Video analysation of, "Doing the right thing" by Daughter

1. MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS
DAUGHTER- ‘DOING THE RIGHT THING’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU5F-DvGLkA

2. Andrew Goodwin said that music videos demonstrate genre characteristics, in the
music video ‘doing the right thing’ by daughter it is based on a story of two
elderly men and their loss of a close friend & partner. The band ‘Daughter’ is in
the folk/rock music genre and a common trend within this genre of music videos
is to show narrative in connection to their lyrics.
This style of music isn’t the genre that we’re taking forward in this project
however daughter use lots of techniques in their music videos to tell a story and
really connect the narrative to the lyrics.
Characteristics such as these listed below are all used in videos that Olivver the
kid has created:
- Low budget scenes/ locations.
- Narrative/ story line in video .
- Filters on all clips- in this video it’s a blue toned filter that makes everything
look cold.
- Mise en scene- uses artificial & natural lighting.
GENRE CHARACTERISTICS

3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS & VISUALS
Another convention that Andrew Goodwin stated are always included in music videos is
that there is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. When watching the music video
for ‘doing the right thing’ I noticed that a lot of the lyrics are very relevant to the music
video. For example late in the song there is a section of the lyrics where its sung, “Then
I'll sit in silence. Let the pictures soak. Out of televisions”, it shows an elderly man sat
by himself, watching a television with black and white film playing. His living room
where he is sat has low key lighting with only a small dying out fire and a small bit of
light coming through the curtains to light up his room and is decorated with old
photographs. The visual of the black and white television and old photographs relates
to the lyrics and gives the viewers an idea that the song is about him or his story.
There’s also another part of the song where its sung, “Because it's so nice outside And I
like the way the sun feels”, and it shows an elderly man, who is first featured in the
video, sat on a bench outside with a red coat next to him. Earlier in the film it shows
him in his own house, alone and getting ready, then films him walking to pick the coat
up from the dry cleaners. This infers that this coat doesn’t belong to his partner and the
women it does belong to doesn’t need it urgently because he sits with it next to him
outside.

4. The lyrics are written from first person and therefore the viewer will assume its from
the main subjects perspective therefore, in this video we think it is the elderly
gentlemen who is in the screenshot on the right. However the video intertwines two
different story lines of two men and therefore its difficult to determine if the song is
defiantly about either of the two men. What makes me think that it is more from the
man on the rights perspective Is that the lyrics it says ‘I like the way the sun feels’. It
then shows a visual of him, sat on a bench outside with the red coat placed next to him
which makes me think that the lyrics are connected to him and what he is feeling
instead of the other elderly man that’s included in this music video. In this same scene,
there’s an aspect of it that suggests what the actual song is about in relation to why the
man in the video is sat with the red coat placed next to him.
In this section of the video it shows it been a very dull and gloomy day which
contradicts with the lyrics that state ‘I like the way the sun feels’. We assume that the
song is written from his point of view and therefore it doesn’t make sense to film this
section of the lyrics on a dull day.
However I think that this was intentional, the red coat is the most bright & vibrant thing
in frame in this part of the music video. The term sun is associated with warmth,
brightness, colour and used as a symbol for happiness, therefore I think that in the
lyrics, ‘sun’ is a metaphor for the red coat or the person who owned it.

5. I can infer that the women who owned the coat brought light and
happiness to his life and now she’s gone, her coat is the only bright thing
he has left in his life. After this scene, at the end of the line ‘I like the way
the sun feels’, it shows a visual of his hand resting upon the coat. This
reinstates the idea that the sun is a representation for the coat and infers
that he likes the feel of having a physical object that will remind him of the
women he’s lost.
We can infer from this, as well as the later scenes where it shows him
crying whilst looking down at the dress, that whoever owns the coat isn’t
around anymore and he loved her as either a family member or a friend.
The picture on the left are from the section of the lyrics where it says, “I'll
call out in the night for my mother”. This suggests that it the women who’s
died is either his mother or possibly was a mother to his children, this is
never certain in the video but the video suggests that both elderly men
had a close relationship with her.
This brings a clearer perspective of narrative as the music video goes on
and the idea that he cares about the women that has passed away and
wants her company again. This section of the lyrics is a perfect example of
how there is always a relationship between lyrics and visuals in music
videos even if it’s not at first obvious.

