Research Blog: Music Video Conventions

 The song I will be making a video for a song by Weird Al Yankovic called "Trapped in the Drivethru." The song is a parody of R.Kelly's "Trapped in the Closet." As a parody, we should expect it to emulate traits of the genre it is based in. R.Kelly's original song is based in a mix between hip-hop and R&B. Al Yankovic's parody has the same rhythm and instrumentation as the original. The original song is about a man's journey through a large web of lies, deception and adultery. Al Yankovic's parody is just about a man going through a drivethru to get food for him and his wife. In hopes of remaining lighthearted (and school appropriate), I'll stick with Yancovic's version. Songs like this parody are narratively driven with a strong baseline and hook that sticks to the listener like glue. That is a part of the song itself so there is nothing I could or would want to do about it. As for the video, it simulates the song in that it is designed to tell a story. It follows one person as they are fulfilling an action. To put it in writing terms, it would be third-person limited. We will only know about the thoughts and events surrounding the main character. Since the song is about going through a drivethru, that will be in the music video. Actually, that is what happens in the original parody. I guess if it isn't broke, don't try to fix it. I understand that plagiarism isn't allowed, but I can't take a story-based song and make a completely unrelated video. The parody is animated but this will be live, so it isn't straight copy and pasting. My next blog will be about what I will be doing in this video. Until then, see you later.