1. Music Video Analysis
Clipping – Work Work ft. Cocc Pistol Cree
Clipping’s music video “Work Work” is a hip hop genre. The reason I like this is because it is
pure camerawork, there no regular use of gimmicks like other modern music videos, it was
shot it one take and the camerawork goes with the tune of the music. There is the use of
close ups, stedicam, track shots and slow camera movement which contributes to the
feeling of being suspenseful. Every time something suspenseful happens e.g. when the car
come the beat changes in rhythm. In the hook the camera pans and the movement speed
increases. I also like the fact that there is the reference of a “snitch” from the beginning and
ending of the video.
From Andrew Goodwin’s theory I would class this music video as amplification, the reason I
say this is because it has a reference to the rat at the beginning and end which could be a
connation of a “snitch” and the fact that the rat was shown in the beginning could refer to
him already being “dead” which is also referred to in the lyrics. In the lyrics it also says “red
light in the distance” this refers to how he will die very soon, instead of shooting a red traffic
light, her foot raises and stops, the fly comes in screen which refers to “how time flies”.
In Goodwin’s theory concerning the key features of a music video, this video relates to those
key features. For example, Clipping is shown looking directly at the viewer; there is also the
notion of the voyeuristic treatment of the female body, for example when the camera
tracked on to Cree’s leg. You will also notice that there is a reference to another song which
is a regular key feature for example, “on some Jay-Z 99 Problems type”. The use of close ups
and camerawork centres the artists to prioritise attention to them which is another
common feature in videos. Usually in hip hop music videos they tend to include explicit
content; however this video does not contain such behaviours making it different from
other hip hop videos, even though there was a woman on screen she wasn’t presented to
be objectified. This video also has some slight references to the music however not all the
meanings in the video was necessarily in the lyrics same goes for the relationship between
the music and visuals for example some of the concept of the song such as money was not
filmed.
