The video for "Say Something" by Christina Aguilera and Great Big World tells three tragic stories through illustration: a girlfriend leaving her lover, a girl hiding from nightmares, and an old man witnessing his wife's passing. It captures significant loss and situations too difficult to handle. The video targets a mass audience by showing stories that represent different generations and levels of relating to the characters. It establishes meaning through closely mirroring the song's lyrics about giving up on someone.
7. How do these concepts fit
into my chosen music
video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2U0Ivkn2Ds
8. A little bit about the song…
‘Say Something’ performed by Christina Aguilera and Great Big World is
about essentially not knowing what you’ve got until its gone.
It follows 3 tragic stories:
• A girlfriend leaves her lover
• A girl is hiding under her bed from the nightmares
• An old man witnesses his wife pass away
It captures each moment and the significant loss of something or
someone. It also demonstrates situations that may be too big for the
characters to handle and therefore they struggle with moving on.
9. AUDIENCE
• As the video demonstrates 3 different stories that represent 3
alternative generations., this makes the music video for this song
targeted at a mass audience as there is a level of relating to the
characters for everyone.
10. NARRATIVE
• Due to the 3 different stories being told within this music video, there
is a lack of structure to this narrative.
• It is presented as a combined performance based video as well as
using the convention of illustration.
• Illustration is when the video closely mirrors the lyrical content and
meaning can be established
• In this case, each story being told is representing giving up on
someone or something, eg) the man watching his wife pass away. This
corresponds with the lyric “I’m giving up on you and I’m sorry that I
couldn’t get to you” as it is portraying a sense of helplessness.
11. HOW DOES GOODWIN’S THEORY APPLY TO
THE VIDEO?
GLOIFYING THE ARTIST
THROUGH CLOSE UPS
ESTABLISHING A
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
LYRICS AND VISUALS
12. MEDIA LANGUAGE
• Love and Grief are two main themes running
throughout this music video. This is exemplified
through the various camera shots.
• In this aerial shot, there the close proximity of the
two people represents an intimate relationship.
• However this is followed by a close up of the girl’s
face as she turns to the side and cries showing a
climax in their narrative and a turn of events.
13. • The set of the video is on a stage adding to the
theatrical element of the music video.
• The dark, gloomy lighting creates a saddening
atmosphere representing the theme of grief.
