A2 Music Video Analysis

1. Music Video Analysis
Settle Down – The 1975

2. A Description from the artist
I used to have a reoccurring dream when I was younger. The narrative was loosely
based, but the setting was always the surrounding areas of where my parents grew
up. I think I was slightly obsessed with how certain, bleak areas of Northern England
contained my history and the soul of my family, my psyche - I always felt connected
and disconnected at the same time. Metaphorically and physically I would visit these
places frequently as a youngster and in turn have used them as the setting to a lot of
the stories in The 1975 - the North East was the visual setting to my formative years. I
suppose, like any narrative, the meaning and the connotations within the story are
subjective. I've always been quite fascinated with the potency of same sex
relationships, plutonic or otherwise. I was brought up in a very open minded
environment, somewhere I felt that, whoever I was, I would be accepted. With this
understanding I was also very aware of others, school friends, acquaintances - whom,
due to where we lived, probably didn't have such a comfortable place to grow up, we
were unaffected and affected by taboos and the small minded at the same time. I've
dreamt the story of these two boys on countless occasions - every time drawing a
different conclusion on its meaning. With 'Settle Down' I wanted to make a story
about the extension of that dream, a video that explores love, a video that was as
fantastical, consuming and limitless as the love we all chase and desire. Love as I have
always imagined.

3. First shot
A long shot of Redcar beach with heavy industry dominating the landscape
An initial introduction to theme of:
• Urban background
• Working class culture
• Social realist
• Black and white colour scheme
This video has a similar style to that seen in Amber films, a north eastern production company based in Newcastle and because of this, links with the theory
of Andrew Goodwin ‘There are likely to be intertextual references, either to other music videos or to films and TV texts,’ in terms of working class northern
culture.
This video was shot in Redcar, Cleveland, north east England, which is a working class area in the post-industrial age, so it’s an area going through difficult
times associated with unemployment. It uses many tropes associated with the genre – Northern setting, working class lifestyle, the style of clothing, a town
in the shadow of heavy industry, terraced houses, It also suggest a lack of tolerance towards same sex relationships amongst traditional male-centric
communities and the wish for escape, whether this is actual or through a relationship
Boy 1 Boy 1’s
Mother
Boy 2 Boy 2’s
Father
Lead
Singer/Artist

4. 2 Boys introduced
Boy 1:
• He has a hood up, this could either mean that he wishes to be concealed or portray the image of being an intimidating
‘hoodie.’
• A blank facial expression showing little emotion, a small portrayal of negativity
• He’s standing still gazing into the distance, the only small movement he makes is the turning of his head, this represents him
being timid
• The next shot is of him with no top on, showing his bare skin practicing his punch. I think that this gives the impression that
he is trying to build a manly, strong status.
Boy 2:
• He's riding a bike which shows he’s active and could represent a carefree attitude due to the abandoned settings he’s shot in
• His facial expression involves a slight smile, I don’t think negativity is reflected here
• He is striking a large pole through the long, deserted grassland, showing traits of a stereotypical young boy experimenting
with the outdoors, as well as ferociously kicking a football.
• He is dressed more like a stereotypical youth as opposed to Boy 1, I think this helps differentiate between the contrasting
characteristics of the two
Boy 1 Boy 2

5. Andrew Goodwin (1992)
I think that this music video does support a theory of Goodwin, this being:
‘There is a demand on the part of the record company for lots of close-ups of
the main artist/vocalist.’
The sunlight is beaming from behind the
artist giving a silhouette effect.
Side views are also included which
accentuates the vocalists contemporary
haircut.
In this shot, there is a large proportion of
the background setting included,
contributing to the mise-en-scene.
Body language is featured which
helps involve the artist into the
narrative by portraying his emotions.
Here the image of the artist is partly
concealed by the reflection on the
glass he is standing behind.
The artist looks distressed towards the
end of the video as the boys begin to
rebel against the disapproval of their
seniors, his body language displays this.

6. In this shot, the vocalist is seen walking out of sight behind a wall. I think that this
represents the disappearance of both boys’ hopes and dreams as their feelings
towards each other are being shattered by reality and the social realism of the beliefs
of working/lower class Britain. His head is down, portraying a negative emotion and
his hand are in his pockets, potentially symbolising his disapproval of the restrictions
the two boys are facing.
I think that the leaning back of the head makes the viewer empathise with the characters, I
could represent a plea for sanity or happiness. Boy 1 leans his head back first then instantly
after the movement is duplicated by the artist, this involves the artist with the narrative
giving the impression that he sympathises for the boys feelings or potentially feels the
same.

7. There are shots which imply a sense of
fundamentalist religion views as if the seniors
featured, disapprove of the boys contemporary
relationship choice. These shots can make this
group appear as a cult, who are preaching and
wishing to banish the same-sex relationship
choice.
Close ups are used to show specific facial
expressions which portray a determined
attitude to make a difference in society. As well
as long shots which show the confined space
with low ceilings, I think this symbolises the
level of oppression they could be inflicting on
the boys in order to banish their desire for each
other.

8. The end
The two young boys come together and
reach a sense of emotional fulfilment
that seems to overcome the objections
of the seniors who constrained the pair
in protest.
The glow of light
between the boys
represents the
connection finalising
between the pair. They
have succeeded in
ignoring those
constantly around them
who do not understand
their dismissal of
traditional gender roles.