The document discusses and analyzes the music videos of several artists including Tom Rosenthal, Tom Odell, Lucy Rose, Nick Mulvey, Hozier, Hudson Taylor, The 1975, Mumford and Sons, and Ben Howard. It focuses on the visual elements, concepts, compositions, lighting, locations, and how they complement the music. Elements like simplicity, naturalness, nostalgia, symbolism, and contrasts between modern and older tones are highlighted. Inspiration is drawn from shots involving forests, beaches, and creative uses of framing, shadows, and underwater scenes. The document examines how the visuals can effectively enhance and relate to the lyrics or emotions of the songs.

1. Genre Similarity; Visual Elements:
Tom Rosenthal - A Thousand Years:
For me, both the track and music video are beautifully simple. The
concept of him playing this pretend piano, just cutting between different
locations. Tom’s video has such beautiful composition and the change of
location works alongside the music. This idea of location change is
something I may also use in my own music video. Tom’s musical sound
of acoustic-like folk music is similar to that of my own
chosen track, the natural surroundings and simplicity of the concept being something which
enhances the music alongside, which is what I’d also like to create. The video having no narrative
or real story to it passes attention to the track.
Tom Odell - I Know:
The music video is set in one basic location,
again, another simple concept of the
camera just tracking Tom as a performer.
Tom walking through the trees with a misty
aesthetic, creating the empty forrest to look
scenic and mysteriously peaceful.
The ambient sunlight shining through the trees
adds to the visuals. For my own production I wish
to have a scene where the light comes down
through some trees, so these frames from Tom’s
video act as inspiration for me to create my own
original interpretation.
Lucy Rose - Shiver:
The music video for this song, for me, creates a nostalgic atmosphere, the elderly man walking around where he
used to constantly be, the concept is something I like alongside the lyrics. But I’ve chosen this music video to talk
about the visual colour grading that has occurred in post-production. The images feel faded and dulled-out. For
me, this enhances that nostalgia and highlights how everything has changed around him, presenting places he
no longer recognises. I think it’s important to be complimenting the music with the visuals, in whatever way that
may be, even if that means using an ironic binary opposite.

2. Genre Similarity; Visual Elements:
Nick Mulvey - Cucurucu:
This music video has seemingly very little narrative structure in terms of a plot-line;
instead showing two young boys and their horses on the beach. I think I’m really drawn
to this video because of the rawness and naturalness about it. I felt like I was just
witnessing two friends having a great time, being young and free with no worries; in the
most amazing of locations. The concept so simplistic, yet the shots they’ve managed to
achieve are beautiful. This naturalness is something I hope to somewhat use in my own
music video. In comparison to other videos I’ve looked at, this one seems a lot more
brighter and vibrant, possibly due to the foreign location or even because the ambient
lighting has been used. Making the piece seem more real, there may have been some
plans for the piece, but as a viewer it seems improvised, which is somewhat unusual in
the industry. The wide and two shots show the wideness of the empty beach, the
Hozier - Take Me To Church :
This music video is completely in black and white; I think it helps the distinct contrast between the fire and silhouettes created by its back-lighting.
The video seems to be making a rather strong political statement.
Telling the story of a gay couple, forced apart by religion, is how I interpret
it, which is represented by both the lyrics and the gang which separate
them. I believe you expect the ending to be happy, the man being rescued.
When instead, you can presume the opposite, that he’s been killed.
I think the choice to end it on such a poignant and harrowing message has
a bigger impact about what they’re trying to convey.
horses cantering across the beach. I feel like the video is a statement about the youth, these boys not owning technology or having possessions on
them. Just living in the moment, being so happy and free, which I feel is strongly presented here.

3. Hudson Taylor - Chasing Rubies:
The two male performers in the video, in the same location; the yellow jetty from which they
jump off towards the end. There are two parallel narratives; the performers and the female.
However, visually I really like the range of shots used, the shots of her lying
in the road smoking have a muted colour aesthetic and dark tone to them,
The 1975 - Settle Down:
This is one of my favourite music videos for the way the title card is shown; the
aesthetic tone of black and white with the ocean frames the text creatively. The
young boy being beautifully lit non-dietetically, key lighting allowing him to stand out
from the dark background.
As a viewer, at points you feel you’re being invasive; seeing the
mother’s weariness and possible concern, un-invited yet looking into
a sensitive issue of their lives, making you feel uncomfortable that
you’re invading their privacy, the notion of looking enhanced. This
also occurs with father and son in the car, his dad keeping a wary
eye on him, yet the boy notices, like he expects his parents to be
trying to watch him and make sure he’s behaving. Watching the
music video as a whole; you realise he’s seemingly different.
Having another boy who looks similar, their different which is expressed when the touching
hands, immediately letting off this bright white light; which is heightened by the black and
white contrast, emphasising the tone, cutaways from this show everyone else in the city
collapsing to the floor, their united power ultimately being so powerful; possibly reflecting
the importance of friendship or even originality.
The woman in the video is shown through
extreme close-ups, possibly reflecting the
closeness and intimacy of their relationship,
connecting this to the lyrics. It does feel, from the point of view shot, voyeuristic, following the young
woman around and due to the camera being so close-up, slightly intrusive. The concept of the male-
gaze may apply here; the patriarchal media industry focusing on aspects of the woman which are
deemed desirable by society standards of beauty.
contrasting with the optimistic lyrics. The composition of the shots are beautiful; both the two men and the woman being
centred during transition, but also her lying down body framing the shot.
In addition, I liked the lighting design in two shots; the
haze-y natural looking light adding slight rim and back
lighting to the female. These shots using the rule of thirds,
adding to the structured composition.
Genre Similarity; Visual Elements:

4. Genre Similarity; Visual Elements:
Mumford and Sons - Lover of the Light :
I find it really interesting when an artist creates a music video for a song, and when I first see it, I think I’d have never associated
those two things; the song and visuals, to work together. In my opinion; this song is one of those. The music video composed by
Dan Cadan, British screenwriter. It includes a blind businessman, played by Idris Elba, who seems troubled and then flees into
the wild and running free. The video is constantly cutting between him and a stag.
The scenes of the man running through the forest highlight his confusion, how he seems lost, without his sight he seemingly
just follows his instinct. The tracking movements of the camera feels like the viewer is trying to catch up with him.
As I’m using a setting involving a forrest like location, I’m taking some inspiration from these scenes, tracking the man as he
runs towards the setting sun through tress.
The deer representing him in his most natural form; a metaphor for not being
restrained, symbolising freedom. He’s even shown to be slightly animalistic, running
The diegetic sunset behind the man as he seems panicked and confused, the beautiful sky silhouetting him, which I’m sure
would have been enhanced in post-production. My interpretation of these beach scenes reflect how he feels; being blind and
struggling enough with that, but he’s completely alone. Wide shots show the sparse, empty beach; with no one to help and
support him. The business suit reflects he has some status, which creates the idea that someone as ‘normal’ and regular as him
can be suffering internally. Battling with himself, completely alone. The stunning sunset and vast beach being just a backdrop to
his breakdown, this emphasises his distraught and suffering which represents his internal insecurities.
As he wakes up, standing by the window and stretching, it cuts to this image (right). I interpreted it to
show the binary opposite of his freedom; instead, it looks like he’s imprisoned and trapped, reaching
for escape. Acting as a metaphor; he feels trapped inside his own home, reflecting how he may feel
like an outcast from society. And only happy when he flees, running free.
through the forest and trying to escape his problems. The main shots of the deer are extreme close-ups,
possibly reflecting how close you are meant to perceive them to be, almost like they’re turning into the same
creature as he searches for his freedom. During the first cuts to the deer the tone is much darker, a more blue
and grey filter reflecting his uncomfortable and struggling mental position. Battling himself for what he’s living
with. However, later on when you see the deer, the tones are warmer, possibly reflecting growth and change for
him. However, I don’t feel like at the end of the video you are meant to think he’s completely fine. To me, it’s
reflected as an ongoing battle he’s facing. The last scene is him screaming in silence. Symbolising how he’s
finally calling out for help, yet no one is there to hear him.
His actions of running towards the sunset are symbolic themselves; almost like it’s a timer, slowing running out, acting
as a countdown. I really love the composition of these shots, the sun centred in the frame, acting as ambient rim
lighting which frames the male’s silhouette. I just think that the image created is brilliant with the song and concept of
the video. The trees acting as barriers in his way, but at the same time framing and adding depth to the shot.
The choice to keep the camera movement rather jolty and not fully stabilised is interesting;
however, I think this adds to the movement being rushed and desperate, which presents him to be
so determined in reaching the cliff before sunset.
(Continues)

5. Right at the end of the video, this beautiful shots of him running through long grass, his hands
out, and the ambient lighting of the sunsetting creates a warm golden glow, slow motion
emphasises his desperation to reach this point.
A drone, used to create a sweeping birds-eye view shot, allows the viewer to feel the speed of
him, and peer over the edge of the cliff. Which could represent how close he’s getting to the
edge; both literally and emotionally, being at breaking point.
These shots of him on the end of the cliff, at first you’re distanced for him, he looks tiny;
swamped by surroundings, then you get closer, feeling sympathetic towards him.
Genre Similarity; Visual Elements:
Ben Howard - Only Love:
Specifically, I take inspiration from the use of framing in this video; using the
surrounding environment. The rock ledge which the person jumps over
reflects this gap; the natural rock and faded colour grading making the
image have a nostalgic aesthetic. In comparison to the sharper image of
Ben himself riding a bike across this bridge,
which is brighter and more defined with the metallic and modernised look. In the same video the contrast
between modern and older tones help link to the change in emotion of the lyrics. The song relating to the
lyrics is a usually common factor of this genres’ music videos; how poetic and metaphoric or obvious and
blunt depends on the director and production.
The use of shadows and lighting is also prominent in Ben Howard’s video; the use of his shadow in the performance
spotlight may reflect his internal insecurity and a different side of his personality to what you see on stage.
The underwater scenes have amazing cinematography the brightness in the background
and darker framing which highlights his body in the water, the composition of the shot
being cleverly clear under the water, a clever choice of location, which I think worked
alongside complimenting lyrics with a visual aspect.
Also, the out of focus image on the railway line is a shot I really like. It features so
briefly in the video, but I think it’s one of my favourite parts; the choice to have the
silhouetted figure, from backlighting, may reflect multiple interpretations, but I think it
was an interesting choice to use. The very basic imagery; the bare tree and peaceful,
yet real danger he’s in, yet it seems calm and secluded.