There is then a cut to close ups which introduces the rest of the members of the band. The instruments used within the band, this again conforms to the Indie/ Alternative Rock genre due to many bands within that genre using instruments due to them performing within their music videos, an example of a band that also use performance within their music video is "Kings of Leon - Sex on Fire". The use of mid shot hides the faces and identity of the individuals which again creates a mysterious feel to the introduction. The rule of thirds has been applied within these shots. The guitarist is in the far left of the shot which reveals the black background, the black creates the audience to focus mainly on the instruments. Instruments are form part of the bands ideology.The distinctive source of light creates the viewer to feel as if within this music video they are trying to find something, seeking guidance from something but the audience are unaware of what it is. The position of the individuals both facing in different directions could imply that they are unaware of where to look when seeking help and guidance and throughout the music video the source will become much more clear.
The low key lighting with a spotlight within the shots continue which allows fluidity through the music video. The long shot of the main singer with minimal lighting on his face symbolises the way in which he feels as the lyrics he first says are 'Don't call it a fight when you know it's a war.' This is therefore implying that he has had an argument with someone and that it is turning into something bigger than just a row. The use of 'you' in the lyrics is a direct mode of address which links to the uses and gratification theory due to them feeling as if they can escape within the lyrics and relate to the situation he is describing. With the darkness surrounding him this shows that there is no spark left within his relationship with the person he is arguing with and he is trying find light in the darkness or possibly trying to find the good in the bad. With this shot using the rule of thirds and the lighting being in the middle third of the shot allows the audiences attention to be focused on the lyrics said and not the visuals, an example that doesn't focus on visuals and only the lyrics is 'Coldplay - Ghost Story'. The shots then cross to the performance of the drummer, and his face, this again could suggest that the relationship is loud and argumentative, due to the drums being an instrument that is linked to the rock genre and that specific genre being seen as stereotypically loud and angry, this could therefore symbolise their relationship.The use of the spotlight creates the viewer to see him as almost angelic and heroic, this could link to Propps 8 Stock Characters. The light signifying him to be the hero suggests that within his relationship he is the one who wants to make things work and get through the 'war' that their relationship is battling.
The viewers are then introduced to other individuals who become a part of the narrative being told throughout the music video. They both portray heartache and sadness within their emotions and therefore their actions are linking to the lyrics told within the song. This is an example of Andrew Goodwins music video theory whereby the lyrics link to the visuals of the music video. The contrast between the man being fully dressed and covering his features by hiding into his hood goes against the fully stripped woman who is looking upwards with her body language being more open. This is an example of binary opposites. This also sticks to stereotypical interpretations of how men and women are perceived. It also suggests that men feel the need to hide and cover up their emotions whereas women feel as if they have been stripped from their feelings and cant control the way in which they show how they feel.
The unidentified female is presented and the viewers are unaware whether is the same female shown from the start, the female is looking towards the light with a projection on her back, the word on her back stating 'sex shop' implies that that is how men perceive her. The significance of the sign being on her back is that she is unaware of this sign and she is possibly looking for guidance from the light source to find out why men feel the need to use her for sex. The lyrics within these shots are 'Don't call it a spade if it isn't a spade.' This suggests that the female is being talked down upon and she is seen to be dumb and have no substance as all she is good for is sex. Another interpretation of the lyrics could be highlighting the modern ongoing issue of how society is very much patriarchal focused.The female shown is possibly a prostitute due to her not wanting to show her face due to her humiliation and embarrassment. Due to the title of the song being 'The City' this could suggest that the female shown is working within the city and her work takes place at night due to the darkness surrounding her and lights shining on her back show that the 'shop' is open when at night shops are normally shut and their 'open' lights are off.
Through several shots of the female, drums and the main singer, these two men appear in time of the music when the lyrics say 'Get in the shower if it all goes wrong.' The lyrics suggest that they are going to cause damage. The mid shots of the individuals faces signify conflict and that they are both ready to fight. The top mans face is tilted upwards which allows the viewers to see the bruises on his face which shows that he is being defeated by the man who is facing front on. However, both men have been given the same amount of space within the frame which therefore suggests that they haven't finished fighting over the woman who was shown previously. With both of the men being topless this relates back to the previous shots of the undressed woman and how a woman is seen as weak and vulnerable when she is not wearing anything however a man is seen to be strong. The previous shot of the man wearing a jumper and covering his face again shows the contrast between how men are seen to be weak when they are hiding within their clothes. This links to the theory of binary opposites created by Claude Levi-Strauss. This is also subverting male stereotypes.
