Music Video Analysis - Hunger of the Pine - Alt-J (∆)

1. MUSIC VIDEO
ANALYSIS
Hunger of The Pine
Alt-J Δ

2. Establishing Shot ‘0:00 – 0:12’
Shot Type and Movement
This is the establishing shot of the music video design to show the setting of the scene and will represent the
mise-es-scene of the music video as a whole. The shot is static and panning from a birds-eye-view of a forest
moving at speed but with focus as if it were attached to a crane or helicopter.
Music/Lyrics
The song starts with a quiet but slow echo which is constant through out the song resembling the sound of a
radar. The lyrics start with; “…Sleeplessly embracing, butterflies and needles… Line my seamed-up join”. The
“seamed-up join” may be a metaphorical wound from the past relationship that has not yet fully healed and
needed to be seamed up by needle.
Analysis
The establishing shot I find is yet to have an obvious narrative, it reflects with the songs name ‘Hunger of the
Pine’ in which the setting is a direct illustration to pine trees of a forest. The song itself is unusual so opening
with a shot like this doesn’t surprise me, it does however attract me to find out more. It is offering you a
mystery and I think its your choice if you want to be taken within. However this setting for a music video is
not the generic conventions of current popular music videos, which I think is great as it embraces originality
and an obscure narrative with a concept based music video.
Edits
Cuts to the next shot when the panning has stopped,
brings you straight down into the forest. The song
continues at its pace.

3. Mid-Shot ‘0:16 – 0:20’
Shot Type and Movement
A static mid-shot which would be tracking the person on a
dolly. Keeping the focus on the person and the depth of
field blurred, full focus on the centre with the background
framing the subject.
Music/Lyrics
“… Encased in case I need it… In my stomach, for my heart
chain mail…” The openings between the mail is important to
note as it could metaphorically let love sneak its way through.
Analysis
The music video has now been given a focal point, that is the focus of a man running through the forest away from
something. Your able to connote from the person a sense of fear and danger they are running for there life. It signifies a
danger that for me as the audience is unknown at this moment, making you feel uncomfortable but yet completely
engrossed by what your seeing. Your drawn in by this mysterious yet interesting song attached to an entropic music video.
Edit
Cuts to a wider shot of the scene we’re seeing at the moment. The music continues with its slow energetic pace.

4. Wide Shot ‘0:22 – 0:30’
Shot Type and Movement
A transition from the previous mid-shot to
a now wide-shot with the subject positioned
on the right side of the composition.
Music/Lyrics
“… Hunger of the pine… Hunger of the pine”
The definition of pine used here is not the tree,
but the verb signifying suffering, a mental and
physical decline, especially because of a broken heart.
Analysis
This wide shot now allows the audience to
conceive an understanding and narrative to this music video. You’re now able to see that the man is the
main focus and that he is being attacked by a forest full of shooting arrows. The man appears to be alone
and the signification of danger is now literal, however it is an unknown threat which has come in the form
of arrows. The use of colours throughout the video have been limited, dark and overshadowed due to the
enclosed surround of the forest. The main element to the composition is that feeling of being
overshadowed, which adds to the conations of threat and danger to the person we’re following.
Edit
The wide shot changes to completely different point of view.

5. Over the Shoulder Shot ‘0:58 – 1:05’
Shot Type and Movement
The transition has changed with shot framed from
behind the subject. This is establishing a POV of the
subjects direction from and over the shoulder shot.
Helping to place the audience place the character
within the setting.
Music/Lyrics
“…Bedding with me you see at night, your heart
wears knight armour…”
Analysis
In this shot the audience is receiving a point of view of the subject character from an “over the shoulder
shot. The shot type connotes enclosure for the subject and as an audience I find brings an element of
claustrophobia and danger. What you’re seeing if essentially the subjects point of view to where they’re
running too and also arrows bring shot through there back. Note the juxtaposition between her wearing a
“knight’s plated armour” versus him wearing a “chainmail”. Signifying that love could metaphorically
sneak its way through this is the connotation the denotation of this display in the music video are the
arrows piercing through his ‘chainmail’.

