Purpose: This assignment is intended to promote active and analytical listening/watching of music video and a better understanding of their internal (abstract/structural) and external (semantic/cultural) functioning.

The assignment will consist of 3 stages:
1. Choose a music video that you consider a particularly interesting and successful example of "sculpting with sounds, images and words". Provide through email a link to the video for instructor approval. (by Fri, Nov 4).

2. Submit through email a ~500 words "abstract" explaining in a few paragraphs your choice of the video. Point out 3-4 specific fragments of interest by providing specific starting and ending times in minutes and seconds. Explain briefly what are the intermedia features that you intend to discuss (by Tue, Nov 8).

3. Prepare a 20 minutes presentation (including a maximum 5 minutes of excerpts) and deliver it on a date confirmed with instructor (Nov 14 or 16).

Questions to address:

What was the video successful at conveying and how? How did words, images, sounds and their relationships contribute to its functioning? Analyze the particularity of each of the layers and then consider their relationships. What are 3-4 particularly successful intermodal moments? In the overall view as well as in those selected fragments describe what are the sound, image and word materials, what is their character/role and how they relate to each other. The discussion of chosen excerpts should be specific but concise.

In one or two comments define how does your video inscribe itself within the larger culture. Does it represent realities that you experience in your life? Does it take a political stand? What are the most creative elements? Is there anything that you find particularly inspiring personally? Is there something you want to retain for your final project?

Include a short introduction to relevant stylistic and cultural context/history for the musician(s) and the video director (max 2 minutes).

Additional notes:

The presentation needs to show good organization. Please state at the beginning what is the structure of your presentation with clear priorities or main points. Once you expand on those points through well prepared analysis of examples, please finish with a conclusion summarizing your principal observations.

Creativity and originality are encouraged.