This is my first music video analysis of the song "Love the Way You Lie", created as part of my A2 Media Coursework.

1. Music Video Analysis #1 – “Love the Way You Lie” by Eminem featuring Rihanna
“Love the Way You Lie” is a song performed by Eminem featuring Rihanna’s vocals on the
chorus; the GENRE of the song is hip hop/rap music.
The music video makes several CONNOTATIONS to the GENRE of rap music. The music
video portrays the THEMES of domestic violence, which is further encompassed with
SEXUALLY EXPLICIT SCENERY; these SEQUENCES are of mature content, which links to the
standard portrayal of rap music.
The encounter between the two actors in the music video – Megan Fox and Dominic
Monaghan – is quite EXPLICIT and is not CENSORED, giving more emphasis on the adult
GENRE of the video.
In the music video, the two actors are seen acting in a violent manner toward each other;
the man (Monaghan) pushes the woman (Fox) against the wall and threatens to beat her
more physically and inflict, but in certain SCENES, they engage in sexual activity.
Rap music is perceived by AUDIENCES to have sexual, gritty and mature CONNOTATIONS
that are often not reflected in other music videos, which helps rap music videos stand out
from the rest of the GENRES, which can be suggested is how the GENRE of rap differs from
others, which is actuality and honesty of ‘real life’.
During the video, there is a constant amount of CUTTING between the NARRATIVE
ELEMENTS of the video (Monaghan and Fox) and the performance elements of the video (As
stated within Andrews Goodwin’s Theory of Dancing in the Distraction Factory).
Eminem’s costume consists of a vest and jeans, a simple attire, which could be argued to
CONNOTE the maturity of the music video and furthermore, imply the “ghetto” STYLE of rap
music. A convention of the ‘street’ or ‘ghetto’ mainly does not include the usage of fancy or
expensive clothing, so Eminem’s attire would have a TEXTUAL role of perhaps showing
AUDIENCE that this video may be promoting the style of ‘gangster’ rap.
The music video also makes connections to the pop GENRE of music. Due to Rihanna’s
chorus and influence in the music, the producers may have made a decision to attempt to
utilize Rihanna’s pop merits to attract a wider AUDIENCE.
STEREOTYPICALLY, pop music has had a history of portraying lighter TONES than rap music;
and furthermore, the pop music has prominently been utilized as a way illustrating
relationship values that either portray passion between a couple or a break up. The pop
elements are expressed by the SCENES involving compassion and stability between
Monaghan and Fox. In the music video, there is a SCENE involving a HIGH ANGLE SHOT and
CAMERA MOVEMENT of the two sitting cross legged in from of each other, where they join
their hands together. The use of this FRAME shows how the two are connected through
love, despite the hate they hide for each other. The FRAME also consists of COLOUR
GRADING that is light, that may imply that this scene is where they are affectionate towards
each other, and the darkness that erupted due to their fights had extinguished.

2. The stable
environment
between Fox
and Monaghan.
The using of SETTING is portrayed by the PRODUCERS as a paramount element in the
creation of the music video. The music is set behind a burning house and a corn field
(Eminem and Rihanna), and it is SET in a house (where the narrative between Fox and
Monaghan is set). The burning home SYMBOLISES the end of the relationship, as the house
burns down to the ground, as does the relationship between the abusive couple, this
creates SYMBOLISM, another standard CONVENTION that is typically associated in the rap
genre.
The house on fire
creates symbolism.
The corn field is where Eminem raps. He is alone in these SEQUENCES; the significance of
this is that he is trying to express his thoughts to the AUDIENCE because he is constantly
looking into the CAMERA and this may CONNOTE the genre of rap. Since, it is a known
practice for rappers to usually rap to AUDIENCES and share their feelings with them,
Eminem’s face level is with the CAMERA to show that he wants to share his thoughts with
the AUDIENCE. The DIRECTOR may have inferred significance of the corn field because it is
known for being a lonesome environment, which further SYMBOLISES that that he is telling
his AUDIENCE a STORY about an evident abusive relationship (between Fox and Monaghan)
and the implied demerits of the latter.

3. Eminem rapping in
the cornfield with his
attire.
Eminem’s close-up
shot.
The SCENES in the house may be viewed as PARADOXICAL. The house shows both the
fighting between Monaghan and Fox, but also the love that they share for each other. The
PRODUCERS may have wanted create the environment of a STEREOTYIPICAL household –
particularly that in the United States – where couples show love for each other, but also
fight together. It shares a connection with the divorce rate in the USA, which is at more than
50%, and the abuse between Fox and Monaghan is also present in the United States with
more than 30% of cases, where spouses have reported abuse from their significant other;
most of this abuse comes in the rural, south United States, and the director may have used
the cornfield SETTING and the simple home setting to imply that the STORY is set in rural
America.
As previously stated, the music video is said to explore the THEME of domestic abuse, but it
also shows SCENES of love – maybe through the pop element of the music video – between
Fox and Monaghan to perhaps show the AUDIENCE that somewhere beneath all the abuse:
they love each other. Hence, the music video was presumably titled “Love the Way You Lie”
because they may love each other, but they may lie to each other through the beatings they
inflict upon each other. The DIRECTOR may have wanted to create a PARADOXICAL effect in
the music video, just like how the title of the song is an inferred JUXTAPOSITION: ‘love’ and
‘lie’. PARADOXICAL effects have been explored by Eminem (in videos, such as ‘Space

