Over the course of the half term I've been looking at a lot of bands of similar genre (IE in the rock/alternative section)
So I've been looking at their videos too. Here are a few I pulled up.
NOTE: For some reason, Embedding the videos didn't want to work, so I've had to put links on instead :(
Miss May I - Relentless Chaos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3m3pM3Z-8Q&feature=grec_index
So the song is mainly the band's performance, mixed with the vocalist's performance in the jail cell.
When considering the lyrics, the narrative doesn't appear to be directly related to the song at all, but of course the band must have some good reason for doing it how they did.
The next video is:
Bring me the horizon - The Sadness will never end
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TNckXgfYhA&ob=av2e
This video is much more narrative-based, with the boy going into the woods.
The main theme of the video seems to be the phrase "I won't give up on you". Which could be related to the boy's mysterious relationship with the girl. Overall the narrative seems to work quite well, mixing the innocence of children with the harsh reality of the song's lyrics.
The final song is:
36 Crazyfists - Bloodwork
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLVsdIE832c
This is a much more light hearted video, the cartoony, comic book style of the video contrasts with the more serious sounding music. Only very late into the video do we see some kind of connection between the video and the song when the singer says "And I'll swallow these capsules" as some magice capsules appear in his hand.
Showing posts with label Music video analysis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music video analysis. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody music video analysis
The first shot shows the band watching themselves pre-recorded on television. This is quite unusual as it is not common for an artist to watch, or acknowledge themselves in a music video. It may also subliminally relate to fans watching the music video, by suggesting it is something the fans would do - watch prerecorded footage of the Kings Of Leon on television. In the beginning multiple shots are used to interest, entice and somewhat confuse the viewer. The shots change between a aerial shot of an american city at night, traffic on a motorway, and live performances by the band. It then blends in to a close up of the lead singer, singing to and around the camera. This to some extent supports the Horton and Wohl "Parasocial Theory". This is about involving the audience with the video. If he singing to the camera it is as though he is singing to the audience, however this is highly associated with pop boy bands, and so for Kings Of Leon to keep it suitable for the rock genre, he doesn't cosistently look at the camera, but glances at it, and also looks around it. It builds up to the chrous where it then goes into a live perfomance of the band on stage and shows the crowd within this. This adds interactivity to the band and its fans by including them in their music video. Shots of the band backstage and in the dressing room are also shown, this again, is a plus for the fans of the band, by showing extra and perhaps exclusive footage.
As the second verse continues, scenes are still switching between the performance and the simple narrative, which is the band walking down the street and into a pub. Where it seems they are having fun, bonding and exchanging banter. And once again, when it breaks into the chorus, and the beat becomes faster, faster cuts are used to increase the pace of the video.
The whole video seems to revolve around night time with the scenes of the city and freeways. There was not one shot where it was in the day time, so overall the lighting of the video is dark, I think this is to do with the incorporation of the live performances, which are normally played during the evening. And also the video seems to focus on the band and the performances then the narrative itself.
As the second verse continues, scenes are still switching between the performance and the simple narrative, which is the band walking down the street and into a pub. Where it seems they are having fun, bonding and exchanging banter. And once again, when it breaks into the chorus, and the beat becomes faster, faster cuts are used to increase the pace of the video.
The whole video seems to revolve around night time with the scenes of the city and freeways. There was not one shot where it was in the day time, so overall the lighting of the video is dark, I think this is to do with the incorporation of the live performances, which are normally played during the evening. And also the video seems to focus on the band and the performances then the narrative itself.
Greenday - Boulevard of Broken dreams video analysis
Worm's eye view of a car breaking down on the road, close ups of each band member as they get out of the car and a medium shot of the singer kicking the car in frustration.
The camera centres on the singer's face with a medium shot as he begins singing. long shots from thigh up to catch each band member walking towards the left as scenery moves behind them. The video is heavily edited with pieces of desolate landscape in the background. During the chorus there are sequences when the camera zooms in and zooms out on the band as they walk.
The band members are wearing clothes representative of their genre in the sort of smart-casual area by wearing shirts, ties and blazers with skinny jeans and trainers.
