2 Intertextuality Research /

What is intertextuality?

Intertextuality- A literary device that creates an 'interrelationship between texts' and generates related understanding in separate works. These references are made to influence the reader and add layers of depth to a text, based on the readers' prior knowledge and understanding.

In this Intertextuality research task, I will be exploring how a wide range of media products in the category of 'Music video' use intertextuality in order to appeal content to a wider range of audiences, as oppose to just one. In addition to this, I will also be highlighting what makes these references to other media texts effective.

For reference and purely as an example, here are some examples of intertextuality in Stranger Things:

The light shone on 11 which is an almost identical to the take from E.T

Where 11 is dressed in Nancy's clothes with a wig, which is what happens to E.T, to make the alien appear more 'normal' or 'human'.

Joyce Byres rips the wall down with an axe, similarly to Jack Nickleson in The Shining.

The character of Dustin in ST is act by a strange looking young actor, who has missing teeth and a speech impediment, similar to Chuck from The Goonies.

Click HERE to watch a video on intertextuality in stranger things 

https://youtu.be/AwTpsw-ufDA

For my chosen brief, intertextuality has been used well in the following examples of music videos:

In Gwen Stefani's music video for 'Rich Girl', there is a constance reference to the film Pirates Of The Caribbean' with the mies en scene representing a similar costume to that which was worn in the film by the pirates.

                       Rich Girl screenshot                                         Pirates of the Caribbean screenshot

Similarly, in the two music videos of "Man, I Feel Like A Woman" by Shania Twain and Addicted To Love by Robert Palmer, Twain mimics the same set up, props, camera angles, stage positioning and costume as Palmer's music video. The only real differences are the lyrics, and the genders of each of the people in the shot, which are swapped round from a male artist and a female band in Palmer's video, to a female artist and a male band in Twain's music video.

Addicted To Love (1985)                                               Man, I Feel Like A Woman (1997)

You don't own me- SAYGRACE and G-Eazy (This music video shows intertextuality to the original song "You don't own me" by Lesley Gore )

3 Little Birds- Bob Marley and The Wailers  This music video looks similar to that of a Disney video

To conclude this research, I have found intertextuality within media products, focusing on music videos, has been influential for future and current styles found in todays music. Researching the different ways in which artists and directors decide to shoot videos, and where they may have found their influence from has opened my eyes to the world of music more, and makes me question where the inspiration for new music in the future will come from. Will it be based on the world around us? Will we see predictions of our future? Will artist even continue to make music videos with the decline in viewers, or the ever ageing generation?

These are all factors that i will base my music video around, so that it can be well applied to my target audience, but also provide a feeling of nostalgia and comfort in a familiar setting for the genre, without making it feel too 'copied'.