Music video research

Music Video research

Emeli Sande- HeavenThis video portrays the main women, Emeli Sande, to be worried about love. This is a stereotypical view of women as men are not usually seen to worry about things like love. However a non-stereotypical view of society is created in this video as all video includes all races and religions in the same place. This is a non-stereotypical view as not everyone is treated equal in society these days. The video by Emeli Sande is a narrative video as it shows what is going on in many different people lives at the same time. Throughout the video it

progresses from darker times at the beginning to happier times towards the end. A symbolic code which runs throughout the video is the use of angel wings. This links to the song saying that everyone are angels. An example of this when

a women is stood against a wall with angel wings behind her indication that she is an angel.

The video is set on the streets of a busy city centre indicating that it is everyday life. The mise en scene is used well at the end to show that it has progressed to happier times. Towards the end a blue sky emerges showing that all clouds have been lifted form over them. There is also a use of light and dark throughout the video. The video starts of quite dark however with lights flashes of lights throughout. This shows that she is looking to the future. The video uses Neale’s Mental Machinery as it meets audience expectations as it focuses around one main girl. However is also deviates from conventions as it makes it look like it involves ordinary people which normal pop videos do not. The ideologies in this video differ from those of a conventional pop video as pop music is usually more upbeat. However it has an elements of love and relationship which pop videos usually have.

Ed Sheeran- Small bump

This video focuses around one main character, the artist Ed Sheeran. A non-stereotypical view of a male is created in this video as men in real life are portrayed to not be caring or emotional. However in this video the main character is shown to be worried and emotional. This portrays the music to be sentimental to the writer and written on an emotional subject which is stereotypical of the music Ed Sheeran creates. The genre that this music video fits into is the pop genre. There is no real narrative to the video, however the audience get the impression that he is spending the night waiting in the hospital. Although there is no real narrative to the video it can be said that it has elements of a narrative video as well.

Throughout the video a clock is shown at certain points which creates a symbolic codes that time is passing. Another symbolic code which is placed in this video is the use of the waste bun which has Danger written on it in red. This could symbolise that someone is in danger allowing the audience to relate more to the video. Throughout the video mise en scene is used to set the scene of a hospital. The use of bright white lights help to create a feeling that the area is a clinical area. Also the colours throughout the video are very cold, for example white and blue. This portrays that there is not much happiness around.

Neale’s mental machinery is used in this video as it deviates from conventions as it just focuses around one person and the video is very simple. The technical and audio codes at the start of the video help to set the scene. The establishing shots that have been inserted of medical equipment help to get across to the audience that it is set in a hospital.

Demi Lovato- Skyscraper

This video is a very simple style video focussing around only one character. The main character is a female around the age of 20 who is shown to be unhappy. At the start of the music video it starts of which bright whites lights which could symbolise that the character is innocent and pure. The area in which it is filmed in however contrasts to this as it is filmed in the middle of a deserted land which could be seen as a harsh area. This could connote that the innocent character has been put into a difficult situation and that she does not know what to do. This feeling of unhappiness is then once again emphasised by the use of a close up shot of the characters face which shows her to be upset and nearly crying. The outfit that the character is wearing emphasises her innocence as it is white and baggy which could represent her to be angel

like. The effect that this has on the audience is that it makes them feel for the character to more as she is presented to be weak and vulnerable. The clothing in which she is wearing challenges the conventions of a normal pop video as it is not revealing and covers most of her body.

There are aspects of this video throughout that give the feeling that the song is about. This is created by the use of a red love heart in a glass frame in the video. The editing technique that has

been used throughout the video is continuity editing as the video flows through a narrative theme as the video progresses from sad to happier times. As the video progresses the increased use of low angle shots show to the audience that the character is starting to gain some power and is taking control of the situation. This contrast to the start of the video where she is portrayed to be sad and weak.

From analysing these three music videos of the pop genre it has given me a better insight into the conventions and codes of a typical pop music video. It has also helped me gather ideas about what I want our video to be like and how we will challenge or follow these conventions