MUSIC VIDEO TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

LAY ME DOWN BY SAM SMITH

ALBUM: IN THE LONELY HOUR

GENRE:SoulR&B

RELEASE YEAR:2013

Ryan Hope

DIRECTOR

RECORD COMPANY

Narrative & Performance: The Music video is a mix of performance and narrative type and shot in a single run. The music video features Sam Smith himself in the music video, at his husband’s funeral as part of the narrative and as a performer too as he lip-sync’s the song throughout the music video. The narrative starts off first as Sam stands over a coffin in a church, while everybody is sitting on the church benches in the background, and the atmosphere is very sad and emotional, then the scene changes to a flashback of Sam and his husband’s Wedding in the same church in the past and everybody is happy and cheering then the scene changes to Sam sitting alone on the church bench, sometime after the funeral and mourning again. Throughout the music video he is singing the song whenever he comes on screen.

MUSIC VIDEO TYPE

The music video portrays the view or ideology of the Artist Sam smith, as he is openly Queer, So through this music video he has presented his idea and dream that one day Same-sex marriages will be accepted and there will be gender equality and These minorities will not be looked onto as outlaws of love. The narrative shows that Sam attends his husband’s funeral but we do not know that until the Marriage scene is shown from the past where Sam is seen getting married with another man under a church roof. His own comments explain the message of the music video clearly. "Dear all, the Lay Me Down music video holds a very dear place in my heart. "With this video myself and Ryan Hope the director have decided to make a statement and showcase something we passionately believe in."This video shows my dreams that one day gay men and women and transgendered men and women all over the world, like all our straight families and friends, will be able to get married under any roof, in any city, in any town, in any village, in any country. I hope you all enjoy it. I love you all x"

MESSAGE OF THE VIDEO

REPRESENTATION

Sam smith is shown standing over a coffin wearing a black suit, the black color in itself representing sadness and grief in this context, while people in the background shown holding candles to create a emotional and sad atmosphere.

Sam is seen wearing a Crucifix sign on his ear as an earring, this represents his religious beliefs, that he is a Christian, a Believer and follower of Jesus and The bible, it is also his Motif, as he is usually seen wearing these earrings in pother music videos as well

REPRESENATATION

There is no such race discrimination in the music video as throughout, African Americans and white skinned people are shown together and equal.

A person with piercings and tattoos is also shown in the music video, his look suggests that he could be a criminal, either in the past who is repenting now, or from his regretful and sad facial expressions he can also be the person who could’ve killed the person who’s funeral is going on accidentally or unintentionally, which is why he has a regretful look on his face.

The music video is shot throughout in a church in london which is why a proper church is represented with candles, confession rooms and wooden seats, people holding candles shows that it is a gesture of sadness, and adds to the funeral feel, Black clothes In this scenario depict sadness, pain and grief. In the flashback scene everybody is wearing white and the grooms are also wearing a white flower on their black suit to show that white represents peace, harmony, happiness, although the 2 grooms dancing is a controversial representation because same sex marriages are not legalized to take place in churches, but this representation shows the message that the artist wants to portray through this music video i.e. Equal rights for all genders and no gender discrimination.

REPRESENTAION

The narrative follows several theories of music videos, such as the relationship between the lyrics and the tone with the visuals is quite direct and matches each other, the motion of looking has also been used as the music video follows these points of Andrew Goodwin’s theory.

NARRATIVE

The Use of close ups of the artist has also been done as that satisfies the demand of the record label, there is no such Voyeurism in the music video, Although the music video categories under Richard Dyer’s Star image theory as there are close ups, and the representation of the artist’s Motif i.e. in this case the Crucifix earrings.

Throughout the music video Sam smith lip sync’s the entire song, and dances at his wedding as well, he isn't actually performing the song but he is just part of the narrative and is lip syncing to the lyrics as well which is a quite unconventional performance.

PERFORMANCE

The Music video is shot throughout in a single shot, there is no cutaway, although the scene changes in the same church thrice, but it is shown as a continuous shot from the start till the end and there is no cut, but the whole scene is a single shot hand held walkthrough of the camera, the transition between scenes is also very smooth.

The camera is handheld, and most of the times the shot is a close up or a Medium Close up. A lot of panning is used since there are no cutaways and the shot is one single continuous one, and the camera doesn’t zoom in or out, it just simply Moves in or out throughout the music video.

The camerawork for this music video is very professional and technical, but at the same time perfectly Executed, the editing which would’ve surely been done between scenes is also perfectly done as there is no sign of a cut or abrupt transition.

CAMERAWORK AND EDITING

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