After the first chorus we see medium shots of the band with their instruments. During these sequences we see lots of shots that involve various members fading in and out of focus. A lot of these cuts are tied with segments of the song, such as focussing on the bassist as he does the backup singing in the chorus. There are also a lot of sweeping shots to the drummer during the end part of the song.
The camera centres on the singer's face with a medium shot as he begins singing. long shots from thigh up to catch each band member walking towards the left as scenery moves behind them. The video is heavily edited with pieces of desolate landscape in the background. During the chorus there are sequences when the camera zooms in and zooms out on the band as they walk.
The band members are wearing clothes representative of their genre in the sort of smart-casual area by wearing shirts, ties and blazers with skinny jeans and trainers.
After the first chorus we see medium shots of the band with their instruments. During these sequences we see lots of shots that involve various members fading in and out of focus. A lot of these cuts are tied with segments of the song, such as focussing on the bassist as he does the backup singing in the chorus. There are also a lot of sweeping shots to the drummer during the end part of the song.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Nirvana Profile
After doing some research into our genre alternative /progressive rock A name that keeps coming up is Nirvana so I thought i would research them a bit more.
They were one of the first major alternative rock bands to make a name for themselves in the early 90’s. They released their first album in 1989. Although they are sometimes classed more as ‘grunge’ the originated in Washington state America but made a name globally. They worked there way into the mainstream and continued gaining popularity throughout their career. Grunge music is defined by slow tempos heavy guitar strong drumming and simple repetitive phrases or lyrics. The lyrics themselves are always about quite big issues love hate anger and frustration.
Kurt Cobain lead singer often felt the public had misinterpreted their music despite being referred to as the spokesman of a generation kurt cobain didnt like the media attention.
the band fell apart following the death of Kurt but Nirvana inspired a lot of bands and still is a very popular band even today catering for audience everywhere.
Nirvana's videos are similar to the lost prophet video i analysed early most rock videos follow the theme of switching between narrative and performancein nirvana's video they conform to this in some ways by switching between them performing and what looks like a janitor/cleaner an then to a crowd they are playing to. this crowd also switches between being seated like in a school gym linking to the name smells like teen spirit by filimg in a school gym, and a crowd jumping around and pushing like the type of crowd you would find at a normal live performance.
the lighting again was fairly dark using spotlight to illuminate where it was needed.
they use teens in there videos and to show that the also used cheerleaders a typical american teenage activity for girls.
the crowd seem fairly 'normal' but they also have the typical grunge look linking to what is now there genre expectations and links to their audience.
They were one of the first major alternative rock bands to make a name for themselves in the early 90’s. They released their first album in 1989. Although they are sometimes classed more as ‘grunge’ the originated in Washington state America but made a name globally. They worked there way into the mainstream and continued gaining popularity throughout their career. Grunge music is defined by slow tempos heavy guitar strong drumming and simple repetitive phrases or lyrics. The lyrics themselves are always about quite big issues love hate anger and frustration.
Kurt Cobain lead singer often felt the public had misinterpreted their music despite being referred to as the spokesman of a generation kurt cobain didnt like the media attention.
the band fell apart following the death of Kurt but Nirvana inspired a lot of bands and still is a very popular band even today catering for audience everywhere.
Nirvana's videos are similar to the lost prophet video i analysed early most rock videos follow the theme of switching between narrative and performancein nirvana's video they conform to this in some ways by switching between them performing and what looks like a janitor/cleaner an then to a crowd they are playing to. this crowd also switches between being seated like in a school gym linking to the name smells like teen spirit by filimg in a school gym, and a crowd jumping around and pushing like the type of crowd you would find at a normal live performance.
the lighting again was fairly dark using spotlight to illuminate where it was needed.
they use teens in there videos and to show that the also used cheerleaders a typical american teenage activity for girls.
the crowd seem fairly 'normal' but they also have the typical grunge look linking to what is now there genre expectations and links to their audience.
