion statements that fans and the audience tend to follow as a result. This therefore creates stereotypes as such in which music is a key factor. Certain brands of clothing can be identified with certain band members and genres of music as a whole. For example, adidas, converse and plimsoll footwear are associated with indie rock and roll bands as well as others. Liam Gallagher, from the Oasis has had such an impact on fashion, he has decided to create his own brand of clothing which has had major success so far.  Many UK bands have continued to do so and  have become successful using music videos as a advertisement for their music. As a rule, it is quite easy to identify a music video created by a UK indie rock and roll band as they generally follow the same type of pattern to portray their image. This does not mean, most indie rock and roll music videos are all clones of each other, but, they do tend to use the same conventions, camera shots and mise en scene in their videos;making it easy to recognise this type of genre. Many music videos are created to stretch and break conformity, this can be due to the use of controversial topics, for example, the use of drugs, alcohol and criminal activity. This can bring attention and through the spread from word of mouth can bring popularity and success for a band. Indie rock and roll music videos usually have strong links to the music in which is running parallel with the video. They also may wish to include live filming or even shots of their musical equipment, such as instruments, stage or even fans. This therefore creates in some what a story of what is happening and what is meant by the song. Also, extreme close ups and close are used often to focus on the main vocalist and other members of the band (that is if they are in the music video themselves) so the audience can relate to the bands members on another level. Successful bands such as these have had success due to their music and their videos:

• Oasis
• Arctic Monkeys
• Kasabian
• Stone Roses
• Jamie T
• MGMT
• Twisted Wheel
• Bloc Party

Oasis's Cigarettes and alcohol is a typical indie rock and rock music video which conforms to the genre. The video is targeted mainly at a working class audience. Whilst watching the video, you can identify this through the clothing the band are wearing, the camera shots used, the scenary and other factors. Long collared casual shirts are being worn by all the band, this is the bands image that is being portrayed. Close ups and extreme close ups are used quite often during the video, specifically on the band members. This therefore allows the audience to relate to the band. Fast pace editing and crosscut editing is used in this video to add emphasis. Fast pace editing from, from one extreme close up to another member of the band. This makes the video more interesting moving quickly through the shots. Andrew Goodwin also said their is a link between the music and the visuals. Crosscut editing is to show parallel action in the video.  This links the narrative with the performance.

By Joel