A detailed textual analysis of the music video "Youth" by the artist "Troye Sivan".

1. Music Video
Analysis

2. T ypes of Music Videos
• Spectacle: Interaction with the viewer, direct address, male and female gaze (Mulvey and
Hansen).
• Performance: Artist performing, motifs, unusual settings, real life, fooling around.
• Thematic: Conforms to themes of a genre in the same way that TV does.
• Narrative: Tells a story through implication and lyrics, film structure of beginning middle
and end, fast paced, lots of shots, artists can be part of the story directly, as an observer
or separate.
• Symbolic: Semiotic signs and symbols are used to build meaning, montage, lighting etc.

3. Director and St yle
• Video Director: Tim Mattia
• Style of Director: Pastel and black and white colours, lowly saturated
colours, mostly indie and indie rock music genre with some pop stars
represented within his work, narrative storyline style, narration
breaks, use of editing tools to add elements such as flare and soft
lighting and finally the handheld style filming which shows
movement.
• Examples of Director’s Work: Halsey: Colours, Troye Sivan: Youth,
The 1975: Robbers, Biffy Clyro: Animal Style, The Pretty Reckless:
Goin to Hell and Nicole Scherzinger: On the Rocks.

4. Successfulness
• Success of the Video: The video is not as much a narrative as most
by the director but instead a thematic one focusing on youth and the
stereotypes and anti-stereotypes.
• The colours used are very effective in evoking a sense of fun naïve
joy and the expression “seeing life through rose-tinted glasses”.
• The use of a Steadicam works well with the party layout for creating
a smooth carefree environment also due to the movement coming
from the cast and scene.
• Key Selling Points: The aesthetic colours add a happy tone to the
video which makes it easy to watch.

5. Target Audience
• Young and Rubicam’s 4C Model: A, B, C1, C2, D and E.
• GEARS: Gender, Ethnicity, Age, Region and Socio-Economic
Class.
• CAGES: Class, Age, Gender, Ethnicity and Sexuality.
• Traditional Segmentation Model: Explorer, Aspirer, Succeeder,
Reformer, Mainstream, Struggler and Resigned.

6. Target Audience
• Young and Rubicam’s 4C Model: A, B, C1, C2, D and E.
• A: Upper middle class: High managerial, administrative or professional
• B: Middle class: Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional
• C1: Lower middle class: Supervisory or clerical, junior managerial, administrative
or professional
• C2: Skilled working class: Skilled manual workers
• D: Working Class: Semi and unskilled manual workers
• E: Lowest: State pensioners or widows (no other earner), casual or lowest grade
workers, students
• This music video would apply to B, C1 and C2 mostly as is inferred through the
setting of the house party and the clothing worn by the cast.

7. Target Audience
• GEARS: Gender, Ethnicity, Age, Region and Socio-Economic Class.
• Gender: The gender of the audience is not restricted as all genders are
represented within the piece alongside the symbolism of the LGBTQ+
community through a “Make America Gay Again” hat.
• Ethnicity: A extremely varied cast is not employed but various ethnic
groups may watch the video anyway.
• Age: The target audience is more likely to be 14-20 year olds due to the
age of the cast and the theme of the song itself being youth.
• Region: Troye Sivan is an Australian singer but his work extends across
international audiences specifically in America and UK.
• Socio-Economic Class: Lower middle class to upper working class due
to the setting used in the video.

8. Target Audience
• CAGES: Class, Age, Gender, Ethnicity and Sexuality.
• Class: Lower middle class to upper working class due to the setting used
in the video.
• Age: The target audience is more likely to be 14-20 year olds due to the
age of the cast and the theme of the song itself being youth.
• Gender: The gender of the audience is not restricted as all genders are
represented within the piece alongside the symbolism of the LGBTQ+
community through a “Make America Gay Again” hat.
• Ethnicity: A extremely varied cast is not employed but various ethnic
groups may watch the video anyway.
• Sexuality: There are various sexualities displayed in the video with Troye
Sivan himself being gay and thus the audience feeling more represented.

