Saturday, 9 November 2013

Research: Star Image

Star image

Star image is the way in which an artist is represented to the audience. The most effective way to do this is through music videos and to a wider, international audience.

How can music videos help to boost and artists career?
  • Music videos contribute to the popularity of the artist/band
  • New audiences and viewers could be gained
  • Financially boost the artist
  • Could re-invent the image
  • Portray the ideologies through the music videos

Michael Jackson case study

Michael Jackson in the 1970’s

Target audience: Family, children.
Appearance:  Really young, beginning of his career mainly influences by his older family members. Big afro innocent child look.
Dance: Simple dance moves, nothing fancy, ordinary in conforming with the rest of the ‘Jackson 5’
Values: Not much as he was a child, relaxed.



Michael Jackson in the 1980’s

Target audience: Teenagers, mid 20’s
Appearance: Causal, conventional to his age at the time, following fashion.
Dance: Complex dance routines, really high in popularity. For example Thriller
Values: Confident, attract opposite sex, love and relationships




Michael Jackson in the 1990’s

Target audience:  Mid 20’s and 30’s
Appearance: Giving a peaceful and positive image through music videos,
Dance: Carrying out his conventional dance moves
Values:  Confident, positive star image external to music videos as well

Michael Jackson in the 00’s

Target audience:  Older target audience mainly 30’s and above.
Appearance: Aiming to re-create his star image because of scandals against him
Dance: Not many dance routines like the past, reserved.
Values: Peaceful, trying to give out a positive image and covering up his private life faults.

Miley Cyrus Star image:
She had a cute and ordinary teenage star image in her early career in the early 2000’s with a really young target audience. However as she got older her star image completely changed in the way she portrayed herself in her music videos. This had caused confusion and conflict between her fans and target audience, some had conformed with her in the way she was, most of her initial target audience had been completely lost and she gained a new one as her real personality had been illustrated.















The Star Image theory could be categorised into different sections.

Sexual Star Image – The artist/bands’ music video is based to exploit their sexuality and their sexual nature, or to feel comfortable with their sexuality.
Political Star Image – To express their political views
Moral Star image – To express their personal opinions on issues that they believe are important.
Social Star Image – Music videos to represent a type of lifestyle or ideology.

Conclusion:
In my research into Star Image I have understood what Star image is, and the importance of it in the career of an artist/band. I have also developed my knowledge on successful artists and their star image throughout the years of their career. I plan to represent my star as having a social star image in which the music video would show the character as representing a specific lifestyle or ideology.

1 comment:

  1. Some good information here on how artists use music videos to develop their 'star image' and why star image is important in the music industry. You also draw upon good examples, (Michael Jackson and Miley Cyrus) to express your ideas.

    To improve;
    -introduction needs to be more detailed and read over so it makes sense
    -at the end where you write 'The Star Image theory could be categorised into different sections', be mindful that it is not theory, rather different purposes to how stars can use the idea of a music video to implement a particular type of image. Can you think of a 'Star' who is associated for each different reason

    ReplyDelete