As the music video reaches its middle, the chorus then starts to pick up and these specific projections are shown. With the first projection being a mid shot, this shows the time lapse of cars and the daily life of the busy city. With the lyrics being 'Yeah, if you wanna find love then you know where the city is' this links to the theory created by Andrew Goodwin due to the lyrics anchoring the visuals. With the projections being shown on the body of a man this could then change the viewers interpretation of the meaning behind the video. The lyrics imply that the person who is looking for love should go to the city. With the city being projected onto the man, this could suggest it is in fact the males within the music video who are searching for love and the females shown are not in it for the emotional relationship as they are so used to being seen as a 'sex shop'. This could therefore explain why at the beginning of the music video the man who is hiding within his hood is seen to be vulnerable and emotional. This subverts the stereotypes of genders and also subverts the indie rock genre due to many music videos within this genre normally aim towards the female looking vulnerable and weak, an example of a music video that shows females looking weak is 'Arctic Monkeys - Snap Out Of It'. When coming up with inspiration for my music video the use of projections would be extremely effective due to the aesthetic visuals which is normally seen in Indie music videos. Projections is a way in which my music video could portray emotion more clearly yet have a dramatic feel.
There is clearly the use of binary opposites within the variation of shots, with the first shots showing the conflict between the two men and the second shot showing love and passion between a couple this shows the two extreme emotions that can be linked to having a serious relationship. The lyrics sung when showing these shots are 'Community service was the best job he ever had. Cleaning up.' This could therefore imply that the men who are in conflict haven't achieved much within their lives and therefore could explain the reason why they are so desperate to find love and are willing to fight for something that gives their life purpose and meaning. The shot of the couple kissing also portrays the passion the two men are missing out on.
As the shots then continue to change, the fighting scenes are broken up with the shots of the female shown at the start undressing and the close up of a mans eye. Within these shots it is suggesting that the man is looking at the female and it is something that she is familiar with now and used to as she carries out the action with such ease. The sign having the same font as a normal shop windows 'open' sign, suggests that the female is fully aware of what she is selling and her body is a shop for men to buy sex off of her. The bold lettering suggests that she is aware of this and that she doesn't feel the need to have an emotional relationship with any man due to her lifestyle being an emotionless act and not being able to be passionate with an individual anymore due to her work damaging her beliefs in having a committed relationship where the man isn't only wanting sex. However, with the woman feeling as if she is only wanted for sex, this may be incorrect as the men fighting may want her and want more from their relationship. The lack of communication and differences in emotions could represent todays societies interpretation of relationships and how communication doesn't play as big as a role like it used to as females may feel as if they are being used and men may or may not want a fully committed relationship.
The extreme close up of the eye could symbolise how men purely base their initial idea of a woman by the way she looks. The intense gaze of the eye could show how men only focus when the female is taking off her clothes, this could therefore be the reason as to why females may have trust issues and not want a fully committed relationship.
Within my music video the use of extreme close ups is something that I will be using due to the enigma caused due to the full identity not being revealed. The use of shooting close ups of eyes is effective when showing the deeper emotions of the individual which creates an overall more serious effect.
The fighting shot continues throughout the chorus where the two men seem to be ripping off each of their tops, signifying that the purity that the whiteness of the top conveys has now been stripped from them. As the chorus comes to an end, the music is only the instruments in the back, creating a more relaxed feel compared to the fighting shots. The female smoking her cigarette is then shown, this connotes how the female is relaxed and doesn't seem to care about how men want her as she isn't taking her job seriously as she doesn't want the emotions attached to her actions. The use of binary opposites between the stressful feel of the fight and the relaxed atmosphere of the female smoking signifies how emotions can really play a part in wanting to feel loved. With the shot of the female showing her having her back towards the light suggests that she has given up trying to find the light and find a way out of this lifestyle. The title of the song being 'The City' and being told to go to the city to 'find love' could be what the men believe is what is going to happen to them, however, the women who live in the city are either too good for men who carry out 'community service' so therefore they result in turning towards women who are seen to be emotionless and not willing to have a relationship.
The shots then reveal a new individual who has a lightweight fabric which is covering her body and it is blowing in the wind. The fabric could possibly be symbolising the dignity of the female and how it is being stripped from her and there is nothing she can do about it, she cannot grab onto what dignity she has left. With the fabric being black this suggests that the acts she has done are things she is not proud of. With the female looking straight upwards at the source of light, this could possibly be her looking at her last resort and praying for forgiveness and her purity to be given back to her.The last shot shown in the music video is graffiti being projected onto the females back. With graffiti being seen as vandalism and way in which could damage property, this is therefore how the female feels as she has been damaged and seen as dirty and damaged. By translating the words 'POESIE DANS LA RUE' into english, this means 'poetry is in the street', therefore, at the end it becomes apparent to the viewers that the female is a prostitute who walks the streets and comes across aggressive men. The female perceives herself as a damaged piece of property that anyone can damage as she is given as much respect as the walls being vandalised on the streets. However, with her being described as 'poetry' this could therefore suggest that she is a beautiful woman who has resulted in something ugly. As poetry is normally linked to love, this could therefore suggest that the woman was also searching for love but it didn't work out for her and she ended up damaged and ruined. The shot then fades to black which therefore portrays that it doesn't end well for her.
No comments:
Post a Comment