The document discusses key elements in the music video for "Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses. It notes that the video begins with a panning shot introducing the band logo in black and white, setting the style of an American rock music video. It also contains shots of the band playing their instruments, as well as shots behind the scenes of the band preparing and the camera crew filming. The video includes both performance elements showing the band on stage and narrative elements showing what goes on for the band backstage.

1. Sweet Child O’ Mine

2. At the beginning of the music video there
is a panning shot from a set of lights,
following the light rays across the Guns n
Roses logo to allow the audience to know
who the band. This relates to the
American Rock genre as the colour
grading is in black and white, which is a
reoccurring appearance throughout this
genre’s music videos.
Another aspect which I have noticed
that is used throughout this genre of
music is the shots of the band playing
their instruments throughout. These
shots have separate shots of the
band and all of the crew off set
(including the camera crew filming,
the set being put together and a
woman). There are small sections
throughout which relate the lyrics and
the visuals together, for example
when they talk about a woman’s
features (hair) and the visuals cut to a
shot of a lady’s hair.

3. I have noticed that
American Rock music
videos contain a star
image as the band is
included throughout the
video which allows the
audience to know who the
performer is.
The visuals off most music
videos within this genre
are mainly of the band
who are usually playing
their instruments along
with the music to create a
performance style to the
video.
The shots of the band
vary, there are many mid
shots of the individual
band members which are
complimented with long
shots of the several
members of the band.

4. Throughout the music video the
cinematography includes a lot of handheld
panning/tracking shots, to give the video a
more natural and unplanned look.
When looking at the shot changes, they
tend to change on the beat which relates
to Goodwin and Archer’s theory of using
the artists as the storytellers and from the
visuals we create our own ideas about
what is going on in the video.
Furthermore, the video is of the band
performing as well as behind the scene
type of shots and their camera crew- this
could enhance the idea of the set up
before a show and what their lives entail
before a performance.
This looks as though he
is with a fan backstage.
Behind the scene
set-up
Performing
Guitarist practicing
backstage
Setting up the
stage
The camera crew
filming

5. The music video includes both
performance and narrative context,
this is re-occurring throughout music
videos of the American Rock genre.
The performance aspect to the video
is the shot including the band
performing on the stage- throughout
this, they are playing their
instruments.
The narrative side to the video
includes the shots which are
backstage, where we see what the
band get up to when they are not
performing- this is narrative as it is
about their lives and what goes on
which we wouldn’t normally see from
an artist.

6. The music video includes both
performance and narrative context,
this is re-occurring throughout music
videos of the American Rock genre.
The performance aspect to the video
is the shot including the band
performing on the stage- throughout
this, they are playing their
instruments.
The narrative side to the video
includes the shots which are
backstage, where we see what the
band get up to when they are not
performing- this is narrative as it is
about their lives and what goes on
which we wouldn’t normally see from
an artist.