Author: jngiaw

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The Art of Visuals and Videography: How has Youtube Changed the Deliverance of an Epic Disney Medley

There is no doubt that Youtube has changed the game for many aspiring musicians. As an user-friendly, free (for the most part), and incredibly accessible platform, Youtube has become a digital space for creators to showcase their talents to the world. Youtube is definitely a successful outlet, given the amount of superstars that got their starts on it.

I remember when I watched the music videos posted by my favorite youtube artists whenever I could. From Kina Grannis to Kurt Hugo Schneider to Megan Nicole, I must have spent countless hours on Youtube in high school (with VPN – thank you, China for blocking every social platform I used!) watching covers of my favorite pop songs produced by these aspiring musicians. 

One genre that I remember being particularly drawn to was the world of a capella. As a self-proclaimed Disney fanatic, I fangirled over Peter Hollens and Alex G’s Epic Disney Medley as a 16 year-old teenager.

I watched this video at least 20 times, and marveled over how amazing this video was; reading through the comments, a lot of people seem to agree:

Rewatching the video now as a senior in a music conservatory, I have to admit that I am not blown away. In fact, I don’t really understand why I loved it so much five years ago. One thing that I definitely noticed is the amount of attention and detail put into the production of the video. This raises several questions: What role do the visuals play in this video? How does the video complement the medley itself? How does sight affect one’s auditory perceptions on a piece of music?

  1. “Yes, We are Actually Singing (A Capella Style)” 

One common characteristic that I frequently find across a lot of a cappella music videos are deliberate shots of the artist recording the different voice parts against a solid background all playing simultaneously. This music video is no exception.

I believe the intention of such videography is pretty clear: for viewers who are unfamiliar with a capella, these clips provide a visual representation of what a cappella is about. For viewers who are familiar with this style, these clips add another layer of professionalism and awe. Regardless, the music video is a confirmation that yes, Hollens and Alex G actually sang all the voice parts and this song is actually an a cappella piece. 

So Which Movie (And What Characters) Do My Costumes and Locations Remind You Of?”

As the medley unfolds all the different songs it is comprised of, the visuals transition from one set of costumes to another:  from Alex G’s flowing blue maxi skirt in a desert during A Whole New World to Peter’s bright red velvet shirt during Under the Sea (with Peter imitating Sebastian the Crab in a pool underwater), all the pieces of clothing are deliberately chosen to reflect the characters both singers are trying to portray at different points of the song. 

Changing the costumes is an incredibly smart move in terms of audience engagement and outreach. The producers know that not everybody on Youtube is a Disney fanatic: by providing clear visual elements, it allows audiences who aren’t as educated in Disney movies to easily identify which songs come from what movie. For viewers are Disney fanatics, the shots add a pop of excitement and (along with the songs themselves) nostalgia as the video rolls along. 

Concluding Thoughts 

Overall, the visuals themselves play a crucial role in the success of this song. Without the visual elements, I truly believe that the medley would lose the sense of magic and awe that the videography provides. Perhaps this is why so many a cappella videos on Youtube (or any music video, for that matter) take a long time to produce: from planning the video to hiring the best videographers, a lot of though goes behind these videos for maximum audience engagement. 

Want more a capella Disney covers? Check out this Epic Disney Villain Medley!

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Childish Gambino’s This is America: An Analysis

I still remember the first time I watched the music video of This is America. It was sometime last year; I was getting ready for bed and decided, foolishly, to watch this trending video on Youtube. I stayed up an hour later than I wanted to because of how disturbed and uncomfortable I was after watching the video.

Warning: This video contains graphic content

Donald Glover (otherwise known by his stage name Childish Gambino) released the This is America and the accompanying music video early May last year. Known for its political stance on gun violence, police brutality and racism in America, the song debuted at number one on Billboard Hot 100 chart, won four prestigious Grammy awards, and has nearly 520 million Youtube views today. The one-take music video, directed by Japanese-American filmmaker Hiro Murai, generated so much attention that TIME magazine even released an article analyzing the different strands of symbolism found over the short four minutes. 

For the sake of research (and a solid thesis), I decided to experience This is America two different times: 

 1) Listening to This is America on its own while reading the lyrics without the music video

2) Listening to This is America with the music videowhile reading the lyrics (some would call it multitasking)

Upon my experiment, I can wholeheartedly say that the accompanying music video certainly increases the impact of the political message embedded in the song.

