Video analysis

THE PREATURES THE PREATURES THE PREATURES THE PREATURES THE PREATURES THE PREATURES

The Preatures are an Australian band from Sydney, New South Wales. The
five-piece was formed in 2010 and features Isabella Manfredi on
vocals/keyboards, Jack Moffitt (guitar), Thomas Champion (bass) and Luke
Davison (drums). In 2013, the band won the Vanda & Young Song writing
Competition with their song "Is This How You Feel?“ from the album Blue
Planet Eyes. In 2013, they released a second EP, Is This How You Feel?
featuring two singles, "Is This How You Feel?" and "Manic Baby". The single
"Is This How You Feel?" attracted considerable success, winning the
$50,000 Vanda & Young prize, being nominated for an ARIA Award for Best
Pop Release, and being voted ninth in the prestigious Triple J Hottest 100.

• Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in
metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).
• There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are
represented with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
• There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and
atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative,
amplifying, contradicting).
• The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of
the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a
visual style).
• There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens,
mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female
body.
• The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a
visual style)
• There are often inter-textual reference (to films, TV programmes, other
music videos etc).
7 features of music videos
Goodwin

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics(e.g. stage performance in metal
videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop)
Lighting: in this video the lighting follows the conventions of
alternative music videos because it features a dark set with bright
colour lights, matching the energy and charisma that Isabella has
throughout the song. The extreme brightness at the beginning,
contrasted with the darkness on Isabella’s face with the blue,
water effect makes the video match the rise and fall of the song
and follow the conventions of alternative videos for the darkness
connotes the unique sound to the music and contrast to typical
pop music of the time by artists like Taylor Swift. The yellow tones
in the beginning frames of video have similarities to 70/80’s by the
likes of Blondie that features right stage lights to connote an
authentic performance. The fact that the video makes great use of
different lighting and the yellow to give it a rustic, natural feel,
follows the indie genre characteristics for many indie performers
like to emulate this retro look for it has an old-school, chilled feel,
which typically matches indie songs.Performance: the illustrative genre of this video is typical of
indie/ alternative music videos as the tend to either have a focus
on the performance or a narrative element and this video focuses
on the performance mainly. However, there is a narrative
reference due to the cyclical structure of the start and end
featuring the extreme close up of the bright stage lights, making
the video feel rounded and complete, satisfying the audience’s
needs of typical resolution. This performance-based genre of
video is typical of indie/ alternative music for there has always
been a greater emphasis on the passion and talented
performance for indie music rather than the initial mass success.
The fact that Isabella is seen to be dancing around the stage in
an erratic and odd manner it connotes the genre characteristics
for this is typical of a band front man/woman for they tend to
follow this confident and charismatic persona of care-free,
following the genre.

Editing/ camera: the edits in this video are very typical of indie videos for the
motivated cuts follow the movement in the song and allow the audience to feel
the music through the visuals as well. The cuts are fairly fast-pace, meaning that
it follows the high tempo of the song, making it lively and follow the typical
repetitive patterning of music videos. The camera shots are also very typical for
they use many close ups and long shots (wide and tight shots) to establish the
band as a unit and then individually, paying close attention to Isabella (the lead
singer) for she is the main vocals, as she is the focal point for the whole video.
This isn’t only common of indie performance videos, but of music videos in
general, for they tend to focus on the lead singer as they are the most interesting
and tend to lead the group. As the lead in this case is a girl, it counter acts typical
indie bands, for they are typically all male members, meaning that this is putting
a modern twist on the indie genre. The camera movement features mainly zooms
and slow pans to follow the movement on stage and to focus largely on the lip
syncing to the song. There is a lot of special effects used in this video like split-
screen, filters, fades and overlapping of frames to allow the video to run
smoothly and look very interesting and unique, following indie characteristics.
These editing techniques relate to John Stewart’s theory of a music video as this
gives reference to a art/ photography source, in which says is a typical reference
in music videos.
Styling: the overall look of The Preatures is very typical of indie bands in music
videos for their relaxed and scruffy appearance highlights the persona of a cool
and current band that is desired. The fact that most of the men, apart from
Gideon (the lead guitarist and singer) have long, messy hair it follows this
styling and suggests that they have less relevance in the actual video, as Gideon
and Isabella have more styled hair. The dark, monochromatic colour palette of
their styling once again follows the indie genre for this is connoted to being
cool and ‘indie’. As Isabella is wear a minimal white cropped vest, skirt and at
the beginning white jacket further highlights her contrast in gender to the other
band members, making her stand out and be come more of a frontwoman to
the audience. The fact the outfit is very short and revealing appeals to the male
gaze and represent indie women as a countertype to the typical scruffy, indie
male, making the video more interesting. However her minimal makeup and
hair styling does allow her to follow the conventions of indie bands in music
videos for it further implies a relaxed styling and identity. As the overall styling
of the video is very common for indie bands, this creates familiarity for the
audience once again relates to John Stewart’s theory that music videos use
visuals that the audience will recognize.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals- the lyrics are represented with
images(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting)
 Bright lights, feel alright, I’m gonna see her again tonight: fade into bright
light from staging lights again
 And now you’ve got me started, I’m gonna shake it right tonight: dark, blue
lighting, connotes darker thoughts, which could be used to represent the ID
(Freud’s theory)
 memories of you: tunneling edit, close up- looking back to older memories,
emphasis on 2nd person personal pronoun ‘you’ to signify emotional
importance
 Is this how you feel?: jumping up and down to show desperation and
disturbed emotional state(connotes female straights)
 Leaving you: dark, red, spiraling effect, connote danger and negativity on the
male, for he is acting as the antagonist
 Or I could make them with you: split screen of Isabella looking at Gideon-
binary opposites man/woman, connotes love and lust (dark background)
 There’s a little of me but I don’t know where: dark, close up, suggesting
unsure and scared state
 I’m too young to quit now, I’m too young to quit but I gotta get clean: bright
lighting, looking up, highlighting youth, naivety and the idea of her looking
for guidance
 is this how you feel?: spelt out on the screen- clear reference
 And I wanna x16, And I wanna x16: spelt out on the screen – clear reference
 And then down to the heavy nights: triple split screen- suggesting a drunk
state ‘heavy nights’
 Is this how you feel, Is this how you feel baby: fireworks in background-
extreme emotions, erratic dancing, show want and desire for his love (Gideon
features in the background and overlapping
The whole of The Preatures ‘Is This How You Feel?’ video is performance based
taking on an illustrative styling for the video has connoted links to the lyrics and
passion communicated through the song. There are many links created through
the atmosphere and lighting that correspond with the lyrics in this song, making
the audience feel more connected to the song through the video, which possible
has an amplified genre for the lyrics aren’t always communicated straight with
body movements. With The Preatures name featuring at the start of the video on
screen, this links with Sven E Carlsson's theory that bands are commercial
exhibitionists, as they are selling themselves as a product by placing their name
in the music vide, meaning more people will remember them and therefore buy
their music.

