This document provides an analysis of the Kings of Leon music video for "Sex on Fire" using various music video and film theories: 1) The video demonstrates characteristics of the indie/alternative genre through its low-budget production, the band's ragged appearance, and lyrics about sex, drugs and alcohol. 2) While the lyrics are understandable, the visuals are disjunctured and don't relate to the lyrics, showing one band member eating chicken for no reason. 3) The sad music matches the sad lyrics and visuals that fade in and out with the beat. 4) There are many close-ups of the band, especially the singer, to build recognition for future releases.

1. Kings of Leon- Sex on fire
Using Andrew Goodwin's music video theory-

2. Music videos demonstrate genre
characteristics
This music video uses some of the typical
characteristics that you would find in the
indie/alternative genre. The band
themselves have quite scruffy clothes and
an overall ragged image to them, this is
shown through their messy hair and
tattoos. The video itself looks like it was
produced on quite a low budget, because
of the old warehouse setting. Low
budgeted music videos is another popular
characteristic of the indie/ alternative
music video. The theme of the song about
sex is the main characteristic
demonstrating the indie/alternative
genre, as the lyrics in this genre are
mainly about sex, drugs and alcohol. Even
though the filter isn’t in black and white,
the video still has quite dark lighting
connoting the sad mood of the video.

3. There is a relationship between the
lyrics and visuals
The relationship between the lyrics
and the visual are disjunctured as
the video doesn’t make any sense
but there is understanding behind
the lyrics of the music video. At one
point we see one of the members of
the band eating a chicken wing,
which makes no sense to us as the
audience. Even though the lyrics
make sense to the audience, the
lyrics are completely ignored by the
visuals making this music video
disjunctured.

4. There is a relationship between the
music and the visuals
The music is quite low and sad which
relates to the lyrics of the song. The
visuals fade in and out matching the
beat of the song. The sad music
connotes Propp’s theory of the main
singer being a Princess and the people
around him trying to help him being
the Heroes.

5. The demands of the record label will include
the need for lots of close ups of the artist and
the artist may develop motifs which recur
across their work
There are many close ups of each
member of the band especially the
main singer, this is done to build up
an image of the band, so that they
are recognised when they release
other albums or singles. Similar close
ups of the main singer are used in the
other music videos that the band have
released shows that there is an
important meaning behind the close
ups as that is how many of the
audience recognise them.

6. There are frequent references to the notion
of looking and particularly voyeuristic
(sexual) treatment of the female body
With in this music video
no females have been
used, which I found
strange as it was a song
about sex and isn't
typical of the
indie/alternative genre
to not feature girls
when talking about sex.
Because of this, the
video was unable to
show women in a sexual
light. This may signify
that this band doesn’t
see women in this way.

7. There is an often intertextual reference (to
films, programmes or other music videos)
As there is no narrative in this music video it is had to recognise any
references to any film or TV programme. This could connote that not all
music videos have any references in them to other music videos, films
or TV programmes. This links with Todorov's theory of narrative, this
music video goes against the theory as there is no narrative within it
like other music videos.

8. Whether the video is primarily performance-
based, narrative-based or concept-based and
how element of each is used in it
This music video is all
Performance based, with no
narrative involved. The artists
feature in this music video as it
is a way of giving the band an
image. Within this music video
there are some scenes of the
main singer being held down to
a bed while he sings about being
sad or upset. Strauss’s Binary
opposites have been used to
show the weak heartbroken man
v strong men helping him, a
clear divide between the two.

9. Audience feedback
This positive feed back would
have helped promote the song
and the band. It is also important
to get good feedback off the
audience as they are the primary
consumers and ultimately the
band is giving the audience what
they want.