This includes a description of what intertextuality is and how it relates to music videos, it also has examples of intertextuality in music videos and includes my own ideas on intertextuality for my music video, which i'm creating for a2 media studies.
2. What is intertextuality?
• Intertextuality is when one media text references
another media text.
• In music videos this could be through the style of
the video, or in parodies.
• Intertextuality is often relatable to the target
audience and gives them a higher level of
understanding.
3. Examples
Robbie Williams’ You Know
Me features him dressed as
the rabbit from Alice in
wonderland. Furthermore, a
parody of the Metro-
Goldwyn-Meyer logo is shown
at the end.
Katy Perry’s Roar features the
lyrics ‘eye of the tiger’ referencing
Survivor’s classic song. This
conveys to the audience how Katy
has apparently learned to fend for
herself and become a ‘survivor’.
Madonna’s Vogue obviously has
intertextuality towards the
magazine vogue. But it also
references several classic
Hollywood stars which embody
the image that Madonna was
trying to create.
4. Ideas for my music video
The next few slides will explain the
ideas I have for intertextuality in my
music video.
5. The Son of Sam murderer
From the summer of 1976 until around the same time in 1977, there were a string of murders throughout New York.
All murders were committed with a .44 calibre gun and all victims had similar traits such as being young brunette
women. The murderer, for they were all surely done by the same killer, was dubbed the .44 caliber killer. However, in a
letter to the police from the killer he refers to himself as a ‘son of Sam’, thus leading to this more popular nickname.
Anyway, the point is that my song, Psycho Killer, was released just after or during this murder spree, leading many to
presume some eerie connection (though in actual fact the song had been written 4 years earlier). In a nod to this and
to perhaps hint to the context of this song, I thought it would be neat to reference this killer.
First off, I thought I could use a
.44 caliber gun as a prop at some
point, in reference to the
murderers signature weapon.
Secondly, the killer claims he
was part of a Satanic cult
that organized the murders,
this could be a theme in my
music video.
Finally, before the killer put forth the
cult theory, he initially claimed that he
had been compelled to kill by his
neighbour's possessed dog; a black
lab. I thought this would be a suitably
odd thing to put into my video, and
my own dog would love to help!
6. Fargo (TV series)
I’ve recently watched the TV series of Fargo, which I greatly enjoyed. I think
that the main character, Lester (played by Martin Freeman), suits the New
Wave convention of being a bit of a nerd from a white middle class
background. Referencing this TV show would also convey to the audience
the meaning of the song, helping them too understand what the artist
means by the term ‘psycho-killer’.
Having my bad wear costumes such as these would be a good
idea as all these characters are killers.
I would love to use this poster as a prop at
some point, as I will probably end up having
a scene situated in a basement or garage.
7. Other Ideas
Not sure how I
would
reference this,
but this is one
of my favourite
films and it’s
about a
gentlemanly
serial killer
Sweeny Todd? Could use
costume or something?
Death Note is an anime about a
schoolboy who finds a note book
capable of killing anyone who's name
he writes in it. Perhaps the book
could be a prop? I also thought that
one band member could dress up as
Ryuk (a god of death) at the very end.
I would like to have a
shower death scene like
this, referencing Alfred
Hitchcock’s Psycho
I also had the idea of recreating
the classic Scooby-Doo corridor
chase scene where they go into
one door and come out of
another, you know. Not sure
who the guy in the centre is…
Not sure if it would work very
well, but I could do a POV
shot from the murderers
perspective, such as like what
you often see on TV
programmes such as
Midsomer Murders.
