Analysis of 3 Music Videos
The music video for Can’t Stop is very abstract in the way it is set out as members of the band each do crazy things which reflects the tempo and the lyrics in the song. The colour scheme is very bright and vibrant which helps get the message of the song across more effectively as the plethora of reds, yellows, blues etc paint a real picture of the band and the song.
The camera work and editing is very quick and the shots rarely last more than five seconds and the fact that members of the band are all doing different things helps make the music video flow as if the band were just singing it wouldn’t be nearly as interesting. The variety of camera angles highlights the madcap nature of some of the people in the video but, also, the tempo of the song which is incredibly quick. The amalgamation of quick shots and interesting camera angles is extremely beneficial when watching the music video and this is something that has to be taken in to account when creating our own music video.
At the beginning of the video we get a long, winding intro to mirror the guitar opening up the song. A close-up of the lead singer followed by a pan of the band introduces us and effectively sets the scene for the video. The mise en scene is minimalistic which adds to the quick-paced nature of the video as the viewer can concentrate on only a few things rather than lots of things because the quick shots do not enable the viewer to concentrate on things for very long which can be seen as a positive or a negative and it will have to be considered when making our video.
The washed out colours are the antithesis to Coldplay’s video and it is a great juxtaposition to the anarchic video. Because the entire video is abstract in its nature (i.e. no real story mixed in with a series of random events which bare little or no meaning.) The angles, however, aren’t as varied and most are either close-ups or extreme close-ups.
Overall, the creators of this video have taken into consideration the band’s public image and they have transferred it over to the video which is extremely clever. The quick shots, abstract scenes and washed out, minimalist colours provide a fitting backdrop to the song.
Take Back The City- Snow Patrol
This video starts with a story intertwined with a shot of the lead singer- a typically normal opening for a music video which is flipped on his head with the use of stop motion. The close-up on the lead singer is pretty much fixed throughout the video and it is clear to see the different between this and the ‘story’. The close-up is clearly lighted whereas the stop-motion section of the video is lit fairly naturally and the camera is extremely erratic in terms of angles and shots. The duration of shots is far quicker and much more ‘jumpy’.
The mise en scene is fairly important in this video as it tells a story of a ‘city’ and the birth of a day. The long shot of the man walking down a path with the sunrise in the background over a derelict building presents us with the connotations of ‘new’ and ‘birth’. Light is used to show the purity of the city- here light is all encompassing but later on in the video there is a lack of natural light as the city is lit by artificial light which is where the city’s dark side truly comes out.
The band, like the other videos I have analysed, are shown fully in some detail playing instruments and this seems like a generic convention from, at the very least, the rock genre which will be explored later. During the instrumental portion of the song the story is explored in far greater detail as, when the lyrics aren’t being sung it can lead to a lull in the video and some people may be more inclined to just switch off.
The use of a red light in one scene shows off the more risqué nature of the particular part of the video as the lead singer is getting drunk. This is then juxtaposed by the serene and empty streets. The point of view portion of the song shows off the city in question and because it is sped up it also mirrors the quicker tempo of the song; this is something which has been present throughout all three songs.
To sum up, light is a major factor running throughout the song and the video takes a traditional story/band mechanic and changes things by introducing a stop-motion aspect with other techniques such as point of view and the transformation of the landscape.
Every Teardrop is a Waterfall- Coldplay
The extreme long shot of the city landscape sets the scene for the music video but it is cleverly juxtaposed by the watercolour drawing of the landscape as the mood shifts. The stop motion that follows keeps up with the high tempo which has just been set but it is also very clever as the camera pans across the wall to show the lead singer, Chris Martin, so people will instantly recognise it as a Coldplay song.
Because the lettering is colourful it reflects heavily on the song and it again contrasts with the damp warehouse. The stop motion creates an abstract vibe and the clothes that Chris Martin is wearing also mirror the song. The rule of thirds is utilised heavily throughout so the text and the band are in clear shot so there is very little blank space in the shot.
The quick, juddering shots and the vibrant colours once again create a motif of excitement and happiness which can be argued is a theme for the song and when watching the music video it instantly strikes you as something different and, because it is aesthetically pleasing and catches your eye, it can be popular simply because of the video rather than the song which is an important advertising tools.
Much like the previous two videos the entire band is in the video which shows that the video is about ‘togetherness’ because, for example, The Scientist shows Chris Martin alone and this is because the story and the song requires for him to be alone.
The pace of the video picks up in the second half when they enter a darkened room and this is represented by the glow in the dark graffiti, the quicker shots and the flashing effect. The graphic match where Chris Martin beats his chest shows the contrast (light) on his own and with the band (dark) and this is extremely effective.
The theme of paint running throughout the video really captures the meaning of ‘Every Teardrop is a Waterfall’ as the paint gradually gets higher in quantity as the video reaches its denouement.
Overall, the song is extremely quick and it is matched by the quick editing. The angles and mise-en-scene lend to the ‘fun’ nature of the video and the clever use of stop-motion sets the video apart from its competitors.
You should have each of these 3 videos embedded in this post
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