Textual Analysis Music Videos - Example, Kickstarts

The style of this music video is in cameo style as the artists appears as an actor in the film and also mimes to the lyrics without performing. This means that the artist, himself can personally show the meaning of the lyrics and have a large impact on the outcome of the video.

The narrative in this video is not obvious other than the fact it is based around a relationship. However, having studied the lyrics and the video I believe that the storyline is about two people in a relationship which has its ups and downs, but the love that they have for each other always ‘kick-starts’ the relationship. This narrative runs alongside imagery of changing faces performing the same actions as the two main characters, the producer does this by using match-on-action and quick cuts to show the different people. This could represent the fact that the narrative could be relevant to anyone which makes the audience relate to the lyrics, perhaps because of a similar experience. The imagery also shows people dancing and smiling which shows equilibrium within the narrative and matches the upbeat tempo of the song, the colours within the narrative are also an important factor of the representations of the narrative.

The colour used in this video is bright and lively, often with a light background and bright clothing. This helps represent a youthful imagery and also creates a sense of fun and happiness which suits the songs upbeat tempo. This upbeat imagery and sound can also have an influence on the audience and their frame of mind when they watch it which they will then associate with the song. The opening shot in the video is an example of how the producer uses colour to create a youthful and lively atmosphere. The shot has a bright neutral background which highlights the youthful colour in the shoes; this colour is also shown in the artist’s logo. It is uncommon in music videos for the band’s name to be shown as a title as most do not show any, but those that do, tend to incorporate it into an object within the mise-on-scene. The use of colour in clothing and neutral backgrounds are similar to the band’s album cover I studied, I found that the use of colours portrayed a fun image to the audience and would also appeal to the target audience which is a younger market. I think the same applies for their video, one reason the two link together could be because of the connection between them as this is the debut song from the album. This consistent theme creates an individual identity for the band as something that their fans can recognise.

The mise-on-scene used is quite simple but effective, the locations seem limited but are appropriate to the narrative so the editing effect of split screens can easily be done. It also helps focus the attention on the people rather than their surroundings. By using the same location this means that the editing can be done more effectively and allows quick cuts within the match-on-action shots. The simple location also helps to not complicate the imagery when split screens are being used. There is one location for the split screen imagery which is shown above, and another for the narrative between the two main characters, this helps indicate the storyline to the audience. Props are used within the mise-on-scene to replace body parts which again reinforces the fun element to the narrative; this is a convention of mise-on-scene that is often used within music videos. The use of props was also used in the bands album cover to create the same meaning, which adds to the consistency of the bands style which gives them a recognisable style.

The editing is artistic as the shots are put together using split screens and quick cuts. Each cut is made on the beat to the music which makes it more aesthetically pleasing to the audience but also reinforces the strong beat and shows a connection between the imagery and the music. This connection between imagery and sound is also made with the dancing and tapping of feet at the beginning. The transitions between split screen shots and the main narrative shots often use an effect such as cross-dissolve or a slide this is quite basic editing but it is suitable for this song and its narrative and also connects with the beat and sounds of the music. One of the transitions used is where the screen is split into 16 frames and they each disappear one at a time revealing the narrative, this happens at the same time the sound within the song changes from the main beat to a verse. There is also a use of focus change from background to foreground to show the two points of view to the storyline. The split screens are also used to show each characters side to the narrative. This split screen effect matches the albums cover and allows the audience to take in more information and also provides an interesting effect for them to watch.

The video conforms to conventions in a few ways, one of which is the use of dancing, this is normally used to create a ‘feel good’ image and to reinforce equilibrium in the narrative. It also helps create a fun experience for the audience to watch. Dancing is sometimes used in a provocative way within some music videos, however, here it is used to create lively imagery. Other conventions included are the use of a relationship in the narrative, which is very common in music videos as the audience can relate to it. The artist has used it to allow the audience to relate but it has also been used due to the lyrical meaning of the song.

Other conventions are within the camera work, the video uses a lot of close ups and extreme close ups, these are used in a conventional way as they focus on the artist’s face when he is singing and on both the characters faces to show emotion. However they are also used in an unconventional way within music videos as it is used to focus on the feet at the beginning. The reason for doing this is to show the strong beat of the song as the actions of the feet move in time to the beat. The video doesn’t use any pans or tracking shots which goes against the conventions within music videos as I found out in my previous research. Another convention this video uses is repetition; this matches the construction of the song as the chorus is very repetitive and is played often with very few verses. This technique is used in a lot of music videos as it reinforces the key elements which creates powerful meaning.

Representations, other than the ones already mentioned include youth culture and style which is mainly shown through the clothing which is typical of a young culture and indie style. Youth is shown to be fun, lively and energetic through the actors dancing and foolishness. This foolishness and carefree attitude is shown in a positive way. The relationship between the two main characters is also portrayed to be fun and flirty which links into the song and the rest of the imagery.

Overall, I think that this video is successful as it will appeal to the target audience. I like the use of colour and split screens and would consider using these techniques when making my own. However, I feel this video could be improved by having a stronger narrative and a wider range of shots within the narrative scenes. The best thing I will take away from this video is its playful use of editing to create abstract imagery, this is definitely something I would consider trying in my own creation.