Direct Address

One convention which is pretty much always used in pop promos is the use of ‘Direct Address’, this ensures that the performer performs directly to the audience, it gives them a sense of involvement – the use of this convention is to build a relationship between the audience and the performer. The direct address is used to give the audience an emotional connection to the band, the video presents itself based more on the style of the band image rather than the connotation of the lyrics, which contain a serious underlying meaning. Therefore maintaining direct address is an inevitable part of the music video, especially ours as the audience has to feel a connection with the duo in order to build up this fan based relationship which should follow. Above is an example, of a commercial artist, Lady Gaga – she is looking evidently straight towards the camera this entices the audience in to build up a relationship with them. Below, is a clip from our pop video where our lead singer gives the audience direct address to create this relationship. Also, we have decided to film at eye level as this gives a feeling of comradeship between both the performer and the target audience as the mode of address is on same level as audiences. When she looks away – it teases the audiences as it draws them in wanting more, as the star image is something they cannot have, they are then excluded if the star looks away making the audience hungry for more, it encourages repeated consumption. Even videos which are from Electronic Shamen use this convention, for example, ‘The Prodigy’ with ‘Warriors Dance’ and ‘The Chemical Brothers’ with ‘The Salmon Dance’, even though they do not have an actual person in their video it is still important for a connection to be made between the audience and the song itself, so therefore the performer, in this case the ‘salmon’ looks and sings straight towards the camera, therefore giving direct address, which supports this relationship.