4. Bound’), so this could suggest that this STYLE of music video creation is becoming signature
to Eminem, which links to Dancing in the Distraction Factory theory five (artist iconography).
In terms of Goodwin’s Dancing in the Distraction Factory theory two, which states that there
is a relationship between LYRICS and the music video. There are several VISUALS and
NARRATIVE ELEMENTS in the music video that implicates a close relationship between
VISUALS and LYRICS. Firstly, it is suggested that the lyrics of the song is STRUCTURED in a
NARRATIVE because whatever Eminem or Rihanna sing is VISUALIZED on the screen. For
example, when Eminem sings “here we go again, it’s so insane…” in the first verse, the
actors – Fox and Monaghan – engage in a physical confrontation (and it is implied by the
lyrics that this is yet another physical encounter between the pair). Furthermore, in the first
verse when Eminem sings, “where are you going; I’m leaving you; no you ain’t,” Fox and
Monaghan MIME these words, which implies that some of Eminem’s lyrics are STRUCTURED
in DIALOUGUE, which further illustrates that the LYRCIS are structured in a STORY FORMAT,
and thus it may give the audience a more effective insight in to the brutality of the implied
THEME of domestic violence.
The ‘LYRICAL
DIALOGUE’ between
Fox and Monaghan.
In the final verse – Eminem sings, “if she ever tries to [explicit] leave again; I’mma tie her to
the bed and set this house on fire” and in the FRAME, the house in the BACKGROUND,
behind Eminem and Rihanna, has engulfed the house, which again shows a connection
between the video and LYRICS and further expresses a relationship between LYRICS and
VISUALS.
And the final aspect of Goodwin’s Dancing in the Distraction Factory theory that is
portrayed in this video is theory six, “the notion of looking – voyeurism”. This theory shows
more significance within the females included in the music video: Megan Fox and Rihanna.
Fox, in the video, is seen in a sleeveless top and shorts that only cover her thighs in a
MEDIUM LONG shot of her with Monaghan; however, it could be noted GENRE appropriate
because the clothes are fairly ordinary. The music video may be portraying Fox’s modelling
forte to the AUDIENCE in an attempt to garner a male ATTRACTION to this video,
particularly through Fox’s following. Her EXPLICIT CONNOTATIONS may be evident through
the use of the long shot of Fox and Monaghan in bed in which shows Fox’s body with a lack

5. in clothing is show, which furthermore may be READ by the AUDIENCES as SEXUAL
REPRESENTATION.
The mediumlong
shotof Fox and
Monaghan inbed
together,revealing
Fox’sbody.
Furthermore, Rihanna is also seen sporting very revealing clothes: a leather jacket that
covers her abdomen and arms, and moderately covers her upper body. She is not wearing
any pants. She also is seen wearing make-up with nail varnish, lip stick and powder on her
face and jewelry. The revealing clothes may be READ differently by the AUDIENCE; it may
invite a more negative influence from the AUDIENCE, who may focus generally on the
aesthetic of Rihanna’s look, and not the main purpose of the video.
The PRODUCERS might have included this style to attract Rihanna’s fans, who may be
accustomed to seeing the pop star in these variations of costumes – Rihanna’s presence in
her costume links to theory five of Andrew Goodwin’s Dancing in the Distraction Factory
theory – Artist Iconography (in which the artist would dawn a recurring style) – and
Rihanna’s presence in the music video and her ICONOGRAPHIC style, may attract a wider
AUDIENCE to view the music video and may further propel the success of the music video.
Rihanna’s EXPLICIT CONNOTATIONS is evident through the MEDIUM SHOT featuring
Eminem and Rihanna: the audience can see Rihanna’s lack of clothing.
Rihannainthe
back of the
FRAME, inher
revealing
clothing.

6. The costumes of both Fox and Rihanna makes further links to Andrew Goodwin’s Dancing in
the Distraction Factory’s theory four – the demands of the record labels are evident in music
videos – because it PRODUCER may also be used by the producer to further PROMOTE
sexual appeal and ATTRACT a male AUDIENCE, which links to the standard INSTITUTIONAL
practice of ‘sex sells’.
Since I want to establish continuity with my coursework from AS Media, I would like to
pursue a rap music video, as my final PRODUCT. This video has shown me that in order to
make a rap music video, I need to apply various characteristics of the rap GENRE in order for
the music video to be classified as a rap music video. It would need to have dark COLOUR
GRADIENTS, not look too light (because it will take away from the ‘seriousness’ aspect of
rap) and I would need to also apply the “Dance in the Distraction” theory because it will
ensure that I can make apply the STYLE of rap into my music video.