in depth analysis of music videos

1. Do I Wanna Know?
Arctic Monkeys

2. This music video was directed by David Wilson with animation agency Blinklink. The indie/rock genre is quite
abstract and artistic so the music video for ‘Do I Wanna Know’ represents this very well. The form of this
music video is concept based because the artist is singing about his feelings about a woman, and these
feelings are represented through the sound waves shown in the video. The woman that the artist is singing
about is prominent throughout the video and is seen as very powerful. A camera wasn’t used in the making
of this music video because everything is animation. In all of the shots the screen is completely black apart
from the main images that appear on the screen (which are mostly white). This is effective because it
attracts the audience’s focus solely on those images and is particularly important to prove that this woman
has power over the artist’s feelings when she’s the only thing in the frame.

3. The director has linked the images of the sound waves to the beat of the song to show it becoming more
intense. This also links to the concept of the artist’s feeling for his love interest growing.
As the song progresses the editing becomes more exciting, for example, the video begins with simple sound
waves moving along with the beat but then proceeds to show each image moving into the next image. This
is extremely effective because it makes the video flow well and will make the audience drawn to the screen.
The audience for this music video would be people of a variety of ages, but mainly people aged 15+.
Another group of people who may also be the audience for this video are those interested in animation/
digital design.
Women have been portrayed as quite powerful because the women featured in this video are the main
focus and the song is about a woman that obviously has power over the artist’s feelings.

4. Fashion Killa
A$AP Rocky

5. This music video was produced by RCA Records, a division of Sony Entertainment. The genre of music for this
video is Hip Hop and this particular genre often boast their success and wealth through their clothing/
accessories so the video for this song highly represents Hip Hop. This music video is concept based because
every time the artist enters a clothing store the music gets louder, like he’s expressing himself through
fashion. The cinematography used captures the artist from different angles and through different camera
shots. For example, when A$AP Rocky and Rihanna enter a clothing store the director captures an over-the-
shoulder shot to show them walking towards particular clothing items- very expensive ones. Close-up shots
also show how happy they are when they’re trying on the expensive clothes and low angle shots make them
look dominant, like they have more power than those who can’t afford high fashion items.
The mise-en-scene shows the audience that no one other than the two artists are in the clothing store
which suggests that they’ve hired it out. This could mean that they’re so dedicated to finding the best
clothing items that they don’t want anyone getting in their way, or that they’re taking advantage of their
money. This music video does have the ability to represent music artists negatively because it highlights the
amount of money they have to be able to afford all of the designers the artist is singing about. This could
make people view them as extremely materialistic/ snobby. However, it can also portray these artists
positively because it demonstrates their success and the wealth that comes with it.
The audience for this music video would be people aged 16+ who like Hip Hop. It could also target Rihanna
fans because she stars in the whole video, although she doesn’t actually sing.

6. Some parts of the music video include a selection of lyrics popping up on the screen to
link with the song. In other parts of the video the artist mimes the words to the song
or perform actions representing the words being heard by the audience. The effect of
the lyrics popping up on the screen enhances the video because it allows the audience
to properly identify the designers that the artist is singing about, and it also adds
excitement to the video. The pace of the video is quite slow when the camera is
following the two people, which makes the shopping experience seem more realistic
and the audience feel like they ‘re capturing a real A-lister shopping trip. The pace
speeds up more when the song comes to the chorus .

7. Habits (stay high)
Tove Lo

8. This music video was produced by Universal Music AB. The genre that this song belongs to is dance/ house,
so this music video represents this well. The video is mainly set inside a rave, and is focused on a girl that’s
under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Young people are portrayed negatively in this video because
they’re shown heavily drinking and associated with drugs. Females are also represented negatively because
the girl is shown being intimate with lots of different men.
This music video is concept based because a girl is being filmed through out a night out, gradually becoming
more affected by drugs and alcohol- which is what the song is based on. The director films the girl face-on
through a fisheye lense to capture her surroundings. In most of the frame in the different scenes alcohol /
cigarettes and drunk people are visible. However, when the girl is alone all that’s visible is empty roads and
car parks which represents how lonely she is. The background in various shots are blurred which enhances
the concept of drugs and alcohol.

9. Certain parts of the song link with what’s happening on screen, for
example, when the artist sings “can’t go home alone again” the girl is
captured in the arms of two men, implying that she’ll be going home
with them. The editing in this video includes a lot of cross-cutting
between the girl taking a sip of various different drinks and her facial
expression becoming more and more affected by the alcohol. Another
editing technique used in this video is slow motion, used when parts of
the song slow down.
The audience for this music video would probably be people aged 16+
who enjoy this genre of music or this type of lifestyle.

10. Pretty Hurts
Beyonce

11. The music video for Pretty Hurts by Beyonce was produced by Columbia Records, a
division of Sony music Entertainment. This is a pop song and the video reflects that
type of music genre because it has a dramatic storyline. This music video is
narrative/concept based because it’s telling the story of the artist’s experience in a
beauty contest, as well as basing the video on the concept of putting pressure on
women. The audience for this video would mostly be women of a variety of ages,
especially younger women because they’re under the most pressure to look a certain
way. Through out this music video models are represented in a negative light because
they’re shown eating cotton wool instead of meals, making themselves sick to lose
weight and living an unhealthy lifestyle in general. Females in general are also
portrayed as insecure and weak.

12. Some parts of this video link exactly to the words being sung, but the whole song in
general links to the story being told about female struggles. Scenes of the contesters
preparing for the show are cross cut to them at the show to show the audience what’s
‘behind the scenes’. Beyonce’s speech at the show is edited to be echoed, which
enforces her message.
The director zooms in on all of the body parts that the artist is paranoid/ body
conscious about. For example, they zoom in on weighing scales and her waist being
measured. The director also takes under water shots of the artist to show her escaping
her troubles. The mise-en-scene shows women around the artist taking pills to stay
skinny and moving away from the artist because she’s been told she needs to lose
more weight. This is important because it links to the message of the song- that ‘pretty
hurts’.
At the end of the video, an effect resembles an old fashioned television turning on
appears to introduce a clip of Beyonce as a child. This effect separates fiction from
reality.

13. You and Your Friends
Wiz Khalifa ft. Snoop Dogg

14. The music video for You and Your Friends by Wiz Khalifa was directed by Kurt
Nishimura, for the target audience of people aged between about 16-30. This video is
a performance video because the women are dancing and the artists are singing to the
camera. Hip Hop is usually associated with black people showing off expensive bottles
of alcohol, gold chains and women and this video contains all of those aspects, which
means it represents the genre.
Black people are represented negatively because they’re smoking cannabis and talking
about taking multiple women home with them. The females in the video are filmed
from all angles to boast their curves, but the artists are mainly filmed face-on because
they’re singing to the camera.
Each person featured in the video are mainly filmed individually, until the song says
‘you and your friends’, then they come together. The background of each frame
features a colourful screen and in some frames alcohol is featured.

15. There’s a relationship between sound and images in some parts of the
video, for example, when the artist mentions women/ alcohol they’re
usually incorporated in the frame. Each person has been filmed
individually, but in some parts of the song have been edited together.
Reverse has been used to show a gold chain returning to someone’s
hand.