Lost Prophets Video Analysis
The video for lost prophets rooftops is based on the average teenage life it tends to focus more on a specific type of teenager the more grungy ‘scene’ outcast teenagers that has become a very popular style the song refers to the moment in every teenagers life when you just want to scream. They choose this kind of teenager to star in their videos as they are the typical audience, the people that listen to their music there typical genre expectations if you will. The video begins playing the intro to the song it show a few seconds of each band member just standing there. The camera flashes, blurs, refocuses and moves to the next band member, they focus several times on Ian Watkins the lead vocalist and front man for the band. This is done to reiterate that he is slightly more important and that he is the lead in the band. When the lyrics kick in the camera flicks back to Ian but this time a more close up shot of his head and shoulders he stands still but sings the lyrics. The scene then changes to the narrative of the video following several young teens and their typical situations. The first is of a girl and her parents at the dinner table you can tell buy their body language there is tension it goes to a mid shot of the mother with a very tense look on her face and then to the father who returns that look. This may be a typical situation there audience encounters so makes them feel like they can connect more to the music as the video gives the song more meaning. The next shot is of Ian singing once a again and then to the teenager who looks emotional she plays with her food pushing it around her plate rather than eating it showing once again something is wrong. it then errupt in a big arguement between the parents the father points at the girl as to suggest the arguement is to do with her.
the next minute or so plays out very similar to this switching between the narrative and the bands performance.
the look of the band fit their typical profile the way they dress is smart but has elements of rock within the outfits the lead singers hair is a typical type of style for the audience they are trying to attract. their audience will consist manily of teens that like rock and punk music
the rest of the video is fairly similar to the beggining of the video except switching between similar situations of other teenagers
one is a boy working in some sort of diner restraunt and another boy in a car with his dad
both are in situation where an older figure a boss or a father is shouting at them.
the video is about feeling your never good enough or being told your never good enough
if you watch at about 2 minutes you can see the boys boss/co worker mouth what looks like not good enough reiterating the videos menaing.
in the sections of the band performing the aer performing an what is meant to look like a rooftop giving the song more meaning as the song is called rooftops
in the background they have a flag with there bands motive on it. they appear to be performing at night using lights to light up the 'stage'.
the next minute or so plays out very similar to this switching between the narrative and the bands performance.
the look of the band fit their typical profile the way they dress is smart but has elements of rock within the outfits the lead singers hair is a typical type of style for the audience they are trying to attract. their audience will consist manily of teens that like rock and punk music
the rest of the video is fairly similar to the beggining of the video except switching between similar situations of other teenagers
one is a boy working in some sort of diner restraunt and another boy in a car with his dad
both are in situation where an older figure a boss or a father is shouting at them.
the video is about feeling your never good enough or being told your never good enough
if you watch at about 2 minutes you can see the boys boss/co worker mouth what looks like not good enough reiterating the videos menaing.
in the sections of the band performing the aer performing an what is meant to look like a rooftop giving the song more meaning as the song is called rooftops
in the background they have a flag with there bands motive on it. they appear to be performing at night using lights to light up the 'stage'.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Escape the fate - Situations. Music video analysis
The video opens with a little bit of narrative involving a child boarding a schoolbus, driven by Ronnie Radke, the band's singer.
As the band walks into the school, the music starts. Most of the song takes place in a classrooom shifting between two different situations. The first is a normal class but with the singer singing directly into the camera. The second is the same classroom but with flashing lights and scantily clad women dancing on tables while the band play their instruments with the song.
This reinforces the band's collective "bad boy" image and also makes it look as though they like to have fun, as most of their videos feature the same sort of party structure.
This would certainly appeal to the band's young, fun-loving fans and give their image a lot of positive reinforcement. The camera cuts frequently and sweeps around the classroom at low angles while the singer continues to sing directly into it while playing guitar.
As the band walks into the school, the music starts. Most of the song takes place in a classrooom shifting between two different situations. The first is a normal class but with the singer singing directly into the camera. The second is the same classroom but with flashing lights and scantily clad women dancing on tables while the band play their instruments with the song.
This reinforces the band's collective "bad boy" image and also makes it look as though they like to have fun, as most of their videos feature the same sort of party structure.
This would certainly appeal to the band's young, fun-loving fans and give their image a lot of positive reinforcement. The camera cuts frequently and sweeps around the classroom at low angles while the singer continues to sing directly into it while playing guitar.
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