Jazz was one of the most influential genres between the 1920s and 1960s, and it was largely led by artists of colour who used it as a way to express the Civil Rights Movement and other social issues. During this era, there were very few traditional music videos. The focus was on live, raw performances rather than pre-recorded, stylised productions. Jazz was more of an artistic statement and a form of protest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, the \u201cSo What\u201d video by Miles Davis is essentially a filmed performance, shot from multiple camera angles. Close-ups of Davis with his trumpet highlight the emotions being expressed, while medium shots of the full band show the collaborative process of \u201cmusic in the making.\u201d Because of the recording technology of the time, these videos were typically black-and-white and captured on tape. In my own music video, I plan to replicate this \u201cold camera effect\u201d by using specific settings during filming in camera and\/or filters in post-production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ll be working with both a professional Canon camera and a compact digital camera, each serving a different purpose. Personally, I\u2019ve always been drawn to early 2000s digital cameras and the way they capture a moment feels more authentic. The images aren\u2019t about perfect pixel image quality or good lighting; instead, they translate the emotion of the moment with a raw, unpolished honesty that I really value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this project, I want to lean into specific aesthetics that emphasize the emotional weight of the song. I\u2019ll be using close-ups shots on details, eyes, and subtle movements to create intimacy, while also incorporating wide shots where I\u2019m not the focal point. This contrast highlights a sense of smallness… like being a grain of sand on the vast beach of humanity, surrounded by countless perspectives and experiences beyond my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several major artists, including Lana Del Rey and Jeff Buckley, have covered The Other Woman by Nina Simone. Surprisingly, none of them ever released an official music video for their versions. However, I did come across a fan-made visual piece for Lana\u2019s interpretation. It\u2019s crafted from clips of her older music videos, combined with filler footage that helps translate the mood and atmosphere of the song thus being a perfect example of a perfect postmodern media text that uses bricolage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n