Music Video Analysis

Music Video Analysis
By Adam Brown
Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)
Justin Timberlake - Can’t Stop The Feeling

Conventions Used
Send My Love (To Your New Lover) - Adele
The video only uses only one location within a darkened room where the artist is by themselves, overlaying
other footage of them in a different colour. The video camerawork shows a more restricted and slow-paced
song, which contrasts the positivity shown by the pop genre conventions. The video is an abstract-performance
hybrid, consisting of the artist performing to the camera directly however it uses the overlay of several of the
same artist singing at different parts. There is no obvious link between the lyrics and the footage, possibly since
it is an abstract style which makes it harder to link to the lyrics, which surround the idea of relationships. The
video and song link to the pop genre due to the lyrics being about relationships and love, and the artist wears an
achievable outfit (which is a dress).
Can’t Stop the Feeling - Justin Timberlake
The video uses more than three locations as there are revolving outdoor locations, along with the diner. The
video uses a range of camerawork to show a positive and energetic outlook on the lives shown in the video; this
links to the genre conventions of positivity. The lyrics are in sync with all of the people who sing along, including
the artist and other people. The video has an performance style as the artist sings to the camera throughout the
video There is a slight link between the footage and the lyrics as the actors seem to be feeling happy in their
lives, and the lyrics speak of not being to stop the feeling of happiness. The artist has a fashionable outfit that is
achievable to the public (such as a jacket, a shirt and jeans). There is a positive vibe throughout the video as the
weather is bright, linking to the pop conventions.

Camerawork
Within the video, there is a constant use of shots such as long shots,
mid shots, head and shoulder shots and close ups. This is because the
video starts with the full body of the artist before zooming into a head
and shoulder shot. There is this use due to the creative abstract look
upon overlaying different clips. The only significant camera movement
within the video is the use of zooms throughout, such as the zoom in
beginning and the zoom out at the end to show the concluding shot is
very similar to the introductory shot.
Can’t Stop The Feeling - Justin Timberlake
Within the video, there is a variety of shots that are used throughout it.
The shots that are used for most of the video are head and shoulders
shots, mid shots and long shots. There is also a use of extreme long
shots within the outdoor shot near the road towards the end of the
video. There is a clear camera focus on the artist at the beginning, as
the background images are blurred to show he is the centre of
attention. There is also uses of tracking shots and dolly, along with
following movements in the supermarket shots.

The use of overlays is to show the variation of the artist being split apart to
sing each level of the song (including the backing tracks). Filters are used to
distinguish the overlays where there are many different overlays in the same
area; this helps the audience to understand the difference so it is not a mass
of movement. This happens mainly between 1:30 and 2:32, also between 2:49
and 3:37. Straight cuts are used in the removal of overlays to make it quick
and unnoticable.
Straight cuts are used throughout the video as a transition between shots.
They are mainly used as transitions between different shots, such as a
different character or location. This varies in both length and order, however it
is an effective way of linking the footage together. Titles are used at the end
to give the names of the characters (or their actors) as a summary to the
video. The typography of the titles are in a wavey font with bright colours,
linking strongly to the pop genre. Some enhancement is shown when the
focus is on an individual object, such as the artist.
Editing

Sound
During the video, there is very little out of place sounds. For example, only
instruments and lyrics are heard throughout the song, however at the beginning
there was an almost inaudible speech by the artist but this is before the song itself.
In the video, there is no sound such as dialogue or background sound over the
video; there are only instruments and lyrics throught. One example against this
trend is where actions such as clapping occur to the beat of the song, however it’s
not clear whether it is diegetic sound.

