Ben Montague - Another Hard Fall Analysis

In the opening of this music video we are shown a purple dress, and girls legs. This is quite obvious from the title of the song, that the artist or some person in the narrative is going to fall for this girl, and it is going to be a conventional love story, in which boy meets girl and they fall for one another, or the girl rejects the guy. Just from the first second the audience already presumes this. We are then shown a shot of a car, and then the artist performing the song and playing guitar. The artist then sing the lines 'tryna to figure out' and we are shown a shot of a wide open space which is representative of normally what people do when they wish to think about a problem or situation. Another representation is that he is driving, in the middle of no where. This is normally what people will do if they have the chance, they take the chance to get away from their problems by driving away, in the rain which people find calming. The artist then says they are 'putting up a fight, not giving in' and we are once again shown a clip of the girl in the purple dress. This could be representative of how he has fallen for her, and she doesn't want him. But he is saying he will never give in when it comes to her.

Shots used within this music video are close ups, long shots, extreme close ups, but also medium shots. Even though the director has used a lot of still shots, they have used a lot of backwards tracking when he is in the car and driving. This could be representative of the music as it is quite a moving song.

There are quite a lot of fading shots within this video, I believe this is representative of the genre because a lot of people within this genre have used fading shots, so this could be something I could transfer to my own work. The ideology behind this could be that referring back to the lyrics 'I've been trying to figure out' could be that he is confused, and lost within his world, so he isn't quite sure on what to do. 'Where do I belong?' This backs up the theory that he is lost within his world, he isn't really sure where he stands, not sure about anything anymore. 

This video has a lot of verisimilitude as a lot of people who have cars will go on long drives in the middle of nowhere when they are lost with the world and have no sense of what is going on in their life at the moment. Nothing bizarre happens, just normal day to day things. Such as; after his journey his car breaks down and creates a lot of smoke. Most people that do own cars will probably own up and say that this has happened to them. He then leaves the car and begins to walk down the road; probably to find some help. While this is going on we are shown clips of his performing the song on top of a hill, surrounded by a lot of smoke. This inputs the element of performance into this music video. This section of clip obviously does not have much verisimilitude because not many people will sit on a hill and perform a song dramatically, with smoke surrounding them. But other than the performance side to the music video, it holds lots of verisimilitude for people to relate to. 

The audience that will be watching this music video, could be directed via similar genre of artists, for example; I found this song from the previous video I analysed which was The Fray - You Found me. So audiences of similar genre could be directed to watch his music video as it falls into the category of 'Indie'. This is because of the tone of the song and how the artist dresses.

Theorists I could relate this to could be Laura Mulvey - The Male Gaze, this is because the first few seconds of the music video are of a girls leg, with a purple dress being shown. It isn't till almost the end of the music video in which we are shown her face, so this creates suspense for the audience, and making them want to watch more. However, this could also be contradicting Laura Mulvey's theory as well, because sometimes it is not just the Females which create suspense and desire for the males. When it comes to a male artist, it is normally the other way around. The woman watches, while the man is seen. I believe this is becoming used more and more, because women are now beginning to watch music videos, and find the man desirable, so watch intently as they find them attractive. So this could be where this theory needs to be flipped on it's head, because now women have equal rights, they are too allowed to look and watch males from a far.