There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of
the visual reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
In this video there are clear links between the music and visuals,
connecting tone and atmosphere. The editing of the music video fits with
the upbeat and lively tempo of the song, meaning that the visuals are
able to fit perfectly with the rhythm of the song. The fact that the cuts
happen at the end of each phrase and allow the audience to see various
shots of Isabella and the other band members individually and together,
means that the visuals allow the band identity to be discovered and
portrayed to fit the indie genre.
The fact that there is many cuts to the instruments being played in time
with the music, highlights the fact that the performance is authentic and
allows their talent to be acknowledged by the audience, fitting the
conventions of the genre. The lively tone is communicated perfectly
through the energetic movement of Isabella in various frames of the
video, and a cool and unique atmosphere is reinforced by the vast use of
special effects and filters to create a retro and interesting video.
As the majority of the video is of Isabella lip syncing to the song in the
video this allow s a strong relationship between the music and visuals as
the audience can create an genuine connection within the performance,
making the audience feel like they are actually singing it live.
The mise en scene play as a part in creating the atmosphere and tone of
the video through the use of the genre conventional stage performance
having a black background and stage lighting to spotlight out the main
singers or instruments at specific parts to highlight the importance of the
music in this video. the minimal styling of the band creates a link between
the visuals and the music for the cool, indie song is shown through the
relaxed, stereotypical outfits, connoting the genre perfectly to the
audience.
the fun tone to the song is communicated through the bright, coloured
light used throughout the video, but the more serious side to the song of
the girl wanting to know how the man feels about her and the
desperation she feels for this is shown through the darker lighting and
erratic movements, liking directly to the song.

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the
artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style)
The demands of the record label are evident in this video for this is a
moderately small group in comparison to other indie/alternative bands,
so it is essential that they stick to the codes and conventions of music
videos and feature many close and mid shots, so that the audience is able
to become familiar with Isabella predominately, and therefore increase
the bands success. As Isabella is the lead singer in this band, she
therefore has the greatest need to be represented to the audience in a
typical way in which front men/women are shown, so that the audience is
able to recognize her authority on stage and there for see her a role
model/ inspirational figure. This is why she is always but in the forefront
of the shot and has the most shots on her in comparison to the other
band members.
It is clear that by the record label they have tried hard to communicate an
original style and ‘indie’ feel to the video, from the extensive use of
effects with the retro feel it has through the lighting, to try and attract the
biggest audience possible.
The motif communicated through this video and similarly in other videos
is the talent in performance that the band has; this is shown through the
fact that majority of The Preatures videos feature a performance element,
whether that be throughout the entire video, or just in sections. This
performance element typically features Isabella dancing around the stage
in an erratic manner to connote her care-free, ‘indie’ being. this classic
wild performance element allows the audience to recognise her as a lively
female lead, which in its self is a recognisable point, for typically there is a
male lead. In current indie/ alternative bands.
‘Ordinary’ ‘Cruel’

Another example of a mise en scene/ camera movement
element that the record label has implied is the fact that
Isabella is always in the brightest lighting on the stage, to allow
the audience’s attention to be drawn to her immediately, and
so that they can recognise her as the lead. Another demand of
having multiple long shots to show the ‘band’ aspect of the
video is made by the record label, so that the core principle of
performance is communicated to the audience and represents
their band identity. These long shots also highlight that there
are more members than just Isabella and allows the audience
to see the showmanship of the instruments in the video,
making it look authentic.
The use of close up shots used throughout the video is
contradicted by many shots used where Isabella isn't looking at
the camera, which is another demand made by the record
label. This, like the long shots, is used to increase the
authenticity of the performance, making it feel as if the
audience is watching the performance live. This element of not
looking at the camera is also used to highlight a level of
dominance in which The Preatures, has over the audience,
making the audience feel the divide in their talent being
expressed through the video. The use of Isabella and Gideon
lip syncing directly to the camera is used to allow them to
break the 4th wall and create allow them to bridge the gap
between the two modes.

