Music Video Media language and Representation

1. Heaven by Emeli Sande (2011)
Media Language and Representation

2. This is a song of contrasts:
• The lyrics contrast the desire to be a better person with the lure of
temptation.
• The downbeat message of the lyrics contrasts with the upbeat nature of
the music.
The media language of the video reflects these contrasts:
• Gritty social realism, reflecting the downbeat message of the lyrics (the
sorrows caused by temptation).
• Images of transcendence, which reflect the Heaven of the title and the
upbeat music (power of redemption)
Heaven by Emeli Sande (2011)

3. Social realism:
The set of conventions by which audiences accept a representation as
reflecting real social conditions, especially the plight of the poor or
powerless.
Taken from: Rodgers, M. (2018) My Revision Notes: OCR A Level Media Studies, Hodder: London
Transcendence:
Existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level. E.g. "the
possibility of spiritual transcendence in the modern world“
Taken from: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/transcendence
Heaven by Emeli Sande (2011)

4. Create a PowerPoint, give it the title above.
TASK 1 – How media language connotes social realism
• Pick 3 moments from the music video that you think construct a
sense of social realism.
• Analyse the media language at these moments by making reference
to at least two technical areas (e.g. mise en scene, camerawork,
editing and sound) and how they convey a sense of social realism.
• Use screengrabs to illustrate.
See example on next slide
Heaven by Emeli Sande (2011)

5. Heaven – How Media Language Connotes Social Realism
In terms of mise en scene, the
naturalistic looking characters
and the very everyday,
unglamourous location (filmed
in the East End of London)
highlighted by shuttered shop
windows, scaffolding visible in
the background and overcast
grey sky all construct a sense of
social realism. The handheld
camerawork also adds to this.
The montage editing style places this shot between shots featuring religious imagery and,
along with the lyrics and uplifting non-diegetic soundtrack, encourages the audience to
consider ideas of trying to do good in everyday life.

6. TASK 2 – How media language connotes transcendence
• Pick 3 moments from the music video that you think connote
transcendence.
• Analyse the media language at these moments by making reference to at
least two technical areas (e.g. mise en scene, camerawork, editing and
sound) and how they convey a sense of transcendence.
• Use screengrabs to illustrate.
Extension task: Find examples of juxtaposition and comment on how
media language (particularly editing and mise en scene) is used to
illustrate and amplify the conflict communicated in the lyrics.
Heaven by Emeli Sande (2011)

7. This video represents the negative consequences of giving in to temptation
and at the same time celebrates street life.
• The consequences of temptation are represented by a succession of sad faces. A
diverse range of people are depicted reflecting an inclusive representation
strategy in terms of gender, race and ethnicity, age and class.
• As it cuts to different people, locations, time periods and moods it connotes a
kaleidoscope of people and their experiences.
• The idea of street life as rich in character and variety.
• No clearly dominant race or ethnicity.
Heaven – Media Language and Representation

8. This video represents the negative consequences of giving in to temptation
and at the same time celebrates street life.
• Temptation is represented early in this video by a shot of a woman in a red dress
– this is a rare sexualised image of women in the video.
• Emeli Sande is not sexualised in this manner.
• Class is represented in the ordinariness of the location; the video is celebrating
urban working-class life.
• Emeli Sande is represented as belonging to this world as suggested by her
unglamourised costume, location and performance style (not often looking at the
camera)
Heaven – Media Language and Representation

9. Audience Positioning and ideology
• Tries to position the audience as identifying with Emeli Sande and her inner
struggles.
• Conveys the view that the world is full of temptation but also innocence and
richness.
• The video invokes a left-leaning ideology by suggesting sympathy with outsiders
and underdogs.
• It is anti-racist in its assumption of multiculturalism
Heaven – How Media Language and Represenation

10. References
Rodgers, M. (2018) My Revision Notes: OCR A Level Media Studies, Hodder: London
Heaven – How Media Language and Representation