9. Target Audience
• Traditional Segmentation Model: Explorer, Aspirer, Succeeder, Reformer, Mainstream,
Struggler and Resigned.
• The Explorer: Driven by a need for discovery and/ or challenge
• The Aspirer: Materialistic/ care more about what others think about
• The Succeeder: Self confidence/ strong goal orientation/ organised
• The Reformer: Values their own independent judgement/ anti materialistic
• The Mainstream: Largest group/ core need is security/ live in a daily routine
• The Struggler: Seek escape/live for today few plans for tomorrow
• The Resigned: Aim to survive/ predominantly older people
• The audience for this music video is more likely to fit The Struggler and The Reformer
with some elements of The Mainstream due to the characters used within the video.

10. Troye Sivan: Youth
• Length: 3.19
• Themes: Youth, love, invincibility of youth and recklessness.
• Type of Music Video: Spectacle, performance, narrative and
symbolic.
• Relatable Theorists: Anne Gould (youth), Laura Mulvey (the
male gaze), Miriam Hansen (the female gaze) and Roland
Barthe (symbolic code).

11. Mise-en-scene
• 0.07: Establishing shot of living room setting which serves as the beginning of the story
(narrative). Mid shot of artist who is miming (performance). Pastel colours establishing
mood of light-heartedness, freedom and youth; the colours could also connote male and
females united in their age group (symbolic). Direct address of the audience (spectacle)
which attracts the audience in; usually male address is to female audience although due
to the artists sexuality this may not conform to Mulvey’s Male Gaze theory. Beer bottles
and plastic coloured cups on side cabinet connote a party associated with youth.

12. Mise-en-scene
• 0.14: Medium close up of the artist posed in the doorway. The pastel pink and blue
lighting behind implies the fun-loving carefree nature of youth (symbolic). The shallow
depth of field is focused simply on the artist which could simply be due to the context of it
being his music video or to connote the short-sightedness of youth (symbolic).
• 0.18: Full body shot of the artist. The fairy lights employed imply beauty in youth
alongside the backlighting of bright white lights to connote hope (symbolic).

13. Mise-en-scene
• 0.20: Close up zoom pan shot of the artist whilst they are staring into the
viewers eyes in a direct address (spectacle). The artist is singing to the
soundtrack and performing in the video (performance).
• 0.36: Mid-long shot of artist who begins dancing as though they would at a
party which is a stereotype of youth (performance).

14. Mise-en-scene
• 0.39: Close up shot of the artist face as the simultaneously dance and sing towards the
camera (performance). The eyes of the artist are also directly fixed on the audience as
almost an invitation to join the party of youth (spectacle).
• 0.43: Dolly zoom shot on the artist in a new kitchen setting. The lighting changes from
pastel pink and blue to a pale green which could imply more of a party environment
(symbolic). The artist is seated whilst still singing and others dance around them in the
party setting (performance).

15. Mise-en-scene
• 0.48: The camera changes to a close up two shot of extras in the video. The colour again changes to pastel pink
which could imply love but also the gender of the two female party guests (symbolic). Anne Gould’s theory of
youth as sexual.
• 0.50: The shot duration shortens and the pace of changes between shot also fastens which could imply the fast-
paced lifestyle of the young who think themselves invincible but could also be due to the increasing tempo of the
chorus (narrative). The two people featured are absorbed within themselves and are about to kiss which implies
the sexual nature of youth and falling in love (narrative). The blue/ lilac lighting implies the possible sorrow of
youth (symbolic).

16. Mise-en-scene
• 0.53: The setting changes to another room. The lighting again returns to pastel pink
and blue whilst the people are roller-skating which could show youthful light-
heartedness (symbolic). The room is backlit to create silhouettes which takes away
individual identity and places all youth unite; it could also link to the idea of Plato and
shadows in which youth may evaluate themselves as a superior being to the other
age groups which are but shadows (symbolic).

17. Mise-en-scene
• 0.56: A close up two shot of the artist and their love interest (narrative). The lighting is
again pastel pink and blue but merging together and this could imply that values
regarding stereotypical gender roles are being subverted by youth (symbolic).
• 0.59: Shot change to a pastel blue setting (symbolic). The props are balloons and
glitter which draws on connotations such as an American prom. Some of the balloons
are also heart shaped which again implies the open love and relations between
youths (symbolic).

