Music Video

Thursday 2nd May 2024

Music Video Analysis

Video One: Avril Lavigne - Sk8er Boi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIy3n2b7V9k 

This music video is expressionistic. It is a mix of narrative and performance. The narrative creates a parallel narrative that comments on the meaning of the song.

Low Angle - pans up to show us the spray painted 

handheld

Narrative:

We see the man drop down and unhook himself from the rope into a pile of spray paint cans

0.07

Low angle - camera points up towards Avril Lavigne

Dutch Tilt - Camera is tilted to match her energy

Medium Close up - focuses on her mouthing and her appearance

Performance:

Direct Address - mouthing the lyrics into the camera.

mise-en-scene = Loose tie - rebellious

Baggy clothing - punk style, rebellious

0.19

Direct Address - Singing into the camera

Performance

High Angle Shot - 

Long shot

one point perspective - Avril is placed in the centre of the frame, she is most important

2.04

2.44

POV shot from the person recording.

Extreme close up of the camera

Camera shows a close up of Avril Lavigne

Low Angle - makes her seem powerful

Low Angle Shot - makes her seem powerful, but she is physically lower than the helicopter.

3.27

In Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" music video, she uses a wide range of Mise-En-Scene, camerawork and editing to fit the genre conventions of a rock music video. The music video is both narrative and performance, and takes a more expressionistic style.

 At 0.07, we see a clip of spray paint on a building saying "7th & Spring Noon". The use of a low angle camera shot combined with panning up to show the spray paint emphasises the rebellious nature of the music video. This part of the music video is narrative, and it happens just before the music begins to play. The use of the spray paint is an intertextual reference to the repeated representation of teens being rebellious and spray painting walls in cities. The Mise-En-Scene of his baggy clothing fits the conventions of the 'Punk' style. The ideologies of being 'Punk' is that you follow a left wing opinion and are anti-establishmentarian. These are also ideologies that fit into the 'Rock' genre, and are clearly values and ideologies that Avril Lavigne wishes to associate herself with. This is also done to appeal to her target audience, who will likely share similar values and act in a similar way/style to Avril Lavigne.

At 0.19, we see a medium close up of Avril Lavigne jumping onto an armchair and mouthing the lyrics to her song. This is a performance element of the music video. The medium close up allows us to focus on Avril Lavigne's face and see her mouthing the lyrics. A Dutch tilt is used, which creates a dramatic effect and matches the artists energy. A low angle is also used, which makes Avril seem like she is powerful and in control. The Mise-En-Scene of her loose tie and baggy clothing creates the representation of her being rebellious and punk, which will resonate with the target audience, as they will likely also be 'punk' and follow rebellious beliefs. This is also an intertextual reference to the repeated representation of the 'Punk' style, which was a social context of 2002 when the video was released. it also fits the genre conventions of a 'rock' music video, through being rebellious and against societal 'norms'. This is a use of value transference, which shows Avril Lavigne's ideologies and values.

At 2.04, we see a long shot of Avril performing on the hood of a car. This is a performance element, however it is tied into the narrative. Direct Address is used through Avril mouthing the lyrics to the camera. The use of a long shot allows us to see the fans surrounding the car that she is on. This represents her as a famous star vehicle. The high angle shot is used to show how higher up she is than her fans, both physically and metaphorically. This high angle shot also makes use of a one point perspective. This centres Avril Lavigne, showing how important and powerful she is. This subverts. traditional representations of women being weak and unimportant.

At 2.44, we see an extreme close up of a camera recording a close up of Avril Lavigne. it is a low angle shot, which makes Avril seem powerful. The close up is used to bring attention to the artist and show her talent. This is both a performance and narrative element of the music video. The camera used is an intertextual reference to the types of handheld camera's and the older technology found in the cultural contexts of the 2000's. 

At 3.27, we see a low angle shot of Avril Lavigne looking up at a police helicopter. This use of a low angle makes Avril seem powerful, but it also shows that she is less powerful than the Police helicopter flying above her. This is a narrative element of the music video.

Throughout the video, editing is used through quick cuts between clips in order to match the fast pace and tone of the song. The music video is low production value, which shows that (at the time) Avril was a less popular artist and was attempting to build herself up and show her talents. The artist is represented as famous and a 'star', which means the audience will be more likely to consume her content as they believe that she is fit to be a star. Avril is represented in a positive way. She is not sexualised, and is presented as an energetic, talented musician. This subverts stereotypical representations of female artists.