SHOTS FIRED: THE PLAY BETWEEN TEXTURES

This is America’s most recognizable feature is arguably the stark textural contrast between different textures of the song. The song opens with inviting “yeah-yeah-yeahs” by the choir, some fun guitar accompaniment, and the catchy use of call-and-response. This cheerful introduction is immediately interrupted by an invasive bass (rooted in Trap music) and Childish Gambino’s “This is America, Don’t catch you slippin’ up…”. The juxtaposition of musical genres provide a jarring, uneasy feeling that perhaps mirror the disjointed American society that we live in today. 

Murai utilizes this discomfort and elevates it on a whole new level: the video begins with a man playing the guitar in a warehouse and Glover dancing to the (deceivingly) joyful song…before he pulls out a gun and shoots the man wearing a head cover and hand cuffs to open the trap section of the song. Perhaps the man is a reflection of those who are wrongfully accused of a crime due to the color of their skin. Perhaps it’s a statement on how easy it is for people to access a gun. Regardless, what a statement. 

DANCING AND VIOLENCE: ENTERTAINMENT AND IGNORANCE

Throughout the music video, Childish Gambino is seen dancing with school children (smiling in a way that sends shivers down your spine) throughout the warehouse as violence and gang activity break out around them. Fires, people running, police cars and horses… you name it. 

These shots send an incredibly powerful strong message about entertainment and how the majority of society approach racism, police brutality and gun violence today. The fact that Childish Gambino and the children are dancing in the midst of violence without a sense of reality is incredibly oblivious, almost as if they are choosing to ignore issues that affect millions of African-Americans everyday. Not only does such visuals draw viewers in, but it further accentuates the song’s political innuendos. 

WAIT, THERE’S MORE: WHAT IS WITH THIS ENDING?

The video ends with Childish Gambino running away from a dark room (with some recognizing it as the mental prison that black people get sent to in Get Out) from a group of authoritative figures. Wide-eyed and scared, Glover is running into an abyss with no light at the end of the tunnel.

You just a black man in this world, You just a barcode, ayy

You just a black man in this world, Drivin’ expensive foreigns, ayy

The declaration of the video to African-Americans is clear: You can, and never will, escape America. 

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From Nay to Yay: The Journey of the Meme-Worthy AirPods

Once upon a time, I vowed to never get AirPods. This week, I grabbed the last box off the shelf at the Apple store so I wouldn’t have to wait for the restock. I got AirPods, and it’s been “mildly life-changing” (as my friend described so accurately). 

Even saying that aloud to myself sounds absolutely dramatic, but it’s true. Gone are the days when I would do burpees with a phone in my hand at the gym. Gone are the days when I would blast my YouTube videos on my Alexa while blowdrying my hair. Gone are the days when I would have to lean ridiculously close to the iPhone speakers during a call with a friend (while multitasking, of course). I know it is only the end of January and I have only had them for three days, but this is hands-down my favorite purchase of 2019. 

My feelings summed up in a short iMessage exchange

AirPods were introduced in Apple’s Keynote event in September 2016. With features like 24-hour battery life, its magnetic charger-case and clear playback quality, the company claims that AirPods are “magical headphones [that] use advanced technology to reinvent…providing a wireless audio experience not possible before”.  

The initial reactions to this release were less-than-ideal. Feeling underwhelmed and skeptical, a large group of people claimed that AirPods are ugly and would easily be lost without the cord. Memes began to emerge and quickly spread across social media platforms, making fun of their appearance and wireless feature. 

Despite overwhelming amounts of hilarious tweets and comments, they did not seem to stop AirPods’ performance on the market. After the AirPods officially dropped in December 2016, the sales were at an impressive 16 to 18 million in 2017 . Even though Apple’s annuals sales report has not been released yet, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that the company sold between 26 to 28 million pairs in the year of 2018. With an anticipated release for AirPods 2 this year, he further claims that sales would likely quintuple over the next couple years. That is absolutely insane. 

With the AirPod’s stellar performance, it’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that there was a time when AirPods weren’t part of popular culture, when people were afraid to look stupid walking down the street with them (hence the “Courage” tweet). 

However, given the company’s history, it is definitely not surprising how the reception for the AirPods went from nay to yay.  Apple has been known for revolutionizing the electronic industry when it rose to become the world’s first trillion dollar company with the iPod. With Apple’s fearless approach to technological advancement and design changes, it’s understandable why something as different as AirPods would be negatively received at first. I was surprised to learn its history traced way back in 2011, when former Apple Designer Jorge S Fino filed a patent for earphones that could work with or without wires. How was he able to predict that such a feature would have such roaring success?

Considering all the different success factors that the AirPods may have, being the product of a  trend-setting company perhaps plays a significant role. After all, Apple did manage to convert me into a huge advocate of these darn things.