18. Mise-en-scene
• 1.09: The setting changes to a pillow and blanket fort which is a symbol of
childhood and again implies youth (symbolic). The care bears are also a
symbol of childhood which could imply that they are reluctant to give away
the remnants of their youth (symbolic). The artist is holding hand with the
prior love interest which tells the story of youth love (narrative). The artist
is staring at the audience (spectacle) whilst singing to the soundtrack
(performance).

19. Mise-en-scene
• 1.39: The earlier empty living room setting is now habitat to partying youth.
The artist is singing and dancing as they would at a party but also
interacting with the audience (performance and spectacle).
• 1.46: A close up shot shows two people performing a home piercing which
could link to the recklessness of youth whilst the piercing itself would be a
sign of youth rebellion against the strict ideologies of society (symbolic).

20. Mise-en-scene
• 2.40: One of multiple examples of same sex couples within the video. This links to the
context of the artist and his ideologies as a gay man; it tells the story of youth acceptance
(narrative).
• 3.09: The artist heads towards the front door as the lights flash out and the focus fades
away which could imply the short-lived youth we all experience and how we should enjoy
it before it all fades away and ends (symbolic and narrative ending).

21. Camera
• 0.07: Establishing shot of the living room setting.
• 0.20: Close up zoom pan shot towards artist whilst they are directly
addressing the audience.
• 0.43: Dolly zoom shot in the kitchen party setting.
• 0.48-0.50: Close up two shot of romantic liaisons between youth.
• 0.53: Short pan shot following the carefree roller-skaters.
• 1.46: Close up two shot of one person piercing another's tongue to show
reckless abandon for societies conventions.
• 3.09: Mid-long shot of the artist heading towards the door as the focus
fades to show short-lived youth.

22. Editing
• 0.00-0.07: The lengthy shot duration of this is used whilst the song titles come up on
screen. The diegetic synchronous sound of a party setting establishes the scene.
• 0.08-0.36: Long shot duration and slow paced cuts between scenes to keep to the tempo
of the verse.
• 0.37-0.57: Faster paced cuts between scenes and shorter shot duration in build up to the
chorus. The music is also dubbed in time to the lip synching and the dance moves are in
time with the music beats.
• 0.58-1.08: The shots are shorter in duration and cuts are quicker to link with the fast
paced chorus.
• 1.09-1.40: Longer shot duration and slower paced cuts.
• Diegetic vocals throughout as implied by the lip-synching to the pre-recorded soundtrack.
• The colourisation editing techniques to subdue hue and saturation but increase certain
colours such as the pastel pinks and blues.

23. Sound
• 0.00-0.05: Diegetic synchronous sound of the party environment to
establish the setting.
• 0.06-3.17: Diegetic vocals of the artist as implied through the lip-
synching to the pre-recorded soundtrack; purpose is to set the meaning
of the lyrics.
• 0.06-3.17: Sound bridge of the soundtrack continues throughout all of
the scenes; purpose to set meaning of the song and promote the artist.
• 0.10-10.15: Lyrics; “What if/ We said goodbye to safe and sound” which
stresses the recklessness and carefree nature of youth.
• 0.31-0.36: Lyrics; “And the stars exploding/ We’ll be fireproof” which
connotes the idea of youth believing themselves to be invincible.

24. Sound
• 0.39-0.42: Lyrics; “Trippin’ on skies, sippin’ waterfalls” which implies
drug and alcohol highs in relations to youth either metaphorically or
truthfully. The idea of Anne Gould’s theory of youth as self-destructive.
• 1.13-1.18: Lyrics; “We’re speeding through red lights into paradise”
which connotes the self-destructive nature of youth as according to
Anne Gould.
• 1.19-1.24: Lyrics; “’Cause we’ve no time for getting old/ Mortal bodies,
timeless souls” which infers the nihilistic nature of youth in reference to
Anne Gould’s theory.