Audience Case Study

Talk Me Down - Troye Sivan: Audience Analysis:The music video was directed

by Tim Mattia and produced by Brandon Bonfiglio at London Alley. Released on the 20th of

October 2015.

South African-born; Australian singer and songwriter Troye Sivan wrote the track, stylised as ‘TALK ME DOWN’, with Bram Inscore, Brett McLaughlin, Allie X, and

Emile Haynie.It’s the second single off of his debut album ‘Blue Neighbourhood.’

This specific music video is the last of a trilogy of music videos. As this is the last video, it concludes the narrative

which has stretched across 3 productions.Sivan also won EMA’s ‘Artist on the Rise’ 2015 award.

"Every aspect of the video’s composition is dipped in melancholia, from the obvious graveyard and funeral scenes to the blue colour filter, from the good and bad

flashbacks to the actual suicide. This is a sad and serious affair, and Sivan doesn’t want us to forget it. And rightfully

so.” - Christopher Turri.

Age: Troye Sivan’s music video seems to be aimed at youth; the target

audience can be viewed as between 17 and 25. Both actors who are the main feature of the music video are in their twenties now; but the production features flashbacks in which we view their childhood

together. An audience of a similar age may be able to relate more to these characters. The production featured on YouTube also suggests

the age of the audience to be younger as the platform is seen to be more appealing to younger individuals.

Gender: Both main featured characters throughout the trilogy of music video are male. No so much in ‘Talk Me Down’, but in the second music

video produced there’s a contrast between the father’s of each of the boys. The focus of the music video is male characters, therefore it could be seen that the viewer that would be able to have the most

personal identity (Blulmer and Katz) with the production will also be male. But due to the topic matter also being a focus; it’s obviously

Additionally, Sivan developed a strong online presence before the release of his music; benefiting him as he already had an established audience to receive his production. In

2014, Time named Sivan one of the ’25 Most Influential Teens of 2014.’

possible for females to also identify with the subject. The flashbacks to the boys childhoods illustrated with the warmer coloration may allow the audience to relate and

apply their own pasts to such events; the production aiming to entertain that (Lasswell).

Ethnicity: The only featured characters in the production are white males. The

subject of ethnicity isn't something highly relevant in the production. The music video which chronicles the childhoods of two

working-class boys whose romance is stifled by intolerance and abuse. This portrayal of characters is similar to that of Richard

Ayoade’s film ‘Submarine.’

Sexuality: The way sexuality is explored in Troye Sivan’s music video is obvious with the

relationship between the two males being struggle. With one’s homophobic father separating them, at the father’s funeral they seem to have drifted apart; now dating a

female, a possible suggestion of him in denial of his sexuality with his suggested suicide. “Then other people get to de-code it and that's what music is about to me…It's my life and stories, so to be able to have them be interpreted and spat back out at you is really cool.” -

Troye Sivan himself, (Stuart Hall)the reception of viewers and the way they decodethe text may have been different to how the creator encoded it. The discussion of sexuality in this last part of the music video trilogy is the saddening disintegration of the males’ relationship; the contrast

between the flashbacks of them as children in the bright warm sunlight, and one male walking alone with more blue and grey colouration. This representation of sexuality may be seen to be similar to ‘Blue Is The Warmest Colour’ the story of two young

women’s relationship.

The music video may appeal to this target audience as they feel positively represented in the production. It represents a group identity which was previously oppressed, yet the

honest portrayal of this in the music video may allow the audience to identify with these characters. Feeling they are respectfully and adequately portrayed. Having a relation to

the text where the have personal identity related to (Blulmer and Katz).The music video may also be appealing to viewers as they feel part of a group; being able to relate of identify with an aspect of the production. Whether that is the gay relationship

between the two males or even the unfortunate ignorance of the homophobic father. It may be appealing for a production with this content to be created as a young audience

become aware of topics which should be discussed. The portrayal of a homophobic father is unsettling and ultimately he is seen as villainous in the eyes of the audience as he may be blamed for his son’s actions to hide his sexuality. The idea of the Hypodermic Needle Theory suggests that creators were able

to manipulate the audience and their views can be changed. Having portrays of love-stories such as this trilogy of music videos

portrays same-sex relationships to be accepted and a norm. The identities these characters form create the impression that

individual members of the audience can create their own identity, not used upon what society expects (Giddens).

Link to Own Music Video Production:The suggestion that media texts can have functions; with societies cultural

transmission(Lasswell). With my own production including aspects of Britishness, while Sivan’s music video includes aspects which may be recognisable to Australia. While my

production include railway stations, which are seen as a characteristic of Britishness with the audience then being able to identify the production to be created in Britain. In Sivan’s music video the long stretching beaches reflect the Australian lifestyle that is associated.

This use of cultural transmission using signifiers portrays factors which may identify with viewers who have a connection to locations.

I think that both my own music video production and Troye Sivan’s music video are appealing to an audience as they relate to identities of a group. My audience may feel a sense of belonging with the collective theme of reflection between growth of youth into adulthood. The sense of exploration in my actresses’ youth with her travelling with her

plant. Additionally, Sivan’s production appeals to the collective youth with the portrayal of a same-sex relationship and with the movement towards greater equality and the

portrayal of the LGBTQ+ community becoming more representative.

My own music video production also appeals to an audience with the subtle and not obvious meaning. The way that I chose to encode the text may be different to the way the

audience decode the text (Stuart Hall). Troye Sivan’s music video also has a level of difference between encoding and decoding; the audience chose what to take from the

production, whether that is subconscious or not, I think both of our video aim to promote a positive message to our individual viewers to identify with and be entertained by.