The Fray - You Found Me Analysis

The opening scene of this music video is a building. It is lit up within the night sky. By doing some research I found out that viewers who watched this video knew where the video was set due to the buildings that they are shown. This video is set within Chicago, and from the first shot, some people could tell you this. I don't believe this is significant in any way but the music video seems to be structured around a performance of the singer, and the narrative to do with this building. I did some other research to try and see if the link was that this is where the Band are from; but this is not the case.  The first shot is a pan around the empire state, then a straight cut to the singer performing the song in the back of a car. This shot of the man is not in focused, which could then be matched to the lyrics of ''First and Amistad'' as 'First and Amistad' is in Mexico, and this is a cross road. Cross roads normally symbolise confusion, and people trying to find their way in life. However the shot of the singer is faded into focus, and when he begins to sing his face and the shot become focused. This could be foreshadowing as the current state the artist is in is that he seems to be confused about God, and how he has not shown him any sign that he exists. However, when the shot focuses this could foreshadow that God has finally given him the sign he needed, and is no longer confused about what is happening to him, and he can understand this.  We the audience are shown significant places throughout the music video which seem to be large points in Chicago, again getting across where the band is, and where the music video is set. We are then shown the band on a bridge alone, with their instruments just stood still. They are all dressed in either suits, or are wearing long coats which are smart. This is very typically conventional of the genre they belong to, agreeing with their stereotypes(Tessa Perkins). When we are shown the band for the first time, a track shot is used, so we can see the entire band within one continuous shot. This could symbolise that they are a group, and are united. However, afterwards we are then shown close-ups of the individuals faces, which could symbolise even though they are a band, they each have their own role within. Later on in the music video we are shown the band to be playing on a bridge, This too I believe has no significance, it just seems to be conventional of this genre to be seen playing their song at some point within the video, being the performance element of the music video which is conventional of this genre. ''Lost and insecure, You found me, you found me Lyin' on the floor, Surrounded, surrounded. Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late'' When these lyrics are being played we are then shown shots of a girl lying on the floor, surrounded by ambulance men, trying to make sure she is okay. In the distance we can see the singer sat on an ambulance, almost as if he was the person to be there when it happened. I believe it is at this point when the narrative begins to kick in, and fit with the lyrics.The cinematography within this music video seems to be the same as the video I previously analysed, just with more pans. The shots used within are as follows: Medium shot, close up, long shot, extreme long shot, pans & some tracking. In this video, the director has used not so many still shots, and a lot of pan shots. This could be representative of the music, because it is meant to be seen as a moving song, so the constant moving of the camera could back this up within the audiences mind. In this video, there are a lot of fading shots. To me, this seems to be because the narrative is about a girl, who has just been in an accident, and cannot speak. So her world would just be a faded mess, and constantly be coming in and out of focus. This editing could back up this fact, but could also mean something to somebody else.  Music videos that have no exact meaning are good, because the ideology will change depending on what the audience is, and what they have been through in their lifetime, and their personal experiences will change this. 

 

This video does not contain much verisimilitude, this is due to the fact that within the video we are shown the band members to be stood at the top of buildings, all on different levels which could conote that they are all at different points in their lives. However, they seem to be  watching what is going on below them; this would clearly never happen in real life. There are also points within the music video where the band is seen to be playing instruments on a bridge; this too would never happen, or if it did; very very rarely. I can then try to conclude that this video is probably watched so much and is so popular  because the audience is moved by the narrative of the girl which is showed and the fact that the band does things that we do not see every day within our lives.

 

The theorists that I can link this to are Tessa Perkins - Stereotypes, because Tessa Perkins says that everyone has a stereotype within them, due to their appearance, their nationality, and in music videos, their genre. The genre of the fray is Indie rock, so they dress like their genre. They wear leather coats, black skinny jeans, denim jackets, smart shirts. So because this links with their stereotype, her theory is correct. Another theorist this video can be linked to is Richard Dyers theory of Representation. His theory says that the artist chooses what they want to be represented as, and how this will attract their audience. In this case, the genre of The Fray is Indie rock, so if they dress accordingly, they will attract an audience that wears similar clothes, so they can be 'style icons' and it will also attract an audience that has a similar taste to what genre they are as a band.

Passenger - Let her go analysis

The opening scene of this music video is a hand held shot of some lights. This is also a faded shot, it is very blurry so the lights are just blue and white dots. This could be representative of the illusion that the lights are like stars, but it is also common within the pop-Indie genre. This could also be representative of the album name 'All the little lights' which is passengers new album. Beginning with this allows the audience to think back to the album, and also to know which song this album came from without having to search google, or their albums. This could also be representative of stars, as the video continues there is a long shot showing the entire band, and behind them is a set of a a sky, sand and stars. This idea is then backed up of the close up of a single light, amongst all the other lights. It then reverses, and goes back to the long shot, where we can link that these lights are infact being used as stars. Throughout the  music video, the lights flicker in time with the music so the visuals match the sound. We also then see a straight cut, to some hands playing the song on the piano followed by a straight cut back to some more little lights, then finally another straight cut to passenger playing guitar and performing the song. The editing of the music video at first is not seen to be in time with anything in particular. But as soon as the music kicks in with the guitar, and drums the editing changes too. The shots change when the drum beats, when the artist stops singing, or starts singing, and also when an instrument stops playing. This is normally very typical of this genre as this happens in alot of music video from this genre and seems to be a convention. The genre of this song/artist is indie-pop-folk, this video is very representative of this genre due to the fact that passenger is clearly seen playing the guitar, singing the song, while other people join in around him to create the song as a whole and perform it as it was written.  When the artist is shown from a long shot, the the lights are above him, and behind him, this could be representative in the fact that 'her' in the lyrics could be shown by these lights. So the main element within this video that does keep popping up seems to be these lights. So these lights could then represent this girl that he is trying to let go of. As there are medium close-ups of other people playing and singing along to the song, the lights are always shown in the background behind them. Half way through the video it then changes slightly, as the people are then sat behind stage and are then practising the song. The talent are laughing, and smiling, while everyone seems to contribute to the performance. Then the music video goes back to the performance element again as would be presumed as the artist has just been practising the song with his fellow band members, so now he will actually perform the song infront of a crowd.

