For media studies

1. Mood video choices
Why I chose the music videos

2. Avicii-Levels
 The first video That I analysed was Levels by Avicii, I
have chosen this video as it is a classic. the genre is
pop, however it contains hints of electronic music and
disco. The video is very comedic as it shows a man
dancing around in his office while everyone else is
trying to work the production budget is reasonably
high as he is a well known musician and can afford
more special effects.

3. Daft punk- Get lucky
 The next video shown is Get lucky by the pop
artists, Daft Punk. The feature of this music video
that I like is the aesthetic and theme. The music
video is quite jazz orientated with a bit of sci fi
and 80s nostalgia. The video itself is very
performance based which relates it more to the
artist as they have the iconic robot costume. The
video uses a lot of quick shots however the
editing is still very steady, this is a good video as
it doesn’t focus on one artist but all of them
equally.

4. Macklemore- Thrift shop
 The next song is a rap song by the artist
Macklemore called Thrift Shop. The theme of this
video is very accurate to the kind of conventions
used in this genre for example, driving around in
a flashy car, in this case a Delorean. The artist
also wears a big animal fur coat which is very
genre- appropriate. What I like about the video is
the way the artist is always at the centre of
attention this helps to remind the viewer of the
artists success and talent.

5. FUN- We are young

 The fourth entry is a famous pop/ alternative rock
song called We are young by the American band
FUN, The main reason why this video stood out
to me is the use of slow motion, especially the
shot with the artist playing piano. This was a very
effective use of editing as it tells a story and looks
very professional from an artistic perspective.
With the slow motion effect of water being
splashed over the band almost like an explosion
looks very aesthetically pleasing. It is quite
possible to use this kind of editing for my final
product but it can also take more time.

6. Twenty One Pilots- Stressed Out
 The fifth entry is an alternative rap song, Stressed
out by the up and coming group, Twenty One
Pilots. What I like about this video is the tracking
shot of the singer on a tricycle. This allowed the
viewer to analyse his surroundings which were
purposely portraying the colour grey to give the
music video a serious tone, this then amplifies the
power of the lyrics, also the more cramped shot
showing the band in a small room makes the
viewer feel more connected to them as if they
were there.

7. The Vaccines- If you wanna
 The next music video is by the rock band the
vaccines, in this music video there is heavy use
of silhouettes and colour. This makes the fact that
the theme of the video is performance based
more interesting for the viewer. The use of
silhouettes also shifts the focus away from the
band itself and just allows the audience to
experience the music while being treated with
cool and colourful lights. There are also several
close ups of the artists instruments such as
guitars and drums, which links the music being
produced to the video.

8. LMFAO- Party rock anthem
 Party rock anthem is the most eventful music
video in this list, it features a similar story to the
film 28 days later and also uses a wide range of
actors and dancers. The use of special effects
and expensive camera work draws the attention
away from the quality of the song and this is the
purpose of the high budget. The costumes used
are very appropriate as the genre is pop and over
the top costumes is common in the genre. The
one aspect that inspired me is the very jumpy
editing as it almost synchronises to the beat.

9. Bastille- Pompeii
 What I like about the next entry is that it is clearly
narrative based as the camera shots and angles
suggest that the lead singer of the band is the
protagonist of the story. The camera also follows
the man around which takes the viewer on the
same journey as him, making the video more of
an experience than advertisement. The video has
a dark tone which contradicts the actual tone of
the song as it is very upbeat, this throws the
viewer off balance.

10. Sam Smith- Stay with me
 The main feature of this song that I definitely
would take as inspiration is the steady pacing of
the editing, which matches with the tone of the
song. The continuous shots also make the
audience feel as if they are walking alongside the
star Sam Smith. There are also aspects of the
notions of looking theory mentioned by Andrew
Goodwin, this is due to the fact that the artist
repeatedly looks at the camera, which is
supposed to make the audience feel more
connected to the song.

11. Foster the people – Pumped up
Kicks
 The last song is Pumped up kicks, the thing that I
liked about the video is how casual it is, it’s
mainly performance based however it’s from a
live performance which gives a sense of reality to
the viewer, this is important otherwise the band
may not appeal to peoples so the band must be
relatable . The camera also blurs quite a lot
throughout the clip, this is perhaps to make the
video seem as if it was filmed in a non
professional way. This is another reason as to
why the song was popular.