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors,
stages, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body
The notion of looking is featured in this video by the extensive use of close ups
and directly eye contact with the audience, breaking the fourth wall. This eye
contact connects the audience and Isabella through the song, making the
audience feel like they’re involved in the music. Paired with this, there is a lot
of looking off from the camera and the band members playing their
instruments . This notion of looking is also used to communicate the idea of
the performing feeling live and in the moment, making the audience recognise
the performance aspect of the video first.
The notion of looking is further highlighted through the idea of screen within
screen of you looking through the lettering on the screen, the tunneling effect
and the bright lights attracting the audience’s eye to certain parts of the screen
and keeping the audience’s attention.
This video also attract the attention of the male gaze (created by Mulvey)
through the use of Isabella being the lead singer in the band. This is a clever
aspect of the band dynamic, for indie music is typically enjoyed and attract
teenage boys, so by featuring a female as the lead it attracts their attention
further, on top of the indie sound that they are already interested in. the male
gaze is engaged directly through Isabella being at the forefront of the stage,
attracting the male gaze in nearly every shot.
Her outfit is another key factor to attracting the male gaze; the fact
that she is wearing the colour white connotes the idea of her
innocence compared to the other rugged-looking men in the
video(excluding Gideon), meaning that she is seen as young and
desirable. As her outfit is very short and thin, it shows off her feminine
figure clearly to the male gaze (particularly towards the end of the
video, when she takes off her jacket), meaning that her body is used to
attract the audience.
Despite the male audience being the most predominately attracted,
the female gaze is also attracted. As there is a female lead in this band,
this attracts the female audience as it supports the idea of feminism
and is allowing the idea of women becoming more important on the
indie music scene to come through in the music.
The female gaze is also satisfied through the use of Gideon doing the
backing vocals and being the lead guitarist. Due to him being
considerably more attractive than the other male members of the
band, this allows the female gaze to be attracted and become more
enticed to the music.

The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual
style)
There is some continuity in the visual styling of The Preatures
through all of their videos. One features of this similar styling is
from the fact that all of their videos have a performance
element that drives the plot or video forward for the audience
and allows them to recognise the bands through their similar
style in video. This performance style is seen in ‘Is This How You
Feel?’, ‘Ordinary’ and ‘Cruel’ where Isabella’s unique and
energetic movement is seen on sat through all of them, meaning
she is portrayed in the same way throughout them all, allowing
familiarity for the audience.
Another feature of iconography and reoccurring visual styling is
how the band is dressed; they always have a relaxed and slightly
scruffy appearance, allowing them to fit in with the typical indie
styling and attract that audience.
The majority of shots are always on Isabella throughout all of
their videos due to the fact she’s the lead singer and therefore
has to build the strongest relationship with the audience.
The editing of ‘Better Than I Could Ever Be’ and ‘Cruel’ follows
the same pattern as this video in its vintage, retro look. The
editing is used to usually put a filter or enhance the bright
coloured lighting to give it a retro look and feel to the video.
An element of iconography is seen through a continuous use if a
poor quality camera or blurred effect used on the video to
reinforce this vintage look, making the videos fit the indie genre
perfectly.

There are often inter-textual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music
videos etc)
The main inter-textual reference that I can notice from watching this video is the reference to 70/80’s music videos from the likes
of Blondie, with Debbie Harry as another significant female lead. This intertextuality is a key feature that John Stewart mentions in
his theory that it allows people to recognize something in the video and therefore already feel closer to it and possibly like it. The
bright neon lights, blurred picture and energetic stage performance all follow the same visual elements as Blondie’s videos from
this era, which makes the styling of this The Preatures video have a cool, retro feel.
Another inter-textual reference that is seen throughout this video is that of other indie videos from the likes of the Artic Monkeys.
This is because of the scruffy styling of the band members, making them look in place with the indie song that they’re playing and
fit the overall indie style. These inter-textual references are used to make the audience recognise the videos compared to the
videos that they’ve seen, making them feel instantly attract to wanting to watch this video, increasing the band and video’s
popularity.
Performance element is seen throughout many other indie videos , however the extensive use of interesting editing techniques
makes this video very unique compared to the videos that I’ve seen, meaning that it standout in an already very original genre,
which is good for their band identity.

CHET FAKER CHET FAKER CHET FAKER CHET FAKER CHET FAKER CHET FAKER CHET FAKER CHET FAKER CHET FAKER

Nicholas James Murphy, better known by his stage name Chet Faker, is an
Australian electronica musician. In 2012 he issued an extended play,
Thinking in Textures and signed to Downtown Records in the United States.
In October 2012 he won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Thinking in
Textures won Best Independent Single/EP at the Australian Independent
Records Awards.["Gold" is the third single by Australian musician Chet
Faker from his debut studio album Built on Glass (2014). It was voted
number seven on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2014. The song was scored for
the "The new MacBook – Reveal" video during the Apple Watch Event on 9
March 2015.

