Abbey Moss

Music Video Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHp2KgyQUFk

Beyoncé – best thing I never had

Genre elements Conventions presented in the Best Thing I never Had Video

Performers/Characters – representations, stereotypes, behaviour, body language, specific pop stars

The music video is staring a famous pop singer named Beyoncé so instantly the viewer knows who’s the video is. Beyoncé is walking around in her underwear flaunting her body and also singing to the camera showing her emotion to the lyrics. At the end Beyoncé closes the video with her walking off in a very elegant way in her wedding dress.

Genre Type: Performance, Narrative or Conceptual? Are there elements of each? Describe them. If there is a narrative, what type of narrative is it? (Linear/Non Linear?)

The genre type of the video is narrative. This is because throughout the video there is a love story being told which involves Beyoncé showing older videos from her younger days going out with a boy who didn’t love her and then going to recent dates and showing her wedding with a man who does love her. The lyrics link with the video as they are saying she got away from a bad relationship.There is also a sense of performance within the video when Beyoncé is on the hill top singing directly to the camera.

Iconography – props, symbolic codes

In the beginning scene she is holding a flower and showing us a dress which shows she is getting ready for her wedding. The flower is white and shows her innocence. A priest is used in the wedding scene so people have a good idea that it is a traditional wedding. Rings are exchange in the wedding scene also as this is a traditional thing to-do. At the reception scene of the wedding the groom is pulling of the brides garter which is a symbolic item used at a wedding which brides wear on their legs.

Setting- mise en scene Opening scene of the music video is showing Beyoncé in lacy underwear, hair and make-up done ready for her wedding. The lacy underwear shows her provocative, feminine side and this attracts the male audience as it is good to look at. Even though she is wearing underwear, the colour of the underwear is white showing her innocence. In the wedding scene itself, Beyoncé is wearing an ivory wedding dress and vale showing a traditional wedding theme, with the guest all in suits

Abbey Moss

and formal wear. The next scene then moves onto the reaction area of the wedding and everything is colour themed white which can be a traditional colour for weddings. Beyoncé changes into a more simple white dress for the night time.

Technical and audio codes – camera use, editing, lighting, diegetic/non diegetic sound, sfx

In the opening scene the light used is bright, natural light which is a positive representation. There is many mid shots and close up of Beyoncé to show she is the main character throughout. Also, the non-diegetic sound is her own song which she is singing. A flash back is used in the music video showing a previous time in Beyoncé’s life. This is effective within the video as it gives the audience more detail in the story being told. A close up shot is used nearer the end of the final couple at their wedding. This is used to show the love between the couple and that they are going to live happily ever after.

Neale’s ‘Mental Machinery’: How does the text meet audience expectations? How does it conform to convention and/or deviate from convention?

Convention – This pop video has elements of a typical pop video such as bright lighting used and colours throughout, a narrative theme, telling a story which a typical pop video would have and also other characters used to help tell the story.In convention – There aren’t many features in the video that goes against a typical pop music video other than maybe the provocative clothing wore at the beginning of the music video as viewer may find this inappropriate when watching.

Abbey Moss

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r00ikilDxW4

Green Day – 21 Guns

Genre elements Conventions presented in the 21 guns videoPerformers/Characters – representations, stereotypes, behaviour, body language, specific pop stars

The characters used in the music video are a young male and female who becomes a love interest to each other. A famous band whose video it is, is Green Day.

Genre Type: Performance, Narrative or Conceptual? Are there elements of each? Describe them. If there is a narrative, what type of narrative is it? (Linear/Non Linear?)

Throughout the video a performance genre is used as the band is set in a room with all there equipment playing and singing to the music. A narrative genre is also used as well as the scenes skip from the band performing to character acting out a story. The story begins with the couple distanced from each other showing tension and a bullet placed in the male’s hand. Police lights are showing through the window showing that crime has taken place and may have involved the male and female who are acting out the story. The couple then begin to kiss which shows a love story being produced.

Iconography – props, symbolic codes

A bullet is used in the opening scene which links with the name of the song as it involves guns. The band use guitars, drums and microphones as this is what a typical rock band would use to create there music.

Setting- mise en scene At the beginning a male and female are set in a dull room with no bright colours involved. Then the band is shown in the same room the couple were in. The room has writing on the walls and only limited house hold things in the room. This may show that the characters aren’t wealthy and are only young. It may show this is there first house or hotel as they haven’t looked after the walls and we know this through the drawings on it. The clothing used on the band is very casual and are dark coloured. This shows that the band don’t really care about their appearance only the music they make. This also relates to the clothing used on the characters. Everything is very simple and not eye-catching yet effective due to the genre of the band itself.

