Burn - Usher
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics.
The genre of Usher is RnB/HipHop and this is shown throughout the video and song. For example, the song is about him being dumped by a girl so the video is trying to show how he's feeling and how it's effected him emotionally and also create a relationship with the demographic that's been through the same thing. This is definitely conventions of the genre, as he's singing about love and relationships. There are often shadows of the girl being there throughout, but she's not actually there, providing a visual characteristic that she's not there, reverting back to the song and the genre it's from. It also shows the emotion by showing the girl crying, showing again it's an emotional time for them, relating to the lyrical context again. Another genre characteristic is the fact the video is sexual in the fact that the girl he is obviously in love with is in a bikini, showing her figure and what he's missing out on highlighting the issue further.
2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and visuals.
There is a definitely a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. For example, when Usher sings the lyrics 'Gotta let it burn..' as the songs title is also 'Burn' the female jumps in the pool and special effects allow the pool to set on fire. However, this is a very simple re-occurring metaphor as it's also repeated later on in the video when the trees are set on fire. There is a basic metaphor due to the demographic and them stereotypically not being as intelligent to understand. The RnB/HipHop genre is usually associated with stereotypical lower class people, this demonstrates.
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals.
Throughout the video Usher and the female are both shown in attractive ways. Usher has always been seen in the industry as an attractive man and gains lots of female attention and this is shown in his videos in the way he's portrayed. For example, the music is emotional and shows him talking about love and an emotional subject so automatically makes him more attractive because it shows him distressed due to what he's going through, showing him venerable. The video always cuts back to him, due to his attractiveness. However, it also shows the attractive female as well so there is both female and female 'eye candy' for the demographic.
4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style)
Throughout the video Usher is referred back to regularly. The record label will obviously want to show him as regularly as they can due to him being attractive. Many people will purely watch the video with the frame of mind that he's an attractive male. They understand that the majority of the demographic will be females in this case due to the emotional nature of the song as it's about loving someone, so will show more of Usher. However, it does show a female in a sexual way due to the male demographic also. In some cases the video becomes primary to the music, and the dominant factor becomes the visual aspect rather than the song.
5. There are frequent references to the notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly the voyeuristic/erotic treatment of the female body.
Throughout the video the female is shown in a voyeuristic/erotic way. For example, both Usher and the female in the video are both portrayed in this way. Once again, relating back to the genre of the music and the sexual connotations regularly shown by RnB performers. The female in the video is in a bikini shown diving into a pool and wet, evidently showing her in the most sexual way possible, relating to the lyrics showing how much he's missing out but also referring back to the genre of the music and what is trying to be created.
6. There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos)
The first impression I gain from the video is that he reflects a 'James Bond' type character and refers back to the James Bond films. For example, it shows the lifestyle of him, the rich lifestyle with the attractive girl. He comes across as a 'pimp' type man with the money and apartment. The first cuts give you the feel of the power he has to begin with but as the video goes on you see he's venerable and emotional.
Research
The video was directed by Jake Nava who has produced videos for Atomic Kitten and Beyonce, other RnB/Pop artists. It was also shot singer Frank Sinatra's house which is evidently a bacholer pad showing his wealth. The video also includes a, surprisingly, openly gay model Jessica Clark which is surprising due to the sexual aspects throughout, which offers 'eye candy' for all of the demographic. The video debuted on MTV's Total Request Live at number four in 2004, the video then reached number one for thirty three days.
Jake Nava
Jake Nava is an English born music director has worked with Atomic Kitten, Beyonce, along with Adele directing Someone Like You, he has also directed videos for The Rolling Stones showing a wide variety of genres.
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