Lighting: the lighting used in this video is very typical of
electronica videos as they typically try to emulate a cool,
mysterious vibe through dark lighting. The fact that the video
uses an outdoor, night time location, it further creates an
interesting vibe to the song as it contradicts the typical lighting
for women roller-skating (i.e. daytime), making the video match
the genre characteristics of being unique and slightly odd like
other electronica artists like M83, The Prodigy, fat boy Slim and
Daft Punk all do. The bright, what seems to be car headlights,
lighting used to highlight the women roller-skating and show
Chet Faker lip syncing later on in the video in a crashed car
make the video feel more realistic and make the audience feel
they are there for it idea of the travelling car makes it much
more authentic, despite the abstract idea of the roller-skating
performance.Performance: the amplified genre of this video provides a clear creative
interpretation of this song and doesn’t stick to typical conventions of
performance videos . The performance by the women on roller-skates
does match the tempo and their movements match the rise and fall of the
song, meaning it does sync through the elements of the song. The
performance by the women is very provocative, done through some very
sensual dance moves and gliding movements, making their dancing fit the
slow, sensual mood of the song. The idea of Chet Faker being crashed on
a highway, with props of a deer, make the video have a thriller element
and intensify the strange atmosphere. This prop use links with Sven E
Carlsson’s theory of having a surreal lifestyle and character with beautiful
women, a grand car and a deer (resembling an animal of power). However
this almost inspiration lifestyle is seen as a negative with the car being
crashed and the women skating away from him at the end, showing how
you shouldn’t ideal life, linking to the message of the song. The obscure
creative of this video is stereotypical of electronica videos as they tend to
follow an amplified or disjunctive style as their unique music needs an
unique video to match.

Camerawork/editing: the editing in this video is very minimal as
there are no cuts, making the whole video feel like a smooth,
continuous movement, which fits the chilled vibe to the song. This
unusual editing style is stereotypical in the sense that electronica
music tries to be different and unique, emulating the mood of the
song, however this continuous movement is quite unique to
electronica as usually some cuts are used to keep the video
moving, but as this video is already constantly moving land turns
to Chet Faker near the end, it compensates for this. The
camerawork again is fairly minimal for the camera tends to stay in
the same position and the women move, however it does pan up
at the start, feature a high angle shot on the girls dancing, turn
around in this mid section and zooms in and out on Chet to add
some movement . This is fairly typical of modern electronica for as
they typically feature a performance of some form, the focus is on
that instead of fast paced editing and effects.Styling: the women are styled in this video in a sporty but
provocative way, highlighting their sexuality through the short
shorts/ pants and cropped tops. The calf-high socks, bomber
jackets and cropped jersey all connote a sporty styling, which
makes the girls fit the activity and look. This styling is typical of
women in the electronica genre, for they don’t want to be
portrayed as ‘girly’ or too feminine but appeal to the audience in
a more direct way. Chet is styled in the video very minimally in a
black coat with his statement bushy beard and looking quite
disorientated (fitting the idea that he has crashed in the road).
This styling is typical of the genre for men as they want to
represent the idea of being cool and careless through their songs
and styling, so the target audience is more attracted to their
music. The set is styled in a mysterious and eerie way with the
deer figure next to the crashed car and the simplistic nighttime
road journey, meaning the video fits this slightly obscure and
unique genre tastes.

chorus : You gotta know, I'm feeling love
Made of gold, I never loved her- not the real her, he didn't even know the real her.
Another one, another you- 6= the idea that he does the same thing with women, making
them seem like ‘gold’, which is supported by another one of the women coming to the
forefront of the frame
It's gotta be love I said it
You gotta know, I'm feeling love x2- 7 (love)= sexual reference with the women’s legs open
and arms stretching up , corresponding with the word ‘love’
A smell in the air is a dripping rose
(you could be the one for me)- 1= representing her in a sexual ‘golden’ image as attractive,
like a ‘rose’, meaning this cycle of idealising begins
Another soul to meet my void then- 2= - He's done this before, he's met someone and
built them into gold in his mind more times than he can remember. "Another soul" could
be a Buddhist reference to us all being manifestations of the same thing - consciousness,
and we are ultimately all the same thing just experiencing life through different filters and
memories. This corresponds with the fact that the other two women now come into the
frame
Of anything bare that's made of gold- 3= He's singing about the image of girl that he's
created in his mind. "Made of gold" an idealised, valuable and over-the-top image of who
she is, which corresponds with the fact that she’s moving her bod yin a sexual way to the
make gaze
The body that lies is built up on looking- 4= you have to look closer in this image to see
the women, highlighting the reference to the idea of ‘looking’
'Cause all that remains before it's begun- 5 (more overall)
With the flick of the hair, it can make you old- 8= the girls flick their hair in canon
Another hole to dig my soul in- 9= he knows every time he clings on to all the golden
images and leaves the real her behind. The is referred to through the fact that the other
women is now in the forefront of the image
The body that lies is built up on looking- 10= reference to the body with only the women’s
body being in the frame
'Cause all that remains before it's begun
Chorus x3- 11= clear lip sync by Chet with links directly to the lyrics of he song
Last chorus- 12= the women are now skating away from the camera, meaning that he’s
ideas of a ‘golden women’ have now caused them to leave him
The video for Chet Faker’s ‘Gold’ is overall an example of amplification through the
relationship between lyrics and visuals being more through connotation and a deeper
meaning than just showing a movement with a corresponding link on many occasions. The
fact that Chet only sings 1 and a half of the chorus of the song reinforces the fact the video
is amplified through the lyrics as it doesn’t rely on lip syncing like many current music
videos. This process is very typical of electronica videos , like that of Fat Boy Slim that don’t
have a great emphasis on lip syncing, but do feature the artist in the video at some point
(like Fat Boy Slim’s Praise You Video).
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the slow tempo of the song as there are no cuts in the entire video,
meaning the cool, calm mood is able to be continued perfectly throughout
the entire video. The fact that the slow pace of the car fits with the same
tempo of the song it allows the visuals to match the music directly, setting
the tone of the song and video from the very beginning.
As there isn't a clear link between the music and visual through constant lip
syncing and the obscure visuals of roller skating for the song, it means that
the women's movements in the dance sequence are very well timed, so
that there is some form of synchronicity throughout the song. As they have
specific breaks in the movements and sequences to fit the rhythm and
phrasing of the song, it means that the music and visuals are able to match
perfectly through the timing, linking the contradictory idea of roller skating
and the slow, calming song together through amplification and partly
illustration.
As there is a point in towards the end of the song where Chet Faker sing 1
and a half of a chorus, it shows that there is a clear illustration of the music
through the visuals through the lip syncing
The mise en scene play as a part is creating the atmosphere and tone of
the video through the use of dark road and bright road lighting from what
seems to be headlights, creates an eerie atmosphere, which connotes the
slow, mysterious tempo of the song.
The cool but sexual styling of the women connects the music and visuals
directly as the mysterious sounds of the song create a certain provocative
sound but also is cool and attracts the target audience for this genre for its
individuality.
The random use of roller skating and a crashed car with a deer in the road
means that there is an element of contradicting the song, for there isn’t a
clear link between these features on their own. However, paired with the
pace of the movements by the women and mysterious tone to the song, it
means that these obscure elements work with the song and make the video
memorable for the audience.

