Types of Bands (Organic and Synthetic)

Types of bands (Organic and Synthetic)

Organic bands are those that play music purely for the sake of playing their music and enjoying themselves. These are bands such as Radiohead, as they thoroughly enjoy showing their music to their fans. The Beatles fall into this category because they were school friends and eventually ended up being one of the most successful bands of the 20th century.


Synthetic bands are those that are artificial-like and have been put together as a way of making money. One Direction are a band that fit very well into this category as they have been thrown together in an attempt to make money for the record label that they are contracted to. They have done a good job thus far as they are very much a successful group. However. their songs are written for them and they are an artificial group.

You can categorise them as a "boyband" whereas Radiohead are a band that are just a "band". This is because boybands try to tempt audiences into buying their music with their looks and their videos, whereas bands try to sell their records using how unique they are and how their lyrics reach their audiences.

History of Music Video (From Bing Crosby to The Beatles)

Bing Crosby used to be the biggest star in the world back in the 1940's and his fans were able to see him in films such as "White Christmas" in 1954. He was also in TV shows such as his own series "The Bing Crosby Show" that ran between 1964 & 1965.

Frank Sinatra replaced Bing Crosby as the worlds biggest star during the 1950's. His fans were able to see him in films and concerts. When he was in concert, girls would scream all the way through. He was the first artist to create this atmosphere among the audience.

Elvis Presley was the most popular musician on the planet for many years in the 1950's and 1960's and his fans were able to see him on TV and he was in films too.

The Beatles soon became the most popular musicians in Britain and found themselves leading the charts in America with the single "I want to hold your hand". This then sparked the tours of America for the Liverpudlian band and they were the first British singers to really make it in America. They were the first people to make a music video, when they had the idea of miming to a song in their studio in Hampstead Heath. They mimed to the song Paperback Writer, and Rain. These were hugely successful videos made because they were tired of going all over the world to be seen perform.

Blog 11: Emil Nava

Case Study 2: Emil Nava

 Emil Nava is a music producer responsible for many music videos from top arists in recent years, including Jessie J's first breakthrough song "Do It Like A Dude". He was originally a runner for film production companies. He worked for Blink productions and he now freelances for OB Managements. After working as a runner graduated to Assistant Director (A.D.) where he would manage the video shoots. He signed to Academy, who are the biggest music video production company around, before he worked for Between the Eyes and he now mainl works for Pulse.

•Emil’s first budget was for the band Kid British and the track Our House

•Budget - £20,000

•Location – Manchester

•Cast – local people

•1 day for filming

•2/3 days for editing

•10 days pre-production

•Demonstrates the very tight timescales involved

Some of the other songs that he has made a video for include Jessie J's very popular song "Wild".



He directed the music video for the Ed Sheeran's song "You Need Me I Don't Need You"

•At his busiest Emil has made 24 music videos in one year

•When he began shooting videos for independent labels the budget would be as low as £5,000 to £10,000
•His most expensive video to date has been for Jessie J and the budget was £160,000

•Has now begun to make adverts, which generally have a far higher budget and production values but which allow for less creative freedom.



•Paloma Faith ‘30 Minute Love Affair'
Client Sony - Director Emil Nava




•Paloma Faith 'Picking Up the Pieces. Client Sony - Director Emil Nava

•Cost - £80,000

•Ed Sheeran 'Lego House'

•Client Atlantic - Director Emil Nava

•Jessie J 'Do It Like A Dude'

•Client Island - Director Emil Nava

•Cost - £25,000

•Rita Ora 'RIP'

•Client RocNation - Director Emil Nava

• Jessie J 'Price Tag'
• Client Island
• Director Emil Nava

• Emil’s Top Tip
• Use Extreme Close Up on faces wherever possible
• Do not shoot whole of video in medium shot/long shot
• Example – Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares to U

Godley & Crème - Cry

• Some of the Production Companies that OB work with are:
• Pulse Films
• Rocket
• Agile Films
• Friends
• Wonda

• OB Management work as agents for music video directors. They describe themselves as, “ three straight up dudes who work out of Denmark Street London”.
• Their aim is to:
• Nurture talent
• Work with production companies
• Work with record labels
• Match the right director to the right artists