Postmodernism in music video: blog tasks

 

1) How does the article define postmodernism in the first page of the article?

If modernism is beginning to question authority, then postmodernism is making fun of authority to its face. Postmodernism takes this concept of questioning traditional structures, representations and expectations and pushes things a step further.

2) What did media theorist and Semiotician Roland Barthes suggest in his essay 'The Death of the Author'?

In 1967 the French literary critic Roland Barthes released his essay The Death of the Author. In it, he challenged tradition when he said that a writer’s opinions, intentions or interpretation of their own work are no more valid than anyone else’s. To give a simple example, this means that just because Ridley Scott thinks Deckard is a replicant, doesn’t mean that you, the viewer, have to think this if you don’t want to.

3) What is metatextuality?

Metatextuality is where a text draws attention to the fact that it is a text. It points to the process of its own creation.

4) What is the repeated phrase on the cartoon on postmodernism on page 28?

"Postmodernism is a cultural movement" 

5) How does postmodernism link to media representations and reality?

Postmodernists argue that the media plays a role in constructing and reinforcing dominant ideologies and cultural norms. Media representations are not mere reflections of reality, but rather active agents in shaping our understanding of the world.

Music video CSPs and postmodernism

Now apply postmodern ideas to our music video CSPs by answering the following questions:

1) How does the music video for Ghost Town incorporate elements of postmodernism?

Ghost Town incorporates postmodernism as in their video their camerawork is out of control when in the car as this can reflect the feelings of young people in Britain at the time having no job and loosing all sense of control. Another way is the intertexuality of 80's horror films due to the eerie organs playing and the under lighting coming from under the band members faces to give off that representation of them being ghosts in a 'Ghost Town'.  

2) What film genres are alluded to in the music video for Ghost Town? Which scenes in particular created these links?

Film genres that are associated and interlinked with Ghost Town is horror such as hammer horror genre and film noir due to how the limited visual of lighting we get in the video and the lighting inside the car we get is all under lighting which helps to support the idea of this being a more horror genre. Furthermore towards the end of the music video we get the sense of feeling that it is also a road trip genre as most their journey is done by car until the end when they get out and start throwing pebbles into the lake. 

3) How does Old Town Road use postmodern elements in its music video?

Old Town Road uses postmodern elements as in the video it shows Lil Nas X doing TikTok dances on stage and then him switching up and doing line dancing too with the elderly to show off that Westernised theme and look. Furthermore the use of the beginning of the music video's setting with Lil Nas X being on a horse with a bag full of money gives off a feel of Red Dead Redemption as it felt like he was trying to recreate a scene from the infamous cowboy game. 

4) How does the Old Town Road music video reflect technological convergence and modern digital culture?  

Old Town Road reflects technological convergence and modern digital culture due to their being screens within screens shown in the video and the use of mobile phones being used to record such as at the very beginning when Lil Nas X comes strolling in on top of his horse and everyone around him are all confused and start taking pictures of him. 

5) What do YOU think Lil Nas X was trying to say about reality and American culture in the music video for Old Town Road?

I feel like what Lil Nas X was trying to get out from his music video and the reality of American culture is that it is time for a change and that it does not matter what race, gender, ethnicity or your sexuality is you can still be welcomed into America which all four of these we see such as Lil Nas X wearing a pink suit along with Billy Ray Cyrus matching with him to subvert and change that idea of the stereotypical cowboy being a white man and then Lil Nas X dancing with the old white people which helps to show even though he is a black cowboy he is welcomed into their society.