The demands of the record label through the use of close ups isn’t really
evident in this video as the majority of the video is of the girls roller
skating and it focuses on their routine as the main objective of the video.
This shows how Chet is trying to stand out as an individual by not
conforming to the demands of the record label, which is very stereotypical
electronica artists, like The Prodigy and Daft Punk as they want to reflect
the originality of their music through their videos. However, as there is one
zooming in/out close up of Chet in the crashed car, it does show that he is
following this demand of a close up of the artist by the record label, for he
doesn’t want to limit his sales and chance at popularity though the video
by trying to be too original for artists like Daft Punk already have acclaimed
success and can be more versatile in their videos.
As Chet doesn’t even look at the camera during this close up of him lip
syncing to the song, fits with the idea of the video being mysterious and
means that he is still able to be breaking some conventions of typical music
videos.
There is a clear motif that continues through most of Chet’s videos,
creating a form of continuity, linking them together. This motif is the fact
that the majority of his videos have a performance element, usually
involving a dance routine performed by talented people in a unique way.
This is seen in the videos ‘Drop The Game’, where street dancer is
performing his unusual moves, ‘The Trouble With Us’, where a series of
dancers all perform the same actions after each with the corresponding
partners, and ‘Gold’, with the roller skating women performing a routine
together. The fact all of these videos rely on the motif of performance to
add an interesting element to the visuals makes his videos very effective as
it emphasizes the talent of all of these acts and adds to the idea of
portraying unique idea to attract the target audience.
However this idea is contracted by the videos ‘Talk Is Cheap’, where the
entire video is a close up of Chet through al weathers with very effective
editing and story. This is using the conventions of having lots of close ups
as an original element for it is very different to the rest of his videos,
allowing him to be making his videos how he wants to.
‘Gold’ ‘Talk Is Cheap’
‘The Trouble With Us’ ‘Drop the Game’

The notion of looking is featured in this video by the roller skaters, especially the lead
skater, all looking directly at the camera, breaking the fourth wall and allowing the
audience to feel like they are engaged with the performance and song. Paired with this,
there is a lot of looking off from the camera by the women to reinforce the idea that this
is a skilled performance and add to the sexuality of the song and performance.
As this notion of looking is quite unpredictable and natural, it corresponds with that of a
normal interaction and this means that the audience doesn’t feel intimidate by an
unnerving stare, but it enticed by frequent looking. As Chet doesn’t actually look directly
at the camera during his lip syncing towards the end of the song, it highlights that his
notion of looking is too suggest that he maybe be tired of this ‘gold’ image of women
that eh creates, that he cant even look at a creation of this idea, which could be overall
stressing his sad and depressed state of mind.
The notion of looking is also highlighted by the fact that the lighting is pointed directly
on the women in the shots and used to highlight their bodies in close ups, to further
attract the audience’s eye (through their sexualised movements)and the looking allows a
direct link to the sexual orientation of the song.
This video also attract the attention of the male gaze (created by Mulvey) through the
use of the provocative dance moves to highlight their feminine bodies and attract the
male gaze specifically. The female body is enhanced in this video as all of the women
are clearly toned,-
-which fits the idea of roller skating and makes them look more attractive
to the male gaze as the continuous and fluent movements on the roller
skates makes them look sensual.
The women’s outfits are another key factor to attracting the male gaze;
the fact that the women are wearing very little clothing, this means there
is a lot of skin on show, which creates an element of voyeuristic
treatment of the female body as it allows the audience to see the
women's body clearly, which could be objectifying towards them. This
use of the female body is very common in current music videos as it is a
symbol of sensuality and attracts a predominately male audience, which
for this genre is key for a men are typical listeners.
The short shorts and crop tops with sporty bombers, ankle stripped socks
and jerseys makes the female body become apparent to the audience,
but with this athletic styling it means that the male audience is further
enticed for they are typically known to enjoy sports. This is smart by the
stylists by integrating a typically female dominated activity with
sportswear, it allows an even balance between male and female
representation.

