SECTION 2 - Analysis of Professional Music Videos

The Lighthouse Family - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free



ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE/MODE OF ADDRESS
There is a direct mode of address, as the actor is looking directly at the audience during the video. The man on the train is in the band, and walks through the train, looking at people's lives. There are no dance routines or real elements of performance, as it is mostly narrative based.

HOW DOES THE VIDEO CREATE AN IMAGE FOR THE STAR/ARTIST/BAND?
The video creates a caring image for the band, as if they are motivated to change people's lives. It looks more like a message rather than a performance, and gives the band a positive image. They also appear to be a laid back "cool" band, that are "normal" and blend in with their surroundings.

NARRATIVE
There is non linear narrative because there is use of flashbacks into people's lives. There is a clear beginning, where the man starts to walk through the train, and is guided by a woman. The middle and end are also clear, as the man sees flashbacks into other people's lives on the train as he walks through. Eventually the train stops, and the unhappy people move off the train and out of the darkness up to the outside.

HOW DO THE VISUAL ELEMENTS RELATE TO THE SONG?
The visuals amplify the song, saying to speak about problems rather than hold them to yourself as he looks into other people's lives. It makes out that everyone is the same and tries to get people to open up, as everyone is unhappy about at least one element of their lives. Eventually they feel happy to leave, and feel released. However, the man appears to be stuck on the train, unable to be free and instead helps others release their troubles.

MISE EN SCENE
The setting is inside an underground train, which everyone can easily associate with transport. There are normal people in the train dressed in mundane, dull clothing. Even the main actor/star appears to blend in, leaving nobody standing out except the woman guiding him through the train and the flashbacks that occur during the video.

EDITING
Lip synch is used as the actor is singing to the audience in the train. Match on action is used as the girl takes his hand. The video appears to be in time with the song, and is slow. Dissolves are used between flashbacks to look into people's lives. There is also an eyeline match as the actor looks at people, to associate with the male character.

USE OF CAMERA
An extreme long shot is used as the train moves into the station at the beginning. Close ups of faces are used before each flashback. A tracking shot is used as the man walks through the train. Zooms are used shortly before the flashbacks into people's lives, along with mid shots of the people. A point of view shot is also used with the man cooking, close ups and extreme close ups of the woman dancing, showing her body. An extreme close up is used on the main girl's face, shortly before her flashback. Panning shots are also used in the train.

REPRESENTATION
Everyone on the train appears to be working class or lower. There is a status divide as the main actor appears to be a different class due to his smart suit, although he blends in with the environment. The girl that takes his hand is blonde, which is a stereotype in in society of what is considered pretty. She has an angelic quality due to her pale skin and the fact that she stands out from the rest, highlighting her beauty. She also glows like an angel as she walks up the stairs to leave the underground station. There may be a religious theme in the video as the underground appears to be unhappy and dark, somewhat resembling hell before the people move up the stairs to the light, almost as if going to heaven. The main actor also appears to cleanse their souls before they go up, almost like followers.

SPECIAL EFFECTS
The special effects are used through editing to highlight the flashbacks. No CGI is used, instead only transitions during the flashbacks.

AUDIENCE
The audience for this type of music video would appear to be viewers of music channels like Magic, VH1 and Smooth. It is mainly mellow, suitable for an older audience.

GENRE
The genre appears to be contemporary soul/pop, as the beat identifies this. The target audience would be around 25-40, due to the easy to listen mellow sound. The decade sounds like the 90's.




Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl



ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE/MODE OF ADDRESS
There is no performance visible, and appears to be narrative based. There is an indirect mode of address, giving the viewers the feeling that they are peering into what's going on.

HOW DOES THE VIDEO CREATE AN IMAGE FOR THE STAR/ARTIST/BAND?
The video makes the band look odd, and scientific due to the bones. The visuals also indirectly promote the band via promoting the dance music culture to their target audience. However, it appears to portray the culture in a negative way, implying the use of drugs and hallucinations.

NARRATIVE
The narrative is linear, starting with a school trip. The girl on the school trip is obsessed with bones, and visits a museum on a school trip. She breaks her arm during the trip, visits a club when she's older and then heads home, still seemingly obsessed with bones.

HOW DO THE VISUAL ELEMENTS RELATE TO THE SONG?
The video appears the amplify the song, using girls and boys in a very literal fashion to amplify the short lyrics. The girl/boy combination is visible on the school bus, the two people on the bench and in the club.

