The music video for The Weeknd's song "Wicked Games" has a dark theme to represent the artist's emotions of emptiness, brokenness, and lack of self-confidence explored in the lyrics. The black and white video uses abstract and conceptual elements like a dancing woman's detached shadow interacting with the artist. Throughout the video, the artist is shown in shadows with only slight highlights of his face, representing his low self-esteem. The simple and basic sets, costumes, and minimal editing maintain the focus on the song's dark lyrics and emotions.

1. Case Study
The Weeknd – Wicked Games
Produced by Doc McKinney and Illangelo
Released on September 25th, 2012

2. Synopsize of the song
• Wicked games by The Weeknd has a very dark theme to it. By listening to
and analysing the lyrics I understand that it is about how the artist is
empty and broken and is using all his cash to pay for sex to make him feel
better. In the hook of the song The Weeknd says “ I need confidence in
myself”, which shows that he is doing this to stop himself from feeling so
low. The lyrics of the song explain how he wants her to say “I love you”
even though she doesn’t which suggest that he wants to solve all his
problems and insecurities by using the woman.

3. The Video
• The music video is all in black & white and I think this is done to represent
the dark emotions of the artist. The video is very abstract as The Weeknd
does not literally explain the lyrics of the song but actually used the video
as a representation of his darkness and insecurities. The video actually
begins with a woman dancing, presumably the woman he is using to pay
for “love” although we do not actually see this in the music video.
• The artist is shown as very tired and frustrated in the video. During the line
where the artist says “I need confidence in myself”, his face and shoulders
are very shadowed out to the point where we can only see slight highlights
of his face so this element is used in the video to show his little confidence.

4. Camera Angles
• The music video begins with a woman dancing however the shot is half her
body & face. The camera then begins to move with the woman’s movement
and zoom out so it eventually opens up to a medium shot of the woman
and her shadow behind her. The woman’s shadow moves away from her
and the camera tracks her shadow moving along the wall. This is
important because it highlights how her shadow plays a part in the song.
The shadow could be a representation of how the love that she gives him is
fake and she is only giving him what he wishes as it is only the shadow
that is seen interacting with the artist and not the actual woman.
• There is mainly medium shots and close up shots of The Weeknd used in the
music video. Also The Weeknd is mainly stood in one place during the
music video which makes the video quite basic but I think that this is done
to make listeners concentrate on the actual lyrics and emotions of the
song.

5. Editing Techniques & Lip Syncing
• At the beginning of the music video there are little cuts used as the camera
moves with the female dancing instead of cutting to different shots of her.
One good edit technique used is when the woman shadow opens up and
then it cuts to a darker set. This is like parallel editing as the two shots
are linked together and are brought together. Another cut is used where
the lights of the car flash bright and when the lights fade down then we’re
in a new scene in a brighter set. I think The Weeknd uses minimal editing
to keep his videos simple but conceptual. When there is editing used it’s
smartly incorporated into the music video so that its not noticeable. Slow
motion when The Weeknd is walking and singing, which is used to fit the
slow pace of the song.
• Even though this video is mainly conceptual, The Weeknd does include a
goof amount of lip syncing. However some of the lip syncing is done where
parts of his face is shadowed out and I think that this is done is match the
lack of confidence he describes having in his song.

6. Mise en Scene
• The set design is very basic. They use a blank screen that’s either light or
dark in most of the video. Around halfway through the song it changes to
The Weeknd with two bright lights behind him which is then later
revealed to be a car and this is where the set changes to a dark outdoor
set. The outdoor set has a very misty background making it difficult to
make out what is behind him. This can also be seen to personify the artist
emotions and lack of confidence. Also what shows this is how the artist is
also faded into the background so it is like he is barely there.
• The costume in this is just as simple as the set. The woman is dressed in a
open long coat with nothing else on and The Weeknd is dressed in all
black.
•

7. Post-Modernism & Representation of
artist
• I think out of all my case studies this one includes the most post-modern
element as it mainly conceptual. The whole idea of the woman’s detached
shadow is different and abstract. This video doesn’t follow a certain time
sequence, it’s just very dark. It also mixes both conceptual and
performance because of lip synching mixed but the simplicity of the video
plus it doesn’t follow a narrative. The Weeknd’s videos are so different but
simple that they are able to welcome so many different interpretations of
it.
• The Weeknd is represented as to a certain degree as depressed as the video
has a very dark theme to it and the lyrics are quite dark too, for example
“bring your love, baby, I can bring my shame”. There is a sense of guilt and
desperation in this song as well. We can also gather that he has very low
self esteem as he uses dark sets to block out his face.

8. Applying this to my music video
• I like many features of this music video and if I was to use a Weeknd song
then I would definitely take some of these features and try to apply it to
my music video. For example I like how it is all in black and white. It
makes it seem dark and mysterious. Also I like how the shadows played a
part in the video for example the movement of the woman’s shadow was
more of a focus than herself and the shadows on the artists face so you
don’t see his full face, just a small part.
• The simple set like outside and the blank screens are a good idea to use as it
is basic and effective and not a lot has to be spent.