style)
There are some elements of a continuing visual styling and
iconography that appear throughout Chet Faker’s work, which
allow his audience to recognise his work and him as an artist.
One element of iconography that is seen throughout his video
that he features in is his overall appearance, especially his beard;
it has become a iconic feature of Chet’s to have a big, bushy
beard which adds to his cool and relaxed appearance, for
beards are ‘in fashion’ in modern times. The fact that the video
‘Gold’ and ‘Talk Is Cheap’ both feature Chet and his beard is the
focal point of the frame. This is seen through the video for ‘Talk
Is Cheap’ as it is a close up of Chet’s face throughout the entire
video, meaning that his beard is in full view. It is also done in the
video ‘Gold’ for in the part where he features in the video the
lighting is shown directly on his face and he is wearing dark
clothing, meaning that his beard stands out, compared to
everything else in the frame.
As both the videos ‘Gold’ and ‘Drop The Game’ feature a road/
street performance to the video highlights the idea of popular
culture on street performances and being out on the streets,
which can be interpreted as urban and fitting of the type of
music produced as it is trying to reach the current audience.
As in the videos ‘Gold’ and ‘Talk Is Cheap’ there are no cuts, it
highlights a form of fluidity that is created through Chet’s
videos, creating a continuing motif of a relaxed visual style
which the audience can watch calmly as there isn’t a fast cutting
rate in which the audience has to follow.
All of Chet’s videos have an alternative and unique story/ styling
which is used to try and entice his modern audience as with pop
culture, it is always looking for the new and most interesting
thing.

videos etc)
There aren’t many intertextual references through this video, however the fact that this video takes pace at night time and features a
crashed car in the middle of the road, it has references to horror films and TV series like Paranormal Activity with its eerie feel and
atmosphere, which create the slow mood. This reference to film, gives the music video a cinematic feel, which links to John Stewart’s
theory that most music videos have some link to cinema, fashion or art to give the audience certain visual references to attract them.
The roller skating element in the video has other intertextual links to other music videos like Priory- The Weekend and Beginners- Who
knows, which both feature a roller skater as the main focal point of the video. This shows how this video is taking ideas from other
videos that have been successful at attracting attention and used these features to allow the same reaction to arise. The video for ‘Gold’
has clearly had success as the video for Sigala’ s Sweet Lovin’ features Candice Heiden (the lead roller skater n this video) and features
her showing the same sort of movements in that video. This shows how Chet’s video is now inspiring newer artists and allow his videos
to have greater success through recognition.
There are inter- textual references to the videos Hideaway- Kiesza and No Surprises- Radiohead as these videos are both known for
filming the entire video in one shot and have no edits in between. This allows these videos to achieve the sense of fluidity, in which the
video for ‘Gold’ tries to achieve to a similar level. This highlights how this video has taken inspiration again from other existing videos, so
that it is able to achieve an effective video.

CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN CATFISH AND THE

Catfish and the Bottlemen are a British indie rock band, formed in
Llandudno, Wales in 2007. Their debut album, The Balcony, reached
number 10 in the UK Albums Chart. The band have toured in the UK,
Europe, North America, and Australia and have featured in a number of
festivals including Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading and Leeds, T in the Park,
Governors Ball, and Bonnaroo. They won their first Brit Award for British
Breakthrough act on 24 February 2016. On 27 May 2016, they released
their second album, The Ride. In 2014 the band signed to Island Records
and on 17 March released their next single "Kathleen", produced by Jim
Abbiss. "Kathleen" ranked at number one on MTV's hottest tracks in April
2014.

Lighting: in this video the lighting follows the conventions of
indie/ rock music as it features dark lighting throughout the entire
video to try and emulate a more alternative feel to the video,
which corresponds to that of the music. The fact that this dark
lighting is used, it makes the video also match the grunge styling
of the band and allows a feel to Catfish to arise from watching
the music video. As through the video there is a red and blue filter
used erratically, this allows the video to match the heavy guitar
and drum sections of the song and make it look more visually
interesting as it is a simple performance video. The use of
overlapping these filters creates a sense of disorientation and
tension to his movements and in this song, which actually matches
the meaning of the song of being attracted to something you
perhaps shouldn’t be. This idea of negative attraction links to the
connotations that the colour red symbolizes in this video, creating
a dark atmosphere, which is very conventional of rock/ indie
bands.Performance: the illustrative genre of this video is typical of
indie rock music videos as the tend to either have a focus on the
performance or a narrative element and this video focuses on the
performance solely. This means that their music is able to be
communicated easily through the video, which is why people are
interesting in Catfish. The performance in this video is very genre
typical of indie rock bands as his slightly erratic movements and
fast playing makes the video look very convincing and with the
band being together in some shots playing and then on their
own it allows the audience to focus on them as a ‘band’ instead
of putting all of the attention on the lead singer (Van McCann).
Through having a lot of the shots primarily on Van it does allow
the video to stick to the conventions of indie band music videos
as the lead singer is typically the most recognisable in the band
i.e. Chris Martin- Coldplay.

