1. Lewis Devine
Arctic Monkeys-Arabella
The musicvideo I have chosen to analyseis by Arctic Monkeys, called
Arabella from there new album AM, the video starts with a mid-shot in
black and white of what seems to be a living room from the 80s, this is clear
use of bricolage as there is a clash of eras between the 70/80sand our
currentera, also the image is in black and white which creates a classical
rock setting and is also stereotypical of the indiegenre. Wethen see a
youngwomen posingin a black nighty which is rather reviling, this shows a
rather negative representation of women and may offend the everyday
feminist as it goes against Marxism. The women is also smiling and seems
happy which gives the music video a sort of upbeatmood, however we see
the video rewind, and this is clear useof reflexivity as it is breaking the
forth wall and shows the clear makingof the video. Wethen go to a closer
shot of the younglady sat on the sofaposing promiscuously, thissets the
scene that this song maybeabout this girl as she is the only character
shown so far in the video. The women has blondehair in the style of
Marilyn Monroe, thiscould be seen as a parody asthe women is not
displayed in the most positiveof light, this is also useof bricolage as it may
been seen as a clash of eras again.
The video then goes to a crabbing tracking shot, of what seems the be LA
Californiaas there is used of iconography with the palm trees etc., the
image is in black and white again which may be used to highlight the
classical rock effect. Wethen go to a close up of an arm holdinga
microphone; the arm has a tattoo on the of a Yorkshire rose, this may be
seen patriotic of Arctic Monkeysand them being loyal and respectfulof
where they are from. However someonewho doesn’tknow that the tattoo
is of a Yorkshire rose and that Arctic Monkeysarefrom Yorkshire, they
may see it as stereotypical rock star to have a tattoo as it seen as cool and
rebellious which are all codes and conventionsof the indiegenre. There is
then a a shallow deep of field used of two women and a younggentleman in
a bedroom, this could once again offend the everyday feministas it is
showing women in a negative way as they are kissing the man’sneck.
However the man is looking away and doesn’tseem to be payingany
interest in the girls, this is not a normalday representation of males as
peoplewould expect the male to be enjoyingthis experiencebut however
he is not.
There is then a mid-shot of a girl dressed in a rather revilingdressagain in
a bedroom in the dark this is once again showing a rather negative
representation of the femalegender suggesting that all women act in this
rudepromiscuousway. Thereis then a jump cutto a mid-shot of Alex
2. Lewis Devine
Turner, singingthe song; this justmakes the viewer aware that what they
are watching is a musicvideo. The video then goes to a shallow depth of
field shot of another younglady speakingto a youngmales i.e. flirting, the
peoplein this shot seem to be smokingillegal substances which may be
seen as a code and convention of this genre as it is breaking the law and
seen as rebellious and cool.
The video consists of rewindingwhichis clear reflexivity as it showing the
clear making of this music video. The video also jumpsto Alex turner
singing, Alex Turner iswearing a white shirt which may be trying to
highlight that there is hope somewhere in this video, as the girls seem to be
living a rather bad life that involvesa lot of drugssex etc., Alex wearing a
white shirt maybe tryingto highlight that there is hope for these young
girls. There is then a bird’s eye view like shot of a group of young
gentleman on motorbikes all stop around smokinglookingrather
aggressive, this may be seen as another codeand convention to the indie
genre as it is seen as cool and rebellious, and also dangerous, which is also
linkinginto how the younggirls are livingthere life’s, and maybe showing
that the video is about danger. The video has a defiantclear narrative
towardsit as there is defiantly a story behind these younggirls life styles,
and what caused them to life such a bad life. The narrativealso keepsthe
viewersgriped as they wantto know what is going on with these young
girls. Near the end of the video there is a hot that would really offend
feminist as there is a younglady lay on a bed with nothing on which is
represtingyoungladies in a negative light once again. The video is also a
performancevideo asthere is constant jump cuts through this video of
Arctic Monkeysperformingthissong which is seen as a code and
convention of an indievideo as other band like the smith etc. have used this
style to their videos, some peoplemay also say that Arctic Monkeysare
payingpastiche to these bands.
3. Lewis Devine
Media-Music video analysis
The music video I have chosen to analyse is Jake Bugg messed up kids,
the video basically links into the song title, the music video is set on a
council estate, and viewer gets to see things that are stereotypical of a
council estate, of this area.
