1. 00:00- 3:00
Before the main video, there is a
short clip that appears to look like an
old TV show set. This clip represents
tragic clown romance which enables
the viewer to link this song with the
video from another song on the
album (‘A change in heart’). The
bleak black and white setting
foreshadows the main video.
The music video is quite old-style in
the sense that it is narrative based
and lasts a total of eight and a half
minutes.
3. 3:35
The video begins with the singer
Matt Healy alone in the back of a car.
This highlights the theme of isolation
that runs throughout the whole
video. The colours and lighting in this
shot are dark and dull which carry
the connotations of depression and
loneliness. By using this kind of
lighting the mood and the emotional
state of the character can be better
understood by the viewer, allowing
them to connect to the character
and thus enjoy the video more.
4. 3:44 & 3:50
Throughout the video the settings used are remote which make the character seem secluded and alone. Therefore,
the settings reflect the feelings the character is experiencing from trying to get over someone.
In this section of the video the camera tracks the movement of the character from behind. This is effective because it
makes the audience feel like they are walking behind the character and following his story. In the video the character
is spending an evening walking in solitude through different locations, attempting to get over someone.
In the second shot above, it is evident that pathetic fallacy is used. The weather in the shot is gloomy and there is a
thunder storm. This very accurately symbolizes what the character is thinking and feeling which adds to the
atmosphere of the video.
5. 4:11 & 4:14
In this scene, the happy couple are juxtaposed with Matt who is sat alone and appears to be upset. The camera
switches between the two using shot-reverse shot. This, combined with the setting ( a café which is stereotypically a
social place) further emphasizes the fact that Matt is alone and makes the audience sympathize with him.
In the shot of just Matt, he is positioned to the left of the frame, rather than centre frame. This makes him appear
unimportant and draws attention away from him.
6. 4:58 & 5:35
In this scene Matt is seen once again alone, but instead at a bar. This is the section of the video where the
genre can be easily established by the audience. This is because the mood changes from being dark and mopey
to slightly more light hearted. Matt is alone in what seems to be a run-down bar but is drinking and dancing
and having an alright time considering what he is going through. In this scene, the alternative style is
represented through the mis-en-scene. The bar he is in appears to be slightly out of date and cheap, with tinsel
hung up and a disco ball etc, which gives of an “indie” look, much like the band.
7. 7:29 & 8:30 7:08 & 8:08
Towards the end of the video a deeper meaning is revealed. The video is not necessarily about heartbreak and
trying to get over someone but actually has an introspective style. The lyric “intertwining yourself with
somebody else” begins to make sense as we see the self-obsessed character envisioning himself as other
people, or maybe watching himself from another perspective.
We know this because past shots from the video are re-shown but are altered slightly.
