Radiohead No Surprises

Radiohead

No surprises

• This is the ‘No surprises’ video by Radiohead the video was directed by Grant Gee who has directed videos by the artist badly drawn boy and U2. The music video is one single shot, a close up of Tom Yorke the lead singer, the camera angle is a frontal view of Tom Yorke’s face inside a astronauts helmet which begins to fill up with water after the first verse, until it becomes full and Tom Yorke is completely submerged, this only lasts for a short time for the artists safety. , his head is composed in the centre and appears almost motionless.

In the No surprises video lip sync is used only in some parts on the song, the artist Tom Yorke drops in and out of lip sync this is used when the astronauts helmet fills up with water, he stops lip syncing when submerged which gives a felling of realism and creates a serial effect as there is little sense of movement.

There are subtle links between the music and visuals, at the start the lights correspond to the bass guitar in the introduction, this works well with the epic intro, and gives an eerie feel which is emphasised by the darkness on screen the lights flashing linking with the music gives a therapeutic style. At the beginning and towards the close up shot of Tom Yorke’s face becomes more opaque, I think this is linked to the music fading in and out.

Discreet lights corresponding to bass guitar.

In ‘No surprises’ the lyrics are constantly scrolling on screen, they are in slow motion and are reflected on the astronauts helmet. The speed and serial view point of the works of the song represent the seriousness of the music and lyrics, by reflecting the lyrics they are opaque and hard to read but you are always aware of there presence.

I think from watching the video radiohead are identifiable as an alternative rock band by the use of the unflattering close up shot which makes Tom Yorke appear rugged and presents an idea of rocky style.

Lyrics slowing scrolling verticaly.

You can see Tom Yorke’s rugged appearance and the unflattering close up camera shot.

The whole video is a close up shot of the main artist but I don’t think this is to raise the artist profile or create a kind of stardom, the constant

unflattering close up shot represents the artist in a full frontal emotionless way which corresponds to the dark lyrics.

I think there is a link between the lyric ‘No surprises’ and the visuals. The lyric ‘No surprises’ is used consistently in the song I think the links with the expression less shot of tom yorke, at 2.02 when his head is submerged in

water where in effect he would be drowning his has no reaction at keeps the same expression, I think this link is that the narrative of the video is a very depressed like the artist has given up and nothing is a surprise, which is

represented by using a shocking action like drowning and having no reaction.

Between these two sections 1.31 and 3.12 there is litle movement Tom Yorke is almost motionless.