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Music video analysis
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- 2. Andrew Goodwin Theology (Music Videos)1The music video demonstrates genre characters (Performance videos for rock/heavy metal bands, dance routines for boy/girl bands). 2 There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visual elements (Illustrative, amplifying or disjunctive). 3 There is a relationship between the music and the visual elements (illustrative, amplifying or disjunctive). 4 The demands of the record label will include the need for close ups of the star and the artist in turn may develop trends that remain consistent and are associated with their work such as a visual style or identity. 5 There are frequent references to the notion of looking (can be influenced using props or through conventions of portrayal of gender/sexuality) and a particularly voyeuristic (sexual) treatment of women 6 There is often intertextual references to other media elements (films, TV, other music videos, etc.) 7 Whether the video is primarily performance based, narrative based or concept based and how these elements are conveyed.
- 3. ‘Drown’ – Bringme the Horizon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkV5709EG5M 1. The music video demonstrates genre characters (Performance videos for rock/heavy metal bands, dance routines for boy/girl bands). Because of the bands style, the image that is created here is tainted by elements such as the vocalists (Oliver Sykes) tattoos that are visible even though he is wearing a suit. By doing this, it communicates elements that are stereotypical of the rock genre as the visual element of having longer hair and tattoos is expected of a member of a rock band, especially the leading band member. This video is primarily performance based with a narrative/concept running along beside it. The band are also set out in a traditional ‘rock band style’ with the lead vocalist at the front and in the prominent focus of the camera. Whilst the video is performance based, the group appear to have been placed in a narrative where not everything as it appears to be as the warm lighting and clean cut suits are not conventional of the rock genre. Throughout the video we see these conventions warped as the image of the clean cut ‘gentlemen’ is distorted into something more sinister. For example, the vocalists eyes change into something almost snake like and the bass players hand disappears temporarily. Also, later on the drummer mutates into a werewolf and has to undergo an exorcism. The supernatural references are conventional within the rock genre as the genre tends to sway towards the darker themes and ideas in life.
- 4. 2. There isa relationship between the lyrics and the visual elements (Illustrative, amplifying or disjunctive). The song ‘Drown’ describes the idea of being trapped or not being able to escape from something. The context of the entire album ‘That’s the Spirit’ from which this song is from revolves around the idea of mental health issues, depression in particular. The chorus states: “Who will fix me now? Dive in when I'm down? Save me from myself, don't let me drown. Who will make me fight? Drag me out alive? Save me from myself, don't let me drown” The use of bubbles is interesting as well as the over use of the warm lighting. As the song is talking abut trying to find a way out of a difficult situation, the bubbles almost appear like a mockery or a feeble attempt at making someone feel better. This is relevant to the lyric because the lyrics are asking ‘who will fix me now?’ as though the artist is completely open to suggestions and so far the bubbles are the only thing that has been suggested. It also relates the idea of mental patients being treated like children which echoes the stereotype of people who suffer from mental illness being treated like children. As the group are singing about a concept rather than a narrative in particular, there is no clear narrative to the song apart from the fact that the band appear to be performing to a group of mental patients which could suggest that they are giving those who are suffering from mental health issues a voice where in reality they might have one. This could also be communicated by the fact that none of the patients have the ability to speak and seem completely unable to understand or control what is happening to them. The supernatural elements such as the vocalists eye change might also suggest how some patients are blinded to the truth by society. The eye change occurs when the lyrics say: “It comes in waves, I close my eyes, hold my breath and let it bury me” suggesting that when the changes and the emotions occur, he simply has to blind himself and let it happen as it isn’t socially acceptable to let these emotions show through. By amplifying the meaning behind the song through the idea of something supernatural, the genre is being conveyed effectively as often there are references made to things that aren’t of this world and people are generally afraid of. This is interesting as the idea of depression is often made too real, therefore by portraying the idea through the medium of something that isn’t directly connected to the norms of everyday life, the concept can be expressed effectively and to an engaging standard.
- 5. 3. There isa relationship between the music and the visual elements (illustrative, amplifying or disjunctive). The visual elements are interesting as the costume, setting, lighting and general mise en scene are not conventional of the rock genre and challenge convention completely. As the music style doesn’t match the visual elements, the relationship between the two are disjunctive. However, there are also elements that could be argued as being narrative or conventional such as in the end of the video where the cleanliness has been ruined and the behaviour, lighting, style, etc, changes and becomes more relevant and stereotypical of the genre. In the beginning of the video, the artists are dressed in clean cut suits with they hair relatively calm and they look as though they have been styled to appear ‘normal’. This is unusual as the rock/metal genre tends to challenge the convention of the ‘proper gentleman’ with messy hair, ripped or outrageous clothing and a general disregard for how their appearance overall. Also, the instruments do not match the sounds that are being created as well as the way the artists are playing them. The instruments appear too old fashioned and just aren’t fit to be seen playing something that sounds more ‘hardcore’. This video contrasts greatly to the way that the song is performed in reality. The image placed on the right shows the way that the song would be sung naturally (taken from a live performance in Wembley). Opposite is the image that is portrayed when the artist ‘sings’ in the video. Once the video has taken a turn for the work and the drummer has been ‘cleansed’ of his demons, the video then becomes more conventional with the use of darker lighting, similar to what someone would expect of a rock video. The lights are similar to those one might see at a rock concert, and the camera has a lot more movement to create a more frantic tone to the video. The suits become less neat as the suit jackets have been ditched and their shirts have become untucked. To seal the contrast, their behaviour also changes to communicate their ‘true nature’ as they do the stereotypical action of headbanging and the way that the frontman sings the words becomes more of a true/accurate presentation.
