Post 4A: Analysis of music videos

Charlottes Annalysis

In this section, both Richard and I will each analyse 2 music videos each. Fist of all,  I will analyse a fairly conventional music video, with a narrative, variety of shots and other typical conventions of a music video. I will then look at a less typically directed music video.

Fist of all, i am looking at a mu Eminem sic video form the artist whilst he was in the rap band D12. Eminems style of music video is generally quite comic book humor and is mocking supper heroes as can be seen in this music video at 0:34 seconds. This music video follows quite well the conventions of a music video as there are a wide variety of shots available.

Within the first 30 secconds we see at least 19 different camera angel shots,  and 3 different location settings with a wide variety of editing techniques used. these include greenscrene, colour grading, which is clearly heavily played on. Rewinding and fast forwarding has been used in order to edit the motion of the car to the sound of a scratching reccord at arround  0:11 secconds into the video.

Use of post production Editing with Lightning bolts

Green-Screen use

Heavy color grading

Heavy color grading

As i am using this video for research purpose, it would be good for me to pick up these techniques used as i can apply maybe not the same style and extent of color grading and other editing techniques, but i can apply the use of a number of different shots in order to break up my music video with the beat of the track and to not make the visuals become stale and boing.
In this music video, it is infrequent that we are able to see a shot were color grading is not obvious. (as demonstrated in the screen shots above) This is fairly untypical as although most professional videos will use color grading in order to achieve a sharper and more pronounced final product. this technique works for this music video because the lyrics (an the title) are in reference to drugs. Therefore having serious color grading visible to the viewer works because it creates the illusion that the viewer is also under the influence of drugs. By doing this, it also engages the viewer in the narrative of the music video and involves them more.
In my own opinion, i believe that this style of music video would appeal to the Audience of D12 (purely stereotypical) as rap is often associated with gang culture and gang culture is often associated with drugs, So maybe thos who are likely to listen to and enjoy this style of music video, are people who have either used, or maybe still do use narcotics.




For my next music video, i will be looking at Bruno Mars' video for 'The lazy song' This compared to a 'Typical' music video is fairly untypical.  This is because a typical music video will have a variety of shots, locations, a change in mise en scene and will often be cut to match the beat of the song. This music video defies all conventions as throughout the entire music video, there is only one camera shot and the camera does not move. When we compare this with D12- Purple Pills we notice how the camera even if it is not rotating, it will have either a pan or a tracking shot. In this music video, there is only one camera shot that is completely stationary.

Another way that this song is completely unconventional is the fact that there is no clear narrative. After watching this video for the first time, my reaction was simply, 'What, i don't get it'. This in retrospect was because i did not understand the links between the lyrics, the visuals on screen and the music. I was expecting something with more of a story line as this is what i am accustomed to seeing and expecting from a music video, and because this music video does not have many of the typical conventions, we cannot have a typical reaction to it.