Follow up: Audience research for Synthpop music videos

Previous research

After reviewing my last questionnaire that I completed for my research into audiences opinions regarding Synthpop music videos, I found some issues that I needed to resolve before beginning planning of my project. These issues were;

• A small sample size
• A lack of specificity in some questions
• A lack of examples of Synthpop music videos given to allow audiences to answer
• Closed questions forcing participants to answer questions even if they have no opinion on the matter
• A level of confusion experienced by the participants in general when answering the questionnaire

I believe the main cause of these issues are that the genre of Synthpop is quite a niche music genre that tests individuals limited knowledge when questioned about it. I feel that I can use the previous results as a good indication of the answers but need to do some more extensive research to have more conclusive results.

Follow up research

For my next piece of research, I have decided to do a more interactive style research to identify the conventions of Synthpop music videos. I have shown 3 individuals who are all present in the room at the time) Synthpop music videos (below). I have asked each individual to take notes on each music video and generally what they notice/features of the video. I gave them some prompts to consider such as props, narratives, characters and music. My intention is to see a correlation between the music videos to see if any similar characteristics came up that allow me to identify conventions of the genre.


Each individual noted down the features that they noticed and I have collated together the three notes from each person per video to make up my final results. Each participant was given instructions to allow the other speakers an opportunity to freely share their interpretation without being discouraged or interrupted at all.


To prevent a misrepresentation of results, I have not told them specifically what I am looking for and have only prompted them to point out features in each music video and then I will draw the similarities between the videos from the responses.
I have addressed the issues of the last piece of research by allowing more freedom with the participants to openly speak and discuss about the music videos where they spoke about the features of each one (allowing me to draw conclusions and subsequent conventions between music videos in the genre).
I was unable to sort the issue of the small sample size but I feel that this new mean of questioning works in favor of the results but not having an overwhelming number of people.
.

80s Style

 Odd Look by Kavinsky

Protovision by Kavinsky

Lone Digger by Caravan Palace

Harder Better Faster by Daft Punk

Modern

 Habits (Stay High) by Tove Lo

Royals by Lorde

Below is a transcribed questioning of one of the showing of the music video 'Odd Look' with the 3 individual's responses.


Key
S= Samuel: Leading discussion
H= Harry: (Male, student, older teenager)- participant
ST= Samantha: (Female, young adult)- participant
J= Jacob: (Male, young teenager)- participant
. 

S: So I'd like you to have a look at the following music video called Odd Look. This is made by an artist called Kavinsky 

H: Mmmmm

S: Heard of him?

H: I think so...yeah

S: Ok...great...so we'll have a look at this music video...It's the genre of Synthpop...Does anyone...sort of know what that is?

ST: The one from.. from the questionnaire?

S: Yeah... from the questionnaire

ST: Oh...Ok
S: Jacob...do you know?
J: Yeah

S: Great...So we'll have a look at this music video first and then have a look at some other Synthpop music videos...I want you to tell me what you notice about the video....you can take notes and I'll pause it if you want me to...just any details about the video that you notice at all
All: Ok

S: So just watch the video and take notes...make sure to put the title at the top so you know which vid-

H:What's the name again?

S: Odd Look

ST: Who's that by?

S: Kavisnky... Jacob it's K-A-V-I-N-S-K-Y...got it?
J: Yeah I have it

S: Ok...I'm going to start now

(Shows video)

S: Ok so take as long as you need to make notes and just let me know when you are done...no rush

H: Ok, I'm done

S: Great...fantastic...how's everyone else doing?
J: I'm done
ST: Just a mom...ent...ok done
S: Great...so could you just tell me what you saw...noticed in the video...

H: Well, it's kinda dark story...the main guy I think is kind of like God or something...um...it feels very like it has an old style
S: 80s sorta?
H: YES! 80s...sorry...I couldn't remember what it was
(More responses given and next video shown)
S: So what I think we'll do is take in all your notes for this video and I'll give out some more for the next one...just say if anyone needs a break at all

Results

Overall, I saw variances in terms of responses. There were however, some correlation between the conventions identified in 80s style music videos and modern music videos as well as similar conventions in both. Here are the conventions that I concluded for the Synthpop music videos taken from these responses.

• 80s style generally had darker tone, narratives and lyrics that dealt with death and similarily negative topics whereas modern was the same but dealt with more social issues.
• Felt that the characters in the videos were generally split by gender (men= mysterious/odd character/god like) (female= damsel in distress, innocent and vulnerable)
• Felt that the sexualization of women was limited and not overly explicit but occasionally present.
• Participants mentioned the male lead more often in these but made reference to the female character (felt that the videos did have the male lead the video but that he did not always completely dominate it).
• Participants were generally able to understand and keep up with what was happening as the videos were not overly fast paced but neither too slow or 'boring'.
• Participants noticed a level of violence in the music videos that they felt was quite unique for these videos.
• They felt that they were like 'mini-stories' that were quite character focused/based.
• There was effects present in them that were either animation or effects added in post on live action.