Semiotic analysis

1. SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF
"BREEZEBLOCKS"

2. MEDIA LANGUAGE
• Technical Codes-There is a series of close up shots at the beginning of the music video, withholding
information from the audience about the narrative of the video. Barthes hermeneutic code can be
applied as this establishes an enigma which leaves the audience questioning the storyline of the video.
Also the use of tracking shots throughout the video to follow the action, keeping the audience
involved in the narrative.
• Visual Codes-Clothing- dark and neutral colours, evoking a sinister atmosphere which combines with
the fearful expressions on the female protagonist's face at 2.30 and 2.56- her smeared makeup
conveying her emotional pain through the visual form of tears.The throwing of glass bottles at 1.19
suggests the video is about an abusive partner as the violent motion of smashing glass bottles evokes
danger and fragility.
• Audio Codes- There is only non-diegetic sound, so it has constant focus on the song lyrics in relation
to the narrative. For example, the lyrics :"Hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks"
combined with the scene of a woman in a bath being held down by a breezeblock

3. MEDIA LANGUAGE
• Mode of Address-The mode of address is indirect, with the use of technical codes to
position the audience in the middle of the action in the scene
• Genre-The genre of this music video is alternative/indie, so it will conform to the
ideas of alternative music will have a narrative music videos, and the conceptual
nature of this video creates that similarity to the niche audience ( Steve Neale's
genre theory)
• Narrative-The narrative is non-linear, as it manipulates time to go backwards. This
suggests that the abuse that happened to the woman was later regretted by the
male character as it shows her murder in reverse.

4. REPRESENTATION
• Representation of abusive relationships and gender- There is a clear theme of
abusive partners in the video, the close up of the wedding ring on the man's finger
and the lack of one on the woman's suggests that she did not want to be married to
him anymore, probably due to his abusive tendencies.
• Also, women are constantly shown as weak as both female characters are either
killed or trapped by the abusive male who has power them.

5. RECORD LABELS THAT ALT J ARE
SIGNED WITH
• ALT-J is signed with Atlantic Records, a major record label and Infectious Music, a
smaller record label.