iLL Manors music videos analysis

Media Forms

How is it typical of a music video? 

It is typical of a music video due to many factors, one of which would be the duration which is 3 minutes. Furthermore, the use of the various settings is typical for music videos and the constant cuts from setting to setting is something that is commonly seen in music videos and especially within the rap and hip hop genre. The use of these settings create audience interest and also help the fast pace editing which matches the beat of the music itself. On the other hand,  footage from the London riots which took place in 2011 is used. This creates a montage and promotes a message about how the working class are not seen as significant is society and ultimately they resort to violence. However, Plan B is trying to highlight the fact that underprivileged people can also reach the top and he is an example of this. Throughout most music videos there's a use of direct address and plan be does this in a sort of sarcastic way, as it contrasts the lyrics as they have a lot of meaning to them. In addition, the use of direct address helps keep the audience captivated and engaged throughout the video. Also, it helps the audience understand the actual meanings of the lyrics and what the artist is talking about. In addition to that, the close up of Plan B's face allows him to lip sync his lyrics which is typical of a music video. The close-ups of Plan B also helps to enhance his star image and inform the audience about his success despite the fact that Plan B may have previously faced legal trouble. Instead, he uses the Ill Manors music videos to express his thoughts on  the government and how they are the ultimate reason for things such as the riots.

Media Representations

How does it represent the London riots/rioters?

To begin with, the representation of London through this music video is overwhelmingly negative. This is due to the portrayal of the riots and the rioters are all  young people, which produces a negative representation of young people and therefore confirms the stereotype that young people are rebels and violent. This is shown through the footage of the youth smashing shop windows, raiding televisions and other merchandise, setting fire to cars and having fights with the police. This shows that the London rioters were all involved with gang culture.The use of the propaganda; the real life footage from the riots, causes audiences to stereotype the city of London in a negative way. On the other hand, the footage of the Police becoming violent portrays an alternative representation of the police force as we would normally see them as doing right by the law. The London riots were presented in this music video as disturbing and destructive. This is a dominant representation as the riots had devastating effects and also encouraged the media to build a negative image of the youth. Furthermore, Plan B blames the government for presenting the working class youth in poorer areas as dangerous and not worthy of the governments money to discourage them from the streets and as a result, giving them nothing to do but resort to violence.

Media Audiences

What audience pleasures does the music video offer?

One main of the main pleasures this music video offers, is entertainment for the audience. With the use of the music, and visual graphics keeps the audience entertained throughout the video. In addition, one key theme in this video, is violence which is another factor in keeping the audience entertained. Additionally, the use of the cinematography and editing is also very captivating and fast paced, which would therefore interest an audience as they would enjoy watching such a thrilling video. Furthermore, the use of the animations also make the video different from the usual music video and would therefore be enjoyable to watch. This video appeals to strugglers because they are the ones being represented and reformers are attracted to this because the video itself is a protest from class equality and ultimately reformers would agree with the song because teenagers need opportunities to prevent them from rioting. 

Media Institutions

How does the music video help to promote the film?

The music video and the film both act as a cross promotion as the video includes the characters within the film and the name of the music video as well as the film is 'iLL Manors', which creates a link between the two. The fact that Plan B is within his video also promotes the film as we are aware that he directed the actual film. The use of the same song being used over the film trailer, again promotes the film as there is a direct link between the two. Furthermore, fans of Plan Bs music would ultimately want to go watch the movie. This would be the same for film lovers as audience members may see the film first being promoted on social networking platforms and would therefore find out about the music video. 

iLL Manors Track and Soundtrack Album Research:

iLL Manors (album) is a soundtrack recorded by Ben Drew, who his also known as Plan B. The album was released in 2012, under the label Warner Bros UK. The album was written and produced by Plan B himself. The style/genre of this album is mainly rap/hip pop. iLL Manors reached number on the UK album charts and was also nominated for the Mercury Prize. The iLL Manors track was the most popular track on the album; it sold nearly 38,000 copies in the first week of release. This single was based upon the 2011 London riots. Both the film and album received positive reviews.