- 6. 4. The demandsof the record label will include the need for close ups of the star and the artist in turn may develop trends that remain consistent and are associated with their work such as a visual style or identity. ‘Bring me the Horizon’ are signed with FILL BLANK and are known for their prominence in the rock genre (some believe they fall in the genre of ‘deathcore’) The stereotypical image of a metal/rock artist is the big, burly man with a beard, lots of muscles and some tattoos. However, in a way Oliver Sykes as well as the rest of the band members subvert this image as they are rather skinny and don’t really scream ‘metal’ to the naked eye. The only thing that gives Oliver Sykes away is the fact that he is quite skinny (suggesting he is quirky and has his own issues that influence his music) and he has longer hair as well as being almost completely covered in tattoos. From the very beginning of the video, we see Oliver Sykes front and center so we immediately see his stance that emphasises his figure and the fact he is wearing a slim cut suit also helps to flatter his shape. Later on when he begins to sing, we see a close up shot of him that is repeated throughout the whole video. This shot is taken slightly off to the right so that we have a clear view of his neck and his whole head in general. This emphasises the tattoos on his neck and hands when he raises the microphone to his lips. We also see the wildness of his hair and how the curls contrast to the iconic image of cheekbones. This also aids in contributing the idea of his ‘otherworldliness’. At the end of the video when the lights change as well as the style and overall performance given by the band, we see a reflection of the conventions of the genre as the camera angles and shots of Oliver Sykes as well as the rest of the band become more erratic and a truer representation is given of the artist, genre and stereotype.
- 7. 5. There arefrequent references to the notion of looking (can be influenced using props or through conventions of portrayal of gender/sexuality) and a particularly voyeuristic (sexual) treatment of women As this is an all male band, the need for sexualisation isn’t as high men aren’t often subject to the idea of the male gaze. However, as the band are younger and have a predominantly female target audience of teens aged 15+ up till maybe the late 20’s, they still have to appear aesthetically pleasing to the eye and have to attract an audience using an image (especially as the band are known to romanticise darker topics). At the beginning of the video, the band are shown to be calm, collected young gentlemen. They are wearing well fitted suits and look very respectable. What’s interesting though is that eye contact or a direct mode of address is very rare if non-existent from Oliver Sykes. This almost cuts us off as an audience as we don’t feel as close to the artist or as involved with them as we receive no eye contact from them. Oliver Sykes also seems to be looking off into the distance or to a separate audience, further distancing us from the group. Later in the video towards the end, the band then begins to perform in he way a rock band is expected to as they start to dance and become more conventional within the genre. It is here that we gain a connection from the band and the camera and focus becomes centralised and we are directly in front of the band so we become the main audience. Even here, we are not subject to any objectification or sexualisation of the band.
- 8. 6. There isoften intertextual references to other media elements (films, TV, other music videos, etc.) There Is little reference across the video to other elements within the media (cinematically and musically). The video tackles ideas that are darker in terms of themes and ideas. There are references to popular idea in the darker, almost ‘gothic’/cult culture. Ideas presented in this music video include the ‘wolfman’ (who possesses the drummer) as well as insanity (presented by the patients) to create a general unstable atmosphere. There is also homage paid to the popular 90’s film ‘Back to the Future’ as at one point during the video the drummer’s hand disappears as though a part of him in transferring to a different dimension. Overall the video alludes to the ideas and themes that are associated with the gothic ideas and themes that help to almost create a horror story that both amplifies the meaning behind the song as well as creating a level of confusion to add to the tension and thrill of the events that occur during the song. A symbol is also shown in the video where the stars would usually appear on the American flag. This symbol in the unicursal hexagram and is commonly used in TV shows such as ’supernatural’ and is linked with similar ideologies within the video.
- 9. 7. Whether thevideo is primarily performance based, narrative based or concept based and how these elements are conveyed. This video is primarily performance based to showcase the band, however the performance takes place within a certain setting with an added narrative both within the band itself and around the band. The band appear to be performing to an audience of mental patients who in turn have their screen time to make a point of the fact that they are clearly insane which is also implied by the setting of the video and limited interaction from the band. The song reflects on the issues that arise and are current within most of us a humans which expose us and make us feel as though we ourselves could be mental patients due to the way we may feel as though we are drowning. In a way., this video could also be concept based as the visual and musical elements tend to dance around a theme of our inner instability and the fact that we all have something wrong with us that we feel compelled to hide. This is explored in many ways such as the possession of the drummer and they way that the guitarist also disappears along with the way the vocalist’s eyes change into that of a snakes temporarily.