Camerawork/editing: the editing in this video matches the fast pace of the
song and is motivated by the breaks and phrasing of the song, so there is a
clear link between the song and the video, which is very typical of indie
band music videos. There is mainly close ups of Van and long shots (wide
and tight shots) of the band together and the members individually to
highlight the fact that they are a ‘band’ that are playing to the song. This
allows the audience to feel closer to the video as it gives a sense of them
playing live for the audience. As the editing pace increases towards the end
of this song this allows the audience to feel the intensity of the song
increase and become even more immersed by the feel and atmosphere of
the song, creating a bigger impact and making the song more memorable,
increasing their success. Editing is used very skillfully through this video
with the use of the red and blue filter, with two shots of the same point in
the song being overlapped on each other, with the blue one in slow
motion. This use of slow motion and overlapping makes the video a lot
more interesting (filters are very typical in indie videos) and follows the
erratic and disorganized pattern of the song. This extensive use of editing
and fast pace editing gives a cinematic feel and links to John Stewart’s
theory that most music videos have some link to cinema, fashion or art to
give the audience certain visual references to attract them.
Styling: the styling in this video is very typical of indie rock
music videos as it follows a simplistic but grunge appearance
with all black, t-shirts, leather jackets and skinny jeans. This
styling allows them to appeal to their target audience and genre
for this is typically how other bands and people that are a fan of
this genre dress, meaning that they are able to attract a wide
following and collate success.
The styling of the set is once again very typical of indie rock
bands as they tend to be in a room with plain surroundings so all
the attention is on them playing their instruments and nothing is
taken away from the performance. Other bands that like to use
this simplistic setting include The Kooks and The Artic Monkeys,
showing that it is a successful stage setting for indie bands, so by
following these conventions, Catfish should attract the same
followers. The grey/red/blue effect put on the video in places
gives the video a retro style, which is a common feel adopted by
indie artists.

The whole of this video is performance based taking on an illustrative styling as the video has
many links to the lyrics and passion communicated through the song. These links are created
through the atmosphere and lighting that correspond with the lyrics in this song, making the
audience feel more connected to the song. The lip syncing presents a clear link between the lyrics
and visuals too, bringing the audience closer to the band.
And of all the lift homes and all the mixed feelings-1= on the line ‘mixed feelings’ the two colours
red and blue are used to highlight this mixed emotions of lust and anger
And you don't own worries or a chest full of heartache-2= it angers him that she doesn’t get as
attached as he does and the dark lighting, paired with the sharp movements show his frustration
because of this
That I'll never work out exactly how you're thinking-3= through his smile he is suggesting that he
enjoys the game that she is mysterious and unpredictable
But, Let me know when I'm needed home-4= this dark lighting and hidden face highlights the fact
that he knows that he is infatuated with ‘Kathleen’, despite their relationship being bad
And I'd come
You can leather me with your lip-5= the two colours once again highlights the confliction of his
heart/ desires and his brain and logics of what he knows he needs
I've gotta give it to you
You give me problems-6- the more prominent colour of blue here could be used to connote
Freud’s theory of the confliction between the Id and the Superego , where with him noticing his
problems the blue ‘superego’ is more prominent
When you are not in the mood
It's impractical
To go out and catch a death with a dress fit for the summer
So you don't
Instead you call me up with a head full of filth-7= the idea concept of the Id is once again
represented here through the colour red connoting the work ‘filth’ which refers to the sexual
urges in Freud’s theory of the Id. Eye contact with audience refers to that they can relate to his
situation
That I'll never acquiesce anything you're thinking
But, Let me know when I'm needed home-8= once again the two colours are used to represent
that he know her feelings aren't genuine, but he still is willing to go and see her because he
enjoys it still sees her as comforting like ‘home’- (Id)
And I'd come-9= the slow motion is used to represent that this is constantly happening and he
feeling that he is tied to her emotionally
You can leather me with your lips
You give me problems-10= fast pace cuts now, representing his frustration and conflicting
emotion with her that he cannot help for his lack of control
When you are not in the mood
You give me problems-11= very erratic movement highlights an aggression he felts that he is
helpless to his emotions and represents his obsession with her
12- the fact that during the instrumental at the end shows Van with his head down and curling
inwards, could be used to represent the idea that he is ashamed that he has these feelings for
someone who is bad for him and cannot handle it anymore.
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10
11 12

the fast and erratic tempo of the song, meaning that the visuals are able
to fit perfectly with the rhythm of the song. The fact that the cuts happen
at the end of each phrase and allow the audience to see various shots of
Van and the other band members individually and together, means that
the visuals allow the band identity to be discovered and portrayed to fit
the indie rock genre.
The fact that there is many cuts to the instruments being played in time
with the music, highlights the fact that the performance is authentic and
allows their talent to be acknowledged by the audience, fitting the
conventions of the genre. The erratic tone is communicated perfectly
through the fast movement of Van in various frames of the video, and a
cool and a deeper meaning to the song (Freud’s theory) is represented by
the use of filters and slow motion to make the video more visually
interesting.
As the majority of the video is of Van lip syncing to the song in the video
this allows a strong relationship between the music and visuals as the
audience can create an genuine connection within the performance,
making the audience feel like they are actually singing it live and can
relate to the audience. However as van only makes eye contact in two
parts of the song, it highlights the idea that he’s ashamed with his
feelings in the video and connotes male indie rock bands as it makes
them more mysterious and does create a barrier between himself and the
audience, but this makes the audience remember that this is a
performance and put s them on another level to the audience.
The mise en scene plays a part is creating the atmosphere and tone of the
video; through the use of the dark room with all focus being on the
band’s performance, connotes this dark atmosphere the song
communicates and provides a clear link.
The increasing speed of the cuts and uses of overlapping of filters allows
the visuals to keep up with the increasing tempo and tension in the
music, meaning that the audience is able to become immersed in the
song through the corresponding visuals.

