textual analysis

1. Textual analysis
Music video one

2. Genre characteristics
Most indie music videos are quite low budget and the locations used are normally
stages/studios or rural/urban areas and parks.
The main focus is on the singer or band and there is usually a narrative that links
with the lyrics. Indie bands and artists have quite a retro and unique look, shown
through the costume and make-up.
This song shows individuality of Florence and the Machine. The music video is
shot outside in a park, there is narrative but it is mixed together with the
performance.

3. Introduction
The song i am analysing is Rabbit Heart by Florence and the Machine.
The song was written by Florence Welch and Paul Epworth and also produced by
Paul Epworth.
The music video was directed by Tom Beard and Tabitha Denholm.
It was shot on location st Painshill Park in Cobham Surrey.

4. Type of video
This video is both performance and narrative, the performance isn’t separate from
the narrative like in most indie music videos.

5. General technical aspects
The video is 3:38, and about 130 shots.
The video is shot in one location, it seems like the lake and the field are near or
next to each other. In the dancing scenes there is around 10 people including
florence, and in the scene with the feast on the table there is around 7 other
people including florence, however i’m not sure if these are the same people or
not.
The singer keeps the same costume on throughout the video, the only thing that
changes clothing wise is her taking off a cardigan at the start of the video.

6. Lyrics and visuals
There are some reference to Alice in Wonderland and this links to the visuals
because towards the middle/end there is a table set up with food and people
around it, like a party. One of the people around the table looks and acts similar to
the mad hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

7. Relationship between music and visuals
Throughout the video there is a dance routine where there isn’t narrative. So when
the visuals is dancing that already fits in with the music.
When the chorus starts the editing pace increases and the length of each shot
decreases to fit in with the music.

8. Are there any close ups of the artist
There are close ups on the artist as she sings, when the camera isn’t on the other
dancers and people.
This means that new fans knows what the singer looks like and creates a
continuous image of the artist.

9. Are there any intertextual references
There is consistent references to the book Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Throughout there are lyrics and some words that link to the book, there are even
some aspects of the visuals in the video that link to Alice in wonderland. We could
go as far as saying that the title of the song, Rabbit Heart, could be talking about
the white rabbit in the book.

10. Conclusion and reflection
There is both performance and narrative aspects in this video, even though both
aspects are mixed together it is more performance based. This music video has
shown me that you can still make a video that can do well with limited locations
and limited performers.