9 Frame Analysis: Radiohead - Just

9 FRAME ANALYSIS 9 FRAME ANALYSIS RADIOHEAD - JUST RADIOHEAD - JUST

THE FRAMESTHE FRAMES

1

This screen shot shows the image I have chosen for my first frame. It shows a close up of the lead singer of Radiohead, Thom York. This is part of the opening of the video, the scenes opens in a messy flat showing the band playing. This is important in the video as it follows the theory of star image on the screen, and

also it meets the audiences expectations for this genre of music. Being alternative/rock the audience expect to see the band playing music which they do in the video as we'll being accompanied by a storyline that reflects narrative. This screen grab is interesting as the camera shot shows Thom York pulling a

strange expression whilst singing. His performance suggests the song is meaningful and he is reliving experiences with it. The framing is interesting as he only

fills one third in terms of rule of thirds. This type of camera work is characteristic for this genre and inspires me and my group to try similar

techniques.

2

As the videos opening scene goes on the audience see the full band playing in the flat location now, with jumps to the start of the narrative. The story shows a man walking in the street on the pavement below the flat where the band are playing. This screen

shot shows the full band playing in time with the music. This is important in terms of genre and meeting audiences expectations as we discovered when conducting initial

audience research. It also backs up media theories that the target audience for this particular genre prefer to see close ups and shots of the band or artist in the music

video. The mise en scene is important in this scene, the costume of the band is alternative and not following popular generic fashion trends, I.e. Thom York is wearing a tie and a leather jacket, connotations with leather jackets immediately

strike rock music. The other band members costumes are also indie and different which reflects the genre. The background location doesn't feel important in the video but appears as if the band are just practising in a flat, as if they are still doing a band practice set. The colours are dull browns and greys which keeps the audiences

attention on the band members and music in the video.

3

This next screen shot shows part of the narrative in the music video. This particular video is known for its strange storyline and unresolved ending. The

screen grab shows a low angle shot of a man walking down the road. He appears to be an ordinary man of no importance in the video a the start but as the video

goes on it poses questions to the audience. Judging by his costume and normality the audience can guess that he is a regular daily commuter on his way to work

perhaps. This camera shot is interesting as it is a low angle shot that features the man in the bottom right hand corner of the frame. It is a very artistic shot that is a key concept in this genre of music, such as a combination of different angles and juxtaposised shots. This shot is interesting in particular because everything is in focus including the large block of flats in the background. This is important in the video as it is the same block of flats where the band

are playing.

4

This screen shot shows the signature part of the music video where the audience poses questions and the narrative and meaning is unclear. The man who appeared to be ordinary stops in the street for no particular reason and lays down. Immediately the audience question this and want to know the reason why. The screen shot shows a low angle shot of him lying down on the pavement. The full shot is in focus which shows the importance of the location - just a random street. In terms of mise en

scene the mans costume is important as he is wearing a suit which has connotations that he may work in a high paid job, perhaps in a bank. This all links in with the narrative and meaning in the video, and makes the audience more curious as to know

why this ordinary plain man is laying down in the middle of the pavement.

5

The next shot I have chosen to screen grab is this extreme long shot which is also a establishing shot. It establishes the location around the man, zooming out further to show the randomness of the location he has chosen to lay down

in. The camera then shows another normal man, perhaps another person on the way to work, carrying ablution is usual business. The man walking doesn't appear to notice the man laying on the ground at first and trips over him. At this point in the video the song is at its peak and beginning into the chorus which the lyrics tie in with the meaning. "You do it to yourself, just you, and that's what really hurts" are the lyrics in the chorus and this part of the video which strikes confusion and curiosity from the audience - you do it to

yourself, what has this man done why is he laying there?

6

This next screen shot shows the man, after getting up from falling, asking the other man why he is laying there. The text is important on the screen as it finally asks the question of what the audience have been thinking - "why are you lying there in the middle of the pavement?". In this screen shot we can also see that his man is also dressed in a suit which has connotations with his occupation. By this the audience can assume that he is also a typically random person caught up in this

bizarre, crazy experience. This camera shot is interesting as it shows us the man standing up from a low angle, a point of view shot from the man laying down on the floor. This type of shot enhances the idea behind this music video and also puts the

audience into the mans position, noticing the strange and uncomfortable things around him.

7

In the next several scenes the camera jumps out and shows many other random normal people gathering around the strange scene in the middle of the street.

Text is again used here to tell the audience what the other people are saying to the man laying on the floor. Here it says "he must be mad" which I think is

important because all he did was lay down on the floor and people are dying to know why in the video as well as the audience of the music video. The frame

shows a long shot which emphasises all the people that have stopped their day to day basis to know why this man has chosen to lay on the ground. Other text can be seen in the next several scenes also, again the other people are dying to know why. The series of scenes ends with the man on the floor coming to terms

with them and saying "okay fine I will tell you".

8

This screen shot shows a close up of the lead singer of the band Thom York still playing along to the song in the flat above the scene below. This scene features him looking out the window to the chaos below all the time the chorus of the song is building up again. At this point in the music video his performance is more energetic and lively than it first was which shows that he is getting into the

song and feeling the music. The lyrics "you do it to yourself" after he is looking at the man on the pavement suggests that he knows why and still poses questions to

the audience. The camera switching back to the band playing is important as it meets audiences expectations for this particular genre as well as following the theory that record companies demand many shots of the band or singer in order to

sell more. Thought beats are also used at this point in this video, when the drums sound the location changes to back down on the street.

9

This screen shot shows the ending scene of the video which follows the idea of having an unclear, thought provoking ending that is characteristic for this genre of music. The

last street scene features the man on the floor finally giving in and telling the others why he is laying down on the floor, however, in the scenes before the words that we're being spoken featured on the screen in text but when he appears to tell them why the

camera just shows him mouthing. At this point in the video the audience are anticipating the answer as to why he is laying there and are excited for the outcome of the video, however when there is no text the scene is very quick and the camera switches back to the band that there is a high chance the audience still don't know why as it is not possible to determine what the man said. At this point the audience are outraged and

when the camera again switches back to the street scene it pans along the street from a high angle showing all the people laying down just like the man has been for the

duration of the music. This unclear, bizarre ending makes the video successful as well as using key media concepts throughout to ensure the narrative is strong and that the

video fits the genre it is catagorised to.