The document provides a textual analysis of the music video for "The Break Up" by Machine Gun Kelly. It notes several shot types, techniques, and representations used in the video. These include the use of bright colors to represent emotions, split screens showing two perspectives, and silhouettes on colored backgrounds. The analysis discusses how certain shots adhere to stereotypes or enforce the male gaze. Overall, it concludes that the use of color juxtapositions and sharp editing could be techniques to replicate for a own music video.

1. GENERIC RESEARCH- TEXTUAL
ANALYSIS 1
Machine Gun Kelly- The Break Up

2. • The first video I used for my textual analysis was The Break Up by
Machine Gun Kelly. I enjoyed the aesthetics of bright solid colors
and the split screens and hope to achieve something similar in my
music video. There were multiple shots and visual effects in the
video I am hoping to recreate, such as a side profile silhouette onto
a colored wall singing the lyrics. I was a fan of the fast pace editing
and hope to adopt some similar editing effects in my video. I am
also hoping to have a similar narrative, of a break up in my video.

3. Shot Language/ technique Representation/ narrative
Wide shot
Very bright color establishes the
beginning
Dialing a phone number
Fans might guess it is the artist
from the tattoos
Everything in this shot is yellow,
which is the color of happiness and
hope
Split screen
Close up and long shot
We see two peoples faces
From the backgrounds we can see
who was dialing and who’s just
picked up the phone
This new setting is purple, which
signifies royalty

4. Shot Language/ technique Representation/ narrative
Horizontal mirror split screen Money going from male hand to
females hand adheres to
stereotypes of women spending
working partners money
Split screen doubles it
Mid shot
Multiple split screens
Side profile angle
Colored silhouette on static
background

5. Shot Language/ technique Representation/ narrative
Long shot of woman we
understand to be his girlfriend/ ex
Wearing all red (clothes, nails,
lipstick)
Red background
The cacti might reference a “sharp”
“spikey” relationship
The red could symbolize love and
anger- both which someone might
feel in a breakup
She is represented in a sexualized
manner with a very short skirt,
corset and enhancement of the
breasts. This enforces the male
gaze theory
Close up Visual emphasis on word- wants
the audience to see it
Intertextual to subterranean
homesick blues

6. Shot Language/ technique Representation/ narrative
Split screen with more of screen to
the right
Long shot and over the shoulder
shot
Red signifies love and, passion as
well as anger, which sums up his
emotions
We see him writing a letter- we
know its him from his tattoos
Connotations of children passing
notes in school
Long shot
Split screen
Her reading the letter from the last
scene from him
Split screen looks like him watching
her read the letter
Long shot to see their body
language

7. Shot Language/ technique Representation/ narrative
Long shot
Visuals reflecting lyrics- “used to
travel round the world” with two
giant globes spinning
The two globes could be
representative of the two of them
when they “used to” do things
together and used to be each
others “world”
Mid shot
Silhouette + shadow onto colored
wall
The blue might represent sadness

8. Shot Language/ technique Representation/ narrative
Three way split screen
Silhouette of smoking
Open body language in red room-
confidence
Red rose burning
Symbolising process of moving on
Sadness  anger  destroying
what used to be
Burning a red rose- burning the
love
Split screen
Close up
Text quoting song
Broken heart on hoodie reflecting
nature of whole song
Juxtaposition of happy yellow with
sad emotion

9. Shot Language/ technique Representation/ narrative
Split screen
Mid shot silhouette
Close up yellow
The juxtaposition of such
contrasting colors might reflect the
conflict
Ironicly seems to be blowing a kiss
towards him through the screen
Horizontal split screen
Retro text of name of the song
Remains with juxtaposition of the
split screen from the start but is
now horizontal- new perspective?
Women treated as objects here to
be nurtured by men

10. CONCLUSIONS
• After looking at this video in depth I noticed things I may want
to use in my own music video. I found the significance of color
interesting, as well as the juxtapositions of color and the
emotions they can represent. I also hope to include some of the
sharp and snappy editing used in this video, including the variety
of split screens.