Genre
The genre of this song and artist is pop. This is shown by the artist being content with their life, which is shown by the
outlook shown by the lyrics. The lyrics are clearly identified as part of the pop genre as they surround relationships and love
(as there a multiple mentions of an ex-lover). The artist also links to the pop genre due to the clothing style that she wears, as
it is a fashionable outfit. The idea of her outfit makes the audience see it as part of the pop genre as her makeup and outfit
makes her stand out, and no other mainstream genre follow that styling.Also, the video links to the bright stereotype of pop
due to the filters however there is a dark backdrop. Adele can be said to have made a sub-genre of pop as she has risen in
popularity with emotional lyrics, however she has maintained her pop star popularity.
The genre of this song is a disco-pop, funk and soul-pop hybrid, however it is incorporated by the pop genre. Some of the
conventions that are followed include outfits, colour and lyrical decisions. For example, the artist and characters shown
within the the video have everyday, common mainstream clothing. The video consists of bright colours shown by pleasant
weather such as the sun, linking to the convention of bright, vibrant colours. The lyrics of the song are based around upbeat
emotions such as happiness, and the video includes multiple aged people, genders and backgrounds.

Narrative
Since the video has an performance style, the story shown by the video is disjointed. It shows the artist (Adele) standing still
reciting the song. She thens begin to move and dance, and the overlay shows her acting out her the different parts of the
song. She is fully looking towards the camera and follows the movement. The story shows the artist passing on care to her
ex-boyfriend’s new lover, however this is not shown by the video as it is only the artist statically performing to the camera
(with editing techniques to change the portrayal of her.)
The video shows the artist (Justin Timberlake) going through a day, going to all of the different locations that people visit.
The artist ‘dances’ through a typical day, and meets new people (with differing personalities); the other people are seen to
interact with the camera, showing that they know what is happening and it is just an expression of enjoyment and fun.. It
shows the artist in a realistic scenario. This is a realistic representation of both the lyrics and the movie animation.

Performance
The artist performs directly towards the camera for the whole video, with the camera focusing on their
movement and singing. The video is clearly constructed as it is a studio-based production, however it can
be seen as very private as the artist has no audience to perform to; it may be seen that her performing to
the camera to show how she is performing to the digital audience.
This video is a performance video as both the artist and the other actors all acknowledge the camera and
perform to it. There is a clear variety in each of the personalities as they shown at different locations, with
the artist visiting each location subtly before bringing everyone together.

Adele, in the video, is shown to be standing by herself; this can possibly show that women can make this
stand. On the other hand, it could also show privacy from sharing her past relationships, or that she is
isolated from everyone when thinking back to a bad relationship. The minimalistic production approach
could represent that the artist is attempting to alter the perception of the pop genre by using novelty in her
video.
In this video, there are many different representations of people. For example, people are not shown as
different even if they are different races or genders. This shows that they think that all people are the same,
no matter who they are. This is shown by the physical coming together of people when they participate in a
group dance.
Representation

Send My Love (To Your New Lover)- Adele
Adele is part of two labels which are XL and Columbia. The video
for ‘Send My Love (To Your New Lover)’ was released on Adele’s
VEVO channel on YouTube on the May 22nd 2016. The song
appears on her album ‘25’ which was released on the 20th
November 2015.
Justin Timberlake is part of three labels which are Jive, Zomba
and RCA. The video for ‘CAN’T STOP THE FEELING’ was released
on Justin Timberlake’s VEVO channel on YouTube on May 16th
2016. It was released as part of the ‘Trolls’ movie soundtrack. RCA
Records released the song ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ by Justin
TImberlake for the release of a Dreamworks film due to be
released, which Justin Timberlake features in. Sony Music, the
parent company of RCA Records, own the rights to Dreamworks
soundtracks.
Institutions

Values and ideology
In regards to the song release, it is the third single from her third album ‘25’. The song portrays the ideology that
the artist shares since she had written it; the artist is singing the song to her ex-boyfriend who has recently got a
new partner, and she wishes to send her love and care to the partner which is shown the title ‘Send My Love (To
Your New Lover)’. Adele’s previous two albums were predominantly written about bad relationships, however she
is currently in a happy relationship and has recently had a child with her partner. This video has an ideology that
shows that women can be independent and are strong by themselves.
In regards to the song release, it was released as a promotional method for the upcoming movie ‘Trolls’ where both
the artist and the song appears; the film is released in October 2016. During the video, the animated characters
which appear in the movie are cameoed on the TV screens in the shop to increase the hype for the movie, and this
synergy is highlighted by the relationship between the movie and the song.

Music Video Analysis

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