Video Two: AC/DC - Thunderstruck

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2AC41dglnM

0.04
POV shot from drumstick - unique, new view of performance

Camera moves up and down when drumstick moves up and down

0.09
POV shot from guitar - Unique, new view of the performance

Camera only moves when the guitar moves

0.51

Camera is handheld

Head Room - hat is slightly cut off but head is in shot
Looking/Leading room - more room seen on the left as he is singing into the audience   

1.11
POV shot from audience 

Camera moves as if it is handheld, but we can see the audience members hand's in front of the camera

High Angle shot

Very Wide shot - AC/DC are barely visible 

2.11
Birds Eye view of guitarist - provides a more unique view that the audience wouldn't previously see

Camera is more stabilised - Drone

In AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" music video, they use a wide range of mise-en-scene, camerawork and editing to fit the genre conventions of a 'rock' music video. The music video is naturalistic and is solely performance

At 0.04, we see a POV shot from the end of a drumstick/the drummers hand. This shot emphasis the movement of the drumstick and allows the audience to focus on the talent of the drummer (Chris Slade). This provides the audience with a unique view of the performance and promotes the talent of the drummer. 

At 0.09 we see a POV shot from the head/frets of the guitar. This shot is a cut-in to the guitarist's hand and allows the audience to focus on the difficulty of the chords and the skill of the guitarist. This provides the audience with a new, unique view that isn't normally seen. It also promotes the band and their talent.

At 0.51, we see a medium close up of the main vocalist (Brian Johnson). In this shot he is positioned to the right of the screen singing towards the left of it. That leaves "looking/leading room" for him to be singing to/at the audience. The mise-en-scene of his hat, dark clothes and frizzy hair fit the genre conventions of rock, as well as the social contexts of rock bands and the rock genre containing that style in the 80's/90's. The main vocalist fits the genre conventions of rock artists being white, older men. In terms of head room, the singer's head is fully in shot but his hat is slightly cut off.

At 1.11, we see a POV shot from the audience of AC/DC performing on the stage. The camera is attached to the audience members body, giving it a handheld/non-fixed effect. This places the watcher in the audience/ as a fan of the band. In addition, a high angle shot is used and paired with a very wide shot. This emphasises the size of the audience and the distance away from the band. This represents AC/DC as powerful stars with a large fan base. This is an intertextual reference to the repeated representation of rock artists as powerful and famous.

At 2.11, we see a Birds eye view angle of the guitarist, giving the audience an unnatural and different view of the performance. The camera is slightly more stable, and flies over the guitarists head, similar to a drone. The Mise-En-Scene of the darker clothing and the red electric guitar are genre conventions of the rock genre. The guitarist is moving towards the top left corner of the screen, so there is empty space known as 'leading room' for him to move towards.

Genre Conventions of Rock:

Mise-en-scene:

- serious

- darker clothing

- 'rebellious'

Editing:

- editing fits the tempo/pace of the song

- may also include montages

Camerawork:

- mainly extreme close-ups, close ups and mid shots but can include others

- varied angles, usually shows the power/status of the artist

Representations:

- usually white, male, older artists

- usually shows a left wing opinion

Planning:

Band Name: Ascension Souls

1. Ascension Souls are a British rock band who rose from the streets of London in 2020. Known for their Ritualistic style, they overwhelmed the music industry with their spiritual and punk-like take on the rock genre. Their music is full of energy and passion, promoting their left wing values and ideologies.

2. Appeals to target audience - fits conventions of rock genre. Variety of representations - gender, sexuality, aligns with left-wing opinion. Provides entertainment.

3. Performance and Narrative

Narrative: follows two people who are meeting up to do a ritual

Eqilibrium: Dan & Keeley walking around (two separate areas)

Disruption: Keeley finds a 'stick symbol' (Like a Twana from the Blair Witch Project), Dan finds a Spiritual Symbol on the wall.

Recognition: start collecting the stick structures/finding more symbols

Attempt to solve: Dan & Keeley meet each other after collecting all the symbols

New Equilibrium: Complete the ritual, fade to black.

Both Keeley and Daniel will be represented as powerful after the ritual - subverts stereotypical representations of women, conforms to stereotypical representations of men

Positive representations of LGBTQ - Keeley 

4. Places around School:

Anywhere with trees

beacon

5. MES - Guitars, Microphone, Darker clothing (preferably black) for Keeley & Daniel. "Twanas".

6. Spiritual/Ritualistic Imagery. Darker clothing (MES). Guitars and microphone for performance. Mix of camerawork angles and shot types.

MAKING THE MUSIC VIDEO:

storyboard for the narrative:

I wrote this story board for the narrative so that I would have an idea for what the story would be. I also wrote some ideas for the camera angles, shot types and focus in places where i knew i wanted a specific type of focus.

Editing:

First, I created a storyboard for the narrative element of my music video. This was done first as I knew it would take up the majority of the video. I then began recording the video with Daniel and Keeley as my actors. For the shots that did not contain my actors, I chose to use a softer focus.

I began editing by choosing which clips I would & wouldn't use for my video. I did this by watching each clip and deleting those that were lesser quality or wouldn't be necessary. Next, I lined the clips up with the music, leaving blank spaces in the places where I would later put the performance aspect of the video. I found it quite challenging to edit to the beat of the song whilst still maintaining the narrative.

After I had done this, I recorded the performance narrative. I did this after putting the clips in to make sure that I knew which parts of the song would be performed.

DRAFT 1:

https://youtu.be/eQdmpryZvYg