Music video analysis

Music Video Analysis

Gianluca Kulczcyki

I Need a Doctor

• What I will be doing is analysing a music video for the meaning produced by media language, the music video I have decided to analyse is 'I Need a Doctor' by Dr. Dre ft. Eminem & Skylar Grey.The Genre of this music video is Rap, I know that this is Rap because of the way in which Eminem's and Dr. Dre’s body language shows that this is a typical rap song as he uses his hands frequently.

Décor and Setting• The Decor and Setting of the set featured in this music video is seen to be

a laboratory, which links back to the early days within Eminem's rap career, where him and Dre would work on tracks in their metaphorical 'Lab' (Studio). This is also shows the metaphor that Eminem is trying to inspire Dr. Dre to believe in himself again, by Dr. Dre being hospitalised shows his giving up in the Rap game, when he finally wakes up from the car crash and becomes better than before shows his eventual arising and belief in himself.

Décor and Setting Part II

• The Lab/Hospital is very old fashioned, this could mirror Dre' old school way of producing beats. It features lit candles and very dull lights, dull coloured walls showing a correlation with the rap 'game' and songs being produced in the time in which this music video was made (2011), showing that they need Dre back to almost 'Bring back to life the life of rap'. It fits the genre of music as it links to both Eminem and Dre's past back in the late 90s, it follows the music videos narrative. Concerning Rap it fits the genre as it is a gloomy setting, showing the struggle of Dre's career in the past few years.

Costume • Both Eminem's and Dr. Dres costumes suggests to the audience the typical

costume of Eminem, his trademark hoody, his 2009- present videos feature him wearing a hoody at some point, his hood is down as a sign for respect to Dre, Eminem's 'mentor' and he is also wearing baggy jeans. We can also see Marshall's sober pendant, portraying that he is no longer alcohol dependent. The costume of Dr. Dre can be seen as a standard sports skin tight t-shirt and standard trousers, this shows his simplicity and his frail state, in addition it shows Dre's originality and his active beats within his and clients rap songs. Featured within the music video are Drs and Nurses wearing lab coats, suggesting Dre is ill and is in need of drastic help as he is being monitored constantly.The director has chosen it because he wants to link the metaphor of Dres comeback to the game and his and Eminems past, from them both starting in the Lab (Studio) from Eminem trying to bring the spark back in the Lab. It also shows that when Dre finally wakes up it shows that he is coming back to the Rap industry.

Costume Part II• This is again shown by him lifting weights, showing that he is becoming a

lot stronger and has his confidence back. Hence Dre's athletic t-shirt and bottoms. The Director has chosen to include Eminem's trademark hoody as it is almost a part of the genre of rap, many rappers wear hoodies in their music videos.It tied in with the Rap genre as both these rappers were wearing dark clothing, the back clothing can be seen as serious and conventional.

Part III• The colour black can also be mysterious, sexy, and sophisticated-

this shows that both Eminem and Dre are making songs that are above any rapper, they have hidden meanings in their songs, for example the reboot of Dre's career.Skylar Grey is dressed in a lien outfit representing her innocence, she is portrayed as an almost angel like being, she hoovers over Dre while he is in a coma state, she stands out by her bright white clothing that is different to the others in the video.

Body Language • The body language of Dre at the start of this music video there is a sense

of calmness about as there is diagetic sounds, the waves crashing against the rocks and the stern look on Dre's face, however Dre portrays anxiety while looking over the ocean. When Eminem visits Dre while he is in his coma state he is shocked to see that this mentor is no longer showing any signs of life, this shows that he is upset and gives the audience a sense of being lost without him. The typical hand gestures are used within this music video concerning fist pumping and pointing, these indicate his stress on putting his message across. He varies it up by throwing his arm in the air, dropping it to his side, swinging it back and forth, showing his rage at why Dre is not motivated as he is.

Props • Featured within the music video the use of advertisements of

products are used, they advertise brands including Dr.Dre's own brand, Beats by Dre, also featured is the energy drink Gatorade this ties in with the revitalising of Dres career (giving him energy for his career, Ferrari, HP Technology and G-Shock Watches.When Dre is strengthening up, he uses fitness equipment such as dumbbells, medicine ball and weight bench, showing his rise in strength this metaphors his rise in strength concerning music. When Dre is ill and in his coma state he is being fed oxygen through a mouth piece, showing that he is struggling with his work in producing music. The director has chosen to use these props are they show in video advertisements for other media companies. The use of Beats by Dre, aids Dres comeback as buying these will enable fans to listen to Dre music through Dre Beats.

Performance

• The performance concerning both Eminem and Dre is that both these artists are well known in the Rap genre as they have been around since the early 90s, they are important to the music video as they promote their music as well as their talent of producing music and to sell the song and leave a reaction. The performance adds to the video, it usually doesn’t have a narrative in this case it does, so it portrays a story, it features a wide variety of camera angles.

Narrative • The music video does have a narrative, it is basically Eminem trying to

inspire Dre to believe in himself again and his coma state shows that he is not himself and is out of the rap ‘game’. It shows various flashbacks to Dre past careers of his works with many rappers such as 2Pac, Eazy-E, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem. The narrative does link with the lyrics “t's almost like you're begging for my help like I'm your leader you're supposed to F***ing be my mentor” this shows that Eminem was Dre’s mentor and now things have switched as Dre isn’t producing any new material. The narrative gives the music a real meaning instead of being un-relatable of having no significance. It also engages the audience in a visual representation of the lyrics.