The demands of the record label are evident in this video for there are
many close ups of Van for he provides a clear link between the music
and visuals, meaning the audience is able to connect the song easily. This
also allows the video to fit the codes and conventions of indie music
videos as they typically are performances that clearly show the talent of
the band. As Van is the lead singer in the band, he therefore has the
greatest need to be represented to the audience to fit the indie rock
genre, so that the audience is able to recognize this as an indie rock
band, and instantly recognise the genre and carry on listening. This is why
he is always in the forefront of the shot and has the most shots on him in
comparison to the other band members.
It is clear that by the record label they have tried hard to communicate an
indie rock feel to the video, due to the extensive use of erratic
movements and retro use of filters to make the video seem unique and
interesting, attracting the typical audience.
The motif communicated through this video and similarly in other videos
is the talent in performance that the band has; this is shown through the
fact that majority of Catfish And The Bottlemen’s videos feature a
performance element, whether that be throughout the entire video, or
just in sections. This performance element typically features the band
playing their instruments passionately and erratically, creating an ‘indie’
feel. This classic performance element allows the audience to recognise
the band as a part of the indie rock genre and allows them to fit in with
the genre conventions perfectly.
Another motif that is seen throughout Catfish’s video is that they are
commonly in black and white to emphasise a rock feel, for the dark
colours connote a dark, rock atmosphere, which is seen in all of their
songs.
A relaxed and care-free vibe is commonly seen in many of Catfish’s videos
for this represents them as a cool band in which the audience will be
attracted to.
‘Twice’ ‘Soundcheck’
‘Pacifier’ ‘Kathleen’

There is no voyeuristic treatment of the female body in this video as the
entire video features the men in the band performing to the song. This is
done to almost break the convention that voyeuristic treatment of the
female body has to occur in a video about a women, which in a way
empowers women from a male dominated song.
The use of the colours representing the conflicting emotions that the man
feels about the women in this song, shows more of a emotional side on
the males behalf, which is again breaking a stereotype that men are
portrayed as dominant because it is clear that the women in this song has
the control over the man (especially through the lyric ‘let me know when
I’m needed home’). This attracts a male audience down to the fact it is
about the man’s feelings in this situation, so they have used jus the men
in the band during this video to allow it to become more relatable to the
male audience.
However, the colour red is used on the line ‘instead you call me up with a
head full of filth’, which could be used to connote a sexually promiscuous
women, which does represent women in a sexualised way, following their
stereotype.
The notion of looking is featured in this video by the extensive use of close
ups and the occasional direct eye contact with the audience, breaking the
fourth wall. This eye contact connects the audience and Van through the
song, making the audience feel like they’re involved in the music. Paired
with this, there is a lot of looking off from the camera and the band
members playing their instruments . This notion of looking is also used to
communicate the idea of the performing feeling live and in the moment,
making the audience recognise the performance aspect of the video first.
The notion of looking away makes the performance feel more raw and
emotional for Van, like he is talking from past experiences from ‘Kathleen’,
making the audience feel sympathy and some empathy especially when he
is looking directly at the camera.
The notion of looking is further highlighted through this video with there
being two overlapping version of the performance, with one being in slow
motion; this effect makes the audience have their attention torn between
the two versions on screen, which actually represents the emotional
background behind the song and allows the audience to experience this
through the video.

style)
There is some continuity in the visual styling of Catfish And The
Bottlemen through all of their videos. One features of this similar
styling is from the fact that all of their videos have a
performance element that drives the video forward for the
audience and allows them to recognise the bands through their
similar style in video. This performance style is seen in
‘Soundcheck’, ‘Twice’ and ‘Kathleen’, where the band’s emotional
and erratic performance is seen in all of them, creating a similar
visual styling, creating a form of iconography.
Another feature of iconography and reoccurring visual styling is
how the band is dressed; they always have a scruffy and minimal
appearance, allowing them to fit in with the typical indie rock
styling and attract that audience.
The majority of shots are always on Van throughout all of their
videos due to the fact he’s the lead singer and therefore has to
build the strongest relationship with the audience for their
identity to be known.
The editing of ‘Kathleen’ and ‘Pacifier’ follows the same pattern
as they both use coloured filters on top of the video to create
mood and atmosphere. This editing technique is also used to
make the video look more visually interesting and attract the
audience for their unique look.
An element of iconography is seen through a continuous use of
dark lighting and silhouettes to create this feel of a dark, rock
atmosphere, which instantly attracts the target audience to the
video.
The simplistic arrangement of the set is also a iconic visual
styling of Catfish’s videos as it connotes their cool image easily
and makes them look more conventional on the indie scene.

videos etc)
The main inter-textual reference that is seen throughout this video is that it follows a similar visual styling of other indie
rock videos from the likes of the Artic Monkeys, the strokes and The Kooks. This is because of the scruffy styling of the
band members, making them look in place with the indie rock song that they’re playing and fit the overall indie style.
These inter-textual references are used to make the audience recognise the videos compared to the videos that they’ve
seen, (apart of John Stewart’s theory that there should be some element of familiarity in music videos to attract an
audience) making them feel instantly attract to wanting to watch this video, increasing the band and video’s popularity.
Performance element is seen throughout many other indie rock videos , however the extensive use of colour to convey
emotion is quite unique to Catfish as their emotional presence in the songs they produce is very powerful and makes
their performance much more authentic. Other than other music videos, there isn’t many other inter-textual references
in this music video as it is fairly typical in the sense of an indie rock video, so it doesn’t really need much more to make
it popular with the audience. The beauty of this video comes from the fact that it doesn’t need vast use of inter-textual
references as their performance carries the video very well anyway, relying on their impactful emotional presence.

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