6. I think its important to make the lyrics relate to the story line because it gives the
viewers a connection to the song if they are also going through what the song is
about. For example with ‘doing the right thing’, if the viewer has just lost someone
or Is missing someone, they will connect to the song because its about loosing
someone you love. Although this is a sad concept the lyrics have a underlying feel
of hope when the lyrics say “And you know you're doing the right thing”. This along
with the visual of an elderly man walking through a run down area to go to the dry
cleaners and collect, what we assume is his mothers coat and then gives it to what
I can infer is his brother, is a really hopeful and humble twist on the horrible event
of loosing a family member.
The video focuses on his feet and how he walks in the beginning of the music
video and I think they have done this because it puts emphasis on his age and that
he looks a bit unsteady walking. It shows just how venerable he Is in that situation
and from the video at the end, it explains that he has done it so that he can ease
his brother. This is a very cleaver way of making a connection between the viewers
and the artist/band because a lot of people can relate, either to friendship,
selflessness, loosing someone, but also shows how strong family relationships are.
It’s a technique that’s used in music videos that I really like and think it would be
good to include in our music video.

7. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
MUSIC & VISUALS
One other convention that are included in music videos is that there is relationship between music
and visuals. In this music video it starts off showing a man in his home getting his shoes on,
straightening his tie, picking his money up and suitcase then it shows him walking down the street
and its only when he’s walking where the music starts. I think that they’ve done this so that the
viewer focuses on the actions he’s doing but possibly to also get an idea how quite his life is living
along.
The music starts quite quiet with only the main melody playing and core instruments, as he walks
further from his home, the music builds up and gets louder with more instruments been introduced
to the music. This would suggest that the music is a representation of how he’s feeling and could
possibly be a way of showing how his anxiety is building the further away he gets from his home
comforts. However it could also be a build up to actually seeing the coat, we think his mother
owned and be able to hold a physical possession of hers once more, or possibly the expansion of
thoughts building up in his head about how his brother must be feeling or his own grief.
Throughout the song, two storylines of elderly men intertwine and its only at the very end of the
song where they are brought together and shows the viewer how they are related to each other.

8. When the clips are of the slightly younger man, who’s first shown in the music video, the
music is at its loudest, the most upbeat and is when the instrumental sections of the
song, with the most instruments is been played. However when the versus of the song are
been played, the majority of the shots been shown are of the more elderly man in his
living room. Its when the versus come to their most intricate sections of lyrics like, “but
she isn’t coming back for me, cause she’s already gone”, that are when scenes of him are
shown.
His living room is small, dark and quite cluttered, this along with close ups of his
expressions give the idea that he’s to old to look after himself independently and isn’t
sure exactly what’s going on. I think this is because it represents their two different mind-
sets, the younger man is grieving but the way he carries the coat over his shoulder and
walks with his head up suggests that he knows he needs to carry on and be strong for his
more venerable and slightly lost brother. Whereas the more elderly man is more fragile
and can’t grasp the concept that his mother isn’t alive anymore or is struggling to deal
with reality.

9. At the end of the music video, the lyrics repeat the line, “Out of televisions” and
the music builds up until the very last verse where the music filters down into just
the basic melody and the singer. The repeating of “Out of televisions” relates to
how the music video shows that all the he can do is watch TV all day. It explains
why he may not have been able to grasp the reality that whoever has passed away
is no longer there.
This is because his only connection with the world outside of his living room is to
watch it through the television which will give him a unrealistic view on the world.
Therefore in the end of the video when he’s given the red coat, he realises that the
women isn’t coming back and that is something that is real and not just a film on
the television. I think that the whole music video is about this realisation of reality
but also wants to portray the importance of looking after those that you love. This
is an example of how the relationship between the music and visuals can help tell a
story or suggest things about the relationship between people within the music
video.

10. A convention that Andrew Goodwin said are always included in music videos is that
close ups of either the artist or the main characters in the music video. In this music
video by ‘daughter’, they mainly do close ups of the two elderly men that’s stories
intertwine throughout the music video. The comparison between the two men's
expressions are very different. The first image on the right shows him to be in a
very upset and emotional state, I can tell this by the way his eyes are squinted and
the direction of where he is looking. He’s not looking forward and therefore in a
moment where he’s focusing purely on the loss of the owner of the coat, not
looking forward or thinking if there’s anyone else around or worrying about looking
after his brother. This part in the music video is where he realises and accepts that
they have passed away, which then allows him to carry on and be strong for his
brother.
However on the second image the other man, we assume is his brother, isn’t
showing an emotional expression, his is more internal and lost. It seems as if he
doesn’t understand or just that he can’t fathom the idea that whoever has died has
gone and is in a stage of disbelief. I think this because the close ups put emphasis
on their facial expressions and really gives the viewer an insight into what the
characters in the music video. When the man who’s first shot in the video in been
filmed, the camera focuses more on him when he’s looking ahead and where he’s
looking to go to next. However the oldest man featured in the video is more shown
looking down or blankly ahead of him staring at the TV screen. This could suggest
things about how they are in that period of their individual lives. The close ups has
allowed this insight into the characters shows how important they are in music
videos.
CLOSE UPS