The video starts with a shallow depth of field of a young gentleman, the
young gentleman is dressed in black which is known and has
conventions of a dull depressing nature, the young man is also looking
away from the camera, (has no direct address). This creates mystery
within the video instantly as it gets the viewer or the audience
questioning to what the person is looking at. Next there is a mid-shot,
the mid shot is of a young male and female booth with their hoods up,
this could suggest they have been up to no good and want to keep their
identity hidden from people as they may have something to hide. There
is then another shallow depth of field used of another young gentleman
in a helmet on a moped, this straight away suggest that he younger than
the age of 17 as he is driving a moped and not a car, he also has his
helmet on which highlights his need for protection in this certain area in
which he is in. The camera then starts to crab across a group of young
males with gold chains, tracksuits and trainers on all with their hoods up
dressed in black; this creates a chavy like persona to the music video
and takes away the idea of it being an indie video to represent the
music. There is then a close up of a young girl carrying a baby which is
rather stereotypical of a chav like genre i.e. young pregnancy, people
may also say it links to the council estate background, also behind the
young girl in a deep depth there is a white dove flying in the background,
this is a symbol of hope and peace and may highlight that there is hope
for these people living in this bad area.
When the music finally starts and kicks in the camera starts to crab or
track sideways, past the whole cast of the video, this may also be
referred to as an establishing shot, however the first person we say
when it starts is Jake Bugg, this creates an instant effectof brickolage as
there is a clash of two genres. E.G the indie genre and the chav like
genre. Jake Bugg doesn’t have very close proxemics to the other group
4. Lewis Devine
of people this is very clear as he is stood about ten to fithteen Yards
away from them all and looks completely out of place like he doesn’t
belong there. As the camera continues to crab on the dolly truck, the
music starts, and we see straight away a group of males all crowding
round another male who is middle aged at the age of about forty, the
music say ‘Johnny deals abit of blow’ this makes it very clear to the
audience exactly who Johnny is and what is going on, it also helps set
the scene to what this area is like. The music then says ‘Jenny walks the
streets alone’, we then have a mid-shot of a young girl with a baby at the
front of the group, and this once again highlights what the area is like.
Next there is another mid shot of two young males dressed in black,
there is also smoke in the air, many people may think that they are
smoking cannabis, this shows that these people have no respect for
other people or the law as they are smoking illegal substances in the
middle of everyone, and in front of children not caring if they influence
the young children to smoke or they get arrested. There is the a sudden
jump cut to two young females leaning on a car, the females look rather
promiscuous, due to the way they are dressed and how they are lent on
the car. At this point Jake Bugg sings they sell there drugs they sell their
time their sell there body’s’. This may show that these two girls leaning
on the car are in fact prostitutes; this then shows once again that the
area that this video is set in is not a nice place to live.
There is a long with a group of young teenagers boys dressed in
balaclava’s, with their hoods up and all wearing black tracksuits, the
young boys are all running through the crowd of people laughing and
joking, which shows they are careless to what’s going on around them.
Throughout the video when the chorus hits the video goes into rewind,
this may show or be symbolic to the fact that all these people want to go
back and change their past for the better to change the life they are
currently leading. There is the a shallow depth of field to the young girls
leaning on the car, the young girl is also looking up to the sky, the girl
looks like she is in a daydream, this may be showing that she is
dreaming of another live to lead and not be stuck in this horrible place
where the music video is set. This makes the viewers have sympathy
for this young girl.
5. Lewis Devine
There is a mid-shot next of s young gentleman setting off fireworks, this
once again shows clear lack of respect that these young males have for
their council and environment and also for other people safety, there is
also a church in the background this may also be a song of hope and
peace in this video.
The video is also in low key lighting, it is also in black and white, this
creates a gloom and dull effect to the music video. There is clear use of
brickoloage in this music video, Brickoloage is the clash of two era or
genres, in this music video there is a defiant clash of the indie/ country
music, and a ‘chav’ like genre.
People may argue that this video is a parody to the people who live in
these types of areas, and live these life’s the reason for this is because
the people in this video are all laughing and joking and could be seen in
a humours light. However on the other hand people may say, that this
video is paying pastiche to these people as it is talking all about giving
them hope and there is white doves in the video which is symbolic to
hope. It also makes the viewer have sympathy for these people. Jake
Bugg also may be paying his respects and using reflexivity to look back
on his old life and what he used to live like.
