INTERTEXTUALITY

Intertextuality is the way in which one media text is referenced in another. In music videos if another media text is featured then this can be seen as a form of advertisement or promotion as it raises publicity for that media text. Music videos can pay homage to another media text such as newspapers, films, social media or magazines once featured in the video.

Robbie Williams's music video 'You Know Me' is a hybrid video of performance and narrative styles. It features the artist following the famous story line of Alice in Wonderland with an added modern twist at the beginning. The singer falls into a deep dream and climbs through his dressing room mirror into Wonderland dressed as the white rabbit. Intertextuality is created between the music video and film due to costumes, props and location used which is all very similar to the film and book.



In Paramore's music video of 'Decode' clips from the fantasy genered film Twilight have been inserted inbetween parts of the band performing. In additition to the snipets which is a direct reference to the film, the artists are also wearing similar vampire like make-up and clothes as if they were acting in the movie. The location is also exactly the same to film as well as the opening of the
music video being a replica of the films opening scene.


Another example of intertextuality in music videos is in Lady Gaga's 'Paparazzi'. Front pages of newspapers and articles are featured throughout the video promoting this media text. The photographs taken by the paparazzi of Lady Gaga after being pushed off a cliff cover newspaper articles with bold and dramatic headlines.



Intertexuality is used in music videos to negatively or positively promote another media text by creating a relationship between the two. By celebrities being seen using social media or being linked to films audiences will follow the celebrity and also use that media text. Audiences follow celebrities who set trends and therefore will use similar media texts. When audiences see media texts they recognize in music videos they feel a sense of nostalgia and remembrance enabling the audience to connect more with the video.
In my music video I may also use intertextuality such as social media to connect more with my young target audience and make my artists/actors seem more relatable through the video.