She has no style. How do you know that? Better yet why do you think that? Style is a matter of perception. Style is a matter of categorization. Style is a matter of many different things. The music video is a style. MTV which was based on music videos also has a style. Style is a relationship to the world, body, and technology.
After reading Chapter 5 of Why I Still Want My MTV by Kevin Williams and discussion in Music Video class the style of music video and MTV became more apparent to me. I already knew that a music video had a certain way of looking. A music video is fast paced, can tell a story, be non-narrative, or completely confuse the viewer. There is a way of shooting a music video that is different from shooting a film or television show. Even though a trailer for a film can follow music video style. A trailer “tells us something quicker, without need for traditional narrative.” That fast paced style of a music video.
MTV, the network formally known for music videos has it own style as well. MTV expresses the music, expresses visuals musically, and expresses perception. The way this is done is institutionalized. Even though MTV is no longer a music video based channel the way they present and edit their reality shows or more substantial shows dealing with politics or documentaries have a style. This style is taken from the music video style. An example in Chapter 5 described how presidential candidates on Choose or Lose in 1992 were presented in the mood of a music video. Even though that was in 1992 MTV still has a style today. Take the Video Music Awards for instance. Since the first VMA’s MTV’s awards show had more shock, more laid back vibe, more anything goes approach than The Grammy’s or more serious awards shows. During the show the camera will move the camera up to the balcony or cut to something quickly.
Morse said that MTV style is taken from the strong institutional relation to advertisements. Advertisements that are of pop culture and customer capitalism like cars. Commercials are fast paced and quick like music videos. MTV shows and the way or style that they produce things can look like they are selling something. Partying it up at the Jersey Shore or teen pregnancy for instance. MTV has been criticized by some people for glamorizing teen pregnancy with 16 and Pregnant. Glamorizing is to bring allure to something like advertisements do. MTV style is to shock, be like a music video, and be pop culture.
Style can reflect pop culture or be a trend and be in or out but there is more to style. Style “reveals consciousness of the world” and the “sense of the world.” The thoughts, feelings, culture of a time or place. The study of style can help to understand the world for style is a way of perception. The video girl is a standard in the music video. The female is thus still seen as an object. Style has relation to the body for style interprets the visual. Style allows us to come up with our own meaning for something. Therefore the visuals to a music video don’t have to match the lyrics.
Style is not only a matter of trend. Style is not only how something is done. Style is a way we can categorize something by how we understand it. The music video is condensed but doesn’t really have restrictions. A music video can be a music video in many different types of ways.
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