The music video "Parklife" by Blur uses unconventional camera techniques and humor to portray everyday British culture and celebrate diversity. Throughout the video, unusual angles like fish eye lenses distort images to give an abstract feel. Close ups emphasize facial expressions. Zooms and editing create humor by speeding up parts of the video. While mostly depicting white British people, the lyrics celebrate many cultures coexisting "hand in hand." Bright colors and depictions of typical British pastimes like drinking tea project an atmosphere of fun and community. The band is promoted as entertaining and poking lighthearted fun at British life rather than following conventions of typical music videos.

1. Blur–ParkLife

2. Blur- ParkLife
Video Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIEsmGzo2UE

3. Brief History :
Blur are an alternative rock band and they
formed in 1989.
The video was made in 1994 and it consisted
of the actor Phil Daniels lip synching the song
of park life
What is ParkLife ?
Park life is the act of not having a job or any means of gaining money
except that of the dole- (Benefit paid by the government to the
unemployed)

4. Conventions
Expected conventions of this Convention used in Blur-Parklife
Genre
Performance being important Band don’t perform together
A storyline with scenes of band performing Phil Daniels and main vocalist in Blur
Vibrant clothing
Key and filler lighting used in the video
Low/soft lighting
Everyday or Relatable setting
Jump cuts and cross cutting is mainly used
Comedy and sense of humor shown through
Video performed in unusual settings video
Unusual camera angles, extreme close ups, fish
eye lens speeded up camera

5. Camera work-Fish Eye Lens
In the beginning of the video we see two businessman trying to sell window to
customers, we also see a unique shot used called Fish eye lens
The images that the lens produce is supposed to be very distorted and this gives
the image and the video a dynamic abstract feel.
In this video the fish eye lens resembles a person looking through the door eye
hole

6. Camera Work - high/ low angle
shot
The high angle shot makes the person Low angles shows the person within
seem more powerful and of more the shot as powerless and often less
importance as the camera is looking up important it makes the audience feel
at the person. powerful and in control it also makes
them feel as they are looking down
on to the person

7. Camera Work – Close Up
Shots
The shots below show close up of
the person in humours way as it
indicates he is kind of surprised
There are many close up used in this video and of why the person shut the door
they are mainly used to emphasise and in his face.
promote the band or the artist.
It also shows that he might be
used to this kind of thing as
maybe does it everyday as part
of his job

8. Zoom in/ zoom out
Zoom in:
Zoom out:
It is mainly used to show the This is used so that the
surrounding of the person or the audience can focus on the
band members and lets the person and it makes them
audience see what kind of more important as it slowly
environment the band are in zooms in to their face and
shows their emotions and
their facial expressions

9. Editing
In the music video we can see that some
parts of the video is deliberately speeded
up to create a sense of humour and really
let the audience engage in with what's
happening in the video

10. Mise-en-Scene
The video shows a British identity as all the band
members and other people are white.
However in this video the main lead singer talks about
lots of other cultures and races and says that they all go
“hand in hand”.
The video is particularly humorous as they are laughing
at the British culture but in a good way.
There are bright colours used to make the video look
fun and interesting to watch.
This video is all about celebration of different cultures
especially the British culture.
They also show the typical British things like drinking
tea, eating ice-cream , football,bright umbrellas used for
when at the beach, sharing and the community being
together as one.

11. Lyrics and Visual images
Throughout the video there are strong links between
the song of the video and the main lyric “ParkLife” this
word is revealed to be of great importance at it is
repeated in numerous times in the video but it is
mainly shown in a humorous way
Throughout the video the title of the song ‘Parklife’
appears in many ways especially on street signs and on
the road.

12. Content
There is no sexism shown in this
video however there is one shot
where one of the band member is
dressed up as a girl wearing a
short dress and is also sitting in a
proactive and seductive pose.
This particular shot mocks the
modern music videos that are
created today and how women
are shown wearing skimpy and
revealing clothes.
Also at those times couples used
to write their partners name on
their car to show they are
together

13. How the band is promoted
• The band is shown as fun,
entertaining as well as humorous,
this may appeal to people who like
videos that have comedy in them
and are interesting to watch.
• The band in this video are seen
enjoying life and celebrating their
British culture.