MISE EN SCENE
The woman is dressed in black, signifying that she doesn't stand out and appears to be plain. This is similar with everyone in the club as they seem to blend in. The mise en scene represents activities associated with dance music, such as the drinking of water after taking drugs, dancing, and hallucinations associated with drugs which is visible in the video as the woman appears to hallucinate and see skeletons.

EDITING
Slow motion is used as the kids are running towards the museum. This is also used as the girl falls and breaks her arm in the museum, and in the club as the woman leaves. Elliptical editing is also used to show the girl grow up instantly. The editing appears to build up from slow to fast, matching the beat.

USE OF CAMERA
There is a tracking shot following the boy down the school bus. A zoom is used as the camera zooms in to the girl, which is the main character. A point of view shot is visible showing the girl looking down to the book, followed by a low angle shot of the boy, signifying that he is the dominant figure. A medium long shot is used as the kids run down the street, looking excited. A tracking shot is used of the ceiling of the museum, signifying how big the museum is. A over shoulder shot is also used as the boy approaches the girl, about to try and scare her. A high angle shot is used in the bathroom, representing the girl as vulnerable.

REPRESENTATION
The video is indirectly promoting the dance culture, however it is still negatively promoting it. The woman keeps seeing skeletons, which maybe signifies that she thinks that underneath everyone is the same. Blonde boys are usually considered nice, however the boy in the video appears to be far from it. The visuals also don't appear to make much sense, which could represent the fact that drugs play a big part in the dance culture.

SPECIAL EFFECTS
CGI skeletons are used in several places around the video, including looking at her arm, looking at the man talking to her and all the dancers in the club. Strobing is also used.

AUDIENCE
The audience appears to be around the 16-30 age group, due to the fact that most people that listen to dance and participate in the dance culture are mostly young. People would probably also tend to listen to this before they go out to the clubs.

GENRE
The genre appears to be dance, due to the culture portrayed in the video (clubs, drugs, dancing) and the very little lyrics in the song, combined with the beat.



Lily Allen - Smile



ASPECTS OF PERFORMANCE/MODE OF ADDRESS
The mode of address is through the artist, as she plays the main role in the video. The mode of address is both direct and indirect at times, with the narrative led being direct, and the indirect parts where the artist is speaking to the viewers.

NARRATIVE
The narrative appears to be linear, however it is non linear as there is cuddling at the beginning of the video. There is a clear beginning, middle and end. It starts with a girl lonely by herself, who decides to get revenge on her ex by paying off a group of people to beat him up. She then goes with him to a café and spikes his drink with laxatives, while the other group of people break into his house and trash the place. It ends with her walking down the street, satisfied with her revenge.

HOW DOES THE VIDEO CREATE AN IMAGE FOR THE STAR/ARTIST/BAND?
The video creates a negative image for the artist, portraying her as an evil, smug, bitchy character, who is spiteful and vindictive. She is also portrayed as a tough, independent, "normal" person.

HOW DO THE VISUAL ELEMENTS RELATE TO THE SONG?
The visual elements appear to amplify the song, basing it on the fact that she had been wronged, and taking action on it.

MISE EN SCENE
The scenes are all realistic and believable, with a "normal" café, club and bedsit. The woman also wears trainers and earrings, which is a trademark seen frequently in her videos.

USE OF CAMERA
There is a zoom of her face, revealing her sadness. A panning shot is used as she sits on the bed, followed by a series of different close ups as she eats chocolate. This is also followed by an extreme close up, showing a montage. There is an over shoulder shot as the woman pays the group money to beat up the man, followed by a long shot as he is beaten up, using a handheld camera to amplify the scene.

EDITING
Shot reverse shot is used during the café scene as she talks to her ex. Match on action is also used during the fight, with eyeline matches also used so the audience can see what she sees. The editing is fast paced.

REPRESENTATION
Lily Allen appears to be a normal girl, portraying her as strong and you shouldn't mess with her. Her room symbolises stereotypical youth in a negative way, which is also highlighted by the "hoodies" and her paying them to beat someone up. The fact she visits a café in a relatively run down area also indicates that she is working class.

SPECIAL EFFECTS
The last shot with her walking down the street could possibly be a blue screen, however it is difficult to tell.

GENRE
The genre is pop, due to the rhyming and catchy lyrics, which are relatively easy to listen to.

AUDIENCE
The music video would suit an audience of 13-19, as it portrays teenagers and most people wouldn't listen to that kind of song in their twenties or above.