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.