Case study for music video

1. Music Video –
Individual case study
Grace Gilbert

2. Artist – Panic! At the disco
• Genre – Panic! At the disco are
alternative pop, this genre became
popular in 1990’s to 2000’s, and
originated from independent music
in the 80’s. The conventions for
alternative pop tend to be a lot of
close ups on the main artist of them
singing, creating an intimate feeling
in the music video, additionally they
tend to be of the band/signer to sell
them as an artist and their music
and not just what the video looks
like.
• Panic! At the disco fit into this genre
as they used to be gothic and
created a different kind of music to
what’s mainstream. Most of their
videos include the main singer
singing whilst also telling a story,
with a narrative which relates to
Goodwin’s theory of illustration
where the video we are seeing is
relevant to the lyrics.
Close up of
Brendon, Identifying
with the artist and
creates a more
personal video also
a convention of
alternative pop
music
The heavy eyeliner
and the use of
makeup is
stereotypical for
bands that are
alternative pop

3. The Ballad Of Mona Lisa – Panic! At
the disco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOgpdp3lP8M&list=RDQMRfn_YnGCKDE&index=22
Camera Work/Editing
• The camera pans across the area which allows us to see the scene and establishes the atmosphere before
introducing the characters. It then zooms in to reveal the band and then gets even closer to focus on the main
singer making it a close up, which creates a sense of intimacy and allows the video to feel more personal. It also
allows us to know who the more ‘important’ character is .
• Multiple medium long shots are used to establish the other characters, and shows that they’re not as important
as the band members as they came into shot afterwards. Multiple long shot sets the scene and allows the
viewers to focus on the person in shot whilst seeing the situation.
• The use of rhythmic editing when the drums play in the song the video cuts to the drummer hitting the drums at
the same time they hit in the song. This is effective as it makes you think that it is live and it brings the video to
life
• The use of match on action when the camera zooms into the coat of the singer dressed in a steam punk
costume then zooming out to reveal that character has changed to a vampire, this implies that they are the same
character but have different personas
Use of zooming in to change
the viewers focus from the
scene to the people, draws
attention to person in the
middle, as he is in the center
with his head down. Makes us
wonder who they are and what
are they doing
Close up –
establishes the
character feels
personal with a calm
atmosphere, he is
the one in focus so
one of the most
important

4. The Ballad Of Mona Lisa –
Panic! At the disco
Intertextuality
• The intertextuality in this video is the reference to the steam punk theme, with
the costume and the setting as they are wearing the traditional outfit. It is also
suggested that it is set in the Victorian era as it is implied there is vampires and
the costumes the women are wearing resemble Victorian dresses
Style/Genre conventions
• This links to the style of the video, as it is meant to look old fashioned and that’s
what has been achieved, it also gives the video character as it gives it depth and
makes people think why they have decided to base it on this era
• This video fits the conventions for this type of genre (alternative pop) as it
includes multiple close ups on the main singer and it also includes them playing
their instruments and lip syncing the lyrics.

5. Emperors new clothes – Panic! At the
disco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qFF2v8VsaA
Camerawork/Editing
Slow Motion – The use of slow
motion builds an atmosphere in
the video, and it is continuous
from one of the videos before
(this is gospel) which allows the
video to tell a story
The camera pans from an image of the
demon to black then back and fourth the
character gets closer, this creates an
uncomfortable atmosphere because the cuts
aren’t clear and it creates a disjointed feel
about the video. The use of close ups create
an intimate feeling which intensifies the
feeling of uneasiness, as the character isn't
human
The jerkiness of the skulls
moving and singing the
lyrics adds to the feeling
of uneasiness as it makes
the video seem unclean
although it works with the
song

6. Emperors new clothes –
Panic! At the disco
Camera/Editing
• At the beginning we see the singer staring into
space looking mesmerized the use of a
medium close up creates a personal feel to the
video, which is a convention in this genre as
within this genre many videos include close up
images on the artist
• Rhythmic editing – At the beginning when we
see the transformation from human to devil he
moves to the pauses, he is also lip syncing the
lyrics which he does in almost all of his videos
• The video has a fast pace, which resembles the
song and makes the video more interesting to
watch as everything feels fast and you have to
stay focused to watch it to know what is going
on, it also creates a sense of uneasiness as the
character isn’t moving naturally
• The video has a blue light when the demon
appears which creates a cold atmosphere to
the scene, however towards the end the doors
open and the red light is revealed which then
reveals that the character is in hell and the blue
light was representing the place between earth
and hell, The pace seems faster and the cuts
aren’t clean it seems quite jumpy which
emphasizes the feeling of uneasiness and
unnatural

7. Emperors new clothes –
Panic! At the disco
Intertextuality
• The intertextuality in this video is a bit more complex than the last, as there’s more subtle
hints. For example the main one is the character turning into a demon, he is falling down into
a dark place which is later revealed to be some sort of dystopian world, as the use of dark
toned lights imply this however when he moves on and fully transforms the light changes
from blue/black colors or red/yellow colors implying more of a hell world, this shows that the
devil/Satan is referenced
• Genre Conventions/Style
• This video targets the conventions associated with this genre as, the use of multiple close
ups are used which also links to the last video mentioned as they both include this shot
multiple times.
• The style of this video is based on a dystopian theme and feels disjointed which makes it
uncomfortable to watch as it’s unnatural and doesn't flow easily. At the beginning of the video
it carries on from where ‘This is gospel’ left off which is use of continuity and highlights the
narrative which creates a story and entices the viewer to carry on watching it

8. LA devotee – Panic! At the disco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dNcKTcnPA
Establishing shot – sets the scene but grabs the
audiences attention as we want to know more
about the sign and who has just taken the girl,
also the use of a birds eye shot allows us to see
the whole environment but also emphasizes the
pattern that’s been made into the grass, which
implies the size of the ‘cult’
Camerawork/Editing
Medium close up –
establishes the character,
recognizable actor Noah
Schnapp from Stranger
Things
Dissolve – the use of
dissolve links the
goat and the singer
together implying he
is the one behind the
mask
Close up on
the camera
creates a
sense of us
being watched,
and puts us in
the place of the
character who
has been
taking which
makes the
video more
intrusive

9. LA devotee – Panic! At the
disco
Over the shoulder shot gives a sense of us
being there and feels intrusive , additionally the
use of a unique filter gives the illusion of the
video being set in the 80s which links to
stranger things as that is also set in the 80s,
which is also a intertextual
This short clip is the fastest part of the
video of a whole, it matches the fastest
part of the song. The jump cuts creates
a confused scene. The close up on the
singer who is outlined in red implies he is
evil as red is associated with danger
Camerawork/Editing

10. LA devotee – Panic! At the
disco
Genre conventionsintertextuality
• The LA Devotee video features the actor Noah Schnapp from ‘Stranger Things’, and it
also features a similar concept to the show as at the beginning someone gets
kidnapped which is what happens in season 1 of the show.
• The singer and the actor both lip sync to the song which is linked with the previous two
videos talked about which represents it is popular in this genre and most other music
genres to lip sync to the video because it gives a sense of them performing live.
Style
• The style of this video is unique as it feels like we are in there with the character as we
are seeing it as a P.O.V, for example we see the camera, however there is also a
moment where we see it from the singer’s P.O.V as we see the character in a camera
screen with the recording button in the bottom right. This creates a very inclusive video
as we are seeing everything from different point f views