Shabd's Media Blog 2

1) Music Video - introduction and fact sheet questions 2) Music Video theory and This Is America analysis 3) Common -  Letter to the Free  context and analysis 4) Michael Jackson -  Billie Jean  context, analysis and MM article

Common - Letter to the Free 1) Common has been involved in the move Selma which is about an "Alabama city which became the battleground in the fight for suffrage. Despite violent opposition, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his followers pressed forward on an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, and their efforts culminated in President Lyndon Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965." 2) "The Thirteenth Amendment (Amendment XIII) to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. In Congress, it was passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, and by the House on January 31, 1865." 3) "The Black Codes were laws passed by Southern states in 1865 and 1866 in the United States after the American Civil War with the intent and the effect of restricting African Americans' freedom, and of compelling them to work in a labour economy based on low wages or debt." 4) As

1) What was the budget for  Billie Jean ? How did this compare with later Michael Jackson videos? The budget for "Billie Jean" was 300,000 dollars 2) Why was the video rejected by MTV? Billie Jean was rejected by MTV as it was argued that it didn't suit their demographic of middle-class America. 3) Applying Goodwin's theory of music video, how does  Billie Jean  reflect the genre characteristics of the pop music video? Goodwins's Genre theory suggested that media products appeal to audiences through repetition and difference. Billie Jean accomplishes the repetition element of this through the following conventions: lip-synching, dance routine. performance, expensive/high fashion wardrobe and lyrics linking to the video. 4) How do the visuals reflect the lyrics in  Billie Jean ? Even though there isn't a direct reference, Billie Jean is referenced throughout the song, as a character who is claiming that MJ got her pregnant. A clear reference between visu