Technical and audio codes – camera use, editing, lighting, diegetic/non diegetic sound, sfx

The lighting used in the video is dull and dark showing a negative representation of the video. There is a close-up shot at the beginning of the lead singer of the band and this is important so the audience know who the song is by. A spot light goes onto the couple when they are kissing to make the kissing important and show the

Abbey Moss

couples love for one another. The same spot light then goes onto the lead singer of the band showing his importance and fame. When the spot light is shown on characters and band member, the camera is tracking round showing a full view from all angles. It also shows the mess of which the guns have made. The camera then cross cuts from the characters to the lead singing at a fast pace showing that the video is intense.

Neale’s ‘Mental Machinery’: How does the text meet audience expectations? How does it conform to convention and/or deviate from convention?

Conventions – Since the genre is rock, the band are using instruments that they have used to make the music. Guitars are used throughout which is symbolic for a rock band to use. The lighting is dark and dull which links with features a typical rock video would have as most of their videos are negatively represented.In conventions – A narrative genre theme is used throughout of a love story which may not happen in all rock videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVkUvmDQ3HY

Eminem – Without Me

Genre elements Conventions presented in the Without Me videoPerformers/Characters – representations, stereotypes, behaviour, body language, specific pop stars

Dr.Dre at the beginning of the music video who is a world known rapper. A young boy who is acting throughout the video. Eminem, the artist himself is playing the hero throughout the video. Dressed as Robbing and Dr.Dre is batman.

Genre Type: Performance, Narrative or Conceptual? Are there elements of each? Describe them. If there is a narrative, what type of narrative is it? (Linear/Non Linear?)

The genre of the music video is a narrative genre due to the film like feature throughout. Throughout the video there are many parodies. For example, the first parody we see is a comic book and different comic hero’s flashing through telling us that ‘Shadies’ back who is a new comic book hero who happens to be Eminem himself. Another parody the music video does is of talk show as Eminem plays 2 people on a talk show with their problems being questioned by a woman who is presenting the show. Another parody is of a reality TV show like big brother and Eminem is playing one of the housemates. Someone who is playing Elvis Presley is also a parody as there is a symbol for ‘E!Entertainment’ which is a celebrity news channel. Lastly, there is a parody of another reality TV show named ‘I’m a celebrity, get me out of here!’. All these parodies are

Abbey Moss

important in the video as it’s quirky and audiences recognise who the artist is trying to copy. At the end of the music video, the heroes are able to save the day just like a typical hero action film.Performance is also involved within the video as there are scenes of Eminem singing to the camera with the words of his rap.

Iconography – props, symbolic codes

CD as this is the CD sold in real life for Eminem’s new music. Super hero outfit’s used to represent the hero’s the artiest are playing. A Lamborghini is used as this symbolises the hero’s getaway car or in this care the bat-mobile.

Setting- mise en scene The setting is in many different locations throughout the music video. It begins with Eminem’s bedroom, which has silk bed sheets to represent a sexual feel to it as he has 2 girls in his bed with him. The bedroom colours are red to represent love as this shows where the artist takes his female friends back. The second setting is a general shopping super market where the CD is purchased. A hospital is shown in the video which then moves onto different real life TV settings such as a reality TV show set, a chat show TV set and a news channel.

Technical and audio codes – camera use, editing, lighting, diegetic/non diegetic sound, sfx

The lighting used is bright and eye-catching so audiences are intrigued. It also gives a positive representation as it is bright and gives off a happy mood which fits in with the comedy genre of the music video. There are many long shots to show what is happening throughout the video and it gives out more information to the story than a close-up would. There are few mid-shots to show a main character such as Eminem himself. There are some fast edits to show the fast pace in the music video to match the fast rapping. This then links in with the diegetic sounding in the music video as its Eminem rapping his new song.

Neale’s ‘Mental Machinery’: How does the text meet audience expectations? How does it conform to convention and/or deviate from convention?

Conventions – The music video follows the conventions of a rap video with their being a narrative story throughout. There is also a rapper dressed in clothing that a normal rapper would normally wear and this is comfy clothing yet expensive such as a tracksuit.In conventions – This music video is a comedy and doesn’t show anger or violence. It’s almost going against all conventions of a typical rap video as everything is high lighting and taking the comedy route.