11. There are lots of shots of black and white TV’s with either a film
playing of a young beautiful girl that are usually played when a
section of the lyrics when it states ‘Cause she's already gone’. This
emphasises that there is someone missing in both of the two
men's life that’s a female, which we can infer is their mother or
possibly a lost partner. Over the shoulder shots are used in the
music video, specifically in the scene on the right, to emphasise
the notion of looking and how the younger man is looking and
talking to the elderly man who’s shoulder the camera is looking
over.
The girl who’s playing on the black and white TV is also looking in
the same direction. I think this may have been intentional because
it makes it seem as if it’s a tense conversation between the two
men or what the younger man is telling him may cause a reaction.
This is just one example of how the notion of looking can improve
the plot in a music video and give textually to the scene. Therefore
this is important to include in our music video, along with all the
other of Andrew Goodwin's conventions.
NOTION OF LOOKING

12. Camera work:
Angles that the music video use in ‘doing the right thing’ by daughter use
are listed below and why I think they have been used to create an effect:
- Tracking- shows the location surrounding them and where they are
going.
- Match on action shots- follows him around his home to give a sense of
loneliness.
- Long shots- shows him and a whole and how he fits into society
- Extreme close ups, close ups of his feet & faces in music video-
emphasis their emotion or the fact he’s unsteady on his feet.
- Wide angle shots- shows the area they live near
- Graphic matches- his eyes then clip of television from his perspective
- Over the shoulder shot- shows couple and his lonesomeness
- Crabbing- follows him walking along the path and looks as if the camera
is walking along side him- shows his speed of movement.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS

13. TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Mise-en scene:
In the music video they use lots of mise en scene to emphasise the
characters and their surroundings, they do this by:
- Props/ objects in home that are associated with the past like the old TV,
they’re homes & furniture.
- Lighting- the two men have different lighting/ the first man introduced
is always filmed using high key lighting whereas the oldest man in the
video always is films in low key lit scenes.
- Space- they show both men in ways to be very lonely with no real sort
of company or even anyone other than them in frame for the majority
of the video. This emphasises their individual loneliness but also makes
the end where they come together again more meaningful.
- Costume- the oldest man it isn’t emphasised what he’s wearing but we
assume that he’s in pyjamas or comfort clothes due to his health,
whereas the other man is well dressed in his best which we assume he
has done to visit his brother.

14. TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Editing:
In the music videos they use a range of editing techniques, these are listed below:
- Cutting rate speeds up when the music picks up to become more upbeat.
- Cross cuts- they frequently cross cut between the two men's storylines
throughout the video which makes the viewer compare them and their lives.
- Reaction shot- they use this in the part of the video where the oldest male in the
video has been told some news about the passing of someone he knew and then
a shot of his reaction.
- Eye line match- there are a lot of scenes where it shows eye line matches,
specifically of the oldest man whilst he’s sat watching TV. They’re used to give an
insight into a characters life from their perspective.
- Motivated cut- they have lots of shot of both men where they’re looking away
from the camera at something but it doesn't’t show what they’re looking at in
frame. These are used because they make the viewer want to know and makes
the scene quite mysterious & unknown.

15. TECHNICAL ASPECTS
Sound:
In this music video, sound is a big part of the production and a lot can be
told about the video through the music and lyrics as well as sounds
associated with what’s happening in the actual video. The techniques of
sound they have used in this video are listed below:
- Sound bridges- this makes the whole music video flow and links the
two storylines together.
- Non diegetic sound with no diegetic sound throughout- the only sound
that is in the video is what has been edited In so that the pure focus is
on the music.
- Synchronous sound- a lot of the lyrics that are heard in the song match
with what's in the music, for example when the lyrics are sung, “out of
televisions”, they show a visual of a small black and white TV.