6. Master Shot ‘1:18 – 1:19’
Shot Type and Movement
A static shot which would be tracking the
person on a dolly from an aerial point of
view.
Music/Lyrics
“… Hunger of the pine… I’m a female
rebel…Sleeplessly Embracing You…”
Analysis
The mise-en-scene in this time frame of the
music video changes to a birds eye view of
the subject now out of the forest and
running across a field. The transition has
changed from the recent shots before, being
enclosed and focused on the subject tightly.
To now an open field landscape which
connotes freedom from the subjects hunger .
I think this shot displays a juxtaposition from the lyrics and meaning of the song through the subject
fighting his way through there hunger. A females voice is introduced into the song on the chorus by Miley
Cyrus the most publicized female rebel of this generation, a cry for defiance. Representing a girl’s rebellion
against his love, leaving him alone to “sleeplessly embrace” her.

7. Long Shot ‘1:55 – 2:00’
Shot Type and Movement
A long shot showing the entire subject, the
camera is at a high angle titled downwards
with a shallow focus.
Music/Lyrics
“…Realization grew on me… As quickly as it
takes your hand… To warm the cool side of the
pillow…”
Analysis
The long shot still shows our subject running
away from this unknown, now shown in full
display of the open setting. The setting consists
of neutral brown golden colours helping put all focus onto the character this would be the literal denotation. The connotation
of this setting is obscure but I think shows death, at least the coming of it. The setting which he is in shows nothing but nature ,
not an escape for the character but just a direction. The character realises and so does the audience that he has no where to
go playing upon the common cliché of, ‘you can run but, you can’t hide’ is what I would associated with this scene and the
entire music video. He realizes how hopeless this relationship is, but continues to chase the fleeting feelings of her like the
coolness of his “pillow”.
Edit
Cuts to next shot at the end of the time frame to a close up of the character.

8. Close-Up ‘2:06 – 2:12’
Shot Type and Movement
A close up shot of a subject with the camera focus
on them and the depth of field blurred. Camera
moves with the movement of the subjects face.
Music/Lyrics
“…I’m there for you, be there for me,
I’ll hum the song the soldiers sing,
As they march outside our window,
Hunger of the pine…”
Analysis
In this part of the music video we become quite
intimate with our subject character with the focus
being on the face. This scene changes the tone of
the music video by the use of blood and roughness
on a the character signifying violence. He is the
‘friend’ he’s ‘there for you’ but he hungers.
The soldiers march outside her window could be seen as the people who want her, other guys. He also
‘hums the song the soldiers sing’ because even though she sees him as a friend someone she can sleep
with who will protect her he is also one of them , he ‘pines’ for her too. Connoting that, we can imagine the
humming as a threat. The end justifies the means.

9. Two-Shot ‘3:18 – 3:23’
Shot Type and Movement
I find this shot has a connotation of a two shot
even if its not apparent. As two shots normally
contain two people within a shot, I find that the
two people are connoted conceptually and
physically.
With our character being the first and the
second being represented by the landscape.
Displaying them both together within a centre
positioned two shot.
Music and Lyrics
“Une immense espérance a traversé la terre,
Une immense espérance a traversé ma peur”.
-Translation; (“A great hope has
crossed the earth, A great hope has crossed my
fear”).
Analysis
There is a juxtaposition at the end of the music video as the character now stops his fight from the danger. This was a big
constant of the music video as that’s all what our character has been doing since following him. This change of narrative
and tone, signifies that the character has admitted defeat to this ‘hunger’ which has been affecting and hurting them and
will in turn stop this battle himself.
The lines used in the lyrics at this point in the music video, connote that despite his fears, pain, and physical distance from
his former lover, he still holds onto some hope that it may work out between them. The character we were following was
holding onto hope at the very core of him but this contrasts in the music video. Where I think at this scene we now find him
hating hope, drowning everything he had and worth having away.