Analysis of Music Video

A2 Media Studies – G324 Advanced Portfolio, Pop Promo Planning

Camera shot, angle and movement

A lot of shallow focus is used throughout the whole video, especially when the shot is of her with a negative background. The shallow focus helps to engage the audience attention, making them focus on her and her beauty. However, at the same time they can see the background, which isn’t always so nice. In one scene, whilst the camera is focused on Lily Allen, the shallow focus allows the audience to vaguely see two men fighting. The shallow focus helps the music video to go with the narrative of the song, which is about how things may not always be as nice as you seem or imagine them to be.

Shallow Focus used to highlight Lilly Allen and to subtly show men fighting in the background

Lighting

Lighting in this music video has been used really well to make Lily Allen stand out from the dull, run down, background and to literally make her ‘glow’ to show that she is living in an imaginary, perfect world. Throughout the whole time that she’s moving, she’s lit up to the point that even her earrings sparkle. Because of the lighting, with all of the things going on in the video, the whole time it is on we don’t lose focus of the artist.

Mise-en-scene Costume has been used well in this music video to represent the artist’s image. Lily Allen is well known for wearing eccentric dresses with trainers. This look is continued in this music video, so the audience will make an automatic connection with the outfit to the artist. This outfit makes her look very carefree, so it goes with the song quite well.