This music video is representative of the lyrics but only in certain parts of the music video. We are shown the artist performing the song, and shots backstage with his friends, and fellow workers rehearsing for the song. The only part of the song that i've seen where the visuals match what is happening on screen is when the artist sings the first line of 'Well you only need the lights when its burning low' , and the artist is seen singing these lyrics and the shot behind him is purely just the painted set. But the moment the artist sings 'lights' these little lights in the background light up. This music video is also not abstract, it is just solely the artist performing. This is sometimes conventional of this genre, this is mainly because the song is so calming that the artist prefers the video to follow them, rather than to tell another tale which would not be the correct meaning. We are shown the artist performing at first, to no-one. Then later in the music video, an audience appears and the same footage is shown of the band performing again, but this time, to a live audience. This video is therefore not a narrative music video, it is a performance one. It could be considered as a narrative in the aspect that it is Passenger performing the song to his fans, and its his story of what happens backstage, and how performers act and also the first few lines. It could also be considered as a narrative music video if indeed my idea of the lights representing 'her' that he is trying to let go of. Otherwise this video to me seems to be a performance with a slight hint of narrative aspect to it.

This music video has a variety of shots which is very good, it is not repetitive, and shows me that I too could also use different shots to create a realistic product. The various shots that are used within this music video are: close-ups, extreme close ups, long shots, extreme long shot and medium close ups. The director has used a lot of still shots, but he has also used some pan shots. For example, there is a man playing a guitar, and we are shown his hands playing guitar, then the camera pans upwards towards his face, where we can see he is concentrating on what he is playing. Also a lot of hand camera is used, this could be to resemble the action of being busy, and rushing around before a gig set. But also could be representative of the fact that before a gig set, the artist and performers are normally very nervous; and when you are nervous you normally shake due to an adrenaline rush.

This music video shows verisimilitude to all audiences which watch it. All artists would be able to relate to this as this is how they perform, this is the process of what happens when an artist performs. This is also what happens while they are rehearsing, and while they are backstage. Nothing abnormal or abstract happens within this music video, it is just a typical performance music video which every person who watches it can relate to. The excitement before a gig, and this music video even shows how the audience react to the song and the performer. The audience that watch could also not be performers, they could just be admirers of the artist himself. It could open up the viewers eyes to watch happens backstage, and how their idol acts. 

The theorist I can relate this to Tessa Perkins theory of Stereotypes. Tessa Perkins says that everyone has a stereotype within them, due to their appearance, their nationality, and in music videos, their genre. Passenger has a stereotype because of this genre, his genre is indie-folk, pop. The pop element comes across in his music as does the indie-folk, but the indie-folk stereotype also comes across in his appearance. As he wears tweet caps, with smart shirts and corduroy trousers. This video in itself proves that this theory is true, and there are always links within every media text we see that can be related to a stereotype. Tessa Perkins therefore is right, people dress according to their genre. You wouldn't see someone who was of Pop genre wearing all black, new rocks, and a black leather coat, people like to stay within their stereotype as this is here they feel comfortable. 

In conclusion this music video has given me a lot to think about. It has made me think about even the little things such as lights that could be used within my music video. These little lights may seem little to some viewers, but to me: clear links can be made from the music video to the album artwork. It has also made me think more about stereotypes and what links I should be making within my music video. If I have my Talent watching tv, have a programme that fits within the given genre, music that fits within my given genre and more importantly clothes that fit within my given genre. It has also made me think about how even though my storyline is repetitive, how I could through the use of editing, mise-en-scene and cinematography not create identical shots, so there is no sense of repetition of camera angles ect.