The document analyzes and summarizes music videos by Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Gabrielle Aplin. It discusses the themes, costumes, editing, camera shots, locations, and inspiration taken from each video. The document will help inform the creation of a music video for singer Holly.

1. Music Video Analysis

2. Rihanna – California King Bed
• This song is from Rihanna’s fifth studio album
‘Loud’ and was released in May 2011. Many
music critics praised this song as it showed off
Rihanna’s vocal ability.
• It is a mid-tempo song that incorporates
elements of rock music.
• It has been certified Gold in Italy, New Zealand
and Switzerland and Platinum in Australia.

3. Costume
There is only light coloured
clothing used, this symbolises
purity and truthfulness. It is Editing
also loose fitting things as this The transitions used are both
represents comfort and smooth and frequent. I think the
happiness. smoothness represents the
happiness in relationships.
Also, near the end of the
Themes video, it changes to black and
There is a strong theme of white, this keeps interest and
nature throughout, it is all also shows the simplicity of the
set outside. whole song and video.
There are autumn colours
which we are thinking of
Camera Shots
including in our own video.
There is a wide variety of
camera shots, but mainly close
Location ups as it establishes Rihanna as
As said before, it is all set being a diverse act.
outside. This is to show her
being natural and the simple
act of falling in love.

4. Inspiration
The inspiration we have taken from this video is
the smooth, simple transitions and the black and
white effect. We think the black and white will
work in our video and is an interesting effect
that keeps the audience’s attention. We also will
be using many close ups as this establishes Holly
as an artist and makes her more recognisable to
her fans.

5. Taylor Swift - Mine
• This song was written and produced by Taylor
Swift. It was released as the lead single from her
third studio album, ‘Speak Now’.
• Critical reception was mostly positive and was
commercially successful.
• It was certified Gold in Australia and New
Zealand, Platinum in Canada and Double
Platinum in the United States.

6. Costume Editing
Taylor wears a variety of floral Starts with a fade in, features
print, browns, blacks and whites flashbacks. Many different
in the narrative. This fits in with transitions between narrative and
the country genre of the song, it performance. Generally
also succeeds in making them quick, simple and smooth
just look like small-town transitions between camera shots.
teenagers. Blurs at the end and fades out.
Themes Camera Shots
The journey of a relationship - There are a variety of camera shots
Falling in love, having arguments including; POV, close up, high
and making up, getting married angle, push focus, over-the shoulder..
and starting a family. A lot of the camera work jogs
How she has a negative view on slightly, this adds to the artistic effect
love ‘wondering why we bother as it makes it look more realistic and
with love if it never lasts’ because homemade.
of the unhappy relationship Location
between her parents ‘You said Locations include a cafe, house, the
we’ll never make my parents woods, beach and church. These
mistakes’ and how this one guy is settings lead you to believe they are
able to change that view of love living in a small town. The variety of
through loving her and her locations are necessary as the video
loving him back. is following them through the years.

7. Inspiration
• We like the picturesque locations and an initial
idea of ours was to film on the beach, although
we later discarded this idea in favour of a
wood/forest effect.
• We also like the storyline of them falling in love
and the fact the video closely follows the
lyrics, we hope to also do this.

8. Gabrielle Aplin – Never Fade
• This song was her second EP and showed her
expanding her sound, showcasing a more
pop/folk sound. She played all the instruments
herself.
• It was released in on the 9th May 2011 and
reached the top 14 in the UK and was used in an
episode of Made in Chelsea.

9. Costume
Gabrielle wears a variety of
whites, browns and tribal Editing
prints. I would assume this The transitions are used very
was done purposefully to frequently and don’t seem to
link in with the locations. differ. This fits in with the tempo
This video is simple but of the song.
effective. There is a layered effect which is
used a lot, which is Gabrielle
Themes
placed in front of trees and
There doesn’t seem to be a
leaves, this is to keep interest for
narrative, just Gabrielle
the audience. Sometimes there
performing in a narrative
are even three images on top of
location.
each other.
The is a very strong
natural theme throughout
Camera Shots
the video.
Features mostly close ups with
Location Gabrielle but nature is
The video is set in a featured heavily in the video
forest, this is an and sometimes seems to be
interesting location, there more of the focus of the video
is also a few shots of her than Gabrielle herself.
walking through a field.

10. Inspiration
• Both Caroline and I have decided that setting
Holly’s music video in the woods is a good idea
for the narrative. We won’t let the nature idea
overshadow Holly though, so we will make sure
she is the focus of almost every shot.
• We also liked the layered effect and are hopefully
going to use it in ‘Forever’